Icon 1.5

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©Tom Bloom 2023

Art, layout, and writing by Tom Bloom
Please feel free to print or share this book if you include this credits page.
v 1.5, 6/07/2023
Foreword
Hello!
Many of you may know me from the other Massif Press RPG, Lancer, or from my webcomic Kill Six
Billion Demons. This is a free play test of the next game I intend to publish. My ethos is to give people
content, then ask them to pay for it later if they like it, so this test is entirely free to play and distribute.
Much like Lancer, the final product will have a free version with all player facing content.
This game was born from my love of fantasy. I love that old-school mysterious, enormous-world fantasy
vibe that is reproduced so well in animation, comics, and games. This game is inspired by the feeling I
think you might get when you look at the main cover. I took inspiration from anime, the works of French
comic artist Möebius, studio Ghibli, and video games like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and
the Legend of Zelda.
I love tactical combat and strategy games, but also more freeform narrative games. Here I have mashed
the two together. You can use either or both. The narrative portion is a more stripped down version of the
action system of Blades in the Dark, by John Harper, which I think is an excellent lightweight system and
probably my favorite game currently.
Feedback
This is a play test and hasn’t been hammered out quite yet. It was written, illustrated, and formatted by
one person. There might be spelling or formatting errors. stuff that doesn’t work, feel good, or certain
combinations of abilities that are too strong, weak, etc. You can send feedback to
ksbdabbadon@gmail.com
Work on this game will be slow while I finish Lancer content and it probably won’t receive publishing for
a while so there is plenty of time to test it. There’ll be regular but slow content for it.
Character sheets
Character sheets are unfortunately absent until there is a more finished version of this game, though there
are likely community resources you can find online with a quick google that will help you.
Links and support

You can find Lancer at http://lancerrpg.com and Kill Six Billion Demons at http://
www.killsixbilliondemons.com
If you like this playtest and want to support my work, please consider supporting me over at my patreon:
http://patreon.com/killsixbilliondemons.
Thanks for playing! I hope your games are enjoyable.
- Tom “Abbadon” Bloom
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Update notes (v1.5)

Hi ya’ll,
I’m very tired, but this is one of the largest and most comprehensive updates to the game yet, and I think
the game will finally be in a content complete state and a stable testing state.
I don’t have comprehensive notes for a change log this time, because this has been well over a hundred
hours of work and nearly everything has been updated, from the composition of the book, to basic
mechanics. I’ll try and hit the highlights. You’ll have to dig in yourself to see how your favorite jobs have
fared. Thanks very much for reading, there’ll be more comprehensive notes as we go through testing
versions in the future.
Special thanks to the band Vildjharta, whose discography I listened to about fifteen times finishing the
last part of this update.
MAJOR UPDATES
• Character advancement has been reorganized - less narrative action dots, more ability points
• Tons of new art!
Narrative
• Narrative play has a more play sheet like structure for visual learners. I don’t think these are that usable
as a character sheet but you can get a good look.
• Gear system added for narrative play.
• Got rid of some narrative play concepts (resistance, spending effort to avoid breaks) as I think they
were unnecessary
• Standardized strain and stress for all bonds
• Changes to many bond powers
• Moved some sections around for ease of reading
Tactical Combat
• Tactical combat has received a massive update. The entire section has been reorganized in order
of complexity.
• The entire combat system has been smoothed out. Generally I was looking to redesign things to be
more straightforward, effective, and require less overhead. Nearly all abilities have significantly
changed and have been clarified and refined along with numerous balance changes.
• All character capabilities in combat are now ‘abilities’
• New triggered effects concept to unify some ability functionality
• Nearly all glossary terms have been updated and clarified.
• Small update to resolve
• Dying is now ‘fallen’ if you gain 4 wounds, allowing more complexity
• New statuses replacing old ones, and some old ones have been moved around.
• Stun has been changed
• Blights have been removed completely.
• Removed many saves to avoid statuses.
• Massive rework to summons, now standardized
• Rework to how vigor works
• Rework to how vigilance works
• Rework to hatred
• Update generally to range, ranged abilities, and how AoE works
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• Update to cover and LoS

• Refocus concept to allow respecialization
• Updates to all relics
Combat jobs
• Talents are now mutually exclusive (you pick one or the other) but a little stronger
• Base armor lowered to 2 for most red jobs
• Rush (armored dash) added for stalwarts
• New slashed and weakend statuses
• New Rampart effect for red jobs
• Update to finishing blow and new traits for vagabonds
• Slow removed, changed to dazed (from old stalwart status)
• Update to bless and most bless traits
• Update to Aetherwall for consistency and new Slip trait
• All jobs have received massive updates. In general, jobs have been rebalanced and refocused on
just a few concepts and triggered effects, for build consistency. For example, Chanters are focused on
flight, pits, combos, the charge triggered effect, and have a light gamble theme.
• Just to give you an idea of what changed, here’s a list of new abilities replacing old abilities: Gates of
Hell, Soul Blade, Massive Overhead, Raging Wolf, Gallows Humor, Party Favor, Paradiso, Exorcism,
Trick Shot, Showdown, Warding Bolts, Nightmare, Shadow Play, Umbral Echo, Assassinate,
Lycanthropy, Morrigan, Aria, Symphony, Gravebirth, Crimson Bloom, Chaos Tarot, Blazing Bond, Helix
Heel, Bifrost, Rampant Nail, Geyser, Waterspout.
• Yeah.
• If that all sounds cool its best just to check out your favorite job to see what changed.
Other
• Small updates to camp system to work with new gear system
Foes
• Massive updates to foes. In general, I wanted to make them more effective and straightforward,
streamlining the number of traits and actions they have in favor of making them more effective
• Reworked how foe interrupts generally work
• Complete rework to how mobs work
• New Round Actions concept
• Massive number of new foes and elites, including for factions that lacked them at certain chapters
• All legend fights have received polish and numerous changes or updates. There are also numerous new
legend fights for factions that lacked them.
Deeptower
• Tiny updates to deep tower to reduce foe variety to make it easier on new GMs
Enjoy!
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Foreword 2
Update notes (v1.5) 3
ICON 9
Legacy of The Arkenlords 9
Playing the game 11
Rolling Dice 11
Setting and Tone 12
GETTING STARTED 13
I. THE BOOK OF TALES 16

Narrative Play 17
The Action Roll 17
Action Ratings 17
Chapter 21
Speci c Action Examples 23
Clocks 26
Rituals and Projects 28
GM Principles 28
Complications and Consequences 29
Combat In ICON 31
Player characters in Narrative Play 34
Play Example 36
Expeditions, camps, and interludes 39

Starting expeditions 40
INTERLUDES 42
Session End 44
Narrative Character Creation 45

Choosing your bond 46
Folk of Arden Eld 46
THE SIX GREAT CULTURES 52
BONDS 55
I. The Path nder 56
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fi
fi
II. The Seeker 58
III. The Mighty 60
IV. The Wolf 62
V. The Harlequin 64
VI. The Highborn 66
VII. The Mender 68
VIII. The Brave 70
IX. The Broker 72
X. The Elder 74
XI. The Outsider 76
XII. The Dreamer 78
II. THE BOOK OF BATTLE 80

TACTICAL COMBAT 81
Quick Combat 84
Combat, step by step 87
MOVEMENT 87
The Battle eld 89
ABILITIES 91
Resolve and Limit Break 99
Vigor, Camping, and Healing 100
Victory and Defeat 101
Combat Glossary 102
Advanced Combat 106
JOBS 110
Choosing your job 112
Relics 113
STALWART 116
Bastion 119
Demon Slayer 125
Colossus 133
Knave 139
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fi
VAGABOND 145
Fool 147
Freelancer 153
Shade 159
Warden 166
MENDICANT 172
Chanter 174
Harvester 182
Seer 197
WRIGHT 204
Enochian 206
Geomancer 215
Spellblade 222
Stormbender 230
III. THE BOOK OF ADVENTURE 237

Intro 238
GAME FLOW 238
Advancement 240
Rewards 242
General Dungeon Trophies 243
RELICS 245
THE CAMP 253
Camp Fixtures 254
CUSTOM RULES 261

DUNGEON CRAWL 262
BATTLE 270
INTRIGUE 276
TREK 281
Additional Rules 283
IV. THE BOOK OF FOES 287

FOES 288
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CREATING INTERESTING FIGHTS 294
GLOSSARY OF FOES 298

LEGEND 298
BASIC JOBS 300
Elite 308
BASIC LEGENDS 310
FACTIONS 314
I. FOLK 315
II. RELICT 324
III. Ruin Beast 345
IV. Scavenger 366
V. IMPERIAL 387
VI. DEMON 406
VII. LOWLANDER 428
VIII. JOTUNN 448
IX. HOB 467
DEEPTOWER 491
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ICON
villages dot the landscape, nestled in glades and

Legacy of The valleys and surrounded by farms and fields
plowed over the skeletons of ancient war
Arkenlords machines. Cities are few and far between, and
connected over the long stretches of idyllic
wilderness by crumbling roads dotted with the
Long ago, the cruel and prosperous Arken
caravans of traveling peddlers and traders.
Imperium crushed the nations of Arden Eld. With
its military might and its command of advanced
The era is peaceful and pastoral. The land is fertile
technology and ancient etheric sorcery, it slew the
and good, and the land is broad and beautiful.
Titans who held up the four pillars of the world
Trade is flourishing between towns and war is, for
and cast them down, proclaiming itself an eternal
the most part, a distant memory of a darker time.
empire. It spread itself from sea to sea, altered the
land itself with great projects, raise mighty cities
of iron and stone, and bent the elden magics to its The Shadow
will, setting its sights on the Highest House, the
seat of the makers themselves. The people of Arden Eld, such as they are, live in
era of contentment and prosperity. Yet at the
The Arkenlords became swollen with power that edges of their lives, the shadow of the past looms.
drove them far beyond the concerns of petty men,
and made them blind to their own rapidly The paths through the wilderness between towns
approaching doom. When it finally came, it was as are treacherous, sometimes dangerous. The ruins
rapid as it was inevitable. A great inexorable of the Arkenlords are everywhere, jutting out of
destruction wracked the empire, shattering it, and the land and riddling the earth itself. For the most
scouring the land. In its wake, monsters crawled part, the ruins are quiet, a mournful reminder of a
from great pits to feast on its remnants, and in forgotten and terrible past. Occasionally, however,
time retreated to the deep earth, leaving only they become more active - filled with monsters
smoldering ruins. and remnants born of the Doom or the final
desperate machineries of the Empire.
The Green Age
Deep within the ruins themselves lurk the Relict -
remains of the old empire, the undead fragments
A thousand years have passed. The land settled
of its servitors and sorcerers - and deeper within,
and healed, and a gentler, greener age slowly
greater prizes. When the Doom befell the Arken, it
dawned. The shattered, labyrinthine ruins of the
shattered the land so quickly that entire chambers
old empire now lie entombed in the verdant earth,
were sunk deep into the earth, or buried in
their depths occasionally disgorging monsters,
underground caverns or passages mostly intact.
mysteries, and ghosts of the old world, but over
Within these preserved ruins is also buried the
and around them the world has recovered. Forests
Arkentech of the old empire - magical and
have grown over ancient galleries, floral meadows
technological creations and devices of terrifying
have sprung up covering old battlegrounds, and
import. The ruins themselves are so seeped in the
sparkling streams now flow through the collapsed
powerful sorcery of the old lords that they exude
and teetering stones of old aqueducts and
Dust - the essence of condensed raw magic highly
overpasses.
sought after by the wrights and technological
artisans of the world above.
Over the ruins and in their shadows, life has
flourished, as it always will. Now towns and
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Brave or daring adventure seekers or treasure tighten their sword belts, and for the first time,
hunters often venture into these ruins in search of banditry has sprung up over the stones and passes
wealth or power, and are frequently rewarded, of the old imperial highways.
despite the terrible danger that these expeditions
pose. At the very edge of this age is you.
Left unchecked, the more active ruins will begin to
You belong in this world, and you are tied to its
bubble over with fell energies and toxic magic,
fate. You are cursed to wield great power, but how
warping the land itself and spewing forth
you choose to wield it is up to you.
monsters, a terrible event called a Blight. These
grow over time in intensity and size, and can
Many in your position use it to plumb the depths
endanger the roads, fields, and forests of the
of the old world in search of treasure and fame.
world above - and with time grow to warp entire
Others use it to drive back the Blights and protect
regions into a dark mirror of the world below.
the villages of the Green from the specters of the
These blightlands are dangerous and poisonous
past, or keep the roads and ways safe for the
wastes that spread like a cancer across the surface
young and old alike. Some work as mercenaries
of Arden Eld.
for the city guilds and take to the sky in great
airships, while others wander the land helping the
Quite often an entire ruin will surface, pushed up
lost or forgotten. Some use their power to kill to
and out of the earth by some unknown seismic
cut away threats to the world, others to defend
force or rampant magic. These surfacing ruins are
those they hold dear.
often more active than their long-dead
counterparts and will sometimes burst from the
Will you defend the Green Age? Will you help
earth very close to villages or in the middle of
usher in the Churning Age? Or will you cast all
cities, causing great destruction.
aside to turn the great wheel of history and allow
its stagnant blood to flow again? Whoever you are,
The Churning Age it is your decisions that make you who you are,
and cement your place in the Tale of Ages.
Now, the world stands at the edge of a new age -
the Churning Age.
You are an Icon.
More and more adventurers plumb the ruins of
the old world in search of its treasures. Factions of
the trade guilds and city councils now turn their
eyes to the terrible potential of arkentech, and
seek it greedily. Great etheric airships, built with
the power scraped from the ruins, now soar into
the sky in search of crumbling spires or ancient
catacombs to plunder. In response, the ruins
themselves have become more active - disgorging
more monsters, becoming more unstable, and
more often rising up from the earth itself in
terrifying seismic displays.
The Churn threatens to throw the Green Age into

tumult. A treasure fueled sickness has made its
way into the hearts of Kin. There are even those
who whisper, more and more openly, about the
legacy of the ancient empire, of the need for
strength, wealth, power, and war banners to be
hoisted once again. Cities eye each other with
suspicion. Travelers grip their cloaks tightly and
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by the players, who can choose to stay in a certain

Playing the game chapter as long as they like (but will have a cap on
their power as they cannot level up past the
ICON is a role playing game for two or more chapter limit).
players. An ideal group is 3-5. One player will act
as the game master (GM) who will adjudicate the Using these books
rules and help create and move the narrative
forward. ICON is split into five books, the first being this
introduction book. The other four are, in order:
This game assumes you know what a role-playing
game is. If this is your first RPG and you’re The Book of Tales focuses entirely on narrative
unsure, there are plenty of resources available play
online to bring you up to speed. The Book of Battle focuses on tactical combat
The Book of Adventure focuses on
Two modes of play expeditions, camps, interludes, rewards, and extra
custom rules for the GM
The Book of Foes focuses on a diverse roster of
ICON has two modes of play: narrative play,
foes for tactical combat
and tactical combat. The rules for these
modes are different and there is next to zero If you’re not intending to run tactical combat, you
overlap between them. It’s entirely possible to can skip the Book of Battle and Book of Foes
run a game of ICON entirely in one mode or the entirely. Similarly, if you just want a fun tactical
other, and rules are provided to play the game war-game, you can use just use the Book of Battle
only in narrative mode if you so desire. Typically and the Book of Foes and skip the other two.
games will start in narrative play and remain
there whenever there is storytelling, free role It’s recommended to read the books in order since
playing, or a need to move the story somewhere. they each contain information pertinent to later
When there’s a point of tension that can only be books, but it’s not necessary to read them cover to
decided through the drama and violence of cover, especially if you’re just a player. Feel free to
combat, then the game may swap to a grid-based skim or jump around.
tactical game, with more clearly defined turn
order and more structured rules.
Rolling Dice
Expeditions and Interludes
In ICON, there are different dice rolls for
In ICON, characters are adventurers that go on narrative play and tactical combat.
expeditions in order to accomplish a goal. On an
expedition they can camp to restore their lost
In narrative play, characters use d6s.
health and ease their minds. After the expedition
finishes, they can pause the action to take an
When the outcome of an action is unclear, risky,
interlude, a longer pause in the action.
or contested, a character names their goal and
makes an action roll, rolling a number of d6s
Chapter equal to an action rating on their sheet and
choosing the best result. The GM tells the player
Campaigns of ICON are split into 3 chapters. Over before they roll the effect and risk of their
the course of their adventure, characters will action. On a 1-3 the character fails to accomplish
become increasingly more powerful, represented their goal and suffers the risk, on a 4-5 they
by levels. Every chapter represents four levels succeed but may suffer the risk anyway, take some
(1-4, 5-8, 9-12). Each chapter represents a other consequences, setback or reduced effect,
different scale of power, and enemies, challenges, and on a 6 they succeed with no complications.
and stakes will increase in severity accordingly. There’s many more details on on action rolls in
Moving on to the next chapter is a decision taken the section on narrative play.
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- A character makes a narrative roll with 1 boon.

In tactical combat, characters mostly use They get 3 dice on the roll normally, but adding
d20s. the boon they get 4.
- A character makes an attack roll with two
The two rolls in tactical combat are attack rolls boons. They roll 1d20, and get a 13. They roll
and saves. 2d6 (one for each boon), and get a 3 and a 4.
They take the highest boon result (a 4) and add
Characters usually make an attack roll when they it to the total, for 13+4 = 17.
take a hostile action against another character - A character makes a save with 2 curses and 1
with the attack tag. For an attack roll, a blessing. The blessing cancels one curse. They
character rolls a d20 (and may also roll a roll 1d20, and get a 12, then roll 1 remaining
number of d6s, see below), then compares the curse and get a 4. Their total result is 12 - 4 = 8,
final result to their target’s defense, beating it if a failure.
they match it or roll higher.
Characters make saves to avoid or end harmful

ongoing effects, such as dragon breath, poisonous Setting and Tone
gas, being stunned by a boulder, or something
similar. For a save, a character rolls a d20 ICON’s setting is kept relatively loose for you to
(usually with no modifiers). On an 10 or higher, adapt to your game. Several aspects of narrative
they save against the effect successfully, ending or play and tactical combat are kept loose for you to
avoiding it. decide what is important to you in your game.
When a section of the game does this, it’ll mention
There’s many more details on attacks, saves, and it directly.
tactical combat in the rules in that section.
For example, non player characters that are
Boon and Curse reduced to 0 hit points in tactical combat are
defeated. By default, the game does not assume
Some abilities give rolls boon or curse. These that defeated means dead. You can decide if you
modifiers represent situational modifiers that can want to run a game with a different tone that
happen during a dangerous and chaotic players can decide whether to defeat or kill an
adventure. Many character abilities will give enemy they reduce to 0 hp, if an enemy is always
boons built in and many enemy effects will give killed when reduced to 0 hp, or if an enemy is
curse. never killed when reduced to 0 hp unless
characters take some extra action.
For narrative play, when a roll has a boon, add an
additional d6 to the roll for each boon. When a Here are the game’s other setting elements:
roll has any curse, subtract a d6 for each curse.
This is often written like +1D or -1D. Setting conceits
For tactical combat, when a roll has a boon, roll The game takes place in a world called Arden Eld
an add a d6 to the total d20 roll for each boon. If (old Arden).
more than one boon is added to a roll, choose the
highest d6 result, no matter how many rolled. For Arden Eld is old, wild, and untamed. Where
curses, do the opposite (subtract 1d6 per curse, civilization exists, it is green, pastoral, and
subtracting the highest for multiple curses). idyllic, except for the cities, which are few and
far between. There are no nations the way we
Boons and curses cancel each other out, 1 to 1 think of them today, but there are tight knit
(don’t even roll). communities and city states.
For example: Arden Eld is post-post apocalyptic, and full of

ruins, dungeons, caverns, and other unexplored
and dangerous spaces. There was an ancient,
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cruel, and technomagically advanced empire

that collapsed under its own hubris, irrevocably ICON does not care about minutely tracking time,
changing the land. In these deep and perilous supplies, detailed wounds, etc., nor does it care
spaces there is great treasure in the form of lost about tracking currency for the most part. Even
magic and technology. when there are exceptions to this rule, this game
only tracks these things where it matters.
Arden Eld is a fantastic world. People in Arden
Eld may use swords, shields, and plate mail, but Players always have the initiative in ICON,
the existence of arkentech means there are especially in narrative play. Running a slow, tile-
firearms, automata, electric lighting, skyships, by-tile dungeon crawl with traps, puzzles, etc is
and other ancient machines all over the place. not well suited to ICON without modifying the
High technology tends to be rare, coveted, and way you think about these challenges. The game
buried. prefers to move through these aspects narratively
and quickly.
Arden Eld is full of monsters that pour forth
from the ruins, but those monsters are never If you want to run a nonviolent social game with
people. People may contest, thwart, fight, or little combat, it is possible, but ICON’s focus on
even try to kill the characters, but their violence monster fighting, battles, and exploration of
is always motivated. dangerous spaces (even if done narratively) is a
core part of the game.
Game conceits
ICON is a game about playing heroic GETTING STARTED

characters that fight for their ideals. They go
on expeditions to fight monsters, explore The GM should read through the narrative play
ruins, and gather power. During interludes, and tactical combat sections if they intend to
they build, heal, and learn. Eventually they may use them. Players should also give them a read,
end up changing or saving the world. Heroic in especially if they’re jumping into tactical combat
this context doesn’t necessarily mean in the first session.
‘altruistically motivated’ but ‘fated’, or ‘larger than
life'. Players can make their character by choosing a
Kintype, a Culture, a Bond, and putting 4
ICON fits into a ‘mythic fantasy’ or ‘high more dots in actions for narrative play (page XX).
fantasy’ type of game, where the heroes can Then, if they’re using tactical combat, they pick a
perform feats of incredible strength, speed, or combat job and two abilities (page XX).
magic, and the beliefs and ideals of the heroes are
central. Characters get a free fixture for their camp (page
XX) and can fill out some more details about their
Changing these conceits group.
As a game master you are welcome to change, Advancement

add, or tweak any of this content for your own
setting or use. Certain aspects of ICON, however, Characters in ICON are measured by their level,
are core to the game and before running a game starting at level 0. After the first session,
using this system, think carefully about these characters get enough experience to level up to
aspects. level 1.
If you want to run a game that is more grounded Characters level up by accumulating experience,
or low technology, it will probably not fit with the from 0-15. They may accumulate some experience
base tone and setting of this game. Characters are during a session, and even more at the end of
heroic and powerful and have many abilities that each session when they check a series of xp
give them a lot of narrative agency. Magic and triggers.
technology is everywhere.
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Levels max out at level 12. Every 4 levels

constitutes a chapter.
There’s much more detail on advancement in the

Book of Adventure on pg XX
Moving forward
There’s more details on all of this in the

forthcoming sections. I’ve included the
advancement table here for ease of reference but
it is repeated again in the advancement and
rewards section on page XX.
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Character Advancement
- Characters level from level 0 to level 1 after the first session.

- At the end of each session, each player checks the xp triggers for their character and gains xp if the
trigger was fulfilled.
- At certain level ups, characters gain +1 ability point (ap). This ability point can be spent to gain a new
ability, or unlock one of the two talents for an existing ability. Talents are mutually exclusive.
- At level 1 and every level afterwards, characters gain +1 ap when they hit 7 xp and go into a camp, enter
an interlude, or at the end of a session.
- When a character hits 15 xp, they clear their xp bar and accumulate a level up, which can be spent at
the end of a interlude (a downtime period) or at the end of a session to level up their character.
Characters can’t level higher than the chapter the game is currently in.
Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit

Choose a Culture and Kin type. Then choose
a Bond and gets 2 dots in a specific action, a
0 1 Choose a job and two abilities. Bond power, then gain 4 extra dots to
improve actions. None can be taken past 3 at
level 0.
1 1 Gain +2 ap and unlock Limit Break Gain a Bond Power and improve an action
2 1 Gain your first relic Gain a Bond Power and improve an action
3 1 Gain a Mastery Point Gain a Bond power
Choose a second job and gain +2ap
4 1 OR the same job and gain a mastery Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
point.
5 2 Gain +1ap Improve an action
6 2 Get your second relic Gain a Bond power
7 2 Gain a Mastery Point Improve an action

Choose a third job and gain +2ap OR
8 2 the same job and gain a mastery Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
point.
9 3 Get your third relic Gain a Bond power
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I. THE BOOK OF TALES
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Narrative Play
Narrative play is the default mode of play of • 6,6: - Critical Hit! The character is successful
ICON. Whenever you’re talking, exploring, and has increased effect
investigating, or on the move, you’re probably in
narrative play. It covers pretty much everything Rolling with 0
outside of tactical combat. In narrative play, the If you roll with 0 total dice, roll 2d6 and pick the
primary goal of the players and the GM is to tell a lowest as your final result. You can never get a
story together, and the story itself is the critical hit with 0 dice.
medium of play.
Bonus dice
Players typically say what their characters do and
say, and the game master tells them how the
You might get bonus dice or dice penalties on a
world or other characters respond to them. It’s a
roll from allies helping you, in the form of Boons
bit like a conversation back and forth between the
(+1d6) and Curses (-1d6). These cancel each other
GM and the players.
out 1 to 1.
Narrative play can be very loose and unstructured,
These are sometimes written as +1D or -1D for
and you can play a long time without touching any
simplicity.
dice. The general rule is to do it - do it! You
don't need to roll dice to take every action.
The most important rule to remember is that you
can’t get more than +2 or -2 additional dice
However, when the outcome of an action is
on any roll, no matter how many dice you get
unclear, difficult, dangerous, or contested,
otherwise.
a player makes an action roll.
The Action Roll Action Ratings

When an action roll is required, players decide
To make an action roll, players state their
which action rating best fits their action.
intent, then pick an action on their character
sheet that they think best describes their action.
• Sneak - Move with stealth and silence. Perform
Based on the action chosen, the GM judges the
actions without notice. Spring an ambush.
risk and effect of that action. Then the player
• Traverse - Climb, swim, leap, fly. Run swiftly.
makes an action roll, rolling 1d6 per dot of the
Chase or flee. Pilot a vehicle or ride an animal.
chosen action and picking the highest result.
• Sense - Scan and assess a broad area or
Actions are rated from 0 to 4. For actions with a
situation. Spot at a distance. Find tracks, clues,
rating of 0, players roll 2d6 and pick the lowest.
paths. Sense the presence of magic or hidden
things.
Check the final result:
• Study - Analyze something or someone in
detail. Discern someone’s intentions or notice
• 1-3: The character fails to accomplish their goal
deception. Perform research. Decipher an
and suffers the consequences
inscription.
• 4-5: The character is successful, but at a cost
• Charm - Sway with direct charisma, deception,
• 6: The character is successful
or diplomacy. Call in favors. Cause distraction
or misdirection
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• Command - Use force of will and presence to more or less effective depending on the situation.
lead or intimidate. Give orders. The key thing is that players always choose the
• Tinker - Interact with, understand, or use approach and the action they want to use. The
alchemy, etheric constructs, or technology. Fix, GM is free to suggest actions, and also to decide
pick, or break locks or mechanisms. Construct, whether an action is more or less risky or
deconstruct, or alter technology. effective. This is where the meat of narrative
• Excel - Act with concentrated precision or skill. play in ICON lies. Players can use their creativity
Fire a ranged weapon. Hit a tiny target at range. to form approaches to problems, and the GM acts
Catch a falling coin. Balance on a narrow wire. as the judge to set the stakes.
Squeeze through a tight space.
• Smash - Overwhelm with physical or magical
force. Swing a melee weapon. Throw a punch or
Risk and Effect
blast down a door with a magic spell. Wreck an
When a player suggests a course of action and
object or obstacle.
names their goal, the GM decides how risky the
• Endure - Push yourself to your limits. Power
action is and how effective it’s going to be, based
through pain, cold, heat, or harsh environments.
on the narrative.
Lift or drag something enormously heavy.
Risk can be controlled, risky, or desperate.
Examples:
Effect is usually weak, normal, or powerful.
• Sneak past the sleeping Wyrm without it
waking
By default, all actions are risky and have normal
• Traverse down a corridor and outrun a wall of
effect.
flame
• Sense the tracks of a beast in the snow
• Study a goblet of wine very carefully to see if Risk
it’s poisoned
• Charm the bandits into untying you Risk is how dangerous an action is, and what
• Command a caravan of scared people to stay the consequences could be for failure or partial
together while under attack success. If an action is risky, it means there is
• Tinker with an ancient magic rune circle to some degree of harmful or unwanted
prevent it from summoning a demon consequences to the action, usually what we’d
• Excel and cut the drawstrings of the guard’s expect.
trousers with a swipe of a dagger.
• Smash the lock on the ancient chest with a Controlled risk means there are few or weaker
single blow consequences for failure. When a situation or
• Endure the pain from holding back a heavy action is controlled, the character usually has a
boulder from squashing your friends good position, plenty of time, or relative safety.
Desperate risk means great or dire
You’ll notice that some of these actions have a consequences for failure. When a character finds
little overlap, but are flavored differently. For themselves in a bad situation or throws
example, taking someone’s purse from them could themselves into one for a faint hope, that’s
be cutting it from their belt (with Excel) - quick desperate.
but not necessarily quietly. Alternately, it could be
taking it quietly with Sneak. You could even Effect
perhaps Charm them to divert their attention
while you take it off them. A heavy dungeon door Effect is what we expect to happen when the
could be tinkered (if it has a lock). Alternately, it character is successful. Normal effect is just this -
could be smashed with a fireball, or perhaps what a character expects to happen.
someone could endure lifting and holding it
open for the group to pass through. When effect is weak, it’s less effective than the
player expects. For example, a character tries to
All of these different situations have different tinker a gemstone loose that’s powering a
narrative outcomes and might be more risky or magical trap, but only succeeds in prying it out
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half way, making them have to take additional The power of all actions generally is guided by
action. When an effect is powerful, it’s more Chapter (pg XX), but you can change this
effective than expected. For example, a character depending on the tone of your game.
trying to study or sense a way out of a maze with
powerful effect may figure the whole thing out How much can a powerful or super powered
and gets the party out in one roll. action do in your game? Can a superpowered
smash destroy a boulder or a whole tower? Does
No effect and Superpowered changing the mind of the enchantress take a
powerful charm or a normal charm? Can a
Sometimes the GM can judge an action can have character command a whole army by themselves
no effect at all. For example, the GM might decide with normal effect or is that effect weak without
trying to charm monsters to persuade them that aid?
your actions are just may not have any effect.
Trying to traverse by leaping up a 50 foot wall Which actions end up being more or less risky and
probably doesn’t have any effect unless it’s already the consequences of character action also sets the
been established your character can jump that tone. If a character attempts to leap across a wide
high (see the section on chapter shortly). chasm, is that a desperate action, or merely
risky? Can a character even jump across a chasm
Sometimes an action has extraordinary effect, is that wide unaided, or will they have no effect
heroic or outsized in scale, or pushes beyond without a superpowered action?
mortal limits. This level of effect is called
superpowered. Characters can get a Changing Dice Pools
superpowered effect by pushing their effect
beyond powerful through their abilities or getting The GM never changes the number of dice a
a critical hit on a powerful action. A superpowered character can roll in ICON, but a character can
effect can accomplish feats that are far beyond the themselves affect how many dice they get by
character’s current abilities - like traversing that aiding their allies or pushing themselves past their
50 foot wall in a single leap, smashing a tower to limits.
rubble with a blow of your sword, or sneaking
through a whole army.
Gaining Dice
Setting risk and effect
All characters have a pool of Effort, representing
their inner reserves of willpower, strength, and
Risk and effect are set before making a roll. This the will to push on.
can take a little practice to get used to, but it’s
important - we set these before the roll so the
• Characters can spend 1 effort to to improve their
consequences and effect of a character’s actions rolls by pushing. Pushing gives +1 boon on
are clear before they make the roll. Think of it like any action.
a negotiation between the GM and the player - if • Characters can also spend 1 effort to aid an ally,
all goes smoothly, then the roll should feel fair, giving them +1 die. Push and aid can both stack
even if the player fails - after all, we know what on the same action
the consequences should be. Conversely, if the • Characters can also make an action roll to set
player succeeds, they can expect what will up another character - for example by
happen, since we know what their effect will be. distracting the merchant while your ally sneaks
up behind them, studying a monster for a weak
Judging risk, effect and setting tone point, or charming a mercenary your ally wants
to hire. Your roll has reduced effect by itself,
These two tools together - risk and effect - are and you can still take consequences, but your
kept slightly loose for a reason. They let you set ally gets +1 boon or increased effect on the
the tone of the game you want to play, and also action you set up if your roll is successful. This
give the GM tools to judge situations based on the counts as aiding a character, so you can’t do
story. both.
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obvious consequences, but the action is difficult

Losing Dice or the outcome is unclear, they can make a
fortune roll. This a roll that uses actions as
During the course of a journey, a character might normal, but the outcome is slightly different,
gain Burdens. These represent long term based on what the character is trying to do:
injuries, trauma, or problems that a character is
trying to work through. • 1-3: Poor result or outcome
• 4-5: Expected or average result or outcome
When you take a burden, a character picks an • 6: Good result or outcome
action of their choice. These actions gain -1 die • 6,6: Excellent result or outcome
while the character has that burden. The same
action can be picked twice, but actions that are By themselves, fortune rolls usually don’t change
already at 0d, including as part of a burden, can’t a situation, but can change the risk and effect of
be picked again. future rolls given the circumstance or the quality
of information that characters have about that
When the burden is healed or lifted, those actions situation.
return to normal.
The most common application of these rolls is
Tempt Fate when gathering information about a situation,
or during interludes. For example, a character
There’s one more way to get bonus dice without studies a group of monsters from a distance. The
spending any effort or making any rolls. GM judges that it’s too far for there to be any
danger, so the player makes a fortune roll and gets
At any time when you roll, you can tempt fate by a 4, getting average information.
suggesting a negative consequence of your
actions. If the GM agrees this is a fitting outcome, Researching and working on long term
take +1 die on your roll as if you had pushed the projects are usually all fortune rolls. Pursuing
roll, but the consequence becomes true no matter ambitions during downtime (page XX) is by
the outcome. default a fortune roll.
For example: Tests of ability can be a fortune roll - a

character can roll traverse to see how fast they
“Can I get a bonus die if my fireball accidentally show up at a scene, for example, endure to win a
sets the whole forest on fire?” drinking contest, or excel to perform a coin trick
“Can I get a bonus die if we wake the sleeping to impress someone.
wyrm up?”
“Can I get a bonus die if I accidentally leave my Recall
sword with the caravan and enter the cave
unarmed?” Tests of knowledge are also usually fortune
rolls. When a character wants to dredge up useful
Max dice lore, history, rumor, or memory about a topic,
they can recall that info by making a fortune roll
Just as a reminder: characters can never get using the most appropriate action they can think
more than -2 or +2 dice on any roll. That of. The information the GM gives them will vary
means the maximum a character can roll is 6 dice, depending on the action, and there may be some
and the least they can roll is 0 (two and pick the overlap.
lowest).
A character could, for example, try to recall their
familiarity with arkentech devices by making a
Fortune tinker roll, remember the social etiquette of a
ball with a charm roll, or try to assess the odds of
When a character is trying to accomplish a task survival of jumping over a lava chasm with an
that isn’t particularly dangerous or doesn’t have endure roll.
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situations, a GM can always turn things back on

GM fortune rolls the players and force them to react, even when
players have a successful roll. Always look to ask
The GM can also make a fortune roll if they want the question “What do you do?”
to leave a situation up to chance. How’s the
weather? Is the town elder busy today? How rocky One Roll
are the river rapids up ahead? Give a situation 0-4
dice depending on how likely you think the Most tasks can be accomplished in one roll, but
parameters are. Most situations should have just you can decide how far one roll goes in your game.
0, 1, or 2 dice.
• Will one roll let you sneak into the castle, or will
This is the only time a GM should roll dice in you need to take a series of actions?
narrative play. • Will one roll let you convince the knight of your
worthiness, or will you need to prove your
Might and Magic mettle to them with further actions?
• Will one roll let you fight your way out of the
You might notice that there are no explicitly monster infested flooded passage, or will you
magical effects in the actions. The outcome of the play out tactical combat to get out instead?
actions and the type of action is what’s important.
Whether in the story your character is using their Stretching the value of a single roll can let you
skill, physical strength, or magical forces to control the tone of the game and how it’s framed -
perform the action makes no difference - all how much time and action is covered - and you
heroes are ICONs, after all, and all equally capable can vary it from scene to scene.
of great feats. However you flavor the action is up
to you - you choose which action rating you think All these concepts above - tone, risk, effect, how
best fits your activity in the story. Sense could be much can be accomplished in one roll - can also
your character using magically enhanced eyesight be adjudicated by Chapter.
to scout a situation, or just your character’s keen
senses. You could sneak on your own two feet or
with a magical cloaking spell, or you can study by Chapter
using a spell to speed read.
Chapter is a rough approximation of power level
The limits of player abilities are based on in ICON, from I-IV. It also applies in tactical
Chapter (pg XX) no matter what. combat, but is equally as important in narrative
play. Characters themselves only advance from
Player initiative chapters I to III.
In ICON narrative play, the Game Master Chapter decides both the scale of the
never rolls (except maybe to make a fortune roll adventures that characters are expected to have,
here and there, as stated above), and players and those characters’ own abilities and
always have the initiative. Non-player characters, capabilities.
traps, hazards, etc are not treated like individual
entities with their own ‘turns’ or action ratings, Chapter can be adjusted for your game, but this
but rather like a part of the scene or story, with game is designed with the following scales in
the story itself being the most important thing! mind:
Characters take action, and the GM responds by
narrating what happens next. • Chapter 1 is for threats, challenges, and stories
at the local scale, things characters could be
The only way players can take consequences is expected to handle as beginning
through their own actions. The extent of those adventurers. They might save a local town or
consequences are up to the GM, however, which village. Things like crossing a river, scaling a
could include them ‘losing’ the initiative by cliff, bargaining for supplies, etc might still be a
forcing them to react to a situation. In tense challenge for them.
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• Chapter 2 is for adventures at the regional Chapter 1

scale. Characters are established • Fighting a small band of bandits or an average
adventurers, and might be capable of heroic, monster
outsize feats. They might smash boulders with a • Scaling a high manor wall
single blow, or lead their own organization, or • Swimming across a river
sneak into a guarded fortress in broad daylight. • Surviving in the wilderness
• Chapter 3 is for adventures at the world scale. • Sneaking into a camp undetected
Characters are expected to be very powerful, • Charming a merchant into better prices
heroic adventurers, capable of legendary or • Commanding a few lackeys
mythical feats like diverting a river, crossing • Deciphering odd runes from a ruin
into the afterlife, or flying across the continent
in a day. Chapter 2
• Fighting a large group of well trained soldiers or
Chapter 4 is a special chapter used to represent a tough, intelligent, or powerful monster
power on the metaphysical scale, a level of • Scaling a huge castle wall
power that characters can never attain • Sneaking into a guarded castle
while being adventurers - demigods, divine • Riding a monster without a saddle
beings, etc. Characters might achieve chapter 4 • Forging a new set of armor in just a few days
some day - but if they do, they’re certainly no • Creating a new powerful alchemical formula
longer on the scale where they care about • Enduring a fall off a high peak
adventuring, and instead are probably one of the • Splitting a boulder in half with a single blow
powers of the world. • Riling up a crowd into revolution
Using Chapter Chapter 3

• Fighting or commanding an entire army
Chapter both decides the scale of the game and • Building a castle in a single night, or destroying
also characters’ expected capabilities. it with all your might
• Traveling across the entire continent in a few
Many narrative abilities that characters have scale hours
with chapter automatically. In addition, GMs can • Battling an ancient or legendary monster
use Chapter to adjudicate risk, effect, and tone • Scaling an epic peak with your bare hands
for their game. Typically, characters are unable • Swimming across an ocean channel
to tackle challenges or tasks above their • Stealing the crown off the king’s head while he
chapter without taking multiple steps, holds court
bringing in help, or having reduced effect (or • Surviving being hurled into a hostile dimension
no effect at all). Conversely, characters tackling for a few weeks
threats and challenges under their chapter • Charming an ancient sorcerer into aiding you
probably don’t even have to roll. • Making ground-breaking discoveries in magic.
Forging new spells
Characters can attempt to bypass chapter by
pushing themselves beyond their limits, usually Anything in Chapter 4 or beyond is by definition
by gaining superpowered effect. However, the beyond the capabilities of characters without
limits of Superpowered effect can be adjudicated significant preparation, aid, or extra power -
by the GM depending on the tone of the game, something that characters will never be on level
and typically shouldn’t reach more than one with. These are actions that can be story defining
chapter up. for legendary heroes.
What constitutes chapter appropriate depends on Examples would be:

the tone of your game. Here’s some examples of • Facing down a demigod, titan, or divine being
challenges for a group I (the author) would run • Diving into the weave of magic itself
going by the ‘default’ chapter design, however, • Bargaining with Death
based on ICON’s default ‘mythic fantasy’ tone: • Stealing a thread of life from the underworld
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You can absolutely adjust this up or down. Decide such as darkness or misdirection. They can
with your group and for your table what a chapter probably only do it slowly. At higher chapters,
1, 2, or 3 challenge looks like. they need less cover and can do it faster.
Sneaking can represent using your natural skill or

Moving up a Chapter magical abilities that turn you invisible or unseen
to the eye.
Though it’s ultimately up to the GM when to move
the game up a chapter, it should feel natural for
Traverse
the flow of your game. Move up a chapter when it
Traverse is usually about how far and how safely a
seems like the characters have outpaced their
character can move in a given amount of time. It
current challenges, or their strength or the scale of
not only includes running, jumping, climbing, etc,
threats they are facing is growing. This should
but also teleporting and flying, something most
typically be done during an interlude.
characters can do a little of.
Moving up a chapter increases the narrative
Adding extra complications on to a traverse roll
capabilities of all the player characters, and also
can change the risk and effect. For example:
allows them to level up past the chapter cap.
I want to move:
Specific Action • Without touching the ground
• …and take someone with me
Examples • Up a vertical surface
• Through thick mud, water, heavy snow, etc
Here’s some examples of risk, effect, and chapter Might all adjust risk and effect.
using each action for what a characters’ expected
capabilities and limits are in each chapter. This Here are the rough capabilities of a characters’
can be adjusted by a GM depending on the tone of actions, depending on chapter:
the game. These are all just examples and by no
means an exhaustive list. • Chapter I: Climb over a manor wall, swim a
river, or cross a gap. Ride an animal or pilot a
Sneak vehicle. Move a short distance quickly (a few
The risk and effect of Sneak actions is usually dozen paces).
dependent on how alert the target of the action is, • Chapter II: Climb over a castle wall, swim a
and what the scale of the task is. lake, cross a chasm. Ride a monster. Move a
long distance (a field’s length) very quickly (by
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s climbing, sprinting, jumping, teleporting, flying,
actions, depending on chapter: etc).
• Chapter III: Run up a massive cliffside, swim
• Chapter I: Sneak into a camp or building. Fish a channel, cross a canyon. Ride a huge monster.
an item out of someone’s pocket, or plant Arrive in a nearby town almost instantly. Keep
something there. Use sleight of hand to fool up or even outrun a horse or riding animal.
someone. Spring an ambush on a single person.
• Chapter II: Sneak into a large or guarded Overland travel might be a single roll, or might
location like a castle. Pickpocket or ambush a take a project or ritual (see the section below) to
whole group of people. do something like teleport instantly using a ritual,
• Chapter III: Sneak past a guarded location in book safe passage on an airship etc.
broad daylight. Stealth by a monster with
unusual senses. Steal something someone is Sense
actively holding while they’re looking at you. When you sense, you broadly survey or take in an
area. You don’t get a lot of detail or specifics, but
A lower chapters, a character needs some cover or you might notice things like traps, hidden doors,
distraction to effectively do something sneaky, magical constructs, hidden ambushes, people etc.
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You might notice smoke from a campfire, or dust are being deceived. If that’s the case, their chapter
kicked up from a caravan over the horizon. usually determines
Usually the risk and effect of sense actions is Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
determined by how tense the situation is and also actions, depending on chapter:
factors such as darkness, obscurity (from weather,
dust, etc), and distance. • Chapter I: Figure out how to open a door.
Decipher a text in a foreign language. Find a
Sense can also be used to detect the presence of path through a maze. Solve a riddle. Untangle a
magic or people. Powerful magic might be more puzzle. Do light detective work. Determine
risky or harder to detect. Creatures or people from whether the local barkeep is charging too much
higher chapters might also be much harder or money.
even impossible to detect, depending on their skill • Chapter II: Decipher an ancient text. Research
level. forbidden lore. Find the weak heart scale on a
wyrm. Figure out where someone has been by
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s looking at their clothing. Determine whether the
actions, depending on chapter: master thief is going to let you leave her den
alive.
• Chapter I: Spot or detect traps, hidden doors, • Chapter III: Surmise exactly what happened
or hidden objects. Look for entrances into an in a room last week from two hairs and a splotch
ancient ruin. Sense an ambush. Track or hunt of blood. Decipher an ancient inscription by
over ground. Detect magic or the presence of intuition alone. Solve a mystery right away that
nearby mundane beings. would have stumped an entire team of local
• Chapter II: Sense a master assassin. Track heroes. Guess the archwyrm’s riddle in one go.
someone through new snow or in days-old mud.
Detect subtle or hidden magic. Spy a moving Charm
caravan hours before it arrives. Predict the Charm can be used when you’re trying to sway
weather days in advance. with direct appeals, charisma, diplomacy,
• Chapter III: Determine the exact location of connections, or deception. Like many other
an invisible creature. Track someone in a busy actions, Charm’s effectiveness and risk is highly
town by the smell of their tobacco. Visualize the depending on scale and the person or group of
ambient connections of magic around you. people you are trying to Charm.
Study You probably won’t be able to talk your way out of

Study is looking at something with a more focused every situation, but that’s something that is
lens, in detail. You might not notice a hidden door depending on the tone of your game. Some people
well with study, but once you find it, you may be just won’t listen to reason.
able to determine how to open it. Studying
situations can help you untangle clues about what Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
happened, and study can be used for research or actions, depending on chapter:
academic pursuits, such as deciphering text,
recalling ancient monster lore, or transcribing an • Chapter I: Sway a person into aiding you. Get
ancient spell. the caravan owner to apologize to his daughter.
Lie to a town militia person. Assume a made-up
Usually it’s the qualities of what you’re studying identity. Talk down a bandit.
that determine the risk and effect of studying • Chapter II: Sway a small crowd into aiding you
something - as well as what’s going on at the time. or taking some action. Convince the king to let
Studying a monster for weaknesses while it’s you out of the dungeon. Pretend to be someone
chasing you might be a little risky for example. well-known. Talk down an assassin.
• Chapter III: Sway an entire town of people
You can also study living creatures to determine into helping you. Convince the king to step
their emotions and intent - perhaps to see if you down from his throne, then pretend to be the
king for a week.
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Tinker also allows alteration of existing devices,

Doing something that takes long term effort with which could involve something like picking a lock.
Charm such as brokering peace, or a courtly
romance, might be a project. Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
actions, depending on chapter:
Command
Command is when you use force of will, Create, alter, or disassemble:
leadership, personality, threats, or intimidation to • Chapter I: Uncomplicated or relatively simple
force someone into action. It’s more blunt than devices and constructs. A simple lock. A spell
Charm and may work better or worse on different that sets off an alarm. A clockwork automata. A
kinds of people. As with charm, the scale of the pair of magnification goggles. A clock. A small
target of your action, the situation, and their bomb.
nature will all affect risk and effect. Scaring off a • Chapter II: Complicated magical or mundane
few people trying to rob you will probably be a lot devices and constructs. A magically sealed door.
easier than scaring off a hungry monster the size An arkentech automata. Aetherically powered
of a draft horse. lights. An airship. A power gauntlet. A spell that
produces toxic gas
You can also use command to lead a group of • Chapter III: Very complicated or legendary
people or run an organization. devices or constructs. A suit of arkentech power
armor. An ancient arkentech golem. A force-
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s shield. A sealed habitat.
Many tinker actions take the form of a project or
• Chapter I: Effectively lead a few people into ritual.
battle. Intimidate someone. Organize a defense.
Force surrender from a fleeing thief. Run a Excel
small organization, such as shop or business. Excel is the counterpart to tinker and allows you
• Chapter II: Effectively lead a platoon into to use your manual dexterity and agility to
battle. Intimidate a small group of people. perform feats of skill and precision.
Organize a group of peasants into a rebellion.
Force an outnumbered army to retreat. Make a Excel is most often affected by the potential risks.
hardened killer hesitate. Run a large Balancing on a wire may be hard, but not risky
organization. unless there’s a fifty foot drop underneath.
• Chapter III: Effectively lead an army into
battle. Start a revolution. Force a large number Excel can also be used to perform feats with or
of soldiers to surrender. Run or rule a small city. simply shoot ranged weaponry such as gun, bows,
or bolts of energy from your staff - whatever your
Actions like doing battle, running a city, etc may character has on hand.
be a project.
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
Tinker actions, depending on chapter:
Tinker allows you to create, alter, or disassemble
devices and constructs, whether magical or • Chapter I: Make a tough shot. Squeeze into a
mundane. tight space. Balance on a wire. Do a backflip.
Disarm someone. Cut someone’s purse strings.
Usually the risk and effect of a tinker action are • Chapter II: Shoot a coin out of someone’s
highly dependent on the size and goal of the hand at fifty paces. Balance on a moving wagon
creation, the availability of tools, devices, while juggling. Throw a knife through an arrow
workshop spaces, etc. You can often think about slit.
what ‘chapter’ a tinkering device would be from • Chapter III: Make a nearly impossible shot.
and extrapolate from there. Balance on the tip of a sword. Hit the eye of a
wyrm with an arrow while it’s flying at you and
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you’re hanging off the side of an airship, upside ancient tree trunk. Force open a sealed stone
down. door that has been sealed for a thousand years.
Out-drink a Jotunn.
Smash
Smash is when you use violence or direct force to Action Overlap
accomplish your goals. This could be physical
strength or magical prowess. Shooting a fireball at As mentioned before, there is a lot of intentional
a door or kicking it down accomplish pretty much overlap between actions. Risk and effect can be
the same thing, after all. used to tease out the differences between actions,
depending on your GM and the tone of your game.
The risk and effect of smash are usually
depending on your target and your own For example, Smash and Endure have some
capabilities. overlap. Smashing a door down as opposed to
using Endure to merely force it open has a
You can also use Smash to swing a melee weapon, different effect in the fiction, however, which is
whether that’s a giant hammer or a sword made of relevant - especially if you're trying to do
fire. something quietly!
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s Charm and Command have similar outcomes -
actions, depending on chapter: however Charming a scared soldier looks very
different than Commanding one, and also
• Chapter I: Break a gate. Kick a bandit in the depends heavily on which side the soldier is on!
face. Throw a punch. Blow up a door. Throw a
barrel.
• Chapter II: Snap a heavy iron chain. Throw Clocks
back ten people with one blow. Smash a
boulder. Blow right through a stone wall.
• Chapter III: Blow a hole through a castle wall. Let’s think about sneaking into a castle. There
Use your knuckles as a battering ram to smash a may be several discrete tasks or obstacles that
castle gate. Fight a small platoon by yourself. need to be cleared as players try to get through
Split a cliff face. Burn away a small forest. this castle - guards, locks, trapped doors, you
name it. One roll may not feel right for the
purposes of this task. If the journey in doesn’t
Endure
particularly matter, a character could make a
Endure is the counterpart of smash, for when you
single roll to sneak in and have to figure out how
use your ability to withstand or exert tremendous
to get out. Or, if this is something we want the
forces. It could be not just physical strength, but
story to brush past or montage through without
magical or semi-magical fortitude as well, brought
much further consideration or consequence, we
on by training, spells, etc.
could do the whole thing in a single roll (perhaps
this is a scene from the character’s history, or the
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
task is far below their skill based on the chapter).
Sometimes a task is too complex or daunting to be
• Chapter I: Hold up a portcullis or a push aside
completed in one roll. Sometimes a task might
a heavy stone. Go for a long time without food
take more time, or multiple steps, to complete,
or water. Hold your breath. Push on into
and doing everything in one roll just doesn’t feel
extreme heat or cold. Run through the night.
right.
Win a drinking contest. Withstand pain.
• Chapter II: Lift an ox into the air or hold a
In all these cases, it’s best to use a clock!
castle gate open. Eat something poisonous. Go
without sleep, food, or rest for a few days.
When you have a clear challenge or goal, you can
Withstand tremendous pain.
set out a clock with an even number of segments
• Chapter III: Wade through fire or ice. Lift a
(4, 6, 8, 10, 12). You can draw out an actual clock,
three story Leggio Caravan. Carry an entire
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split into segments, or use a tracker, or simply tick You can easily use clocks to track progress on a
off check marks if you like. The longer the clock, long term project, especially the kind that
the more complicated or challenging it will be to characters might try to work on during an
fulfill. Name the clock after the challenge or goal, interlude.
not necessarily the method. For example, you can
have a clock that says ‘Guards’, ‘Traps’, and Slow Clocks
‘Alarm’.
If you want a clock that fills slower, instead set a
When characters take action related to a clock clock out that only fills up by 1 segment at a time,
that would further it in some way, they will fill in usually when characters are successful at some
segments on that clock with their actions on a other task, or advance a journey or activity in
successful roll equal to their effect: some way. For example, if your characters are
• Fill in 2 segments for normal effect tracking a monster, you can tick a segment any
• 1 for weak, time the characters finish a scene where they close
• 3 for powerful, distance on the monster, and decide they find it
• and 5 for super powered actions. after 3 segments.
When the clock fills up completely, the task or There are lots of other examples of this in the
challenge it represents is complete or Book of Adventure on page XX.
surpassed. No further action is necessary from
the characters. Progress clocks
In the previous example, we could set out a single You can also use clocks to track the status or time
clock (maybe a longer one, such as 10 segments) pressure of a larger ongoing situation in the world
for the whole castle, called something like ‘The or campaign, such as a war, a spreading Blight, a
Castle’. Alternately, we could set out a few faction’s political influence, or an assassination
(shorter) clocks representing each major obstacle plot. These progress clocks tend to move by
as the characters come across them - like ‘Guard themselves. Tick segments on these clocks when
in the hallway’, ‘Big complex lock’, ‘Hidden the story or campaign moves forward. A good
Trapped Room’, judging the characters successful time to do this is after an interlude. When ticking
if these smaller clocks are filled in. these clocks, tick one segment if the situation
progressed a little, two if it progressed as normal,
Clocks abstract out a whole task, scene, or series and three if there was great progress. For
of events. It’s certainly possible to just use a series example, if you have a clock tracking the progress
of normal rolls for many complex tasks (and a lot of a war and it’s drawing to a close, you might tick
of tables will play that way). However, using three segments on that clock at the end of
clocks to represent complicated tasks ensures downtime.
you’re only rolling when there’s persistent
narrative tension, constrains the number of rolls
Failure states
made for any given task, and creates clear
parameters for success. It allows the story to
You can also create clocks that fill up as a result of
progress and means you don’t have to waste time
failures, rather than successes, establishing fail
lingering on tasks that would otherwise require a
states for situations. These clocks get filled in as
lot of rolling, all of which we find extremely
consequences of failed rolls or complications of
effective for speeding up play. You can use them
Risky or Heroic rolls. For example, if a group of
to move more quickly and efficiently through
PCs were trying to flee from a band of
narrative scenes. If you’d prefer to keep things
mercenaries, you might set out two clocks: one
looser, then don’t worry over making clocks for
that represents the PCs’ safe escape and one that
every little thing.
represents the mercenaries catching up to them
and forcing a fight. The Escape clock fills up when
Project clocks PCs successfully put some distance between them
and their pursuers, while the Capture clock fills
up when they either fail those actions or have to
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make trade-offs. You might fill in two segments • The characters will take strain from the task
whenever a PC fails a roll and fill in a single
segment as a complication if they roll a 4-5. Then set up a clock or make an action roll to
accomplish the goal.
Rituals and Projects

GM Principles
During play, players may want to hold a magic
ritual, improvise some technological device, or Heres some basic principles for the GM to follow
work on another project that may be more when running ICON:
involved than a simple action roll. • Keep away from ‘no’. ‘Yes, and…’, and ‘Yes,
but…’ keep the story moving and keep things in
Many of these projects are better accomplished as the player’s hands. You can always tell a
ambitions (page XX) during an interlude. character an action isn’t possible given their
However, if the project is something simpler or approach without denying them completely.
something that can be accomplished during a Offer alternative approaches or suggestions to
normal session, you can use these rules instead. problems, and let player creativity be rewarded.
“You can’t open that door by smashing it down
First, the GM should ask the players what they by yourself, it’s too heavy. If you could find
want to accomplish with their ritual, craft, or something strong to use as a battering ram
project - the goal or function of their creation. though…”.
• Let players choose how to move the
Here’s some examples: action forward. Give players choices and let
“We want to seal the door with a magic seal so them choose how to proceed. Players should
that demons can’t pass through it.” nearly always be the ultimate drivers of action in
“I want to create an improvised grappling hook your story, not your NPCs, plots, or events. You
to climb the cliff.” can always force the players to react by throwing
“I want to transform into an animal for an hour something unexpected on at them if you want to
so I can scout out the woods without being seen.” mix it up. “Railroading”, or taking away player
“We want to create a working flamethrower out agency, only typically becomes a problem when
of parts in this workshop.” you deny players the chance to take action or
intervene in a situation.
This is best used for effects that aren’t permanent, • Play to find out what happens. It’s perfectly
or a part of a character that will carry over fine to have a plan or outline for a session or
between sessions. If the player who wanted a expedition. If there’s a scene or event you really
grappling hook wanted it to work for more than want to happen, however, and the players totally
just its initial use, they’d probably have to set it up avoid it, then let it happen! You can find a way
as an ambition first. to introduce it later. Players will often deviate
from the path you lay out for them, and the
The players' goal should always work, but the story is often better for it.
GM can choose one of more of the following, and • Foreshadow consequences and threats. If
must inform the players on the details: you’re going to shoot someone with a crossbow,
show the players a glint of it from a window
• The ritual or craft can’t accomplish exactly what first. If the fall off the mountain is going to
the players want, but a lesser version of it inflict critical strain, you should probably tell
• The characters will need to create time or space players how steep and dangerous the mountain
• The characters will need to gather additional path looks. The game has a very easy way to
reagents, materials, or supplies foreshadow threats built in with risk.
• The craft or ritual will have clear side effects • Make characters look good. Characters are
• The characters will have to sacrifice something heroes. If they fail, they should never fail due to
to accomplish their goal, such as another piece incompetency.
of gear or an infusion of dust
• The characters will need help from an expert
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under a heavy boulder, give them an annoying

Complications and hanger-on at the party, blow out all the
torches and make the room pitch black
Consequences 6. Make them lose initiative - The character
misses a window of opportunity or loses
valuable time. They lose sight of the thief
Characters take some sort of consequences or
they’re pursuing, a door slams shut on them,
complications for their actions on any final action
or they are late to the peace summit. Put them
result except a 6 - something that will happen
on the back foot.
fairly often!
7. Reduce effect - Give characters less effect on
a successful action, perhaps making them
Consequences are typically narrative in nature
have to roll again.
and will depend on the nature of the action that
8. Inflict strain, as established - Inflict
the character is taking in the fiction. For example,
strain. There’s more on strain below. For a
a character trying to leap a chasm might fall,
risky action, inflict 2, for a controlled action, 1.
stumble, or find themselves clinging to the edge if
For a desperate action, inflict 4 strain, or in
they don’t get a full success. The severity of
rare cases, inflict critical strain.
consequences should depend on the risk of the
action that a character is taking, with more
severe consequences the worse the risk Foreshadowing consequences
was. For a controlled action, consequences are
minor, for a desperate action major, and for a It’s good practice as a GM to foreshadow or hint at
standard risk action they should be somewhere in the possible consequences behind a character’s
the middle. In the previous example, a character actions. This is especially important for
might fall completely into the chasm if the action consequences with hard outcomes, such as strain.
was desperate (probably getting majorly hurt!), Establish consequences in the story first. This is
find themselves clinging to the edge on a risky pretty easy and intuitive to do:
action, and maybe drop something on the way
over in a controlled action but otherwise make it • “The robber levels their dagger at your chest. It
over safely. looks pretty sharp.”
• “You can take a shortcut to get ahead of the
Here’s some broad suggestions for the GM when fleeing courier, but you’ll lose sight of her -
inflicting consequences. better hope you catch up.”
• “You can definitely sneak past the sleeping
1. Put someone in a bad spot - Increase the giant, but he’s sleeping lightly and the slightest
risk of their next action. Put them in a worse noise will probably wake him up.”
position than before, like teetering on the edge
of a cliff, separated from the group, sliding off Sometimes players will even suggest possible
a rooftop, or in the middle of a crowded guard outcomes or consequences for their own actions -
post. in which case you should run with it. You can also
2. Start a ticking clock - Start a ticking clock communicate this pretty easily by setting risk for
for a much worse consequence. Perhaps a actions. Don’t worry too much about doing it
character knocks a pillar, now the whole room every time, just try to remember when you inflict
is about to collapse. hard or severe outcomes to communicate the
3. Tick an existing clock - Tick 1-2 segments possible outcomes before the character takes the
for a partial success, tick 2-3 for a failure. If action - and allow players to back out of their
the action was desperate or controlled tick ideas if they want. This helps the game feel fair.
more or less.
4. Offer a hard choice - Make characters Strain
choose between two harder outcomes - do you
want to recover the key to the ancient door or When a character is physically hurt, mentally
let the treasure chest fall into the abyss? drained, or narrowly avoids injury or consequence
5. Weigh them down - Present characters with from a situation, they take strain.
a sudden obstacle or hindrance - pin them
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take an action by spending 1 Effort to do so

In base ICON, characters are heroic and beforehand (see more on effort on pg XX). A
larger than life. Only the stresses and nearby character can also spend the effort for
stakes of tactical combat can truly hurt them.
characters. Outside of combat, they take
strain. Taking strain represents the mental and When a character breaks, they clear their strain
physical effort a character must put into avoid boxes and take a burden, and at the end of the
serious bodily injury, taking injury anyway and scene they cease to be broken and can act
pushing through the pain, taking mental stresses, normally.
or suffering through a difficult situation. Strain
can represent everything from actual bodily strain A burden is more long-term harm to a character
to exhaustion, enervation, tiredness, or exposure and represents the mental and physical ordeal of
to the elements. the adventuring life. How much a burden
interferes with a character is up to that character’s
Strain taken is 1, 2, or 4, depending on risk. player. When you take a burden, write the nature
Characters can also take critical strain. of the burden underneath it. It could be a long
term injury of some kind that the character
Average strain is 2, usually taken as a result of ignores, scars, a change in attitude, tiredness,
risky actions. This is usually something like sickness, etc.
getting swiped at by a monster, a short but painful
fall, dazed at by a weapon, eating something Example burdens:
poisoned, exhausted from a long trek, frozen in • Injuries: broken leg, broken arm, gashed ribs,
the blinding wind, falling over from a lack of monster bite, etc
sleep, etc. • Corruption: Infection, disease, illness, dark
magic
Minor strain is 1, usually taken as a result of • Negative emotions: Anger, resentment,
controlled actions - still enough to be painful. jealousy, rage, hatred
Bad bumps, scrapes, minor wounds, animal bites, • Exhaustion: tiredness, ennui, sadness
tiredness, sickness, etc.
Then, tick two actions which have more than 0d.
Major strain is 4, usually taken as a result of Those actions are at at -1d until the burden is
desperate actions. Major strain is something healed. Tick actions that are appropriate to the
very painful or hurtful, like a long fall, getting kind of burden taken if possible. For example:
smashed by a boulder, smacked around by a large
monster, burned by a fireball, going days without • You might tick Smash and Tinker for a broken
sleep or food, getting badly sick or poisoned, shot arm
in a vital place with an arrow, etc. • You might tick Charm and Study for tiredness
• You might tick Endure and Traverse for
Critical strain is something that a normal poisoned
person probably wouldn’t survive, such as falling • You might tick Command and Sense for fear.
off a cliff, getting crushed in the jaws of a wyrm,
falling into lava, riddled with arrows, etc. You’ll This can be done up to twice per action.
survive - you’re an ICON after all, but in order to
do so, you’ll have to push through a lot. The GM can always look to burdens for possible
consequences for action rolls. Players can also
play up their burdens to invoke them.
Breaks and Burdens
Invoking Burdens
Characters have a limited number of strain boxes.
If a character has any burdens, they can invoke
If they would tick a box and their boxes are
their burdens in narrative play to get into
already full, or if they take critical strain, they
trouble when they make an action roll.
break and are too hurt or overwhelmed to
continue in the current scene, unable to move or
act on their own. A broken character may only
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Get into trouble means starting trouble or during the interludes and pursue ambitions
facing consequences, even on a successful roll. For normally, then return the following expedition if
example, a character with the ‘exhausted’ burden they so choose.
decides to get into trouble when making a roll to
navigate a monster infested tunnel. The GM
decides this character wanders off, not aware of Combat In ICON
their surroundings, while the party moves on
without them. A character with the ‘anger’ burden ICON has a tactical combat system, but this
decides to get into trouble while negotiating a system doesn’t have to get used to represent every
peace settlement - the GM decides that the occasion when violence breaks out. You have a
character acts out at an inopportune moment. couple options, including not playing with tactical
combat at all!
When getting into trouble or invoking a burden
means changing a character’s behavior or making
them act out-of-character, the GM can say broadly Use tactical combat
what happens but it can be up to the player to act
it out. By default, ICON assumes GMs and other players
will be using the tactical combat system in the
Other players are free to suggest consequences for second half of this book. This system is only for
invoking burdens (including the player who when the stakes or the tension are high and must
invoked them), but it’s ultimately up to the GM be resolved through combat. In tactical combat,
what to choose. characters can actually be hurt or killed, and
they are going to use the full extent of their
If you invoked at least one burden at least once might - all their destructive magical and physical
during a session get 1 xp at the end of that power. If the scene doesn’t warrant that, or the
session. characters don’t have the ability to go all out, it’s
not worth tactical combat. For most situations
Healing Burdens and Strain involving violence, assess whether it’s important
enough to dip into tactical combat. If you get into
Characters can heal all strain when they camp other situations, it might be better to play it out as
or when they finish an interlude. a narrative scene, using clocks. This is a way you
can set the tone and pacing for your game.
Burdens can only be healed during an interlude,
during the special Heal Burdens step. Burdens • Is a bar brawl a tactical combat, where the
are represented with a filled clock of 4, 6, or 10 stakes are high and characters will use the full
segments, and characters can only heal them extent of their powers and abilities, or is it a
slowly by unticking segments during downtime. narrative scene using Excel, Smash, Endure,
Characters can fill in any burden they like when and Command to overwhelm and outwit your
they take one. rowdy opponents?
• If the local militia shows up to arrest the
players, is that a tactical combat or a
3 burdens
negotiation? Can it degrade into a tactical
combat or can players make other rolls to avoid
A character with 3 burdens can still break, fighting?
clearing all strain, but doesn’t mark an extra • If the characters find a hungry giant guarding
burden. Instead of recovering and returning to the entrance to a dungeon, can they talk to it, or
themselves at the end of the scene, however, they will they have to fight it in tactical combat if
remain broken until the expedition is over (they they fail to sneak past?
can still expend effort to act normally).
Transitioning into tactical combat is usually done
After the expedition is over, any character that smoothly out of narrative scenes or as a tension
broke this way must take their leave from break when things go sour: when the characters
adventuring for a while and cannot embark on fail to sneak past the Relict, when they burst into
the next expedition.They can still heal burdens
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the baron’s hall hell bent on confronting them, or away, or opening a door, or scaring foes off, or
when they stand in defense of the town as the holding out until reinforcements arrive. You can
wave of monsters approaches. see a big list of suggested combat scenarios on
page XX of the book of foes.
Narrative Combat You can set up multiple clocks to represent
different challenges in a scene, including the foes
As an alternative or companion to tactical combat,
themselves.
you can play combat scenes out exactly like you’d
play out any other narrative scene - using action
Don’t use clocks like you’d use HP. If a clock fills
rolls, clocks to track challenges, etc.
up and the scene would naturally be over, then
end the scene and let characters figure out how
Using actions in combat they drive off, escape from, avoid, or defeat any
If using narrative combat, characters can take any remaining foes.
actions they can think of to progress the scene,
using the actions they already have. The skills
Qualities
Excel and Smash are obvious contenders (shoot
a ranged weapon, swing a melee weapon), but
If characters are fighting opponents, then it can
other actions can also be used, to either set up
be helpful to write down 2-3 strengths and 1-2
allies or to progress a scene on their own. For
weaknesses to refer to when determining the
example, when fighting a monster:
position and effect of actions.
• Charm to distract a monster from attacking
For example, characters are fighting a Wyrm in
your allies
open combat. The Wyrm itself is a big armored,
• Command to scare the monster and make it
fire breathing lizard. might be represented with a
hesitate
10 or 12 segment clock (a pretty powerful foe!)
• Endure to wrestle the monster to the ground
with segments filled in as characters take actions
• Sense to scan your surroundings for hazards
against it.
you could drive a monster into
• Study a monster to find a weak spot
The GM decides the qualities are Big, Armored,
• Sneak to spring an ambush against the
and Fire Breathing. It’s weaknesses are its
monster or get out of the situation
Weak Scale and it’s Slow.
• Tinker to set a trap for the monster or throw an
A character wielding a bow tries to attack the
explosive
Wyrm. Here’s how that might play out:
The flavoring and theming of a character’s action
• Because the Wyrm is armored, a character
and attacks is up to the player, and any action
shooting arrows at it (probably using Excel)
could potentially be used for physical or magical
might have no effect, or be a weak and desperate
combat.
action.
• However, the wyrm does have a weak scale.
Setting up a narrative combat scene Another character using Sense might try and
spot openings for the bow-wielding player,
In narrative combat, don’t treat monsters or foes changing their effect, or a character might use
like you would in a traditional rpg, but instead use Smash to topple a pillar onto the Wyrm to
clocks, risk, and effect to represent the entire immobilize it, Endure to grapple its jaws and
combat scene. The GM can adjudicate or adjust hold its attention, Charm to distract it, etc. All
these based on the challenges characters are these actions can key into each other and all of
facing, deciding which actions in the moment them could potentially fill out the Wyrm’s clock
would be more or less effective. to defeat it.
• The Wyrm is also fire breathing. Getting close
Don’t think about the setup as just the foes the to it sounds pretty risky or desperate, but
characters are facing, but the entire scene as a set because it’s slow, it should be safe to shoot
piece. Defeating foes might be ancillary to running from a distance. The bow player might decide to
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clear some distance by traversing and

sprinting across a rocky cavern, improving their
position (and maybe their effect, because they
can get multiple shots off).
Foes don’t have to be treated like a single clock in

narrative play. You could use one clock to
represent a whole group of foes, or multiple clocks
to represent one foe and the different threats it
represents. You could even make individual
strengths or weaknesses their own clock. In
the previous example, the heart scale could be
armored and have a short clock required to
expose it before it becomes vulnerable. The
wyrm’s fire breath could be overwhelming and
require some action to stymie it (or muster up a
defense) before the wyrm can even be
approached.
To make more interesting combat scenes, treat

combats like any other narrative situation and
make multiple clocks to track evolving situations.
You can get some examples and advice on this on
page XX.
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one, get 1 xp. If you ticked two or more of them,

Player characters in get 2 xp.
Narrative Play Effort

All Bonds have a certain number of Effort boxes.
In ICON, every character has a unique drive - By default, Effort can be used in the following
something that represents how they move through ways:
and interact with the world. This is called their
Bond. You can think about it like a character • Push: Tick 1 effort to add +1 Boon (+1d6) to
‘class’ or archetype, except your character’s Bond any action roll
is purely for narrative play. Think about how • Aid: Tick 1 effort to help another character.
your character acts around other people, what They get +1 Boon on their action, but you also
motivates them, and what ideals they hold near - share in any consequences of their action
that’s your Bond. (strain, bad situations, etc). A character can only
benefit from aid once on an action roll. Aid does
Each Bond gives you bonuses to certain actions not stack with setup.
and powers that help you play to that archetype or • Team Action: You make an action as a group.
give your own unique spin on it. When you make a Choose a leader, who spends 2 effort. The leader
character, you’ll choose the Bond you’ll have for makes an action and the outcome or
the rest of the game, with some exceptions. consequences are decided as if the whole group
took that action, without anyone else rolling,
Characters all have action ratings, and bonds all since the leader is directing them. For example,
have some variation of the following features: a Team Sneak can get a whole group of
• Ideals characters through a difficult situation. A team
• Effort narrative combat action lets a whole group fight
• Bond Powers at once. This might also change position and
• Gear effect for an action.
Action Ratings If a character is maxed out on effort, they’re

exhausted. An exhausted character can’t spend
All characters have ratings in each of the ten
any more effort and some Bonds may get bonuses
actions, from 0 to 4.
when they’re exhausted.
• At level 0, characters start with 6 dots in these
ratings (2 from their bond, and 4 more from
creating a character) Regaining Effort
• No rating at level 0 can be higher than 3
• Characters can only ever have one action at 4 Characters regain all effort when they finish an
dots. Interlude or when they camp.
It can help to choose action ratings that match the 1/session, a character may also get a second
concept of your character, even if you’re going to wind and regain all effort outside of camps or
be using a tactical combat job. For example, if you interludes when they fulfill their second wind
want your very strong Demon Slayer character to trigger. These are different for each Bond. A
be good at busting down walls, you should take character doesn’t have to activate this when it
dots in the Smash action. occurs, and can wait for a better opportunity.
Using effort while broken

Ideals
If you’re broken in a scene (you maxed out on
These short sentences or activities can be ticked if strain and took a burden), you or a nearby
you performed them during a session at least character can spend 1 effort to allow you to act
once. At the end of a session, if you ticked at least normally for an action.
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effect on its own but grants the action that’s being

Bond Powers set up +1D.
Bond Powers are special abilities that either give
Increasing Effect
you the ability to do something without rolling, or
boost your existing actions or abilities. They are
Some character abilities can increase effect. Effect
very powerful and help distinguish your character.
can be increased as long as base effect is at least
You can further define what your characters’
weak (no effect is still no effect), and can normally
specific powers look like and where they come
never be increased past Powerful, even if a
from.
character would get increased effect multiple
times.
• Scene: Some powers or Bond features apply
until the end of the current scene, or can only
The only way to increase effect further is to use a
trigger once a scene. A scene is a contiguous
power that grants you superpowered effect, or get
series of events where we don’t ‘cut away’ from
a critical hit on a roll with powerful effect
the action. When we enter a new sequence of
(turning the effect into superpowered).
action or dialogue (like a new room in a
dungeon, a new challenge, a different
conversation happening in a different place) the Gear
previous scene is over. This is pretty easy to
judge naturalistically. The final parts of bonds is Gear.
• Limited Powers: Certain Bond Powers can
only be used by spending Effort, and many can Icon doesn’t care about minutely tracking gear.
only be used a certain number of times per You are always (unless noted) assumed to have
game session. You get these powers back at the the numerous things an adventurer would have on
start of a new session. them - armor, weapons, clothes, traveling boots,
• Range: A few powers have a loose effect range, currency, food, etc.
such as close or far.
• Chapter scaling: A few powers gain more However, all bonds have a number of unique
explicit power per chapter (I, II, III). items available that could prove useful in certain
situations, and are unique to each bond. Gear is
Gambits organized into kits, which are loosely related
collections of items.
Normally you can only take powers from your
own Bond. However, once you have four powers You always have access to gear items from the
from your own bond (including your starting basic adventurer’s kit. However, when you start
power), you can take a Gambit when you would an expedition, choose a single kit from your
pick a new power, which is a power from any bond you are carrying with you for the expedition.
bond. A character can only take a gambit once. You reasonably have access to all the gear items
from that kit, and can use them as you like,
Knacks pulling them out as needed. You gain access to the
gear from kits every time you embark on an
Some powers give you a knack. A knack is a skill expedition, even if that gear is used up or lost (we
or area of expertise or knowledge, usually specific. can reasonably assume you can restock, repair, or
When you can apply your knack to a roll, get +1 replace it).
Boon (+1d6) on the roll.
If you think the provided kits for your bond are
Set up too specific, you can instead choose any three
items from your bond kits, in any combination,
Some bond powers give more powerful set ups or when you embark as a custom kit. This works
key off setups. A setup is an action roll (with the same way as other kits.
normal consequences, etc) that has reduced or no
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You might also pick up loose gear during an survey the hallway and get good information, the
expedition - this is stuff you might just randomly GM can make their actions more effective or more
find in a dungeon, haggle for, steal, or purchase. If controlled moving forward, since they know about
you pick it up, note it down on your character the traps.
sheet. Though you can hang on to and store any
amount of loose gear outside of an expedition, you The GM can also decide to let the whole thing get
have room to take two pieces of loose gear with covered in one roll. Or, if the trap is more
you on any expedition, no matter the size, and dangerous or complicated, they can set up a clock
always have access to it. for it.
You can share gear with your party any time. The GM can use good practices and foreshadow
threats here by showing the players that the hall
Using Gear might be trapped.
Gear can be used to improve position and effect Let’s see some permutations of each of these
for your rolls. After all: scenarios.
• climbing a steep cliff wall when you have a rope
is probably a lot easier (and less risky) than The introduction:
climbing it bare handed! GM: You come to a long stone hallway, chocked
• similarly, using a lock pick to open a door is a lot with dust, and probably only wide enough for one
easier than improvising one with a knife. person at a time to move down. It’s pretty long
• having a book of monster lore to flip through and the far end is too dark to see. Propped against
might prove helpful when researching monsters the wall on your side is an old rusty breastplate, a
piece of armor long abandoned, as though
You get the idea. someone took it off in a hurry. It’s pock-marked
with small holes.
All gear is assumed to be about the quality as the
chapter you’re in. One roll, players don’t gather information:
Alice: I forge ahead, carefully.
GM (taking the initiative): Ok! There’s a click as
Play Example you step on a pressure plate. You hear the soft
hiss of air at the other end of the room, and you
see a flurry of darts heading your way! What do
Here’s a quick play example.
you do? Your action is probably going to be pretty
risky.
Play example: The hall of death
Alice: Damn. Ok… I’m going to bring my shield up
and try and endure the darts.
The GM is playing with two players, Alice and GM: Great, I’d say that’s pretty effective but
Marco. Alice’s character has the Bond of the desperate.
Mighty, James’ character has the bond of the
Pathfinder. Alice rolls 3 dice for her character’s Endure action
and rolls a 1,2, and 5, a mixed success. Darts shoot
The character are exploring a ruin and reach a into her character, inflicting 3 strain on her.
hallway. The GM knows this hallway is trapped Alice’s player chooses to spend 1 effort for her
with pressure plates (on the floor) which will Might’s special ability to reduce the strain by 1.
cause poison darts to fly out from the far wall. A The darts having activated, the hall is clear and
tough scenario! the characters can move on.
The GM can do a couple things here. If characters One roll, gathering information:
take action without checking the hallway out, the Alice: I’m going to check this hall out.
traps end up being an obvious consequence for GM: Ok, give me a fortune roll for that, since you
their actions, and their actions are probably risky, seem safe where you are.
if not desperate! If characters take a moment to
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Alice (rolls sense, gets a 4): I’m going to survey middle of the hallway. Anything you do from here
the hall for threats. A 4. is going to be way more risky.
GM: Squinting your eyes, you can just make out Marco: Let’s do this. I’m going to traverse by
strange cracks in the floor ahead of you. It’s hard kicking off the walls. I’m also going use my
to tell, but you’re pretty sure this hall is trapped, pathfinder power Windrider to push myself for
with pressure plates. another die and choose to not touch the floor.
GM: Great, that’s two bonus dice, one from Alice’s
The scenario plays out as above, but the risk for character and one from your push, and you have
Alice’s character’s action is now controlled, since better effect from your cool power. I’ll say since
she knows about the trap. Now she only takes 1 you don’t have to touch the floor, your action is
strain when she’s hit by the darts, which she going to be less risky, so instead of being risky it’s
spends resistance to ignore. going to be controlled.
Marco (Rolling 1,2,2,3): Great. Oh shit, a 3.
Using a Clock, gathering information GM: No problem. You still get two ticks on the
clock from your better effect (The GM ticks two
The GM decides this trap is a bigger threat, more segments, bringing the clock to 4/6).
something they want to spend a short scene on. Marco: Ok, but I’m a dead man, right?
They set out a 6 segment clock to represent the GM (offering a choice): Your action was
hall. controlled thanks to your power, so you don’t get
riddled with darts, but you’ve got a tough choice.
Marco: I have a bad feeling about this hall. I’m You don’t make it quite down the hall, and you’re
going to get closer to study the stonework close enough to see the mechanism. Do you try
GM: Ok, give me a roll. It’s a little riskier to study and leap forward disable it now, and maybe get
since you have to get close, but I’ll say its more poisoned for your trouble, or do you try and make
effective. I’ll say its still controlled. another roll? I’ll let you finish the clock right now
Marco (rolls study, gets a 1 ): Ok, I’ll take it. I if you want.
have 0 in sense so I’d rather use study. Ah, a 1. Marco: I’m going for it.
GM (Inflicting strain): Oh yeah, it’s definitely GM: Ok! You dive forward and jam your blade
trapped. A flurry of darts shoot out through the into the mechanism. A vaporous cloud of poison
darkness right at you. Since your action was more pours out from the dart holes as the trap
powerful, I’m giving you some progress on this deactivates. You’re going to take 2 strain from the
clock (The GM ticks 2 segments on the clock. poison.
Normally they’d tick 1 or none on a ‘1’ roll). Marco: Ouch. That would give me a burden.
However, you’re still getting shot, for only 1 Alice: Can I use my special ability to take the
strain, and you’re sure there’s more plates in the strain instead by pushing Marco aside?
hall. GM: Yeah… but you’re not close enough - you
Marco: I’ll take it. were put in a bad position, right?
Alice: Can I boost Marco’s character on my shield Alice: Ah, ok. Can I just throw my shield and
to get them across the hall and give them a bonus smash the mechanism before it manages to poison
die? Marco?
GM: Sure. You can make a roll to set up Marco if GM (Avoiding saying ‘no’ to this creative
you like, or just tick effort to aid him. solution): Sure, I think that would reduce the
Alice: Ok. I’m going to roll for it. Is… excel a good strain, but give me a roll. Risky, since you’re
action for this? trying to do it quickly from far away!
GM: Probably, or smash, I think, since you’re Alice: Ok, I’m going to use 1 effort to push this.
using force. (Rolls 2, 3, 6). A 6!
Alice: My smash is better, so I’ll use that. GM: Cool. You hurl your shield and crumble the
GM: Ok, it’s going to be controlled risk for you I wall, sealing off the vapor. Marco only takes 1
think strain.
Alice (rolling a 4): A 4. Marco: Nice.
GM (putting her in a worse spot): Great, you
boost Marco in the air. However, you have to take Flexibility and tone
a couple steps forward, and now you’re in the
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You can see each of these scenarios changes both

the narrative weight of the scene, and the number
of actions players need to overtake it. For
example, a player with powerful or superpowered
effect could take care of the clock in the third
example with just one or two rolls!
Think about how this scenario might change
depending on the tone of game you want to run.
In a more grounded game, maybe getting riddled
with darts is more strain, or even critical strain on
a desperate action. Maybe diving down the
hallway, bouncing off the walls, isn’t possible
without powerful or superpowered effect (Marco
did use an ability there to justify it, so keep that in
mind).
If the characters are in a higher chapter than the

treat, a hall like this, in the fiction, may not pose
much of a threat. The GM can ignore it, make it a
single roll, or make it a shorter clock. If the
characters are in a lower chapter than the hallway,
maybe it poses a huge threat and is super risky,
and the character’s actions are less effective.
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For example, you could leave a place of safety
Expeditions, inside of a city and remain there while you travel

to confront the Churn Barons, or solve the
mystery of the murders by the docks, or
camps, and
something similar. If you’re expecting to
encounter opposition, danger, or uncertainty,
you’re probably heading into an expedition.
interludes
All expeditions have a clear goal at the start, even
if that goal changes.
Rewards
Expeditions
Characters are rewarded in ICON with two
Sessions of ICON are focused around currencies, XP and dust. XP (experience) is
Expeditions. Whenever you leave a place of typically gained at the end of each session, and is
safety with a clear goal in mind, you’re on an used to level up your character for both tactical
expedition. combat and narrative play. Dust is the currency
of Arden Eld and is used primarily for leveling up
Typically in ICON this involves leaving the safety your Relics for tactical combat and getting more
of a village, town, or city, and setting out into the out of your ambitions and healing during
wilderness to explore some ruin, claim some downtime.
artifact, or stop some force from causing harm,
but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that simple. Camping
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During an expedition, you can momentarily pause Starting expeditions

the action to camp. Camping allows everyone in When you set out on an expedition, take the
the group to recuperate and eat and drink, healing following steps:
all strain, unticking all effort, and healing all
HP. It only takes an hour or so and a place of 1. Define your goal. What are you hoping to
relative safety for characters to be able to camp. accomplish? What are you setting out in search
of? Who are you trying to stop? You can pose this
Characters can only camp a certain number as a question if you like, phrased like ‘Will the
of times per expedition heroes do X?’. We play to answer this
question. If you’re a GM, you don’t need to have
The Camp sheet an answer yet, just an idea of how players might
Characters can upgrade their camp, name their get there.
group, and set group ambitions when they camp
or go into an interlude using the camp sheet. Example goals: Will the heroes recover the
mysterious arkenrelic from the ruins that’s
Think of the camp like a character sheet for the rumored to be able to destroy an entire town? Will
whole party - everyone benefits from it. the heroes discover what is causing monsters to
pour out of the oak hill dungeon and put a stop to
There’s more on the camp sheet on pg. XX it? Will the heroes track down and stop the
mysterious stranger who has been stealing from
Interludes the village shrine? Will the heroes put a stop to
the brewing fight between the towns of
When the goal of an expedition is accomplished, Barrowglade?
abandoned, put on pause, or no longer relevant,
and you return to a place of safety, the 2. Choose some custom rules, if applicable.
expedition is over, and you go into an This game has preset frameworks, tools, special
interlude. An interlude is a longer period of actions, and custom expedition rules for running
more narrative time in which characters can rest, particular expedition types. You can find a list of
relax, and recuperate. these rules on page XX. You can always run an
expedition without a type if you like and just
During an interlude, characters can get improvise.
rewarded for their adventures.
3. Define the number of camps. Before
Then they can heal burdens, pursue characters embark on an expedition, the GM sets
ambitions, and freely role-play. the amount of times characters can camp.
Supplies to camp in the wilderness are limited,
Returning to an expedition and time is usually short. Camping lets characters
heal and fully recuperate.
Interludes should always aim to come back to an - For a short or time limited expedition,
expedition at the end of each interlude, creating a characters won’t be able to camp.
loop of expedition > interlude > expedition. - For other expeditions, characters should gain
the ability to camp once for every 3 combat
encounters the GM expects them to go
through (so once for 1-3 encounters, twice for
4-6, etc), or if there is less tactical combat,
about once for every three major
obstacles the GM expects them to go
through. Characters can camp at any time
they have an hour or so and enough safety in
which to do so.
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4. Set your job and abilities, if you expect information on these rewards in the book of
tactical combat. There’s more on this in the adventure on page XX.
tactical combat section.
Abandoning an expedition
5. Reset your character. Your character heals all
wounds, all hp, heals all strain, unticks all effort, Characters can always abandon an expedition if
and chooses a kit for their expedition. Just about they’re too hurt to continue or if the goal has
the only thing you don’t do is heal burdens! changed. Leaving an expedition unfinished
abandons the original goal the characters had in
6. Define rewards. All expeditions normally finishing it, which may now be beyond their
reward 6 xp and 3 dust if they’re successful. If grasp. Whatever the case, if characters return to
there are extra rewards possible, define them the expedition, the situation should have changed.
here. If an expedition’s not long enough to prompt
rewards, it’s probably not an expedition! Quests
7. Set out! Don’t worry about how you get there, Sometimes you have a longer or more complicated
or over-planning. Get your feet on the road and task or goal, like exploring a large dungeon, going
cut to the action. on an epic journey, or unseating a despot, in
which case you’re on a quest.
Why Expeditions?
Quests take more than one expedition to
Expeditions are used in ICON so that characters complete. You can take interludes in the middle of
always have goal they are working towards, and a quest or take on other expeditions.
they can expect the story to move at a certain pace
and with a certain amount of tension. When we’re Each expedition can represent a small part of the
on an expedition, things are probably dangerous quest (a leg of the journey, a wing of the dungeon,
or uncertain. There might be combat involved. gathering allies to fight the king, etc), and
Certain activities, like healing, can only be done a characters can take interludes normally in
limited amount inside an expedition (it’s not safe between. For example, characters could take a
enough, or there’s not enough time!), and certain quest to explore a large dungeon. The GM decides
actions, like getting rid of burdens, can’t be taken this will take about three expeditions to complete,
in expeditions at all! with each expedition’s goal being to explore one
part of the dungeon.
Expeditions don’t have to take a single session to
complete (and might often take multiple). When you complete a quest, not only do you get
the xp and rewards for all expeditions in the
Time and safety quest, but you also get 1 additional xp for every
expedition you completed as part of the quest, up
Camping doesn’t have to mean staying in a village, to 6 extra xp.
town, or city. It could just be a safe and clear spot
for the characters to get the time and space to rest This can allow a GM to set more long term goals
and recuperate. There could be a sanctuary in the for the characters. You can work on multiple
middle of the wilderness, or a dungeon. quests at once.
Alternative and Extra rewards
During play, the GM can always offer additional

rewards for going after extra treasure, completing
tasks for characters, slaying an especially
powerful monster, etc. These rewards can be in
the form of additional xp, dust, trophies (limited
use but powerful items), or other more intangible
rewards like allies or information. You can more
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If you like, you can forgo your own healing to

INTERLUDES help someone else heal their burdens, allowing
them to tick 1 extra segment on any burden.
Interludes are the spaces between adventures - Each character can only be helped once.
the kind of freeform narrative play that most role
playing games get into when characters aren’t You may also spend dust to tick additional
actively pursuing a quest or goal. They are the segments on a burden clock, representing
spaces between expeditions when characters have spending more time or resources bought. 2 dust
time to pursue their personal goals, gather will buy you 1 segment on a clock.
information, do more casual roleplaying,
shopping, etc. Every adventurer needs a break Pursue Ambitions
from the grind of fighting against the encroaching
darkness. When you have a clear goal or project in mind, or
you want to obtain something (power, allies, dust,
When you end an expedition, you go into an access, information), you can write it as an
interlude right away, and all interludes should ambition. An ambition could be anything from
end with the aim of launching another expedition. crafting a magic sword, researching into long
Certain actions can only be taken in an interlude, forgotten civilizations, simply pursuing personal
like healing burdens or pursuing ambitions. growth goals, or bringing together an alliance to
fight a monster invasion.
While you’re in an interlude, it’s typically for
couple days but you can decide how much times The GM decides if the ambition is possible, if a
passes - if you want to play things out in a more reduced version of it is possible instead, or if the
strict, granular way, or if you want to ‘montage’ ambition will take several steps to complete. If
through events and have time move quickly. your ambition is to become king, for example, the
Interludes stereotypically take place in a town or GM might decide that’s too large of a step for now,
city, but don’t necessarily have to - characters but you might be able to pursue becoming a
could take an interlude in the wilderness if they knight instead.
like, as long as they have relatively safety to do so.
Then they decide how hard the ambition will be to
Each time you go into an interlude, fully heal all accomplish and chooses which of the ambition
strain and regain all effort from narrative clocks on your sheet it will take up (short,
play, and all hit points, and wounds from medium, long), and what filling that clock up will
tactical combat. If characters were successful represent. The clocks are 4, 6, and 10 segments
during their expedition, they get rewarded (xp, long.
dust, or other rewards).
During an interlude, each character can pursue
Characters always do this at the start of an ambitions by doing a scene or a montage
interlude. All characters then get to do the describing how they’re pursuing their goals, then
following activities, in any order or combination: making an action roll, filling out 1 segment on a
1-3, 2 segments on a 4-5, 3 segments on a 6, and 5
Heal Burdens on a critical roll.
- Characters can work on the same ambition if
Each character can heal burdens, unticking a they like, even if that ambition is another
total of 3 segments on any of their burden clocks character’s
(4, 6, 10). If a clock is filled out completely, the - You may also spend dust to tick additional
burden is lifted and no longer bothers the segments on an ambition clock, representing
character. If you like, play out a healing scene to spending more time or resources bought. 2
describe what characters are doing to heal their dust will buy you 1 segment on a clock.
burdens (there are prompts for this on the
character sheet). When you make your characters, and during any
camp or interlude, you can also write group
ambitions, which reward everyone for working
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on them. A group ambition can only be worked on groups may get into trouble during an interlude,
once during an interlude, and to work on one a and the situation might change. Characters might
character has to give up working on their own go bargain with the thieves’ guild only to try to
ambitions. Group ambition clocks aren't a default double cross them, wander a little too far out into
length and must be decided by the GM. the wilderness, or open a dangerous magitech
device.
You can write new ambitions any time, but if you
change or abandon an ambition, clear any If characters get into trouble, you can play out a
segments on the clock that’s representing it. An narrative scene or tactical combat to resolve the
ambition must be a clear goal or project, and the situation. If it’s more complicated than a scene or
length of the goal (which clock it represents) is two, you’re probably heading into a surprise
determined by the GM. You only have room for expedition!
one ambition of each length. If you want to write a
new minor ambition (4 segments) and already If characters took strain during an interlude, they
have one, for example, you have to change your can heal it when an interlude ends. In general,
current one. characters are intended to start an expedition
with all their resources at their disposal.
Clearing ambitions rewards 1, 2, and 3 xp
respectively. Clearing a group ambition Bringing it back
rewards 1 xp to the whole group.
Interludes should always aim to launch the
Ambitions are typically projects or long-term characters into a new expedition of some sort. The
goals, like gathering information, researching, characters leave a place of safety with a clear
crafting, or organizing. It could be something like goal in mind.
plotting revenge on a rival, learning a new skill,
fixing up an old aethership, finding a secure route
into a dungeon, deciphering old texts, or learning
about your mysterious parentage.
Aside from the xp for clearing ambitions, the GM

is free to give you some concrete benefit for
completing them, like dust 0r camp upgrades.
They are also free to tick segments on your
ambition clocks if they feel like your actions
further the goal, even if they weren’t taken as a
Pursue Ambitions action.
If a goal is complicated or world changing it may

take multiple ambitions to complete. Alternately,
it may require an expedition or quest to complete,
in which case completing the ambition clock
represents the preparation for that expedition or
quest. When it’s full, you’re ready to take it on
with your group.
Freeplay
Play out any scenes or role-playing activities you

like! Interludes are meant to accommodate more
relaxed role playing.
In general, Interludes are meant to represent an

area of relative peace and quiet. However, lot of
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Session End
Whenever you end a session of ICON, go
around the table and check your xp triggers, then
gain xp depending on which you fulfilled them or
not. These triggers are on pg. XX but are repeated
here for your convenience:
Check at the end of a session :

1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1
xp. Two or more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested,
through combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple
times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or
personal) - 1-3 xp
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
Leveling up
Each time the characters fill the xp bar to 5 or 10

xp, they can unlock an ability or talent at the end
of that session or during a camp or interlude.
If a character’s xp bar is full (15 xp), they can clear

the bar and gain a level up. Any character that has
a level up banked at the end of a session can
increase their level by 1, but no higher than the
current chapter number. A character can only
‘save’ one banked level up at once.
Spending Dust
At the end of a session, characters can also spend

any Dust they have unlocking additional features
for their camp, or infusing them into their relics.
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Narrative Character
Creation
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Choosing your bond Folk of Arden Eld
To make the narrative part of your character in The collective peoples and folk of ICON are
ICON: collectively referred to as Kin. Kin have lived in
Arden Eld since time immemorial.
1. First choose what kind of Kin they are, then
choose what Culture they’re from. When you make a character, choose what Kintype
2. Pick a Bond that you think represents your you are. There’s no statistical or mechanical
character narratively. You can choose one differences in game terms for whatever Kin you
bond power, and take +2 dots in one of the pick. It’s true, for example, that Troggs as a whole
two actions tied to your bond. are larger and stronger than most Thrynn.
3. Then fill in 4 more dots on actions, taking However, each individual is different, and more
none higher than 3 right now. Fill them out importantly you are a hero.
the following way:
• Pick one dot based on your character’s Your bond is more important for determining the
culture or background. kind of person you are. If you want to play up the
• Pick two dot you think represent your unique attributes of your Kin, you can pick a bond
character’s personal qualities that fits that fantasy, and pick actions that fill out
• Pick one dot you think represent your what you want your character to be strong at. A
character’s life experience so far (work, strong, physically powerful Trogg may want to
travels, education, etc). pick the Mighty Bond. An agile Xixo who is an
excellent swimmer may pick the Pathfinder bond.
You’re done! You’ll make the tactical combat part
of your character next. In the first session you can Broadly speaking members of all Kin can be found
choose something for your camp with your group in every part of the world and every walk of life in
and set out on your first expedition. ICON, and none have any ancestral nation,
‘homeland’, or monoculture, especially due to the
Picking Action Ratings ancient influence of the Arken Empire.
Players in games with tactical combat might

notice that their combat jobs don’t give them any
narrative capabilities by default. Pick the
actions you want your character to be good
at. Even if your Spellblade can teleport, in
narrative play, their teleports are limited by
Chapter and how good their Traverse action is.
You don’t necessarily have to match the two - you
could play a quiet demon slayer who is quite
clumsy at smashing anything outside combat, but
becomes a furious whirlwind when faced with a
real challenge.
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Narrative Advancement
Every time characters reach 15 xp, clear all xp and mark a level up. Characters can level up at the end of a
session, but can’t gain more levels than the current chapter.
Lvl Chapter Narrative Benefit

Choose a Culture and Kin type. Then choose a Bond and gets 2 dots in a
0 1 specific action, a Bond power, then gain 4 extra dots to improve actions.
None can be taken past 3 at level 0, and only one can be taken to 4 ever.
1 1 Gain a Bond Power and improve an action
2 1 Gain a Bond Power and improve an action

3 1 Gain a Bond power
4 1 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
5 2 Improve an action
8 2 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
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Thrynn
The Aethrynn, or Thrynn (most commonly) are found everywhere across Arden Eld. They are an
adaptable, diverse people with a strong sensitivity to Aether and a strong connection to arkentech, some
say because they are direct descendants of the Arken that survived or fled the Doom and the dark age that
followed. They make up a large part of airship crews and captains in the great Guilds due to their potential
for aether sensitivity making them excellent pilots.
Thrynn are made up of a dazzling swathe of backgrounds that span the continent. They tend to live in
clans that cluster into villages, towns, and city associations. Symbology and culture of the ancient Thrynn
clans, called the Seven Families, are present in many modern cultures of Arden Eld, and some draw
strength and purpose from their ancient texts and teachings.
Some Thrynn will occasionally have small glowing ‘star-marks’ on their body, especially when attuned to
or channeling strong sources of Aether. These can form constellations of stars or twisting branch-like
patterns under their skin. Occasionally these marks are strong enough that even being near to a strong
source of Aether is enough to light them up.
Very rarely, Thrynn are born with delicate vestigial insect-like wings, not capable of flight. Children born
this way are given special attention, having been divinely marked, and often have roles in the community
leadership or priesthood prepared for them. They may grow into these roles or eventually reject them.
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Trogg
Troggs, also called Ogres, are horned demi-giants that are few in number but outsize in stature. Legend
has it that the Troggs descend from the Titans who originally kept the four pillars of the world stable
before they were slain by the Arken, or at least have some titan blood running through their veins. Adult
Troggs typically stand anywhere between six and eight feet tall, and never stop growing throughout their
very long lifetimes, sometimes living four or five hundred years and growing to truly enormous stature.
All have horns of various size and shapes, and some are born with tails. The Troggs reproduce slowly,
have few children, and treasure them greatly. Trogg children spend a long time maturing and only reach
adulthood around forty years old.
Like other Kin, Troggs are hugely diverse in their backgrounds and cultures but due to their small number
tend to be loners or outsiders to the communities they join. In legends, they are supernaturally tolerant of
heat and can handle even molten metal with their bare hands, though how much this holds up in real life
varies from Trogg to Trogg. Very traditional Troggs worship the Elden Flame, the primal force of creation,
and give themselves over to the study of smithing or the etherial arts. Since Trogg artisans live a long
time, they can accumulate several lifetimes of knowledge that Kin from a similar background could
accumulate.
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Beastfolk
The variety of animal-like Kin found across Arden Eld can be broadly called Beastfolk. They are the most
common Kin and the most diverse physically. There are many clans of beast folk, including:
• The Lopen are cat or rabbit-like folk originally from the great plains.
• The Garou are wolf or dog-like folk from the deep forest and islands.
• The Goblins or Vodya are amphibious river-dwelling kin.
• The Lorito are feathered, birdlike kin originally hailing from the high steppe.
There are many other beast folk clans, such as the fishlike Pelagia and reptilian Kuroki from the eastern
mountains, and probably still many more that are hidden and spread across the surface of Arden Eld.
Beastfolk tend to be shorter in stature than Thrynn, though some are taller and hardier. They live around
the same time as Thrynn and culturally tend have large families. Beast folk are present in every culture,
from desert dwelling nomads, to pastoral farmers, to city guilds.
Traditional Beastfolk have a strong connection to the earth and the forest. They are strong woodsfolk,
hearty eaters, and excellent hunters. They have better senses than other Kin and are sensitive to the
changes in wind, moisture, and earth that signal the weather, the crops, or the changing of the seasons.
Their excellent sense of taste and smell lead a lot of beastfolk to become excellent cooks (or picky eaters).
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Xixo
The insectile or crustacean-like Xixo (ZIK-zo) are a group of water-dwelling kin that can traditionally be
found as traders up and down the waterways of Arden Eld. Xixo are excellent swimmers and can hold
their breath for very long periods of time. They vary widely in physiology, though they are unique in that
during spawning season they can change sex, and many Xixo swap around throughout their lives. Though
they can have weak eyesight, they are highly sensitive to smell and chemical signals and Xixo can
communicate simply emotions or moods to each other through pheromonal markers, leading to the
stereotype that they can read each other’s minds.
Though individual Xixo live much shorter lives than other Kin, maturing at around 8 and typically living
until their mid 40s, they have perfect memories, able to recall everything in their lives with absolute
clarity. A common understanding among the Xixo is that other Kin are terribly cursed - living twice as
long as the Xixo, but eventually forgetting a large part of their lives.
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members in old martial arts techniques unique to
THE SIX GREAT each village that can be used to defend the village
in times of crisis, recording these techniques on
CULTURES scrolls that are closely kept secrets.
Community, hard work, respect for nature,

When you make a character, choose what their
and family are strong values for Yeokin.
cultural background is. Culture is far more
Outsiders can sometimes see them as parochial,
important than Kintype for most characters. A
stubborn, and uneducated.
Trogg and a Xixo from the same village are far
more alike than two Troggs from different parts of
the world. II. Islander
These are the six broad cultures of Arden Eld and The islands around Arden Eld are an oddity, in
don’t necessarily represent every culture present that most of the arkenruins out there are sunken
in the world. Every type of Kin is present in every beneath the ocean. Unfortunately, this has only
culture in varying degrees. made them more active. The island chains are
beautiful, sun-soaked places that seem paradise-
I. Yeokin like to many Kin, but the people that live there are
tough and disciplined, having to constantly
defend their idyllic-seeming homes from horrors
The vast majority of people in Arden Eld live in
that rise unendingly from the sea. The weather in
the Green, the swathes of peaceful farmland,
between the islands can range from merely
villages, townships, and trading posts in between
stormy to apocalyptic, making travel incredibly
the arkenruins. Life in the villages is hard work
difficult.
but generally pleasant, and organized around the
yearly harvests. Neighboring villages tend to
Islanders are prolific sailors, strong drinkers, and
depend on each other for trade, safety, and
prodigious fighters. They tend to have a dark
information, and come together for festivals (of
sense of humor and more than a touch of bravado.
which there are many, especially in the summer
Most of their living is made through fishing,
months). The villages typically are run by a city
carpentry, mercenary work, and through trade
elder, or a council of elders and have a strong
and commerce with the mainland. Islanders have
connection to nature and its cycles. Faithful
strong taboos about going back on promises, and
villagers tend to pay their respects to the local
value someone’s word very strongly.
nature spirits or the Titans at shrines or holy sites
such as pools or groves.
Respect for strength, a healthy sense of
humor, reliability, and independence are all
Villagers tend to be proud of their local traditions,
strong values for Islanders. Outsiders can
festivals, and gods. Most villages have a regional
sometimes see them as foolhardy, rude, or loud.
cooking or craft specialty, and people will often
visit from many towns over just to sample them.
One village might specialize in iron and smithing III. Leggio
work, another might be known for the quality of
its steamed buns and its pork, and another might The villages of the Green rely on a healthy
have miles of beautiful grazing pastures and be network of trade caravans, peddlers, crafts-kin,
known for the quality of its milk and dairy menders, and healers of all kinds. Parts of these
products. networks are made up of local farmers and
traders, but over time some of the caravans have
Regional village councils sometimes will gather a grown into permanent residences and a quasi-
militia to defend against a surfacing ruin or a religious way of life for the people that crew them,
blight, and those towns very close to the ruins who have come to be known as the Leggio. Their
typically have a wall to keep out roaming massive, colorful caravans make seasonal
monsters. Many villages, especially those deep in rotations around Arden Eld, stopping in the cities
the wilderness, will train some or most of their to resupply, and are broadly welcome wherever
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they show up, since it means a chance to buy, Especially brave Churners will sometimes set up
repair, and indulge in all the necessities and shop within the surface levels of a dungeon,
luxuries so sorely missed. The Leggio always eat sometimes maintaining large crops of herbs,
well and trade fairly with the towns, and will often fungi, or other staples that will only grow in the
take on travelers who are seeking safe passage to dust-soaked environment of the arkenruins. The
the next village, post, or city. more daring of them will hire themselves out as
guides, tinkers, or hirelings for wealthier
Nearly all Leggio have some sort of family trade or adventurers. Due to their unique living
skill they are specialized in (sometimes multiple), circumstances, most Churners tend to know more
and many famous or legendary artisans, smiths, about monsters than any other culture, mostly
and weapon makers come from old Leggio their spoor, habits, and how to avoid them.
families. Leggio Grand Caravans can be two (or
sometimes three!) stories high and are carved Churners are a highly itinerant culture, and while
with family histories. They are pulled by draft some travel together, they tend to congregate only
beasts and sometimes captive monsters, who are when a new dungeon surfaces and the old sites
kept docile by Leggio beast tamers. dry up. Many of them are former adventurers who
have settled out of obligation or necessity and
Leggio are nearly all armed and trained in fighting seek a slightly more respectable existence, but
since they were young as they often have to pass others are skilled merchants, crafts-kin, cooks,
through dangerous or blighted areas in order to smiths, and suppliers that come from old families
reach a town in need. They regard their duty to of Churners and run their tents and wagons with a
keep towns supplied as sacred and pray to the high respect of the Churner Code (honesty, safety,
Titan of chance to give them safe passage. convenience). Recently, due to the increasing ruin
activity, the number of Churners has been rapidly
Craft, sociability, discipline, and increasing, and a lot of the old and more
hospitality are all strong values for Leggio. respectable families complain of grifters,
Outsiders can sometimes see them as insular, swindlers, and ill-intentioned shady merchants
overly friendly, or nosy. sullying their reputation.
Dependability, hustle, professionalism,

IV. Churner and caution are highly valued by Churners.
Outsiders can sometimes see them as deceptive,
A sporadic, nomadic culture, churners live a
opportunistic, or exploitative.
dangerous and daring existence, especially
compared to most people of Arden Eld. In their
caravans and camps, they follow around V. Chronicler
Arkenruins as they surface, and make their living
off them in whatever way they can. Sometimes The ancient monasteries of the Chroniclers dot
this involves venturing into the ruins themselves Arden Eld, overlooking its deep valleys from
(though never too far for most Churners, they mountain perches, or buried deep in the rifts of its
leave that up to the adventurers and the canyons. Within is buried ancient knowledge -
foolhardy), and scraping Dust from the ruins, or and sometimes dangerous secrets.
searching the surface levels for fragments of
Arkentech. Most of the time this involves directly Chroniclers are a unique, isolated culture - a
servicing the adventurers themselves who venture quasi-religious society of monks and acolytes built
into the ruins by supplying them with necessary around the Chambers - the great monasteries of
food, supplies, arms and armor, and elixirs. When the continent, whose building predates the Arken
a new ruin is discovered or surfaces from deep and survived their fall. There are twelve of these
beneath the earth, it is not uncommon for a ancient edifices, and they are typically located in
Churner camp to appear at the edge shortly after, extreme or hard to reach locales, requiring them
like a spray of brightly blossoming flowers over a to be self sufficient. Small monastery towns and
grave. trading posts grew up around them over time,
forming a tight-knit communities that revolved
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around and intermeshed with monastery life - loose and oligarchical organizations that regulate
moving with their festivals, rituals, and traditions. the trade and production of certain items between
cities and act as informal government associations
The Chambers are part temple, part archive, and of sorts. Cities are often ruled by the guilds or
part prison. As legend goes, they were built to their proxies and to most people of Arden Eld are
protect the great secrets of the making of the chaotic, overcrowded, wondrous, and very smelly
world. Some of their inner vaults now lie empty, places where the food is greasy, the markets are
and three of the Chambers are broken and hollow bright and burgeoning, and the sights are as
ruins, whatever was contained within long incredible as they are strange.
disgorged into the world. The inner passages and
halls of the Chambers are rumored to be full of all Cities are the centers of technology and magic in
kinds of secret knowledge, ancient weaponry, and Arden Eld and are the chief drivers of the hunger
old and powerful evils - though none can say for for Dust and arkentech, which the technomagical
sure. institutes and Guilds use to produce mechanical
and magical wonders. Citizens of the great cities
As for the Chroniclers themselves, they live in a of Arden Eld are the most diverse in background
strict, hierarchical, and somewhat spartan society, and profession, and tend to enjoy a higher
but one which values justice, education, equality, standard of living than those in the Green, with
and honesty. Ascending up the ranks of the access to many conveniences such as rail and
priesthood takes a long time and a lot of airship travel, running water, and arkenlamp
ceremony, and only the most senior monks are lighting. However, they also are the most unequal,
allowed into the central halls of a Chamber. with many Kin languishing crammed into hot and
overcrowded residences in the increasingly
It is not uncommon at all for monks to dip and mazelike city depths, while the Guild Barons at
out of the priesthood in order to have families, the top scrape most of the benefits off for
explore the world, or go on missions of utmost themselves while claiming to be acting for the
import for the monastery. Junior temple acolytes benefit of all. Some predict the coming of the
wishing to become higher members of a Churning Age will extend this way of life even out
Chronicler order are often required to leave the to the Green, and fear what that portends.
temple for a while to find purpose in the greater
world. Guilders tend to be more educated, more
knowledgeable about Aetheric principles and
Chroniclers highly value knowledge of all kinds, more connected to magic and science than other
and tend to be highly educated. This drive often Kin, who they may see as backwards. They also
pushes traveling chroniclers to explore ruins, tend to be very tolerant and welcoming, and the
challenge authorities, or pry where they don’t most worldly of Kin.
belong, often getting them into danger.
Tolerance, patience, drive, and
Truth, justice, discovery, and tradition are friendliness are highly valued by Guilders.
important values to Chroniclers. Outsiders can see Outsiders can sometimes see them as haughty,
them as secretive, old-fashioned, or stiff. know-it-all, or pampered.
VI. Guilder
There are no nations in Arden Eld, but its cities
are growing in both size and influence. Their
cobbled streets and teetering towers are
expanding and stretching to the sky, and the fires
of industry and arkentech burn deep in their
bellies.
Those that live in the cities are known as Guilders,

and often belong to one of the great Trade Guilds,
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BONDS
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I. The Pathfinder
Discover new things, meet new people, learn new
things. The Pathfinder is always looking to
Effort: _/3
horizon. They’re the first to clamber up the Strain: _/5
mountain, leap across the river, or dash down
the slope. The road is their friend and they can’t Second Wind: Regain 1 effort when you enter a
wait to see what’s around the corner. new scene. This ability can activate any number of
times a session.
+2 Traverse or Sense Special Ability: Leading a team action only
costs 1 effort for you.
NAME:
KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with curiosity, AMBITIONS
exploration, or understanding _/4 _/6 _/10
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions
- I saw, heard, or tasted something truly unique ACTIONS
GEAR Sneak O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Traverse O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Sense O O O O
knife, canvas tent)
Study O O O O
• Highland kit (Pitons, climbing harness, hooks,
zipline, cold weather outfit, preserved rations, Charm O O O O
thermos, foldable canvass glider that can carry Command O O O O
one person) Tinker O O O O
• Lowland kit (Arkentech compass, warm Excel O O O O
weather outfit, shovel, local maps, a reliable one Smash O O O O
or two person mount - horse, dog, arkentech
Endure O O O O
heliobike)
• Extreme kit (Uncomfortable but safe hazard
gear, blight testing strips and curatives, diving XP _/15
suit, foldable kayak, Arkentech rebreather - 1 hr
of clean air for water, gas, etc, two refills for End of Session :
1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
rebreather)
more? 2 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, 2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
_______ combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
_______, ________ 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
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• Memory of the Sole - Name a location you

PATHFINDER POWERS last set up camp or spent an interlude. The GM
will determine the difficulty of the journey there
• Saddleborn - Get a knack for riding or by answering the questions below. When the
piloting: next scene starts, you and up to ten other willing
• Chapter I: Animals or Vehicles people can choose to be safely there if you take 2
• Chapter II: Monsters strain for each ‘yes’ answer, which could cause
• Chapter III: An entire herd of animals or you to break. Work backwards to figure out how
monsters. you got there (the scene doesn’t necessarily have
• Windrider - When you push yourself to take a to take place the next hour or day, for example).
traverse or sneak action, you also get • Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous journey?
increased effect and choose one of the following • Is the location defended or contested?
for the action per chapter: you don’t touch the • Are you currently being pursued, tracked, or
ground, you don’t make a sound, you can’t be hunted?
touched while moving. • Lightspeed - 1/session - Your next traverse
• Dabbler - Get +1 point to put in any action action has superpowered effect
rating. At the start of an interlude, you must • Gambit of Gaia (requires 4 powers): Take
swap this point around to a new action. It can’t a power from another Bond
take any rating higher than 1+ the chapter
number
• Freesoul - You can escape from any restraint,
grab, shackle, hold, or prison cell without
rolling, appropriate to chapter. You can conceal
this ability if you wish.
• Lay Burdens - 1/session, When you enter a
populated location, untick 1 segment on all
burdens, and you may push your next action for
free.
• Airfeel - When you camp or start an
expedition, you can ask any of the following
questions about the next day or so of travel and
get a truthful yes or no answer from the GM. Get
increased effect when next acting on the
answers.
• Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous
journey?
• Is the journey defended or contested?
• Are you currently being pursued, tracked,
or hunted?
• Colortongue - You can understand and speak
all languages and read all scripts. When you
interact with a living creature that doesn’t speak
language, you can understand its intents and
feelings and get a knack to interact with it
socially. At chapter II or higher, you can use this
to interact with even non-living creatures, such
as magical constructs or the undead.
• Horizon Sweeper - Your sense actions have
increased effect and aren’t affected by:
• Chapter I: Darkness or time of day
• Chapter II: Weather or visibility
• Chapter III: Distance of any kind
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II. The Seeker

Uncover forbidden knowledge, untangle people,
teeter on the edge of sanity. The Seeker wants
Effort: _/3
answers - about the world, about magic, about Strain: _/5
monsters, about themselves - all of it. Their keen
wits let them cut through any situation, even if Second Wind: Regain all effort when you
they may not like what they uncover. discover something hidden, forbidden, or secret.
Special Ability: When exhausted, you get +1d
+2 Study or Sense on study and sense actions and can aid in those
actions without spending effort.
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with investigation,
intuition, or recklessness
BURDENS
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs _/4 _/6 _/10
through my actions
- I questioned my own understanding of the
world AMBITIONS
_/4 _/6 _/10
GEAR
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope,
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, ACTIONS
knife, canvas tent)
• Ritual Kit (Tightly bound tome of rituals,
mysterious occult scroll, candles, chalk, salt, Sneak O O O O
paper for talismans, reagents for burning, holy Traverse O O O O
icon, silver bowl, dead light lantern - pierces Sense O O O O
supernatural darkeness, weather, or Study O O O O
obscurement) Charm O O O O
• Archaeologist’s Kit (Thick tome of dungeon
Command O O O O
lore, pick, shovel, head lantern, extra spool of
rope, climbing harness, arkentech ruin sensor - Tinker O O O O
2 mile effectiveness) Excel O O O O
• Scholar’s Kit (Academic almanac, telescope, Smash O O O O
star chart, tattered personal notes, magnifying Endure O O O O
arkentech lenses - 10x zoom, Aether compass -
senses, qualifies, and measures ambient aether)
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, XP _/15
_______
End of Session :
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
_______, ________ more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
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You get an impression of how they are feeling

SEEKER POWERS and what the strongest emotion they are feeling
is. Your next action including your target(s) that
• Heartsight - 1/session - Close your eyes. You
can act on this information gets +1 boon or
can view a location for 1 minute, anywhere:
increased effect.
• I: Close by, within shouting distance • Possession - 2/session - Ask a presence
• II: Within a few miles inside you for advice. The GM will answer as the
• III: Anywhere in Arden Eld presence. Get +1d on the next action that
You view the location as if an invisible observer,
follows that advice.
hearing and seeing everything. You cannot
• Instinctive - 2/session - Describe a course of
move your point of vision, and your body is
action to the GM you plan to take this session.
immobile and vulnerable while taking this
You will receive an answer that is truthful, if
action. You can end it any time. You don’t have
unclear, that comes from a feeling. The GM can
to be able to see the location you’re trying to
choose from the following options: Wheel
view.
(good/positive outcomes), Stone (bad/negative
• Library Organ - 1/session - Get +1d on study
outcomes), and Chaos (a mix of good and bad
and sense for the rest of the scene, but all other
outcomes).
actions are at 0d. At chapter III, also increase all
• Geist - When you are able to touch someone
effect from study and sense.
skin to skin, even if you break contact, you can
• Argus - You get a knack for sensing:
see through their eyes and experience their
• I: Hidden objects, paths, tracks, or traps sensations and ambient emotional state, though
• II: Hidden people, monsters, or ambushes you can do little but observe, and they are not
• III: Invisible or metaphysical objects or aware of your presence. The effect can be
forces, such as the flow of magic
accessed:
• Midnight Eyes - You can see in the dark,
• I: Until the end of the scene
which could make your risk and effect better.
• II: Until the end of the expedition
Your study and sense actions get increased
• III: Indefinitely
effect in darkness. At Chapter III or higher, you
The effect is canceled when you use this ability
can see anything close by in good detail without
again, and while you’re concentrating on it, you
the use of your eyes.
cannot do anything yourself except sit in quiet
• Unhinge - When you push a desperate action,
focus, otherwise the effect breaks. A player
it also gains increased effect.
character must be willing, and you may need a
• Dark Clarity - 2/session - You may study
roll to be able to touch a hostile, unaware, or
the ambient emotional state of:
unwilling character.
• I: One person close by • Terrible Truth - 1/session - Increase the effect
• II: One person or monster close by of your next Study action to Superpowered
• III: All people or monsters close by • Gambit of the Outsider (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond
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III. The Mighty
Use your prodigious physical or magical
strength to destroy obstacles and help your
Effort: _/3
friends. The Mighty revels in strength and Strain: _/5
power, and presents an unbreakable front to the
enemy, but uses that power not to oppress and Second Wind: Regain all effort when you take
control, but to protect the vulnerable and stand injury or harm while protecting someone else
against evil. Special Ability: When an ally close to you
suffers strain, you can take the strain for them. In
+2 Smash or Endure addition, you can spend 1 Effort when you take
any strain to reduce it by 1, to a minimum of 1.
NAME:
KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals AMBITIONS
- I addressed challenges with strength,
leadership, or force _/4 _/6 _/10
through my actions
- I didn’t back down when faced with a challenge ACTIONS
Sneak O O O O
GEAR Traverse O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope,
knife, canvas tent) Study O O O O
• Soldier’s Kit (Extra rations, whetstone, oil, Charm O O O O
two pairs of good boots, extra large pack, badge Command O O O O
of rank, protection ward) Tinker O O O O
• Mercenary’s Kit (Fortifying snack, iron flask, Excel O O O O
bounty ledger, backup weapon, foldable hand
Smash O O O O
cart, heavy object for hitting someone with)
• Brawler’s Kit (Healing ointment, copious Endure O O O O
bandages, splint, thick gauntlets or gloves,
foldable stretcher, good luck charm) XP _/15
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______ End of Session :
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
_______, ________ more? 2 xp
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MIGHTY POWERS
• True Grit - When you break, you remain in
control of your character for the rest of the
scene. If you would remain broken longer than
that (you have 3 burdens for example) this effect
ends at the end of the scene.
• Iron jaw - You can’t suffer critical strain (take
4 strain instead)
• Volcanic - 2/session - When someone or
something harms an ally in your presence, you
can trigger this ability to get +1d or increased
effect (choose) on all actions against them for
the rest of the scene
• Hammersoul - Your Smash actions have
increased effect when you’re exhausted.
• Overpower - You can push by taking 2 strain
instead of spending effort for Endure and
Smash actions
• The Tower - While you’re at maximum strain,
characters can aid you without spending effort.
If you break, all characters that witness it
recover 1 effort.
• Force of Will - 1/session - You can choose to
automatically treat your next Command action
roll against another character as a 6. The GM
can decide a character is too strong willed for
this to work on them, forcing you to roll
normally, but if they do, regain 2 effort after
that roll resolves. It always works on foes from a
lower chapter than you.
• Half Light - When you gather information
about violence or possible threats, you can use
Endure, Smash, or Command
• The Wall - 1/session - This scene only, reduce
all strain suffered by you or an ally of your
choice by 1, to a minimum of 1
• Make Total Destroy - 1/session - Increase the
effect of your next Smash action to
superpowered
• Gambit of The Storm Lord (requires 4
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IV. The Wolf

You are a tough exterior covered in scars. Your
competency makes you strong, but you also can’t
Effort: _/3
let anyone see where you’re vulnerable. The wolf Strain: _/5
stands strong alone, but can’t forget that they
ultimately rely on the pack. Second Wind: Regain all effort when you fix
someone else’s mistakes, or someone else fixes
+2 Excel or Sneak yours.
Special Ability: You are hardened. Your 4 clock
NAME: burden gives you no penalties.
KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4* _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with precision, coldness, AMBITIONS
or intimidation
through my actions
- I let people see a glimpse of who I am beneath
my mask ACTIONS
GEAR Sneak O O O O
• Solo’s Kit (Shadow cloak, collapsible weapon,
Charm O O O O
spiked gloves and boots for climbing and
combat, single use flash bomb, toxin vial - sleep Command O O O O
toxin, slow acting poison, paralyzing toxin) Tinker O O O O
• Survivor’s Kit (Pick-me-up - something to Excel O O O O
take the edge off, old bandages, lock picks, Smash O O O O
change of clothes, concealed weapon(s), faded Endure O O O O
memento, extensive memory of local street
layout and back doors)
• Wanderer’s Kit (Weatherproof cloak, hardy XP _/15
traveling outfit, extra rope, survival rations,
hunting weapon, general knowledge of local End of Session :
fauna and flora - from good and bad 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
experiences) more? 2 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
_______ 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________
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WOLF POWERS
• Clarity - If you break, regain all effort, and

you can push your next action for free
• Scarcoat - +1 max strain per Burden you have
• Blood Scent - You get a knack for tracking or
intimidating anyone or anything that’s wounded
• Go for a Walk - 1/session - When you
separate from the group to do something alone,
you can trigger this ability to get +1d and
increased effect on your action. ‘Cut to black’
and roll the action ‘off-screen’, then cut back to
when you return to the group, describing what
happened.
• Cornered - When you are outnumbered in a
tense or violent situation, leading team actions
does not cost effort for you.
• Lurk - 1/session - When the GM describes a
scene, you can choose to be there, hidden,
appropriate to chapter. Don’t worry about how
you got there.
• It’s Nothing - During Heal Burdens, heal 2
extra ticks on a burden of your choice if nobody
helps you heal burdens. Heal 1 tick on two
burdens if someone does help you heal, instead
of just one burden. If you do so, you can’t help
other people heal burdens.
• Crack Shell - When you’re exhausted, you can
take aid actions without spending effort
• Bishop - When you set someone up, that
person gets both +1d and increased effect on the
set up roll.
• Wick - 1/session - Increase the power of your
next Excel action to superpowered
• Gambit of Arenheir (requires 4 powers):
Take a power from another Bond
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V. The Harlequin
Trick, humiliate, and dance around the powerful.
The Harlequin despises those who take
Effort: _/3
themselves too seriously, and delights in slipping Strain: _/5
in and out of conversations, roles, and situations.
Second Wind: Regain all effort when your
+2 Sneak or Charm actions get you in trouble with someone or
something powerful
NAME: Special Ability: When you’re exhausted, get +1d
and increased effect on sneak
KIN:
CULTURE: BURDENS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with cunning,
subterfuge, or deceit AMBITIONS
through my actions _/4 _/6 _/10
- I talked or slipped my way out of a charged
situation
ACTIONS
GEAR
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Sneak O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Traverse O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Sense O O O O
• Entertainer’s kit (Instrument, fancy outfit, Study O O O O
three free meals, tome of song lore, tickets to a
Charm O O O O
show, extensive knowledge of local haunts, free
entry and lodging for a single inn, tavern, or Command O O O O
place to stay) Tinker O O O O
• Rake’s kit (Hooded lantern, lock picks, Excel O O O O
paramour’s portrait, concealed weapon, loaded Smash O O O O
dice, gaming set, three extra outfits, disguise kit Endure O O O O
- wigs, outfits, fake noses - etc - can be applied
to others)
• Trickster’s kit (Someone else’s pocket XP _/15
contents, ball bearings, official looking uniform,
fire starter, very convenient key, large pouch of End of Session :
mysterious powder) 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, more? 2 xp
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• Ridi Pagliacci - You can invoke each of your

HARLEQUIN POWERS burdens instead of spending 1 effort, once a
session for each burden
• Mirrormask - You can always tell if someone
• Exuent - When you lead an action to flee or
is lying if you can see their face, though the
escape trouble, don’t spend effort.
nature of the lie is unclear. At chapter III, you
• Step of the Smiling Few - 1/session -
only need to hear someone’s voice or read
Increase the power of your next Sneak action to
something they have written.
superpowered
• Mercurio - You can change your appearance
• Gambit of the Laughing God (requires 4
completely in only a few moments by spending 1
effort, including height, weight, gender
presentation, etc. Anyone in view of you can
witness you change. You must appear as Kin (a
person), but you could be a different Kintype,
and otherwise everything else is up to you. This
effect lasts until you camp, or until you eat or
drink something, and while active you get a
knack for impersonating your new form,
although if you’re trying to impersonate a
specific person, people who know them will see
through your disguise up close. At chapter III,
this effect no longer costs effort if it's only used
once a scene.
• Mockingbird - You get a knack for mimicking
sounds or voices.
• Fast Friends - 2/session - You can choose to
automatically treat your next charm action roll
as a 6. If you do, its effects only last:
• I: 1 minute
• II: an hour
• III a whole day
After the duration expires, its target(s) realize
they were manipulated.
• The Big Show - Critical hits on excel,
charm, or sneak actions regain 2 effort for all
party members who witness your feats
• Habitual Line Stepper - 2/session - You
instantly disappear from sight and re-appear
somewhere:
• I: Nearby
• II: Within two or three hundred paces
• IIII: Within a mile
You don’t have to see your destination, but you
are shunted back to your starting point if it’s
occupied or obstructed (like trying to hop into
solid rock, for example).
• Quickfingers - 1/session - Name a number of
objects nearby equal to the chapter number that
you can see that could fit or carry in one or both
hands. By the start of the next scene, you have
possession of them. If you stole them, the
person you stole it from will find out within the
hour
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VI. The Highborn

You were born into a sheltered existence, both
protected and constrained by wealth, walls, or
Effort: _/3
rules, a curse as much as it is a blessing. You Strain: _/5
have privileges, power, and knowledge that
others envy, but have so much else to learn about Second Wind: You may regain all effort when
the world. someone else relieves all effort
Special Ability: When you’re exhausted,
+2 Charm or Study characters that aid you spend no effort
NAME: BURDENS
KIN: _/4 _/6 _/10
CULTURE:
AMBITIONS
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with poise, passion, or _/4 _/6 _/10
social status
- I challenged or acted against my heritage,
background, or standing beliefs with my actions ACTIONS
- I learned something new about my companions
Sneak O O O O
You do not have an adventurer’s kit, but can Sense O O O O
pick a combo of two basic kits instead, or five Study O O O O
items for your custom kit.
Charm O O O O
• Noble’s kit (Two changes of fancy clothes,
dueling weapon, personal reference, traveling Command O O O O
trunk, expensive jewelry, general knowledge of Tinker O O O O
city politics, noble pedigree or family Excel O O O O
reputation) Smash O O O O
• Academic kit (Thick-bound almanac, late Endure O O O O
night snacks, massive sheathes of rambling but
extensive notes, hobby journal, sample kit, extra
large pack, expensive arkentech contraption - XP _/15
compass, scope, etc - top of the line but
breakable and can only be used once) End of Session :
• Cloister kit (Simple ritual gear - candles, bowl, 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
talismans, protective ward, traveling staff or more? 2 xp
walking stick, good hat, badge of a scholarly, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
wright, or religious order - proving membership, 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
old arkentech relic of unknown use) 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______, _______, _______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________
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• Perfect Grace (1/session) - Increase the

HIGHBORN POWERS effect of your next Charm action to
superpowered.
• Rarefied - You have a knack for actions • Gambit of the Bronze Queen (requires 4
involving people considered highborn or high powers): Take a power from another Bond
class. However, if you use this knack, all actions
involving people considered low class or
lowborn are 0d at best until the end of the
session.
• Private Tutor - You've had specialized
training. Choose any action. You can re-roll any
‘1’s you roll as part of that action, keeping the
new result. However, choose one other action
that you neglected - you must re-roll any ‘6’s as
part of this action, keeping the new result.
• Silver Spoon - You can never be accused of
trespassing except by someone considered high
rank or high class (a manager, a noble, a
military officer, etc), appropriate to chapter.
This effect does not extend to anyone else with
you, but get +1d on rolls to cover for them. At
chapter II, you can cover for one extra person
without question, and at chapter III you can
cover for anyone you like within reason.
• Trust the Fund - You always have enough in
your pockets to sway someone when you try to
gain access, assets, or information. If you do,
gain +1d or increased effect, but it’s
incredibly obvious that you’re bribing them.
• Special reserve - Get +1d or increased effect
when you gather information or recall info on
something rare, expensive, or hard to find.
• Ivory Tower - 2/session - When the GM
describes a location, monster, person, or
historical event, you can ask the GM for an
additional detail only an expert would know and
get a truthful answer. Get +1d the next time you
act on the answer.
• Honor Student - If you forgo healing burdens,
you can tick an extra segment on an ambition. If
you take one other character along with you to
observe, they can also tick a segment on their
own ambitions.
• Passionate - You always have a secret passion
ambition you can work on, something you’ve
wanted to try but never been able to. It’s a 12
segment ambition clock that gives 3 xp for
completing it, and can be worked on for free
each interlude. If you complete your passion,
you can pursue a new one.
• Unflappable - Leading actions to Command or
Charm a large group costs no effort for you
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VII. The Mender
You gather your group with cheer and good
attitude. You use your power to fix, heal, and
Effort: _/6
mend. You can be quiet, but when you’re loud, Strain: _/5
people listen.
Second Wind: You only regain effort from bond
+2 Tinker or Charm powers, camping, or interludes.
Special Ability: You can allow someone else to
NAME: regain 1 effort by spending 1 effort.
KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with diplomacy, AMBITIONS
positivity, or empathy
through my actions
- I learned how someone or something was
broken. ACTIONS
GEAR Sneak O O O O
• Mending Kit (Healing ointment, light reading,
Charm O O O O
snacks, bandages, blanket, splint, salve, blight
remedies, apron, clean gloves, holy icon, Command O O O O
copious sweets) Tinker O O O O
• Hearth Kit (Great cooking pot, oversized coat, Excel O O O O
bright lantern, extra ingredients, seasoning, Smash O O O O
firewood, spacious tent, large pack, arkentech Endure O O O O
hot plate and igniter that can start a fire
anywhere, even underwater)
• Work Kit (Goggles, sandwich, vials for storage, XP _/15
weak acid, metal augur, heavy toolbox - pliers,
spanners, tools, wire, etc, repurposed arkentech End of Session :
doodad - single use) 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, more? 2 xp
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MENDER POWERS
• Push through - You can take 1 strain instead
of spending effort to take aid actions, which
cannot be reduced or ignored.
• Divine Luck - When you take strain as a
consequence, roll a 1d6 fortune roll. On 6,
reduce the strain suffered to 0 (even critical
strain).
• Illuminate - Your actions have +1 boon or
increased effect (choose) with or against
characters or creatures that trust you.
• Untangle - When you help someone else lift
burdens, you increase their segments healed by
+1, and heal 1 segment yourself
• Pangloss - When you fail a desperate action,
your next action can be pushed without
spending effort.
• A Better Way - When you study to
understand how something or someone is hurt
or broken, or tinker to fix something, get +1d
or increased effect. This ability works without
effect loss on:
• I: One person or a small object
• II: A whole group of people or a large object
• III: A whole town, or a massive object such
as a train, huge machine, etc
• Mender - 2/session - You can charm or
tinker to heal someone’s strain. Check the final
result:
• 0-3 - Characters can spend 1 effort to heal 1
strain
• 4-5 - Character heals 1 strain
• 6 - Character heals 2 strain
• 6,6 - Character heals 4 strain
• Encourage - 2/session - Spend a use of this
ability to use aid without spending effort or
exposing yourself to consequences
• Iron Cutting - At the end of each interlude,
you can tick 2 segments total, split between any
ambition, project clock, or ritual clock of your
choice, even those belonging to another
character.
• Heart Forge - 1/session - Increase the effect of
your next Tinker action to superpowered
• Gambit of the Forge Titan (requires 4
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VIII. The Brave

Use your courage, luck, and wits to smash head
on into problems. The Brave is always at the
Effort: _/3
front line, hurling themselves at problems, and Strain: _/5
hoping their allies will pick up the pieces. They’re
at their best when relying on fate, teamwork, and Second Wind: Regain all effort when you charge
the power of perseverance. forth without a plan
Special Ability: When you lead a team action,
+2 Endure or Command get +1d on the action or increased effect
NAME: BURDENS
KIN: _/4 _/6 _/10
CULTURE:
AMBITIONS
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with perseverance, _/4 _/6 _/10
friendship, and courage
through my actions ACTIONS
- I used my heart rather than my head to solve a
problem
Sneak O O O O
Traverse O O O O
GEAR Sense O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Study O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Charm O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Command O O O O
• Brave Kit (Signature outfit, 3 arkentech light Tinker O O O O
gems, map to a mysterious place, northstone - Excel O O O O
always tells north and time of day, even
Smash O O O O
underground, trinket from home, arkentech
power gauntlet - single use,) Endure O O O O
• Explorer kit (Waterproof cloak, extendable
walking pole - 3 to 10 ft , compass, flask, three
empty bottles, chalk, 6 depth stones - toss to XP _/15
check depth of pits, abyss stone - glows when
End of Session :
monsters are nearby) 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
• Inherited Kit (Hexagonal key, oddly fitting more? 2 xp
clothing, antique armor piece, broken 2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
arkenrelic, heirloom weapon, memories of a combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
prophecy)
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________
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BRAVE POWERS
• Strike the road - The first team action you

lead in a session costs you 0 effort
• Crush Limiter - 1/session, you can give your
next action superpowered effect, but take a
burden at the end of the scene.
• Luck as a Constant - When you critical hit,
regain all effort, heal all strain, and mark 1 xp
• All in - Using Aid to help a character taking a
desperate action costs 0 effort for you
• Joyluck Wind Thrower - When you take a
desperate action, you can take +1d on the
action. If you do, treat any die less than a 6 as a
1.
• The Sun- 1/session - Gain increased effect on
all actions for the rest of the scene
• Coordinate - Aiding you on team actions costs
0 effort
• Heart of Hearts: 1/session - You can flash
back to a scene from your past or hometown and
describe how your memory of that time inspires
you in the current moment. You can treat your
next roll as though you rolled a critical hit (6,6).
You can only use this ability three times ever,
and when you expend its third use, replace this
power with another one.
• Team Player - When any ally sets you up,
you have increased effect on the roll
• Brave Destiny (1/session) - Increase the
effect of the next team action you take to
superpowered.
• Gambit of the Hundred Sword God
(requires 4 powers): Take a power from
another Bond
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IX. The Broker

Use your superior skills, class, intellect, or
delicate touch to handle situations with elegance.
Effort: _/3
You’ve been there before, and you have a plan for Strain: _/5
everything under the sun. Some may call you
stuck up, but they don’t see how the strings you Second Wind: You can regain all effort when
pull save their sorry hides again and again. another team mate becomes exhausted or breaks.
Special Ability: When you become exhausted or
+2 Command or Tinker break, all team mates regain 1 effort
NAME: BURDENS
KIN: _/4 _/6 _/10
CULTURE:
AMBITIONS
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with manipulation, _/4 _/6 _/10
influence, or planning
through my actions ACTIONS
- Despite my best efforts, we went wildly off plan
Sneak O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Sense O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Study O O O O
knife, canvas tent)
Charm O O O O
• Shady Kit (False identity papers, tilted hat,
quick disguise, coat with six hidden pockets, Command O O O O
lock picks, forgery tools, convenient bribe, Tinker O O O O
arkentech skeleton key - opens or activates most Excel O O O O
arkentech devices) Smash O O O O
• Socialite’s Kit (Two fancy outfits, one very Endure O O O O
fancy outfit, one inconspicuous outfit, one
servant’s outfit, really nice pair of shoes,
jewelry, tailoring supplies, address of anyone in XP _/15
a city or town, single invite to any party)
• Boss’s Kit (Ledger, gambling kit, crowbar, End of Session :
flask of something strong - coffee, tea, or 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
alcohol, guild membership badge, key to a more? 2 xp
warehouse, scuffed pair of arkentech radios - combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
not effective over distance) 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
_______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________
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• Make it work (1/session) - You may use your

BROKER POWERS highest rated action for any single action with
normal effectiveness (charming a door to open
• Contingency (2/session) - You can use this for example). Explain to the GM how you’re
power to ‘flash back’ in time to tell the GM how doing this. At chapter III, you don’t need to
you prepared for a situation. You can use this explain.
ability before or after any action roll to do one of • Coordinator - You get 2 xp for pursuing a
the following: Set up a character for the next group ambition instead of 1, and gain +1d when
action (even yourself), resist consequences of working on a group ambition.
something that just happened by taking strain, • Ladder Climber - You can pursue ambitions
even for another character, increase effect or twice during an interlude, but only if you pursue
lower risk. To do so, however, you need to be different ambitions.
able to tell the GM how you prepared and also • Golden Hand (1/session)- Increase the effect
make fortune roll using one of your actions to of your next Command action to
see how well your preparation went. On a 4+ superpowered.
gain the expected effect, on a 6 choose an extra • Gambit of the Weeper (requires 4
effect, and on a 1-3 you had to abandon the plan powers): Take a power from another Bond
(this ability has no effect this scene and regain 1
use).
• Swoon (1/session) - When you would take
consequences as a result of your actions, you
have may another willing character nearby take
the consequences instead of you after you learn
what they are. If they do, they take 1 xp.
• Immaculate - Get a knack for situations
where being dressed appropriately would help
you (disguises, uniforms, outfits, formalwear,
etc), appropriate to chapter.
• Beg, Borrow, or Steal - When you need the
right tool for the job (a disguise, a tool, a
weapon, a portable boat, a ladder) you can
choose to have it right now. The tool’s power,
type, and rarity depends on chapter, and it lasts
until the end of the session, or until you use this
ability again. Gain +1d on actions using the tool,
but the GM chooses one:
• It was stolen from someone, who will
track you down by next interlude
• It’s poor quality and breaks after the
scene is over
• It gets you into trouble after the scene is
over (it attracts attention, there’s an
unwanted side effect, it leads you
somewhere you weren’t expecting to go)
• Fruitful- You have a contact or family member
in every populated location. Define this person
with the GM and pick one (choose carefully):
not in trouble with the law, reliable, won’t need
a favor. Roll +1d on actions where your contact
could help you.
• Faust (1/session) - The next time you roll,
treat all 1s as 6s. The next time you roll after
that, treat all 6s as 1s.
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X. The Elder
You’ve been around a long time - maybe too long.
You’ve seen a lot of what Arden Eld has to offer -
Effort: _/3
the good and the bad. The adventuring life, with Strain: _/5
its threats, its challenges, and it’s wandering
lifestyle, are something you would perhaps want Second Wind: You can regain all effort when
put behind you, but you have a little more work you manage to avoid confrontation or violence
to do before you can put your gear away for through your actions.
good. There are people out there who need you. Special Ability: At the start of a session, choose
another character to watch over. The first time in
+2 Endure or Excel the session that character would take a burden,
you can intervene and choose to take that burden
NAME: instead if you have one free. If you do, regain all
effort and clear all strain, and mark +1 xp.
KIN:
CULTURE: BURDENS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with patience, wisdom,
or experience AMBITIONS
- I defused a potentially violent situation
GEAR ACTIONS
Weathered adventurer’s kit (Rusted lantern,
well-worn pack, flat bedroll, three loops of sturdy Sneak O O O O
rope, flint and tinder, arkentech firestarter, thick Traverse O O O O
journal, extra rations, sturdy cooking pot, nicked Sense O O O O
utility knife, sleeping bag) Study O O O O
• Veteran’s kit (Broken famous weapon, old
Charm O O O O
badge of rank, weapon care kit, painful
memento, the most solid boots in the world, Command O O O O
thick and warm cloak, good knowledge of Tinker O O O O
wound care) Excel O O O O
• Hermit’s kit (Herbal medicine, icon of a magic Smash O O O O
or religious order, heavy and sturdy walking Endure O O O O
stave, light pack, excellent hat, good knowledge
of local foraging - food, medicine, poisonous
plants, etc) XP _/15
• Nostalgic kit (Memories of the local area from
a long time ago, a useful story you heard once, a End of Session :
safe place you know about nearby, an excellent 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
sense of direction) more? 2 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
_______ 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
_______, ________
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• Gambit of Tsumi (requires 4 powers):

ELDER POWERS Take a power from another Bond
• Parable - Twice a session, you can ask the GM
about any path of action ahead of you. The GM
will answer as truthfully as possible with the
phrase ‘This is the path of ____”, with the
blank part being an animal, plant, or natural
element (fire/water/earth/wind) that the GM
feels best fits the situation. Gain +1d when next
acting on the answer.
• Pacifist - If you leave a scene of violence
without harming anyone, heal 1 strain and
regain 1 effort.
• Long Memory - Gain +1d on rolls to gather
information about any event that happened
more than ten years ago. At chapter III, if it
happened in your lifetime, you can also tell the
GM you remember it clearly or were actually
there and can’t fail the roll (treat a 1-3 as a 4+).
• Been Around - Unless they draw a weapon,
nobody younger than you can harm, restrain, or
touch you in any way unless you let them. This
effect ignores chapter.
• Spinner of Tales - You get a 12 segment
ambition clock that you can work on for free
each interlude, to tell a story from your past.
When the clock is complete, a character of your
choice that listened to you can improve an
action by 1. A character can only gain this
benefit once.
• Pillar of Rock - Until you use violence or
coerce someone or something in a session,
reduce all strain taken from other people by 1, to
a minimum of 1.
• Saltbelly - Gain +1d for the rest of the session
against anyone that shares a meal, shares a
drink, or plays a game of skill against you.
• Mentor - You can forgo working on your own
ambitions to come along and help someone else
with theirs. If you do, they tick 1 more segment
and gain +1d.
• Reputation - When you enter a populated area
you haven’t visited before, you can decide that
people there have heard of you. This gives you
+1d to interact with them socially for the rest of
the session, but anyone who wants to find or
track you can find you easily. This works on:
• I. Any town
• II. Any city or small village
• III. Anywhere
• The Mountain (1/session) - Increase the
effect of your next Endure action to
superpowered.
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XI. The Outsider

You’re not from around here. You’re a little
strange or unique in appearance, customs, or
Effort: _/3
culture, and it can make people cautious or Strain: _/5
uneasy, but also curious. You may have come
from a chronicler monastery, or a hermit village Second Wind: Regain all effort when you spend
at the edge of the world, or you might literally be a scene trying not to use your unique talents or
a fish out of water, from a town on the sea floor. abilities
Your perspective on things can be refreshing and Special Ability: You gain +1d to set characters
you have powerful talents you can bring to bear. up.
+2 Sense or Traverse
BURDENS
NAME: _/4 _/6 _/10
KIN:
CULTURE: AMBITIONS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with my unique
perspective, talents, or culture ACTIONS
- I expressed heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions
Sneak O O O O
- I made a new friend, or deepened an existing
Traverse O O O O
friendship.
Sense O O O O
Study O O O O
GEAR Charm O O O O
You only have the outsider’s kit. However, you Command O O O O
can take four pieces of loose gear with you on an Tinker O O O O
expedition, at the end of an interlude can take Excel O O O O
any other piece of gear from any other bond
Smash O O O O
used by player character in your party and add it
to your loose gear list. Endure O O O O
Outsider’s kit (Strangely shaped lantern, pack,

bedroll, 5 fire stones - hot!, food from home, XP _/15
foreign clothes, local clothes, icon from a distant
End of Session :
land, unique weapon or tool, script in a foreign 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
language) more? 2 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______, ______, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
_____ ) _______, _______, ________
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• Resourceful - You can bring one more piece of

OUTSIDER POWERS loose gear with you on an expedition.
• Xenoclash - Choose two actions. Once a
• The Wave (1/session) - Increase the effect of
session, you can push each of these actions
your next sense action to superpowered.
without spending effort. Describe the unique
• Gambit of the Formless (requires 4
talents or abilities that allow you to do this.
• Gaia Compass - You have a knack for
navigation. You always know the distance and
direction of the nearest (I) village (II) town (III)
settlement of any kind. You can sense dungeons
within a few miles, and get a bad feeling when
one is about to surface.
• Open Up - You can spend time with one other
character during an interlude trying to
understand each other. If you do, you can each
aid each other once without spending effort
during the next expedition.
• Bloom - Any character can set out a unique
ambition clock once with 4 segments to try and
learn a little of your language and customs. If
they finish the clock, they gain 1 xp and they can
understand your language, allowing you to
communicate with them privately. You can
decide whether an NPC speaks your language or
not.
• Earth Glide - You have an unusual way of
moving due to skills, magical talent, or anatomy.
You gain a knack for movement through certain
terrain and don’t suffer reduced effect moving
through it. Pick one per chapter: Forests,
Oceans, Mountains, Snow, Swamps, Deserts.
• Tour Guide - When a character works on
ambitions or a project, they can bring you along.
Roll a 1d6 fortune roll. On a 1, despite your best
efforts you don’t help, giving -1d on the roll. On
a 2-5, your unique insights help, giving +1d on
the roll. On a 6, you offer a perspective that both
gives +1d and allows them to tick 1 more
segment.
• Earth Speech- You can speak and understand
something unusual, and have normal effect
while doing so. Your conversation partners
might not speak language, or be particularly
eloquent. Whether they are actually talking back
or not is up to the tone of your game. Pick one
per chapter: Animals, Plants, Rocks, Weapons,
Tools, Vehicles
• Centered (1/session) - You have a unique
cuisine, or a unique eating or drinking stricture
or habit. When you share it with someone or
explain it to them, they gain +1d to set you up
for the rest of the session, and you get +1d on
the next roll involving them.
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XII. The Dreamer

You are optimistic, perhaps to a fault. You might
be new the to the adventuring life, young, or a
Effort: _/3
little green around the ears - or perhaps you are Strain: _/5
simply too wise to be cynical. Not everything
goes right when you try it, but try it you must. Second Wind: You can regain all effort when
someone helps you out of a bad situation. Your
+2 Sneak or Smash rescuer can also recover 1 effort.
Special Ability: Characters that successfully aid
NAME: you or set you up can recover 1 effort, but no more
than once a session.
KIN:
CULTURE: BURDENS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with creativity, cheer, or
trust in my allies AMBITIONS
- I failed miserably
ACTIONS
GEAR
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Sneak O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot,
Traverse O O O O
knife, canvas tent)
• Improvised Kit (Fistful of sand, convenient Sense O O O O
rock, makeshift key, homemade tool, pocket Study O O O O
snacks, slingshot) Charm O O O O
• Unlucky Kit (A sudden fall, an untied knot, a Command O O O O
slip, a broken pot or cup, a flying object) Tinker O O O O
• Lucky Kit (A single useful clue, a sudden Excel O O O O
change in lighting, a shift in the weather, a
Smash O O O O
convenient noise, a useful crack in a wall or
door) Endure O O O O
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, XP _/15
_______, ________
End of Session :
1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
more? 2 xp
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DREAMER POWERS
• Improvise (2/session) - You can push a

smash roll for free if you can somehow use
something that’s not a weapon from your
environment. This could also increase or
decrease effect, depending on the item. You can
use something:
• I: Small, like a vase or stool
• II: Large, like a piece of furniture or a door
• III: Massive, like a horse cart or boulder
• Punching Bag - If you take strain from
anything, everyone else gets increased effect
against that thing for the rest of the scene.
• Best efforts - If you fail a set-up roll, you can
take 1 strain to re-roll it, taking the second
result. You can do this any number of times.
• Bright Eyed - At the start of each session, you
may choose another character to look up to. You
can aid that character without spending effort
this session (you still share in any
consequences), but aiding other characters costs
2 effort.
• Follow the Leader (1/session) - Make an
action roll using any character’s action rating
for that action. Describe how that character
taught or inspired you.
• Lost cat - If you invoked your burdens to get
into trouble during a session, you can choose a
character that came to your aid and let them
mark 1 xp at the end of a session.
• Rash (1/session)- Once a session, if you boast
about your success on a roll before you roll, you
can force yourself to roll at a max of 0d, but you
regain 1 effort after the roll. If you actually
succeed (4+), everyone else can regain 1 effort as
well.
• Underdog - When you become exhausted, your
next action gains +1d and increased effect.
• Heart Held Dream - You gain +1d to work on
any ambition clock that’s 10 segments or longer.
When you finish such a clock, you can lift a
burden, or allow an ally to lift a burden.
• The Lobster - If you break, your next action
can be made normally, even while broken, and
gains superpowered effect.
• Gambit of The Wanderers (requires 4
powers) - Take a power from another bond.
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II. THE BOOK OF BATTLE
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TACTICAL COMBAT
When you go into a situation in ICON where high- after, or in the middle of any action, even off your
stakes violence is about to break out, it’s probably turn, if you have them.
time to go into tactical combat. Tactical combat
is ICON is for answering the tensions or Allies and enemies alternate taking turns. When
questions that words alone can’t solve - everyone (allies and foes alike) have taken their
when the outcomes are important, and true mettle turn, a round passes, and a new round begins.
is tested. Typically heroes fight against the
monsters and horrors that clamber within and
without the sunken chambers of the arkenruins,
Your character
but sometimes you may find yourself fighting
Like your Bond, your character has a Job, chosen
against other people when an argument can’t be
at level 1. Your job has a red, yellow, blue, or
solved any other way.
green class, and gives you your basic game
statistics and abilities which you can use in
In combat, the non player characters, including
combat. Let’s go through them quickly.
the foes, are controlled by the game master, and
there is usually (but not always) an objective of
• Vitality (VIT): Determines how healthy your
some kind.
character is. Multiply VIT four times to get your
Hit Points (HP). Other effects can heal or
When to go into combat
damage you you equal to a multiple of your VIT
value (25% of your maximum HP), so it’s a
Go into tactical combat when the tension and quick shorthand.
the stakes of the story can’t be resolved • Hit Points (HP): 4x your VIT, representing
except through battle. your character’s physical state, energy, and
ability to avoid damage. Once you run out and
If there’s a question about whether to go into go to 0, you are defeated. You’re
combat or not, establish the stakes - what each incapacitated (can’t do anything, need help to
side wants out of the combat. This can be as get up) and take a wound. Certain abilities care
simple as survival. If you can’t get a clear answer, about if a character is bloodied, which is at or
then there’s probably no reason to play out below 50% your base maximum hp. Characters
tactical combat! always heal to bloodied after combat is over.
• Wound: When you take a wound, fill in 25% of
your HP (a value equal to your VIT value) from
Combat in ICON the right side of your hp bar, temporarily
reducing your maximum HP. You normally
Tactical combat in ICON is a game that is get wounds from being defeated. You can’t
intentionally an abstraction. It’s a different typically recover or heal a wound until you
mode of play to narrative play, and has more finish an interlude. If you ever accumulate 4
tightly constrained rules. wounds, you suffer total defeat and are fallen.
• Vigor: Vigor is temporary health that goes over
Tactical combat in ICON is grid based (a square your maximum hp, like a shield. Any damage
grid is used, with each square representing 1 space suffered goes to vigor before hit points, and all
on each side) and turn based. On your turn, you vigor disappears at the end of combat. When
can move and have two actions to spend on you gain vigor, it stacks up, but you can never
abilities. You may also use interrupts before, have more vigor than 25% of your maximum hp
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(equal to your VIT value). Sometimes you are ability. All abilities, even Limit Breaks, have a
granted a vigor surge, which fills your vigor up Mastery which further improves the ability.
to full.
Strength of Spirit
You may notice that unlike other RPGs, in ICON,

your health, defense, armor, and even damage are
determined by your current job, not your
gear. You’re a hero, after all - it’s the person that
makes the legend and not their tools. The armor,
weapons, and look of your character is up to you.
You might want to play out a scenario in which

characters are weakened or disarmed in some way
- in which case don’t go into tactical combat!
That isn’t to say there isn’t power to be found in

gear and weapons, but ICON only cares about the
• Defense: How hard it is to land a blow on you truly legendary stuff. During your adventures, you
in combat. A hostile character must beat or will recover temporary items of power, called
match your defense with a to-hit roll to hit you Trophies, and unlock powerful Relics, aspects
with an attack (and you have to do the same to of ancient heroes or legends that empower your
them). Anything lower is a miss. armor, items, or weapons. These relics must be
• Speed: Affects how far you may move when leveled up alongside your character by infusing
you take a standard move action (full speed) or them with Dust, which you can recover as a
dash action (half speed). reward from your exploits. Dust can also be used
• Size: How many spaces square you take up on to empower your group as a whole by investing it
the battlefield. Player character are all size 1, into your Camp.
and take up a 1x1 area.
Boon and Curse
• Damage: Damage in ICON depends on your
job. Every class has a damage die (d6, d8, etc)
During combat, you’ll often make use of Boons
which is often written as [D], and a fray
and Curses. Here’s a refresher: for each boon, roll
damage value (a fixed amount).
1d6, pick the highest total result, then add it to
• Saves: When you make a save against a hostile
your d20 roll total. For each curse, roll 1d6, pick
effect, roll 1d20, and save against the effect on
the highest, and subtract it from your d20 total.
an 10+, usually resisting or ending it.
Boons and curses cancel out each other, 1 to 1.
• Resolve: Resolve is a resource you build up
slowly over combat and you must spend to use
your most powerful abilities, called Limit Using this section
Breaks.
• Traits: Abilities based on your job, class, or This section is split into three parts. Each part
relics, that always apply to your character. These explains the tactical combat rules with increasing
are usually passive and are unique to your job detail and complexity, in the order they appear. If
and class. you’re a player that wants the quick summary, just
• Abilities: The powers you can call on in skim through the Quick Combat section. If
combat, based on the jobs you have taken. All you’re a player who is more tactically minded, or a
characters have basic abilities, plus up to six GM, you may want to read through the Combat,
special abilities from their jobs. You can have six Step by Step section that follows. If you want
special abilities active on any expedition, and much tighter, marginal, or very specific
one Limit Break. All abilities have talents explanations of specific rules language, you can
which are un-lockable improvements to each check out Advanced Combat at the very end.
Feel free to skip or skim sections and come
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back to them later if you need - you won’t usually

even need the Advanced Combat rulings unless
they come up during a game, for example.
Each class and subclass has the combat rules,

statuses, and effects most relevant to it explained
at the start of its section so don’t worry about
memorizing every special rule.
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- Your standard move ability allows you to move

Quick Combat up to your speed as a free action.
- When you move in ICON, you can only move in
Tactical combat starts when the tension and orthogonal directions (compass directions, no
the stakes of the story can’t be resolved diagonals!) unless specified.
except through battle.The GM gets ultimate - You might be slowed down by difficult
say on when to go into a tactical combat. terrain, moving up a level of height, by
engagement (moving through spaces adjacent
to foes). Each costs +1 more space, and you
The Grid
always take the highest penalty (they don’t
stack).
Combat is between player characters and their
foes (non-player characters, or NPCs) on a
- You also can’t move through obstructions
(foes and terrain) but can move through allies
square grid, with each square 1 space on each
as long as you don't end your turn in their
side. Place NPCs on the grid, then place player
space.
characters. There may also be terrain or objects
on the grid.
- Dashing allows you to move past enemies
without being slowed down. You can dash half
your speed for 1 action.
Terrain and objects have a height, usually from
1-3. Moving up in height costs extra movement,
- Your job might allow you take special
movement as part of abilities, such as flying or
and gives you advantages. There is other special
teleporting.
terrain such as pits, dangerous, or difficult terrain
that may have more specific rules, or affect how
Abilities:
you move or fight.
- You get two actions on your turn.
- Actions allow you to perform abilities.
Turns and the round - Some abilities take both your actions to
perform.
Starting with a player character, each character - You can always perform basic abilities (see
on the grid takes a turn, alternating between a the following).
player character and an NPC. When all - You cannot repeat any actions or abilities
characters have taken a turn, that constitutes - You may also get any number of free actions.
a round of combat and combat moves on to the Free actions don’t take an action to perform,
next round, starting with an NPC or a player but can’t be repeated and must be performed
character depending on who went last. Combat on your turn.
always starts on round 1.
Attacks
If you haven’t taken a turn in a round, when you - When you use an attack ability on a character,
would take a turn, you can elect to skip and take a you usually make an attack roll, rolling 1d20
slow turn instead, letting another player go and adding any boons (+1d6 for each boon,
instead. This means you go after all other picking the highest) or curses (-1d6 for each
characters have taken a turn, along with all other curse, picking the lowest).
slow characters (alternating PC/NPC as normal if - If you match or beat your target’s defense,
possible). you hit. If it’s lower, you miss, and if the total
roll is 20 or higher, you critical hit and do
On your turn extra damage (+[D])
- You can only make one attack per turn
On your turn, you get a standard move, then
two actions, which you can spend to use Effects
abilities. Then, end your turn and pass it to - Attacks and other abilities have effects. Effects
the next character. simply happen and don’t take an action or
interrupt to activate.
Moving
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- Some might be triggered off certain conditions, Some abilities give you interrupts, which are
like charge (triggers on a slow turn) or exceed abilities that trigger under certain circumstances
(triggers on a high attack roll) and ‘interrupt’ whatever is going on. Each
- Effects resolve in the order they are listed. interrupt can only be used a certain number of
times a round, and you can only use one
Area abilities interrupt on any turn (either your own or
- Some abilities or attacks affect a whole area. another characters).
The size and shape of this area, and which
space is an attack, depend on the ability. Limit Break
Damage Each job gets a powerful ability called a limit

- When attacks or abilities deal damage, they break. Each character only limit break once per
deal your job’s damage die, which is written as combat. Using a limit break takes resolve, a
[D], or fray damage, which is a flat number special resource which builds up each round you
- For example, if you’re a Freelancer, [D] is remain in combat, and which you gain on your
1d10, and fray damage is 2. An attack that own after each fight.
deals [D]+fray would deal 1d10+2 damage.
- You might also gain bonus damage or critical Injury and Defeat
hit. Bonus damage means roll one more die
than normal, then pick the highest. This can When you take damage, it reduces your Hit
stack. Critical hit adds one more die to the Points by the same amount. If you have Armor,
total. it reduces all incoming damage by a fixed amount,
- You might also deal half damage from cover and it might also be halved by resistance, cover,
or resistance, or reduce it with armor. or something similar.
Basic Abilities When a character is at or under 50% hp, they are

- Standard move (free action): Move your considered bloodied. Some abilities are stronger
speed. against bloody characters.
- Dash (1 action): Dash half your speed, rounded
up, ignoring engagement. When a character is reduced to 0 hp, they are
- Interact (1 action): Interact with something defeated. Defeated characters are
on the map that takes more than a few incapacitated (can’t do anything).
moments, such as pulling a lever, opening a
heavy door, picking up a heavy object, etc. A player character that’s defeated can be rescued
- Rescue (1 action): Help an adjacent defeated by another character, returning them to the
ally and rescue them. When rescued, a action.
character ends the incapacitated state on
themselves and heals to full hit points, minus A player character that’s defeated also takes a
any wounds they’ve taken. wound, which reduces their maximum hp by
- Basic attack (1 or 2 actions): Make a basic 25%. If they take 4 wounds, they instead are
attack. fallen and can no longer be a player character
- Light attack (1 action): Make an attack (they are dead or irrevocably changed).
roll. On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray
- Heavy Attack (2 actions): Make an Healing
attack roll. On hit: 2[D] + fray Miss: fray
- Recover (2 actions): Cure yourself. When a Most healing in ICON happens outside of combat,
character is cured, they gain 4 vigor, or if they by camping (full heal).
are bloodied, they gain a vigor surge. Then they
may save against all statuses, ending them on a Your character heals to the next 25% hp segment
success. of your hp bar after combat, or to the 50% mark if
you are at 25% hp or lower.
Off your turn
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Otherwise, in combat, you gain vigor, which is a

shield that goes over your hit points. Damage goes
to vigor first, and you can never gain more vigor
than 25% of your maximum hp.
Victory
By default, when all characters of one side have

been defeated, the other side can claim victory.
There are many different victory scenarios for

combat, however, such as holding zones, escorting
objectives, escaping off a side of the map, fighting
off a fleeing force, etc. When the stakes of the
battle are resolved, combat can also be ended, or
it can be called early any time by the GM.
Exiting combat
When you go out of combat, all active effects such

as statuses or marks and anything created, such
as terrain effects, objects or summons, end
and disappear.
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instead this round. If a player does elect to take a

Combat, step by step slow turn, they can pass their regular turn slot off
to another player instead if any players can still
act.
The Golden Rule(s)
There are two general rules that apply to this
Slow characters take their turns after all other
section
non-slow characters have acted (imagine it
1. Specific beats general. Armor usually
like its own mini-round). Most enemies cannot
reduces all damage, however the pierce
take a slow turn, so very often it might be only
tag, which says it ignores armor, takes
player characters acting. However, if there are
precedent, because it’s more specific.
slow foes, then slow turns follow the same rules
2. Round up to the nearest whole number.
for every other turn (they alternate ally-enemy-
ally-enemy.
Entering Combat
Some abilities get powered up when used on a
Do the following when entering combat: slow turn, or you may choose to take one for a
tactical advantage.
1. Place all player characters on the map, then all
NPCs. The GM might decide to switch this
The Grid
order based on the circumstances (for
example, if the characters are ambushed).
Combat in ICON is fought on a square grid, with
Characters also might only be able to deploy in
each square being 1 space on each side. The grid is
certain zones of the map.
an abstract of the battlefield, so it’s not necessary
2. Point out any features of the map that have
to translate everything perfectly. When measuring
special rules (like levers, bridges, etc)
distances and range, measure from the edge of the
3. Establish the stakes of the battle. How will
origin space (or character). To be in range,
the battle end? With everyone defeated or
something must have at least 1 space inside a
fled? Will it end the characters can escape
listed range.
from one edge of the map? Will it end if the
characters can rescue or defeat a specific
Character
NPC? For examples of this you can see page
XX in the Book of Adventure.
Any entity that’s controlled by a player or GM is
called a character.
Turn order
A player character always takes the first On your turn

turn in any combat in ICON (players can
decide which). Once their turn is finished, the Anything you can do on your turn is called an
game master will choose a hostile character to ability. On your turn, you can use your
take their turn. Players then choose another standard move ability, and have two other
player character or allied npc to go, then the game actions to spend on abilities, in any order. Some
master chooses a hostile character, then so on and abilities cost both your actions to perform, or no
so forth, alternating. Once there is only characters actions. You can only use one ability with the
of one side left, they take their turns one after the attack tag per turn, no matter what, and you can
other in any order. The round then starts with a only use each ability once on your turn (no
character from the opposite side that ended the duplicates).
last round (so if the round ends with a player
character turn, it will start with an npc turn).
MOVEMENT
Slow turns
All characters can make a single standard move
When a player character would take a turn, they on their turn at any point during their turn,
can skip their turn and elect to take a slow turn moving spaces up to their speed. All
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characters get this ability on each of their turns as your movement costs +2 more spaces rather than
a free action basic ability. +3.
Movement restrictions If movement would cost too much to even make a

move (you have 1 space of movement left and
Movement has the following restrictions: want to move out of difficult terrain for example) ,
then the movement can’t be taken.
Orthogonal Only
• All movement in ICON, whether granted by an Dash, rush, fly, and teleport
ability or effect, must be taken orthogonally
(in compass directions, no diagonal movement), There are four special types of movement in the
unless specified. You can change directions game that your abilities might allow you to take.
during movements without issue. Here’s a quick summary of them:
Movement can’t be broken up • Dash: When you dash, your movement ignores
• You can stop at any point during a movement to engagement, so you can move past other
use an ability, but if you do, the movement ends. characters normally.
Obstructions: Everyone can dash. The other three are a little

• You can’t move through obstructions, unless more uncommon:
an ability allows you to do so. You can move • Rush: Rush is an armored dash. When you
through allied characters but not end your turn rush, you are unstoppable and immune to all
in their space. Foes (hostile characters), damage, meaning other characters can’t stop,
impassable terrain, and objects are slow, or damage you at all while you are moving.
obstructions by default. • Fly: You fly, jump, or leap over characters and
terrain during your movement, ignoring all
Movement is optional engagement, terrain, and obstruction from
All movement taken is optional, so if an ability objects or characters while moving.
says ‘dash 3’, you may dash 1, 2, or 3 spaces. • Teleport: You instantly move to a space in
When you finish a movement though, it ends - range of the teleport, ignoring all terrain,
you can’t ‘save’ movement for later! obstruction, and characters in between.
Movement penalties Removing and placing characters
Some effects slow you down, causing your Some abilities require removing or placing
movement to cost more. characters on the battlefield. The most common
form is summoning a new character.
• If you try to exit a space adjacent to a hostile
character, it costs +1 more space. This is Characters that are picked up or placed on the
called engagement. battlefield do not count as moving and don’t
• Moving through certain terrain on the trigger effects, interrupts, or abilities that trigger
battlefield can also slow your movement. off movement, such as the powerful vigilance or
Difficult terrain, like mud, snow, or swamp, rampart effects of some characters that would
increases the cost to exit a space by +1 space. normally stop or hinder such movement.
• Moving up elevation costs +1 space to enter
per difference in elevation, up to a maximum of While a character is removed from the battlefield,
+3. Spaces 4 or more spaces higher cannot be they don’t take turns until they return.
entered with normal movement.
Sharing Spaces
In general, when moving, take the highest penalty
only (they don’t stack). For example, if you’re Characters can never end their movement sharing
trying to move up 2 levels of elevation (+2 space with an obstruction or with another
movement) out of difficult terrain (+1 movement), character, even an allied one, unless specified. If
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this situation would ever occur as a result of a

move, the movement can’t be made. Destroying objects - The GM can make objects
destructible. Destructible objects are targetable by
anything that targets characters, but don’t count
The Battlefield as a character. They have 10 hp, can be targeted as
if they were a character, are automatically hit by
Each space on the battlefield grid has a type of attacks and effects, and fail all saves. Once an
terrain. Different types of terrain can overlap. All object is destroyed, remove it.
terrain is basic terrain by default.
Difficult and dangerous terrain can overlap
Basic Terrain - No special effects. Part of the other terrain types - ie a space can be a height 1
map. Terrain can represent hills, small cliffs, terrain space and difficult, like a snow covered
walkways, buildings etc - it can be very abstracted. hill, or dangerous and a pit, like an acid pit.
• Each space has elevation (suggested from 0-3,
with 0 being ground level, but could be any Measuring
elevation). When measuring range up and down terrain,
• It costs +1 movement per difference in height to measure it flat even if the terrain is elevated (don’t
move up elevation, to a max of +3. Spaces 4 or worry about doing Pythagorean math!).
more spaces higher cannot be entered with
normal movement. Battlefield Size:
• Characters might be able to take cover behind Battlefields should be around 10x10 or 12x12
terrain, and it might block line of sight (see spaces. Smaller maps can be around 8x8. Larger
more in the section below). maps should be 15x15 at absolute largest.
Battlefields that are too large will slow the game
Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of movement down significantly.
to exit. Could be mud, snow, water, etc.
Dangerous Terrain - Entering or exiting a Terrain advantage
dangerous terrain space causes a character to take There’s more on this shortly, but to summarize:
2 piercing damage, (ignoring armor and vigor). • Cover: Characters gain resistance to damage
Characters can only take this damage once a turn, from ranged abilities while they are in cover,
even if they enter new dangerous terrain spaces. halving damage.
Impassable - Provides obstruction and cover, • Height advantage: +1 boon on any attack
and blocks line of sight. Could be something like a against a target on lower elevation than you per
pillar, cliff, or a solid wall that goes to the ceiling. level of height difference, and you ignore cover
Slope - Slopes count as the same height as their for lower elevation.
base space, but exiting a slope space allows you to • Height disadvantage: If you attack a
ignore the movement cost of one level of character in higher elevation than you, get +1
elevation. Could also be something like a staircase curse per level of height difference.
or ramp.
Pit - A pit space is just what it sounds like, but Characterizing terrain
could also be deep water, mud, etc. Pits count as Difficult terrain represents mud, snow, swamp,
one level lower of elevation than their base or water. It could also be something like a river,
space. deep water, or rubble. Dangerous terrain can
represent lava, acid, or spiked rocks. Pits can
Object - Characters can often summon or create represent a hole in the ground or a pool of deep
objects and they can be used to represent water, mud, etc. You can use your imagination for
boulders, piles of barrels, a cart, a wall, etc. They whatever suits your battlefield.
otherwise function as terrain. Categorized by
height, 1-3. Provides obstruction. Characters can
Interactables
stand on objects and take cover behind them.
You can rule that certain terrain objects or spaces
Objects are immune to damage and effects unless
are interactable, like levers, switches, heavy doors,
specified. They can be removed from the
force fields, traps, etc. Interacting with them (as
battlefield by some abilities and effects.
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an action) changes some part of the map or has

some effect, such as dealing damage in an area,
creating cover, creating new terrain, or
summoning foes or allies.
The Edge
Normally characters can’t move or be moved off
the edge of a battlefield unless they flee.
Sometimes the GM wants to put a cliff, bottomless
pit, open portal to another dimension, or some
other kind of massive hazard on the map. In that
case, the GM can rule that characters that are
shoved off the edge or into that hazard are
removed from play. They may choose to make
flying characters exempt from this rule if the edge
is a cliff or hole. Since having a hazard of this type
greatly effects combat flow, it’s always an optional
rule.
Modifying terrain
Characters can often create or modify terrain, or
place objects with their abilities. For more detail
on this, see the Effects part of the Abilities section
just below.
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actions or abilities you can use off your turn, such

ABILITIES as interrupts.
On their turn, every character in ICON has two Basic Abilities

actions. They can spend these actions to use
abilities available to them. NPCs have a pre-set Tactical combat is a highly structured game in
list of abilities, and player characters have a set of ICON. Activities that are not specified here or
basic abilities plus the abilities that they can learn covered by the rules here can’t be taken by
from their job as they increase in power. character in tactical combat, the same as in any
board game or video game you might enjoy. If you
Each ability has a cost: (1 action, 2 actions, free want to improvise, be creative, or add a flourish to
action, interrupt), can only be taken once per your abilities, you can do it within the constraints
turn, and only attack can be made per turn. of your character’s abilities- there are plenty to
choose from!
Abilities usually have tags, indicating range
targets, whether they are an attack or not, or All player characters have these basic abilities:
special properties such as inflicting a status,
effects, or dealing damage. • Standard move (free action): Move your
speed
A player character has access to all the basic • Dash (1 action): Dash half your speed,
abilities, plus up to six abilities from the jobs rounded up.
they have learned. • Interact (1 action): Interact with something
on the map that takes more than a few
Free Actions moments, such as pulling a lever, opening a
heavy door, picking up a heavy object, etc.
Some abilities take Free Actions. These abilities • Rescue (1 action): Rescue an adjacent
don’t take an action to use and must be used on defeated ally. An ally that is rescued ends the
your turn, but still follow the No Repeats rule. incapacitated state on themselves and heals to
full hit points, minus any wounds they’ve taken.
The most basic Free Action is a standard move, • Basic attack (1 or 2 actions): Make a basic
which all characters have by default. attack (see section below).
• Recover (2 actions): Cure yourself. When a
character is cured, they gain 4 vigor, or if they
Interrupts
are bloodied, they gain a vigor surge. Then they
may save against all statuses, ending them on a
Some abilities are called interrupts and can be
success.
used off your turn. You can use each interrupt a
number of times indicated by the tag (Interrupt 1,
That’s it! These actions seem rather limited
Interrupt 2, for example) between your turns, only
because all characters in ICON, including the foes
one interrupt during any turn, (yours or
you will face, also have powerful abilities they
another character’s) and get them all back at the
can use. If you do want to improvise, use the
start of any of your turns. Imagine them like a
constraints of the rules offered here or in your
card that you play and can draw again at the start
abilities. For example, if you want to knock over a
of your turn.
heavy boulder so it smashes into your enemy, the
GM might rule that it’s a 2 action basic melee
Like they sound, interrupts have a trigger which
attack.
interrupts any action currently being taken, and
then immediately apply effects.
Targeting
No repeats
Abilities may specify targets: Self, Ally, Foe,
Characters, Others, Object, Space, or any
When you use any ability with a cost, you can’t
combination of these.
repeat it in the same turn. This includes free
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• Self: You! Abilities can’t target yourself unless height higher than the elevation they are
specified. currently standing on. If they do, they gain cover
• Ally: An allied character other than you against all characters past the row of spaces on
• Foe: A hostile character that battlefield that their cover is currently
• Summon: A summon. Summons don’t count occupying. They must be adjacent to that object
as foes or allies and can only be targeted if an or terrain to gain the effects of cover.
ability can target all characters, or if specifically • Characters on a higher elevation ignore cover
mentioned. against all characters on a lower elevation.
• Characters: All of the above • Characters cannot benefit from cover against
• Others: All of the above except you. adjacent foes.
• Space: Any space in range, and any characters
or objects occupying it. Line of Sight
• Object: Any object in range
Line of sight means being able to see and interact
Range with a character. Some effects like clouds of
poison or smog can block lines of sight, or
You can only use abilities against characters in impassable terrain, like a dungeon wall. By
range and line of sight, unless specified. default, objects, characters, and all terrain other
than impassable terrain do not block line of sight.
Line of sight means you can both see and
interact with the character. Usually the only way Line of sight operates by two rules:
line of sight is blocked is with terrain. • If there’s any ambiguity about line of sight, draw
a straight line from the any edge of your
Range is a number (usually from 2 or up) that can character’s space to the edge of another
be measured in any direction, including character’s space. If the line does not intersect
diagonally. To be in range , a target must have at with impassable terrain or an effect that
least 1 space of its area within the listed range of explicitly blocks line of sight, then you have line
the ability to be a valid target. of sight to that character.
• If there’s any further ambiguity about line of
If an ability has no listed range, it can only be sight, the GM can arbitrate according to their
used on adjacent characters or spaces. Adjacent table.
means within 1 space in any direction, even
diagonal, and even if that space is higher or lower.
The space under a character is also considered Damage
adjacent to it. Many abilities in ICON deal damage. Damage
mostly comes from attacks and directly reduces
Cover hp. When HP is reduced to 0, a character is
defeated.
Abilities deal half damage to characters in cover.
These characters are hiding behind objects, walls, Damage in ICON is based on job and typically has
terrain, etc and are harder to hit. Cover follows two values: fray damage and a damage die
the following rules: [D]
• Characters in cover take half damage. • Damage dice depend on class, such as 1d6, 1d8,
• Cover is always determined when and where or 1d10, and are written as [D]. When that
damage is applied, and not when the ability is symbol shows up, roll the die to see how much
actually used. For example a character might be damage you do. When this is written, like 2[D]
able to fly or dash a short distance before or 3[D], roll that many dice (so 2 for 2D and 3
attacking, or a character might throw a bomb for 3D)
that damages adjacent foes. • Fray damage is a fixed value based on job.
• Characters don’t grant cover by default. When you deal fray damage, deal the damage
• A character can take cover by moving adjacent listed, (you don’t need to roll anything!), or add
to an object or terrain space that is 1 or more
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it to the total. All attacks usually deal fray common way to do this is resistance or cover.
damage, hit or miss. Damage can only be halved once, even if
• Some damage is listed as X, Y times. For halved by multiple effects. For example, a
example: [D], 3 times. In this case, roll [D] once, character that deals half damage attacking a
then apply the total damage three separate character in cover with a ranged attack would
times. still deal half damage, not a quarter damage.
• Some damage is just listed as a flat, fixed value,
like 2, 6 or 10. If that’s the case, just apply it as Weakened
normal. • The Weakened status decreases all damage dealt
by 2, each time a character deals damage. This
Increasing Damage stacks with armor.
Damage can be increased three ways in ICON,
bonus damage, critical hits, and the vulnerable Applying damage reduction
status. • You always apply reduction before halving
damage. For example, if an attack would do 10
Bonus Damage damage, it would be reduced to 8 first (by
• If an ability lets you increased damage, it will armor, for example), then halved to 4.
usually grant you bonus damage. If you deal
bonus damage, roll 1 more die than normal and Attacks
pick the highest total result. For example, an
attack that deals [D] normally, you would roll 2 Attacks are strong abilities that allow you to strike
dice (1 base, 1 from bonus damage) and pick the out with your martial and magical might, dealing
highest 1. For an attack that deals 2[D], you damage to your foes.
would roll 3 dice and pick the highest 2, etc.
Characters can only make one ability with the
Critical Hits attack tag per turn in ICON, no matter what
• Attacks that roll a 20+ increase their total base the action cost is. Every character can perform
damage by +[D]. There’s more on this in the basic attacks.
attack section.
Attacks have a (1 or 2) action cost like any other
Vulnerable ability, and may have a range. Attacks can only
• A character that is vulnerable takes 1 more target foes.
damage each time they take damage.
To use any attack ability, including basic attacks,
Reducing Damage choose a foe in range and line of sight. Roll
1d20 plus any boon or curse. This is called an
Damage can be reduced in three ways: from attack roll. If your total equals or surpasses your
armor, from halving damage, and from the target’s defense, you hit. If not, you miss. If your
weakened status. total roll is 20 or higher, you critical hit. Attacks
have different effects depending on hit, miss, or
Armor critical hit.
• Armor reduces all incoming damage by a
fixed amount, each time that damage is All attacks roll a die for damage, depending on
applied. Usually this amount is 2. For example, job, which is written as [D], and either deal or add
an ability that deals 6 damage would only deal 4 flat damage as well, which is called Fray damage.
against armor. An ability that deals 4 damage
twice would deal 2 twice instead. Armor does Basic Attacks
not stack, but instead take the highest • Light attack (1 action): Make an attack roll.
amount. On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray
• Heavy Attack (2 actions): Make an attack
Half Damage
roll. On hit: 2[D] + fray Miss: fray
• Halving damage reduces the total damage by
half, after any other reductions. The most
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You’ll notice that most attacks always do fray On an 10 or higher, you save successfully,
damage, hit or miss. This is because characters usually ignoring or reducing the effect.
in ICON are heroes - their blows usually strike
their mark. STATUS
Let’s break down attacks a little more: Many effects apply a status or force a save to
avoid gaining a status. Statuses apply ongoing
Attack Targeting negative effects to a character. At the end of their
own turn, characters can save to clear each status
Attacks can normally only target foes. they are affected by, ending each one on a
• To make an attack, a foe needs to be within the successful save.
listed range, or adjacent.
• Making an attack against a character in cover Ongoing (+)
from you grants resistance to that character,
halving the attack’s damage. Attacks against A status or effect with a ‘+’ next to it is ongoing
adjacent characters always ignore cover. (example: weakened+, slashed+). Ongoing
• Attacking characters get terrain advantage statuses or effects cannot be saved against,
and disadvantage: +1 boon against targets removed, or ignored until whatever is causing
standing on lower terrain per height difference, them is lifted (sometimes a mark or ability) and
and ignore cover against those characters. If a are sometimes caused by an ability you used
character attacks a target on higher terrain, get yourself.
+1 curse per height difference instead.
Special States
Critical Hit
There are three special states that abilities may
A critical hit is an especially nasty or powerful care about.
strike from an attack. Critical hits trigger on any • Bloodied - When a character is at or under
total attack roll of 20+. Only attacks can 50% maximum HP, they are bloodied.
critical hit, and they trigger on a total roll of 20+. • Immobile - An immobile character or object
can’t move or be moved or removed from the
• If you critical hit, deal +[D]. This is added base battlefield in any way
damage. • Incapacitated - When a character is reduced
• A critical hit still counts as a hit for the purposes to 0 hp, they are incapacitated and can’t do
of abilities and effects anything. Any effects or statuses on them end or
turn off, and they don’t take a turn. Any
Effects summons, objects, or other effects they have
created disappear.
Many abilities apply effects, including most
attacks. Effects simply take place when specified Triggered effects
and don’t require a to-hit roll. Even if effects deal
damage, they don’t count as attacks unless they Some effects trigger off certain conditions, like
have the attack tag. charge (when you use this ability on a slow turn),
slay (when you reduce a character to 0 hp with
Some effects can take place out of turn, and this ability), or critical hit (when you score a
don’t have a cost, making them quite powerful. critical hit).
Saves These effects can only trigger once per ability,

even if you gain another way to trigger them. For
example:
Many abilities require a save from the character
• An ability might allow you to trigger the exceed
they target to avoid some nasty effect, like extra
effects of the next attack you make
damage or a status. To make a save, roll 1d20.
automatically. Exceed normally triggers on an
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attack roll of 15+. If you roll a 17, triggering the

effect anyway, it only triggers once, not twice. Some abilities ask you to roll a random d6 to see if
• If you collide a character as part of an ability, an effect occurs. If that’s the case, it occurs on the
then collide them again with the same ability, listed number or higher (4+ effects would happen
the effect would only trigger on them once. on a 4, 5, or 6 for example).
Here’s a list of all triggered effects: Delay effects
• Chain Reaction: Wright only. Triggers when a Some effects are very powerful but slow. When
character damages two or more foes with this you use a delay effect, your next turn must be a
ability slow turn. At the start of that turn, before any
• Charge: Triggers when used on a slow turn other abilities or effects take place, the delay effect
• Collide: Triggers on any character that is activates.
shoved into an obstruction as part of this ability
• Comeback: Triggers if the character using this
Summons
ability is bloodied.
• Heroic: Stalwart only. Triggers when its special
Many abilities create summons. Summons are
condition is fulfilled, depending on job (shove a
characters that are by default size 1 and
character, sacrifice health, etc).
intangible, so they can’t be affected by foes and
• Infuse: Wright only. Triggers when Aether is
don’t cause obstruction or engagement. Summons
spent on an ability.
do not count as foes or allies for abilities or effects
• Exceed: Triggers when a character makes a
that count foes and allies, though abilities that
total attack roll of 15+.
specify summons or characters can target or
• Finishing Blow: Vagabond only. Triggers if
count them normally.
this ability targets a bloodied foe.
• Slay: Triggers when this ability reduces at least
Unless specified, summons can only be placed in
one character to 0 hp
free space in line of sight and range.
Passive Abilities Summons may have have a summon action

which they can take during their summoner’s
Many characters have passive abilities. The most turn, or a passive summon effect which can
common of these are traits, but they can also be take place any time, or both.
gained from relics.
Summons are removed if their controller is
Passive abilities are always active effects. For defeated.
player characters, they are unique to your job and
class and depend on the current job you have
Objects
equipped. For NPCs, traits are usually listed in
their stat block.
Many abilities place objects. Objects are from size
1-3, provide obstruction, cover, and can block line
MARKS of side. Unless specified, objects can only be
placed in free space in line of sight, although they
Some abilities apply a mark instead. A mark is a can also can be stacked or created on other objects
more powerful ongoing effect that is unique to as long as the total height of stacked objects isn’t
each job, which can only be removed under past 3.
certain conditions, usually listed in the mark.
Each ability typically places only one mark, and a Objects are not removed when you are defeated.
character can only mark another character with
one mark at a time, choosing which gets replaced
Terrain effects
if they mark that character again. Marks also end
if the character placing them is defeated.
Some abilities create or place terrain effects.
These are passive effects that modify the terrain
Gamble
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spaces of the battlefield and can overlap with each

other.
Terrain effects are not removed if you are

defeated.
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origin space is the ability user if no range is

specified, or the first space of the line if it has a
Area Abilities range. If the ability is an attack, the attack space
Some abilities are able to affect multiple is any character in the area. Lines are 1 space
characters at once. These abilities apply an area wide by default, but can gain width, adding it on
effect to all specified characters in the area. For either side.
example, they might inflict a status to all foes, • Arc X: X contiguous spaces, with its first space
heal all allies, or deal some damage. drawn in range. Spaces must be drawn
sequentially, in orthogonal directions (no
diagonals), and cannot overlap themselves or
Cover and AoEs
the ability user, but otherwise can twist and turn
and be placed in any pattern. The origin space is
Area of effect abilities always count cover and
the ability user. If the ability is an attack, the
line of sight and count it from the origin point of
attack space is any character in the area.
the abilities.
• Blast: A large area in range. There are three
blast templates, small, medium, and large. The
Placing AoEs origin space and the attack space (if there is
If an AoE ability has a listed range, the pattern one) is the central space.
can be placed anywhere in that range and in • Burst X: Affects a targeted space or character
any configuration as long as at least one of its in range, and all spaces in range X and line of
spaces is inside the range. The ability can affect sight from that space. Often written as Burst X
the user, so be careful! (target) or burst X (self). Unlike other area
patterns, does not affect the ability user
Abilities without a listed range must be placed so unless specified. The origin space and attack
at least one of its spaces is adjacent to the ability space is the central space.
user.
AoE attacks
Area of effect attacks additionally have an attack

space. For a character in the attack space, make
an attack, with a to-hit roll, and apply the attack
part of your ability instead of the area effect.
This might mean that if targeted on an empty

space, an AoE attack ability may not end actually
end up having an attack component at all, so
choose your targets carefully!
Some AoE attacks have additional effects that

apply to all characters (in both the attack space
and all other spaces).
AoE patterns
Most AoEs have a listed pattern, sometimes

combining the two. Unless specified, the origin
space is the ability owner.
• Line X: A line of X spaces long . Lines must be
drawn orthogonally (no diagonals), and each
space of a line must be drawn further away from
its origin point than the previous space. The
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• Party Resolve goes up by 1 at the start of each
Resolve and Limit round in combat, and depletes to 0 after combat
ends. You can use a die to track it.
Break • Personal resolve is gained the following ways:
• All characters gain 1 personal resolve after
every combat
Limit breaks are the most powerful abilities in
• When you limit break, you may give 1
ICON. Every character unlocks limit break at level
personal resolve to another character who has
2.
not used a limit break this expedition.
• Personal resolve resets to 0 after you camp,
Limit breaks are special abilities (with an action
meaning you might want to push on instead of
cost, etc) that do not count against the max
resting in order to get the most out of your
number of abilities taken. All Limit Breaks depend
abilities.
on a unique resource, called Resolve, to use, and
• When you spend Resolve to use a limit break,
a character can only use a limit break once per
you can use any combination of party or
combat unless specified.
personal resolve, but party resolve is shared
between all members of the group, so any use of
Resolve is split into two pools, party and
it must be used with the consent of your your
personal resolve.
team members. Resolve is always spent at the
beginning of the action.
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Vigor, Camping, and

Healing
In ICON, it’s rare to heal in combat. Instead,
characters that heal (for example, from the Cure
ability) often gain Vigor, which is a temporary
shield that goes over your hit points. Damage goes
to vigor first when you take it, and you can never
gain more vigor than 25% of your maximum hp.
If you gain a vigor surge, gain full vigor (25% of
your max hp). You lost all vigor at the end of every
combat.
Between combats, characters heal to the next

25% segment of their hp, unless they are at 25%
or lower, in which case they heal to the 50% mark.
Characters can’t heal higher than their wounds.
Characters can also camp to regain all of their hp,

but camping is limited. Some camp upgrades or
abilities allow you to heal wounds, but generally
wounds are only fully healed when you end an
expedition and enter an interlude.
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Victory and Defeat Depending on the tone of your game, you could
decide that a character that goes to 4 wounds is
When any character (hostile or player character) simply dead. You could also decide a character
is reduced to 0 hit points, they are defeated. that maxes out on wounds and is fallen becomes
Defeated characters clear all statuses, marks, permanently altered (loses an arm, an eye, is
stances, vigor, and other effects on them. Any scarred, etc), cursed, or changed in some way.
summons or effects created or placed by them Such a character can return during the next camp
disappear, other than terrain effects and objects. or interlude.
A defeated character doesn’t take a turn.
A quest to recover a fallen character such as
Defeated player characters are incapacitated saving their soul from the underworld, finding a
(can’t do anything), don’t cause engagement, are way to redeem their corruption or curse, or
immune to damage and effects, gain a wound, finding a successor to carry on their legacy, can be
and remain that way until someone uses the a powerful campaign moment.
rescue action or effect to bring them back to their
feet. If a player character with 3 woulds would Ending Combat
become defeated and gain a 4th wound, they Combat ends when the stakes of the combat have
instead are fallen (see below). been decided. That could mean every character of
one side is defeated, dead, or has fled the
Defeated NPCs are incapacitated, don’t cause battlefield, or simply the players or NPCs have
engagement or obstruction, and are immune to accomplished their objective.
damage and effects.
Calling combat early
Defeated doesn’t mean dead The GM can also choose to call a combat early any
By default, defeated in ICON means defeated, time if it seems like one side is going to
including for foes. Decide what this means for the overwhelm the other and things are going to play
tone of your game. Whether foes are subdued, get out as expected. There’s no reason to continue
up and run away at the end of combat, or are slain combat when the tension and stakes are gone!
outright depends on the tone of your table - but by
default, battles are never to the death in ICON. Total defeat
You can set the stakes.
If all player characters are defeated, they are
Fleeing totally defeated as a party. The outcome of this
Characters can flee the battlefield by spending will depend on your GM, the tone of your game,
1 space of movement at the edge of the grid, as and the situation, but if you’re totally defeated,
long as there aren’t any foes adjacent to them. you’re at the mercy of your foes. It’s up to
Doing so removes them from the battlefield for the GM whether your foes use the opportunity to
the rest of combat. escape, accomplish a goal, capture you, leave you
tied up, or dump you in a pit somewhere.
FALLEN
A character that takes 4 wounds is fallen. This

could be mean dead, but it could also mean
gravely injured, corrupted, emotionally scarred,
etc. Either way, a fallen character cannot continue
as a player character any more and must exit the
expedition in a way that’s narratively appropriate.
ICON offers a few ways to bring back a fallen

character with some trophies and camp fixtures,
but generally they remain that way.
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• Auto-hit - This attack doesn’t make an attack

Combat Glossary roll but always scores a hit (not critical hit or
miss).
There are more details on combat in the advanced • Blessing - Certain abilities give yourself or
combat section, including detailed explanations of allies a Blessing token, and ways to spend those
action order. tokens for powerful effects. By default a
character can use a blessing token to gain +1
You don’t need to memorize all these boon when they make a save. All blessings are
specific rules - they are placed here for your discarded at the end of combat.
convenience (these rules are all the • Bonus damage - When an ability gains bonus
keywords in the game!). The most relevant damage, roll one more [D] for each instance of
rules are summarized with each class.. bonus damage and pick the highest result.
• Chain Reaction: Wright-only triggered effect.
Triggers when a character damages two or more
Glossary
foes with this ability
• Charge - A triggered effect that activates when
• Armor X - Reduce all damage taken by X.
the ability is used on a slow turn.
Always reduce by the highest value.
• Cure - A character that’s cured gains 4 vigor, or
• Area Ability - An ability that applies area
a vigor surge if they’re bloodied. Then, they
effects in a large, fixed pattern.
may save agains all statuses.
• Aura X: This ability is a continuous, ongoing
• Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on any
(+) effect that affects all characters specified
character shoved into an obstruction by this
within range X of an origin point, usually a
ability.
character. Characters are only affected by an
• Combo - Actions with Combo have two
aura while inside
versions, a base version and combo version.
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When you use the base ability, gain a combo • Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
token. Any time you use a combo ability and specific character. Each ability can only place
have a token, you use the combo version one mark at a time, and a character can mark
instead, discarding the token . You can only another character with one mark at a time. If
have one combo token at once, and discard all you place a new mark on a character with a
tokens at the end of combat. mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
• Comeback - A triggered effect that turns on if which to discard. Marks end when the character
the character using this ability is bloodied that placed the mark is defeated, or under other
• Cover - If a character has cover from an ability, listed conditions.
it halves all damage from that ability. • Obstruction - A character can’t normally enter
• Critical Hit - Increase total attack damage by + a space occupied by an obstruction. By default
[D]. Can only apply to an attack, can only apply this means foes, terrain, and objects.
once, and can trigger normally on a total attack • Ongoing (+) - A status or effect that is ongoing
roll of 20+. can’t be ended until the thing causing it (a mark,
• Dangerous Terrain - Entering or exiting a a stance) is ended. Indicated by a + symbol.
dangerous terrain space causes a character to • Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or
take 2 piercing damage. Characters can only down depending on certain conditions. You can
take this damage once a turn. use a physical die to represent it, or just a
• Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
movement to exit. that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
• [D] - Your class damage die. Roll that die when 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
you see this symbol. • Rebound - An ability that is rebounded can be
• Dash - Special movement that ignores bounced off a character in range. The ability has
engagement. no effect, but is instead redirected from that
• Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically character’s space as the origin space, taking into
ends your turn. When you use a delay effect, account cover, line of sight, and other similar
your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at effects from their space. Any effects that apply
the start of that turn, before anything else to the original user of the ability still apply to
happens. them (such as sacrificing hp, or moving).
• End turn - This ability ends your turn. If Rebound does not stack.
multiple abilities or effects would end your turn • Resistance - Take half damage, rounded up.
at the same time, you can only choose one. • Rush X - Move X spaces. You are unstoppable
• Effect - A part of an ability that simply happens and immune to all damage while moving.
and is applied to all targets, no roll or save • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
required. cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
• Engagement - A character must spend +1 start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
space of movement to exit a space adjacent to a transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
foe. below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
• Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place on a have enough hp left.
total attack roll of 15+. • Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
• Finishing Blow - Vagabond only. Vagabond spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
only. Triggered effect that triggers if this ability would move into another character’s space, an
targets a bloodied foe. object, or into a higher elevation space, they
• Fray damage - Fixed damage. Usually added Collide and stop moving.
to all attacks on hit or miss. • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
• Gamble - Roll 1d6, then trigger an effect on a this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
certain result or higher • Slow Turn - Go after all other characters. If
• Heroic: Stalwart only triggered effect. Triggers multiple characters take slow turns, it takes the
when its special condition is fulfilled, depending same order as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
on job (shove a character, sacrifice health, etc). • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
• Immune to X - Not affected by X in any way. A character can only have one stance active at a
character that’s immune to damage or effects time and can drop a stance by taking a new
doesn’t even count as taking them. stance or as a free action at the start of their
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turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its or engagement, can’t move, take actions, or use
effects. abilities or traits. All effects on that character
• Standard move - An ability all characters can end. All effects, marks and summons created by
take as a free action to move their speed that character are removed. Objects and terrain
• Status - A negative effect. effects remain.
• Summon - A character controlled by its
Summoner. Summons are intangible, and Ongoing Statuses (+)
cannot be marked, and do not count as allies or Ongoing statuses cannot be purged, removed, or
foes for the purposes of abilities. Summons do avoided (for example, by becoming sturdy or
not take turns. Instead, they have a summon unstoppable).
action that they use on their summoner’s turn,
or a summon effect that is always active, and Positive effects
otherwise don’t take actions or move on their • Counter - When damaged by an ability, deal 2
own. Summons are removed from the battlefield damage back, each time damage is applied.
when their summoner is defeated. • Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
• Teleport - Special movement that allows you to reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove
instantly move to unoccupied space within this effect and character becomes immune to all
range X. damage for the rest of the current turn.
• Terrain effect - Something that creates or • Divine - Damage from this ability cannot be
modifies the terrain spaces on the battlefield. reduced, mitigated, or negated in any way
• Triggered effect - An effect that actives under except immunity (ignores armor, weak,
a certain condition. Common effects are critical resistance, defiance, and bypasses vigor).
hit, slay, collide, finishing blow, and charge. • Dodge - Immune to all damage from misses,
Each unique effect can only trigger once per successful saves, and area effects.
ability, and once per trigger. • Evasion - Roll a d6 when attacked. On a 4+,
the attack automatically misses. Check before
Statuses the attack roll.
• Flying - A flying character ignores terrain
• Slashed - Take 4 damage after you or an ally damage and movement penalties, height
uses an ability that moves you, but no more than movement penalties, obstruction, and
once a turn. engagement.
• Blind - Max range of all abilities is 2 • Intangible - Immune to damage and effects
• Dazed - +1 curse on attacks from foes. Does not provide obstruction or
• Hatred of X - Deal half damage to all foes engagement.
other than foe X. End this status at the end of • Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
your turn, or if foe X becomes immune to through, but not end your turn in, terrain,
damage or un-targetable. objects, or characters.
• Pacified - Character deals half damage. Breaks • Pierce - Damage cannot be reduced by armor
when damaged by a foe’s ability. or weakened.
• Sealed - Character cannot inflict statuses. • Rampart - Foes cannot enter or exit a space
• Shattered - Character cannot gain or benefit affected by a rampart effect by dashing, flying,
from vigor. or teleporting.
• Stunned - Can’t take interrupts. Your next • Regeneration - If bloodied, gain 4 vigor at the
ability used ends your turn, then end this status. end of your turn.
• Weakened - All damage dealt reduced by 2. • Skirmisher - Can move diagonally, and dash is
• Vulnerable - All damage taken increased by 1 full speed
• Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except
Special states from an adjacent space. Breaks on using any
• Bloodied - At or under 50% hp ability other than dash or standard move.
• Immobile - Can’t move, be moved, or be • Sturdy - When moved or removed and placed
removed from the battlefield in any way. by a foe, can only be moved max 1 space a turn.
• Incapacitated - An incapacitated character • True strike - Ignores dodge, blind, evasion,
doesn’t take turns, doesn’t provide obstruction and stealth
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• Unerring - Ignores cover and aetherwall

• Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses. Cannot
be moved by foes, and movement ignores
engagement and rampart.
• Vigilance X - A special effect with X charges,
each represented by a d6. Like triggered effects,
vigilance can only be used once per trigger.
Vigilance charges stack if a character gains more
than one. A character can spend any number of
charges of Vigilance for one of the following
effects, rolling 1d6 per charge spent and picking
the highest result:
• When an ally in range 2 is damaged by a foe’s
ability, reduce the damage by the amount
rolled as if with armor
• When a foe breaks adjacency with you, deal
that much damage to them.
• Vigor - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
points, equal to your VIT value. Damage goes to
Vigor before Hit Points, and it benefits from
armor and resistance. Vigor stacks, but cannot
go past 25% of your hp. If you gain a vigor
surge, gain maximum vigor. Lose all vigor at
the end of combat.
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Advanced Combat Characters that are in adjacent spaces are

considered adjacent, even if they are on higher or
These are some of the more unique or tighter lower elevation. For example, a character on a
combat rule explanations for ICON. height 3 space could be attacked by a melee
attacker, even if that melee attacker is at ground
level or doesn’t have enough movement to move
The ‘Ask your GM rule’
up. They still get +1 curse to attack. We assume
they climb or scrabble up a little ways to take a
The final point of balance in this game is always
swipe. A character on height 3 with an adjacency
your game master.
aura would still affect a character on height 1.
If you find a combination of abilities or effects
Characters do not typically count as adjacent to
that seems like it allows you to totally break the
themselves for the purposes of abilities that check
game and deal infinite damage or something
for an ‘adjacent character’.
similar, ask yourself if the designer actually
intended this reading of the rules and if bringing
this up with your GM as something you actually Damage order
intend to do in the game would make them roll
their eyes. It’s a good gut check, just try it, trust When taking damage, apply any multiplications
me. or additions on the attacker’s end first (such as
bonus damage), then the defender applies armor
% HEALTH or other reductions, then any multiplications or
divisions on their end, such as from resistance.
Any ability that costs or damages a certain percent For an example, an incoming attack that deals 5
of health always considers maximum base hp, and damage against a character with 2 amor and
not max hp based on wounds, etc. For example, resistance would do 5-2 = 3 damage from the
an ability that costs a sacrifice of 50% hp to use armor, halved to 1.5 then rounded up to 2.
with a max hp of 40 would cost 20 hp to use, even
if your hp max was reduced to 30 by a wound. Vigor takes damage before hit points, and armor
and resistance apply normally to it.
You can use VIT (25% HP) as a quick shorthand
for these abilities. height in icon
Ability stacking In ICON, you can’t move straight up, just along
the ground. Even flying characters are always
Any abilities or effects of the same name do not treated as reachable by melee characters - we just
stack. For example, if a character is already don't track vertical space. If something is too high
affected by the Harvester’s Death Sentence, they to be reached in tactical combat, either don’t
can’t be affected again. This comes up most often include it, or make it a flying object or character.
with marks. It’s a little abstract - but it’s a game.
On hit, on miss, on crit Interrupts
Effects that improve the ‘on hit’ , ‘on miss’, or ‘on Interrupts that have the same trigger resolve in
crit’ portion of an ability only improve the attack the same order as turns (player character/npc,
portion (that requires an attack roll). Effects that alternating).
empower the whole ability apply to everything.
Effects never trigger or inherit effects meant for Effect and Interrupt Order
hits, misses, or critical hits (unless specified).
Critical hits may always trigger ‘hit’ effects. Unless specified, effects happen in the order they
are listed. If a character owns multiple effects, and
Adjacent characters
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there’s ambiguity in the order in which they

trigger, they can determine the order. Triggered effects, such as charge, only trigger once
per ability. For example, if an ability can trigger
Interrupts resolve with the most recently on finishing blow or critical hit, it would only take
triggered interrupt first. For example, if a effect once even if you scored a critical hit on a
character’s effect deals damage to an enemy, and bloodied character (triggering both finishing blow
the enemy has an interrupt that reads ‘when this and critical hit). If an ability would cause a collide
enemy takes damage’, the enemy’s interrupt multiple times, it only triggers the collide effect of
would trigger first (even if they are killed by the that ability once.
damage), then the damage would be applied.
Stacking or Removing Objects
Interrupts that have the same trigger and trigger
at the same time resolve in the same order as In general, object height isn’t intended to go past
turns (player character/npc, alternating). 3 in this game, as it creates problems with
movement. You can stack objects as long as the
‘Can/May’ effects total height isn’t past 3.
Unless an effect says you may or can do You can still summon objects on map terrain of
something, the effect is not optional. For example, any height, giving you a pretty lofty perch if you
an effect that says ‘dash 1 and repeat the attack summon a height 3 object tower on top of height 3
area’, you must dash and repeat the attack area terrain.
unless it says ‘you may dash 1 and repeat the
attack area’ When objects are removed, characters standing
on them are placed back on the terrain space
Range Increases under them.
Some abilities allow you to increase range. Range line of sight.

can only be increased if an ability already has a
listed range. For all targeting there must be line of sight (you
have to be able to see your target) and line of
Sharing Space effect (your ability has be able to trace a clear path
to your target). For example, if you can see a
Certain abilities and effects allow characters to character through a transparent magical forcefield
share space. Attacks and abilities that target or a window, that forcefield or window still blocks
characters must choose between either of them, your line of effect, so they can’t be targeted.
Abilities that affect or target a space, such as the
area effect of an AoE or an aura, hit both Immunity and intangibility
characters, but attack spaces of an area effect
must choose which character to attack. Intangible characters can be targeted, but aren’t
affected by damage or statuses from foes.
Shoves
Characters that are immune (to damage, effects, a
Shoves are not optional, and also cannot shove condition, etc) completely ignore that thing. If an
characters off the edge of the map unless you’re effect relies on dealing damage, or hitting with an
using the optional edge rule. attack, for example, unless specified it won’t
trigger off immune or intangible characters since
Characters must be shoved in straight lines. If they can’t take damage or effects.
shoved on a diagonal, you can choose which line
they follow as long as it moves them further away Intangible characters don’t cause obstruction or
from you. engagement, though characters still can’t end
their turn sharing their space.
Triggered effects
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Valid spaces for summoning, Interrupts activate when triggered, interrupting

teleporting, or placing objects or the normal flow of action until resolved, and
always take priority.
characters
For a space to be valid for summoning, Specific tag rules

teleporting, or creating objects, unless specified it
must be free and unobstructed, and you also need Blessing
line of sight. Blessing tokens are not unique to a character. As
long as a character has blessing tokens, they can
Turn Breakdown spend them on any effect granted to them by the
presence of a mendicant job.
A character’s turn goes by the following order of
operations, and goes by the following rules: Counter
Counter deals damage as an effect and triggers
• When resolving effects that resolve at the same even on ranged attacks or if the character with
time: counter can’t see their target.
• Effects that do not belong to the character
who’s turn it is resolve first, then that Evasion and Dodge
character’s effects resolve. Evasion only applies to the attack component of
• Hostile effects (from foes, etc) resolve before an ability, turning it into a miss. Effects that don’t
beneficial effects (from allies or self, etc) require a hit or happen automatically go through
• If effects are owned by the same character, evasion.
they can choose the order they resolve. For
example, if a character has two effects that Dodge is a potent combo with Evasion because it
expire at the end of their turn, they can choose allows a character with Evasion to ignore missed
which ends first. attacks completely and also take no damage from
AoE spaces which can go through evasion.
Order of operations:
HATRED
1. End any effects that end at the start of the
turn. Hatred doesn’t apply if a character is un-
2. Then, activate any delay effects. If there are targetable (for example, they have stealth or are
multiple delay effects, they can be activated in intangible), or immune to damage. Characters
order. additionally cannot gain hatred of a character that
3. Then a character gains their actions and takes is un-targetable or immune.
their turn.
4. The effects of abilities resolve in the order they Immobile
are listed or in the order that is explicitly
mentioned in the ability (such as some effects Any immobile character can’t move or be removed
taking place before attacks despite being listed from the battlefield. That includes regular
after for ease of formatting). movement, dash, fly, or teleport, being moved by
5. After any ability resolves, any effects that other characters, or being removed and placed by
trigger off an ability resolving activate in other characters.
order.
6. After all abilities are resolved, that character
Marks
may make saves against effects or statuses
Any number of marks from different characters
that can be saved against, ending them on a
can be on one character, but each character can
success.
only mark another character once, and only one
7. Then, any effects that trigger at the end of a
mark per ability causing it. For example, if I use
character’s turn trigger in order.
an ability which marks an enemy, the next time I
use that ability on a different character, the mark
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on the first character will fade. If I use a different Vulnerable and weak apply or reduce damage
mark ability on my target, my first mark will end. eqach time a character takes or deals damage,
respectively.
The same applies for marks on allies (using a
mark on an ally will override any existing mark For example, vulnerable applies +1 damage for
placed by you). each separate instance of damage. If as part of an
action character takes 3 damage twice, they would
Pacified take 3+1 and 3+1 = 8 damage, not 3+3+1=7
Pacified only breaks on taking damage from a damage.
foe’s ability or action, ie taking damage from self
or from dangerous terrain won’t break it. Vulnerable itself is not a separate instance of
damage, but increases the damage dealt with each
Stealth instance. It is applied when damage is applied,
Characters with stealth cannot be targeted directly after all damage is calculated on the attacker’s
except from an adjacent space, but could still be end.
hit by an area effect, or effects that hit a certain
range from a character. It’s a good combo with
dodge, since dodge allows characters to ignore
area effects.
The abilities dash and standard move do not

break stealth.
If a stealthed character would be targeted by the

attack space of an area ability, they take the area
effect instead.
Unstoppable
Unstoppable characters are immune to all
statuses, ignore engagement and rampart, and
cannot be moved, immobilized, or have their
movement halted by foes. Unstoppable characters
can still be moved and placed on the battlefield.
Vigilance
Use a counter to indicate when a character has
vigilance charges remaining (if playing in person,
a number of d6s or a coin could be used).
• Vigilance is an effect, so it doesn’t take an

interrupt to use and bypasses evasion or dodge.
• Only one vigilance charge can be spent per
trigger, like a triggered effect.
• Vigilance works if a character attempts to break
adjacency for any reason. A character that is
granted off-turn movement (like a dash or
teleport) by another ability, or granted
movement by another character still triggers
vigilance.
Vulnerable and weak
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JOBS
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STALWART 116
Bastion 119
Demon Slayer 125
Colossus 133
Knave 139
VAGABOND 145
Fool 147
Freelancer 153
Shade 159
Warden 166
MENDICANT 172
Chanter 174
Harvester 182
Seer 197
WRIGHT 204
Enochian 206
Geomancer 215
Spellblade 222
Stormbender 230
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jobs or unlock a talent for an existing ability,
Choosing your job choosing either the first or second choice.
To make the tactical combat part of your character At other levels you will also gain additional bonus
at level 0, pick a Job and two abilities from your ability points, which can be spent along the way.
job. You get all the traits or actions from your
class (basically a meta-job, of which there are 4), At level 4 and 8 you will get the opportunity to
plus the traits from your job itself. pick up a new job and two bonus ap, or keep the
same job and get an extra mastery. You can
If you’re unsure about which abilities to pick, pick choose to train broadly or deeply - choose wisely!
the first two abilities listed, you’ll have plenty of
opportunities to choose others. ABILITY LIMITS
You can only take at most 6 abilities into any

Improving expedition, though you can change these out every
expedition. At least half these abilities must be the
After you play your first session, you’ll level up to same class (color) as your job.
level 1, unlock your limit break, and gain +2 ap
to choose new abilities, or unlock the talents of
your existing ones. Traits and Limit Breaks
Your traits are unique passive or active abilities
At level 1 and higher, once you hit 7 xp, you gain that you get from both your job and class. Your
an ability point. You can use this point during a traits and Limit Break are unique to your active
camp, interlude, or at the end of any job only, so think carefully when selecting your
session to gain a new ability from one of your jobs.
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For example, if your jobs are Bastion, Demon

Talents and Masteries Slayer, and Spellblade, and your primary job is
Bastion, you can take up to 6 abilities, but at least
All abilities have 2 talents that can be unlocked
3 of them must be Stalwart (red) abilities (Bastion
by spending an ability point. When you choose a
and Demon Slayer).
talent, pick either talent I or talent II - you can’t
pick both!
Choosing the same job
Abilities also have Masteries, which can only be
unlocked by getting a mastery point. You get a few At level 4 and 8, it’s possible to forgo unlocking a
from leveling up, and even more by choosing not new job entirely. If you choose one of the same
to take additional jobs at level 4 and 8. jobs you already have, you gain a mastery point,
allowing you to focus more on specializing in one
or two jobs.
Ultimate
Upon entering chapter 3, you unlock the Ultimate REFOCUS
limit break for your job, which improves it.
If you feel like your character isn’t working for
you, at level 1 or higher, during an interlude, you
Chapter can refocus. Do the following in order:
• Refund all your ability points, and lose all
Like narrative play, tactical combat is limited by
associated abilities and talents, including your
Chapter. When you gain an ability, it must be
starting abilities you should have at level 1 (each
from the same chapter you’re currently in or
refunds 1 AP as normal). Refund all masteries.
lower. All jobs have some abilities that are only
• Lose any jobs you have
available in chapter 2 or chapter 3 and also get a
• Then, re-pick the same number of jobs.
new trait at chapter 3
• Then, spend AP on abilities and talents as
normal, and re-pick your masteries.
Some foes are also limited by chapter, with more
complex or powerful foes limited to later chapters.
Refocusing costs 8 dust, to represent time spent
training. If you didn’t change any of your jobs, it
NEW JOBS just costs 4 dust.
When you level up, you will eventually get the Relics
opportunity at level 4 and 8 to pick up another
At level 2, then at levels 6 and 9, characters pick
job. This allows you to swap from Expedition to
up a Relic.
Expedition to different jobs as needed.
Relics represent ordinary weapons or armor that
If you choose a new job, you gain +2 ap, to help
become legendary and powerful over time simply
you diversify your abilities.
by being picked up by an Icon. Over time, these
relics take on particular aspects of heroes or
When you embark on an expedition, you must
legends of old, and can be infused with power,
decide which job is your primary job. You only
tempered, and refined as their wielder also gains
get the traits and limit break from your
power.
primary job (both class and job traits).
Relics can be enchanted weapons, armor, jewelry,
You can mix and match abilities from your other
cloaks, figurines - something cool and significant
jobs as you wish, as long as you take at most 6
to your character. There’s a suggestion for each
abilities, and at least half of your abilities
Relic as to the form it takes, but this can be loose.
match the same class as your primary job. You
can use the color as an easy reference.
It’s up to the player to decide what piece of their
gear turns into a relic. It could be something they
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found on the last expedition, something they - Round Invoke: Activates automatically at a
pulled from a ruin, something they’ve had since certain round of combat or later. These effects
childhood, or something they are working on are always active. For example (Round 5+)
creating themselves. They don’t have to take any relics have effects that are always active at
action to receive the relic, but will have to work on round 5 or later.
it by infusing Dust into it to unlock it’s benefits.
Infusing relics
You can find the full list of relics on pg. XX, in Relics can be leveled up by infusing them with
the Book of Adventure. Characters can take any Dust, which is the magical essence sought after by
relic they like when they acquire one. the powerful factions of Arden Eld. You get a little
Dust in each relic for fighting in tactical combat,
Relics have three ranks of power. They start with but the rest you’ll have to do yourself.
one rank unlocked and provide powerful bonuses
to a character in combat, no matter what job they Aspects
currently have. Each further level gives increasing The fourth level of a Relic is called an Aspect, and
benefits. provides more powerful benefits. Aspects can be
unlocked either by spending 12 Dust or by
Invoking relics completing an aspect quest and undertaking
In combat, some relics have abilities that can be some kind of legendary task. The quest can be
invoked for a powerful effect. Invokes have three determined by the GM as fitting for your table
types: and the tale you want to tell, but there are
- Attack Invoke: When you make an attack, if suggested aspect quests in each relic description.
the die used for the attack roll is a certain
number or higher, you can invoke the relic. This If the aspect quest is completed once by any
only counts the d20, and not the total attack character, aspecting the same relic costs only 4
roll. For example, in an (Attack, 15+) invoke, dust from that point onwards.
you could invoke the relic’s power when you
make any attack roll and the die is 15 or higher. Changing Relics
If you wouldn’t make an attack roll, such as an
auto hit attack, roll a d20 anyway to check. A character can swap any or all relics around at
- Gambit Invoke: An invoke that can be level 4 and level 8 when they choose a new job. If
triggered under the listed conditions, but only they do so, however, any new relics start un-
once per combat. For example (Gambit: Free infused and reset to rank I.
action: fly 3)
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Tactical Combat Advancement

Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Total AP*
0 1 Choose a job and two abilities. 2
1 1 Gain +2 ap and unlock Limit Break 5
2 1 Gain your first relic 6

3 1 Gain a Mastery Point 7
Choose a second job and gain +2 ap OR the same job and
4 1 8
gain a mastery point.
5 2 Gain +1ap 10
6 2 Get your second relic 11

Choose a third job and gain +2 ap OR the same job and
8 2 13
gain a mastery point.
9 3 Get your third relic 14
11 3 Gain +1ap 17
*Does not include bonus ap from choosing new jobs
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STALWART
Weapon master and unparalleled soldier
Strengths: Tough, good at punishing foes, protecting allies, and controlling the battlefield.
Weaknesses: Lower mobility and weak to ranged attackers
Complexity: Low
Stalwarts are tough and vigorous warriors, with heavy armor and abilities that let them stand their
ground, protect their allies, and control space. They largely eschew the use of ranged attacks but are
mythic soldiers and gods of the battlefield, able to perform incredible feats of physical prowess and
resilience.
Stalwarts boast Slashed and Weakened, which allow them to slow down speedy foes and lower their
damage, and have access to Rampart and Vigilance, which makes it much more risky for characters to
move around them. They also easily gain Sturdy, making them resistant to being moved, and can in turn
Shove their foes, knocking them around the battlefield.
Stalwarts are strong against skirmisher foes and weaker against artillery foes.
Class Traits Class Statistics

VIT: 10
Armor 2 HP: 40
Reduce all damage taken by 2 Defense: 6
Speed: 4 (Dash 2)
Fray damage: 4
FORTIFY
Damage die: D6
Spaces adjacent to you have Rampart.
Basic Attack: Range 3
Gain Vigilance +1 at the end of your turn.
Rush X Special mechanic:

Stalwarts can rush as part of their abilities. When
you rush, you move X spaces and are unstoppable
and immune to all damage during that move.
Heroics
Stalwarts can push themselves beyond their
normal limits, performing heroics and activating
any heroic triggered effects of an ability. Each
job has different ways of performing heroics.
Stalwart Gambit.
If you take a Stalwart ability as a non-Stalwart
class, you get Heroics, and the ability to trigger a
Heroic ability for free once a combat.
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MOST RELEVANT RULES Rush is like an armored dash. You ignore

engagement, and can’t be damaged by effects like
Vigilance or interrupts while moving. It allows to
Statuses
you maneuver around other red characters.
Stalwarts specialize in the Slashed and
Weakened statuses:
VIGILANCE
SLASHED Vigilance X - A special effect with X charges,
each represented by a d6. Like a triggered effect,
Take 4 damage after you or an ally uses an ability
can only be activated once per trigger. Vigilance
that moves you, but no more than once a turn.
charges stack up to 6, and last until the end of
combat. A character can spend any number of
Slash causes damage to characters that move a
charges of Vigilance for one of the following
lot, making them choose between staying close to
effects, rolling 1d6 per charge spent and picking
you, or taking a lot of damage.
the highest result:
• When an ally in range 2 is damaged by a foe’s
Weakened ability, reduce the damage by the amount
All damage dealt reduced by 2 rolled as if with armor
• When a foe breaks adjacency with you, deal
Weak is very potent against characters that like that much damage to them.
to deal lots of small hits, and stacks with armor
to make it very hard to hurt you. Vigilance allows you to control space very well.
You can protect allies that stick close to you, or
They also have a lot of ways to stun characters. damage foes who attempt to pass by you to get at
your weaker allies. Good positioning will get you
STUNNED the most out of it.
Can’t take interrupts. Your next ability used ends
your turn, then end this status. SHOVE X
Move a character involuntarily X spaces in a
Stunned is very potent because it reduces a straight line away from you. If they would move
character’s options. Consequently, it always into another character’s space, an object, or into a
clears after it triggers (it can also be saved higher elevation space, they Collide and stop
against normally). moving.
Other Effects Shove allows you to move foes around against

Stalwarts use Rampart, Rush and Vigilance. their will. Use it to put them in tough situations -
They have easy ways to access Shove, Sturdy inside pits, terrain effects, or next to allies - or
and True Strike. alternately slam them into walls.
RAMPART STURDY
Foes cannot enter or exit any space affected by a When moved or removed and placed by a foe, can
character’s Rampart by dashing, flying, or only be moved max 1 space a turn.
teleporting.
Sturdy allows you to hold your ground and stops
Rampart is like a super-engagement. Foes can’t you from getting shoved around by foes and
use any special movement in adjacent spaces to pushed away from allies or objectives.
you, so good positioning will let you slow them
down. TRUE STRIKE
Ignores dodge, evasion, blind, and stealth.
RUSH X
Move X spaces. You are unstoppable and immune These effects are all common ways for foes to
to all damage while moving. avoid damage. True strike avoids all of this and
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allows to you to hit when you need to. It’s

especially good against Skirmisher foes who
often rely on dodge, stealth, and evasion to avoid
damage.
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Bastion
Unbreakable Knight
The Bastions are the shield lords of Arden Eld, larger than life figures that tread the ancient imperial
roads with their heads held high and armor gleaming. From town to town they act as errant knights
and mercenaries, protecting the weak and vulnerable, and driving back the Blights with hammer-like
blows from their greatshields, which they throw like a discus with incredible force. The imperious and
mighty presence of a Bastion in town is a stabilizing force and can become an event for a whole village.
All Bastions follow an ancient and long-forgotten hero’s code, an old oath to stand against chaos in all
its forms.
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• Rebound - An ability that is rebounded can be

PLAYSTYLE bounced off a character in range. The ability has
no effect, but is instead redirected from that
Bastions are powerful knights and tacticians and character’s space as the origin space, taking into
focus on shoving their enemies and moving their account cover, line of sight, and other similar
allies into position with their Press the Advantage effects from their space. Any effects that apply
trait. Almost everything they do changes the to the original user of the ability still apply to
shape of the battlefield in some way, and they get them (such as sacrificing hp, or moving).
extra benefits for smashing foes into obstacles or Rebound does not stack.
other characters with collide. They benefit from • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
good positioning, since shoves typically have to be character can only have one stance active at a
away from you. time and can drop a stance by taking a new
stance or as a free action at the start of their
Bastions also have a fair number of interrupts turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
and can react off their turn to enemy actions, and effects.
also benefit from auras.
Their Limit Break, Helion, is relatively cheap,

but can rearrange everyone’s position and can
potentially stun and daze a huge number of foes.
Relevant Rules
• Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
would move into another character’s space, an
object, or into a higher elevation space, they
Collide and stop moving.
• Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on any
character shoved into an obstruction by this
ability.
effect that affects all characters specified within
range X of an origin point, usually a character.
Characters are only affected by an aura while
inside
• End turn - This ability ends your turn. If
multiple abilities or effects would end your turn
at the same time, you can only choose one.
• Hatred of X - Deal half damage to all foes
other than foe X. End this status at the end of
your turn, or if foe X becomes immune to
damage or un-targetable.
• Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
specific character. Each ability can only place
one mark at a time, and a character can mark
another character with one mark at a time. If
you place a new mark on a character with a
mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard. Marks end when the character
that placed the mark is defeated, or under other
listed conditions.
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Traits: LIMIT BREAK: HELION

Strive: You may cause any ability to trigger its 2 resolve
heroic effects when you use it, and increase the 1 action
distance of any shoves by +1. If you do, after that
ability resolves, you can’t use heroics until the end Your shield becomes the sun: a discus of light and
of your next turn, and deal half damage during motion, shattering enemy ranks and spurring
that turn. allies forth.
Press the Advantage: Once a round, when you
shove a character, you and an ally of your choice Effect: You hurl your shield, and every character
anywhere can each rush 1. on the battlefield is shoved 1 space in a direction
Bull’s Strength: All your abilities gain collide: of your choice. You may shove in any order, and
deal 2 damage. Characters can’t take this damage may choose different directions for each
more than once a turn. character.
Shieldmaster: You have aura 1. If you end your Effect: Bloodied foes are weakened. Foes at 25%
turn with an ally in the aura, gain vigilance +1 and hp or lower are stunned.
become sturdy until the start of your turn.
Ultimate: PERFECT HELION
You can repeat this effect once on either allies or
enemies.
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LAND WASTER
Abilities 2 actions, Attack, Burst 1 (target)
Crash your greatshield or weapon into the earth,

Chapter 1 sending up devastating shockwaves.
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
HERACULE Area effect: Foes take fray damage.
1 action, Attack, Range 3 Effect: Shove all characters in the area except you
True Strike 1 space away from your attack target, then, shove
your target 1.
Hurl your shield or weapon as a discus with Heroic: Gains True Strike and becomes Burst 2
irrepressible force. (target)
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Attack target is weakened and shoved 1 Talents:
Effect: A different foe in range 3 from your target I. If Land Waster’s effect shockwave shoves 3 or
is shoved 1 away from your main target. more foes or allies, it shoves +1 and stuns your
Collide or Heroic: Repeat the above effect target.
II. If Land Waster’s effect shockwave shoves 2 or
Talents: more foes or allies, cure yourself.
I. Heracule’s shoves can be in any direction.
II. Heracule’s second effect triggers +1 more Mastery: AJAX
time. Terrain effect: Before Land Waster’s effect
triggers, you tear up the very ground, creating a
Mastery: PERFECT HERACULE height 1 boulder object in range 3 of you.
Heracule gains rebound, and its second effect
triggers +1 more time. VALIANT
1 Action
BATTERING RAM
1 action Stride forth, with your shield held before you,
battering aside foes.
Use your shield, weapon, or armored fist and Effect: Rush 1, then rush 1. After each rush,
send your target flying. shove all adjacent characters 1.
Effect: An adjacent character is shoved 2 spaces Collide or Heroic: Rush 1 again, then shove all
Collide or Heroic: Foe is slashed, and refund adjacent characters 1.
the action cost of this ability.
Talents:
Talents: I. Collide: Become unstoppable for the rest of
I. You may rush 1 before using Battering Ram. your turn
II. You can also shove objects with Battering II. If you only shove one foe, they gain hatred of
Ram. The object triggers collide effects on the you after this ability resolves.
first character it collides with.
Mastery: SECOND WIND
Mastery: GATE SMASHER At round 4 or higher in combat, valiant becomes a
Once a turn, if you trigger Battering Ram’s Collide free action.
or Heroic effect, the ability can be used one more
time this turn. ENDLESS BATTLEMENT
1 action
Stance, Aura
The land itself is your castle, and you will never

let its walls be breached. No matter where your
allies step, your shield will be there.
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Stance: When you enter this stance, or when it

refreshes, choose an ally in range 4. That ally
Chapter 2
gains aura 1 until the start of your next turn. The
aura deactivates if your ally is out of range. While PERSEUS
the aura is active, you can use the following Interrupt 2
interrupt: Aura
Heroic Intervention
Interrupt 1 Your armor and shield become a mirror,
Trigger: A foe targets your ally with an channeling and amplifying the destructive power
ability of your allies’ attacks.
Effect: You soar into the air, removing Trigger: You are included in an allied area effect.
yourself from the battlefield, then return in Effect: You release an aura 1 effect centered on
any space in the aura. Adjacent foes take 2 you that lasts for the duration of the triggering
damage. ability, extending the area effect to encompass the
Refresh: Refresh this stance at the start of your aura. You can choose to be immune to any part of
turn the triggering ability.
Heroic: Immediately activate the interrupt Heroic: Increase the aura size by +1
effect.
Talents:
Talents: I. You gain 4 vigor the first time in a round this
I. While you are in the aura, attacks against your ability triggers
ally gain +1 curse. II. You can extend the area as a line 5 area effect
II. You and your ally both have have counter instead of an aura.
while you are in the aura.
Mastery: CHAOS FINISHER
Mastery: PERFECT BATTLEMENT When this interrupt triggers, after the triggering
At round 4 or higher, Endless Battlement has no effect resolves, you may deal 2 damage to all
maximum range, deals 4 damage instead of 2, and affected foes from the triggering ability and shove
becomes interrupt 2. them 1 in any direction.
CATAPULT ROOK
Interrupt 1 2 actions, Attack
Aura
Use your shield as a springboard to set up ally
maneuvers or to deflect projectiles Your stance is powerful as you strike, and stand
Trigger: An ally ends a movement in an adjacent tall, an armored sentinel. No enemy can safely
space set foot where your gaze falls.
Effect: Shove that ally 2 in any direction. Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage.
Collide or Heroic: That ally gains 2 vigor and Effect: Shove 1
may rush 1. Effect: You gain aura 1 until the end of your next
turn. Any foe in the aura that is shoved is shoved
Talents: +1. If any foe ends their turn in the aura, you may
I. Your shield becomes a valid target for allied deal fray damage to them and shove them 1.
abilities. You can expend this interrupt to Collide: Character is slashed.
grant them rebound. Heroic: Gains true strike, and increase aura to
II. Catapult can also be triggered on foes. When Aura 2
triggered on foes, the effect becomes effect:
shove 1. Collide: you may rush 1 Talents:
I. You also have counter while Rook’s aura is
Mastery: MANGONEL active.
Catapult becomes Interrupt 3
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II. You can also inflict hatred on a foe that

triggers Rook’s effect, but no more than once a
round.
Mastery: IMPLACABLE FORTRESS

Allies in the aura also reduce all damage by 2, as if
by armor.
Chapter 3
Black Rock Vanguard: You can take any
number of interrupts per turn. When you take an
interrupt, you may rush 1 after it resolves.
GREAT GIORGIOS
1 action
End turn
You call a challenge to your foe to stand and

fight. Cowards are blown away by your massive
charge.
Effect: Choose a foe in range 3, then end your
turn. At the end of that foe’s turn, you may rush
4, as long as you end each space of your
movement closer to them from when you started
(if you are adjacent, you don’t move at all). Then,
if your foe is adjacent, they are shoved a number
of spaces equal to the spaces you just moved, then
take damage equal to that number +2.
Collide or Heroic: Foe also gains hatred of you
after this ability resolves.
Talents:
I. You gain phasing while rushing. Foes you
passed through take 2 damage after your
movement resolves, and are shoved 1 to either
side of your movement.
II. Allies adjacent to you during any part of this
rush are shoved 1 in any direction after this
ability resolves.
Mastery: DRAGONSLAYER
You can choose to Delay Great Giorgios. Your
next turn must be slow, but the effect activates at
the start of that turn instead of at the end of your
target’s turn, and it deals double damage.
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Demon Slayer
Master of the Forbidden Arts
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Warriors of impossible strength and insane bravado, demon slayers are warriors that specialize in
fighting the largest and most dangerous monsters to crawl out of the pits that riddle the land. They
relish in fighting against impossible odds, training themselves in forbidden techniques, arcane arts, and
oversized weaponry that normal Kin would quake at wielding. They organize themselves into loose
orders and train and hunt together, sharing tales and trophies of the colossal horrors they have slain.
Some say in order to fight their quarries, the slayers must ingest demon blood to gain their strength,
giving them dark and forbidden power that makes other Kin fear and respect them in equal measure.
use a physical die to represent it, or just a

PLAYSTYLE tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
Demon slayers are mobile, heavy hitting stalwarts 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
that use their powerful traits to get a lot out of • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
slow turns and charge effects. character can only have one stance active at a
time and can drop a stance by taking a new
Their Hissatsu trait powers up Demon Slayers stance or as a free action at the start of their
when spending a turn not attacking and focusing turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
their strength, like a quick-draw samurai or effects.
someone winding up a huge blow with an
oversized weapon. Therefore they benefit from
attacking every other turn, and waiting to
strike, giving them a slow but reliable tempo.
While waiting to act, they automatically become
sturdy, making them very hard to displace.
Their limit break, Split Heaven and Hell, is a

very powerful AoE slice that is relatively easy to
avoid for foes without assistance from your allies,
but can be held and even canceled.
Relevant Rules
• Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically
ends your turn. When you use a delay effect,
your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at
the start of that turn, before anything else
happens.
• End turn - This ability ends your turn. If
multiple abilities or effects would end your turn
at the same time, you can only choose one.
• Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place on a
• Rampart - Foes cannot enter or exit a space
affected by a rampart effect by dashing, flying,
or teleporting.
• Slow Turn - Go after all other characters. If
multiple characters take slow turns, it takes the
same order as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
• Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or
down depending on certain conditions. You can
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Legend characters always take 25% of max hp

Traits: from this ability instead of other effects.
Demon Edge: If you elect to take a slow turn or
use a delay effect, gain vigilance +1, and all your Ultimate: GOD WASTER
abilities deal bonus damage and gain true strike While holding a God Cutting Blow, you can rush 2
until the end of your next turn. at the start or end of any other turn than yours,
Demon Strength: You can make any ability but no more than twice a round.
Heroic when you use it. If you do, you can’t attack
or use Heroics until the end of your following
turn.
Hissatsu: If you don’t attack during your turn,
your next attack ability gains +1 boon, true strike,
and upgrades its damage die to d10. This effect
ends after you hit with an attack.
True Horn: You are sturdy from the start of
each round until the start of your turn.
LIMIT BREAK: SPLIT

HEAVEN AND HELL
3 resolve
1 action, end turn
Delay, true strike, divine
Sever Divinity and cut through the threads of

possibility. Pour all your rage into one blow and
topple the Gods.
End your turn, and start charging up a god

cutting blow. Delay: Your next turn must be
slow. At the start of that turn, you may take one of
the following options:
• Sever Divine Thread: Swing your weapon in

a line 5 area effect drawn from your position.
This counts as using an attack this turn.
Characters in the line take damage depending
on their distance on the line from you.
• 1 space: 100% of max hp
• 2-4 spaces: 50% of max hp
• 5+ spaces: 25% of max hp
• Divine Cancel: You may cancel this ability,
refunding the resolve cost, and rush 1. You can
limit break again this combat, but not this turn.
• Divine Delay: You continue to hold this
ability. Your next turn must be slow and repeat
this delay effect. Each time you do this, increase
the width of the line by 1 space, to a maximum
of 3 width, and its length by 3 spaces. You
cannot attack while holding Divine Delay.
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II. Yourself and allies that end their turn adjacent

Abilities: to your weapon gain 2 vigor.
DEMON CUTTER Mastery: EXALTED BLOSSOMS DEVIL

1 action, Attack, Line 3 BLADE
True Strike Effect: You may teleport to any space adjacent to
your weapon at the start and end of your turn.
You slash your weapon in a deadly swing
sending cutting shockwaves out that rip through DRAKEN CROSS
enemy defenses. 2 actions, Attack, Range 3, Small Blast
Attack: On hit: [D]+ fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Attack target is slashed. Fill the air with the flurry of blades.
Area effect: Fray Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
Charge or Heroic: Gains range 2, and repeat the Area effect: Fray
area effect in a new line 3 area in range. The areas Effect: You may rush 1, then target another small
cannot overlap. blast area in range 3 with area effect: fray
damage. The areas cannot overlap.
Talent: Charge or Heroic: Gains true strike, and may
I. Exceed: Gain 6 vigor. repeat the effect.
II. Your can rush 1 before using Demon Cutter.
Charge: Rush 3 instead. Talent:
I. Exceed: Deal fray damage again to all
Mastery: BLOOD DRINKING DEVIL BLADE characters in any area created by this ability.
After this ability resolves, gain 2 vigor for every II. Charge: Increase range to 5, and all areas may
foe damaged. be increased to medium blasts instead.
COMET Mastery: DARK WIND DEVIL BLADE

1 action, Range 3, Medium Blast After using this ability, you may teleport to any
Object space of any area created, then all foes in any area
you created with this ability are slashed and take
Your weapon becomes like a meteor, burning 2 divine damage.
through the air as you hurl at at your foes and
smash it into the earth RIGHTEOUS DISDAIN
Area Effect: 2 damage Interrupt 1, Range 2
Effect: After throwing your weapon, it becomes
an object placed in the center space of the area, or With a clap, you deflect a weapon or projectile
as close as possible. with your bare hand or the flat edge of your
Thrown Weapon blade.
Height 1 Trigger: A foe uses an ability that targets an ally
Object: Space adjacent to it have rampart. in range, and damage to your ally has been
While this object is active, you cannot attack. determined on the foe’s end but not applied yet.
You can pick your weapon up if you enter or Effect: Apply the damage to both you and your
exit any space adjacent to it or start your turn ally, but both of you gain resistance to it, and are
there, ending this effect and removing the sturdy against its effects.
object. You also pick it up if it’s removed for Heroic: Gain vigor 4 after this ability resolves.
any other reason.
Charge or Heroic: Rush 3 after throwing your Talent:
weapon. I. You can rush 1 before triggering this ability,
and your ally may rush 1 afterwards.
Talent: II. Shove the triggering foe and ally each 1 space
I. If you end your turn adjacent to your thrown in any direction after this ability resolves.
weapon, gain vigilance +1
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Mastery: SHIRAHADORI After Gates of Hell resolves, you create an

The damage from Righteous Disdain cannot afterimage terrain effect in a free adjacent space.
reduce you past 1 hp. The afterimage is dangerous terrain, but only for
foes. You also gain the following ability.
DEMON CLAW Flash Step
1 action Free Action
True Strike Effect: Remove an afterimage that has no
characters occupying it, then remove yourself
Even unarmed, a Demon Slayer can employ and place yourself in its space.
ferocious strength and unleash blows with their
bare hands that can crumple steel. Chapter 2
Effect: Rush 1, then rush 1. Each time, you may
deal 2 damage to an adjacent foe. Foes can only be
SOUL BLADE
damaged once per use of this ability.
1 action
Special: If you didn’t attack on your turn before
Stance
using this ability, it deals damage to all adjacent
foes.
You imbue your weapon with aether, causing
Charge or Heroic: Weaken all adjacent
additional cuts at the very aether of your foe.
characters after the first or second rush.
Stance: When entering this stance, gain a d6
power die, starting at 2.
Talents: • When the stance refreshes, tick the die up by 1.
I. Instead of any rush from Demon claw, you can • When you attack, you can tick the die down by
gain 2 vigor. any amount to cause an additional aether slash
II. After the second rush, you can shove an as a line 3 area effect that must include your
adjacent character 2 spaces. target, after the attack resolves. The area has
true strike. Foes in the area take damage equal
Mastery: RAGING DEMON to the amount you ticked down.
Demon Claw’s damage increases by 1 for every • If you tick the die down by 3 or more, you also
25% of your maximum hp you are missing, up to a gain vigor equal to the number on the die.
maximum of +3 damage. • If you tick the die down by 6, the slash deals +3
more total damage and grants you +3 more total
GATES OF HELL vigor.
1 action • If the die goes to 0, you exit this stance.
Heroic: Gain +1 tick on the die for every adjacent
You move so quickly that even your afterimages foe when you enter this stance.
are capable of deflecting blows. Refresh: This stance refreshes if you end a turn
without attacking, or if you start a slow turn.
Effect: Rush 2
Effect: Gain +1 vigilance. Until the start of your Talents:
next turn, you gain counter, and may rush 2 after I. You may also increase the area of any line or
activating vigilance. This effect can trigger any arc effects by +1 in Soul Blade, including from
number of times a round, but only once a turn. this stance.
Heroic: Gain +2 vigilance instead. II. While in Soul Blade, your attacks gain exceed:
tick the die up by 1.
Talent:
I. Gain 2 vigor after any time Gates of Hell’s Mastery: WIND CALLING DEVIL BLADE
second effect activates. At round 4 or later in combat, soul blade also
II. Vigilance’s range increases by +1 while Gates refreshes at the start of your turn and any area
of Hell is active. created by it shoves all characters inside 1 space.
Mastery: FLASH STEP SIX HELLS TRIGRAM

1 action
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Delay, Terrain effect slay the most tenebrous of monsters in one

stroke.
Using dark arts, you summon up a sliver of the Attack: On hit: fray and shove 1. Miss: fray
demon world, blocking out a dark arena that Effect: After you attack, your weapon becomes
traps enemies in its web. charged with energy. At the start of each round,
End your turn and gain Terrain effect: Mark gain a d4 power die at 1, or tick it up by 1. For
out a burst 2 (self) area, then gain Delay: Your each tick of the die:
next turn must be slow, but at the start of that • increase the base damage on hit of Wicked
turn, the trigram activates. Sheath by [D] and the shove by 1
• When the trigram activates, all foes inside are • the attack gains +1 boon.
weakened. Discard the power die after you hit with any
• While active, any foes that attempt to exit the attack.
terrain effect during any turn must first pass a Charge or Heroic: You may also rush 1 before
save, or become unable to do so until the start of making the attack once for each charge on the die.
their next turn. If they are moving, they don’t
lose their movement but can’t consider the area Talents:
outside valid space to move to. I. Also shove your foe 1 for every charge on the
• This area lasts until this ability is used again. die. Collide: Your foe is stunned.
Heroic: The area has rampart and foes in the are II. Exceed: Draw a line 4 area effect that includes
when it activates take fray damage. your target. Characters inside other than your
target take 2 damage, once, for every charge
Talents: on the die.
I. You have counter and are sturdy while inside
the area. Mastery: MUGEN SHOMETSU
II. Allies inside the area reduce all damage by 2, If the die is 2 or higher and you would discard it,
as if from armor. roll it instead of discarding it. On a 1 or 2, keep it,
using the new number.
Mastery: DARK WIND CHAIN
While inside the area, you gain the following
ability
Dark Wind Chain
Free action
Effect: Deal 2 damage to any foe in range 4
and shove them 1 space towards you, then
force them to save. On a failed save, they are
shoved 2 more spaces towards you.
Chapter 3
Rangiri: If you trigger Hissatsu twice in a row,
your attack ability becomes upgraded further. The
entire ability now deals double damage. Roll and
determine all damage on the attacker’s end when
making it, then double the total before applying it.
WICKED SHEATH
1 action, attack
True Strike, Power die
The master art of the demon slayers - holding a

single blow with ultimate patience, until it can
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Leggio Demon Slayer

Crimson Cloud Demon Slayer
Shadow Clan Demon Slayer
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Falling Blossom School Slayer
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Colossus
High Flying Grappler
Ferocious followers of Arenheir, the Wolf Titan, the Colossi are a martial order of berserkers,
pankrationists, and warriors that reaches across all of Arden Eld. They travel throughout the land
seeking powerful foes, and taking trophies to return to their great lodges to offer in tribute to Arenheir
in fierce hope of resurrecting their god. At their lodges they feast and drink to their deeds, companions,
and boasts.
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Colossi seek glory and challenge through battle, and will often go for only the absolute strongest
warriors and monsters, heedless of their own safety. They fight with wild abandon and unconventional
techniques that would make even the dirtiest Knave raise an eyebrow.
transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp

PLAYSTYLE below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
have enough hp left.
Colossi are hard-hitting grapplers and wrestlers • Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of
that ride the knife’s edge to inflict maximum pain movement to exit.
on their foes. They have unique access to fly,
allowing them to vault up higher elevation and
move around, and they get extra benefits such as
exceed for launching themselves off higher
terrain.
The lower colossi’s health is, the stronger they

become, and they benefit from many comeback
effects. At very low health, they gain
regeneration and they can become absolute
monsters at 1 hp. They can spend their own health
to power up their abilities, but risk sending
themselves into too vulnerable a state.
Their Limit Break, Gigantas Crusher, is a

massive grab that can instantly destroy high value
targets, such as elites, or deliver the killing blow to
a legend. Since it does % based damage, it is an
excellent finishing move.
Relevant Rules
• Bloodied - At or under 50% hp
• Comeback - A triggered effect that happens
when this ability is used while bloodied
• Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove
this effect and character becomes immune to all
damage for the rest of the current turn.
damage and movement penalties, height
movement penalties, obstruction, and
engagement.
• Regeneration - If bloodied, gain 4 vigor at the
end of your turn.
• Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
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ultimate: ATOMOS CRUSHER

Traits: If you’re at 1 hp or lower, this ability deals 25%
Furious Berserk: You go into a furious blood more max hp damage to non-legend characters.
rage as you take damage, giving you the following
benefits:
• You start combat with defiance.
• You have regeneration, and regain regeneration
if defeated and rescued.
• While you’re bloodied, you are sturdy, and gain
vigilance +1 at the end of your turn.
Wolfheart: Once a round, you may sacrifice 25%
of your max hp to make an ability Heroic and
increase the distance of any flight, rush, or dash as
part of that move by +1.
Pulverize: When you start an attack ability on
higher elevation than your target, it deals bonus
damage. If you are two or more levels higher, it
also triggers all exceed effects.
Great Leap: When you would end any
movement on a lower elevation than you started,
you may gain flying for the duration of that
movement.
Limit Break: GIGANTAS

CRUSHER
3 resolve
2 actions
Divine, Sacrifice
Wrestle with the gods themselves.

Effect: You grab an adjacent character. That
character must save. Even if that character saves
successfully, you grab them, and you both soar
into the air. Remove both of you from the
battlefield. At the start of that character’s turn,
you come spinning back to earth, slamming that
character into the battlefield in unoccupied space
in range 3 of your original location. You sacrifice
25% of your hp. Your foe takes 50% of their max
hp as divine damage, or 25% as divine damage on
a successful save. Then place both of you back in
or adjacent to that space.
This ability can be used against Legends, but they

may always save, taking divine fray damage and
refunding this ability’s resolve cost on a successful
save, and only 25% hp as divine damage on a
failed save.
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1 Action
Abilities Sacrifice
Throwing caution to the wind, you crash your
whole body into your foe, sending you both
VALKYRIE flying.
1 action, attack Effect: Fly 1.
True strike Effect: Sacrifice 6. An adjacent foe takes [D]
+fray damage.
Soaring through the air like a vengeful spirit, you Heroic: You may rush 2 before or after using this
crash into your enemy. ability.
Effect: You may fly 1
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray. Talents
Effect: Attack target is weakened. I. Comeback: Hit your foe so hard that you
Exceed or Heroic: Create a pit under your create 2 spaces of difficult terrain in adjacent
target. spaces after this ability resolves.
II. Shove your foe 1, then shove yourself 1 away
Talents: from your foe. Charge: Increase shoves to 2
I. Valkyrie gains range 4.
II. You are unstoppable and immune to all Mastery: GIANT KICKER
damage while flying with Valkyrie. Charge: At round 4 or later, dropkick gains true strike and
You may fly 3 instead a line 4 area effect that must include your target.
The area deals fray damage to all characters other
Mastery: CALL OF ERENHELION than your target.
When you use Valkyrie, all allies may fly 1. If they
end this flight on a lower elevation than they MASSIVE OVERHEAD
started, they may fly 1 again.
1 action
End turn
UPHEAVAL
1 Action, Range 3 End your turn. Your next attack strikes with
such force that it deals bonus damage and creates
The disciples of the wolf titan exhibit such a pit under its target after it resolves.
legendary strength that they can rip up the earth Special Effect: If your target was already in a pit
itself with their bare hands. before the triggering attack, it also activates all
Terrain Effect: Smash the battlefield, creating a exceed effects.
height 1 boulder object in free space in range. Comeback or Heroic: Attack may also create a
Adjacent characters are shoved 1 away from the small blast area effect on its target, dealing 2
terrain when it appears. damage to all characters inside.
Comeback or Heroic: Create difficult terrain
underneath any character shoved by this ability. Talent:
I. Attack gains Exceed: Also create a height 1
Talents: boulder object adjacent to your foe.
I. The boulder bounces before landing, dealing 2 II. Attack gains Exceed: The pit also becomes
damage in a small blast area effect anywhere dangerous terrain.
in range. Charge: Large blast
II. The boulder bounces before landing, creating Mastery: BLOOD RUSH
a pit anywhere in free space in range. At round 4 or later, Massive Overhead also grants
you 4 vigor and no longer ends your turn.
Mastery: TITAN STRENGTH
Gains range 5 and Comeback: Boulder may be
placed as a height 2 pillar instead.
TAKEDOWN
2 actions, attack
DROPKICK
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You deliver a mighty blow with wild abandon, so GIGATON WHIP

strong that you yourself are left reeling. 1 action, Attack
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray True Strike
Effect: Both you and your foe are stunned. You
may sacrifice 4 to avoid this stun. You fling your foe into a wall, catching them on
Exceed or Heroic: Gains true strike and creates the rebound.
a pit under your target. Attack: On hit: [D], Miss: 1 damage. Effect:
shove 2.
Talents: Collide: You bounce your foe, then and catch
I. You may rush 2 or fly 2 before using them mid air. Remove them from the battlefield,
Takedown. fly 1, then place them in any free adjacent space.
II. You can also choose to shove your target 2, They take fray damage.
then shove yourself 2. Collide: Deal fray Exceed or Heroic: Smash the ground when you
damage. land, creating difficult terrain under your foe and
in two adjacent spaces.
Mastery: FIERCE ELBOW
When you takedown a character, the character Talents:
takes 2 damage once after the ability resolves for I. If your target collides with another character,
each difference in elevation between you and you may also shove that character 1 and deal 2
them when you started this ability, for a damage to them.
maximum of three times. II. Fly 2 instead. Charge: Shove 3 and fly 3.
GREAT SUPLEX Mastery: IZUNA DROP

2 Actions Instead of the normal collide effect, on collide you
can do the legendary Izuna drop. You take a pose,
Wrapping your arms around your foe, you fling then end your turn and gain Delay: Your next
the two of you backwards with a force that turn must be slow. At the start of that turn, you
liquifies rock. may rush 2, then if any foe is adjacent, you grab
Effect: You pick up an adjacent foe, removing them, removing both of you from the battlefield,
them from the battlefield. then come spinning back to earth, placing both of
Effect: Sacrifice up to 6, then fly half that many you back in free space adjacent to each other in
spaces. Place your foe in a free adjacent space. range 3. That foe is weakened, stunned and takes
They take [D]+fray damage and are slashed. fray damage twice.
slashed characters are stunned. If you can’t place
the foe in a valid space this action can’t be taken. RAGING WOLF
Heroic: Sacrifice cost costs 0 hp but counts as
1 action
sacrificing 6
True Strike
Talent You deliver a spectacular series of wild, rising

I. This ability deals bonus damage to your target blows. Like a cornered animal, your strength
if you land them in a pit. becomes greater the more of your blood spills.
II. You can use this ability on allies. If you do, Special: This ability has no effect if you are not
reduce its action cost to 1, they are immune to bloodied.
its damage and statuses, and both of you can Comeback: Gain additional effects depending on
rush 1 after it resolves. your current hp. Each effect stacks and takes place
in order.
Mastery: TITANHEART Bloodied: You may rush 1, then deal fray
You can target two adjacent characters with this damage to an adjacent foe. That foe is
ability slashed.
25% or lower: You may fly 1, then shove all
Chapter 2 adjacent foes 1.
1 hp or lower: Repeat the above two effects.
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Heroic: Become unstoppable and immune to all

damage while using this ability.
Special: If you are defeated, your next use of this
ability in the same combat becomes a free action.
Talents:
I. You can voluntarily reduce yourself to 1 hp
before using Raging Wolf.
II. While you’re at 1 hp, increase flight to 3
Mastery: BEAST WITHIN

You can immediately use Raging Wolf as an
interrupt before becoming defeated. This ignores
the interrupt limit.
Chapter 3
Unbreakable: If defeated, you can rescue
yourself and take a turn as normal. This doesn’t
take an action and takes place at the start of your
turn. In addition, after being rescued in any way,
including as part of this trait. you can rush 1 and
deal 2 damage to all adjacent characters.
BOILING BLOOD
Interrupt 1
Colossi can lash out with the last of their

strength, using the heat and strength of their
body to punish their foes before expiring.
Defy Death
Trigger: You are defeated
Effect: You fight on, remaining standing at 1 hp
and do not become defeated until the end of your
next turn, or if combat ends before then. During
that time, damage cannot reduce you past 1 hp
and you deal bonus damage with all abilities.
Heroic: Also deal fray damage twice to all
adjacent foes.
Talents:
I. While Defy Death is active, all abilities also
trigger all exceed effects.
II. You can rush or fly 1 before using any ability
while Defy Death is active.
Mastery: GREAT HEMON

When Defy Death would expire, you can take a
wound to extend the duration by 1 turn. This
effect can only be triggered once per combat.
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Knave
Absolute Bastard
The advent of the Churning Age has coincided with the rise of a certain class of person with heavy
pockets and a long list of ‘problems’ to solve. The Knaves are the solution. Hedge knights, rogue
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warriors, duelists, deserters, and veterans, they roam the land offering their services to whoever has the
dust to spare. Though some of them are altruistically minded, they tend to go where the work, food, and
fighting is thickest, and never stay for long in one location.
Knaves operate under a loose moral code and an even looser no-holds-barred fighting style, using hilts,
head butts, and gauntleted fists to inflict pain, punishment, and humiliation on their opponents in equal
measure. These braggadocios warriors spare no effort in flexing their incredible strength - if the price is
right. For a freshly roasted chicken, a pocket full of dust, and a polish of their boots, they’ll do just about
anything.
• Cure - A character that’s cured gains 4 vigor, or

PLAYSTYLE a vigor surge if they’re bloodied. Then, they
may save agains all statuses.
Knaves are dark knights, mercenaries, and dirty • Hatred of X - Deal half damage to all foes
fighters that have the easiest access to the very other than foe X. End this status at the end of
powerful hatred condition. They have numerous your turn, or if foe X becomes immune to
ways to punish foes that take the bait, such as damage or un-targetable.
counter and a suite of nasty interrupts. They • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
become stronger the more foes are around them cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
and love being surrounded. start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
Knaves become more powerful when they are below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
suffering statuses, and even have ways to have enough hp left.
inflict statuses on themselves, which they can • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
then ignore by becoming unstoppable. They this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
also have the unique ability to take two stances • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
at once, allowing them to stack very powerful character can only have one stance active at a
effects. time and can drop a stance by taking a new
Knave’s limit break, Mock, is a strong single turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
target debuff, and makes it very hard for a foe to effects.
do anything but stand and focus on you. • Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses. Cannot
be moved by foes, and movement ignores
Relevant Rules
• Counter - When damaged by an ability, deal 2
damage back, each time damage is applied.
When you use the base ability, gain a combo
token. Any time you use a combo ability and
have a token, you use the combo version
instead, discarding the token. You can only have
one combo token at once, and discard all tokens
at the end of combat.
• Gamble - Roll 1d6, then trigger an effect on a
certain result or higher
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TRAITS:
Martial Master: You can take two stances at
once.
Blackheart: While you’re suffering from a
status, gain vigilance +1 at the end of your turn. If
you are suffering from two or more, also deal
bonus damage with all abilities.
Taunt (1 action): A foe in range 3 gains hatred
of you.
Spite: You can choose to use the Heroic effects of
any ability when you use it. However, after it
resolves, gain Hatred+ of the closest foe to you
until the end of your next turn and you can’t use
Heroics again for the same duration. If multiple
foes are equidistant, you can choose.
Limit Break: MOCK

2 resolve
1 action
There is no weapon greater than a well-timed

and well-aimed insult.
Effect: A foe in range 3 becomes slashed+,
weakened+, cannot gain or benefit from evasion,
dodge, or stealth, and gains hatred+ of you. These
effects continue until the end of their next turn.
Special: On elite and legend foes, this ability
lasts two turns instead.
Ultimate: DREAD MOCK

Gains range 5 and also deals divine fray damage
to your foe.
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REVENGE
Abilities 2 actions, attack
Combo
LOW BLOW
1 action, Attack No matter how hard pressed, your hands, feet,
Combo, True strike and armor are ready to retaliate.
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray
Hit them right in the gronch. Effect: Gain unstoppable and counter until the
Effect: You may Rush 1 end of your next turn
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray. Slay or Heroic: While this ability’s effect is
Effect: Foe is slashed. If they are already slashed, active, you can rush 1 as an effect if you are
they gain hatred of you. damaged by a foe’s ability, but no more than once
Slay or Heroic: You may cure yourself. a turn.
COMBO: THE HOOK COMBO: INDIGNATION

Gains range 2 and effect: Shove character 1 Gains True Strike and replace the base effect
towards you. with effect: gain +1 vigilance for every status
your foe is suffering from, to a maximum of three
times, then gain counter until the end of your next
Talents:
turn.
I. Deals bonus damage if your foe is suffering
from a status.
Talents:
II. Comeback: Gain vigilance +1
I. While this ability’s effect is active, attacks
against adjacent allies gain +1 curse
Mastery: SADIST
II. You may sacrifice 4 to gain or lose a combo
After this ability resolves, you may rush 1 and gain
token after using any version of this ability.
2 vigor for every status your foe is suffering from.
Mastery: IRON MAIDEN
PROVOKE Also gains effect: until the end of your next turn,
1 Action immediately after you activate vigilance, deal 2
damage to all adjacent foes.
You drop your guard, and wait for foes to take
the bait.
Effect: You may Rush 1, then each adjacent foe
RIPOSTE
1 action
deals 1 piercing damage to you, as if damaging you
Stance, gamble
with an ability. You then deal 2 damage, once, for
each foe that damaged you this way to all adjacent
When you come at a knave, you best not miss.
foes, to a maximum of three times.
Stance: When you enter this stance or when it
Heroic: Affects all foes in range 2.
refreshes, gain the following interrupt until the
Slay: Then, you may shove all affected foes 1
start of your next turn:
towards or away from you.
Dire Parry
Talents:
Interrupt 1
I. If this ability only affects one foe, they gain
Trigger: A foe targets an ally in range 2 with
hatred of you.
an ability.
II. You can sacrifice 2 after this ability resolves to
Effect: Gamble, then deal that much damage
deal 2 damage again to all adjacent foes.
to your foe. On a 6, they are also slashed and
shoved 1. If you have vigilance, you can spend
Mastery: STORM OF FURY any number of vigilance charges when
Before dealing each instance of damage, you may gambling to roll one extra d6 per charge
rush 1. spent.
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Refresh: Refresh this stance when a foe damages characters. Stop and collide if your foe would hit
you or an adjacent ally with an ability. an obstruction.
Heroic: Also gain vigor equal to your gamble Effect: Your foe takes 2 damage once for each foe
result after this ability resolves. or ally they pass through, to a maximum of 3
times, and those characters are shoved 1. Then,
Talents: shove your foe 1.
I. You can also sacrifice 2 to roll 1 more d6 while Collide: Foes are weakened.
gambling. Heroic: Shove your foe 1 space, then 1 additional
II. Comeback: Gain vigilance +1 after Riposte space for every character they passed through
resolves. instead, to a maximum of 4 extra spaces.
Mastery: STRONG LEFT Talents:

Refresh Riposte at the start of your turn. Uses of I. Comeback: this ability gains range 2. Remove
Dire Parry can stack up to 3 times, and you can your target and place them into adjacency
bank these uses. before activating this effect.
II. During the spin, you can cause your target to
DARK KNIGHT take damage and phase through objects the
same way as characters, though those objects
1 action, stance
are not shoved.
You give into the heat of battle, becoming a
creature of violence and instinct. Mastery: PERFECT STRONGARM
Stance: While in this stance: Perform two full circles instead, and you may rush
• You gain hatred+ of the closet foe to you at the 2 before the second circle.
start of your turn or when you enter this stance.
If multiple foes are equidistant, you may choose.
• You are sturdy Chapter 2
• You gain vigilance +1 at the end of your turn
Heroic: On entering this stance, you may gain 2
vigor per status affecting you, including from this INTIMIDATE
stance. 1 action, Mark
Refresh: You may refresh or exit this stance at
the start of your turn Swatting interlopers out of the way, you make it
your personal vendetta to make someone’s day
as miserable as possible.
Talents:
End your turn and Mark: Choose a foe at or
I. You may rush 2 towards your hated foe at the
further away than range 4.
start of their turn, but only once a round.
Effect: Each time that foe damages you or an ally
II. While in this stance, you have regeneration.
with an ability, you may rush 1, ending closer to
them if possible, then you may shove any adjacent
Mastery: INFECTIOUS HATRED character 1. This effect can activate any number of
While in Dark Knight, you have Aura 1. Foes that times. If you start your turn adjacent to your
end their turn in the aura must save or gain marked foe, deal fray damage to them, stun them,
hatred of you. and then this mark ends. You may also end it at
the start of your turn.
STRONGARM Heroic: Choose a foe at or further away than
1 action range 2.
Grappling is a common and brutal strategy Talents:

among the knaves, who will happily hurl their I. Comeback: Rush 2 instead
foes into trees, rocks, or their own allies. II. Your foe also takes 2 damage, once, for every
Effect: Shove an adjacent foe in a full circle status they are afflicted by when intimidate’s
either clockwise or counter clockwise through stun triggers, up to a maximum of three times.
each space around you, phasing through
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Mastery: IRON SKULL Talents:

After Intimidate’s stun triggers, also become I. Against characters at 25% hp or lower, this
unstoppable until the end of your next turn. ability cannot miss (turn any miss into a hit).
II. This ability gains range 2 against characters
25% hp or lower and you may rush 2 before
SUCKER PUNCH
using it against those characters.
Interrupt 1
There’s nothing that can’t be solved with the Mastery: PAINKILLER

liberal application of fists to faces. Once gained, Sweet Torment’s aura lasts
Trigger: An enemy adjacent to you rolls a save indefinitely. If you use Sweet Torment again while
and you see the result the aura is active, deal 2 damage, once, to all foes
Effect: The enemy must re-roll the save, keeping in the aura within for every status they are
the second result. suffering from, to a maximum of three times.
Heroic: The character rolls the new save with +1
curse
Talents:
I. You can sacrifice 2 after using this interrupt to
immediately regain it.
II. Comeback: This ability is interrupt 2.
Mastery: STRONG RIGHT

You can rush 2 before activating sucker punch, it
triggers from within range 2, and you may give it
shove 1.
Chapter 3
Way of the Crow: If any ally is defeated, cure
yourself and become unstoppable until the end of
your next turn.
BLEAK MERCY
2 actions, attack
Melee, combo
Crush your foes and see them driven before you.

Attack: On hit: deal 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Bleak Mercy gains true strike and ignores
defiance, armor, and vigor if its target is suffering
from 3 or more statuses.
Slay or Heroic: Cure yourself, then shove all
foes in range 2 1 space in any direction.
Combo: SWEET TORMENT

As above, but replace the base effect with Effect:
until the end of your next turn, gain aura 1. Foes
in the aura cannot be cured and cannot save to
clear statuses.
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VAGABOND
Rogue, Scoundrel, and Blade for Hire
Strengths: High mobility and damage, strong summons and marks, strong against isolated foes
Weaknesses: Relatively low durability, relies on support
Complexity: Medium
Vagabonds are the mercenaries and wanderers of Arden Eld. They know how to aim a crossbow bolt
through the helmet slit of a knight or the weak spot of a monster, how to move quietly and quickly, and
how to fling a knife with deadly precision.
Vagabonds boast high damage and even higher mobility. Skirmisher lets them move faster and further
than other classes, while Dodge lets them avoid damage unless targeted directly. They make use of
numerous tools such as Stealth, Evasion, and Finishing Blow to crush weak, isolated, or ranged
enemies and avoid their counterattacks.
Vagabonds are strong against artillery foes and weaker against heavy foes.
Class Traits: Special Mechanic:

Skirmisher: A character with this trait can move
diagonally and dash at full speed Finishing Blow
Dodge: Immune to all damage from missed
attacks, successful saves, and area effects. Abilities with Finishing Blow triggered effects
Prowl (1 action): Gain stealth. Becomes a free gain additional, more powerful effects if they
action if no foes are in range 2. target at least one bloodied foe. Effects depend on
Finesse: You deal bonus damage to bloodied the action.
foes.
Vagabond Gambit:
Class Statistics If you take a Vagabond Ability as a non-Vagabond
class, your vagabond abilities benefit from
VIT: 7 Finesse.
HP: 28
Defense: 10
Speed: 4 (Dash 4)
Fray damage: 2
Damage die: D10
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Many Vagabond abilities include Dash, and

Teleport. These are very potent forms of
MOST RELEVANT RULES movement.
Statuses Dash
Vagabonds specialize in the Blinded and Dazed Special movement that ignores engagement.
statuses and use Blights.
Teleport
Blinded Instantly move to a free space within range X.
Max range of all abilities is 2.
You don’t have to be able to see a space to
Blinded is very strong against ranged attackers teleport there.
and much weaker against melee attackers, but it
can also make it very hard for characters to use Finally, Vagabonds have potent summons
abilities on allies in tight situations.
Summon
Dazed A character controlled by its Summoner.
+1 curse on attacks Summons are intangible and do not count as foes
or allies for the purposes of abilities. Summons do
Dazed makes it harder to hit attacks, and even not take turns. Instead, they have a summon
harder to activate effects such as exceed or crit. It action that they use on their summoner’s turn, or
stacks well with your naturally high defense. a summon effect that is always active, and
otherwise don’t take actions or move on their
Other effects own. Summons are removed from the battlefield
when their summoner is defeated.
Vagabonds also make heavy use of Evasion and
Stealth. Summons are characters you can create under
your control. They can often be hurt and
damaged but doing so is usually a waste of a
Evasion foe’s turn. Summons typically act on your turn
Roll a d6 when targeted by an attack. On a 4+, the
and have limited effects - they are not full
attack automatically misses. Check before the
characters and cannot take actions or move
attack roll.
normally. Each summon does something unique
that’s described in the ability that summons
Evasion is a very potent combo with dodge
them.
because characters with dodge take no damage
from missed attacks. It does nothing against
effect damage or abilities, so it doesn’t cover
everything.
Stealth
Cannot be directly targeted except from an
adjacent space. Breaks on using any ability other
than dash or standard move.
Stealth makes it much harder (or impossible) for

characters to target you at range, allowing you
to position yourself safely away from slow foes.
Dodge is a good combo with stealth since you are
immune to damage from area effects that would
otherwise be able to indirectly target you.
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Fool
Masked Avenger
Fools are dedicated defenders of the common people of Arden Eld, part folk hero, and part hired killer.
They have no official organization, and cover their faces with masks to hide their identity, wearing bells
and motley to cover their collections of deadly weapons and explosives.
Some people fear the Fools, calling them self-interested thugs or anarchic cultists of the Laughing God.
They may not be entirely wrong, but none can deny their flair for the theatrical.
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They are feared rightly by all would-be tyrants, under-barons, and aspiring imperial lords. Wherever
kin labor under oppression, someone will take up the mask and knives and sent cold jolts of fear into the
hearts of the rich and comfortable.

PLAYSTYLE down depending on certain conditions. You can
Fools are fast, tricky vagabonds that benefit tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
heavily from setup. Their stack dice ability allows that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
them to influence the outcome of gamble effects, 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
including their bomb summons, making them • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
very potent. Fools get stacked dice from attacking this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
low health targets, and also have a suite of slay • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
effects, so they get the most from zipping around character can only have one stance active at a
the battlefield to finish off weak foes. time and can drop a stance by taking a new
Fools spend less movement to move through the turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
spaces of other characters, including their bomb effects.
summons, and can phase through foes, allowing
them to move very far with proper setup. This can
also allow them to hop through character’s spaces
to ignore movement penalties, such as climbing
up elevation.
Fool’s limit break, Curtain Call, is a very

powerful, high damage move that can finish off a
single foe easily in a pinch, but gets the most value
out of setup and with a stacked die in the pocket.
Relevant Rules

engagement.
listed conditions.
• Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
through, but not end your turn in, terrain,
objects, or characters.
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TRAITS: Summons
Tumbling: You may phase through characters.
Entering the space of any character, including Many fool abilities summon bombs. When a bomb
summons, always costs a maximum of 1 is summoned, it can be summoned in free space in
movement. range 2 unless a different range is specified. You
Curse of Chaos: You have evasion against can have a maximum of six active bombs.
characters that are 3 or more spaces away from
you. Bomb
Cheap Trick: When an attack misses you, you Size 1, intangible
may teleport 1 space, then leave a bomb in an Summon effect: The bomb can be shoved or
adjacent space. teleported and can share space with other
Stack Dice: Once a round, when you trigger a characters, though it can’t share space with other
finishing blow or slay effect, gain a Stacked Die bombs. When any character enters a bomb’s
after that ability resolves. You can use this die space, they can remove it from the battlefield. At
when you gamble to make the gamble result 6, the end of their turn, they may place it any any
consuming the die. You can only hold on to one free adjacent space. Characters can only carry one
Stacked Die at once, and lose all of them at the bomb at once.
end of combat. Summon effect: Once a round, you may gamble
at the end of any other turn than yours, after all
bombs have been placed. All bombs explode,
Limit Break: CURTAIN dealing damage equal to the gamble result in a
small blast area effect centered on them.
CALL Characters in the area of multiple explosions are
only affected once.
4 resolve
2 actions
Divine, Gamble, True Strike
Bring out the fireworks. Fire up the elden magic.

Time for a showstopper.
Effect: Gamble, then draw a line area effect of
that many spaces +2. Soar into the air, removing
yourself from the battlefield, then place yourself
adjacent to the first foe in that line, delivering a
massive blow. This ability has different effects
depending on their position on the line. If there
are no valid targets after rolling, the resolve cost
of this ability is refunded.
Roll [D] + fray damage once, then apply it the

number of times listed.
3-5 spaces: x2
6-7 spaces: x3
8 spaces: x4 and character is stunned.
Ultimate: ULTIMA CURTAIN CALL

After this ability resolves, summon half as many
bombs as your gamble result anywhere on the
battlefield.
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damage, then summon it in range 2 of that
Abilities character.
SPINNING TOP
CAVALIERE
1 action
1 action, Attack
Gamble
+1 boon
A blur of cape, a flash of color, the gleaming of
It is not enough to rudely and plainly strike your
blades.
foe down. One must make it entertaining.
Effect: Gamble, then dash that many spaces +2
Effect: Dash 3, then dash 1 space to the side of
in a whirling dance.
your movement. This movement ignores all
• You must move as far as possible before an
movement penalties and has phasing. However:
obstruction causes you to stop
• You must move if able
• You must make all movement in the same
• You must move as far as possible
direction.
• You cannot move diagonally during this
• You cannot move diagonally using this
movement.
movement
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray.
• However, you can interrupt spinning top with
Effect: Foe is dazed.
any number of other abilities without causing
Finishing Blow or Slay: Summon a bomb
the movement to end.
Effect: If you move the maximum distance rolled
Talents by Spinning top, gain evasion until the start of
I. If you pass through an ally or summon during your next turn.
this movement, deal bonus damage
II. Allies you pass through during this movement
Talents:
can dash 1.
I. You can always choose to dash 3 spaces with
spinning top after seeing your gamble result.
Mastery: PEGASO II. Charge: Spinning top becomes fly instead.
After Cavaliere resolves, you may fly 4.
Mastery: VORTICE DI FOLLIA
CARNEVALE If you triggered a slay effect during your turn
1 action before using spinning top, it becomes a free
Summon action.
Get the party started. DEATH

2 actions, Attack, Line 6
Summon: Summon two bombs in range 2. You
Unerring
may dash 1 after summoning each bomb.
Effect: If you end your turn without attacking,
A shard of Divine Death, summoned with a snap
you can then immediately gamble to detonate all
of the finger.
bombs.
Area effect: Gamble, then count the spaces out
from you along the line. The space rolled is the
Talents: attack space.
I. Fly 1 after summoning each bomb instead. Attack: Autohit: 2[D]+fray.
Charge: Fly 2 instead. Area Effect: fray
II. You can allow any ally in range 2 to dash 1 Finishing blow or Slay: Character explodes in a
before summoning a bomb instead. large blast area effect centered on them, dealing
fray damage.
Mastery: IL CAOS, LA MIA MUSA Special Effect: Death deals 999 divine damage
When you summon a bomb with this ability, you instead to your attack target if they are at 8 hp or
may bounce it it off a character in range, dealing 2 less.
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activated, gamble to see the effects, which stack.

Talents Then, the mine is destroyed, ending the terrain
I. If there’s a bloodied character in the area, roll effect.
1 more d6 and choose any result. • 1-3: Yourself and allies in the area fly 1. Foes
II. Slay: create a pit under your target, and take 2 damage.
summon a bomb in the pit. • 4-5: Foes are additionally blinded.
• 6: Yourself and allies also gain stealth.
Mastery: ULTIMA DEATH Finishing Blow: Foes take 2 damage, twice.
Increase death’s threshold to 16 hp or less.
Talents:
GALLOWS HUMOR I. Increase flight on yourself to 3
II. Dazed or Blinded foes activate the Finishing
1 action
Blow effect.
Stance, Power die
The power of Divine Death flows through you, Mastery: AMICO

empowering your strikes. You can throw the party favor at any character in
Stance: Set out a d6 power die, starting at 1. range instead, making it a mark. You can gamble
While in this stance: at the end of any turn after yours to detonate it,
• When this stance refreshes, or when you or an ending the mark and effect.
ally anywhere misses or is missed by an attack,
tick the die up by 1. Chapter 2
• When the die is at maximum, you may reset it to
1 when you or an ally uses an ability to empower
it. The ability deals bonus damage and triggers
MASQUERADE
Interrupt 1
any slay effects, hit or miss.
Refresh: This stance refreshes at the start of
The Fool knows how to move unseen, slipping
your turn.
through shifting faces and voices like a fish
through water.
Talents:
Trigger: An character uses an ability against you,
I. Gallows humor instantly ticks up to maximum and there’s a willing ally in range 3
if an ally is defeated anywhere. Effect: Swap places with your ally, teleporting
II. The empowered ability gains effect: deal 4 both of you, and the ability targets your ally
damage again to any target at 25% hp or instead. If you or your ally can’t make a valid
lower. teleport, this interrupt can’t be made.
Mastery: MAESTRIA MORTALE Talents:

While in this stance, all your abilities with an I. If you haven't acted yet this round, gain
action cost of 1 or 2 gain slay: all allies may dash evasion after swapping until the end of your
1, then foes adjacent to at least one ally that next turn.
dashed this way take 2 damage. II. Fly 1, then summon a bomb after swapping
PARTY FAVOR Mastery: HALL OF MIRRORS

1 action Masquerade has no maximum range.
Terrain effect
The Fool’s arsenal is deep, their mirth infinite,

DIABLO
1 action, Attack, Range 3, Small Blast
and their ability to turn nearly anything into an
+1 boon, Unerring
explosive is legendary..
Terrain effect: You throw an explosive mine
A snap of the finger summons the fool’s cross, the
into a free space in range 3. When any character
mark of the Laughing God, writ in hellish flames.
enters the space, the mine explodes with a
medium blast area effect centered on it. When
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Special: The attack space of this ability is your Talents:

choice of one of the four edge spaces of the blast. I. This dash gains phasing and ignores
Attack: On hit: [D]. Miss: 1 damage. movement penalties from terrain
Effect: Attack target is blinded. II. Before and after the dash, fly 1.
Area Effect: Deal 2 damage, once, to all foes in
the area for every foe or ally in end spaces of the Mastery: REVOLUTION
cross, including the attack space. You can take this interrupt three times a round.
Finishing Blow or Slay: Cross counts as having The second time you use it, the dash becomes just
+1 foe in an end space. 2 spaces, and the third time just 1 space.
Talents:
I. If you catch 2 or more foes or allies in the end
spaces of the cross, summon a bomb in the
center space if it is free.
II. Allies in the area can fly 1. Charge: Allies in
the area can fly 3.
Mastery: HELL FESTIVAL

You can also choose to end your turn, mark out
the area effect and gain delay: You must take a
slow turn next round. At the start of that turn, the
area explodes again, dealing [D] damage to all
characters within as an area effect, and
summoning a bomb adjacent to each foe in the
area.
Chapter 3
Death’s Apprentice: You can hold on to 2
stacked dice at once.
CHRONOTEMPER
1 action
Mark, Power die
Laugh at time itself.
Mark: Mark self or an ally in range 2. While

marked, that character can use the following
interrupt:
Cheat Time
Interrupt 1.
Trigger: The start or end of any turn other
than yours
Effect: Gamble, then the marked character
dashes a number of spaces equal to the
gamble result, 1 space at a time. Each time
they finish a dash, they may deal 2 damage to
an adjacent foe, but cannot damage the same
foe more than once in the same turn.
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Freelancer
Divine Punisher
Freelancers are free-roaming exorcists and hired guns, roaming the land and fighting blights, demons
and bandits in the name of justice. They tend to act as wild cards: highly independent, highly effective,
and sticking to their codes of honor.
Freelancers have their history in an ancient disgraced knightly order from one of the Seven Families of
the Thrynn. They each wield a bright metal six gun, a bow, or a long rifle with extreme skill, the bullets,
shot, or arrows of which they infuse with raw Aether drawn from their very souls. Each weapon is a
relic passed down from master to student over the years, and can only be won in a duel with another
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freelancer. The freelancer’s ultimate weapon is the Astral Chain, a holy gauntlet which they use to purge
and bind demons and rogue spirits into their service as Seraphim.

PLAYSTYLE listed conditions.
• Rebound - An ability that is rebounded can be
Freelancers are expert tempo fighters that prefer bounced off a character in range. The ability has
to fight around a certain range band and save no effect, but is instead redirected from that
their power for certain turns (the number 3 will be character’s space as the origin space, taking into
your friend). account cover, line of sight, and other similar
effects from their space. Any effects that apply
Attacking characters at exactly range 3 allows to the original user of the ability still apply to
freelancers and their bound seraph to lay down them (such as sacrificing hp, or moving).
withering punishment. To aid in this task, Rebound does not stack.
freelancers have a number of repositioning tools
for foes and allies, including Astral Binding, which
allows them to stack multiple marks and nudge
those marked characters around the battlefield to
get them into range.
Freelancers have numerous exceed effects and

automatically trigger these effects on round 3 and
6, allowing them to have explosive turns.
Freelancer’s limit break, Paradiso, creates a very

potent aura that powers up all abilities used by
you and allies, but can be turned off if foes get too
close.
Relevant Rules
effect that affects all characters specified within
range X of an origin point, usually a character.
Characters are only affected by an aura while
inside
• Cover - If a character has cover from an ability
with, it halves all damage from that ability.
engagement.
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there is free space to place all characters

Traits teleported inside the area when it is moved.
Bound Spirit: At the start of combat, you may
place your seraph in range 2 from you. This
summon persists even if you’re defeated.
Astral Seraph
Size 1, intangible, flying, skirmisher
Summon action: The seraph flies 3
Summon effect: Once a round, when you
score a Critical hit, trigger a Finishing Blow,
or trigger an Exceed effect, you may cause the
seraph to lash out against all foes at exactly
range 3 from the seraph, dealing 2 unerring
damage to them.
Aether Shot: Any attack made on the third and
sixth round of combat deals bonus damage and
triggers all exceed effects, hit or miss.
Trigrammaton: Your abilities used against foes
at exactly range 3 gain +1 boon on attack rolls and
unerring.
Astral Binding: You can stack up to two marks
on characters. As a free action, you can teleport
all characters marked by you 1 space.
Limit Break: PARADISO

1 action
3 resolve
Aura
You summon the spirit of your weapon, drawing

out the residual soul aether of every single one of
its previous users. Ghostly doubles of dozens of
your predecessors match your movements, and
create an aura of untold power.
Aura: You gain an aura of supernatural accuracy,

charging your weapons and the weapons of your
allies with aether.
You gain Aura 2 until the end of your next turn.

While standing in Paradiso, abilities used by you
or allies against foes outside of Paradiso trigger all
the following triggered effects: charge, collide,
comeback, chain reaction, exceed, finishing blow,
slay.
Ultimate: ULTIMA PARADISO

As a free action ability while Paradiso is active,
you can teleport yourself, all allies, and the area
itself to any other part of the battlefield, as long as
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I. While this mark is active, your attacks gain:
Abilities Exceed: tick the die up by 1.
II. If your target is defeated while marked by
exorcism, the projectiles scatter, dealing 2
STRAFE SHOT damage, once, per charge on the die to all foes
1 action, Attack, Range 3 in a large blast area effect centered on the foe.
+1 boon
Mastery: PURESILVER
Faster than a speeding bullet. If exorcism's target is defeated, you can cause the
Effect: You may dash 1 projectiles to fly and track a new target in range 3
Attack: On hit: [D]+ fray. Miss: fray. of you or the original target, transferring the mark
Effect: Your foe is blinded. and keeping the power die.
Effect: You may dash 1
Finishing blow or Exceed: Release a flurry of
fire, dealing 2 unerring damage to all foes at TRICK SHOT
exactly range 3 from you. 1 action
Talents: Shoot with your heart.

I. Exceed: Gain evasion until the start of your Effect: Your next ability with a listed range gains
next turn. unerring, +1 boon on attacks, and rebound.
II. Exceed: Dash 3 again Finishing blow: Gain stealth after the ability
resolves.
Mastery: PLATINUM CHAMBER
Strafe shot can interrupt and break up any Talents
movement you make without halting it. I. When Trick shot rebounds off an ally or
summon, you may teleport them 2.
EXORCISM II. After Trick shot rebounds, it causes phantom
1 action, Range 3 projectiles to split off, dealing 2 unerring
Mark, Power Die, Unerring damage to all foes at exactly range 3 from its
rebound target.
The mantra of the exorcist. Every bullet or arrow
shot is imbued with the soul aether of its master, Mastery: GOLDEN BULLET
and seeks its foe like a loyal hound. Trick Shot can cause an ability to rebound twice.
Mark: You mark a foe in range, with the The second bounce must be off a new character or
following effects: object in range 3 of the first.
• When you end your turn in range 3 from your
foe, or that foe ends their turn in range 3 of you, ASTRAL CHAIN
set out a d4 power die, starting at 1, or tick it up 2 actions, Attack, Range 3
by 1. Mark
• When you set out the die or tick it up, shoot a
projectile at your foe, dealing 2 damage. The With your heavenly chain skillfully whirling
projectile remains, hovering in the air, and through the air, you dispense divine justice.
tracking your foe. Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray.
• At the end of any turn the die is at maximum, Mark: Your foe is marked. While marked, at the
every projectile shot flies at your foe, dealing 2 start of your turn, if they are in range 3, they take
damage once for each charge on the die and 2 unerring damage from you as bolt of celestial
ending this effect and mark. lightning shoots between you. If they are at
Finishing Blow: When marking a bloodied foe, exactly range 3, increase damage to 2 damage,
immediately gain the die at 1 twice instead.
Finishing Blow or Exceed: You may fly 4
Talents:
Talents:
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I. While marked, gain evasion against your The world goes still, and is split by a bolt of
marked foe while they are in range 3. lightning.
II. While marked, all attacks from you or allies End your turn and gain Stance: When you take
against your marked foe may gain rebound this stance, or when it refreshes, you may dash 1
and deal bonus damage if they are rebounded. and your next attack triggers all exceed effects,
dazes your foe, and gains unerring.
Mastery: DIAMOND PUNISHER Refresh: Refresh this stance after you score a
While your foe is marked and in range 3 of you, finishing blow.
they must save if they attempt to move to any
space more than 3 spaces away from you. On a Talents
successful save, they can move as normal. On a I. If your attack target is at exactly range 3, they
failed save, they can’t consider any space further explode with a medium blast area effect
away than range 3 of you valid space to move to centered on them. Foes inside are dazed.
until the start of their next turn, then become II. If your attack target is at exactly range 3, you
immune to this effect for the rest of combat. may also teleport them 2 after the attack
resolves.
DEUS EX MACHINA
1 Action, Range 3 Mastery: HOT CHAMBER
Mark At round 4 or later, Ace becomes a free action to
enter if you have not used it yet this combat. It
When skillfully used, the astral chain can be used also refreshes automatically at the start of your
to maneuver in the blink of an eye. turn, and its dash increases to 3.
Mark: Mark and grapple on to a foe, ally, or
summon in range from you with an ethereal lasso Chapter 2
and gain the following interrupt while that
character is marked. You can take the interrupt
regardless of distance. SHOWDOWN
1 action, Range 3
Divine Intervention
With a glint in your eye, you zero in on a foe with
Interrupt 1
preternatural accuracy.
Trigger: The end of any turn
Effect: Choose a foe in range 3 and become
Effect: Teleport 2 towards the target or
immobile until the end of your current turn. At
teleport your target 1 towards you. The
the end of that foe’s next turn, if they’re in range 3
teleport must end with both of you closer
of you, you may dash 2, and the effect ends. If
together. Allies can choose whether to take
they’re at range 4 or higher, they take 2 unerring
this teleport.
damage from you twice, ignoring cover.
Finishing Blow: Deal 2 damage four times
Talents: instead.
I. Allies and summons can be teleported up to 4 Special: Showdown can be used as free action if
spaces instead you activated an exceed effect or scored a critical
II. Using this interrupt on a foe dazes or blinds hit this turn.
them (your choice).
Talents:
Mastery: Whip of the Thrones I. Each time you deal damage with showdown,
Gain stealth after marking your target. This you may teleport 1
interrupt does not break stealth, and while you II. When you activate showdown, gain stealth.
have stealth, it can be used +1 more time a round.
Mastery: QUENCH
ACE Terrain Effect: After activating showdown, you
1 actions may create a small blast terrain effect on you of
Stance, End Turn smoke. The area grants cover, and yourself and
allies exiting the area can gain stealth, but no
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more than once a round for each character. It lasts Effect: Allies are immune to damage from this
until created again. ability. If it passes through two or more allies,
automatically triggers all exceed effects.
WARDING BOLTS Finishing Blow or Exceed: Attack target
explodes with a large blast area effect placed
Interrupt 1, Range 3
centered on them. Foes inside take 2 damage and
are blinded. Blinded foes take 2 damage twice
You rapidly fire a massive barrage from your
instead.
weapon into the air. The projectiles hover in the
air like hunting eagles, waiting to strike.
Trigger: You score a critical hit or trigger an Talents:
exceed effect I. At round 4 or greater, Soul Shot considers all
Terrain Effect: You shoot out a flurry of characters in the line to be at exactly range 3
projectiles into the air, where they hover in place, II. At round 4 or greater, Soul Shot becomes Line
creating a small blast terrain effect in range, 6
which can overlap characters. Foes that start their
turn in the area that end their turn outside of the Mastery: GREAT ANGELOS
area are struck by a projectile, taking 2 unerring Allies Soul Shot passes through gain 3 vigor and
damage and dazing them. The area lasts until this may fly 3.
ability is used again.
Talents
I. You can consume the area as a free action to
disperse the bolts, dealing 2 unerring damage
to all foes at exactly range 3 from the center
space of the area, and ending the effect.
II. Marked foes take 2 damage, twice, instead.
Mastery: PHANTOM BOLTS

You can cause the area to hover around you as an
Aura 2 instead, which lasts for the rest of combat,
with the same effect as the default area. When this
ability triggers again, you may deal 2 unerring
damage to all foes in this aura instead of replacing
the aura.
Chapter 3
Divine Chamber: Your sixth round Aether Shell
also deals divine damage
SOUL SHOT
1 action, Attack, Line 3
+1 boon
The ultimate freelancer technique - using the soul

aether of their companions to supercharge astral
bullets.
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Foe is blinded.
Area effect: fray
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Shade
Nocturnal Assassin
Night-walkers, shadow-steppers, and masters of secret scroll arts, the Shades are spies, scouts, and
assassins of unparalleled skill. Their number forms a secret and deadly society of Shadow Clans spread
across Arden Eld, each practicing and refining the Night Venom Techniques. Joining the shades is
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presumed to be extremely difficult, but they tend to open their ranks to anyone that has been lost or
abandoned.
The legends say Shades make a deal with the Weeper, the dead titan queen of night and air, and drink
her tears, splitting their soul in two. Their shadow becomes animate, bestial and hungry. Over a week
and a day, they must fast and train their shadow to obey them, transforming them into agile and silent
warriors of the highest order. The Shades say the stories are rumors, and they get along with their
Darksides. They do have a tendency to appear when least expected, in uncanny and unsettling ways.
tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability

PLAYSTYLE that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
Shades are agile vagabonds that can easily • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
reposition themselves, foes, and allies to inflict cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
maximum carnage. Their shadow summons start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
create dangerous zones for foes and can grant transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
stealth to allies. Shades do more damage to below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
characters standing in adverse terrain, which have enough hp left.
includes shadows! They can also swap with these • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
shadows for additional mobility this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
• Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
Shades are excellent at teleporting, allowing character can only have one stance active at a
them to ignore foes and terrain completely, and time and can drop a stance by taking a new
have easy ways to blind their foes and inflict stance or as a free action at the start of their
finishing blows. turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
effects.
Shade’s limit break, Abyssal Ecstasy, is a low • Teleport - Special movement that allows you to
cost but very potent ability that completely shuts instantly move to unoccupied space within
down ranged attackers. range X.
Relevant Rules
• Dangerous Terrain - Entering or exiting a
dangerous terrain space causes a character to
take 2 piercing damage. Characters can only
take this damage once a turn.
• Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of
movement to exit.
• Pit: One level of elevation lower than its base
space

objects, or characters.
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Traits Summons
Shadow Arts: You have phasing and are
immune to blinded. Many shade abilities summon shadows or create
Underworld: Abilities used against foes in pits, shadow clouds. Shadows can be summoned in
difficult, or dangerous terrain gain unerring and free space in range 2, unless a higher range is
deals bonus damage. specified. You can have a maximum of six active
Darkside: When you first vacate a space on your shadows, and any number of shadow clouds.
turn, you may leave a shadow.
Meld: Once a round, before or after using any Shadow
ability on your turn, you can swap places with any Size 1, intangible.
shadow in range 3, teleporting. Summon effect: The shadow can share space
other characters, and has different effects on foes
and allies:
Limit Break: ABYSSAL • If a foe enters the shadow’s space for any reason
or starts their turn there, it it consumed, dealing
ECSTASY 2 damage to them, disappearing and turning
into a shadow cloud
1 Action
• If a yourself or an ally enters the shadow’s
2 Resolve
space, it is consumed. It disappears and grants
them stealth.
A prayer and a drop of blood, and soothing
darkness cloaks the battlefield.
Shadow Cloud
Effect: Yourself, all allies, and allied summons
Terrain effect
gain stealth, and all foes are blinded.
Difficult terrain. While inside this terrain space,
characters are blinded+. You are immune to these
Ultimate: ULTIMA ECSTASY effects.
Summon shadows adjacent to all allies.
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Mastery: BONE RAVEN TECHNIQUE

Abilities This effect can trigger twice a round by default
instead.
UMBRA
1 action, Attack, Range 3
DEATH BLOSSOM
+1 boon, combo 2 actions, Attack, Range 2, Burst 1
Unerring
By the power of darkness.
Effect: You may teleport 3 From beneath a cloak, out from flying sleeves, or
Attack: On hit: [D]+ fray. Miss: fray. hidden in coils of hair - infinite blades. One more
Effect: Your foe is blinded. sweep, and shadowy bolts of cloth cut through
Finishing Blow: Summon a shadow adjacent to your foes like razors.
your target. Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray.
Area Effect: fray
Finishing Blow: After this ability resolves,
Talents:
create a pit under your attack target. The pit is
I. Slay: Gain defiance.
also a shadow cloud.
II. You can sacrifice 2 or consume a shadow in
range 2 of you to gain a combo token after
COMBO: FLYING SLEEVES
using this move.
Area becomes Arc 4
Effect: If you catch an ally or allied summon in
COMBO: PENUMBRA
the area, you and your allies are immune to this
Teleport your foe up to 3 spaces towards you
ability’s damage and effects, and you may extend
instead of teleporting yourself. A foe can save to
the area effect to arc 8.
avoid this effect. Blinded foes fail this save.
Talents:
Mastery: DEVIL FROG TECHNIQUE
I. Finishing Blow: Teleport all characters in the
Increase Umbra and Penumbra’s range to 6 and it
area 1.
gains unerring.
II. Slay: Teleport 2, then throw knives, dealing 2
damage to up to three foes in range 3.
HARROW
1 Action, Range 3 Mastery: SHUKUCHI
Mark You can teleport 2 spaces before and after using
this ability.
You mark your foe with a dire seal. Shadowy
tendrils reach out from an unknown space and
jerk them like a puppet.
NIGHTMARE
Mark: Flick an umbral seal at a character in 1 action, Range 2
range 3, marking them. While marked, once a Summon, Aura
round when you teleport, you can also teleport the
marked character 1 spaces and deal 2 damage to Draw out a fragment of true darkness, roaming
them if they’re a foe. and hunting for warmth.
Finishing Blow: When marking a bloodied Summon: Summon 2 shadows in range 2.
character, immediately trigger the effect, ignoring Effect: Until the start of your next turn, you gain
the round limit aura 2. You may consume a shadow in the aura
when you or any ally in the aura is targeted by an
attack to grant evasion against that attack.
Talents:
I. At the start of your turn, you may teleport to
any space in range 2 of your target Talents
II. You can also sacrifice 2 or consume a shadow I. When you summon a shadow, you or an ally
in range 2 of you when marking a foe to also or allied summon in range 2 may teleport 1.
create a pit under them.
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II. While Umbra’s effect is active, you or allies I. While in this stance, your abilities gain slay:
can rebound abilities off shadows in the aura. summon a shadow. This effect can only
Doing so consumes the shadow, removing it. trigger once a round.
II. While in Umbral Echo, you have phasing and
Mastery: HELL CENTIPEDE TECHNIQUE entering the space of shadows always costs a
Gain effect: until the start of your next turn, maximum of 1 movement.
when a shadow is consumed in the aura, you may
also create a pit in or adjacent to its space. Mastery: BUNSHIN
Gain the following interrupt while in this stance:
SHADOW PLAY Soul Proxy
1 action, Range 2 Interrupt 1
Trigger: You take damage from a foe.
Using forbidden scroll techniques, you confuse Effect: End this stance, consume and remove all
the senses of foes and allies alike. shadows in range 2 of you, and immediately gain
Effect: Choose a character other than yourself in defiance against the incoming damage. Deal 2
range, then a different character other than damage, once, to the triggering foe for each
yourself in range 3 of that character. Swap their shadow consumed this way. You cannot take this
places, removing and placing them. Allies stance again for the rest of combat.
swapped gain stealth. Foes swapped are dazed.
Finishing Blow: Repeat the effect. Chapter 2
ASSASSINATE
Talents:
1 action, Range 3
I. If you swap two foes, you may then teleport End turn
them 1 after this ability resolves.
II. If you swap two allies, one of them can gain You step through the air, emerging from the
evasion until the start of their next turn. shadow of your foe, where they find only
gleaming knives.
Mastery: PALE RAT TECHNIQUE End your turn and choose a foe in range. At the
At round 4 or later in combat, Shadow Play end of that foe’s turn, as long as they’re in range 3,
becomes a free action teleport to any space adjacent to them and deal 2
damage, three times to them and inflict blinded.
UMBRAL ECHO Reduce this damage to just 2 damage if they have
1 action an adjacent ally. Then, you may kick off them and
Stance, power die fly 2.
You split echoes of your soul into clones that Talents:

overlay your movements. I. If you’re in stealth, increase all ranges by +2,
Stance: You create shadowy copies of yourself, and doesn’t break stealth.
granting a d4 power die, starting at 2. If the die II. While you’re holding assassinate, you have
ticks down to 0, end this stance. While in this evasion.
stance:
• When you use an ability that targets a foe, you Mastery: THOUSAND YEAR LIZARD
may trigger any finishing blow effects of that
TECHNIQUE
ability, then tick the die down by 1.
At round 4 or later, you can choose two foes with
• After you tick the die down, you may teleport 1
this ability. Trigger its effects in any order.
Refresh: Refresh this stance if you end your turn
with no foes adjacent. When you do, tick the die
up by 1. NOCTURNE
Interrupt 1
Talents:
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You capture a thin silver thread of spilled life Talents:

force of a foe and use it to tear open a space of I. Incubus gains range 3. If you make it from
night and cold. stealth, gains range 5.
Trigger: You trigger a finishing blow effect II. Incubus deals bonus damage for every ally of
Terrain Effect: Mark a small blast centered on your target adjacent to your target
that character, then create a terrain effect in the
area. All spaces of this terrain effect are shadow Mastery: TOXIC WIDOW TECHNIQUE
clouds. This area lasts until this ability is used Incubus’ mark stacks with other marks. You may
again. mark any number of characters with Incubus.
When a character takes damage from an Incubus
Talents: mark, you may also mark them.
I. While Nocturne is active, you may teleport up
to 2 spaces in or out of the area as a free
action.
II. You may sacrifice 2 when the area is created
to increase the size of the area to medium
blast, or sacrifice 4 to increase it to large blast.
Mastery: TRAP DOOR SPIDER TECHNIQUE

You can weave shadow magic when the area is
created to teleport any characters in range 2 of
you into any free space inside the area, as long as
there is room for that character.
Chapter 3
Umbral soul: Once a round, one of your allies
can swap places with any of your shadows before
or after using any ability, teleporting.
INCUBUS
1 action, Attack
Mark, +1 boon, Combo
The thirteenth scroll art, a void-sheathed blade

that cuts away at the aether of the very soul,
leaving a cut that creates slashed darkness.
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage.
Mark: Mark your foe. While marked, if any foe
ends their turn adjacent to your marked foe, or
your foe ends their turn adjacent to any other foe,
then both the target and any adjacent foes take 2
damage and are dazed. This effect can only trigger
once per round.
Finishing blow: Immediately trigger the mark
effect, ignoring the round limit.
COMBO: SUCCUBUS
Instead of the mark, gain Effect: deal 3 damage
to all characters marked by Incubus, and teleport
them 2.
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Umbra
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Warden
Friend to Beast and Bough
The Wardens are the protectors and keepers of the Deep Green, the old and untamed parts of Arden Eld,
lorded over by the beasts and the ancient trees. They are both the keepers and the servants of the herd
and root, tending to their health, and culling them when it becomes necessary. They sleep under the
stars and make their home under bough and root, making staunch allies of the ferocious beasts of the
deep wilds through a combination of rigorous training and mutual respect. Their fierce defense of the
wild sometimes puts them at odds with civilization, which they tend to have a distaste for.
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Wardens are the keepers of the green kenning, the old ranger arts, that allow one to travel noiselessly,
hide in plain sight, live off the land, and become immune to even the most deadly of toxins. They are
solitary and powerful fighters. It is not uncommon for a Warden on a long sojourn to go without
speaking the tongue of Kin for years at a time.
PLAYSTYLE Relevant Rules

Wardens are masters of the wild that summon dangerous terrain space causes a character to
beasts with their actions. Beasts prowl around take 2 piercing damage. Characters can only
the battlefield until activated and have a high take this damage once a turn.
range. Activating a lot of them at once can • Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of
pummel a foe with a lot of damage, but requires movement to exit.
good positioning, which they can achieve with a
small number of shove effects. • Charge - A triggered effect that activates when
Wardens get a lot of benefits out of stealth, and • Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on any
numerous ways to enter it with finishing blows. character shoved into an obstruction by this
They also have a large number of charge effects, ability.
allowing them to take stock of the battlefield • Cover - If a character has cover from an ability
before acting. with, it halves all damage from that ability.
The dashes granted by Wardens are especially through, but not end your turn in, terrain,
potent and can help move allies or summons objects, or characters.
around the battlefield faster. Warden’s Limit • Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
Break, Lycanthropy, grants a powerful suite of spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
benefits to their dash and allows your entire team would move into another character’s space, an
to become much more mobile. object, or into a higher elevation space, they
• Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except
from an adjacent space. Breaks on using any
ability other than dash or standard move.
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Traits Summons
Beast Master: At the start of every combat,
summon a great beast in range 2, a trained Many warden abilities summon beasts. When a
animal companion. This summon persists even if beast is summoned, it can be summoned in any
you’re defeated. free space in range 2 unless a different range is
Great Beast listed. Beasts can be summoned in free space in
Size 1, intangible range 2, unless a higher range is specified. You
Summon Action: Once during your turn, can have a maximum of six active beasts
your beast can dash up to 2 spaces, then may
deal 2 damage to an adjacent foe and shove 1. Beast
Charge: Repeat the action. Size 1, intangible.
Path of the Aesi: While you have stealth the Summon Action: All beasts can dash 1
dash action becomes a free action. space at the start of your turn.
Ambush master: Your abilities made from Summon Effect: When you or an ally ends
stealth ignore cover, and deal bonus damage. any movement adjacent to a beast’s space, you
Green Kenning: You and your summons ignore may cause the beast to pounce at a foe in
all movement penalties from terrain. Any time range 3. That character takes unerring
you grant a dash, it also gains this benefit. damage equal to their distance from the beast
(1-3). Then remove the beast.
LIMIT BREAK:
LYCANTHROPY
3 Resolve
1 action, Divine
You muster up the primal magic of the Deep

Green. The power of fang, tooth scale, fur, and
claw pours into you, granting you massively
increased speed and power.
You become a beast hybrid of primal fury. You
gain a greatly enhanced dash, with the following
benefits:
• Dash always becomes a free action.
• All dashes granted as part of any of your
abilities, summons, or actions (including this
one!) may be increased by +1, and grant
phasing while moving.
• When you take the dash action, all allies and
allied summons can dash 1. Then, any foe
adjacent to one or more characters that dashed
this way takes 2 damage.
Ultimate: ULTIMA LYCANTHROPY
When you shape change, you can also allow allies

to partly shift. The first two effects from
Lycanthropy affect all allied characters.
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Mastery: GREAT GWYNT

Abilities Increase dashes and ranges by +1, and the effect
can be used on an additional ally or allied
APEX summon in range.
+1 boon CIRCLE THE OAK
2 actions, Attack
Your strike is a clarion call to the forest, the
plains, and the deep places of the Green, bringing Ten palm strikes with the heel of the hand or the
forth their denizens to fight for you. haft of the axe will shatter even the most
Attack: On hit: [D]+ fray. Miss: fray. tenacious bark.
Effect: Foe is dazed. Effect: Dash 2
Effect: Summon a beast in an adjacent space to Attack: On hit: 2[D]. Miss: 1 damage.
your target after the attack resolves. Effect: If you’re adjacent to your foe, dash in a
Finishing blow or Charge: Summon one more full circle clockwise through every adjacent space
beast, then gain stealth. to your foe, phasing through allies or allied
summons, or as far as possible until stopped.
Talents: Each time you pass through an ally or summon’s
I. Terrain effect: You can replace any beast you space, deal fray damage to your foe, up to a
summon with a space of dangerous terrain maximum of four times. Stop if you would enter
instead. the space of a foe or obstruction.
II. If you attack a foe at exactly range 3, this Finishing Blow or Charge: Increase initial
ability gain unerring and you may shove your dash to 5. After the ability resolves, you may shove
foe 1 in any direction after this ability resolves. your foe 2.
Mastery: LOADED QUIVER Talents:

If you end your turn without attacking, the next I. Allies you pass through with Circle the Oak
time you use Apex, summon +1 more beasts, and may dash 1 after this ability resolves.
deal 2 damage, once, to your target for every beast II. If you passed through two or more allies or
you summon. allied summons, also gain evasion until the
end of your next turn.
GWYNT
1 action Mastery: TIMBER SPLIT
Enemies no longer stop this move, and you may
With catlike reflexes, you pounce, spurring allies phase through their spaces. Enemies you pass
to action. through are shoved 1, take fray damage, and are
Effect: Dash up to 2 spaces, then deal 2 damage dazed.
to an adjacent foe.
Effect: An ally or allied summon in range 3 of MIST STRIDER
your foe may also dash 2. If that puts them 1 action, Range 3
adjacent to your target, they also deal 2 damage to Terrain effect, Summon
them.
Finishing blow or Charge: You and all chosen Call on the beasts of the deep mists and rains,
allies or summons gain stealth after this ability whose form is shadow and water.
resolves. Terrain effect: Create small blast misty cloud in
free space in range, with the following effects:
Talents: • The spaces of the area always cost a maximum
I. If made from stealth, increase the dashes and of 1 movement for you and allies to move across,
range of this ability by +1 and characters have phasing while moving this
II. You and your ally or summon may each shove way.
your target 1 space. • Foes inside are blinded+
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Clouds created with this ability last until this shove. When it ends its movement, they hop off
ability is used again. and must place themselves in an adjacent space,
Charge: Create a second cloud. or as close as possible.
Summon: At the start of your turn, you can
consume a cloud as a free action to condense it STRENGTH OF THE PACK
into a fey creature, summoning a beast in any of 2 actions
its spaces and ending this effect. Stance, aura
Talents: Your senses sync with those of the herd, and you
I. Once a round, when you enter or exit the area, strike as one.
you can gain stealth. Stance: In this stance, gain aura 2.
II. Foes in the area count all characters as having • When entering this stance, or when it refreshes,
evasion. summon a beast in free space in the aura, then
you and all allies and summons in the aura may
Mastery: RIVER GUARDIANS dash 1 space.
This ability creates a beast inside when an area is • Foes in the aura take +1 damage from
created. Foes that start their turn inside the area summons.
that end their turn outside of it take 2 damage and Refresh: Refresh this stance at the start of your
are dazed. turn.
Special: While adjacent to 3 or more summons,
STAMPEDE the action cost of this ability is reduced to 1.
1 action, Range 4
Mark, summon Talents:
I. When you first enter this stance, increase the
With a bellow or a clenched fist, you summon an dash granted to 4.
immense spirit to pound your enemies. II. While you have three or more summons in
Mark: You mark a foe in range. Once a round, at this aura, you have evasion.
the end of that foe’s turn, a rampaging spirit
beast, charges in from any edge of the battlefield. Mastery: Cú Chulainn
Create a line area effect drawn from the edge of Strength of the pack becomes a free action at
the battlefield that includes your foe. The beast round 4 or later and its aura affects the entire
charges down the line until it enters an adjacent battlefield.
space to your foe, shoving all characters 1 to
either side of the line.
Summon: Then the beast deals 2 damage to your Chapter 2
foe, shoves them 1, then coalesces into a real
creature, becoming a beast summon. UNDERWAY
Collide or Charge: Foes affected take 2 damage 1 action
after this ability resolves. Terrain effect
Talents: You open the greenways to your allies, allowing

I. When you trigger a finishing blow on a foe, them to step the branch-paths and cross
you may transfer the mark to them as a free distances in an instant.
action. Terrain Effect: Create a leafy portal object in a
II. If the beast passes through two or more free adjacent space. At the end of your turn, create
characters before reaching your foe it deals 4 another portal in a free adjacent space. Portals
damage and shoves them 2 instead. last until this ability is used again. Portals don’t
provide obstruction and can’t stack or be stacked
Mastery: LORD OF THE STEPPE on other objects.
Yourself and allies can ride the beast if it passes Underway
through their space, removing themselves from Size 1 object
the battlefield instead of taking damage and Object Effect: As a free action ability, you
and allies can teleport from any space
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adjacent to an underway to a free adjacent

space to any other underway. This ability does
not interrupt movement or other action. Chapter 3
Charge: Summon a beast each time you create
an underway this turn. Deep Stealth: While in stealth, you cannot be
directly targeted at all, even from adjacent spaces.
Talents:
I. While you have stealth, you can create a third SIDHE
underway at any point during your turn as a 1 action, attack
free action. This underway is replaced if Melee, +1 boon
created again.
II. When you create an underway, you may create Dip your weapons in the toxins of the deadliest
up to three spaces of leafy difficult terrain in creatures to roam the deep green. Mere
adjacent spaces. Allies adjacent to underways preparation of this technique requires years of
have cover. ritual, patience, and training.
Attack: On hit: [D]. Miss: 1 damage.
Mastery: BALE PORTAL Effect: Your foe is blinded.
Foes that are shoved into portals or that end their Effect: Your target is injected with a catalyzing
turn adjacent to an underway can be teleported to toxin. At the end of their next turn, they take 6
any free space adjacent to any other underway. A damage. Reduce this damage to 3 if they end that
foe can pass a save to avoid it, and can only be turn adjacent to an ally. Then, this effect ends.
successfully teleported this way once a round. Finishing Blow or Charge: Shove your target 2
Bloodied foes fail the save.
Talents:
MORRIGAN I. Also create a space of dangerous terrain
adjacent to your foe after the effect expires.
1 action
II. When the effect expires, your foe explodes
Delay
with a medium blast area effect, dealing 2
damage to all other characters within.
You call in the winged warriors of the sky to
smite your foes.
End your turn and gain Delay: Your next turn Mastery: Great fume poison
must be slow. At the start of that turn, you While the toxin’s effect is active, your foe treats all
summon a massive flock of winged beasts that other characters as having cover, evasion and
lashes out at all characters in range 2. Yourself, dodge. This effect turns off while they are
allies, and allied summons in range can dash 2, adjacent to an ally.
then gain stealth. Foes in range are shoved 2, and
are blinded.
Collide: Summon a beast.
Talents:
I. While holding Morrigan, you have cover and
ranged attacks against you take +1 difficulty.
II. After Morrigan resolves, some of the winged
creatures linger, creating two spaces of
dangerous terrain in range 2.
Mastery: DARK WING

After Morrigan resolves, you can redirect the
flock, creating a small blast terrain effect in range
3. The are is dangerous terrain for foes, and allies
in the area have cover. It lasts until this effect is
repeated.
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MENDICANT
Wandering Healer and Storyteller
Strengths: Strong all-rounders, with many potent effects and the ability to heal allies and lift statuses
Weaknesses: Low damage and reliant on allies
Complexity: High
Mendicants are the itinerant priests, exorcists, and healers of Arden Eld. They travel from town to town,
healing sicknesses of the body and soul, cleansing the damage dealt by the ruins, consulting with local
spirits, and setting up wards against evil. Many mendicants are highly learned scholars, but others come
from folk practices, temple monks, green witch circles, or town priesthoods. They are a highly diverse lot,
and attuned to the land and the people that they care for.
Mendicants are the only class that can consistently grant vigor and lift statuses with the potent cure
effect. They protect allies and guide their attacks with the Sealed and Pacified statuses, while making
use of powerful combos, auras, and marks to stack negative effects on foes while empowering allies.
Mendicants aren’t weak or strong against any particular type of foe, but have different strengths and
weaknesses depending on job. This can make then a little more complex than other jobs.
TRAITS: Special Mechanic:

Diaga (1 action): Cure a character in range 4. (A BLESSING
character that’s cured gains 4 vigor, or a vigor Certain actions give characters a Blessing token.
surge if they are bloodied. Then, they can A character can spend a blessing when making a
immediately save agains all statuses, ending save to gain +1 boon on that save.
them on a success.)
Bless (1 action): Grant a blessing token to a All Mendicant jobs also have different,
character in range 4. alternative ways to spend blessings tokens.
Succor: Mendicants may use Rescue to bring up All blessings are discarded at the end of combat.
a defeated ally at range 4 instead of adjacent.
Blessings are not unique (they don’t ‘belong’ to a
Class Statistics character) and as long as a character has blessings
from anyone, they can use them for any effects
that require blessing tokens, though only one type
VIT: 10 of blessing at once.
HP: 40
Defense: 8 Mendicant Gambit:
Speed: 4 (Dash 2) If you take a Mendicant Ability as a non-
Fray damage: 3 Mendicant job, you gain this class’ Bless action.
Damage: D6
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can only have one combo token at once, and

MOST RELEVANT RULES discard all tokens at the end of combat.
Combo versions of abilities are often more potent

Statuses
or offer different ways to use abilities, but
Mendicants specialize in the sealed and pacified
require you to plan your turn out somewhat.
statuses.
Combo versions of an ability count as the same
ability, so they can’t be used in the same turn.
Sealed However, combos carry over between turns, so
Character cannot inflict statuses while sealed. you can end a turn with a base version of an
action and open up the next turn with a combo
Statuses are common and nasty ways for foes to version.
harm your allies. Sealed completely shuts them
down, and prevents them from building up. MARK
Place your mark on a specific character. You can
PACIFIED only place one mark at a time on each enemy or
Character deals half damage. Breaks on taking ally and each ability can only place one mark. If
damage from a foe’s ability. you place a new mark on a character with a mark
from you, you can choose which to keep or which
Pacified is a strong status that can prevent foes to discard.
from dealing damage, but is easy to break. Use it
to isolate foes you won’t be dealing with for a Each mark ability can only be placed on one
while. character at a time, and you can’t mark a
character with more than one mark ability.
Other effects Marks have more value the earlier you place
them in a combat and are hard for foes to
Mendicants make heavy use of Cure, Auras, remove.
Combos, and Marks.
CURE
A character that’s cured gains vigor 4, or a vigor
surge if bloodied. Then, that character may save
against all statuses, ending them on a success.
AURA X
This ability is a continuous, ongoing effect that
affects all characters within range X of a
character, including that character. Characters are
only affected by an aura while inside
Auras often grant powerful effects but require

good positioning - and for you to be close by for
them to have their best effect. The effects from
auras can’t be purged as long as foes remain
inside which can make them hard to get rid of.
COMBO
Actions with Combo have two versions, a base
version and combo version. When you use the
base ability, gain a combo token. Any time you use
a combo ability and have a token, you use the
combo version instead, discarding the token . You
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Chanter
Songweaver of the Great Chant
Descending from numerous holy orders that have their roots high in the chronicler monasteries, the
chanters are part singer, part storyteller, and part priest. At the time of the Doom, when all knowledge
was deemed lost and everything put to page was transformed into ash, the only thing that persisted was
the power of song, poetry, and the spirit of survival. A select order of priests committed all the great and
necessary knowledge of Kin to memory, creating a single, continuous song, known as the Great Chant.
In myths, stories, and histories, they recorded the knowledge of the ancients, transforming it into
liturgy.
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The Chant performed its role, and it was through its power that the early bands of Kin survived and
persevered through the darkest days. Today, however, it is so archaic, convoluted, and long that many
dispute the meaning of its dogma, though none can deny its value as a mythic text. The Old Church of
the chroniclers has splintered into factions that mostly squabble over its meaning and try to draw some
angle from its numerous and sometimes contradictory adaptions into holy texts.
Nevertheless, the Chant still holds power - real, tangible power - to heal, mend, and uplift. There are still
those that take to the road and use its awesome power for good, ringing the bells of awakening and
purification, as they sing to victory.

• Pit: Terrain space that counts as 1 space lower
than the base space.
Chanters are masters of weaving combos. Their
grace trait allows them to gain or lose a combo • Aura X: This ability is a continuous, ongoing
token, allowing them to ‘reset’ combos or easily effect that affects all characters specified within
use a combo version of an ability. When they use range X of an origin point, usually a character.
combos, they can easily bless allies. Utilizing grace Characters are only affected by an aura while
requires taking slow turns, which also power up a inside
lot of chanter’s potent charge effects, effects they • Auto-hit - This attack doesn’t make an attack
can also trigger on themselves or allies by stacking roll but always scores a hit (not critical hit or
blessings. miss).
Chanter has a lot of ways to grant flight, and a lot the ability is used on a slow turn.
of ways to create pits, which flying allies can • Combo - Actions with Combo have two
ignore. They are good at rearranging positioning versions, a base version and combo version.
and can directly remove characters and place When you use the base ability, gain a combo
them, which allows them to ignore nasty effects token. Any time you use a combo ability and
that trigger on movement such as rampart or have a token, you use the combo version
vigilance. instead, discarding the token . You can only
have one combo token at once, and discard all
Chanter’s limit break, March of the Saints, tokens at the end of combat.
powers up one ally at a time with a suite of effects. • Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically
Picking the order for the march can be important! ends your turn. When you use a delay effect,
your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at
the start of that turn, before anything else
happens.
• Divine - Damage cannot be reduced or negated
in any way except immunity. (ignores armor,
resistance, defiance, and bypasses vigor).
engagement.
• True strike - Ignores dodge, blind, evasion,
and stealth
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TRAITS
Blessing of Faith: Yourself and allies may
spend a blessing token when using an ability to
gain True Strike on that ability and fly 2 before
using it. If they spend 3 tokens, the ability also
triggers any charge effects.
Songweave: You are a mastery of weaving spell-
songs together. You can spend a combo token as
part of any ability to activate all the charge effects
of that ability, even on a regular turn. If that
ability was a combo, perform its base version
instead of its combo version.
Divine Grace: Once a round, when you gain or
spend a combo token, you may fly 2, then Bless
yourself or an ally in range 3 of you.
Uplift: The first time a round you use any ability
that allows you to fly, all allies can fly 1.
Limit Break: March of

the Saints
2 resolve
1 action, Stance
You sing of the deeds of the first heroes, from the

Doom. The Great Chant weaves around your
allies and transforms them into echoes of those
mighty heroes.
Stance: You begin weaving an epic song, a saga
of legendary heroes. When you take this action,
and when this stance refreshes, you may invest an
ally in range 5 with the power of one of the great
saints. Each saint must be chosen at least once
before it can be chosen again. The effect takes
place immediately and lasts until the end of their
next turn.
Refresh: This stance refreshes automatically at
the start of your turns.
• Parzival: An allied character gains flying and
cover from all directions.
• Leon: An allied character gains dodge and the
ability to move diagonally
• Angrboda: An allied character gains sturdy,
and their attacks gain true strike and shove 1
• Farnese: An ally gains 1 blessing and +1 boon
on all attacks and saves.
Ultimate: DIVINE INVESTMENT

You also gain the benefit of any chosen saint,
lasting until the end of your next turn.
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Effect: An ally in range 5 is blessed and may fly 4.

Abilities For every foe or ally they pass over during this
movement, they gain 2 vigor.
HOLY
1 action, Attack, Range 5 Talents:
Combo I. When an ally ends any movement from this
ability, they can shove all adjacent characters
You ring the bell of purity and a tone rings out 1.
that soothes the peaceful and chastises the II. You can fly 1, then shove an adjacent character
violent. A second ring from the bell shatters the 1 when granting movement from this ability.
tone from the first, breaking open the earth.
Effect: Foe is pacified Mastery: FANTASIA
Effect: Cure a character in range 2 of that foe. Gain an alternate combo ability. You can choose
Charge: Grant 3 vigor to all other characters of this ability or Fleet when you spend a token:
your choice in range 2 of your foe.
Combo: FANTASIA
Combo: HADES 2 actions
Gains True Strike and Medium Blast Effect: Remove an ally in range 5 from the
Attack: Autohit: Fray damage battlefield. Return them to the battlefield in their
Area Effect: Fray damage original location or as close as possible at the start
Terrain Effect: Create a pit under your target of their turn, then they may fly 1.
Special: Reduce the action cost of this ability by 1
Talents for every two blessing tokens your target has,
I. After Hades resolves, gamble, then all pits in down to a minimum of a free action.
the area explode for a medium blast area
effect, centered on them. Area effect: PANDAEMONIUM
characters in at least one area take damage 2 actions, Attack, Range 5, Medium Blast
equal to half the gamble result. Combo
II. You may fly 1 before using Holy, or 3 when
charged. You sing a passage of the days of chaos and
battle, where the tumult of the battlefield was like
Mastery: MAGNASANCTI the churning of the sea, and divine lightning
Holy creates a small blast terrain effect after scathed the land.
resolving. Only one of these areas can be placed at Attack: Autohit: [D]+fray
once. Allies have flying in the area, and allies that Area Effect: Remove all characters in the area,
end their turn in the area may gain 2 vigor. then place them back in any other space in the
area.
Charge: Increase area to Large Blast, and allies
FELICITY in the area gain 4 vigor.
1 Action, Range 5
Mark, combo
Combo: PURGATORIO
Attack: Autohit: [D]+fray
You ring the bell of fleeting guardians, and an
Area Effect: Fray
ally feels their step lifted by invisible wings.
Effect: All pits in the area explode for a medium
Mark: Mark an ally in range. That character
blast area effect, centered on them. Area effect:
gains a blessing and can fly 2. Whenever you
fray damage.
spend a combo token, your marked character can
Effect: Create a pit under the attack target
fly 2.
Charge: That ally gains two blessings instead.
Talents:
I. After Pandaemonium resolves, gamble. Shove
Combo: FLEET
all characters affected 1 space in any direction.
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On a 4+, shove them 1 again. On a 6, shove

them 1 again. Combo: DAWN
II. Purgatorio’s damage does not break pacified Effect: Gain aura 1 until the end of your next
and its effect causes pits to appear under every turn. While in the aura, yourself and allies gain +1
pacified foe. boon on saves and can save to end statuses and
other effects at the start of your turns instead of
Mastery: DULCE PURGATORIO the end.
This ability deals bonus damage.
Pandaemonium’s area effect and Purgatorio’s pit Talents:
explosion effect extend to all pits on the I. A swirling aura 1 of winds surrounds you after
battlefield. taking this ability until the start of your next
turn, granting you and allies inside counter.
ARIA II. Before you use this ability, you can cause a
1 action wind blast, shoving all adjacent foes 1 and
True Strike, delay dealing 2 damage to them.
You pose, then deliver a striking performance Mastery: BEACON OF HOPE

that resonates through the soul. You can empower this ability to gain both effects
End your turn and gain delay: your next turn at once and automatically activate their charge
must be slow. At the start of that turn, you deliver effects. This also counts as spending a combo
a stunning performance, affecting a small blast token, though you don’t actually need to spend
area effect centered on you. Foes in the area one. If you empower the ability this way, it cannot
take fray damage twice and are sealed. Sealed or be used for the rest of combat.
Pacified foes are shoved 1. Allies in the area are
cured. SYMPHONY
Special: If you are damaged by a foe’s ability 2 actions
before the start of that turn, the area becomes a True Strike
medium blast. If you are damaged again, it
becomes a large blast. You ring the bell of thresholds, creating
crystalline fragments of the ancient power that
Talents: courses through the Chant.
I. You may fly 1 when Aria’s special effect Terrain Effect: Remove up to four blessings
triggers. from characters anywhere to create pulsing motes
II. If Aria’s special effect triggers twice, gain of energy that descend, creating terrain spaces in
defiance and also become unstoppable until free space on the map. None can be placed
the start of your turn. adjacent to each other or overlap.
• Any character that enters an affected space or
Mastery: POWER CHORD starts their turn there detonates the mote,
At round 4 or later, Aria gains charge: free removing it and creating a small blast explosion
action. as an area effect, centered on them. Foes inside
take fray damage, and allies inside gain 2 vigor.
• If the character was yourself or an ally, they are
DERVISH
blessed and can fly 1. If that character was a foe,
1 action, Range 4
they also have a pit created under them.
Combo
Charge: Create +2 more spaces.
You sing of the comfort of companions, and the
dawn that surely will follow. Talents
Effect: You fly 1, then whisk an ally in range away I. When motes explode, they deal 2 damage
with powerful winds, removing them from the again to all foes inside and shove them 1 away
battlefield and placing them in any space adjacent from the center space if at least one other
to you. mote was already exploded this turn.
Charge: Choose a second ally
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II. Allies are cured after detonating their second described course of action from the song passage
mote in the same turn. are blessed at the end of their turn they complete
it and may fly 2. Characters can only fulfill this
Mastery: CRESCENDO condition once per song.
If you create four or more motes with this ability, Charge: Roll one extra d6 when gambling and
you can create a mote in range 5 as a free action choose any result.
as part of ending your turn for the rest of combat.
This effect does not stack. 1. A Tale of Fury: Reduce a character to 0 hp
or reduce them below 50% hp if above.
2. A Tale of Travels: Move more than 4 spaces
Chapter 2 from your starting point on your turn
3. A Tale of Green and Pleasant Times: Do
GENTLENESS not attack
1 action, Stance 4. A Tale of Cunning: Use an interrupt
5. A Tale of Boon Companions: End your
You radiate an aura of such powerful peace that turn adjacent to an ally
all close to you, monster or man, find it 6. A Tale of Triumph: Use an ability on an ally
impossible to raise a hand in violence.
Gain Stance: When you take this stance, you Talents:
have aura 1. All characters (including yourself) in I. You can cause the effect to also apply to foes.
the aura gain +1 curse on attacks and take 1 divine Foes that fulfill the condition are sealed.
damage each time they deal damage to another II. You can spend any number of blessings on
character. characters in range 2 to roll 1 extra d6 per
Refresh: Refresh or exit this stance at the start of blessing spent when gambling.
your turn.
Mastery: RACONTEUR
Talents: Roll 1 extra d6 when gambling, and when
I. Yourself and allies inside the aura also have gambling, you can choose any two results.
counter in this stance. Yourself and allies that complete both results in
II. Characters cannot critically hit or be critical the same turn are also cured.
hit inside Gentleness’ aura, and also cannot
gain, deal, or take bonus damage.
Chapter 3
Mastery: GENTLE PRAYER
Gran Redempta (2 actions, 1/expedition):
Gains Special Effect: When the aura refreshes,
Cure yourself and every ally on the map.
you may increase or decrease the aura size by +1,
Characters that are cured this way are also
to a maximum of 3 or a minimum of 1. When you
Rescued if they’re defeated.
do, foes inside must save or be pacified.
CHASTISE
MONOGATARI 1 action, Attack, Range 5
1 action, gamble Combo
Some chanters also study the Book of Ages, the You ring the bell of true names, forbidding your
great mythic chronicle of heroes from the time of foes in august tones against harming an ally.
the Doom. This unorthodox text inherits some of
their ability to sing the chant, granting it Attack: Auto hit: Fray
tangible power. Effect: Foe is sealed
Effect: Sing a short passage from the book of Effect: Choose either yourself or an ally in range.
ages. At the end of your turn, gamble and consult Until the end of your foe’s next turn, if they
the following table to see which tale you sing. The damage any character chosen with an ability, they
song resonates in the air until this ability is used take 1 divine damage three times at the end of that
again. Yourself or allies that complete the
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turn. Whether this ability triggered or

not, this effect then ends.
Charge: Choose yourself and an ally in
range.
Combo: CHARISM
Effect: Choose a foe in range. At the
end of that foe’s next turn, either cure
or bless allies in a small blast area
centered on them (choose). If there
were two or more allies in the area, then
create a pit under that foe.
Talents:
I. While either effect from this ability
is active, your foe takes 1 divine
damage after using any ability that
damages another character.
II. While either effect from this ability
is active, if your foe defeats any
character, they take 1 divine damage
three times.
Mastery: supreme forbiddance

The first time you use this ability in a
combat, any character chosen is
immune to all damage from the chosen
foe until the start of your next turn.
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Chanter of the 1st chamber Chroniclers
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Harvester
Arbiter of Life and Death
Servants of Tsumi, the Moon Titan, the Harvesters are the death priests of Arden Eld. They travel from
land to land, sanctifying burial sites, performing funeral rites, and helping lingering spirits move on.
The land is full of the malice and unfulfilled wishes of the long suffering dead, and so the services of the
harvesters are in high demand.
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Tsumi is the protector of cycles, and so the Harvesters also perform fertility blessings, oversee harvest
festivals, and see to the cultivation and protection of the land and nature. They plant flowers over
battlefields, and tend groves of beautiful fruit trees planted over graveyards. This dual nature makes
Harvesters fierce warriors, able to make the battle bloom or rot with a single swipe of their
greatscythes.

PLAYSTYLE specific character. Each ability can only place
Harvesters are damaging mendicants that get another character with one mark at a time. If
great benefits out of attacking, due to their you place a new mark on a character with a
balance trait and their suite of powerful slay mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
effects. Their blessings allow them to activate which to discard. Marks end when the character
these effects on themselves or allies, and also that placed the mark is defeated, or under other
grant the powerful pierce effect. listed conditions.
• Pierce - Ignores armor and vigor.
Harvesters can stack marks, allowing them to • Regeneration - If at 25% hp or lower at the
greatly power up an ally or crush a foe. Their end of your turn, cure yourself.
thrall summons turn into plants after being • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
activated, which present obstacles for foes and cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
blessings for allies. Some of the harvester’s talents start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
also allow them to tap into the powers of life and transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
death, gaining more power if the harvester or below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
their targets are at low health. have enough hp left.
• Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
Harvester’s limit break, Death Sentence, makes this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
even the most tenacious character vulnerable, and • Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses. Cannot
allows area effects to hit that character twice. be moved by foes, and movement ignores
Relevant Rules
dangerous terrain space causes a character to
take this damage once a round,.
movement to exit.

instead, discarding the token . You can only
tokens at the end of combat.
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Traits Summons
Blessing of Rebirth: Yourself and allies can
spend 1 blessing when using any ability to grant it Many harvester abilities summon thralls or create
pierce and bonus damage. They may spend 3 plants. When a thrall or plant is created, it can be
blessings instead to additionally trigger any slay summoned in any free space in range 2 unless a
effects. different range is listed. You can have a maximum
Mark of Tsumi: At the end of your turn, deal 2 of six active thralls, any any number of plants.
piercing damage to all foes marked by you, and
bless either yourself, or all allies marked by you. Thrall
Gardener of Kin: You can stack 2 marks on Size 1, intangible.
characters. Foes marked by you take +1 damage Summon Action: At the start of your turn,
from summons. all your thralls may dash 2 spaces, ignoring
Balance: All your abilities gain slay: cure difficult terrain, then dealing 1 piercing
yourself or any ally. damage to an adjacent foe. Then, remove each
thrall and replace it with a plant.
Limit Break: DEATH Plant

Terrain effect
SENTENCE Terrain effect: A plant space is dangerous
Free Action terrain that only affects foes, and has a
3 Resolve blessing token on it, which can be picked up if
yourself or an ally enters its space. When the
A flash of the scythe, and the line between life and blessing is removed, remove the plant.
death is blurred.
Summon: You slash an adjacent foe with your
weapon, knocking their soul out of their body.
Draw a line 4 area effect from your foe facing
directly away from you and summon the soul in
the last available space.
Severed Soul
Size 1, intangible, immobile
Summon effect: While they have their soul
knocked out, foes can act normally. However,
the soul can be targeted as if it was the body,
transferring all damage or effects it would
take to the body, no matter the distance or
line or sight. Damage becomes divine.
Abilities that are able to target both the body
and soul of the foe (such as AoEs) can hit
both.
The soul lasts until the end of your next turn, or

until the affected character is defeated.
Ultimate: SOUL BLOOM

If the foe is defeated while their soul is out,
summon 4 plants anywhere on the battlefield.
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terrain effect in an adjacent space. The vine is

Abilities difficult terrain and a pit and creates a plant
in its space at the start of the round if there
isn't already a plant there.
SOW II. Abilities used against a character marked by
1 action, Attack, Range 4 growing season gain slay: create a height 1
Mark, Pierce, Combo blood tree object in adjacent space. The tree
creates a plant on top of it at the start of the
You throw out a poison seed that bursts into round if there isn't already a plant there.
thorny death.
Attack: Auto hit: fray Mastery: SOOTHING SPORE
Effect: Your foe is sealed. Foes marked by Growing Season are pacified+
Mark: You foe is marked. When marked, and while in or adjacent to spaces occupied by plants.
after you attack your marked foe thereafter, bless
yourself or an ally in range 3 of your target.
GRAVEBIRTH
1 action, stance
Combo: REAP
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray
Vine and root coil through the deep soil, bringing
Effect: Summon a Thrall adjacent to your target.
forth the restless dead.
Slay: Repeat the effect
Stance: When you enter this stance, or when it
Special: You can make this melee attack against
refreshes, Summon a thrall in free space in range
the target marked by sow regardless of distance or
2. While in this stance, you have aura 2, with the
line of sight. It also gains unerring if made this
following effects:
way.
• At the end of your turn, you may consume any
blessing tokens in the aura to summon one
Talents: thrall in the aura per blessing consumed.
I. Effect: If Sow’s marked foe is defeated, it can • At the start of your turn, you can prevent up to
be transferred to a different foe in range 3 three thralls in the area from collapsing into
from that foe. plants.
II. Comeback: Reap’s Slay effect triggers. Refresh: Refresh this stance once a round when
you trigger a slay effect.
Mastery: SPECTRAL SCYTHE
Reap and Sow also create an arc 4 area effect
Talents:
drawn from your target as the origin space, that
I. When you end your turn, all thralls of your
cannot include your target. Foes inside take 2
choice burrow, removing them from the
piercing damage, and allies inside gain 2 vigor.
battlefield, then you may place them in free
space in your aura.
GROWING SEASON II. At the end of your turn, you may sacrifice 2 to
1 actions, Range 4 summon an additional thrall.
Mark
Mastery: RECYCLE
Blow magical spores in the air, which are
While Gravebirth’s aura is active, as a free action
disturbed by the chaos of combat. Where they
you can cause any two thralls in the aura to
fall, the fruit of life and death blooms.
collapse into plants to cure an ally in range 4.
Mark: Mark a character in range. Once a round
after that character ends their turn, create a plant
adjacent to their space. HARVEST
Effect: If that character is bloodied, repeat this 2 actions, Attack, Arc 6
effect. Foes are additionally pacified.
You swing with a blade as bright as the new
moon.
Talents:
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray Miss: fray.
I. Abilities used against a character marked by
growing season gain slay: create an Eden vine
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Area Effect: Foes take fray damage. Allies are ROT

blessed. 1 action, Range 4
Slay: Summon a Thrall for each foe in the area, Combo, Mark
and deal 2 piercing damage again as an area effect
to those foes. Leaves shrivel. Hair Curls. Wounds fail to heal.
Mark: Mark a foe in range. While marked, that
Talents: character cannot be cured, cannot gain or benefit
I. Allies in the area also gain 2 vigor, or 4 vigor if from vigor, and gains +1 curse on saves. If that
Harvest’s Slay effect triggers. character is at 25% hp or lower when marked,
II. Gains Range 2. Comeback: Range 5 they also lose defiance.
Mastery: HARVEST MOON COMBO: REGENERATE

When this ability passes through a plant, you can Mark: Mark an ally in range. While marked, that
cause that plant to explode, dealing 2 piercing character has regeneration. If that character is at
damage in a small blast area effect centered on 25% hp or lower when marked, they also gain
each plant, and granting its blessing character to defiance.
yourself or any other ally in range 3 of that plant. Special: This mark can be placed even if Rot is
Characters can only be damaged by one of these already active.
explosions a turn.
Talents:
BLOOD GROVE I. Characters marked by regenerate gain
2 actions, Range 2 comeback: summon a plant in an adjacent
Terrain effect, summon space at the start of their turn.
II. Foes that start their turn adjacent to a
The wilderness boils with explosive growth, fed character marked by Rot take 2 piercing
by the blood of the battlefield. damage.
Terrain effect: Grow a medium blast area of
undergrowth, with its center space in range. The Mastery: REGROWTH
area is dangerous terrain for foes and disappears Gain an alternate combo action:
if you use this ability again.
Effect: As long as you are in the area, summon a REGROWTH
thrall in or adjacent to the area at the end of your Mark: Mark a character in range 4. If that
turn for each of these conditions you fulfilled this character would be defeated before the start of
turn: your next turn, they are instantly rescued after
• Triggered a slay effect being defeated, then gain a vigor surge and
• Sacrificed as part of an ability become unstoppable until the end of their next
• Are bloodied turn. Then, even if this effect didn’t trigger,
Each condition can only trigger once. summon a plant in an adjacent space to them and
end this mark.
Talents:
I. All spaces of the area cost 0 movement for
Chapter 2
thralls to enter.
II. Once on your turn you, while inside the area,
you can sacrifice 2 to extend the area by 2 CRIMSON BLOOM
spaces, adding to its total area on any edge. 1 action, range 4
Mark, Summon, Power die
Mastery: Hungry grove
Each time you summon a thrall with blood grove, You release a rapidly growing seed of the
extend the area by 1 space, added to its total area, Thornwillow, the blood-fatted plant of the
as long as those spaces are placed adjacent to the harvesters whose sap is a powerful intoxicant.
area when the effect is triggered. Mark: Mark a character in range. At the end of
any turn that character took damage, or after they
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attack, set out a d6 power die or increase the die token on it and counts as a plant, but isn’t
by 1. When the die would tick to 6, consume it. removed if the token is removed.
The marked character sacrifices 6, but then gains
6 vigor, deals bonus damage with all abilities, and
becomes unstoppable until the end of their next
Chapter 3
turn.
Effect: When the die is consumed, summon a Defy the Cycle (2 actions, 1/expedition):
plant, and pass this mark to a new character of You call upon your power to forbid the natural
your choice in in range 3 of the original character. order of life and death from working. Until the
You must pass the mark if possible. If there are no start of your next turn, characters cannot be
valid characters, the mark ends. reduced below 1 hp. Divine damage bypasses this
ability.
Talents:
I. If Crimson Bloom’s damage would reduce an DARK SLIVER
ally to 1 hp or below, they also gain defiance. 1 action, Attack, Range 2
II. Foes at 25% hp or lower sacrifice 10 instead.
The blade edges of the harvesters are so sharp
Mastery: MOTHER BLOODWILLOW they can cut the very soul.
At round 4 or later, Crimson Bloom becomes a Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage.
free action and its power die starts at 3 ticks. Terrain effect: Cut away a part of the target’s
soul, choosing a free space in range 3 of your foe.
FAIRY RING If the foe is not occupying that space at the end of
their next turn, they take 2 piercing damage, are
1 action
pacified, and summon a plant in that space.
End Turn, Terrain effect
Slay: Create a plant in range 3 of your foe.
You cast out a handful of aether-feeding fungi,
holy spores that grow into a ringed garden of Talents:
colorful and deadly mushrooms. I. Comeback: Deal bonus damage, and increase
Terrain effect: End your turn and create a all ranges by +1
ring of mushrooms, a burst 2 (self) terrain effect. II. Sacrifice 2: Ability gains range 6
The ring can be created overlapping any terrain
and underneath characters. While the ring is Mastery: RECYCLE
active, gain the following interrupt. The ring lasts Dark Sliver can summon a mote of life instead of
until this ability is used again. any regular plant. A mote of life is a plant, but
becomes a terrain effect when its blessing is
Spirit Away removed. Inside, any ally gains regeneration
Interrupt 2 while standing in its space.
Trigger: A foe enters or exits the area.
Effect: Teleport that foe 2 and seal them.
This interrupts but does not end their
movement.
Talents:
I. Foes cannot gain vigor inside of the ring, and
lose all vigor if they start their turn there.
II. You can use Spirit Away on allies. If you do, it
doesn’t seal them.
Mastery: SPORE SHROUD

Whenever the rings’ interrupt activates, create a
height 1 Megamushroom object anywhere inside
or adjacent to the area. The object has a blessing
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Sealer
Holy Judge and Purger of Evil
Traveling priests, monks, judges, and doctors, the Sealers roam the world from village to village,
performing necessary rituals, marriages, ceremonies, and yearly festivals. They are a welcome sight in
most villages, and most perform the important function of traveling judge and medium, acting as an
impartial party translating for the will of the local spirits. They often travel with many blessed relics of
the deities of the land or even portable shrines on their back.
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In their other role, Sealers are legendary monster hunters and exorcists of unbelievable prowess and
unshakeable faith. Whenever an especially bad blight or an arch demon appears, the Sealers are usually
there to drive it back with ancient sealing magic, blessed brands, and flaming weapons.
• Teleport - Special movement that allows you to

PLAYSTYLE instantly move to unoccupied space within
range X.
Sealers are relatively hardy melee mendicants that
benefit from sticking close to allies. Their
blessings can be spent to empower attacks and
easily trigger exceed effects, and blessing other
characters allows sealers to power up their own
mantra, giving them increased benefits for being
selfless.
Sealers have a few abilities that are stronger the

first time they are used in combat, or become
stronger with time. They also have the ability to
deny specific enemies attacks or movement,
making them strong against single, powerful foes,
and they can deal many small amounts of divine
damage, allowing them to chip away at hardy
defenses.
Sealer’s Limit Break, Passage to the Afterlife,

is the highest damage attack in the game, but can’t
be used until much later in the fight.
Relevant Rules
• Bloodied - At or under 50% hp
instead, discarding the token . You can only
tokens at the end of combat.
• Divine - Damage cannot be reduced or negated
in any way except immunity. (ignores armor,
resistance, defiance, and bypasses vigor).
• Dodge - Immune to all damage from misses,
successful saves, and area effects.
• Evasion - Roll a d6 when attacked. On a 4+,
the attack automatically misses. Check before
the attack roll.
• Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
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Traits: Limit Break: PASSAGE

Blessing of War: Yourself or allies can spend a
blessing when they use an ability to gain +1 boon TO THE AFTERLIFE
on attacks and bonus damage with that ability. If 5 resolve
they consume 3 blessings, it additionally triggers 2 actions, Attack
all exceed effects. Divine, +1 boon
Mantra of Sealing: Your attacks bless all
adjacent allies to you and grant them 2 vigor. You unleash the supreme Sealer war art,
Godly Smite: You steadily gather power as you inflicting ten thousand blows and shattering the
fight. You start combat with a mantra power die, a connections of your foe’s vital energy to their
d6 that starts at 1, and ticks up by 1 at the start of body, hurrying on the transmigration of
every round, to a maximum of 6. You gain the immortal souls.
following interrupt:
Godly Smite Attack: On hit: [D]+fray, three times. Miss:
Interrupt 1 Once.
Trigger: You or an ally makes an attack roll, Exceed: Deal [D]+fray two more times.
and you see the total result (after boons,
curses, and other adjustments). Effect: You may teleport adjacent to the target
Effect: Add the number on your mantra die to before the attack if they’re in range 3. Every ally in
the attack roll, which changes the final result. range 3 of the target can also teleport adjacent to
That foe also takes damage again after the your target, or as close as possible. Your target
attack resolves equal to the number on your then takes 2 additional divine damage, once, per
mantra die. adjacent ally.
Martial Arts: You have dodge
Ultimate: REACH HEAVEN THROUGH
VIOLENCE
The teleport effect has the range of the battlefield
for both allied characters and yourself. If your
target is at or under 25% hp, they take 2 divine
damage twice for each adjacent ally instead.
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Bind an enemy in an astral seal, condemning

Abilities them and crushing them under the weight of
their own evil.
Mark: A foe in range becomes sealed and
GOD HAND
marked. While marked, after they use an ability
1 action, Attack
that damages an ally of yours, they take 2 divine
Combo
damage. A foe can pass a save at the end of their
turn to end this mark.
Divine energy infuses you, allowing hammer-like
blows that would fell a demon with even your
bare hands. Talents:
Effect: Teleport 1 I. Bloodied foes gain +1 curse on saves while
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage. marked.
Effect: Seal your foe, then bless yourself or ally in II. Bloodied foes are also pacified+ while marked.
range 2
Exceed: You and allies in range 2 gain 3 vigor Mastery: MILK SUTRA
When this mark ends, if there is a new foe in
Combo: DEVIL HAND range 3 of your target, you may transfer it to that
+1 boon foe.
Effect: Teleport 1 MATSURI

Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage. 2 actions, Attack
Effect: Character explodes in a medium blast
area effect centered on them, dealing 1 divine Swing your weapon in a flaming arc that sends
damage to all foes. sprays of fire in bright displays, lighting up the
Exceed: Repeat the effect sky.
Effect: Teleport 2. Allies in range 2 may teleport
Talents: 1.
I. All versions of this ability gain Exceed: Gain Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
evasion until the end of your next turn Exceed: Create a large blast explosion area effect
II. Increase teleports to 2, and all version of this centered on your foe. Yourself and allies inside
ability gain Slay: gain or lose a combo token. gain 3 vigor. Foes take 2 divine damage.
Mastery: FISTS OF HEAVEN AND HELL Talents:

Add an alternate combo action. It gains all talent I. Increase teleports by +1 and gains Slay:
effects of this ability. Repeat the teleport effect.
II. Bloodied foes take bonus damage and must
Combo: FISTS OF HEAVEN AND HELL also save or be stunned.
+1 boon
Mastery: Blood Festival
Effect: Teleport 1 The first time you use Matsuri in a combat, you
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage may increase all its teleports by +2, it deals bonus
Effect: Seal your foe, then bless yourself or an damage, and it triggers all exceed effects.
ally in range 2
Effect: Character explodes in a medium blast SPIRIT SHRINE
area effect centered on them, dealing 1 divine 1 action
damage to all foes.
Exceed: Repeat all effects Many sealers carry portable shrines to the local
spirits, adding on talismans, images, icons, or
GRAND SEAL offerings to whichever small god holds dominion
1 action, Range 4 over the areas they travel through. In a pinch,
Mark they can set these shrines down and beseech the
spirits for aid.
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Create a shrine in a free adjacent space. The boon on saves. The area persists until you take
shrine can be placed on other objects, and lasts this action again or until the end of combat.
until this ability is used again without increasing Effect: After using any ability that triggers an
its height (see below). exceed effect, deal 1 divine damage to all foes in
Shrine the area, and grant 2 vigor to all allies in the area.
Height 1 object
Object effect: Aura 2. You can use this Talents:
ability again while adjacent to your shrine to I. Bloodied foes must save if they attempt to
increase its size, increasing the height by +1. enter the area. On a failed save, they cannot
The shrine gains additional benefits equal to voluntarily enter the area until the start of
its total height, including other objects it is their next turn.
stacked on: II. Bloodied allies inside gain 4 vigor for ending
• 1: Yourself and allies in the aura have cover their turn inside instead.
from characters from the outside and gain
+1 boon on attack rolls. Mastery: ELDEN SALT
• 2: Yourself and allies in the aura gain 2 You can place two areas with Sanctify without
vigor when you end your turn there. replacing the first. At round 4+, Sanctify becomes
• 3+: Yourself and allies in the aura have 1 action.
evasion.
GRAND BANISHMENT
Talents: 1 action, range 4
I. If you or an ally ends their turn inside the
Shrine’s aura and didn’t attack, they are With a word and a quickly drawn talisman, you
blessed and gain 2 vigor. stomp your foot and forbid your foe from taking
II. Foes that use any ability inside the shrine’s another step towards you.
aura can be teleported 1 after the triggering Effect: Teleport 1, End your turn and choose a
ability resolves. foe in range, sealing their movement with force of
will. Until the end of that foe’s next turn, they take
Mastery: SPIRIT PATRONAGE 3 divine damage after they or an ally uses any
Gain the following interrupt ability that moves them closer to you.
Grace of the Spirits
Interrupt 1 Talents:
Trigger: An ally in the aura is damaged by an I. Your chosen character treats you and any
foe’s ability allies in range 2 of you as having cover.
Effect: Your ally becomes immune to all damage II. Bloodied foes can be teleported 2 at the end of
from the triggering ability. Destroy the shrine, any turn this ability’s damage activates.
then deal 2 divine damage, once, to the foe per
height of the shrine. You cannot place shrines for Mastery: HORSE AND OX SEAL
the rest of combat. When you take this ability, you can also choose to
invert the effect for the duration, dealing damage
SANCTIFY to the chosen foe if they move away from you
2 actions, range 2 instead.
You throw out a handful of glittering salt,

scorching the spiritually impure. Chapter 2
Terrain Effect: You scatter salt in a medium
blast area effect in range, creating a terrain effect DIVINE AEGIS
in those spaces. Foes in the area effect take 1 1 Action, Range 4
divine damage. While in the area, foes take +1 Mark
curse on saves and are pacified if they start or end
their turn there. Allies inside the area take +1 You place a holy seal over your ally, enveloping
them in divine protection.
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Mark: Mark an ally in range 3. While marked, Effect: Deal 4 divine damage to all foes on the
any foe that attempts to use an ability that battlefield above bloodied, and all bloodied allies
includes that ally as a target must first save. On a are blessed and gain 2 vigor.
successful save, there are no further effects, and
the mark remains active. On a failed save, the
chosen ally is unstoppable and gains resistance to Chapter 3
all damage from the triggering ability for its
duration, then the mark fades. Great Spirit Festival (1 action, 1/
expedition): Bless all allies on the map and
Talents: grant them 2 vigor. If they’re bloodied, repeat this
I. If your ally is at 25% hp or lower when effect.
marked, marking them becomes a free action.
II. If your ally is at 25% hp or lower when OPEN THE GATES
marked, they also gain defiance. 1 action, Attack
Combo
Mastery: SHROUD FROM HEAVEN
This mark can be activated twice before it fades. This aptly named technique can be used to
deliver an extremely powerful blow - but
JUSTICE focusing the body’s aether in such a way takes a
Interrupt 1 long time to recharge.
Combo Effect: Teleport 1
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray and foe is pacified.
Invoking the spirits of the land and air, you move Miss: fray
at impossible speed, doling out blows faster than Exceed: Shove your foe 1, then teleport 1, then
the eye can see. A second blow scatters your foes shove your foe 1, then teleport 1
and whisks away your allies. Effect: This attack gains +1 boon, cannot miss
Trigger: You score a Critical Hit or trigger an (turn any miss into a hit) and triggers any exceed
Exceed effect effects the first time it is used in combat.
Area Effect: Burst 2 (self): Foes take 1 divine
damage. Allies are blessed. COMBO: CENTER THE TEMPLE
Effect: Then, teleport 2. 1 action, Attack
Combo: JUDGEMENT Effect: Teleport spaces equal to the round

Interrupt 1 number before the attack
Gamble Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray
Trigger: You score a Critical Hit or trigger an Exceed: Deal 1 damage again to your target. At
Exceed effect round 4 or later, increase this damage to 6.
Effect: Gamble, then you may teleport yourself
and each character in range 2 half that far. Foes Talents:
are pacified. I. You may teleport an ally in range 2 instead of
teleporting yourself with any of this ability’s
Talents: teleports.
I. Allies affected by either interrupt gain 2 vigor. II. Both versions of this ability gains a range
II. You can teleport 1 space before and after equal to the round number.
triggering either interrupt.
Mastery: BURIAL FIST
Mastery: GRAN JUDICATA Any version of this ability deals bonus damage
Add an alternate combo action: and always triggers exceed effects at round 4 or
Combo: GRAN JUDICATA later.
Interrupt 1
Trigger: You score a Critical Hit or trigger an
Exceed effect
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God Hand/Devil Hand
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Sealer of Dark Wind Valley temple
Sealer of the Holy Body Congress
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Seer
Fortune Teller and Master of Fate
The Seers are made up of all the orders of hedge witches, stargazers, corner prophets, folk healers,
shamans, and all manner of individuals that find themselves attracted to reading the Great Arcana, the
esoteric practice of reading destiny itself, the Great Wheel of Arden Eld that determines the final fate of
all things.
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Through ritual, ceremony, and unrelenting practice, Seers gain the ability to predict and even defy a
person’s fate, using their Aether infused card decks to influence the turning of the Great Wheel and
empower their allies with foresight, precision, and uncanny accuracy.

Seer is a high-complexity class due to its card
mechanic - it may be worth reviewing the combat
Seers are manipulators of fate that have the glossary for everything used.
potent ability to influence gamble effects and lay
down powerful damaging AoE effects that do not
damage their allies.
They benefit a lot from set up with their wild

cards, which can extend these AoEs (and those of
their allies), to hit massive areas, potentially
creating huge chains. Wild cards can be used to
extend the areas of any ability, not just attacks, so
you can get creative with them.
Seers have access to nearly every effect in the

game through the Wheel of Fate, but their
resources are limited. Choosing when to spend
these cards for effects, when to draw more cards,
or when to spend them on gambling is critical.
Seer’s limit break, High Prophecy, allows them

to manipulate probability and makes gamble
effects extremely powerful for its duration. The
effect also applies to anything that targets you!
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A - The World - Ally becomes Unstoppable until

Traits: the start of their next turn
The Wheel of Fate: Set up a deck made up of Bend Fate: You can discard any number of cards
one suit of a 52 card standard playing card deck after you gamble to roll an extra die per card
(so 13 cards). At the start of any combat, draw up discarded, choosing any result. You can repeat
to 5 cards if you have less. Your hand and deck this effect any number of times as long as you
persist through combats, and your maximum have cards, and you can choose to discard after
hand size is 7 (you must discard down to 7 cards you see each result.
at the end of your turn). Discarded cards go in a Karma: Allies are immune to damage from your
discard pile. Once you draw through your deck, area effects. Any time you include an ally in an
shuffle the discard pile and draw it as your new area effect that would damage them, after that
deck (meaning there’s no replacement and you ability resolves they gain 2 vigor and are blessed
will eventually draw through the deck). instead.
Skein: Draw a card at the start of your turn. If
you didn’t attack, draw an extra card at the end of
your turn as well.
Limit Break: HIGH
Foretell: You can discard 1 blessing token on
yourself or an ally before that ally uses any ability PROPHECY
to tell their fortune as an effect. You discard a card Free action, 3 resolve
from your hand and immediately apply the effects Aura
to your target, no matter the distance or if you can
see them or not. If you have no cards in hand, A burning third eye of pure etheric energy
draw the top card of your deck instead, apply its appears on your forehead. Possibilities unfurl
effects, then discard it. before you, laid out like infinite gleaming
threads.
THE GREAT WHEEL
Aura: Until the start of your next turn, you gain
2 - The Fool - Ally must dash 3 spaces in a aura 2. Every d6 any character in the aura rolls for
straight line before using the ability. boons, curses, or gambling is either a 6 or a 1 (you
3 - The Scepter - Teleport your ally to an choose).
adjacent space to you after the action resolves.
4 - The Ewer - Bless all allies in a small blast
Ultimate: THOTH
area centered on your ally.
While the aura is active, you are automatically
5 - The Devil - If the ability forces saves, foes get
missed by attacks, turn any of your attack misses
+2 curses to save against them.
into hits, and succeed all saves.
6 - The Sword - Ability gains pierce.
7 - Death - Ally gains Defiance.
8 - The Chariot - Ally becomes unstoppable and
immune to all damage while moving during the
ability.
9 - The Papessa - Ally becomes pacified but is
cured after the ability resolves.
10 - The Emperor - Ally gains stealth after the
ability resolves.
J - The Star - Ally makes all attacks and saves
with +1 Boon until the start of their next turn,
including with the triggering ability.
Q - The Moon - Ally gains Evasion until the start
of their next turn
K - The Sun - Ally gains Counter and Sturdy, but
cannot gain or benefit from stealth or evasion
until the start of their next turn
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Summons
Many seer abilities summon a wild card. When a

wild card is summoned, it can be summoned in
range 2 if no other range is listed.
Wild card
Size 1, intangible
Summon Effect: The card emits a small blast
area effect centered on it, which is normally
inactive. When any space of an area ability from
you or an ally would touch the area, it can be
activated, causing the card to explode, and
extending the area effect of that ability to
encompass the card’s area for the duration. Then,
remove the card.
• Wild cards can be triggered by other wild cards.
• Wild cards do not extend the persistent effects
of any area abilities, such as creating terrain
effects in their space, but only the effects that
last for the duration of the ability.
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I. You can consume any number of blessings on

Abilities character in Chaos Tarot’s area before
gambling to roll 1 extra d6 per blessing
consumed.
SLEIGHT OF HAND II. You can move Chaos Tarot’s area up to 2
1 action, Attack, Range 5, Small Blast spaces in any direction before applying the
Summon gamble effect. Charge: 4 spaces
A flash of bright color, and a card is stuck to your Mastery: ROYALTY GOLD
foe, bursting into arcane fire in a flash. Instead of summoning a wild card with this
Attack: Auto-hit: fray damage ability, you can instead end your turn and
Effect: Your foe is pacified. summon a Master Card. You can only have one
Area effect: Fray damage. Master Card active at once. The Master Card acts
Effect: Summon a wild card in range 2 of your as a wild card, but also gains the gamble effect of
foe. Chaos Tarot, which it grants to any area ability
that triggers it. It is consumed as normal after
Talents being activated.
I. This ability does not break the pacified
condition and deals 2 damage again to any ASTRA
pacified foes in the area.
II. After this ability resoles, roll 1 more d6 the
Combo
next time you gamble this turn. Charge: 2
more d6s
You call down the heavens themselves on your
foes.
Mastery: KING OF SWORDS Attack: On hit: [D] + fray damage. Miss: fray.
After using this ability, you gain six spectral Area effect: Fray
blades that hover behind you, using a d6 power Effect: Foe explodes in a medium blast area
die starting at 6 to track them. At the end of your effect, centered on them. Gamble, then deal that
turn, gamble. If you roll under the number of much damage again to all characters in the area.
blades remaining, a blade flies out and deals 2 On a 4+, create two spaces of difficult terrain in
divine damage to a foe in range 6. Using this the area. On a 6, a meteor also lands, creating a
ability again with blades active restocks them. height 1 meteor object in any part of the area and
dealing 2 damage to adjacent characters when it
CHAOS TAROT lands.
1 Action, Range 5, Small Blast Effect: You can remove any number of blessings
Summon from allies in the area to roll 1 extra d6 per
blessing removed when gambling.
You flick a beautifully illustrated ethereal card
onto the battlefield, laden with the threads of Combo: FORTUNA
potential. Range 5, Medium Blast
Area effect: Gamble, then apply the listed effect Attack: Auto hit: [D]+fray
in the area. Area Effect: Foes take fray damage. Allies gain 3
1. Card explodes for fray damage. vigor and are blessed.
2. All characters in the area are teleported 2 Summon: Summon a wild card in the area
3. Create two spaces of difficult terrain in
the area. Talents
4. Bless up to two characters in the area I. Any version of this ability explodes with
5. Seal up to two characters in the area. meteor showers when used, creating two
6. Choose two spaces of difficult terrain in the area. Charge:
Summon: Then, summon a wild card in the area. Also create a height 1 meteor object in any
Talents:
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part of the area, dealing 2 damage to adjacent turn. If they’re in range 3 of their starting position
foes when it lands. at the end of their turn, you may remove them
II. If two or more allies are caught in the area of from the battlefield and return them to their
this ability, increase all medium blasts to large starting position, or as close as possible if it’s
blasts, and this ability deals bonus damage. occupied. Then, a foe can save, ending this mark
on a success.
Mastery: THE CHALICE
After you use any version of this ability, deal 2 Talents
divine damage, once, to a foe in the area for each I. If they’re bloodied, foes gain +1 curse on the
blessed ally in the area, up to a maximum of three save, and are also pacified after being
times. Foes can be damaged more than once by returned to their starting location.
this effect. II. Allies are blessed after being moved with
Sisyphus and gain 2 vigor. If they’re at 25% hp
or lower, they can also be cured.
POLARIS
1 Action, Range 5
Mastery: BLACK KNIGHT GRAVE
A distant glint in the heavens, portents of the Sisyphus triggers no matter how far away a
devastation to come. character is from their starting position at the end
Terrain Effect: Choose a space on the battlefield of their turn.
in range 5. While you have at least one Polaris
space active, you may gamble at the end of any GRAN REVERSA
turn after yours with the following effects: 1 action
Gamble: A meteor lands in every space chosen Stance, Aura, Interrupt, Power Die
by Polaris, exploding. The effects of each space
vary depending on how many spaces are active. Causality unmakes itself around you, as wounds
Each effect other than the blast size stacks: heal instantly.
1: Small blast area effect, deals damage equal Stance: Gain aura 2, and a d4 power die, starting
to the gamble result. at 4. While in this stance, gain the following
2: Medium Blast, deals +2 damage interrupt:
3: Large Blast, deals +2 damage, and Reverse Fate
characters in center spaces are stunned. Interrupt 1
Then, remove all spaces. Trigger: An ally in the aura is targeted by a
foe’s ability.
Talents Effect: Tick down your power die by any
I. You can cause one of your Polaris to follow a amount. Gamble with a number of d6s equal
character as a mark instead of a space. to the number of ticks you spent, then that
II. Create a space of difficult terrain under the ally gains vigor equal to double the gamble
center space of each Polaris space after it result. However, at the end of the current
resolves. On a gamble result of 4+, create turn, your ally loses all vigor.
either a height 1 meteor object or a pit instead. Refresh: You may exit or refresh this stance at
the start of your turn. When you refresh this
Mastery: MOON SILVER PRINCESS stance, tick the die up by 1.
At round 4+, Polaris becomes a free action.
Talents:
SISYPHUS I. Your power die from this ability starts at d6,
with 6 charges.
1 action, range 5
II. If your ally was bloodied, instantly regain a
Mark
tick on this die after this ability resolves.
You bend a character’s fate, reversing causality
so that the very ground warps under their feet. Mastery: MISERICORDIA
Mark: Mark a character in range. While marked, Vigor granted by Gran Reversa can increase a
note their starting position at the start of their character’s total vigor over their maximum.
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Talents:
Chapter 2 I. If your ally is bloodied, they are also blessed
after this interrupt resolves and may dash 2
II. If this damage would have reduced your ally to
ECLIPSE 0 hp, also cure yourself after this ability
1 action, Range 6 resolves
Delay, end turn, Terrain effect
Mastery: STAR SCORNED HERMIT
End your turn and create a Terrain Effect: If the damage would have reduced your ally to 0
Create a burning brand of star fire in range, hp, they also gain defiance, then become
dangerous terrain, then gain delay: Your next unstoppable until the end of their next turn.
turn must be slow. At the start of that turn, check
if there is a character standing in that space:
• If there is, that character takes 2 divine damage Chapter 3
and is sealed.
• If there isn’t, it explodes for a large blast area Chakravartin (2 actions, 1/expedition): An
effect centered on that space, scattering star fire ally in range 6 becomes unstoppable and immune
everywhere. All characters in the area take 2 to all damage until the end of their next turn.
divine damage, and create a space of dangerous
terrain under every foe in the area. THE TOWER
Then, end the effect. 1 action, Attack, Range 5
Range 5, Gamble
Talents:
I. If eclipse explodes, create a fiery pit in its You invoke the ultimate power of the tower card,
center space. The pit is also dangerous terrain. sealing a foe’s fate. In short order, untold
Characters adjacent to the pit are sealed when calamity befalls them.
it is created. Attack: Autohit: 1 damage and foe is sealed.
II. If eclipse explodes, it creates a shower of Area Effect: At the end of that foe’s turn,
bolides, dealing 3 damage again to up to three gamble. A massive meteor hits for a large blast
characters in its area effect. area effect centered on them, dealing damage
equal to the number on the gamble die +2 to all
Mastery: THE HELM characters.
If you choose, at the start of your turn, Eclipse’s Terrain effect: Then, create a height 1 meteor
effect does not expire after activating. Instead, you object in the area.
can repeat its delay effect at the end of your turn
without ending your turn or creating a new area. Talents:
The area also disappears if you use this ability I. Roll an extra 1d6 when gambling for this
again. ability. Charge: Also gains range 10
II. The meteor scatters debris when landing,
WISH creating two spaces of difficult terrain in the
Interrupt 1 area, which could also be created under
characters.
You struggle against fate itself, undoing
causality and defying the stars. Mastery: SUPERBOLIDE
Trigger: An ally on the battlefield takes damage If the chosen character is at 25% hp or lower, they
from a foe equal to 25% of their max hp or more take double damage from Eclipse’s meteor effect,
Effect: Reverse the flow of causality. That and the effect also ignores defiance.
damage cannot reduce your ally past 1 hp, and
they are cured after it resolves. The stress of
taking this action causes you to sacrifice 25% of
your maximum HP.
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WRIGHT
Mage, thaumaturge, and master of the arcane arts
Strengths: High damage and excellent range, strong area of effect, and become more powerful the
longer fights go on
Weaknesses: Low durability and weak to foes that can engage them up close
Complexity: Medium
Wrights are mages who have mastered the manipulation of the raw power of creation: Aether. All souls
are connected to Aether, and everyone is able to connect to it and feel it to some degree. Those with
training, potential, and ability can learn to form and shape Aether as natural as they move their own flesh
and blood. Wrights wield terrifying power - and they know it.
Wrights become stronger the longer fights go on by the power of Aether, which they can use to Infuse
their abilities to unleash some of the most spectacular attacks in the game. Wrights focus heavily on
blights, piercing damage, the shattered and vulnerable statuses, and Area of Effect abilities to
punish foes that group up or rely on nearby allies.
Wrights are strong against heavy foes since they can bypass their armor, hit a broad area around them,
and hit them from range, but weaker against skirmisher foes that can quickly close the gap.
TRAITS Special Mechanic:

Slip: Wright’s movement does not trigger and
ignores interrupts, vigilance and rampart. AETHER
Aetherwall: Wrights gain resistance against all All Wrights gather Aether during combat,
abilities from characters that are outside of range represented by a d6 power die. They passively
2 from them. gain 1 at the start of their turn, starting with 0.
Chain Reaction: 1/round, if a wright damages Use a d6 to track Aether. Other abilities and
two or more foes with an ability, they gain 1 Chain Reaction will generate Aether when used.
Aether after the ability resolves. All Aether disperses at the end of combat.
Class Statistics INFUSE X:

Many wright abilities have upgraded versions that
VIT: 8 can only be cast by Infusing them by spending X
HP: 32 Aether as part of the ability. Aether is consumed
Defense: 7 at the start of the action. Only one infusion can be
Speed: 4 (Dash 2) chosen at once, and only one infuse effect can
Fray damage: 3 trigger at at time.
Damage: D8
Basic Attack: Range 6 Infused abilities count as the same ability as the
base ability and also benefit from all talents.
Wright Gambit:
If you take a Wright ability as a non-wright class,
you get Aether and Chain Reaction.
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Finally, Wrights create a lot of terrain and

MOST RELEVANT RULES terrain effects, so it’s worth reviewing them here:
Statuses TERRAIN
Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of movement
Wrights specialize in the Shattered and to exit
Vulnerable Statuses. Dangerous Terrain - Take 2 piercing damage
when entering or exiting a space of dangerous
SHATTERED terrain, but can only take this damage once per
turn.
Character cannot gain or benefit from Vigor
Impassable - Blocks movement of all kinds
except phasing, and blocks line of sight. Could be
Shattered allows wrights to punch through
something like a pillar, cliff, or a solid rock wall
characters that rely on vigor to sustain.
that goes to the ceiling
Pit - Counts as -1 height than its base space.
VULNERABLE Objects - Categorized by height, 1-3. Blocks
All damage taken increased by 1 movement. Provides cover if you’re the same
height. Blocks line of sight if you’re smaller.
Since wrights use a lot of abilities that deal Characters can move up and stand on top of
multiple instances of a low amount of damage, objects. Costs +1 movement per difference in
this can add up a lot - especially since it also height to move on.
increases all allies’ damage. It’s a good combo
with shattered to really hit a foe as hard as
possible.
Other Effects
Wrights have many abilities with pierce
Pierce
Ignores armor, weak, and vigor
Pierce allows Wrights to get around the high

armor and defenses of heavy foes.
Wrights make heavy use of Teleports and Flight

to get around.
TELEPORT
Instantly move to a free space within range X.
FLYING
A flying character ignores all terrain types other
than impassable terrain, and ignores engagement
and obstruction.
Flying is good for Wrights because they use a lot

of difficult terrain, pits, and created terrain,
which they can ignore (or help their allies
ignore).
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Enochian
Unbridled Destruction
The Enochian Orders of wrights are the most chaotic of the mage orders. They have no official
organization, most of their members being hedge wizards or self taught. Many Enochians disdain
authority and work for hire, sleeping and eating where they can and relying on the communities they
work for to support them. Those that work on contract with guilds, armies, or mercenary companies
tend to value their independence.
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The power that condenses inside an Enochian is related to the element of fire, a wild spark that grows
and wanes with their emotions and energy, but with control can be focused into power that can carve
mountains, scorch forests, and boil rivers. In times of desperation, the Enochians can feed this power
with their own life force, a dangerous practice that the other orders of wrights look down upon. The
Enochians, for their part, see other wrights as stiff and uncreative. They’d rather do it their way, after
all.

Enochians are walking calamities, firebrands that when this ability is used while bloodied
tap their own life force and ride the line of • Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place
disaster. Their inner furnace and soulfire traits when you score a total attack roll o f 15+
give them increased benefits for spending their • Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
own life, power up their exceed effects by making reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove
it easier to critical hit, and turn on a host of this effect and character becomes immune to all
comeback effects. damage for the rest of the current turn.
• Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically
Many Enochian abilities can be powered up by ends your turn. When you use a delay effect,
spending your own life force, but enochians are your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at
relatively immobile. Use your excellent range to the start of that turn, before anything else
stay clear of the action, or risk burning out too happens.
soon! • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
Enochian’s limit break, Gigaflare, sears the start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
entire battlefield with powerful, unavoidable transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
flame. Anyone standing close is immune to this below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
effect, so warn your allies (or don’t). have enough hp left.
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Traits
Inner Furnace: Once a round, you may burn
your own life force when you Infuse an ability.
You can sacrifice 25% of your max hp to reduce
the Aether cost of that ability by 2.
Embersoul: Start combat with regeneration and
defiance. Regain regeneration if rescued.
Phoenix Rage: At the start of round 5, become
suffused with immortal flame. Gain defiance at
the start of each of your turns, and when you
would take a wound, gamble. On a 4+, ignore it. If
this is your last wound, this roll becomes a 2+
instead.
Soulfire: Comeback: Your threshold to critical
hit becomes 18+, and your threshold to exceed
becomes 13+. If you’re at 1 hp, these thresholds
are reduced to 15+ and 10+.
Limit Break:
GIGAFLARE
2 actions
4 resolve
Divine, Unerring, True Strike
I, who stand at the apex of things,

Thou, who are in the deepest pits of despair,
Let thy very bones become ash!.
O Flame, let the air become death!
Ignite, and be banished to Hell!
Effect: You summon the eldflame, the primeval

force of creation, dealing [D]+fray divine damage
to every character, on the battlefield, ignoring line
of sight. Characters in range 2 of you are exempt
from this ability.
Infuse 6: TETRAFLARE
Deal [D] + fray twice instead.
Ultimate: METEOR
Infuse 8: METEOR
6 resolve
Deal [D]+fray four times instead.
Special effect: You can pay the resolve, aether,
and action cost of this spell with your entire life
force, dying after this action resolves, obliterating
your body, and scattering your soul. If you do, it
deals 999 divine damage instead.
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Effect: You can sacrifice 2 to cast a rune down as

Abilities a free action.
PYRE Talents
2 actions, attack I. You can teleport up to 3 spaces into an Elden
Range 6, Medium Blast Rune space as a free action.
II. While standing in an Elden Rune, the infuse
Power curls into a writhing ball in your hand, costs of your spells are reduced by 1, to a
before it’s unleashed on your enemies. minimum of 1
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. On miss: fray.
Area effect: fray Infuse 3: GREAT RUNE
Comeback or Exceed: After the ability resolves, Grant the following effect to your rune: your
the area explodes again, dealing 2 piercing attacks also shatter their main target while
damage to all characters. standing in this rune.
Infuse 3: PYROTIC Mastery: ARKENRUNE

Increase range to 10 and blast size to Large Blast. You can put an Arkenrune down instead of a
Create a pit under the attack target after this regular Elden Rune, but only one at a time,
ability resolves. replacing the last Arkenrune you placed.
Arkenrunes can’t be scrubbed out, extend to a
Talents small blast area, and their benefits also extend to
I. Comeback: Allies are immune to damage from allies.
this ability.
II. Exceed: You may shove all characters in the LANCE
area 2 spaces. 1 action, Attack, Line 8
Pierce
Mastery: MAGNAPYRE
Magnapyre benefits from Pyre talents. A flash scorches the eyeballs, and a thin line
burns through rock, flesh, and armor
Infuse 6: MAGNAPYRE Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray.
2 actions, Attack, Range 12, Large Blast Effect: Foe is vulnerable.
Area Effect: Fray
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. On miss: [D]+fray. Effect: Line of sight can’t be blocked by objects,
Area effect: [D]+fray and ignores cover granted by objects or terrain.
Effect: Create a pit under your attack target Comeback or Exceed: Also deals bonus damage
Effect: After the ability resolves, the area for every unique object it passed through.
explodes again, inflicting 2 piercing damage to all
characters. Infuse 3: VOLVAGA
Comeback or Exceed: The area explodes again, Gains width +1 and may melt any objects of your
dealing 2 piercing damage to all characters. choice in its path, removing them.
ELDEN RUNE Talents

1 action I. When this ability passes through an object, it
releases a soul ember, dealing 1 piercing
You carve a burning rune of power into the very damage to a character in range 3 of that
ground beneath you. object. Each character can only be struck by
Terrain Effect: Inscribe an Elden Rune on the one ember by a single use of this ability.
space underneath you. While standing on an II. If you are at 1 hp or lower, this ability deals
Elden Rune space, the range of all abilities with a maximum base damage (before critical hits).
listed range is increased by +3. The rune lasts
until the end of the scene. A foe can scrub out an Mastery: GREAT SPIRIT LANCE
Elden Rune by entering or exiting its space. Great spirit lance benefits from lance talents
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exceed effects, and foes gain +1 curse on any

GREAT SPIRIT LANCE saves.
Infuse 6
2 actions, Attack, Line 10, Width 3 BLAZING BOND
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: [D]+fray 1 Action, Range 4
Area Effect: [D]+fray Mark
Effect: Line of sight can’t be blocked by objects,
and ignores cover granted by objects or terrain. You link the soul Aether of you and a companion
Effect: After the ability resolves, every foe or ally with a chain of pure fire aether, drawing from
in the area explodes, taking 2 piercing damage as the strength of one to bolster the other.
an area effect. If you catch at least three foes or Mark: An ally in range is marked by you. While
allies in the area, every foe or ally in the area takes affected by this mark and in range, gain the
2 piercing damage twice instead. following interrupt:
SOUL BURN Heartfire

1 action Interrupt 2
Stance Trigger: You or your ally takes damage or
sacrifices hp.
You stoke the furnace with the very essence of Effect: You can choose to reduce that
your being. damage by 3, as if by armor, or the sacrifice
Stance: Burn your own life force into a fierce cost by 3. If you do, the other partner
blaze. In this stance: sacrifices 3.
• You sacrifice 2 at the end of your turn. Comeback: Reduce partner sacrifice to 1.
• Your abilities automatically activate any
comeback triggers. Talents
• After you sacrifice with this ability, or after any I. While marked, you can teleport yourself or
other of your abilities with a sacrifice effect your ally 2 spaces at the end of your turn, as
resolves, you can spark a soul ember at a long as you end closer to each other.
character in range 5, dealing 1 piercing damage. II. Comeback: Grant both you and your ally
Refresh: Refresh or exit this stance at the start of defiance when taking this action.
your turn.
Mastery: GREAT SOUL BOND
Infuse 4: INCANDIUS If one of the partners would take damage from an
When entering this stance, shove all adjacent ability that would reduce them below 1 hp, the
characters 3 and spark a soul ember at them, other can reduce themselves to 1 hp to grant that
dealing 1 piercing damage to them. Collide: ally immunity to all damage from the triggering
Characters are vulnerable. ability. The bond then snaps, ending this mark.
Talents AETHERSHARD
I. If a foe is struck by two or more soul embers
1 action, Range 6
from this ability in the same turn, they
Object
become vulnerable.
II. Foes that end their turn adjacent to you while
You crystallize ambient Aether with force of will,
Soul Burn is active take 1 piercing damage and
forcing it to take a useful form
are shoved 1.
Object: Sacrifice 3 and summon an
Aethershard in a free space in range 6.
Mastery: SOUL SPARK Aethershard
Free Action: You can willingly siphon off your Height 1 object
burning life force to empower your next ability Summon Effect: When you include the
sacrificing 4, then ending the stance. Aethershard in the area effect of any ability,
the ability resonates with the shards, dealing
The ability deals bonus damage, cannot miss 2 piercing damage as an area effect, once, to
(turn any attack miss into a hit), activates all
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all characters in the area for every one of your character. If that character is defeated, Implode
Aethershards caught in the same ability. Then immediately activates.
destroy all Aethershards activated this way
and gain 1 Aether. PYROCLAST
Comeback: Reduce sacrifice to 1
1 action
Range 6
Talents
I. When you take any action that spends Aether, Taking a page from the geomancers, Enochians
you can first remove one of your aethershards, can send a pulse of fire aether into the earth
then place it in any free space up to range 2 itself, causing tectonic upheaval.
from its original location Effect: Choose yourself or a character in range.
II. Your abilities gain pierce against characters At the end of that character’s next turn, the
adjacent to Aethershards ground beneath them erupts. Create a height 1
magma spire object under them, pushing them
Mastery: AETHERSHIFT up. All characters adjacent to that object, but not
If you start or end your turn adjacent to an the original character, are shoved 1 and take 2
Aethershard, gain phasing until the end of your piercing damage.
next turn. The spaces of objects cost a maximum Comeback: You may choose yourself and
of 0 spaces for you to enter for the same duration. another character
Chapter 2 Infuse 3: PYROSPIRE

Terrain space becomes height 3
IMPLODE Talents:
1 action, Range 6 I. Also cause a magma eruption adjacent to your
End Turn, Delay target, creating 2 spaces of dangerous terrain.
II. You may sacrifice 2 to immediately shatter
You burn away the air itself, creating a sucking your target as part of this ability.
void that rips your foes into its howling embrace.
Effect: End your turn and Delay: Choose a Mastery: MAGMOTIC
space in range. Your next turn must be slow, but Instead of creating a spire, you can create a
at the start of that turn, that space explodes with magma-filled Pit. The pit is additionally
gravitational energy, shoving all characters in a dangerous terrain. When it appears, the eruption
large blast area effect around it as close as causes a medium blast area effect centered on
possible towards it. Characters are shoved in any your target that inflicts 2 piercing damage
order you like. Any character that is in the center
space when this ability activates must save or be
stunned. Chapter 3
Comeback: Free Action
Bright Soul: If you are defeated, you can choose
Infuse 4: NULL to burn off all your aether to cause a massive
All characters adjacent to the area effect are also Burst 2 (self) explosion area effect, dealing 4
affected. piercing damage, then 4 piercing damage a
number of times again to all characters inside
Talents: equal to the amount of aether you burned.
I. Any character in the center space is also
shattered when this ability activates. BLACKSTAR
II. The center space also becomes a pit.
2 actions, Attack, Range 8, Large Blast
Pierce
Mastery: WAKING VOID
You can choose a character with this ability You burn and condense your own aether into
instead of a space, but it doesn’t stun the center super condensed form, creating a crackling black
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orb that inflicts maximum destruction. Without

the time to stabilize this attack, its use can rip
away your very life force.
Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+Fray
Area effect: [D]+fray
Effect: Attack target is shattered.
Comeback or Exceed: Deals bonus damage,
creates a pit under the center space, and up to
three space of difficult terrain in the area.
Special Effect: Also Sacrifice 50% of your max
hp unless the round number is 6 or higher.
Infuse 5: ASTRAL BLACKSTAR

Ignore Blackstar’s round requirement
Talents:
I. If Blackstar’s special effect triggers, capture
your fleeing soul aether and gain 1 aether after
this ability resolves.
II. If Blackstar’s special effect triggers, gain 5
vigor after this ability resolves.
Mastery: GREAT SPIRIT BOMB

When you use Blackstar, if it’s special effect
triggers, you can split sacrifice into 25% max hp to
yourself, and 25% to an ally in range 4.
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One of the Hellbreakers, an Enochian order
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Red City Enochian
Hedge Wizard
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Geomancer
Guardian of the Pure Earth
Geomancers belong to an old order of mystics, doctors, alchemists, and esoteric martial artists called
the Keepers of the Elden Gate. These scholarly wrights are concerned with health and the flow of energy,
not just through the body, but through the very earth itself. They consider themselves physicians of the
highest order - their patient being the eternal land of Arden Eld.
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These studious wrights attune themselves to earth Aether, aligning the energy channels of their body to
crystalline perfection with vigorous exercise and sometimes bizarre health regimes. In battle, the land
itself is their ally, spitting forth poisonous gases, cavernous upheavals of earth, and great spires of rock
to crush their foes.
None are more concerned with the Churn than the geomancers, who view it as the greatest sickness
known to Kin, and will take any opportunity to fight or study it with exuberance.

PLAYSTYLE the ability is used on a slow turn.
• Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on all
Geomancers are masters of shaping the battlefield characters shoved into an obstruction by this
and inflicting slow, hard hitting destruction. ability.
Geomancers gain a lot of benefits from charge • Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically
effects and are able to create and modify a great ends your turn. When you use a delay effect,
number of objects and terrain. Their your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at
aftershocks are free, high damage areas that can the start of that turn, before anything else
be easy to avoid - but trapping enemies with happens.
terrain or the help of allies can help them land. • Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
Geomancer’s resonance trait gives them bonuses objects, or characters.
for playing close to the action, so using terrain for • Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or
positioning is critical. Their ability to aid allies by down depending on certain conditions. You can
modifying terrain shouldn’t be discounted! use a physical die to represent it, or just a
tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
Geomancer’s limit break, Cataclysm, is a slow that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
effect that has a low action cost and also removes 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
you from harm for a round. It causes maximum • Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
destruction if it hits a large number of objects. spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
Relevant Rules Collide and stop moving.
• Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses. Cannot
• Dangerous Terrain - Entering or exiting a be moved by foes, and movement ignores
dangerous terrain space causes a character to engagement and rampart.
take this damage once a turn.
movement to exit..
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an area effect. Characters hit by two or more

Traits explosions take 2[D]+fray instead.
Aftershock: When you use any attack, you can
cause an aftershock in the space under your When this ability resolves, place yourself in any
target. Gain Delay: Your next turn must be slow, unoccupied space in the area.
but at the start of that turn, the aftershock
explodes in a burst 1 area effect centered on that Ultimate: MOLTEN CORE
space, dealing piercing fray damage to characters After taking this move, you emerge with a shield
within (other than you). If the area effect catches of molten rock covering you. You gain
an object in the area, it deals piercing fray damage unstoppable and resistance until the end of your
twice instead. next turn.
Unlike most other delay effects, aftershock does

not end your turn, and can stack with other delay
effects.
Resonance: When you make an attack

against a character at exactly range 3, it deals
bonus damage, gain 1 Aether, and gain 3 vigor
after the ability resolves.
Orogenic Rage: At the start of round 5 and
for the rest of combat, become unstoppable
and your aftershocks deal double damage.
Stone Double: When you first vacate a space
on your turn, you can leave a height 1 statue
object behind in the space you vacate.
Limit Break:
CATACLYSM
3 resolve
1 action, Divine
I, protected by the holy trigram,

Summon the ten thousand molten metal kings.
Run amok with thy furies, and rend the
immortal stone,
Turn Heaven and Earth!
Effect: End your turn. You dive into the

earth and off the battlefield. Remove yourself
from play. Target a line area 3 spaces wide
from one side of the battlefield to the next.
Then gain Delay: Your next turn must be slow. At
the start of that turn, you cause a rolling wave of
earth to sweep across this area, from one side to
the next. Characters within take [D] + fray as an
effect and are shoved 1 in the direction of the line.
Effect: After the first effect resolves, all objects in
the area release an explosion for a medium blast
area effect centered on them, dealing [D]+fray as
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the earth, removing yourself from the battlefield

Abilities and placing yourself within range 3 of that
character. They don’t have to be in range or line of
sight.
BIO
Area Effect: When you explode upwards, you
1 action, Attack, Range 8, Small Blast
release a burst 1 area effect centered on you,
Pierce
shoving 1 and dealing 2 piercing damage to all
characters.
The earth splits, excising poison from its depths,
belching poisonous metals and gases.
Infuse 3: BOULDER KICK
Effect: Attack target is shattered.
The area effect released becomes range 3, burst 1
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray.
(target). If only one character is caught in the
Area effect: Fray
area, they take 2 piercing damage twice instead
Charge: Create a space of dangerous terrain in
and are shoved 2.
the center space of the area, and under every foe
in the area.
Talents:
Infuse 3: BIOTIC I. Gain Collide: Character is vulnerable.
Increase blast size to medium blast, and shatters II. You may burst out of the ground and fly 3
all characters inside. after Dragon Dive’s delay effect resolves.
Talents Mastery: DOUBLE DRAGON

I. You may also cause pits, objects you created, You can pull an adjacent willing ally with you
and difficult terrain caught in the area to during Dragon Dive, removing them when it
become dangerous terrain. triggers, then placing them in any adjacent space
II. You may cause existing dangerous terrain after the ability resolves.
spaces in the area to boil with poison after this
ability resolves. Characters in or adjacent to GEO
one or more of those spaces take 2 piercing 2 actions, attack, Arc 6
damage as an area effect.
The stomp of a foot or the slap of a palm is
Mastery: MAGNABIO magnified a hundred fold into rumbling death.
Magnabio benefits from bio talents Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
Infuse 6: MAGNABIO Area Effect: fray
2 actions, Attack, Range 8, Large Blast Terrain Effect: Create a height 1 boulder object
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: [D] + fray. in free space anywhere in the area after the attack
Area effect: [D] +fray resolves.
Terrain Effect: Create a medium blast toxic Charge: Attack target explodes in a medium
cloud terrain effect centered on the center space. blast area effect, dealing 2 piercing damage again
The area is dangerous terrain and characters to all characters and creating a pit under them.
inside the area are shattered+. The cloud lasts
until this ability is used again. Infuse 4: GEOTIC
Arc 8
DRAGON DIVE Deals bonus damage to characters standing in
1 action, Range 6 difficult terrain, pits, or dangerous terrain, and
End Turn, Delay automatically triggers the charge effect against a
foe standing in those spaces.
The earth is an old friend to geomancers, and
will allow them passage as easily as slipping into Talents
water. I. When a boulder or pit is created with this
Effect: Choose a character in range, end your ability, you may shove all adjacent characters 1
turn, and gain Delay: You must take a slow turn away from it. Collide: character has a space of
next round. At the start of that turn, you dive into difficult terrain created under them.
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II. Boulders can be created under characters, and

you may choose to make characters you create The key of creation is turned, and the land is
boulders under immune to damage from this shaped like clay, as the Titans once did.
ability Effect: Target a burst 2 (target) area in range and
choose two of the following terrain effects to
Mastery: MAGNAGEO create in that area. You cannot select the same
Magnageo benefits from geo talents effect more than once. Effects cannot be created
in spaces occupied by characters.
Infuse 6: MAGNABIO • Create two height 1 boulder objects
2 actions, attack, Arc 10 • Create two pits
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: [D] + fray. • Destroy any of your created objects in the area
Effect: Foe explodes in a large blast area, or raise the height of any existing objects by +1
extending the area effect. • Create a line 3 area of difficult terrain with at
Area effect: [D] +fray least one space in the area
Terrain Effect: Creates a massive crater. Create • Remove any difficult or dangerous terrain of
a boulder object in every side space of a small your choice in the area
blast area centered on the attack target, with a pit Charge: Choose four effects
in the center space. These terrain effects can be
created under characters. Infuse 2: EARTHBLOOD
Sink into the ground, removing yourself from the
HELIX HEEL battlefield and placing yourself in any space in the
area after the ability resolves.
1 action, Line 3
Effect: Release a shockwave in a line 3 area Talents:

effect, dealing 2 piercing damage to all foes. I. Charge: effects can also be placed in any space
Effect: If an object is in the end space of the line, adjacent to the area.
you can extend this line by 3 more spaces in any II. You can also create up to 3 spaces of
direction, drawn from the object. If a new object is dangerous terrain in the area as a choosable
at the end space of this line, you can keep effect
extending the line by 3 spaces this way each time,
but can only extend it once per object. Mastery: ANCIENT ERUPTION
Effect: Then, all objects this line passed through As part of using this ability, you may end your
resonate, releasing a burst 1 area effect centered turn, and gain delay: Your next turn must be
on them and dealing 2 piercing damage to all slow, but at the start of that turn, you may shove
characters inside. all characters 2 spaces towards or away from the
Charge: Shatter any foe damaged by this ability. center space of the area created by Terraforming.
It then explodes, dealing 2 piercing damage twice
Talents to all characters inside.
I. When Helix Heel bounces off an object, you
can shove it 1 in any direction before OBSIDIAN FLESH
extending the line. 1 action
II. After Helix Heel resolves, fly 1 or teleport 1 Stance, power die
space for each bounce (up to three times)
Like the deepest magma in the earth’s crust, your
Mastery: SPIRAL CRUSHER flesh becomes more stony when struck,
You can bounce Helix Heel off characters instead. eventually becoming covered in a gleaming
Characters that it bounces off are shoved 1 away obsidian shell.
from you after the ability resolves. Collide: Create Stance: While in this stance, set out a d6 power
a pit under the colliding character. die at 1. Tick it up after a foe uses an ability that
damages you. At 4+, gain resistance. If the die is
TERRAFORMING at maximum and you would tick it up again, this
stance immediately ends and you become
2 actions, Range 6
stunned.
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Refresh: Refresh this stance at the start of your Characters in the affected area must save or also
turn. When the stance refreshes, you may tick the also be affected by every status that was just
die up or down by 1. purged.
Talents: MIDAS
I. If this ability ticks over, it doesn't end until the Interrupt 1
end of the current turn. Range 5
II. When this ability ends, you may have the shell
explode off you, dealing 2 piercing damage in In a flash, flesh becomes unyielding stone.
a range 2, burst 1 area effect and shoving Trigger: You or a willing ally in range is targeted
characters inside 1. by a foe’s ability, that ability resolves, and they are
not defeated.
Mastery: DIAMOND SOUL Effect: You transmute yourself or your ally into
You have regeneration while in this stance, and solid stone, metal, or gemstone. After the
when it refreshes, you can tick the die up or down triggering ability resolves, remove that character
by 2. from the battlefield and replace them with a
height 1 statue object. At the start of their next
turn, or if the object is removed sooner, replace
Chapter 2 the object with the original character. Any
characters or objects on top of the statue when it
REALIGNMENT is replaced are placed in a free adjacent space or
2 actions as close as possible.
Special: If you use this ability twice on the same
Using your knowledge of innumerable character in the same combat, do not return them
anatomies, you quickly rearrange energy to the battlefield until combat is over. Until then,
channels in your target to heal them - forcefully. they count as defeated.
Effect: You hit a precise pressure point on an
adjacent character, purging toxins from their Talents
body. A character must be affected by at least 1 I. When your chosen character is returned, their
status to be targeted by this ability. End all statue remains on the battlefield as a broken
statuses on the character and create a range 2, shell object. Place them in an adjacent space to
burst 1 area effect from your target. Characters it instead.
within take piercing fray damage once for each II. When your chosen character returns, the shell
effect purged, to a maximum of four times. If your explodes off them, shoving all adjacent
target is a foe, you can also shatter them. characters 1. If that character was at 25% hp
Charge: Also end any marks of your choice on or lower, also deal piercing fray damage to all
your target, counting as purging an effect. characters in a burst 1 area centered on them
as an area effect.
Infuse 2: MEDICINE PALM
The chosen character also immediately gains a
Mastery: STONE RESONANCE
vigor surge, but loses all vigor at the end of their
Any time a statue created by this ability is caught
next turn.
in an area affect from any character, you may
choose one of the following:
Talents: - Deal 2 piercing damage to all character in the
I. Characters in the area take piercing fray area effect again.
damage again one more time if your target is - Shelter all adjacent characters to the statue
bloodied. from the area effect, granting them cover
II. Create a space of dangerous or difficult against its effects and +1 boon on any saves.
terrain in the area for each effect purged.
Mastery: JADE NEEDLE

Chapter 3
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Stoneswim: You have phasing, for objects, and

the spaces of objects always cost a maximum of 1
movement for you to enter.
QUAKING PALM
Pierce
You hit your target with a pressure wave, setting

up lethal vibrations in their body that are strong
enough to crack the earth beneath their feet.
Attack: On hit: [D]+1. Miss: 1.
Effect: Foe is vulnerable.
Effect: Set up lethal vibrations in a foe’s body.
When they end their next turn, they take 1
piercing damage once for every object adjacent to
them, up to a maximum of 4 times. Then, this
effect ends.
Charge: Vibrations also damage all characters in
a burst 1 area effect centered on the character
Infuse 3: PRIMAL BURST

After this ability resolves, you may shove the
affected character 1 space for each time the effect
triggered. These shoves can be in any direction.
Collide: Foe must save or be stunned.
Talents:
I. While Quaking Palm’s effect is active, after
that character uses any ability that moves
them, create a difficult terrain space in any
free space adjacent to them.
II. While Quaking Palm’s effect is active, after
that character uses any ability that moves
them, dealing 1 piercing damage to all foes
adjacent to that character.
Mastery: PURE HAEON

Quaking Palm’s effect triggers for each object in
range 2 instead of adjacent.
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Spellblade
Swordmaster, Wind Dancer
Spellblades are a martial order of highly trained wrights. Many of them come from the Guild Academies
in the great cities of Arden Eld, where they often take prestigious posts in the local militias and city
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watch. Other wrights tend to view Spellblades as stiff, unfeeling military types, but spell blades
themselves know they are consummate professionals and unparalleled masters of their art.
The lightning Aether that the spellblades wield is highly volatile, and requires intense training and focus
to control. Once a spell blade has learned their craft, however, the speed, power, and precision at which
they can act is intoxicating, crossing great spans of space in an instant, riding the Aetherial currents
with a flash of gleaming steel.

Spellblades are highly mobile, agile mages that when this ability is used while bloodied
deal a flurry of small but potent blows. Their • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
ability to skip infuses with slay effects and their this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
powerful teleports give them a lot of benefits for • Teleport - Special movement that allows you to
prioritizing weak targets. Though they are quite instantly move to unoccupied space within
fragile, their aether deflection trait can give them range X.
some staying power, but drains their aether. • Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or
Spellblades get a lot of mileage out of the use a physical die to represent it, or just a
vulnerable status as they deal a lot of small tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
instances of damage. They can use their utility that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
abilities to teleport themselves or allies out of 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
tough situations, dancing around their foes. • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
character can only have one stance active at a
Spellblade’s limit break, Gran Levincross, time and can drop a stance by taking a new
allows you to cordon off enemies and give you stance or as a free action at the start of their
breathing room to finish off foes. You can ignore turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
its crackling walls of lightning with your effects.
numerous teleport effects, and your allies can do
the same.
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Allies can use a free action to teleport across the

Traits wall from an adjacent space, placing them on the
Aether Deflection: Interrupt 1: Trigger: You closest adjacent space on the other side.
are targeted by an ability from a character in
range 2. Effect: Gain resistance against damage If any version of this ability has no valid space in
from that ability. You only have one use of this which teleport a character to, still deal damage,
interrupt per combat. However, you can spend 2 but this ability doesn’t create the lightning wall.
Aether any time to regain it.
Conqueror’s Edge: The Infuse cost of your Slay or Infuse 3: RAGNARÖK
abilities is reduced by 1 if there’s a foe in range 2. Area effect: After this ability resolves, scathing
Additionally, many of your infuses can be divine lightning hits a quarter of the map of your
triggered as slay effects instead, and you may choice. Characters within take [D]+fray Divine
infuse 3 Aether to trigger the slay effect of any damage.
ability. Abilities with infuse or slay effects cannot
trigger both at once. Ultimate: GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Storm Hilt Rage: At the start of round 5 and for Infuse 6: Götterdämmerung
the rest of combat, any effects that teleport you Area effect: After this ability resolves, scathing
have the range of the battlefield, and you may divine lightning hits every quarter of the map but
teleport to any space before using any ability. one of your choice. Characters within take 2[D]
Klingenkunst (free action): Teleport 2. This +fray Divine damage.
ability can interrupt other abilities or movement
on your turn with stopping them.
Limit Break: GRAN

LEVINCROSS
2 actions
4 resolve
Divine
I summon thee, bloody gods of the cutting art,

Let the might of the divine realm crash upon the
piteous earth,
Strike eighty thousand blows at once,
And split the air asunder!
Effect: Your blade extends and you make two

massive cuts across the map, splitting the walls
between worlds. Draw a cross section across the
map, splitting it into four sections of any size.
Deal [D]+fray divine damage to all characters
caught in the cross, then remove all characters out
of the affected area and place them in the nearest
free space of your choice. Characters can pass a
save to choose which side they end up on.
The affected area becomes a crackling wall of

lightning that does not block line of sight, but
blocks all movement except teleporting. This
effect ends at the end of the next round.
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Refresh: This stance automatically refreshes at

Abilities the start of your turns. When this stance
refreshes, gain 2 more bolts, to a maximum of 6.
BLITZ Talents
1 action, Attack, Range 3 I. If you end a turn without attacking, gain +2
Pierce more Odinforce bolts.
II. Comeback: Odinforce gains 4 bolts instead of
A thousand needles of light, each striking a 2 on refresh.
perfect blow.
Effect: Teleport 1, then deal 1 piercing damage to
Mastery: LEVINBLADES
a foe in range 3, then teleport 1, then deal 1
At round 4 or later, if you’re in this stance, you
piercing damage to a foe in range 3.
may spend 1 action and end it to deal 1 piercing
Attack: On hit: [D]. Miss: 1 damage.
damage six times, to a character in range 6,
Effect: Foe is vulnerable
ignoring cover. If you do so, you can’t use the
stance again for the rest of combat.
Slay or Infuse 3: GRAN BLITZ
Repeat the first effect
NOTHUNG
Talents 2 actions, Attack, Range 2, Arc 4
I. When used against a bloodied foe, blitz creates
two lightning dangerous terrain spaces in free You summon a blade of pure lightning energy,
space in range 2 of them sweeping it in a shining arc.
II. You can grant Blitz’s first effect to any ally in Effect: Teleport 1
range 2 instead. Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
Area effect: fray
Effect: Teleport 1, then deal 1 piercing damage
Mastery: GUNGNIR
again to your target for every foe or ally adjacent
The last teleport you make with Blitz creates a
to them, to a maximum of four times.
small blast terrain effect of crackling lightning in
free space, with at least one space adjacent. The
Slay or Infuse 3: GRAM
area is dangerous terrain. At the start and end of
Effect: After the ability resolves, release a flurry
your turn, you may deal 1 piercing damage to all
of slashes in a burst 2 (self) area effect, dealing 1
characters in the area. The area disappears if a
piercing damage, twice, to all foes.
new one is created.
Talents
ODINFORCE I. When used against a bloodied foe, Nothung
1 Action deals bonus damage, and deals 1 piercing
Power die, Stance damage again to its target on hit.
II. Comeback: Increase teleport to 4
You thrust your weapon skyward, and pierce the
heavens.
Mastery: EXCALIBUR
All 1 piercing damage listed by this ability
Stance: Shoot a flurry of lightning bolts into the
becomes divine.
air and set out a d6 power die, starting at 3. When
you enter this stance, or any time you teleport,
you may call a bolt down, dealing 1 piercing ÄTHERWAND
damage to a foe in range 3 as an area effect, then 1 Action, Range 4
reducing your power die by 1. This effect can Terrain effect
trigger any number of times a turn. If you run out
of bolts, Odinforce ends. You summon the highwinds to batter your foes.
Effect: When you trigger a slay effect, gain +2
more bolts
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Terrain Effect: Swipe your weapon to create a II. When marking a character, you can condense
line 3 area of crackling winds in range, with the the aura to 1, but increase the teleport to 2
following features: spaces instead.
• The area is difficult terrain.
• Allies may use any space of the area for cover as Mastery: HAND OF TYR
if it were height 1 terrain. Ranged attacks against the target change
• Foes that end their turn in the area are depending on whether you marked a foe or ally.
shattered. • On a foe, attacks are pulled towards it. They
• Once a round, when you include any space of have no maximum range if they have a listed
the ätherwand in an area effect, you can infuse range and target the foe, deal bonus damage,
the triggering ability with stormy power, and ignore cover.
teleporting all characters targeted by that ability • On an ally, attacks made from range 2 or greater
and any characters in the wall 1 space. cannot critical hit (turn any critical hit into a
The area lasts until created again. regular hit), cannot deal bonus damage, and
gain +1 curse
Infuse X: Äthersturm
Infuse X aether, and extend the area by 1 spaces BIFRÖST
for every Aether infused, up to a maximum of +3
1 action
spaces.
You slash a line of rampant multicolored
Talents lightning aether, a blinding arch of light that can
I. When you use this ability again, it doesn’t carry you or your allies to safety.
replace the old area, but extends it, as long as Area effect: Sweep your blade to cut a line 3
at least one space of the new area is adjacent crackling lightning arch, dealing 2 piercing
to the old. damage to all characters in the area.
II. At the start of your turn, you can move the Terrain effect: The arch remains in the air.
area 1 space in any direction. If it moves into Yourself and allies that enter any space in or
the space of a character, it shoves them 1. adjacent to the area can grab on to it as a free
action ability to immediately teleport to any other
Mastery: HELLERWIND free space in or adjacent to the area.
You can create a powerful gale instead. If you do, Then the area is consumed, removing it.
you can’t extend or move the area, but it becomes
impassable terrain. Infuse 3 or Slay: Heimdall
Create a new line 3 terrain effect, which cannot
FULMINATE overlap the first. This second effect does not deal
1 Action, Mark damage but has the same terrain effect as the first.
You charge your target with unstable magnetic Talents:

energy, causing unstoppable attractive force. I. The teleport from Bifröst can interrupt other
actions and does not stop movement.
Mark: A character in range 6 is marked. The II. Bifröst areas grow by 2 spaces, added
character gains aura 2 while marked. At the start anywhere to the total area in any pattern, at
of your turn, or when marking your character, you the end of each round. When they grow, deal 1
may teleport all characters in the aura 1 space, all piercing damage to all characters inside.
ending either closer or further away from the
character than they started. Mastery: PATH TO ERENHELION
Bifröst bounces if its end space lands in the space
Talents of an object, creating a second line 3 area that
I. When marking a character, you can increase extends the total area effect and terrain effect
the area to 3, and the teleport to 2, but it only area.
affects allies.
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Effect: Draw a line 3 area effect, then teleport to

Chapter 2 the end space. If you can’t teleport there, this
ability can’t be used. All other characters in the
RAMPANT NAIL area take 2 piercing damage.
1 action, Range 3
Power die Talents
I. You may teleport one adjacent ally with you to
A weapon of pure lightning energy impales itself any free adjacent space after this interrupt
into the earth, flying from a phantom arsenal, resolves.
and crackling with potential. II. Comeback: You may extend Sturmreiten’s
Terrain Effect: You impale a fierce spike of area by another line 3 area, drawn in a
lightning aether in a space in range. The spike different direction.
lasts until activated (see below) or a new spike is
summoned. Mastery: MJÖLLNIR
Create an arc 5 area any time you would create an
Lightning Spike area with this ability instead.
Terrain effect: The spike has aura 2.
Whenever you or an ally deals 3 or less
damage to a character in the aura, gain a d6 Chapter 3
power die at 1, or tick the power die by up 1.
At the start of any turn the die is at maximum, Great Wind Riding: Once a turn, when you
the spike becomes charged with energy. While teleport, you can also teleport an adjacent ally
charged, you can cause the spike to explode as with you, placing them in a free adjacent space
a free action ability, dealing 1 piercing after your teleport resolves.
damage, twice to all characters in the aura as
an area effect, shattering them, and shoving
them 1 away from it. The spike is then
DRIFTING LEAF
removed. 2 actions, Attack, Line 6
Infuse 3 or Slay: RUINÖS Agile and alert, your swordcraft spells doom for
Re-summon the nail after it detonates, discarding your foe. When they go to retaliate, you were
the first power die. never there.
Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray, Miss: fray damage.
Effect: Foe is shattered.
Talents:
Area effect: Fray
I. While the nail is active, a small blast area
Effect: After the attack resolves, teleport 1, then
centered on the nail is dangerous terrain.
gain the Leaf on the Wind interrupt until the start
II. At the start of your turn, tick the power die up
of your next turn.
by 1 for every bloodied foe or ally in the area.
Leaf on the Wind
Interrupt 2
Mastery: VORACIOUS NAIL Trigger: A foe enters a space adjacent to you
Characters that start their turn adjacent to the Effect: Teleport 2, then deal 1 piercing
nail become vulnerable. Vulnerable characters are damage to that foe.
vulnerable+ instead while inside the nail’s aura.
Infuse 3 or Slay: PHANTOM BLADE
STURMREITEN Until the start of your next turn, this interrupt has
Interrupt 1 unlimited uses.
You transmute yourself and your gear into pure Talents:

lightning Aether, coursing through the I. Drifting Leaf deals bonus damage against
boundaries between worlds in a moment. bloodied foes, and its interrupt deals 1
piercing damage, twice to them instead.
Trigger: You are damaged by foe’s ability, and
the ability resolves
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II. You may teleport your foe to any space

adjacent to you instead of teleporting yourself
1 instead when this interrupt triggers.
Mastery: GREAT CYCLONE

At round 4 or later, Drifting Leaf’s infuse is always
active.
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Aerothurge’s Guild Spellblade
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Stormbender
Dire Navigator, Master of the Waves
The seas of Arden Eld are its most treacherous terrain. Boiling over with monsters, and wracked with
unnatural and freakish weather, most folk prefer to give them wide berth. However, there are still those
brave and hardy souls that live on the islands around Arden Eld, and the merchants, sailors, and
travelers that rely on the sea for fast passage and the movement of cargo, the lifeblood of the continent’s
great cities.
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The storm benders are the great masters of the sea, the supreme navigators that make sailing even
possible around Arden Eld. Water-attuned wrights, they are most at home on a deck, or clambering the
rigging. Each of them are sailors of the highest caliber, coming from all over - old trade guilds, islander
clans, and nautical churner enclaves.
Bending the essence of the sea to their beck and call, the storm benders can clear the skies with a swipe
of their hands, feel the currents ahead for aquatic monsters, turn weather away from the hull of the
ship, and blow wind into its sails. It doesn’t matter that many of them dabble in a little light piracy on
the side - they are the undisputed masters of their element, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Stormbenders are seafaring masters of battlefield dangerous terrain space causes a character to
terrain effects, deal more damage to characters take 2 piercing damage. Characters can only
in those effects, and can even use their selkie take this damage once a turn.
summon to carry foes into these effects, or carry • Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of
allies out of them. Since storm benders fly inside movement to exit.
their own terrain, they can ignore its adverse
effects, and use it to travel over other adverse • Auto-hit - This attack doesn’t make an attack
terrain and enemies. roll but always scores a hit (not critical hit or
miss).
It’s other summons, salt sprites, are perfect • Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on all
combos with collide effects and can help move characters shoved into an obstruction by this
around allies. With setup, a storm bender can ability.
move allies around the entire map, and easily • Flying - A flying character ignores terrain
send enemies hurtling into dangerous terrain or damage and movement penalties, height
pits. movement penalties, obstruction, and
engagement.
Stormbender’s limit break, Elemental, • Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
transforms them into a much larger form that is specific character. Each ability can only place
also a living terrain effect, allowing them to one mark at a time, and a character can mark
become much sturdier, fly, and greatly slow down another character with one mark at a time. If
enemies in their area. you place a new mark on a character with a
listed conditions.
• Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
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difficult and dangerous terrain for foes, and

Traits allies gain cover from all directions in the area.
Selkie: You have a bound elemental. At the start - You can share space with characters. You have
of any combat, summon it in range 3. resistance to any character sharing your space,
Selkie and allies have resistance while sharing your
Size 1, intangible, flying space.
Summon Effect: Your Selkie can share
space with characters, and is also considered Utlimate: Shield of the Four Winds
a terrain effect. If you so choose, when an ally would be shoved,
Summon Action: The Selkie may fly 3 at teleported, or removed from your area, you can
the end of your turn. Any character standing completely prevent that ally from being moved.
in the Selfie’s space when it moves is removed This effect can trigger only once a round.
from the battlefield, then placed back in its
space, or adjacent to it if that space is
occupied. Summons
Dash on the Rocks: 1/round when you cause a
character to collide, you may gain 1 aether and Many stormbender abilities summon a Salt Sprite.
deal 1 piercing damage as a burst 1 area effect When a Salt Sprite is summoned, it can be
centered on that character. summoned in range 2 unless a different range is
Sea Legs: You deal bonus damage to characters specified. You can have a maximum of six active
in pits, difficult, or dangerous terrain. While Salt Sprites.
inside any of your own terrain effects, you have
flying. Salt Sprite
Pelagic Rage: At the start of round 5 and for the Size 1, intangible, immobile
rest of combat, you are buoyed up by a huge swell Summon Effect: The Sprite is both a summon
of elemental water. You gain aura 2. Yourself and and terrain effect. It can share spare with other
allies in the aura gain flying and cover from all characters, and its area counts as difficult terrain.
direction, and the area is difficult and dangerous Effect: When a character is shoved into the
terrain for foes. sprite’s area, it triggers collide effects and
awakens it. Allies shoved into its space can fly 2.
Limit Break: Foes are shoved 2 in any direction. Then, remove

the sprite.
Elemental
3 resolve
Free action
On account of the magic that is in my body,

Turn aside, detested of Sea and Storm,
Thou wretch, go with thy face diverted!
I call the elements into the temple of my body.
Be scattered like dust, and feed the wind!
Effect: You take on a fearsome elemental form,

gaining the following benefits for the rest of
combat:
While you are an Elemental:

- You gain flying and phasing.
- You release aura 2 around you. The area is a
terrain effect that moves with you that is
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The stormbenders can ride swells of water as

Abilities easily as any terrestrial steed. For those not as
gifted, the experience is less pleasant.
Terrain effect: Create a huge swell of elemental
RIME
water. The area is a medium blast terrain effect
that is difficult and dangerous terrain that you
Summon
may place anywhere as long as its edge is adjacent
to an edge of the map.
You pull an enormous weapon made of pure ice
out of the air, and hurl it through foes.
When you use this ability, choose another edge of
Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: Fray
the map. When you use this ability, and the start
Area effect: fray.
of your turns, your tsunami moves 4 spaces in a
Effect: Shove all characters 1 to either side of the
straight line towards that edge. When a space of
line. You can shove in different directions for all
the tsunami would move off the map, the effect
characters. Then shove the attack target 1 and
ends.
summon a salt sprite in any space in range 2 from
them.
Any non-flying characters in Tsunami when it
Collide: Summon a Salt Sprite
moves are dragged with it, shoving them. If they
are blocked by obstructions, they collide which
Infuse 3: DAGON
could cause Tsunami to move on without them.
This ability gains range 6, and gains collide:
Collide: Character is shattered.
creates a watery pit under this character after this
ability resolves.
All your Tsunamis disappear if you use this ability
again, or they reach an edge of the map.
Talents
I. If the end space of Rime hits a pit or object, Infuse 1: STORMLASH
the weapon bounces back and deals 1 piercing Free Action
damage, twice, as an area effect to all affected Choose an edge of the map. Your active tsunamis
characters again. move 2 spaces in that direction.
II. If the end space of Rime hits a pit or object, it
explodes into a shower of icicles, dealing 1
piercing damage to one or two characters as Talents
an area effect in range 3 of that pit or object, I. Tsunami creates a pit in its center space after
and summoning a salt sprite adjacent to each completing its movement. The pit remains
of those characters. even if Tsunami moves on.
II. Foes inside Tsunami take +1 curse on saves.
Mastery: MAGNARIME
Infuse X: MAGNARIME Mastery: LEGENDARY STORM
Rime can be infused with massive aether, At round 4+, Tsunami becomes 1 action, moves
becoming Infuse X. If so: anywhere from to 1 to 4 spaces instead of a flat 4,
• The area gains range 6 and becomes Arc 4, plus and also affects flying foes.
one per aether infused.
• Summon a pit in the area after the ability CRYO
resolves for every two aether infused. 1 action, Attack, Line 8
• Deal 1 piercing damage to all characters in the Pierce
area again after the ability resolves for every two
aether infused. You shoot a spear of frozen water aether at your
foe, stirring up ambient water aether in the air.
TSUNAMI Effect: Foe is shattered and shoved 1 towards
2 Actions you.
Terrain Effect Attack: Auto hit: 1 damage.
Area effect: 1 damage
Effect: Gain 1 Aether
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Effect: If any character is already shattered, Talents

create a pit under them. I. Increase the height of all geysers by +1 at the
start of your turn. Allies standing on a geyser
Infuse 3: CRYOTIC have cover from all directions.
Change area to Line 8, increase damage to fray II. Once a round, when a character collides with a
damage, and gains effect: summon a salt sprite geyser, summon a Salt Sprite in range 2 from
for every character in the area adjacent to those them.
characters.
Mastery: GREAT GEYSER
Talents Allies can be placed up to three spaces away by a
I. At round 4 or later, this ability generates +1 geyser and after landing gain flying until the end
Aether when used. of their next turn.
II. At round 4 or later, this ability shatters all
characters in its area. GUST
1 action
Mastery: MAGNACRYO Terrain effect
Magnacryo benefits from all Cryo Talents
Infuse X: MAGNACRYO The stormbenders are friend to breeze and gale,
2 actions, Line 4, Attack and have learned how to coax the wind into
Pierce doing their bidding.
Special: Increase the line length by 2 and attack Terrain effect: Create a line 3 terrain effect.
deals bonus damage for every two aether spent Characters that enter any end space of the line
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: [D]+fray. gain phasing, then are shoved to the other end
Effect: Attack target is shattered. space of the line, or as far as possible. Once they
Area effect: [D]+fray stop, they are flung out and shoved 1 in a direction
Effect: The attack target is impaled with an icy of your choice outside of the area. Characters
harpoon, then shoved along the line as far as entering a middle space can be shoved in a
possible towards you, until they collide or are direction of your choice.
stopped by an obstruction. Collide: Character releases a wind blast as a
burst 1 area effect centered on them, shoving all
GEYSER characters inside 1 space away from them and
1 action dealing 2 piercing damage.
Object, summon
The area is replaced if this ability is used again.
You awaken the water aether lying dormant in
the land or sea, causing it to surge up in a Infuse 4: Great Gust
vigorous burst. Gust can be created over characters, and
Object effect: Summon a height 1 geyser object immediately activates its effect when it is created,
in a free space in range 4. If any character either as if characters inside had entered its space.
starts or ends their turn on a geyser, you can
cause it to erupt, removing that character from Talents:
the battlefield, then placing them one or two I. Gust can be used for cover by allies as if it
spaces away. Then, remove the geyser. were height 1 terrain.
Effect: After the geyser is removed, summon a II. Yourself and allies that are shoved by gust can
Salt Sprite in its space. fly 2 after stopping instead of being shoved.
Infuse 3: VOLCANIC GEYSER Mastery: NORTHSOUL

Create a Volcanic Geyser instead. When it erupts, Gust’s area is not replaced if the ability is used
it removes and places all characters in a medium again, though you cannot have more than three
blast area effect centered on it, and creates areas active.
dangerous terrain under foes.
HEAVE-HO
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Interrupt 1 terrain space behind them. Marked allies are

immune to dangerous terrain, and marked foes
Better get your sea legs. take +1 more damage from dangerous terrain.
Trigger: A foe damages you or an ally adjacent to
either you or a summon you control with an WATERSPOUT
ability 1 actions
Effect: After the triggering ability resolves create
a crashing wave in a medium blast area effect You grab the reigns of the storm and pull it to
placed adjacent to you or your summon. earth, causing a rippling tornado of water.
Characters caught in the area are shoved 1, and Terrain effect: Summon a waterspout in a space
foes become vulnerable. in range that is difficult terrain. When summoned,
Collide: Summon a salt sprite. or at the start of your turn, you you may have the
waterspout suck in any characters of your choice
Talents in range 2 of it. Foes can pass a save to avoid this
I. If only one foe is caught in the area of wave, effect, and allies can always choose to avoid it.
also create a pit underneath them. When a character is sucked in, they are removed
II. If you don’t use this interrupt, stock up from the battlefield. At the end of your turn, the
another use of it at the start of your turn. You waterspout spits out all characters it sucked in, in
can stock it up to interrupt 3. any order, placing them in any other free space in
range 2 outside of the spout.
Mastery: TIDAL SMASH Effect: Once during your turn, you may move the
Infuse X: TIDAL SMASH waterspout 1 space.
The shove spaces become shove X. Collide: foes
are shattered. The spout is replaced if this ability is used again.
Infuse 2: Great Waterspout

Chapter 2 The waterspout can also suck in objects in the
area, removing and placing them before all
DEEPWRATH characters.
1 action, mark
Talents:
You mark your foe with the symbol of the Deep I. After characters are spit out, they are shoved 1
Water Titan. No matter where they step, the away from the waterspout.
deeps come up to claim them. II. If only one foe or ally is inside the waterspout,
Mark: Mark a character in range 6. While it can move 3 space instead, and leaves a space
marked, create a watery pit under them at the of difficult terrain in one space that it vacates.
start of their turn.
Effect: If the marked character ends their turn
Mastery: HURRICANE
inside a pit, you can drag them under, removing
At round 4 or later, waterspouts grow to a small
them from the battlefield, then placing them in
blast area instead of a single space. They become
the space of any other pit in range 3 from their
dangerous terrain, and characters that start their
original location.
turns adjacent to the area are shoved 1 in a
direction of your choice.
Talents
I. Marked allies gain +1 boon on saves in pits,
and foes don’t gain any height advantage Chapter 3
against them while they are inside pits.
II. Marked foes take bonus damage from all Whirlgang: You are highly attuned to the
sources and are shaterred+ while inside pits. ambient air currents and can command them at
will. At the start of your turn, yourself and every
Mastery: DARKTIDE ally in range 2 of you may fly 1 in the same
The first time the marked character vacates a direction as an effect.
space during their turn, they leave a dangerous
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EYE OF THE STORM

1 action, Attack, Range 8, Medium Blast
Pierce
A storm of vigorous thunder and acid rain

descends at your command, but the center
remains calm.
This attack has no attack space. Instead, the
attack space is clear and exempt from this area.
Area effect: [D]
Effect: If an ally is in the center space, they may
fly 4 after the ability resolves. If an enemy is in the
center space, they become vulnerable.
Infuse 3: AEONCLOUD
Increase area effect to a large blast and damage to
[D]+fray. The center space is still clear.
Talents:
I. If there is no character in the center space,
create a pit there. The pit is also dangerous
terrain.
II. The center character may also take 1 piercing
damage, once, for every foe or ally in in the
area effect, up to three times.
Mastery: GREAT AEONCLOUD

Object: If there is no character in the center
space, you may also create a height 1 aethercloud
object in the center space. At the start of your
turn, the cloud drifts 3 spaces in a space of your
choice. Any character on top of the cloud when it
moves moves with it, and is unstoppable while
moving this way.
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III. THE BOOK OF ADVENTURE
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Intro
This section is about the basic game flow and structure. It includes rules for running expeditions and
handling rewards, including custom rules for expeditions, camp upgrades, trophies, and relics.
This section is mostly for the GM, except the Relic rules on pg. XX. If you’re a player you might find
it helpful to skim through.
rewards, such as resources, allegiance,

GAME FLOW friendship, or survival.
7. Set out! Get your feet on the road and cut to
Here’s a quick refresher and guide on the basic the action.
game flow:
Characters can abandon expeditions but also
Games generally start in narrative play, where abandon any rewards, and their goal becomes
characters freely role play. When the tension of a beyond their grasp for a while, or possibly
situation can’t be resolved except by high stakes forever.
battle, you can dip into tactical combat or use
narrative combat, then return to narrative play Camp
after the fight is resolved.
When characters camp, they take a break for
During play, characters embark on expeditions little bit. Characters need about an hour and a
to try and pursue their goals. On an expedition, relatively stable or safe location to camp, but this
time is usually a little more limited, and is pretty loose (they could easily camp overnight
characters might be able to take a break and or even for a few days if that’s the tone of your
camp a few times. When the expedition is over, game).
the game dips into an interlude, which is a more
loose period of downtime. - Characters that camp can heal all strain and
regain all effort from narrative play, and heal
Expeditions all hp from tactical combat.
- Camping loses all resolve that characters
Characters are generally on an expedition when have accumulated (to use Limit Breaks).
they leave a place of safety with a clear goal in - Characters that have accumulated 7 xp can
mind. Before embarking on an expedition, take acquire +1 ap and may immediately spend it to
the following steps: acquire a new ability or talent
1. Define your goal. What are the heroes Characters can upgrade their camp by spending
setting out to do? dust. You can see a huge list of upgrade in the
2. Choose some custom rules, if Camping section shortly.
applicable. You can find them in this section.
This is strictly optional. Interludes
3. Define the number of camps. Usually
characters can camp 0-2 times. Once for a When characters go into an interlude, they’re
medium length expedition, and twice for a going into a slightly longer stretch of downtime.
long expedition. This could be as short or as long as you like.
4. Set your job and abilities, if you expect Generally time is a little more loose and actions
tactical combat. are relatively consequence free.
5. Reset your character - Choose a narrative
kit, clear all effort, strain, and wounds. When characters go into an interlude:
6. Define possible rewards. All expeditions
normally reward 6 xp and 3 dust if they’re
successful. There may be other intangible
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1. Heal all strain, effort, hp, and wounds.

Characters basically go through a full reset
again except for their Burdens.
2. Get xp and rewards from the expedition you
just completed. Then Heal Burdens and
Pursue Ambitions in any order.
3. Heal Burdens: Characters can heal 3
segments across any burdens they have,
unticking segments. If they don’t take this
action, they can help someone else heal 1 more
segment. Burden clocks are 4, 6, and 10.
1. If a character had 3 burdens and was
broken this expedition, they have to sit out
the next expedition in order to take care of
themselves or retire.
4. Pursue Ambitions: Characters can work on
a personal goal, craft, or project, making a
fortune roll to see how they do, and filling out
segments on the clock (1-3: 1 segment, 4-5: 2
segments, 6: 3 segments, Critical hit: 5
segments). Ambitions are a 4, 6, and 10 clock,
and completing them, in additional to any
other benefits, rewards 1, 2, or 3 xp
respectively.
1. Characters can also work on group
ambitions instead of their own. Group
ambitions reward 1 xp to the entire group.
5. Free play: Characters can freely role play at
any point during an interlude, but should
always aim to bring it back to another
expedition.
6. At the end of an interlude, characters can
level up if they have accumulated one by
filling out their xp bar.
Session End
At the end of a session, check characters’ xp

triggers. They gain xp for each one they fulfilled.
Characters can also level up if they have one
available, or gain +1ap for hitting 7 xp. They may
then spend any available ap or mastery points.
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The xp bar is 15 ticks long. At 7 xp gained, during
Advancement an interlude, at the end of a session or at
camp characters can gain +1 ap, and spend it to
The power of characters in ICON is measured by unlock a new combat ability in any job they
their level. Characters start at level 0 and level up have, or gain a new talent for an ability they
to a maximum of level 12. By default, xp bars are already have. This only triggers once per level.
15 long.
Once the bar is full (15 xp), a character can clear
all xp and mark a level up. At the end of an
The First session and Level 0
interlude or session, they may cash in that level up
to increase their level by 1. Certain benefits are
This game suggests you start new characters at
only gained on level up.
level 0 for the first session only. This is to let
players familiarize themselves with the system in
Characters gain xp the following ways:
a slightly more limited space (no limit break, no
relics, only 2 combat abilities and 1 narrative
When you start an interlude, immediately
power). It’s perfectly possible to start a game at
gain xp for any expedition or quests you finished
level 1 or later if you so choose.
(6 for expedition, 1 per expedition for a quest)
If you’re playing with the level 0 rule, it’s not
Check at the end of a session :
necessary to track xp during the first session but
1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1
it’s good practice. After the first session, all
xp. Two or more? 2 xp
characters gain enough xp to take them to 15 xp
2. Did your character overcome a challenge? 1
and accumulate a level up, leaving them at level 1
xp. Many times? 2 xp.
for the next section.
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or
personal) - 1-3 xp
Chapters 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
Every Chapter of the game represents 4 levels

Choosing new jobs
(1-4, 5-8, 9-12). Moving up a chapter is a group
If you choose a new job at level 4 and 8, you gain
decision and represents a different scale of
+2 ap each time.
power, scale, influence, and danger for
characters.
You may forgo choosing a new job at level 4 and
level 8. If you don’t choose a new job, you can gain
Certain abilities cannot be gained until later
an additional mastery point.
chapters, and certain foes are powerful and are
generally not encountered until later chapters.
Alternate XP
Until the chapter passes, characters cannot level
up past the cap of each chapter, and characters If you want to set a different or slower pace for
that are maxed out on xp can donate it to your campaign, you can set escalating xp tracks.
any character. This is to allow characters to In chapter 1, all tracks are 12 long, with +1 ap at 6.
catch up on experience if they’re behind, invest In chapter 2, they are 18 long, with +1 ap at 9. In
Dust they have earned, and also allows them to set chapter 3, they are 24 xp long, with +1ap at 12.
the pace of the game, since foes become slightly
more complicated in higher chapters of the game. You can play with slower xp (using the longer
tracks in low chapters) but it will mean characters
will take a while to fill out their abilities.
Experience
During their adventures, characters earn
experience points, filling out an experience bar. At
certain breakpoints in the bar, they will unlock
new abilities or talents.
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Character Advancement
- Characters level from level 0 to level 1 after the first session.

- At the end of each session, each player checks the xp triggers for their character and gains xp if the
trigger was fulfilled.
- At certain level ups, characters gain +1 ability point (ap). This ability point can be spent to gain a new
ability, or unlock one of the two talents for an existing ability. Talents are mutually exclusive.
- At level 1 and every level afterwards, characters gain +1 ap when they hit 7 xp and go into a camp, enter
an interlude, or at the end of a session.
- When a character hits 15 xp, they clear their xp bar and accumulate a level up, which can be spent at
the end of a interlude (a downtime period) or at the end of a session to level up their character.
Characters can’t level higher than the chapter the game is currently in.
Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit

Choose a Culture and Kin type. Then choose
a Bond and gets 2 dots in a specific action, a
0 1 Choose a job and two abilities. Bond power, then gain 4 extra dots to
improve actions. None can be taken past 3 at
level 0.
1 1 Gain +2 ap and unlock Limit Break Gain a Bond Power and improve an action
2 1 Gain your first relic Gain a Bond Power and improve an action
Choose a second job and gain +2ap
4 1 OR the same job and gain a mastery Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
point.
6 2 Get your second relic Gain a Bond power

Choose a third job and gain +2ap OR
8 2 the same job and gain a mastery Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
point.
9 3 Get your third relic Gain a Bond power
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Rewards
Trophies
Dust Trophies offer a way for GMs to offer additional
minor rewards other than xp or dust. They mostly
Dust is the currency of Arden Eld and measured have effects in tactical combat.
in abstract units. It is so prevalent in the
arkenruins that merely venturing into them, small Trophies is a loose term for anything powerful
amounts can be scraped from the fingernails or that is scavenged from the dungeons and ruins of
the bottom of boots. It is primarily used to Arden Eld, whether it’s an arkentech wonder or
upgrade character’s relics and their camp. Dust is something carved from a monster or beast.
earned in the following ways: Trophies are less powerful than Relics, however,
having limited use and eventually running out of
1. Completing a combat encounter infuses 1 dust magical power and crumbling.
into a relic of your choice.
2. The GM can offer dust rewards for retrieving - All Trophies grant you either a trait or an
extra treasure, artifacts, items, or completing ability, and last either a certain number of
extra tasks during an expedition, usually 1 or 2 expeditions or combats, or a certain number of
dust. This dust can be carried on you and used active uses. When uses are depleted to 0, the
in whatever way you like. trophy crumbles or breaks and is no longer
3. Finishing an expedition or quest rewards dust usable.
concurrent with how dangerous the quest is. - Characters can hold on to three trophies at
By default this is 3 dust per player for an once.
expedition.
General Dungeon Trophies are listed in the
Characters can’t personally carry more than 8 following section and there’s more in each foe
dust on them. section as possible rewards. There will be more in
the full game. Every legend (boss) fight in this
Dust can be spent in the following ways: game has unique trophy rewards.
1. Upgrading a relic costs a total of 6 dust per
level. Optional rule: Replenishing trophies
2. Upgrading a relic to an Aspected relic requires
a level 3 relic and a total of 12 dust. Trophies are intended to be a ‘one and done’ kind
3. Buying a camp upgrade or fixture costs 3-6 of deal, since they offer a lot of free power to a
dust. character. If you want the uses of the trophy to be
4. Dust can be used to buy benefits from the able to be replenished, or a more permanent part
camp of a character, then make it a long term ambition
5. Dust can be spent to increase ticks on an clock for a character.
ambition or burden clock (2 dust for 1 tick)
Gear
Characters can accumulate narrative gear and
make it part of their loose gear. This could be
things like a project they worked on or built
themselves, something they looted from a
dungeon, something they got as part of a contract,
or something they bought from a merchant. They
can then take two pieces of loose gear with them
on any expedition.
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General Dungeon Trophies

d20 Trophy Description and Effect Uses
Use this enchantment at the start of combat to
wreathe your weapon in shimmering frost. Any time
1 Frost enchantment 3 combats
you attack a character this combat, you create
difficult terrain under them.
Your attacks this combat gain exceed: release a
2 Flame enchantment burst 1 (target) explosion, dealing 3 damage to all 3 combats
characters inside
Your attacks this combat deal 1 piercing damage to
3 Lightning enchantment 3 combats
any foe damaged after they resolve
4 Poison enchantment Your attacks this combat gain pierce 3 combat
You can blow this horn as a free action ability to
5 Gnarled horn 5
allow all allies to rush 3
Wrap this cloak around you and blink in and out of
6 Displacement Cloak existence. This expedition, you may make your 2 expeditions
standard move as a 4 space teleport
Use these sleek boots to take the dash action as a
7 Boots of Speed 6
free action
This expedition, you may fly with any of your
8 Valkyrie’s Mantle 1 expedition
movement
Crush the skull as 1 action ability. A foe in range 6
must save or sacrifice 50% of its max hp, or 25% of
9 Crystal Skull 1
its max hp on a successful save. If this reduces it to 1
hp, it is also stunned. Has no effect on legends.
Pull this cloak over you at the start of combat to gain
10 Whisper Cloak 5
dodge, evasion, and stealth+ for the first round.
Point this stave at a space on the ground in range 6
as an action to release a spark of flame as a medium
11 Stave of Flame 5
blast area effect, inflicting 4 damage to characters
within.
Use this heavy, horned helm as a free action to
12 Helm of the Ram 3
shove an adjacent character 2 spaces, then rush 2
As a 1 action ability, remove yourself from the
13 Phase Shard 3
battlefield, then return in any free space
As a 2 action ability, force a foe in range 3 to save.
On a failed save, they take 10 damage and are
14 Gangariant’s Stave 6
stunned and have a pit created under them. On a
successful save, they are shoved 5.
Use this key as a free action ability to travel briefly
to the Titan City of Numenea, removing yourself
Broken Key to
15 from the battlefield and ending your turn. You 1
Numenea
return at the start of your next turn, in free space in
range 3 from your original location.
Drink this potent mead as a 1 action ability to gain
15 vigor. This vigor could put you over the
16 Jotunn Mead 2
maximum. However, at the start of your next turn,
you are stunned.
Swing this axe at an adjacent foe at 8 hp or lower as
17 Axe of Mork 2
a 1 action ability to instant defeat them.
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Start every combat this expedition with defiance
18 Warding Armor 1 expedition
and 5 vigor.
Feed this silky black liquid to any character at 4
wounds and fallen. During combat, this is a 1 action
ability, after combat this can take place in narrative
play. That character can return from being defeated
19 Tears of the Weeper if in combat, and recovers 2 wounds. They are no 1
longer fallen. However, their soul aether begins to
slowly drain away from them over the coming
weeks, to a dark temple below the earth. Without
intervention, they will become a soulless husk.
Spend 2 actions to read this fragment of terrifying
Ur-magic and inflict 999 divine damage to a foe
Fragment of the Ur-
20 anywhere on the battlefield. Legends must save or 1
Spell
take 25% of their maximum hp as divine damage
instead, or 13 divine on a successful save.
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always active. For example (Round 5+) relics
RELICS have effects that are always active at round 5 or

later.
Relics are objects of power that slowly take on APE GOD

aspects of legendary heroes, becoming magical or This gauntlet or weapon is oversized, studded
famous weapons simply by being around you. A with metal, and incredibly heavy.
relic could be something you retrieved on your I. Invoke (Attack, 17+) - Stun your attack
adventures or something you have always had target.
that slowly awakens to power. II. Become immune to stun
III. When you stun a foe, you can also stun
- Relics start with 1 level and take 6 dust each to another foe within 2 spaces of that character.
unlock levels II and III.
- Infuse 1 dust into a relic of your choice when Aspected: If your Invoke goes off, your attack
you complete a tactical combat. also deals bonus damage, shoves all foes adjacent
- Characters gain a relic at level 2, 6, and 9. to your target 1, and you may shove yourself 2 in
- Once a Relic is level 3, it can be Aspected by any direction after it resolves.
either infusing 12 dust or completing a
legendary task. These tasks are suggestions and Aspect quest: Climb the highest peak in Arden Eld
can be adjusted by the GM to fit your game.
- Once at least one character has completed an CRIMSON KING
aspect quest for a relic, other characters can A blood red gem, similar to an Elixir Stone, is set
aspect a relic for 4 dust. into this weapon or armor.
I. When you’re at 25% hp or lower, you may
Relic colors are thematic and any job can take reduce all sacrifice costs to sacrifice 2 if
any color of relic. higher, even those based on % of your hp.
II. When you’d take any wound, roll a d6. On a 6,
Invoking relics ignore the wound. If you’d already roll a d6 to
In combat, some relics have abilities that can be ignore a wound, instead improve that roll by 1,
invoked for a powerful effect. Invokes have three to a minimum of 2+.
types: III. Gambit: Free Action: Sacrifice 4, then deal 4
- Attack Invoke: When you make an attack, if damage to a foe in range 4
the die used for the attack roll is a certain
number or higher, you can invoke the relic’s Aspected: Crimson King I reduces costs to
power against your attack target. This only sacrifice 1
counts the d20, and not the total attack roll. For
example, in an (Attack, 15+) invoke, you Aspect quest: Quench your relic in the abyssal
could invoke the relic’s power when you make blood of a powerful demon
any attack roll and the die is 15 or higher. This
Invoke happens after the attack roll, but before ERYS
damage and effects are applied. With attacks This helm, mantle, or pauldron is crowned with
that don’t have a roll, such as an auto-hit horns, spines, or a mantle of thick goat-like fur.
attack, roll 1d20 anyway to check. I. Invoke (Attack, 11+): You may shove your
- Gambit Invoke: An invoke that can be target 1.
triggered under the listed conditions, but only II. When you are shoved, you can choose to
once per combat. For example, an invoke that reduce the shove distance by 1
says ‘gambit: your next attack is a critical hit on III. While you’re bloodied, you may increase the
hit’ works automatically, but can’t be used distance of any your shoves by +1
again even if that attack misses. Gambits are
usually always effects or free actions Aspected: You can shove characters diagonally,
- Round Invoke: Automatically, at a certain as long as they move further away from the origin
round of combat or later. These effects are with each move.
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Aspect quest: Take the horns of a legendary beast

WYRMTOOTH
as your trophy
This weapon or armor has carvings made from
pure wyrmbone. It is hot to the touch.
MAIDEN I. While afflicted by a status, you no longer take
Your relic bears a statuette or image of the bonus damage and cannot be critically hit.
Weeping Titan, impaled by spears. II. While afflicted by three or more statuses, gain
I. While you’re bloodied, gain counter. +1 boon on saves and deal bonus damage with
II. While you have counter, you also grant all all abilities.
adjacent allies counter III. Invoke (Attack, 13+): Inflict a status on
III. Invoke (Attack, 11+): You may deal 1 your attack target that you are afflicted by.
piercing damage to all adjacent foes.
Aspected: At the start of combat, you can choose
Aspected: Your counter effect becomes piercing to inflict one or two statuses of your choice on
damage. yourself.
Aspect quest: Gather and reforge true iron nails Aspect quest: Carve the skull or horns of a wyrm
from the sarcophagus of a Relict Emperor and incorporate it into your relic.
ORPHEO TROLLHIDE
This relic has a cracked mirror, set on a pendant A cape, shield, or mantle of scaly leather, a hardy
or into a shield or weapon hilt relic that knits itself back together like a living
I. Invoke (Attack, 17+): Gain defiance. If you thing.
already have defiance, gain 4 vigor. I. If you don’t attack on your turn, gain 4 vigor
II. When defiance triggers, you may deal fray II. If you don’t attack on your turn, gain +1 boon
damage to all adjacent foes on saves until the start of your next turn.
III. Invoke (Gambit): When an ally in range 3 III. Whenever any ability resolves that grants you
would be reduced below 1 hp, you can trigger vigor, you may rush 1.
your own defiance to grant its effects to that
ally. Aspected: Whenever you gain vigor, increase the
total amount by +2
Aspected: When rescued, gain defiance.
Aspect quest: Seek the wisdom of the keepers of
Aspect quest: Bathe in the water of the river that the Deep Bog and do their bidding for three days.
leads to the underworld
TITANSBANE
UNGOLIANT A weapon or armor made of Arken black metal.
Your relic is a massive weapon carved from the Seethes with a fell energy. You can feel a killing
fang of an ur-spider or beast of the deep caverns. intent from within.
I. Charged attacks gain +1 boon I. When you use a delay effect, you can rush 1
II. Charged attacks also deal 2 damage to all foes before activating it. If you’re bloodied, you can
adjacent to your attack target after the ability rush 3 instead.
resolves. II. Your delay effects deal divine damage to
III. When you choose to take a slow turn, you and characters at 25% health or lower.
all allies in range 3 can rush 1 III. You are sturdy while holding a delay effect.
Aspected: Invoke (Gambit) - Free action: Aspected: Invoke (Attack, 19+): You may
This turn only, all your actions trigger all charge activate the next delay effect you use this turn
effects. immediately, including as part of this attack.
Aspect quest: Weave the aethersilk of an ancient Aspect quest: Pull and reforge a god-killing
Ur-spider into your relic weapon from the corpse of a titan.
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IRONSOUL Aspected: Any foe that starts or ends their turn

A relic made of sturdy and thick star-iron, cool adjacent to you and no other characters is
and comforting to the touch. blinded. Blinded foes take 2 damage.
I. Gain +1 boon on attacks while adjacent to an
ally. Aspect quest: Find a source of True Darkness,
II. Invoke (Gambit): Reduce all damage from deep underground, and capture it with needle and
an incoming ability targeting you or an thread
adjacent ally by 2 per adjacent ally, as if from
armor. HERMES
III. Regain your Gambit when used if you or your Intricate, curling silver wings are carved into
ally are bloodied. However, it can’t be used this artifact, weapon, or armor
more than twice a combat. I. Invoke (Gambit): Free action: Teleport 2
II. When you use this relic’s invoke, all other
Aspected: At the start of your turn, shove one allies in range 2 of you can teleport 2 as well.
ally in range 2 one space towards you, even III. Increase range of all teleports granted by your
diagonally. abilities and as part of this relic by 1.
Aspect quest: Find and smith the Primal Iron Aspected: This relic’s invoke becomes: Free
Soul, a legendary meteorite that fell deep in the Action: Teleport 1 space, then teleport 1 space.
blight lands. This teleport can be interrupted with other
abilities.
GLADESONG
Your weapon is carved from supple but durable Aspect quest: Weave a strand taken from the
gaia wood, sharper than any metal cloak of the Titan of trickery, the Laughing God,
I. Your attacks against foes standing next to an into your relic
allied summon gain +1 boon
II. Invoke (Attack, 11+): Move all allied MISTBORN
summons in range 2 of you 1 space, ignoring Your weapon is made from seeping mist, and
all movement penalties. All foes adjacent to at doesn’t seem to be entirely present
least one allied summon that was moved this I. Invoke (Gambit) - Free action: Gain stealth
way then take 2 damage. II. Attacks from stealth deal bonus damage
III. It always costs at most 1 movement for you to III. If you end your turn with no other foes or
enter the spaces of allied summons. allies in range 2, gain stealth. If you already
would gain stealth, dash 2.
Aspected: Invoke (Gambit): Free action: This
turn only, entering the spaces of your allied Aspected: Stealth now only breaks if you or an
summons costs at most 0 movement for you and effect or summon you own deals damage to a foe.
allies.
Aspect quest: Sail to the edge of the world and
Aspect quest: Drink from the primeval Gaia pool bathe your relic in the mists there
GLOAM RUIN
This cloak or clothing appears to be made out of A weapon, bow, or stave carved from ancient
woven shadow. The cloth is richly textured. stone, a heavy slab of a thing.
I. Invoke (Attack, 14+): Blind your foe. If I. You may trade in 1 boon, once per attack, for
your foe is already blinded, they take 2 bonus damage.
damage. II. Become immune to pacified.
II. +1 boon on attacks against blind targets III. Your first attack in any combat cannot miss
III. Blind characters gain +1 curse on attacks (change any miss into a hit).
against you, and you may dash 1 after they any
ability they target with you resolves.
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Aspected: Your first attack also gains +1 boon,

and its listed ranges are increased by +2
Aspected: Effects apply to any marked character,
Aspect quest: Gather rubble from the pillars of the not just those you marked.
oldest Arkenruin
Aspect quest: Take the pelt of a legendary beast
SLEIPNIR and incorporate it into your relic
Odd wooden armor or a necklace of bones carved
with the image of an eight legged horse. FRAGMENT OF IZ
I. Invoke (Gambit): Free action: Fly 2. This A shifting, crackling relic that seems out of sync
free action can interrupt abilities. with reality. Its color and shape seems to writhe
II. Once a turn, after you end any flying and warp.
movement on a lower elevation than you I. Invoke (Gambit): Free action: Gain
started, you can fly 1 again. phasing until the start of your next turn
III. Increase all your flight effects by +1, including II. When you phase through a character, you may
as part of this relic. deal 2 damage to them. This effect can only
trigger once a round for the same character.
Aspected: Your invoke gambit can be taken III. While you have phasing, entering the space of
twice a combat. other characters or objects costs a maximum
of 1 movement for you.
Aspect quest: Tame a titansteed, one of the
enormous legendary wild horses Aspected: You always have phasing when you
dash.
RIGOLETTO
A colorful token, built to look like a spinning Aspect quest: Stand before the gates of the buried
wheel. When sewn into armor, weapons, or and ancient necropolis of Iz, and behold the
accessories, it allows its wielder to move with horror.
preternatural speed.
I. Evasion triggers for you on a 3+ DOMINUS
II. When you or an ally in range 2 successfully A relic that most often takes the form of a
evades an attack, deal 2 damage to the crimson gauntlet. The surface is oddly slick.
attacker. I. All your attacks gain a new effect: Slay: Dash
III. If you have evasion, you can also roll evasion 2 after the ability resolves.
for allies in range 2, but it only triggers on a 6. II. Invoke (Attack, 17+): Trigger any slay
effects of your attack
Aspected: Invoke (Gambit): Activate at the III. Increase Dominus I to dash 4
start of any turn. Effect: This turn only, your
evasion is always successful. Aspected: Your slay effects also trigger if they
reduce a character to at or below 25% hp.
Aspect quest: Beat the shadow of the Laughing
God in a foot race. He cheats. Aspect quest: Beat another wielder of a Dominus
relic in single combat.
HUNTRESS
This supple leather relic has been crafted with BYRAX
images of Gaia, the Hunter Titan Goat horn engravings adorn this armor,
I. Gain dodge against characters you marked. weapon, or cloak, curling into intricate runes
II. Attacks against characters you marked deal I. When you refresh a stance, dash 1
bonus damage. II. Invoke (Gambit): Effect: Refresh all your
III. When you hit a character you marked with an stances.
attack, dash 2 after the ability resolves.
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III. On the first turn of combat, you may take any II. When you cure a character at 25% hp or
single stance that costs 1 action or less as a lower, they automatically clear one status they
free action. are affected by.
III. Characters cured by you can also save against
Aspected: You can hold +1 more stance than any marks they are affected by, ending them
normal on a success.
Aspect quest: Find the resting place of the Aspected: When you cure a character at 25% hp
Wanderer Titan, take a splinter of one of their or lower, they also gain defiance.
weapons, and reforge it.
Aspect quest: Find and incorporate a twig of the
eternal world tree into this relic
ERENBRASS
A burnished metal helm, gauntlet, or mantle,
bright in the sun. SCHEHEREZADE
This weapon emits a faint singing tone that can
I. At the start of your turn, you may shove an only be heard in a quiet room
ally 1 space in any direction. I. At the start of combat, gain 2 blessing tokens
II. Erenbrass I can be taken at the start and end on yourself.
of your turn, and can choose different II. When you spend blessing tokens to gain a
characters each time. boon on a save against a status, it
III. Erenbrass I can also be a dash, teleport or a fly automatically clears the status, but no more
effect (your choice), and is increased by +1 if than once a turn.
your chosen character is bloodied. III. Invoke (Attack, 14+): Bless yourself after
this attack resolves.
Aspected: Erenbrass can affected foes, as long
as they are in range 3. Aspected: The III effect also blesses an ally in
range 3 when it triggers.
Aspect quest: Take command of an army, militia,
or regiment in battle and fight to victory. Aspect quest: Recover a genuine page fragment of
the legendary Tale of Ages
ESPER
This gem is a void of space within. If you stare STORM LORD
long enough, you can see stars. This armor is wrapped in knotted holy cords and
I. Invoke (Attack, 16+): Cure a character in imagery of the sea during a storm.
range 2 of your attack target. I. At the end of any turn you didn’t attack, you
II. Increase range of all cure effects by 2. may gain a combo token, or spend one to dash
III. Cures can target foes and deal fray damage to 1.
them instead of any of its other effects. II. When you spend a combo token on an ability,
you may deal 2 damage again to one of its
Aspected: Cures against foes gain true strike and targets, but only once per ability.
pierce. III. You can expend combo tokens from any allies
in range 2. Allies can also spend your combo
Aspect quest: Find a shrine of the Titan of death tokens as long as they are in range 2.
and darkness, the Weeper, and survive the trials
there Aspected: You can keep two combo tokens.
MERCY Aspect quest: Ride the lightning to the palace of

This gold-filagreed choker or torc is surprisingly clouds and learn from the teachings of the long-
light, and includes imagery of grasping hands dead Storm Lord
I. Your cures can target defeated characters. If
you do, they are rescued before being cured. VESSEL
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This weapon or armor seems surprisingly SILVER RABBIT

hollow, despite how durable it is. It’s cold and A beautiful relic inlaid with a shining silver coin,
heavy. embalmed with the image of the smiling Moon
I. Deal bonus damage when at or under 25% hp Titan, Tsumi.
II. When a foe breaks your vigor, deal 2 damage I. Invoke (Gambit): Free action: Gamble,
to them then dash exactly that far in a straight line.
III. If you’re at or under 25% hp, when any ally in II. After using this relic’s gambit, you may also
range 2 of you gains vigor, you gain 2 vigor. deal that much damage to a foe in range 3.
III. Invoke (Attack, 16+): The next gamble you
Aspected: Allied abilities that mark you become make can be any number from from 1 to 6.
a free action if they’re 1 action or less, or 1 action
if they are 2 actions. Aspected: Silver Rabbit III can also be used on
any single boon or curse die as part of your
Aspect quest: Split a part of your soul into your abilities, or any ability used against you.
relic at a deep shrine of the Black Blood Titan, the
Holy Body Aspect quest: Travel to Arden Eld’s moon.
CHIME APOPHIS
This symbol of a bell shines with gentle power. A Coiling serpents cradle the hilt of this weapon or
soft ringing can be heard in its presence, but only curl around the base of this necklace
when it’s very quiet. I. At the start of your turn, create a poison pool
I. Invoke (Gambit): Pacify a foe in range 5. dangerous terrain space in free space adjacent
II. You are immune to statuses caused by to you.
pacified foes. II. You are immune to dangerous terrain. If you
III. Damage from your non-attack abilities does start your turn in a dangerous terrain space,
not break pacified. you may deal 1 piercing damage to all adjacent
characters.
Aspected: Invoke (Gambit): When you pacify III. Invoke (Attack, 12+): Create a poison pool
a foe, you or an ally in range 2 gains 3 vigor. dangerous terrain space under your attack
target after the ability resolves.
Aspect quest: Ring the old temple bell of the
hidden thirteenth chamber of the chroniclers Aspected: When you damage foes standing in
dangerous terrain, it gains piercing.
GILDED FINGER
A golden finger of a saint or holy icon - real or Aspect quest: Infuse your relic with three scales of
carved - set into armor or weaponry. the ancient Wyrm Nidhogg
I. Invoke (Gambit): Free action: You gain
aura 1 until the end of your next turn. Foes DOMAIN
inside the aura gain +1 curse on attacks, and A sceptre, weapon, or helm embedded with a
allies gain +1 boon on attacks. deeply inset gem.
II. Your gambit aura also gives foes +1 curse on Gain trait: Domain: When you create a terrain
saves, and grants allies +1 boon on saves. effect or object, you can place your Domain over
III. Invoke (Attack, 14+): You may one of its spaces, a small blast terrain effect. Using
immediately activate your gambit aura. this trait again moves the Domain instead of
creating a new one.
Aspected: The effects of your auras may also I. Gain +1 boon on attacks against foes in your
extend to characters adjacent to the auras, even if Domain
they are not inside. II. Foes that end their turn in your Domain take 1
piercing damage.
Aspect quest: Retrieve one of the thirteen III. Dangerous terrain deals +1 more damage to
forbidden Arks - holy reliquaries from before the foes inside your Domain. Difficult terrain
Doom thought to be lost to time. costs 2 spaces for foes to exit instead of 1.
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I. Increase the listed range of all your abilities by

Aspected: Invoke (Round 4+): Your Domain +1.
becomes difficult and dangerous terrain for foes. II. Your attacks with a range gain rebound. The
rebounded ability has a maximum range of 3.
Aspect quest: Gain a gemstone for your Domain III. When you bounce an attack, the attack
relic from a ruler (dead or living). explodes on its new target, creating a small
blast area effect on them that deals 1 piercing
CLOUDPIERCER damage to all characters, including the new
This bright metal weapon crackles with latent target.
power.
I. Gain +1 boon on attacks against foes at exactly Aspected: Invoke (Round 4+): Skipjack
range 3. attacks can bounce twice, exploding each time.
II. When you attack a foe at exactly range 3, deal Characters can only be damage by one explosion.
1 piercing damage to them again after the
ability resolves. Aspect quest: Find and use the workshop of the
III. When you attack a foe at exactly range 3, you Forge Titan in the heart of Arden Eld
may deal 1 piercing damage to all other foes at
exactly range 3. TOWER OF BARBS
Coiling thorns have been set into this ranged
Aspected: At the start of your turn, you can set weapon. The barbs sometimes curl towards your
your ‘exact’ range effects, including as part of this flesh.
relic, to range 2, 3, or 4, lasting until the start of I. Deal bonus damage if a character is at
your next turn. maximum range of your ranged attack or in
the end space of a line or arc area effect.
Aspect quest: Survive a day in the Hundred Year II. Also gains unerring if a character is at
storm maximum range
III. Invoke (Gambit): Set the range and/or area
PLEIADES of your next arc, line, or ranged attack to any
A set of six star-diamonds, flickering with a number between 1 and 6
distance light, set into earrings or a neck piece.
I. Invoke (Attack, 11+): Create an icy patch of Aspected: Tower of Barbs III invoke becomes
difficult terrain under your attack target. between 1 and 8, and can be used twice a combat.
II. You are immune to difficult terrain. If you
start your turn in a difficult terrain space, you Aspect quest: Climb to the top floor of the
can create an icy patch of difficult terrain in a legendary dungeon the Tower of Barbs
free adjacent space, including under
characters. RIFTWALKER
III. Once a round, when you enter a difficult This relic has a contorted shape set into at - an
terrain space, you can slide and shove yourself impossible geometry that confounds the mind.
2 in the direction of your movement. I. You may cause any of your attack with area
effects to include in the area any Pit spaces
Aspected: During Pleaides III’s slide, If you connected to them by adjacency, even
collide with a character, deal 2 damage to them diagonally.
and create an icy difficult terrain space under II. You can ignore movement and height
them. penalties from pits.
III. Invoke (Attack, 11+): Create a pit space in a
Aspect quest: Find and learn from the observatory free space adjacent to a target of your attack
of the Stargazer Titan.
Aspected: When you move, you can spend 1
SKIPJACK space of movement to teleport from any pit into
This gem-incrusted gauntlet is intricately made any other pit in range 3, but no more than once a
and seems heavy, but is oddly light to wear. turn.
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Aspect quest: Enter the Eternal Maze - a collide, comeback, chain reaction, exceed,
dangerous pocket dimension, and escape with its finishing blow, slay.
secrets. II. Invoke (Attack, 16+): Tick a power die you
have up or down by 1
ARENHEIR III. Your power die is not expended but resets to 1.
This weapon or armor has the imagery of a great
fierce wolf on it Aspected: Invoke becomes (Attack, 12+)
I. Your critical hits deal bonus damage
II. If your attack target is at 25% hp or lower, Aspect quest: Slay a powerful monster and find a
your ability triggers all exceed effects. smith willing to work with its bones.
III. Your threshold for exceed and critical hits is
decreased by 1, and decreases again by 1 at
round 3 and 5.
Aspected: When you score a critical hit, reduce

the threshold for critical hits by 1. This cannot
reduce it lower than 15+.
Aspect quest: Find the burial tomb of Arenheir’s

master, the ancient Berserker Titan, the Hundred
Sword Titan, and pray there
CONQUERING KING
This relic has a regal bearing, with imagery of
lightning bolts made of wrought gold.
I. Invoke (5th round+) - All abilities deal
bonus damage.
II. Invoke (7th round+) - All attacks become
critical hits on hit.
III. Invoke (Attack, 18+) - Lower your
threshold for any effects that rely on round
number by 1, this combat only. This effect can
stack multiple times. This applies to all
abilities, traits, and relics.
Aspected: Conquering King III becomes Invoke

(Attack, 15+).
Aspect quest: Find and commune with an

entrance to the Highest House, the divine realm
where the creators of the world are said to sleep.
PALEBLOOD
This relic has inlays of pale bone, intricately
carved. When infused, the inlays light up.
I. At the start of combat, gain a d4 power die,
starting at 1. Tick it up by 1 at the end of each
round. When the die is 4, you may expend it
when you use any ability, discarding it, to
grant that ability bonus damage and trigger all
of the following triggered effects: charge,
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THE CAMP
Adventurers in Arden Eld often get around on enormous aetherships, traveling wagons, vehicles, or
caravans. They bring with them all kinds of supplies: portable shrines, elixir cauldrons, cooking pots,
vittles, and lengths of rope for traversing caverns. The camp can be any of these things. It’s
representative of the gear, supplies, and transportation that the characters keep in common, and may take
with them on an expedition.
When you start a group of characters, also start a camp sheet. Camp sheets have the following:
1. Group Name: You can name your group if you like, or leave it blank until later.
2. Ambitions: Write 1-3 long term goals for your group. If you accomplish an Ambition during an
interlude, everyone in your group gets 1 xp, then write a new ambition. You can leave these blank for
now if you like.
3. Camp fixtures: The various pieces of gear, shelter, and accoutrement that your group keeps around
camp. Fixtures apply their benefits to everyone in the group and anyone can spend dust to purchase,
upgrade, or use them. Start with 1 of your choice.
Camping
During an expedition you can camp (usually a limited number of times) to clear all strain, regain all
effort, and regain all hp. You scarf down a meal, put your feet up, clean your weapons, tend to your
wounds, or polish your armor. You then lose all resolve you have accumulated.
Camping is pretty loose and could represent anything from a short break in a battle where you catch your
breath or a momentary break on a trail to fix your boots to an entire night or even a few days spent in one
place.
You only camp during an expedition, but you might spend time in your camp (or what your camp
represents if it represents something like a caravan or airship) during interludes or in downtime. Either
way, the camp is usually a character in its own right and often serves as a home away from home for
Icons.
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Upgrade: 3 Dust
Camp Fixtures
You can keep up to 6 Dust inside this crystalline
Here at the various camp fixtures and their prism, where it is safely stored. Characters can
upgrades. When you make your characters, start deposit or withdraw Dust from it by touching it.
with one. Additional upgrades and fixtures can be Only characters attuned to the prism (your group,
bought during an interlude and take effect at the and any NPCs you choose) can withdraw or
end of an interlude. Anyone can spend dust on deposit dust, and it is practically indestructible
them. unless you hurl it into an high powered
Aetherforge.
If camp upgrades are nested (bulleted below each
other), you need to take the previous upgrade to The vault has a clever but slow acting condenser
get the one under it. inside. At the end of each interlude, if there is at
least 1 Dust inside the Vault, it attracts more
• Upgrade 1: Characters need to take this Aether, adding 1 Dust to the vault. If there’s no
upgrade… room in the vault, not more Dust is generated.
• Upgrade 2: … before they can take this one!
Upgrades:
• Empowered attunement: Dust can be
withdrawn or deposited into the Vault from
Aetherpearls
anywhere, ending up in a specially attuned vial
Purchase: 6 Dust
on each character’s waist.
Upgrade: 3 Dust
• Aether Sapphire: Increase the vault’s capacity
to 12
This small set of pearls are etherically linked
• Aether Ruby: Increase the vault’s capacity
together, and can be inset into armor or worn as
to 16
jewelry. There are always just enough for all
• Upgrade condenser: If it’s at least half full,
player characters and no more.
the vault condenses 2 dust instead of 1.
Every character can add +1 to their charm or
command rating, up to a max of 3. Cabinet
Purchase: 3 Dust
Characters can add aetherpearls to their Upgrade: 3 Dust
adventurer’s kit. While wearing a pearl, characters
can talk to any other character wearing a linked This dusty cabinet or traveling trunk allows you to
pearl within a mile. They must talk out loud and keep additional gear with you.
hear the other person’s voice in their ear.
During camp, you can swap out your abilities
Upgrades: and gear at will.
• Extended pearls: Up to 6 additional pearls
can also be given to NPC allies. Pearls can also Upgrades:
be linked to any other pearl network within • Soulstone: Characters can also change jobs at
their range, connecting them together. camp
• Resonant pearls: When in a populous • Great Soulstone (6 dust): Characters can
location with an etheric field (like a city) the take 7 abilities instead of 6 on an expedition.
pearls don’t have a maximum distance
• Silent pearls: Within the same room (or a very Cauldron
short distance) anyone wearing a linked pearl Purchase: 6 dust
can communicate telepathically, without Upgrade: 3 dust
speaking out loud
A heavy iron cauldron and apothecary where
Aethervault characters can brew flasks.
Purchase: 3 Dust
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Characters can brew one of the following flasks Purchase: 6 dust

during an interlude by spending 2 dust. Flasks Upgrade: 3 dust
can be drunk as part of making an action roll (in
narrative play) or as a free action ability in When you embark on an expedition, or when you
combat. Characters can only hold on to three camp, one character can cook a meal for everyone.
flasks, and up to one major flask.
• Flask of Action: Gain +1 boon on their next A character’s cooking skill is a unique action,
narrative action starting at 1d6. A character can improve their
• Flask of Resolve: Regain 2 effort cooking by investing 2 xp to improve their
• Flask of Alacrity: Dash 4 cooking skill by 1, up to a maximum of 4. Xp
• Power Flask: Gain bonus damage on your invested in cooking has to be spent when you gain
next action xp and not from your bar.
• Major Phoenix flask: An incapacitated
character can drink a Phoenix Flask at the end Roll 1d6 per level of cooking skill and choose any
of a round to Rescue themselves. They can do die as the final result.
this even while incapacitated.
• Major Healing flask: Cure yourself Meal effects apply to the very next combat
• Major Power flask: Gain bonus damage on only you get into.
all actions until the end of your next turn.
D6 Result
GMs can offer flask ingredients as rewards for
treasure collected during an expedition, or side 1 Burnt meal - No effect!
tasks. If that's the case, forgo the dust cost for
brewing a flask if you have the ingredients. 2 Nutritious meal - Ignore difficult
Ingredients are usually for a specific flask. terrain
Upgrades: 3 Refreshing meal - Saves are successful

• Flask belt: Characters can hold on to four on an 9+ instead of a 10+
flasks 4 Invigorating meal - Deal bonus
• Improved flask belt: Characters can hold damage in the first round of combat
on to up to two major flasks
Add the following to your flask brewing by taking 5 Healthy Meal - Start that combat with 2
an upgrade for each. They cost increased dust to vigor, or +2 vigor if you already start with
brew and take rarer ingredients. You can ignore Vigor.
the dust requirement if you have ingredients as
normal. 6 Hearty Meal - Gain resistance to all
• Major Flask of Divine Speed: 5 dust. Until damage in the first round of combat
the end of your next turn, increase all move,
rush, dash, fly, and teleport amounts by +2 Upgrades:
• Major Flask of Divine Strength: 5 dust. • Foraging: Your group can forage or shop for
Your next action deals bonus damage and is a ingredients during an interlude. Roll 1d6. You
critical hit on hit if it is an attack. can hold on to that number until used during
• Major Flask of Divine Luck: 5 dust. Until cooking. If you roll and save a 1, you can use it
the end of your next turn, all attacks miss you as insurance. Discard it when you roll a 1
and you cannot miss attacks (a miss becomes a cooking result to re-roll, taking the second
hit instead). result as final.
• Major Flask of Divine Health: 5 dust. Clear • Improved ingredients (5 dust): When
all statues and gain a vigor surge. you cook, you can keep any 2 dice and
• Major Flask of Divine Grace: 3 dust. combine their effects.
Increase the effect of your next narrative action • Variety: If a different character from the last
to superpowered. one cooks each time you camp or go into an
interlude, roll +1d6 when cooking.
Cooking Pot
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• Masterclass: If you get a critical hit on a • Deep Elixir Stone: When you brew elixirs,
cooking roll, the effects apply to every combat brew two elixirs instead.
until you camp or go into an interlude. • Clarity: Characters can drink an elixir to heal
all strain
Campfire
Purchase: 6 dust Fishing Pole
Upgrade: 6 dust Purchase: 6 Dust
Upgrade: 3 Dust
Your camp has a bright and well fed fire. It’s easy
to take a load off and talk around the fire, and it Once an expedition, if there’s a water source
burns brightly even in dark moments. nearby, one character can fish. A character’s
fishing skill is a unique action, starting at 1d6. A
During Heal Burdens, characters can tick a free character can improve their fishing by investing 2
segment on a burden of their choice. xp to improve their fishing skill by 1, up to a
maximum of 4. Xp invested in fishing has to be
Upgrades: spent when you gain xp and not from your bar.
• Commonality (3 dust): Characters that help
others heal their burdens instead of healing Roll 1d6 per level of fishing skill and choose the
their own allow that character to tick 2 highest result as the final result.
segments instead of 1
• Momentum: When you finish camp, gain 1
D6 Result
personal resolve.
• Memories of purpose: Once a session, all 1 Line Snapped - No result
characters can heal 1 strain merely by taking a
moment to breathe. 2 Got away - No result. Next time you fish,
• Memories of hope: When using memories add +1d to your roll.
of purpose, characters also regain 1 effort
• Memories of home: All characters gain 3-5 Common Fish: Collect 2 of these fish
+1 effort box and +1 max strain. and they can be sold at market for 1 dust.
Dungeon guppies, cave carp, and
Arkentrout are all pretty common
Elixir Stone
examples.
Purchase: 6 dust
Upgrade: 3 dust 6 Rare Fish! - Roll 1d6. Can be sold at
market for 1 dust.
This unsettling and extremely valuable blood red 1: Glibfish - Eat to gain +1D and
stone, found in the very deepest depths of the improve effect on all command and
arkenruins, is condensed Dust and life essence in charm rolls for a scene
its purest form. When exposed to Aether, it bleeds 2: Musclefish - Eat to gain +1D and
a substance that can be condensed into elixirs that increased effect on Endure and Smash
can heal wounds. actions for a scene
3: Wrightfish - Ask the fish for advice.
A party embarks with one elixir. A character can If you follow it, gain +1D and improved
drink an elixir any time outside of tactical combat effect on your next narrative action.
to heal a wound. Healing a wound also 4: Elixir Fish - Can be drunk to gain a
replenishes 25% hp. vigor surge.
5: Panaflounder - Eat as free action to
Upgrades: end all statuses and foe’s marks.
• Elixir Brewing: When they camp, or during 6: Golden Gizzet: Can be sold at
an interlude, characters can brew a new 1 elixir market for 3 dust
by spending 4 dust. A GM might offer elixir
ingredients as a reward, allowing you to waive
this cost.
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D6 Result • Ancient Relic Forge (6 dust): Characters

can take an extra relic. They can still only take
6,6 Super rare fish! This super hard to 3 with them on an expedition.
catch fist can be sold for 3 dust at market.
Roll 1d6. Liftstone
1-3: Wishfish - The fish is infused with
reality warping Aether. You can use the Purchase: 6 dust
fish to perform one action roll as Upgrade: 3 dust
superpowered, expending it.
4-6: Godfish- This magnificent This stone is etherically linked to a set of similar
specimen sells for 5 dust at market. stones, all of which are clones from a great shard
Alternately, its scales are so tough it can theorized to be buried deep in the heart of Arden
be used as a shield. At the start of combat, Eld. Most of them have been recovered and are
expend the fish to give a character 10 inset into major cities, but others still resonate in
vigor, which could put them over their ruins, lost libraries, or deep locations in the world.
maximum You can tune a stone by tapping it to a mother
stone. A liftstone can only be tuned to one stone at
Upgrades: a time.
• Bait: You can spend 1 dust to add 1d6 to a
fishing roll any number of times. Once attuned, you may raise this stone aloft and
• Improved tackle box: Gain 1 free use of charge it with Aether to instantly lift everyone
bait an expedition within about a ten foot radius into the world’s
• Beginner’s luck: If a character fishes that was aetheric network, transporting them instantly
different from the previous time, they fish with back to a clear space near the mother stone. This
+1d carries all player characters, one or two NPC
• Trophy board: If you catch a super rare fish, allies, and their equipment, but anything bigger
everyone gains 1 xp. than a pack animal will have to get left behind.
• Catch and release: If you release a fish you
caught without gaining its effects, all characters Once a lift stone is used, it must be recharged by
can tick 1 segment on a burden. either not using it for the duration of 1 expedition,
or re-infusing it with 3 dust.
Forge
Purchase: 6 dust Upgrades:
Upgrade: 3 dust • Wakeful Stone: The stone can be used twice
before it needs to recharge
A workshop for building weapons or armor, and • Resonant Stone: The stone affects a larger
keeping them in tip top shape. area when used, and can transport anything
smaller than a wagon in about a thirty foot
Every character can add +1 to their endure or radius.
smash ratings, up to a maximum of 4. • Grandmother stone: This stone is a chip
off the great shard. It can be tuned to any
Upgrades: mother stone in a ten mile radius or so
• Forge kit: Characters can add armor repair kit, without physically being present.
whetstone, oil, tongs, hammer, nails to their
loose gear. Portable Library
• Tool Rack: Any project clock or ambition clock
involving crafting starts with 1 segment filled in. Purchase: 6 dust
• Improved Workshop: Gain +1d to fill in Upgrade: 3 dust
any clock involving crafting
• Relic Forge: At the end of each session, infuse A collection of well-worn tomes, manuals, and
1 dust into a relic of your choice. Aspect scrolls.
infusions cost only 10 dust.
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Every character can add +1 to their tinker or study When you enter a populated location where
rating, up to a max of 4. someone might sell cards, you can buy rare
cards to upgrade your deck for 2 dust a rare card.
Upgrades: Every 2 rare cards upgrades your deck 1 quality.
• Library kit: Characters can add almanac,
monster guide, local maps, simple ritual tome, A competitive game of kapkat is played in 3
tome of legend lore to their loose gear. rounds, with best of 3, and requires at least 1 rare
• Training Manuals: At the end of each card. The loser gives a rare card to the winner.
interlude, each character gets +1 xp.
• Focused Training: Instead of healing Upgrades:
burdens, characters can train to gain + 1 xp. • White Demon Card: You can burn a rare card
Stacks with training manuals. to re-roll your Kapkat roll. The card is gone
• Arkentomes: Characters can make rolls to forever unless you win the match. You can’t
recall or gather information about dungeon or burn it if it’s your last rare card.
monster lore at +1D • Ruby Princess Card (1 dust): Gain +1d and
• Productive research: Instead of healing increased effect on social rolls against anyone
burdens, characters can turn xp into dust, at a 2 else with this card (anyone playing kapkat has
to 1 rate. about a 50% chance of having one, check with a
d6).
Kapkat Table • Vessel of Avarice card: It’s uncertain what
Purchase: 3 dust this rare card actually does, but having it does
Upgrade: 3 dust make rare cards cheaper by 1 dust.
• Sapphire Warrior Card (1 dust): You can
This table is for playing kapkat, a competitive and wager up to 3 rare cards on competitive matches
collectible card game that simulates a battle if your opponent agrees.
between demons and brave warriors called • Verdant King Card (1 dust): You can sell
bearers of the flame. The colorful character and rare cards for 1 dust.
card art is very popular with certain circles. • Golden Maiden card: You have a special,
repeatable ambition clock you can attempt to fill
Though a basic deck isn’t hard to come by, quality out for free each downtime (6 segments). When
decks of cards are usually beautifully printed and you fill it up, get a rare card instead of gaining
kept by wealthy individuals as a luxury item, with xp.
rare cards going for a lot of dust, but they end up
making their way down to enthusiast collectors, Shrine
where there is a healthy secondary market. Purchase: 3 dust
Upgrade: 3 dust
Your Kapkat deck quality is a number from 0-5. If
you're a new player, your deck starts at 0. NPCs Shrine to the Titans, the slain precursors. Grants
can also have kapkat decks, and their deck quality Divine Mercy. When characters would take their
is always obvious to you if you play. last wound and die, roll a d6. On a 2+, they ignore
the wound instead and miraculously heal all
When you play Kapkat with someone else, both wounds and hit points. Divine Mercy can only
players roll their deck quality as a fortune roll. occur once for a character ever in their life time.
The higher number wins, and in case of ties, go to
the second highest number (so 6,6,4 would beat Upgrades:
6,5,2). • Commune: Once a session, a single character
can pray at the shrine and ask a yes/no question
Once a session, someone can play a wagered about a person, place, or object. The GM will
game of kapkat, which must be done at camp or answer with one of the following: Wheel (yes,
during an interlude. If you win a game of kapkat, positive), Stone (no, negative), or Chaos (mixed
you take 1 dust from the loser. However, the outcome).
reverse is also true, even with NPCs.
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• Absolution: A broken character with 3 • Combat: The spirit is a size 1 allied summon
burdens can pray at the shrine during camp to lacking the intangible trait with 10 hp, 10
recover from being broken. They must still take defense, 0 armor, and 4 speed. It heals to full
a break from the next expedition. HP after each combat. It can take a standard
• Grace: A fallen character (someone who took 4 move and the following actions:
wounds) can be granted grace during an • Spirit slash (1 action, attack, range 3)
interlude by burning 10 dust, as long as they On hit: 1d6+1 damage. Miss: 1 damage
fell in the next year, even if they are dead, • Push (1 action): An adjacent character is
retired, corrupted, or gone in some way. They shoved 1 space
return from being fallen, recovering all wounds, • Spirit blast (1 action): A character in range
effort, strain, and hp. However, the character is 3 is sealed or weakened (spirit’s choice).
living on borrowed time as the dust is fortifying • Dash (1 action): The spirit dashes 3 spaces
their body and cleansing their soul and must
undergo a journey or expedition to make things If defeated in combat, the spirit disperses
permanent. The GM can set up an expedition or and reappears in a space in range 3 from an ally
an ambition for this. at the start of the next round with half hp.
Spirit Idol Upgrades:

Purchase: 6 dust • Empowered spirit: The spirit gains +1 effort
Upgrade: 3 dust and its combat ability as an NPC can be used
twice a battle instead
You can pray at this shrine to summon its etheric • Great spirit: As character the spirit can choose
spirit - usually in the form of an animal, small to become Size 2 when it starts battle. If so, its
creature, or fairy. The spirit is friendly to your speed is reduced to 2, but it also gains +6 hp,
group, and can be played two ways: either as an becomes Sturdy, and deals 1d8 damage with its
NPC, or as a character (for a player to control). attack instead of 1d6. It can also reduce or
enlarge itself as a 1 action ability during combat.
The spirit can only be summoned as a character if • Spirit vengeance: As a character, the spirit
it’s controlled by someone who is not already can do each of the following once a session: take
playing a character, including the GM. Playing a a superpowered action, or deal 2d damage with
spirit for a group is a good way for someone not its spirit slash attack instead of 1d
familiar with role playing games, guesting for a
session, or calling in remotely for a session to Survival Gear
participate, since it is relatively simple. Purchase: 6 dust
Upgrade: 6 dust
As an NPC, the spirit has the following powers:
• Narrative: The spirit has 2 effort, regains all of Knives, tanning racks, cooking spits, climbing
it when you camp, and can burn it to give gear, and supplies for wilderness survival.
someone aid. It doesn’t take strain and doesn’t
take actions otherwise. Every character can add +1 to their traverse or
• Combat: The spirit is not a unit in battle, but sense ratings, up to a maximum of 4.
can be invoked any time by a character as an
interrupt to aid someone, letting them roll twice Upgrades:
on any d20 roll and choose either result. This • Survival Kit (3 dust): Add good cloak,
ability works once per battle. waterproof clothing, extra rations, sturdy tent,
tanning racks, quality tools to loose gear.
As a character, the spirit has the following powers: • Rangers: Start the first combat of any
• Narrative: The spirit has 3 effort, 3 strain, and expedition with 4 vigor
rolls 1 dice for all actions. It heals all effort and • Toughened: Also gain this benefit after you
strain at camp. If the spirit takes maximum camp.
strain, it must disperse for a scene and can take • Footwork: On the first turn of combat only,
no more action, then re-enters the next scene all characters can move diagonally
with 0 strain.
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• Advanced Footwork: On the first turn of

combat only, characters can dash as a free
action
Thieves’ Gear
Purchase: 6 dust
Upgrade: 3 dust
Lockpicks, cloaks, keys, sacks for carrying loot,

and magitech devices for spying or listening.
Every character can add +1 to their sneak or excel

ratings, up to a maximum of 4
Upgrades:
• Thief kit: Add pouch of chalk, lock pick,
crowbar, extra rope, ball bearings to loose gear
for all characters.
• Skeleton Key: 1/session you can make any
action roll to open, unlock, or activate a device
or door superpowered in effect.
• Shadow cloaks: For the first combat after you
embark on an expedition, start with stealth.
• Whisper cloaks: Also gain this benefit after
you camp.
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the tone of their table. For example, if you want to
CUSTOM use supply rules in your regular game, since

you’re telling a story about scarcity, you can take
them from the Trek expedition type and port them
RULES
into other expeditions, including the actions and
fixtures related to supplies.
Establishing expectations
The following section contains custom rules for
running different expedition types. When If you’re going to use these rulesets, make sure
characters embark on an expedition and one of everyone is on board - not everyone wants a game
these rulesets is a good fit, the GM can choose to about tracking supplies, for example!
use these rules for the expedition.
Keeping things loose
Not every expedition needs specific rules, but
using these templates can help set expectations These rules are kept slightly open for a GM and a
for the entire group, and set up a clear structure player group to improvise within the tone of their
and goals. table. For example, the weather section in the
Trek rules have specificity about what ‘terrible’
The first part of each ruleset asks the GM and the weather means in terms of the game system, but
players to define the goal of the expedition, then don’t really specify what that weather is - a
has some rules about the overall basic structure rainstorm, a sand storm, fiery comets, a blizzard -
of the expedition. Then there are some questions it’s dependent on your game.
(mostly for the GM) to help set up the expedition.
Write your own
The last section of each ruleset includes additional
custom rules for each expedition type, including You can use these custom rules as inspiration for
expedition actions. creating custom rulesets for your own games.
Clocks and scene trackers are extremely versatile
- Expedition actions: These are special tools that can be used to help set up rules for
narrative actions that are specific to each anything from building your own town, to
expedition type. They are rolled just like running a trading operation, to exploring a mega
regular narrative actions. Sometimes they’ll call dungeon. Try it out!
for a specific action, sometimes a range of
actions, and sometimes any action. For There are tons of custom rules for four different
example, an action that calls for a tinker roll kinds of expeditions here: Dungeon Crawls,
can only be rolled with a character’s tinker Battles, Intrigues, and Treks.
rating. Unlike regular narrative actions, these
actions have defined outcomes, and often
ask players to choose from a list of options
depending on their final roll.
All together, these rules help create a story with

the tone and pacing appropriate to the type of
story the expedition is trying to tell. For example,
a Trek expedition has optional rules about
supplies, time, and weather - things we don’t
normally worry about in base ICON!
Mix and Match
A GM is free to use any or all these custom rules

as presented, or combine or mix them based on
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There are many, many ways to structure a

DUNGEON CRAWL dungeon crawl, but all the rules in this section use
the map, chamber and corridor, and point
A dungeon crawl is a quintessential of interest concepts.
adventurer’s journey, usually a descent into a dark
and dangerous pit filled with wonderment, terror, Map
and possible treasure. It could also be used to
represent exploration of a wilderness area with Most of these involve, at the least, having a map
vistas or points of interest, a lost or abandoned of the dungeon. A map doesn’t have to be detailed,
city, or any large, unknown, or mysterious place or specific, or even visible to the players most of
that is largely devoid of safety and people. the time. It could be a loose web of connected
points of interest, rooms, or key visuals for the
The rules in this section are loose since there are dungeon. In the example setup I’ve included a
many different ways to run dungeons, some of few examples of how to make a map for a
which may be a better fit for your group than dungeon.
others. You can feel free to peruse this section and
check out all the different ways offered to Decide if this map is visible to the players or not,
structure a dungeon, then use the rules that you or if they have to make their own map, or uncover
feel are a good fit for your style of play. parts of it at a time.
Chambers and Corridors

Goal
Whenever there’s a section of the dungeon in
The goal of a dungeon crawl is to follow the
which there’s major interest, history, activity,
hook until you reach the bottom. Good
hazards, danger, or habitation, we call this a
dungeons have a hook embedded in them. This is
chamber. In other words, any room in a
something that pulls the characters deeper. It
dungeon in which there is one or more points of
could be something like a big monster at the
interest (see below) is a chamber.
center to slay, treasure to find, or someone to
rescue. It could also be something like mysterious
Chambers are connected by corridors (halls,
or forbidden lore, a way to talk to a divine being,
staircases, doors, lifts, chutes, holes in the wall,
access to sealed away power, or a way to lift a
etc). Usually corridors aren’t very interesting,
curse. Whatever it is, the goal of a dungeon crawl
though they may contain hazards, traps, or
is to follow the hook to its conclusion.
obstacles. We don’t spend a lot of time in
corridors and prefer to narratively speed through
Along the way, characters should uncover the
them.
mysteries of the dungeon. This doesn’t mean
fighting every monster or scraping every wall for
The idea of a ‘chamber’ is left pretty abstract and
loot, but rather learning that the dungeon has
will control the pacing of your game. These rules
become a familiar place rather than something
were written thinking of a chamber as a large or
unknown or dangerous.
interesting room in a dungeon (not every chute,
closet or tiny 5’x5’ room is a chamber).
The best dungeons have a story behind them. It
could be something like a monster’s lair, a mage’s
In your game, or in some of the rules below, a
sanctum, an evil temple or a forbidden fortress. It
chamber could be a cluster of rooms, or it could
could also be something mundane, like the
be a whole wing of a dungeon. You can also vary
dungeon’s original purpose as a prison, a
the scale of ‘chamber’ depending on the section of
dwelling, or a sunken city. Learning about the
a dungeon.
dungeon and becoming intimate with its history,
terrors, hidden corners, architecture, and secrets
Working on these scales can help make exploring
is what a dungeon crawl is all about.
faster or slower, and doesn’t have to match the
actual map scale of the area. You might decide the
Structure
Spider Pits (a small but dangerous series of
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rooms) has a lot of chambers in it, but the Earth

Hollow (a big cavern a mile across) is just one Decide on how you’re going to structure your
chamber, or even a corridor, since it’s mostly dungeon crawl. You should prepare a map,
empty. depending on your setup. If you’re using the rules
in this section, decide what the chambers of this
Points of Interest dungeon are (it could be simple as the major
rooms) and figure out any additional rules
A point of interest is something that invokes you’re using.
intrigue, caution, mystery, or wonder in
characters. It could be a monster nest, a weeping Dungeons often involve elements of combat. If
statue, a slime pit, a decayed knight propped you’ve got combat encounters (even just narrative
against a crumbling altar, a dungeon merchant, a ones), or dangerous challenges like trap rooms,
shrine, another camp of adventurers, a big etc, try and prepare them ahead of time.
(creepy) hole in the wall, or something similar.
Then answer any or all of the following questions:.
A point of interest is what makes a chamber a - Does this dungeon have a central mystery? Is
chamber. A chamber could contain more than there a story, history, or purpose here?
one. If you can’t think of a point of interest in a - Is this dungeon abandoned? Who or what
room, or its borderline, it’s probably not a once lived here?
chamber. - Is this dungeon currently inhabited, owned,
or infested? With who or what? How do they
Dungeons are often full of these kinds of rooms react to intruders?
(10x10 room with prison bars and a bed, and - What treasures can characters find or pry
there’s ten of these on the floor, nothing from this dungeon?
interesting - maybe the whole floor is a chamber - What dangers can they expect to find?
instead). - What monsters or foes, if at all, can
characters expect to fight here? If there are
setup tactical combats expected, prepare them.
- What is the reputation of this dungeon? Is it
For the players: Choose job and abilities, and well known, is it a total mystery, has it just
make sure you’ve read your abilities and your surfaced, or is it infamous for eating
camp fixtures. Then answer the following adventurers whole? What tales do people tell
questions. about it, if any?
- Does this dungeon have any set pieces or
- Does anything inspire fear, trepidation, or major points of interest? Is there
excitement in your character about the something wondrous, terrifying or breathtaking
dungeon? waiting within?
- Is the upcoming dungeon delve personally - Does this dungeon have any unique quirks? Is
significant to them in some way? Do they it underwater, or overgrown with heavy weeds?
have some history with Do the forces of light, gravity, time, etc work
- What does your character desire from the the same in here?
dungeon? What do they expect to find?
GM Pitfalls
You can let your GM know your answers.
Here’s some advice for common pitfalls:
For the GM:
- Foreshadow danger or secrets. If you’re
Figure out the hook for your dungeon crawl. going to use hidden dangers like traps, illusory
What’s pulling characters deeper into the walls, hidden rooms, puzzle chambers, etc,
dungeon? Without a compelling hook, characters make sure characters are least get some hint
often don’t have a reason to descend into that they exist. This can be quite subtle: ‘The air
dangerous, lightless corridors, nor should we isn’t quite right in this room’ or ‘The light is
blame them.
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hitting the back of the altar in a way that looks a another system, you can usually pretty
little odd’. comfortably ignore them.
- Let characters wander on. Don’t force
characters to backtrack if they missed Abstract Map
something.
- Make sure characters enter with a clear goal. Draw or write out the chambers in your dungeon,
Dungeons need a compelling reason for and connect them with corridors. You can draw
characters to press on. each chamber out as a box without any specific
- Don’t waste time backtracking. Characters dimensions, then connect them with lines. You
that have passed over traps, hidden doors, don’t have to be a good artist, just be able to figure
journeys through darkness, etc can reasonable out how each chamber connects to another.
be assumed to go back through them again
without having to roll or play a scene out. In this setup, there’s no actual map for the
- Clearly communicate when characters are characters, and its physical geometry doesn’t
chasing a dead end. It’s ok to break the fourth matter too much. This is good when running
wall a bit to tell characters there is no more something like a wilderness area as a dungeon,
treasure or secrets to be found here. but can also easily be used to run traditional
- Make sure paths are clear for characters. An dungeons.
easy way to do this is always leave an open door
for them. If they need a key to progress, they Number each chamber, then write down the
should be able to intuit where to find it. If a size, look, details, points of interest, possible
bridge is down, they should be able to see the treasure, dangers, encounters, and mysteries
other side of the chasm. inside each box or on a separate sheet of paper. If
there are smaller zones or rooms inside those
BASIC STRUCTURE chambers, you can also detail those.
For each corridor, figure out what it looks like

Here are two suggested ways to structure a and if there’s any special notes, write them down
dungeon crawl. (the corridor is hidden at first, it’s underwater, it’s
trapped, etc).
Traditional Map
You can easily run dungeons with just a printed

traditional map, like the kind you’d get from an
RPG adventure module. If you’re not using rules
that track chambers (like the light or encounters
rules below) then don’t worry about them.
Otherwise, decide what on the map is a
chamber. In traditional modules, these are
usually numbered rooms (like in Deeptower, the
example adventure for this book).
If you’re using a pre-generated adventure or map,

they probably already have points of interest
written out, but if not you can write down
encounters, treasure, points of interest, etc for
each chamber.
ICON doesn’t particularly care about chamber

dimensions (in feet, squares, etc) unless a
chamber becomes a tactical combat map. If you’re
using a pre-generated adventure map from
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abstractly represents the stuff characters have to

keep on them. Decide what the thing the
characters have to carry out is worth in haul and
Additional Rules establish this before the expedition. For example,
2 dust = 1 haul, 1 rescued person = 2 haul, 2
Here are a number of rulesets you can use to bundles of medicine = 1 haul, etc.
modify or add to a dungeon crawl to reach the
experience that your group is looking for. To represent Haul being a problem to lug around,
you can use the Haul check action. Only make
this check in tense situations - like running from
Haul monsters, dodging traps, or escaping a collapsing
dungeon.
For this rule, characters must gather up
something from inside the dungeon and carry it Action: Haul Check
up to the surface. Traditionally this could be
arkentech, dust, artifacts, or other valuable or In a tense situation where haul would slow
powerful artifacts, but it could also be things like down, impede, or endanger the characters,
medicinal herbs, food, supplies, or even roll 1d6 per piece of haul them have with them.
something like rescued captives.
For every ‘1’ result, characters must choose one of
You can tie this to the rewards characters would the following:
normally receive for finishing an expedition if you - Make a tradeoff, sacrifice, or pay a cost (in
like, to put some tension in the expedition. If you strain, time, safety, light, etc).
do so, make sure there are more rewards available - Start a new ticking clock with dire
than normal. consequences, or tick up an existing clock
If characters can’t pay this cost or choose not to
With this rule, characters track Haul for the pay this cost, they must immediately abandon 1
group, which is a number (like 1, 2, 3, etc) that haul for every ‘1’ result they got.
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On a 1-3, characters may take one extra torch

Light die, but must confront a risk or danger first, or
pay a cost (in strain, time, or safety).
Use this rule when light is a factor and darkness On a 4-5, characters can either find 2 torch dice
represents a major impediment or danger. and pay the cost as above, or find 1 torch die
On a 6, characters find 2 torch dice.
Characters embark on an expedition with a
certain number of torch dice, representing Variant: Darkness
lantern oil, torches, magical reserves, etc. These
are d6s. Typically characters embark with a With this variant rule, the waning light of the
number of dice equal to the chambers they expect torch fuels an almost supernatural malice. Every
to pass through, plus a couple more. time a torch die is spent, it becomes a darkness
die.
If characters run out of torch dice, they run out of
light and things become pitch black. All narrative In a tense situation where darkness could
actions become riskier and less effective, and impede the characters, make a darkness check.
in tactical combat all player characters and allies
are blinded+ and take +1 curse on all attacks Action: Darkness check
and saves. In tough situations, you could rule
that pitch black means characters are forced to
In a tense situation where darkness would
retreat completely and abandon the expedition.
impede, or endanger the characters, roll 1d6
per darkness die.
Every time characters exit a chamber, they
make a torch check.
For every ‘1’ result, the GM chooses one of the
following:
Action: Torch check - Force a character to pay a cost (in gear,
When characters exit a chamber, take a torch die supplies, time, etc) or become separated
and roll it. On a 1 or a 2, discard the die. from the group
- Put a character in a bad or worse situation
The GM can also force characters to make a torch - Start a new ticking clock with dire
check as a complication, consequence, or consequences, or tick up an existing clock
tradeoff from their actions.
Darkness goes away when characters camp, exit
Action: Take your time the dungeon, or go into an interlude.
If you want to be more cautious or careful about
an activity, when you make a narrative
action roll, you can burn a torch die and roll it as Wandering
+1d6 (a boon) as if you had just pushed yourself,
without spending effort. This represents taking a Encounters
little more time.
If you want to add an element of tension to a
Characters can find more light by taking the
dungeon crawl, you can add ‘random’ encounters
Kindle action
or wandering monsters to the dungeon.
Action: Kindle Set up an encounter clock, from 3-6 segments.

Once every three chambers, characters can Longer clocks mean less encounters. You should
attempt to find more light. Choose one character generally make the clock visible to players, but if it
to kindle, who makes an action roll (smash fits the tone of your group you can also keep it
furniture into kindling, tinker with a wall lantern hidden. Each time characters exit a chamber, roll
to see if it can be extracted, study monster parts 1d6.
to see if oil can be made from them, etc).
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On a 1 or 2, tick the clock up by 2 with oddly shape terrain effects (like lines) that
On a 3-5, nothing happens trigger if characters enter them. If they need to
On a 6, tick the clock down by 1. inflict more damage, they should trigger like a
once a round interrupt (ie once per turn),
You can also tick the clock up as a consequence, require a save and deal around 1d8 or 1d10
tradeoff, or complication from characters’ actions, damage.
and tick it down if characters take action to try to
move more quietly or mask their trail.
CARTOGRAPHY
In certain situations, you could also tick it up if
characters get into a fight (fights are noisy!) or This is a variant rule that’s pretty simple.
camp (they are spending a lot of time in one Characters don’t start with a map, but must make
place). their own and assign a cartographer.
If the clock fills up, characters get an The cartographer gets +1 xp at the end of the
encounter, then it resets. This could be a narrative session if they made an honest attempt to fulfill
or tactical combat, but doesn’t necessarily have to their responsibilities.
be something dangerous - it could be something
like a wandering merchant or a harmless but
curious monster. You can use encounter tables DEPTH
(write up a table using a d6, d8, d20 etc and
assign encounters to each number) or just have a
With this rule, dungeons have an assigned depth,
preset list of encounters for an area.
from 1-4. Depth is pretty abstract, but it’s tied
directly to chapter number. Challenges and
Do not use random encounters at all for anything
tactical combats in a dungeon of depth 1 are
the players need to progress through the dungeon
chapter 1, challenges in a dungeon of depth 2 are
- they should be a purely extraneous layer.
chapter 2, and vice versa.
Traps This can represent physical depth, or just

challenge. You can also have one dungeon contain
chambers, floors, levels, or areas that are different
Traps are a pretty common component of depths entirely.
dungeon crawls. In ICON, players always have the
initiative, so traps must be run with two caveats: This allows characters to wander into different
dungeons or areas of dungeons that are more
- If you’re going to use traps, you can only spring challenging than they are expected to take on. If
them on players as a consequence or you’re using the depth rule, characters should
complication of their actions. always be aware of how deep a dungeon is.
- Traps can only inflict strain on characters if
you’ve established them (the normal rules
for inflicting strain). You must show characters EXPLORE
that there’s some danger - a corpse, a strange
scrape in the stone, a weird gust of wind, etc.
With this rule, characters are incentivized
Strain inflicted depends on the risk of the
(perhaps by someone that hired them) to explore
action characters are taking, as normal, not the
as much of the dungeon as possible.
potency of the trap.
Before going on the expedition, decide on a
certain number of special points of interest in
Traps are best played out as a narrative challenge,
the dungeon, and let characters know that
using those rules.
number. Characters should generally know what
they’re looking for. These could be something like
If you include traps in tactical combat, they can
ancient inscriptions, parts of an ancient spell, old
easily be represented with terrain pieces, difficult,
murals that tell a story, pieces of a broken, statue,
or dangerous terrain. You can also represent them
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etc. Someone might have hired them to take wall to an extra-planar space. Assign every chamber in
rubbings, or map the dungeon, or clear a safe this dungeon a number or range of numbers on a
route through, or something similar. d20, until every number on the d20 is filled.
Whenever a door is opened, it leads to a random
If characters find a majority of the points of room each time it is opened (roll the d20) unless
interest, give them all 1 xp or a dust reward. If characters use the Navigate the Labyrinth action.
they get all of them, give them 2 xp or a higher
dust reward.
LAIR
Labyrinth A simple and classic variant of a dungeon crawl.
This dungeon is the lair of a huge, ancient, or very
In this dungeon, there is no map, and the spaces powerful monster (probably a Legend if you’re
between chambers is a twisting maze of passages. using tactical combat). When thinking about the
If you draw the map for this kind of dungeon, character of this dungeon and its rooms,
don’t connect the chambers at all, since characters chambers, and points of interest, they should all
can end up in any chamber from another one. relate somehow to this creature.
When characters move from any chamber of the Often, points of interest in these kinds of
dungeon to another chamber, the GM chooses dungeons offer additional ways to reach the
where they go. monster, potential allies, special ways to harm or
fight it, or ways to protect against its nastiest
Otherwise, characters that intend to go attacks, offering incentive for characters to
somewhere specific must used the following explore.
action:
Action: Navigate the maze Megadungeon

When you try to go somewhere specific in This is a setup that allows you to simulate a truly
the labyrinth, make an action roll (strain the enormous dungeon, and is pretty simple. Set up
walls for your own tracks, tinker with a piece of multiple dungeon expeditions. Each could
string to mark your path, smash through the maze represent an ‘area’ of the mega dungeon, a wing of
walls, etc). Check the final result: the dungeon, or a new layer or level.
On a 1-3, you get hopelessly lost. You end up in a Write each expedition in a box out on a piece of
brand new chamber you’ve never been to before, paper, then connect them visually to each other.
which the GM can choose. If characters have been You could draw it out in detail, or just draw lines
to all chambers, upgrade this to a 4-5 instead. between each box to show the connections and
On a 4-5, you can find your way to where you their nature. You’re basically setting up a new
need to go, but suffer a cost (light, time, supplies, dungeon, with each chamber of the dungeon
strain), must make a tradeoff, start a ticking clock, being a dungeon itself.
or suffer a complication.
On a 6, you get where you intended to go. Characters can’t tackle a mega dungeon all at
once, but only complete the individual expeditions
Usually there is a secret of the labyrinth that once at a time. When characters complete an
characters can figure out to avoid making this expedition in a mega dungeon, they should get a
action. chance to have some downtime and an interlude
to replenish their camps and renew their
Palace of doors resources. Decide how this is possible - maybe
they have a mobile camp, or there is an
A madcap variant of this setup. Doors in this underground settlement they can return to, or
dungeon are arkentech, ensorcelled, or connected they have access back to the surface quickly.
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Wonder
This is a simple rule that rewards characters for
exploring and finding points of interest. It adds
the following xp trigger for all characters for
narrative play. At the end of a session, ask this
question:
Did you see something glorious, wondrous,

terrifying, or truly impressive? If so, take 1
xp.
Characters don’t have to necessarily all agree with

each other but the GM gets last word on whether
this triggered or not.
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A battle is played out in two, three, or five action
BATTLE scenes. Less scenes will mean a shorter battle.
Odd numbers are usually better but you can use a
A battle is an expedition where characters should 2 scene battle for a shorter and more manageable
be expected to take direct and often violent action, experience.
often in a conflict that is larger than they are able
to handle on their own. The rules here can be used Each scene is played sequentially, one after the
to represent a field battle, a series of fast-paced other, that advance some kind of narrative.
fights, a field battle, or a siege that lasts several Characters must advance in one direction but
days. might have a choice about the order.
Battles don’t necessarily have to involve Examples (each bolded phrase is a scene):
combat, especially tactical combat, every scene, - Characters must fight through the gates of
or even at all. It’s easy to think about situations the dark citadel, OR scale its walls. Once
where speed, daring, and physical action can be inside, they have to locate the throne room.
interweaved with fighting, or even stand alone Then finally, they must confront the Cinder
without any fighting at all. King.
- Characters must fight the battle of Arlen Loch
For example, a battle expedition can be used for throughout the day. In the morning they must
rescuing people from a disaster situation, a sports survive the assault, in the afternoon they
competition, a debate, or a trial of skill. must either blow up the bridge to prevent
enemy reinforcements OR help the left flank,
Usually there’s not much breathing room between and in the evening they must survive until
action scenes in a battle, so these expeditions are dawn.
good when pushing the drama and action to the - Characters must rescue the villagers of the
forefront. They can become exhausting if used valley from the encroaching volcano, and can
back to back unless you have a group that’s choose any order to check the temple, the
onboard for that sort of thing. village proper, and the lake for survivors.
For each scene, establish the situation (what’s

Goal
going on), setting (where is it taking place?) and
stakes (what’s at risk). The space in between the
The goal of a battle is to reach its conclusion,
action scenes can be pretty freeform.
preferably alive. Victory is usually preferable, but
not necessary to reach the conclusion. When the
Characters play through the scenes, and based on
battle has run its course, it’s over, and characters
their actions and how the scene plays out, the GM
must deal with the aftermath.
decides that it either resolves positively or
negatively, based on the stakes of each scene
Before you start a battle, name the stakes of
and the stakes of the battle as a whole.
winning or losing this battle. Here’s some
questions to help you out.
Once all the scenes are played out, figure out the
aftermath of the battle. Go through each scene’s
Based on the outcome of the battle…
- What is at risk? resolution and decide what impact that has on the
- What must be defended at all costs? overall stakes, based on how the scene went.
- What could characters lose?
- What will be irrevocably changed or lost You can play the aftermath out narratively
(describe what happens rather than play it out) or
forever?
play it out like normal. Either way, the battle is
over before the aftermath and characters have to
Make sure they are abundantly clear.
cope with the fallout of whatever happened.
Structure
There are different ways to run these scenes and
the aftermath itself in the rules below.
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additional rules here and see if any of them fit the

Quick Example kind of battle you’re preparing.
For example, characters are doing battle with a GM Pitfalls

force of imperial soldiers from a local overbaron
who are invading a local village and capturing the
Here are some common pitfalls:
residents since they are too poor to pay the annual
tax. That’s the overall stakes of the battle (can - Put the spotlight on the player
the characters save this village from the invading
characters. It’s common to have a lot of allies
imperials and rescue the villagers?).
or NPCs in battle scenarios. Generally the
player characters should lead the action and
Individual scenes might be (1) freeing prisoners
have the spotlight, not the NPCs. No matter
from imperial transports, (2) putting out the fires
how cool the thing is that’s going on in the
that are burning through the village, (3) driving
background, the characters are the main
off the main imperial force. Characters can tackle
characters of the story!
these scenes in any order. - Let characters make decisions about
how to progress. Battles can be pretty linear,
You’ll notice in this setup each scene is described
but characters should still be able to choose
by its major situation/stakes. There are easy ways
how they approach or deal with situations or
each scene could end positively or negatively as a
problems as they come up.
whole, and affect the overall outcome. - Don’t focus entirely on combat, even in a
pitched battle. Try to vary up the situation so
Setup characters have business to do other than just
fighting - like rescuing innocents, raising up a
For the players: Choose job and abilities, and shield, crossing a boiling river, etc.
make sure you’ve read your abilities and your - Make sure each action scene has
camp fixtures. Then answer the following interesting business. Think of a cool set
questions. piece, or set up, or scenario, or interesting
stakes for each scene. Don’t just do a scene for
- Will your character be tested by this battle? the sake of a scene. If you think about your
- Is it personally significant to them in some favorite action movies, there’s always
way? something interesting going on in the best
- What does your character expect from this action scenes, whether its the setting,
battle? characters, or story.
For the GM:
Set the number of action scenes. For each action

scene:
- What is the basic situation?
- What is at stake?
- What is the danger or opposing force here?
How powerful is it? Can players expect to face it
alone or without preparation?
- Do you expect a tactical combat in this scene? If
so, prepare it.
- Do you expect to use any clocks or narrative
challenges in this scene? If so, prepare them.
Figure how how characters are expected to move

from scene to scene. Then check out the
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To prepare for this, ask characters what the

Additional rules important points of interest, weak points, or
critical factors are in the coming battle; ie. ‘This
Here are some more specific rules or ideas for
bridge must be defended’, ‘The enemy
setups you can use for different kinds of battles.
commander must be taken out’, ‘The enemy
artillery needs to be silenced’.
Battle Assets Prepare at least 2, and probably no more than 6 or
so action scenes (less will make a shorter battle).
For this rule, characters are fighting alongside Characters can personally attend to one, two, or
allied forces or other NPCs in a battle that is too three less of these scenes than there are
large for them to handle everything themselves. maximum. For example, you might have a battle
You can use this to represent large field battles, with 3 important points, and characters can only
sieges, or defenses. attend to two of them, or a battle with six, and
characters can only attend to three.
Each scene in a command scenario represents
characters aiding or dealing with a threat instead For each scene, establish with characters what
of their NPC allies or prepared assets. There is group of people or assets will handle the scene if
always more points to aid or defend than they can’t personally attend to it. This could be an
characters have time for, and they have to choose NPC or group of NPCS like a group of soldiers, a
where to fight. captive monster, a legendary warrior, or
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something inanimate or intangible like a wall, a

moat, a magic warding spell, etc. For every scene that resolves positively (for
characters) or that is a success (for NPCs), the
Action: Allied Trust characters’ side scores 1 point. If they equal or
surpass the ‘score’ they need, they are victorious.
At the end, after characters have done what they If they score under the ‘score’, they are not
can, in the aftermath roll a number of d6s to see victorious. You can consider the difference in
how the scenes they didn’t show up in played out score to judge how the battle went overall. Victory
without the characters present. by 1 or 2 points is a sound victory, victory by 0
points or a loss by 1 point is a close thing.
If the asset or people are weak compared to their
task or foes, roll 2d6 and pick the lowest. If they’re Tides of Fate
on level or the outcome is unclear, roll 1d6. If
they’re strong compared to their task, roll 2d6 If you want to add a random element to this setup,
and pick the highest. Then consult the following: roll 1 additional d6 after the battle is over. On a
1-3, adjust the score down by 1. On a 4-5 adjust it
- On a 1, the scene is catastrophic failure. Allies up by 1, and on a 6 adjust the score up by 2. This
are slain or scattered, objectives are failed. can represent weather, natural disasters, morale,
- On a 2-3, the scene is a failure. random luck, or other unexpected situations.
- On a 4-5, the scene is a success.
- On a 6, the scene is an unexpected success and Variant: Defense
enemies are routed, scattered, or slain.
You can play this scenario out by giving characters
an incoming threat, then a number of days to
Action: Command build up these assets before an attack comes. Play
out those days narratively, with characters taking
In the above scenario, characters can use their time to gather allies, build defenses, etc. Set up a
skill to aid or help one asset of their choice. timer for when the attack comes and fill out it as
Perhaps they personally train some soldiers, characters take action, or as a consequence or
tinker with a catapult, prepare traps, etc. Make an complication from their actions.
action roll or a team action and check the final
result: Characters can build out a 2 clock for a weak
asset, a 4 clock for an average asset, and an 8
- On a 1, the preparation goes poorly and that clock for a strong asset.
asset rolls -1 die
- On a 2-3, the preparation has no further effect For an example setup, characters have a 12 clock
- On a 4-5, the preparation gives that asset +1 to prepare that fills out 1 each time someone
die takes action, or as a consequence for their rolls
- On a 6, the preparation goes better than (they have to take more time, resources, etc to
expected and gives that asset +2 die prepare). There are four points of interest to
defend, and characters can only attend to two of
Variant: Field battle them. When the clock fills out, the attack comes
immediately.
You can use this rule when characters are
contributing to a very small part of an overall Variant: Hard Choices
battle.
In this simple rule, in the scenes characters don’t
Give the characters’ side in the battle a ‘score’ they attend to personally, their allies will always lose,
need to be considered victorious, equal to the total having to buy some time, space, or hold the line.
number of scenes minus 0, 1, or 2, depending on Characters are aware of this.
how tough the battle is. This includes all scenes -
the ones characters can attend to personally, plus
scenes they may need NPCs to attend to.
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figure out the payment for winning a round, or a

Last Stand majority of rounds (dust/glory/access/accolades/
freedom, etc).
This variant rule is when characters are fighting in
a hopeless battle and don’t expect to win. In the Unlike a normal expedition, characters are able to
overall narrative, characters will be forced to change their job or abilities in between action
retreat in almost every scene, even if they ‘win’ scenes, to represent them preparing for the next
that scene. Make sure this is clear to everyone fight.
before using this rule!
For each scene before the final scene, characters

Rescue
must retreat, even if they ‘win’ the scene. If the
scene ends positively, the characters can choose Characters have to rescue people from some kind
one thing they can save and take it with them of encroaching danger or natural disaster. They
to the final scene. ‘One thing’ will depend on the can’t really prevent the danger from happening,
tone of your game - whether that’s a single person, but only forestall its arrival. It could be a huge
artifact, etc, or a whole group of people. horde of monsters, an erupting volcano, an
Everything else is lost. encroaching army, etc.
If the scene ends negatively, characters can save There might be combat involved, but the focus
nothing but themselves. should be on rescuing people and getting them
out of danger. To represent the encroaching
In the final scene, characters must fight to save threat, you can use a 6 or 8 segment clock,
everything they brought with them. If the ticking 1 segment up whenever characters take
scene ends positively, they can make it out of the action, move on to a new scene, or as a
battle with everything they saved, and possibly consequence of their actions. Whenever the clock
even win. If the scene ends negatively, go fills out, the situation gets worse and it gets
through each thing characters brought with them. harder and more dangerous to rescue people
A character must make a major personal (increase the risk of narrative actions, increase the
sacrifice worth at least as much as the thing size of clocks to rescue them, add reinforcements
they’re trying to save in order for that thing to to combats, etc). If this happens 3 times,
make it out safely. Otherwise, it’s lost. characters have to leave with whoever they’ve
managed to rescue and have to bail out on the
expedition.
Musou
This variant rule is purely for tone, and fits high-
SPORTS
powered characters and campaigns. In this rule,
only foes and challenges in actual action scenes This battle is a sports competition, using 2 or 3
are worthy of the characters’ attention. Whenever scenes. Each scene represents a half or quarter
characters transfer between scenes in a battle, of a sports competition.
characters should describe how they totally
blow through, overwhelm, or smash past Action: Scoring
all the obstacles and foes in their way. If you’re playing with this setup, put out two
clocks, representing the score for each side, with 4
Pit Fight or 6 segments. When characters take action
to try and score, tick the characters’ score clock
up, and tick the other side’s score clock up as a
This simple variant rule can be used for complication, tradeoff, or consequence.
gladiatorial fights or combat trials. In this variant, When a score clock fills up, reset it (extra
run an odd number of scenes, with each scene segments don’t ‘spill over’), and score 1 point for
representing a round of battle in the arena, and that side.
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You might limit each scene to just 1 point scored,

or put out a time clock that ticks up whenever
characters take action, ending the scene when it
fills up.
If you’re running this set up, it’s important to

communicate what sport the characters are
playing (a ball game, wrestling, etc), who is
actually playing (as opposed to supporting, etc),
and what the goal/scoring of the game is. Let
characters be creative in what actions they
take to further the score clock.
Action: Locker Room

Between each scene, play out a locker room or
backroom scene with the characters. Based
on the outcome of that scene, you can adjust the
score clock up or down for either side. Maybe
characters had a pep talk and get to reduce their
score clock to 4 from 6, or maybe the other side
attempts to sabotage the characters, increasing
the size of their score clock if not prevented.
Trial
This variant rule can be used for when the
characters are being judged as a whole. It could be
a divine trial in a dungeon set up by ancient
beings, a judgement trial by combat, a series of
tasks set up by a corrupt king, a friendly series of
sparring matches, or a series of tough
competitions.
In this variant, run an odd number of scenes.

Character’s actions are judged as a whole
based on whether there were more scenes with
positive outcomes than negative, or vice versa.
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finding clues, uncovering objects (like keys, maps,

INTRIGUE notes, etc), or learning critical facts. You can run a
very long multi-session intrigue with much longer
An intrigue is an expedition where characters are clock but it might take multiple expeditions to
trying to investigate something - track a foe, complete.
uncover a mystery, or unveil something hidden.
Usually intrigues are much less combat focused It’s important to keep things flexible and allow
than other expeditions and may not involve characters to fill out the clock on their
combat at all, but there are exceptions to that rule. own, using their own strengths, skills, and
deduction skills. It’s perfectly alright for
If characters are solving a murder, trying to characters to reach the end of an intrigue without
gather clues at a masked ball, socializing at a party going through a series of steps, or knowing all the
so they can uncover a traitor, or exploring the information. In fiction, characters stumble on to
woodland to find the hidden door into the the truth through their own luck and persistence
underworld, that’s an intrigue. all the time. If characters simply complete a scene
that moves them closer to their goal, you can
always move the clock forward.
Goal
The goal of an intrigue is to uncover and Confrontation

confront something secret or hidden. When the intrigue clock fills out, characters find
what they’re looking for and can confront it.
Characters might know what they are looking for
exactly, or in vague terms. For example, they What ‘confront’ means depends on what they’re
might be hunting down a murderer, looking for a looking for, and might involve playing a final,
hidden door, uncovering a conspiracy, or climactic scene out. If they’re looking for a rogue
searching for the secret name of a demon in an monster, they might have to fight it in tactical
ancient library. combat. If they’re looking for buried treasure in a
flooded cavern, they might have to dig it up before
Either way, establish what characters are looking the tides come in. If they find out the identity of a
for before you start. This can change as they learn murderer, they might still have to make some
more information. accusations.
Structure Sometimes no scene is necessary and characters

can move on with their prize - information,
Intrigues have a very basic structure: wealth, etc, and end the expedition.
The Intrigue Clock The Tension Clock

Set out an Intrigue clock with around 2-5
segments. When characters complete a scene Intrigues aren’t very interesting without
that moves them closer to their goal, find out a tension, so f you set up an intrigue clock, also set
critical clue, or the nature of what they are out a tension clock. The clock should usually be
looking for changes, then advance the clock around 3-4 segments.
by 1 tick.
Any time something happens due to the decisions
When the clock fills up, characters find what they or actions of the characters that would raise the
are looking for and can reveal and confront it, tension of the intrigue, you can tick the clock up
whatever that may be. by 1. You can also tick it up as a complication,
consequence, or tradeoff for the characters’
Longer clocks mean longer intrigues. A good way actions.
to judge the length of a clock is thinking about the
critical steps that characters might need to take to When the tension clock fills up, the tension
uncover the truth, such as gaining people’s trust, breaks, usually in a bad way. Characters are
confronted with some kind of twist, problem,
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ticking clock, confrontation, or consequence that - What happens when characters are able to
will either slow them down or have dire personal confront what they’re looking for?
consequence. - What happens when the tension clock fills out?
- Is there a danger or opposing force to the
What this means depends on the intrigue you are players?
running. You can also set a failure state if the - Do you expect tactical combat in this intrigue at
tension clock fills up too many times (usually all? Communicate that to the players.
around 3-4 times).
Here are some examples:
- Characters are trying to track down a murderer.

When the tension clock fills up, the murderer
kills again.
- Characters are investigating a corrupt guild
boss. When the tension clock fills up, the boss’
goons track the characters down and confront
them.
- Characters are trying to find out the identity of
the queen’s secret lover at a ball. When the
tension clock fills up, characters find
themselves accused of a new crime or trespass
they didn’t commit, complicating the situation
If it fills up three times, they get kicked out of
the ball.
Setup
For the players: Choose job and abilities (if

there’s even going to be combat), and make sure
you’ve read your abilities and your camp fixtures.
Then answer the following questions.
- Does your character have personal stakes in

this intrigue?
- What does your character think is the truth?
Is that different from your allies?
For the GM:
Set the length of the intrigue clock and tension

clock, then answer the following questions:
- What is the basic situation? What are
characters looking for, or what do they think
they are looking for?
- What is at stake? What will happen if this
situation was left on its own?
- What do you think will fill out the intrigue
clock? Are there important clues or pieces of
info the characters can uncover that will move
it further?
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escape detection. If this happens three times, the

mission is over and characters must abandon it.
Additional rules The second option is to run the tension clock like
above, except when it fills up and resets, it also
Here are additional rules you can use to represent raises the alarm level. The alarm level starts at
or modify a basic intrigue scenario. Some of them 0, and goes to 3. Increase the risk of all
change the basic setup quite drastically! narrative actions when it goes to 1, and increase it
again if it goes to 2. Additionally, you can
Infiltration increase the difficulty of possible tactical

combats by adding one or two more points to
In this variant, the ‘intrigue’ is actually using encounters (see page XX) as reinforcements or
stealth and subterfuge to enter a elites for each level of the alarm. If the alarm goes
dangerous or guarded location, in order to to 3, characters are found out and can no longer
accomplish some goal and get out safely. sneak about.
You can use this for sneaking into a dangerous Extraction

monster’s lair to rescue someone, stealing a jewel
from the greedy under baron’s castle, or To speed things up, you can usually assume
infiltrating an imperial war camp in order to characters that fill out an intrigue clock and reach
sabotage their mega-tank. their goal can make it out the way they came in.
Sometimes, however, it’s fun to run a (maybe
The intrigue runs as normal, except there’s extra shorter) intrigue clock to get out again, with the
options with the tension clock: added difficulty that you might be escorting
someone, or weighed down with loot.
The first option is to run the tension clock like
normal. When it fills out, characters are found If extraction is going to be a part of the
out (or almost found out) and must fight, flee, or expedition, make sure that everyone understands
this before the expedition starts.
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If someone is unmasked, other characters can

Masquerade cover for them by spending 2 segments (total) of
their disguise clock to restore 1 segment of the
You can use this variant when characters enter a unmasked characters’ disguise clock.
location disguised to undergo an intrigue.
Maybe they are at a masked ball, maybe they are
in an enemy camp disguised as their foes, or
HEAL
maybe they are magically transformed in some
way. This variant is for when characters are trying to
heal an illness of some kind. It’s usually a more
Run the intrigue as normal, but characters all also peaceful sort of intrigue, but can be harrowing
have a disguise clock with 3 segments. Each time regardless, or even still involve combat. The
the tension clock fills out, knock a segment off illness doesn’t need to be an actual sickness, and it
everyone’s disguise clock. doesn’t necessarily need to affect people. For
example, it could be dark magic that is warping a
You can also knock a segment off a characters’ location, a blight that is killing all the crops, a
clock as a consequence or complication due to disease that is driving animals mad, or
their actions. When a character has 0 segments supernatural weather that is destroying the land.
remaining, they are unmasked and the disguise
no longer works. Run the intrigue like normal, except the tension
clock represents the illness getting worse. Each
Action: Deep Cover time the tension clock fills out, the illness gets
worse, and inflicts visible suffering around
If you want to increase the disguise clock for the characters. Characters can use the
yourself or your group by 1 or 2, describe what ameliorate action below to try and lessen this.
you want to do to the GM. The GM will tell you
what you need to do, from one of the following: You can run this with a fail state if you like - if the
- You need to gain the trust of someone on the illness gets worse more than 3 times, it becomes a
inside more long-term part of the land or people, settling
- You need to find or create additional materials, in, and characters will have to return with
uniforms, outfits, makeup, or paperwork. more powerful assets, allies, or knowledge to heal
- You need to create a distraction it.
- You need to make a personal sacrifice
Action: Ameliorate
The scale of what you need to do will always be When the illness gets worse, characters can
concurrent with your request. It’s always possible, forestall this by this by playing out a scene to
but play a scene out to see if you can do it or not. fight back or treat the illness. If they are
successful, they reduce, but can’t eliminate,
Action: Rip off the mask the suffering.
You can intentionally unmask yourself to gain Alternatively, characters can eliminate the
initiative and shock onlookers, destroying your suffering by taking the suffering into
disguise. If you do so, you get the benefits of themselves. This causes them to take a burden,
pushing yourself on your next narrative action depending on the nature of the illness. Characters
without spending effort (+1d or effect). You can might get sick themselves, or take an injury, or
also do this to resist an action as if you’d spent suffer from anger or resentment.
strain to avoid consequences. If you do this, you
can’t ever get your disguise back on the same
expedition.
Hunt
Action: Cover up
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In this variant, characters are pursuing a quarry make sure things go smoothly, rather than
of some kind - a bounty target, a wild monster, a negotiating directly.
fleeing criminal, or perhaps merely someone that
doesn’t want to be found. Figure how how many factions are present,
and what they want out of the negotiation. This
Run the investigation clock like normal, only works best with 2 factions, or an odd number, like
when the clock fills up, the final confrontation is 3 or even 5 (for more complicated expedition).
catching up to the quarry.
Instead of running one investigation clock, set up
Each time the tension clock fills up, an obstacle a shorter clock for each faction, representing
gets in the way of the characters. For example, the their needs or demands. These clocks can be
monster the characters are tracking starts an different lengths (an easy to satisfy faction might
avalanche, a corrupt inspector confronts the have a 4 clock, and a hard faction might have an 8
characters and tries to shut down their expedition, clock). When the clock fills up, that faction is
or the characters run into some unsavory types willing to negotiate in good faith.
who are also on the trail of their quarry and don’t
want competition. The investigation ends when the majority of
factions are willing to negotiate. In the case of a 2
Failure to avoid or confront the obstacle slows the sided negotiation, both sides must be willing.
characters down and makes their quarry more
prepared for them when they arrive. You can, as The terms that get worked out are usually in favor
always, set a failure state after the tension clock of the factions that have received aid from the
fills out 3-4 times to give characters a time limit. characters, ie the factions whose clocks are full.
Those factions get their demands met, in
If you’re intending to use tactical combat, it’s best some way.
to save a tactical combat encounter with the
quarry as the final confrontation - as doing so The tension clock in this scenario represents
communicates that characters can fight and win. factions or outside forces interfering with
If you want a monster to show up earlier to attack negotiations. When the clock fills out,
the characters (only to escape or get away), run it characters must act to prevent interference. If
as a narrative encounter and make it clear to the they fail to do so, the GM can adjust all clocks up
characters they can’t catch or pin down their or down 1 or 2 segments to represent this.
quarry in real tactical combat without completing
the investigation. You can set an interesting fail state with this
scenario by having a faction that nobody wants to
Variant: Chase work with, or that has malicious intent (like an
empire demanding surrender). When the tension
You can also run an inverted hunt as a chase. In clock fills up, they can fill their demands clock up,
this case, characters are the quarry, and are and if it ever fills, negotiations collapse in
fleeing from something. Instead of confronting their favor.
their pursuer, if they fill out the intrigue clock,
they escape. If the tension clock fills up too much,
they are caught.
NEGOTIATION
In this variant, characters are trying to broker
some kind of agreement between different
warring factions - a peace agreement, a settlement
of debts, a trade-off of prisoners, etc. Sometimes
characters are present as mediators, or guards, to
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furthers them on their journey, fill out a

TREK segment. This could be scaling the side of a
mountain, completing a tactical combat, charming
the way past a bridge troll - anything that moves
Simply put, a trek is a journey from place to place. them further along.
However, it’s not just any journey, but one
through a dangerous, perilous, or unexplored area When the clock fills out, characters can progress
- perfect for heroes. to the next leg of the journey if they so choose.
Shorter clocks mean less time spent in a particular
The trek rules are highly flexible and part or all of leg of the trip and control the overall pace of the
them can be used by a group. Make sure the group trek. The GM is free to completely advance a clock
agrees which rules are in play before embarking if they feel like the pace is suffering and move
on a trek! characters along to the next part of the trip.
Goal Setup
The goal of a trek is always to arrive at the For the players: Choose job and abilities, and
destination. When you’re leaving on a trek, make sure you’ve read your abilities and your
you’re usually heading out from a place of safety, camp fixtures. Then answer the following
but that’s not always the case. You may be questions.
traveling to a dungeon, traveling through a
dungeon, escorting a nobleman’s son home, - Will your character be tested by this journey?
undergoing a journey through a deep and - Is it personally significant to them in some
monster-filled swamp, or taking a shortcut way?
through an infested mine. - What does your character expect from this
journey?
When you embark on a trek, name the
destination, and if there’s any special caveats, You can let your GM know your answers.
like cargo or passengers you have to take with
you. When you reach the destination safely, the For the GM:
trek is over.
Set up each leg of the trek:
Treks are always dangerous or challenging - How long is this leg of the trip? Set a clock for
to some degree. Name the possible dangers and each leg.
challenges that lie ahead. - What kind of environment is on this leg of
the trip?
Structure - What dangers and challenges lie along this
leg of the trip? You may have already detailed
Treks are split into legs. An average trek has 2-3 this earlier.
legs. A longer trek has 4 or more, and very long - What points of interest are during this leg of
treks that might take multiple sessions to the trip?
complete have more. - Are there side activities, opportunities, or
rewards during this leg of the trip?
Each leg of a trek represents a period of time - What choices will characters have to progress
spent traveling through a different region with a this leg of the trip? Characters should always
different challenge, sights, people, etc. A leg can choose how to progress on their journey. You
include possible tactical combat, but the total trek should make sure to present them with options,
shouldn’t include more than 3-4 tactical combats even if that’s just a fork in the road, and to be
unless it’s very long. flexible when players improvise.
- Are there tactical combats in this leg, if
The GM sets up a clock for every leg of the trip you’re using them? If so, prepare any expected
with 1-4 segments. Each time characters fights, and decide what situations will trigger
complete a scene or accomplish a goal that them.
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Then, think about the answers to the player facing

questions above and see if you can’t use them for
inspiration.
Finally, think about the additional rules or

variant rules from below you want to use for
this trek, and clear them with your group.
GM pitfalls
- Make sure characters and players always

choose how to progress through a trek. A trek
that feels too linear can feel boring.
- Don’t rush things along - let characters play
out scenes in between the rolls to progress the
journey. But also don’t let things linger too
long in one place - a trek is about traveling,
after all. If characters get too comfortable along
the way, remind them of their goal.
- Don’t force characters to see something.
Characters will often unintentionally avoid or
walk right past content you have prepared. If
you’re trying to get characters to see a cool
sight, encounter, or NPC, make sure you
foreshadow it first (for example, by having
other NPCs talk about it before the journey). If
they walk by it anyway, let it go. You’ll think of
something else.
- Foreshadow danger, risks, and threats.
Make sure characters know what to expect on
each part of the journey.
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On a 4-5, you can get the info you need, but you
need to take a risk, expose yourself to danger, or
Additional Rules make a sacrifice or trade off to get it.
On a 6, you get the info you need with no
tradeoffs.
Here are more specific rules that can be used
depending on the tone of your game and the type
of trek you want to play through. SUPPLIES
Scouting You can use these rules when the Trek is through
a part of the world where supplies are scarce, like
a desert, deep dungeon, icy waste, or ocean.
If you want characters to have limited or unknown
information about the dangers in the next leg of Track two things on the camp sheet: supplies
their journey, you can use the Scouting action. and baggage.
The action can be taken by only one character,
once per leg, though they can receive help. - Supplies are an abstract resource that
represent food, medicine, parts, etc.
Action: Scout - Baggage are situations, facts, or objects that
could potentially slow the group down or make
If the dangers ahead are unknown or them require more supplies, such as sickness, a
unclear, the GM can call for a one character to broken cart, an NPC they are escorting, or a
make an action roll to gather information (study lack of warm clothing, etc. When you get
tomes, recall survival info, charm the locals, baggage, describe it briefly on the sheet.
sense the terrain, etc). Decide what you’re looking
for (paths, terrain, possible monsters, etc). Make To move on through a leg of the trek,
the roll and check the final result. characters need at least 2 supplies, +1 for every
baggage currently affecting them. Otherwise,
On a 1-3, you can get the info you need, but will even if characters fill the clock out, they can’t
immediately get into danger or trouble. advance.
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To advance, characters that lack supplies have to On a 4-5, choose: same as above, but you can
take some action to gain supplies or to gain 2 supplies instead, OR gain 1 supplies, no
clear the baggage affecting them. To a clear complications.
baggage, characters can play a scene out, make an On a 6, you gain 2 supplies with no
action roll, or make a tradeoff or hard choice, as complications
offered by the GM, and depending on the nature On a 6, 6, you gain 2 supplies and can also
of the baggage. There are some actions below ignore the effects of 1 piece of baggage.
that characters can use for this.
Action: Push through
Starting supplies: When characters lack supplies to move on to
Characters usually start with all the supplies they the next region, they can make the following
need for a trip. This can be made harder if they choice on how to progress:
start with less, or start with some baggage (maybe - Take baggage equal to the difference in
they’re escorting a nobleman’s son, or refugees, or supplies needed. Detail them. This can’t be
have a broken wagon, for example) done for the final leg of a journey.
- All characters take strain equal to the supplies
Gaining supplies: needed. This strain can be resisted as normal.
Characters can gain supplies or make tradeoffs - The GM can offer characters an opportunity,
with the actions detailed below this section. trade-off, or hard choice in order to gain the
supplies necessary to progress.
Losing supplies:
When character advance a leg of a trek, they lose
Action: Make things complicated
all the supplies they just paid to advance.
When a character would take any amount of
strain, consequences, or a burden from their
Characters might also lose 1 or even 2 supplies
actions, the GM can offer baggage instead.
during the course of their actions as
consequences, tradeoffs, or choices that they
make. Optional rule: Limited Camps
Losing baggage: With this rule, characters can camp any time, but
If you dump baggage, you’re not necessarily camping costs 2 supplies +1 per point of baggage.
physically getting rid of it - it just stops being an
issue or a burden.
TIME LIMIT
Action: Forage
Once per leg of a trek, your group can forage The Trek has a time limit - perhaps characters
for supplies. Either make a team action to look have to reach somewhere fast, are trying to outrun
for supplies, or designate one person a forager something, or are taking a limited opportunity.
(they can receive help as normal). You hunt, fish, This can be represented with a clock (usually with
scavenge, pick up food, herbs, etc, or just scrape 6, 9, or 12 segments), which starts full and you un-
what you can from your environment. Make an tick as time progresses. When the clock is empty,
action roll (strain the land for resources, study characters have run out of time and suffer the
the dirt for animal traps, endure cold weather, consequences, which could mean failing their
etc). goal.
On a 1-3, you find 1 supplies, but they are in a A basic setup is to have a clock with a number of
dangerous, challenging, or contested location. segments equal to the number of legs + 2 or 3. For
Perhaps they’re at the top of a waterfall, or example, you could have a 6 segment clock for a 3
guarded by a monster, or you’re not sure if they’re leg trek. Untick one segment each time characters
poisonous. Back off and lose them, or play a scene advance through a leg of a journey, and untick a
out to see if you get them. segment when offering characters a tradeoff,
opportunity, moral choice, or as a bad
consequence or complication of their actions. For
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example, you could untick a section if characters

have a string of bad rolls and get catastrophically Map Crawl
lost, if they decide to take a slower but safer path,
if they linger in one place to ambush their Instead of moving through legs of a journey,
pursuers, or if they decide to help a farmer right characters move through regions on a map, and
their cart instead of moving on for the day. the expedition can be ended voluntarily by the
characters when they enter a significant point of
Makes sure characters have enough time to safety or refuge on the map. When preparing such
complete a trek and a little time to spare. If you a map, the GM should mark out those locations
want to make time really tight, make sure it’s clear and make them clear to the characters.
with the group first, or give them ways to regain
some time or make the clock longer. To prepare a map for a map crawl, split any map
into regions, with each region representing a leg
Action: Buy Time of the journey. Regions can be as small or large as
When characters need more time, they can they need to be. Use the clocks for each region
choose to pay the cost in one of the following (that you would normally use for a ‘leg’ of the trip)
ways. Characters can choose the cost to pay, and as a guide. Steep, frosty, mountains might be a 3
the GM can decide on the details, how effective or 4 segment clock region, but a peaceful valley a
that choice is, and how much time it will buy. 2 clock. Then mark out the places where
characters can rest safely and end the expedition.
- Start trouble, or start a ticking clock, with a
dangerous faction, monster, or force of nature You can use variant rules, such as supplies, in
- Offend or let down an NPC ally or allied faction different regions if you want to represent adverse
- Make a personal sacrifice conditions.
Optional rule: Granular movement

Weather
If you want more granular movement, split each
Weather is a simple optional rule. Use it if poor region into sections/hexes/squares.
weather is possible during parts of the trek to add
a random element. When characters enter a leg of If you need relative speeds:
the journey, roll 1d6. In one daytime period or nighttime period:
- A person on foot is expected to travel about 1
Weather adds to the cost of any other space
supplemental or variant rule in this section - A mounted person can move about 3 spaces
(supplies to move to the next leg of a journey, - Characters can push themselves or their
time taken by each leg of a journey, wear on the mounts by taking strain, complications, or
caravan) consequences (around 2 strain) to move 1 extra
space.
1 - Terrible weather, +2 costs
2 /3 - Bad weather. +1 costs You can adjust this up or down 1 or 2 spaces if
4+ - Clear weather, no effects characters have exceptional means of travel, like
flight, good roads etc. You can adjust it down due
If characters take some action to mitigate to weather, complications, or if characters choose
weather (for example, being prepared with proper to move slowly (to spot ambushers, for example).
gear, using their abilities to shield themselves, This can’t reduce speed to 0 but could cause speed
crafting cloaks from animal hide, etc), they the be reduced to 1/2 (takes a full day and night to
cost can be avoided. This can be done before the move 1 space)
cost has to be paid - for example characters that
want to move through a region that are using the
supplies rule can weatherproof their gear before
Gatekeeper
spending supplies to advance.
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With this rule, characters can’t automatically Characters have something to escort: an actual
move on to the one of all of the legs of the journey caravan, goods, a group of soldiers, a valuable
without beating, avoiding, or surpassing some beast, food, aid, passengers, an NPC, or an object.
challenge - such as a huge cliff, a massive The ‘caravan’ has a wear clock (with 4,6,8,12
monster, a valley full of stampeding beasts, a river segments as normal). Moving from one leg of a
of lava, etc. journey to the next ticks the wear clock up by 1.
Longer clocks indicate more durable caravans.
This does slow down the pace of the game, so it’s
important to make sure that a gatekeeper is an The clock can also be ticked up as a consequence,
interesting or dramatic set piece or challenge. tradeoff, or choice for characters’ actions.
Characters shouldn’t be barred from moving on Characters can untick the clock by taking action,
completely but shouldn’t be able to make it out making tradeoffs, or playing out scenes to
unscathed if they just barrel through. reinforce, heal, or repair the caravan.
Any time, you can check the clock and see what
Peaceful trek condition the ‘caravan’ is in:
- No wear, or 1 segment: Excellent condition
This is a very simple variant rule. There is no - Under half full: Good condition
tactical combat or combat or any kind expected on - Half full or more: Poor condition
the trek. The problems characters will face may be - Full: Falling apart
dramatic, dangerous, stressful, or painful, but
won’t involve fighting. The condition of the caravan could affect
characters’ pay, the state of NPCs, morale, the
quality of supplies or food being delivered, etc.
There and back again
If the clock is full and the caravan would gain
more wear, it is lost, destroyed, injured, etc until
This is a variant rule to use when characters must
repaired or recovered.
arrive at their destination and then return using
the same route. It helps speed up play. It’s a
Optional rule: Random Wear
simple rule: when returning, if characters are
When you advance a region, roll 1d6. 1-3: Wear
using the same route, skip any costs they have to
advances 2, 4-5: Wear advances 1, 6: Wear
pay, and only play out the problems,
advances 0.
dangers, or situations that they failed to
resolve, confront, or overcome on their
way over. Otherwise, you can just ‘montage’
them back to their starting point.
Patrol
This is a simple variant. Characters are tasked
with completing tasks or solving problems in at
least two or three legs of the journey. Make sure a
leg has only one major task if it has one. If
characters move on without confronting or
resolving it, the situation is either left to chance or
progresses on its own, usually for the worse.
Caravan
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IV. THE BOOK OF FOES
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Monsters are dangerous and beyond reasoning
with. Though some have some shred of
intelligence, they are motivated by hunger, pain,
survival, or a supernatural desire for destruction.
Monsters typically can’t be bargained with
and have simple motivations for violence
(food, territory, aggression, or survival). In many
cases (but not all), monsters will fight to the
death.
Kin
The ruins draw all kinds of adventurers and

contenders, seeking wealth and glory, and not all
of them are pure in intent. Even outside of the
ruins, in the cities and towns of the world, people
of all kinds plot to exploit, hurt, or deceive their
fellows for personal gain.
FOES
Banditry and highway robbery is steadily
increasing in the Churning Age, with the large
number of blights and the decreasing safety of the
roads. Mountain bandit, lowlander, or coastal
The ruins that litter Arden Eld and churn beneath pirate clans will often organize and maintain large
its surface are sometimes peaceful, hollow affairs - hideouts, where they will periodically raid nearby
full of dust and destroyed monuments to a dead towns for loot and captives to ransom. In the
empire. More often than not, however, they are ruins themselves, some adventurers make a living
host to innumerable monsters that slither, crawl, not only off the ruins, but also off robbing their
and stalk through their hallways, born of the fellow adventurers. In the cities, wealthy criminal
Doom that befell the Arken Empire and the grand syndicates, sometimes masquerading (or acting
technomagical projects they undertook. These openly!) as guilds, pursue enrichment at all costs,
ruins can be deadly places despite the riches they running kidnapping schemes, forcing labor, or
offer, and occasionally when a ruin surfaces, it using debt to control large numbers of people.
disgorges hordes of monsters that eventually boil
over into the surface world, called a Blight. Mistrust has reached the point that some towns
Minor Blights can deform and destroy the and cities have begun eyeing the legacy of the
landscape and threaten nearby villages, towns, Arkenlords, arming themselves for what they see
and cities, and every few decades a blight surfaces as a coming grand conflict between Kin. War
that can threaten large portions of the world. Left between city states or towns, so rare between Kin
alone, the borders of a Blight will steadily grow, in the Green Age, is becoming more common and
and turn the world above into a mirror of below - increasingly severe in scale. Some powerful towns
poisoned, twisted, and crawling with monsters. or city states see themselves as inheritors of an
imperial legacy, with the warlords helming them
Monsters titling themselves a new Emperor, seeking to
unite the cities by force into Arden Eld’s first
The creatures that stalk the halls of the ruins are a nation. The ambitions of these self-styled
mix of mundane beasts that have been warped by Imperials remain unfulfilled - for now.
the ruins’ influence, native fauna that have grown
accustomed to dungeons, terrifying horrors from When Kin commit or threaten violence, it’s
beyond the realms of understanding, and the always motivated. Kin can be bargained
remnants of the old empire, animated by the with (even if that bargain on your end is giving
ruins’ magic. up all your money or throwing down your
weapons in surrender!), they’re people after all.
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Kin will almost never fight to the death and • Heavy: Slower, melee focused enemies that
will often flee or surrender if their lives are defend their allies with their higher hp and
threatened. defensive traits.
• Skirmisher: Fast, mobile, short ranged
Monsters and Kin enemies that deal high damage but are fragile
themselves.
In combat, there are a few rules to apply to • Leader: Foes that improve the combat
monsters and kin: capabilities of their allies or heal them. Have
traits or auras and effects that improve or move
1. Kin always have reasons to fight. If their their allies
demands or desire are met, then they are willing • Artillery: Long range, slow enemies that
to bargain or avoid a fight. become powerful if left alone. Deal the highest
2. Kin will surrender or flee, potentially damage but relatively little defense or health.
ending a tactical combat, if they have suffered
heavy losses or see there is no chance they will Though they may vary slightly, stats are the same
win. Ending a fight this way is up to the GM. for every foe of the same class. That means
3. Kin won’t kill without a reason. there are only four basic stat blocks in the game.
Where foes differ greatly is in their available
Monsters can ignore these rules. They might still abilities and traits, granted to them by their job.
flee if they have some sense of self preservation.
Job
Intelligent Monsters
Within each class, a foe also has a Job, much like
If monsters are intelligent, or can bargain, or are a player character. Unlike player characters, there
characters in their own right, treat them like are scores of foe jobs, which describe anything
Kin. Give them a reason to fight, a reason to kill, from axe-toting warriors to giant birds.
and decide when they will surrender or flee. Their
bargaining demands might be more extreme (flee Basic jobs
my tomb or perish) but make sure they are clear.
ICON provides a large number of Basic Jobs
How to use this section that are ‘generic’ jobs you can adapt to your game,
such as soldier, monk, priest, blaster, etc. These
jobs are simple and flexible and fit a lot of
In tactical combat, foes in ICON have statistics
different fantasies and roles. They generally
such as HP or armor, abilities, and actions just
describe how a foe functions in combat, with the
like player characters. On their turn, they can take
details and flavor left up to you - so you could
2 actions and can standard move as a free action,
make a soldier that is an armored knight, or a
also just like player characters. Unlike player
soldier that is a giant ant.
characters, they are limited to a few basic
actions and the actions in their profile, and
Basic foes are the bread and butter of
they are also much simpler.
ICON’s combat. If you’re trying to fill an enemy
roster out, you can’t do much better than using
Class
basic foes. You can make an entire combat from
basic foes with no issues. They are easier to run
Foes in ICON can be sorted into four classes.
and can be flavored however you like.
Each class mainly grants every job its general
statistics and traits, and are roughly equivalent
Factions
to the four player classes. When those statistics
are different from the usual, it’s listed in each
Many other foes belong to Factions. Factions
job’s stat block.
describe a whole group of foes, like the lightning-
powered undead Relict, or the giant Jotunn.
These factions have unique mechanics, and fight
in ways that reinforce those mechanics.
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All foes are gated by Chapter (I-III). Later chapter

Factions all have a template you can apply to a foes represent more powerful, rare, or complex
basic foe to make it part of that faction. For opponents. Lower chapter foes will occasionally
example, all Jotunn (being giants) are size 2, so gain additional abilities in later chapters.
any basic foe you make part of the Jotunn faction
gets bigger!
Special Foe Rules
They also have a number of their own faction
jobs, split by classes and stand-alone foes called Foes can all make a standard move like heroes,
uniques. Unique jobs all have the faction and can all dash or interact with something.
template by default, and have variants that get They cannot use any other abilities other than
more powerful each faction, so you will get a what’s in their profile.
different experience fighting them as you get more
powerful. Foes have some special rules, tags, and traits that
apply only to them:
Factions also have their own unique powerful
Elite and Legend fights. Unique Rules:
• Repeatable X: This action is repeatable any
number of times in a turn, ignoring the no
Using Factions
repeats rule.
You can mix and match in basic foes with faction
• Multimark: This mark can apply to any
foes to up the complexity and challenge of a fight,
number of characters. It can only still be applied
or even run an entire encounter full of faction foes
once per character.
for a flavorful and impactful fight.
• Limited Use: Some abilities are only usable
under specific circumstances. Common limits
Generally only one faction is meant to be used at
are only when bloodied, only past a specific
once due to having more mechanics than basic
round, and only a certain number of times per
foes, though you can mix and match them if you
combat.
feel up to the challenge.
• Round Action: This ability is used
automatically at the start of the round, and
Special classes
takes effect at a specified time during the round.
There are a few special classes for foes in ICON It doesn’t cost any actions to use or count as
that change the gameplay of foes up slightly: taking a turn. Usually these are found on Elites
and Legends.
• Mob: Mobs are a horde of weak, numerous • Combo: Some foes have combo abilities like
enemies that are run as one enemy. They can be players, but for foes they are a sequence of
used for a more ‘heroic’ feeling game where
abilities instead of a a token they gain and lose.
characters cut down enemy after enemy. Each part of the sequence must be used in
• Elite: Elites are more powerful foes that take order, must be used on different turns, and they
two turns and have increased hp. They are akin loop back to the start after the last part is used.
to ‘mini-boss’ encounters in a role playing game,
representing a more powerful or skilled enemy. Additional Rules:
• Legends: The most powerful foes in ICON. • Foes can never choose to take a slow turn unless
Legends are fights worthy of an entire group, specified
and meant to represent legendary warriors, or • Player characters can sometimes save to avoid
huge and ancient monsters, such as wyrms, effects from foes right away.
giants, or elder demons. They take multiple • Foe stances refresh automatically
turns, have phases (different actions and • Foes cannot randomly critical hit with attacks
abilities based on different situations), deal high unless specified. If they are able to critically hit,
damage, and have high hp. they deal +[D] like players, typically.
Chapter and foes Foes may have additional or unique tags.
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Large Foes • Special class, like mob, elite, Legend

Some foes are larger than size 1. These foes have • Traits
the following rules: When triggered:
• When they place an AoE ability with an origin of • Effects when a player characters is marked by a
self they can place it on any of their spaces. foe or that foe gives that character a negative
• Bigger foes can choose whether to be affected by effect
any of their own area abilities. • Conditional effects such as ‘If a character is
• AoE abilities used against a large foe can only standing here, they will take X damage’
affect them once, even if two or more of their • Triggered effects, like interrupts, when they
spaces are hit. For example, a large character hit trigger
by an attack and area space of an AoE ability is • If the foe is bloodied or not
only affected by one or the other (the ability • If a Legend changes phase
owner can choose).
• Large foes are not slowed down by terrain or For example: “This foe is a Knuckle. It’s a heavy so
height movement penalties. it has Guard, and also has the Rook trait which
• However, Large foes count as being ‘inside’ any allows it to grant cover.”
effect (such as an aura, difficult terrain space,
pit, dangerous terrain, etc) if at least one of their The second time or further characters fight any
spaces is inside. foe, full information (abilities, statistics, etc) is
• Large foes ignore engagement from and can available to them, though that information does
move through but not end their turn in the not have to be current. You can simply show
spaces of smaller characters. players a stat block if you like. For example,
characters can know a Soldier’s hp and armor, but
Differing Foe Statistics not its current hp in every round of combat.
You can play with full information all the time if

Foes all have statistics that are very similar to
you wish. Some groups feel like this can take some
player characters (VIT, HP speed, etc). The
of the mystery out of fighting a powerful foe for
statistics are generally the same for all jobs of the
the first time, while other groups prefer having
same class, but sometimes have differences, which
better tactical decision making available to them.
are noted above a foe’s traits.
Foes that start with less or more health don’t gain Mobs, Elite, and Legends
more or less VIT - it stays the same.
These special classes have a few rules to make
running them different to regular foes.
Special Traits
MOBS
Foes that have an effect as a trait always have that
effect active. For example, a foe with sturdy as a • A mob is a mass of weaker foes that is treated
like one foe.
trait is always harder to move, or a foe with flying
as a trait can always fly when they move, etc. • Each mob comes with a certain number of
members. Each member is a character, but as
a whole, a Mob takes up one ‘enemy’ slot in a
Open information combat and has one set of actions.
• Members don’t have hp. Instead, each
ICON is a game best played with open member has two ‘hits’. When a member would
information on NPC abilities and traits. By take damage from any source, knock a hit off,
knowing NPC’s capabilities, players can make so members will always be defeated when
better decisions when fighting them. damaged twice.
• Individual members of a mob are removed
The first time characters fight any foe, the from the battlefield when defeated, and don’t
following information is always available: trigger slay effects when defeated. When all
On sight: members of a Mob are defeated, the Mob is
• Job, class, and faction defeated.
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• Each member of a mob tracks effects

separately. A mob and all its members are To balance up or down, add or remove 1 or 2
immune to statuses. points from the encounter budget. The most
• Members of a mob don’t cause engagement. important balancing factor is action economy -
• When taking a turn, a mob can move all of its ie how many fighters are on one side or another. If
members with its standard move. your players outnumber your foes, no matter how
• When a mob takes actions, it takes its actions powerful their enemies are, they will typically win!
through one of its active members.
Reserves
ELITES
• Elites have double the health of normal foes, You can always hold foes in reserves to change the
and take 2 turns. pacing of a fight. Foes in reserve typically appear
• Some Elites may have Round Actions at the edge of the map at the end of a round, then
act normally starting with the following round.
LEGENDS You can increase the difficulty of a fight slightly
• Legends have health that scales based on the without making it overwhelming by adding 2-3
number of players, with a minimum of 2 player more points to the encounter and bringing the
scaling. additional enemies in as reserves at the end of
• Legends have the Juggernaut trait, which round 2 or 3.
allows them to remove a status or mark at the
start of each round. Attrition, balance, and the one fight
• Legends take one turn for every player balance rule
character in combat. This includes defeated
players.
ICON is designed to be somewhat attritional, with
• Legend interrupts recharge at the start of each characters taking wounds and deciding whether to
round, instead of at the start of their turn
push on and gain more resolve, or camp and reset
• Legends have phases, which change up their to regain their healing resources. The game
available actions and traits. Phases trigger
expects characters to go through two or three
based on set factors.
fights for each camp. If you’re expecting less
• Legends often have Round Actions fights, or don’t have the time, energy, or plans for
• Legends often have unique mechanics that more fights, you can use the one fight balance
don't appear anywhere else in the game
rule.
Making foes and balancing To balance for one fight, you have points equal to
twice the number of players. Start with the normal
encounters budget of foes on the map, and hold the rest in
reserve. Deploy up to half the reserves on the map
To make a foe, pick which job you think at the end of round 2, and the rest at the end of
represents it. If you’re using a basic foe, you can round 3. They can act normally in the round
also add a faction template to it. following the round in which they appear.
Balancing encounters for ICON is very simple. This can make a pretty exhausting fight, so use
Count the number of players, then add 1. This is your judgement!
the point total for your encounter.
Balancing on the fly
• A mob is worth 1
• 1 regular foe is worth 1
One more tip - this game is (by the author’s
• 1 elite is worth 2
estimation) balanced as intently as possible, but
• 1 Legend is worth the entire encounter budget
the final point of balance is the game master, who
can adjust encounters on the fly if they are too
For example, if I have 3 players, I can run 4
difficult or too easy.
regular foes against them, or one elite and 2 foes,
or 20 mobs, or 1 legend.
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An easy way if you’re not sure about the balance of game mechanics. If you want to ignore this (you
an encounter is to hold some enemies in reserve have a group that’s comfortable with tactical
(1-3 enemies, or an elite, or something similar). If combat games, for example), you can do so at
the fight is too easy for players, you can add your leisure.
reserves as needed. If it ends up being difficult,
you can hold off on bringing in reserves. Do this
sparingly once you have a good feel for your
group, and you can also communicate this to your
group for good practice.
Using the chapter system
The chapter system is intended to give players a

sense of progression through the world - that
there might be monsters that are beyond their
capabilities lurking out in the world that they will
later be able to fight on even terms.
Generally speaking, characters should fight foes

that are in the same chapter as them or lower.
Lower chapter foes are generally less complex, are
easier to run, and have less tricks. Players at
higher chapters will have more access to tools to
counter the more powerful foes at higher
chapters, so they tend to be more complex.
You can have players encounter foes that are a

higher chapter than them as a way to introduce a
powerful enemy. There’s a few ways to do this:
1. Don’t go into tactical combat at all, and

make it clear that this is a fight characters
can’t win.
2. Run tactical combat, but run the higher
chapter foe as an Elite.
Conversely, if players run into foes that are a

lower chapter than them and you want to give
them a sense of power, don’t go into tactical
combat at all (let them deal with them
narratively), or run those foes with half HP to
represent how weak they have become.
Since statistics remain the same across chapters,

all chapters of foes are still threatening to the
characters and will remain so throughout the
game.
Ignoring chapter
The chapter system gates some foes off as a way to

gradually expand the enemy roster, give a sense of
breadth to the world, and introduce more complex
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Take care when placing enemies on the map in

CREATING INTERESTING these scenarios. Typically the GM should place all
enemies first, then player characters can place
FIGHTS themselves on the map - but the GM may choose
to change this up depending on the players’
information.
It’s perfectly ok to run ICON battles as straight
fights - side vs side, whoever is left standing wins.
Typically players deploy close to a side of the map,
However, running all your battles like this can
but that may not always be the case - perhaps they
sometimes cause strategy and planning to become
came down an elevator, dropped through a hole,
stale, and can lead to the same outcomes.
or something similar. You can keep the same
thing in mind when adding reinforcements to the
Dynamic fights with varying terrain, objectives,
map on the NPC side.
and set pieces can be extremely fun and
memorable for everyone involved. This section
offers two ways to swap things around to keep Scoring scenarios
things fresh and interesting - scenarios and Summons and mobs count for 0 characters when
setting. scoring scenarios. Elites count as 2 characters,
and Legends a number equal to the number of
player characters.
Scenarios
Scenarios are ways to make your combats in ICON Scores for scenarios are always updated at the
more interesting by offering alternate victory very end of the round, after all character turns,
conditions. Often these scenarios have a time abilities, interrupts, etc have resolved.
limit, zones of control, or specific objectives that
make the goal more complicated than just • Control: Mark three zones in three different
defeating the opposition. parts of the map. At the end of the round, a side
(ally or foe) scores points equal to half the round
Objectives number if they have a higher point value of
Some of these scenarios use objectives. characters in a zone than the other side Most
Objectives are either characters or objects that are points at the end of round 6 wins.
immune to all damage and statuses. They can be • Recon: The same as Control, except there are
any size from 1-3. When a character takes their four zones, one in each quarter of the map,
standard move, they can pick up the objective and and one has a hidden objective, which the GM
move it with them, placing the it in a free adjacent determines. Characters inside a zone can
space after their standard move finishes. If there spend a free action and end their turn to
are multiple characters from different sides reveal if the hidden objective is there or not.
adjacent to the objective when a character At the end of the game, the side that holds the
attempts to move it, have them roll off (each roll a hidden objective zone, if it is revealed scores
d6), with the highest roll on one side keeping +3 more points.
control for this turn while they are adjacent. • Brawl: An all out slugfest. Player characters
score 1 point for defeating a foe equal to their
Zones character value (so 1 for regular foes or an entire
Many scenarios include objective or goal zones. mob, 2 for elites, and player number for
These zones are simply marked areas on the map Legends). NPCs score 1 point per wound they
that must be controlled or have things brought to inflict on player characters, and 2 points if they
them. To be inside a zone and to count as being defeat a player character. Most points at the end
inside a zone, a character needs to be not of round 6 wins.
defeated, alive, not a summon, intangible, and at • Escort: Characters have to escort an ally or
least 1 space inside the zone. object, who is an intangible object or character,
to a goal zone or the other edge of the map.
Deployment and reinforcements. When characters end a turn with the objective in
the goal zone, they win. Characters fail if they
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haven’t taken their escort to the goal in six If you’re comfortable with scenarios and have a
rounds. more experienced group, you can combine them.
• Gauntlet: Player characters start at one edge For example, you can run a Control scenario with
of the map and must end their turn in an a VIP. Doing so significantly ups the complexity of
objective zone at the other end of the map to a fight and probably shouldn’t be done with an
escape. Characters that do so are removed from inexperienced group.
the battlefield. All characters must extract by
the end of round 6 to be fully victorious - any
characters left behind are defeated, captured,
SETTING
etc. Use 2x the enemy budget for a normal fight.
Deploy the normal budget of enemies at the first The other thing to think about when designing a
round, then bring in half of the reserves at the memorable fight in ICON is setting - the unique
start of the second round, then half more at the location, set-piece, or terrain that the fight takes
start of the third place in.
• Holdout: Characters must try and survive. Use
2x the enemy budget for a normal fight. Deploy This starts with the battlefield itself. Battlefields
the normal budget of enemies at the first round, that have cover, interactable spaces, objectives,
then bring in half at the start of the third round, terrain of different heights, difficult or dangerous
then half more at the start of the fifth. If terrain, or odd shapes will be far more interesting
characters aren’t totally defeated by the sixth than a plain empty field.
round, they win.s
• Scavenge: Place objectives around the map Asymmetrical battlefields can also be more
equal to the number of players plus one. Evenly interesting than perfectly symmetrical ones. Try
distribute them as much as possible. Mark out running a fight in a battlefield that is made up of
two goal zones, one close to where player oddly space platforms, or a room that is a U-
characters deploy, and one close to where foes shape, or a room that is several underground
deploy. Characters must pick up and carry the chambers split up by narrow doors and
objectives back to their goal zones. At the end of impassable floor-to-ceiling walls everywhere else
six rounds, whichever side has more objectives (a classic dungeon-crawling scenario).
in its goal wins. Objectives outside of goals don’t
count, even if a character controls them. Try to fill at least half your battlefield with points
• VIP: Characters must defeat one to three of interest. Interactive objects and terrain of
specific foes. If these foes are not defeated by all types (difficult, dangerous, elevation,
the end of round six, the players fail. More VIPs impassable, pits) can be used to fill out a map. It
makes a harder objective. may be helpful to review the terrain section on pg.
• Extraction: The same as above, but once XX before planning to create an interesting fight
defeated, VIPs become an objective that must setup.
be brought back to a goal zone. Use a smaller
map or fewer VIPs. SET PIECES
• Hunt: A VIP scenario, except the VIP is
hidden in one of 3-5 interactive spaces on the You can also use the world of your game to add
map. The GM secretly chooses which before interesting and dynamic environments for your
the start of the game. Characters can reveal players. Think about them like a backdrop for a
whether the VIP is present or not by spending fight in a movie, game, or book. The drama’s best
an action on or adjacent to that space, placing when there’s something cool going on in the
the VIP on the map adjacent to that space if background!
successful. The VIP then either becomes a
character or an objective that must be Not every fight needs set pieces or a unique
extracted. setting, but they can certainly help make things
memorable and switch things up for players.
Combining scenarios
Here’s a list of ideas for interesting set pieces to
get you started. You can use these to create or
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brainstorm your own ideas for making dynamic - An ambush in which player characters place
fights. their characters on the map before NPCs, and
NPCs can deploy in any space that’s not
For effects that use damage, you can use either 2 adjacent to a player character
damage (for low damage) or a d6. Make the - A fight in a pitch black map that permanently
damage piercing, divine, or increase to 2d6 or 3d6 blinds all characters. Characters can pick up
depending on how severe you think it is. torches that give them aura 3. Characters in the
aura can be targeted normally and also ignore
- A fight on four islands or platforms, with blinded against any characters in the aura.
bridges between them. The rest of the map is - A fight in a mountain hall with enormous
dangerous terrain (like lava, etc). pillars of impassable terrain that go floor to
- A fight in a forest with a large number of old ceiling splitting up the room.
and enormous trees (height 3 objects). Some - A fight in a room that’s filling with water,
are rotten and destructible, and destroying creating difficult terrain in more of the map
them makes the tree collapse and damage/stun round by round until eventually the whole map
characters in a line 5 area facing away from is pit spaces.
where the attack was made. - A fight next to an ancient statue that targets a
- A fight with more foes that normal, but split the random character with a huge energy beam
foes into two factions that are also hostile to every round. At the end of that round, if that
each other as well as the player characters. character isn’t in cover from the statue, they are
- A fight on floating islands or rocks. Characters shot by the beam and take damage in a large
can interact with a teleporter in the middle of area.
each island to teleport to different islands. - A fight where the map is split into quarters. At
Flying characters can move on the map the start of the round, a random section is
normally, but other characters that are shoved marked, and at the end of that round, that
or teleported off islands are left clinging on to section erupts, explodes, or is hit by artillery.
the edge closest to where they moved off, - A fight on a very steep cliff or hillside, or
counting as being inside a pit. against a strong wind that counts as difficult
- A fight in a crumbling, sandy cave, where the terrain moving in one direction, but has no
walls are all destructible impassable terrain effect moving in another.
objects with 1 hp. - A fight in a city street with civilian NPCs that
- A fight in a long, narrow tunnel. Characters can can be hit by attacks and abilities. Civilians flee
hit destructible objects to collapse sections of towards one side of the map at the start of the
the ceiling, damaging and stunning characters round, and characters must be careful not to
in certain areas and creating difficult terrain. hurt them.
- A fight with an extra sleeping Elite foe in the - A fight in the middle of a battlefield where
middle of the map that is hostile to all factions. players can interact with objects on the map
If the Elite takes damage it wakes up and joins (raising flags, blowing horns, etc) to call in
the fight - or it wakes up on its own at the start artillery or reinforcements.
of round 4. - A fight in a canyon where both sides are
- A fight during an earthquake, where pits and elevation 3 terrain and the center of the map is
poisonous geysers have a random chance to a long pit.
appear in each quarter of the map each round. - A fight in a burning building, with patches of
- A fight in a trap-filled catacomb, where dangerous terrain (fires)
entering certain spaces will trigger traps that - A fight in an underground cavern, where at the
stun, damage, or inflict statuses on characters. start of round 2 the center collapses into a huge
Characters can search for traps in range 2 by pit.
spending their standard move or 1 action. - A fight at a dam, which has destructible
- A fight in a dungeon with sectioned off rooms sections. Destroying the dam creates a huge pit
and interactive levers to open or close heavy zone across the map which damages and shoves
doors, which are destructible objects that can characters when it’s created.
be lowered or raised. - A fight in a very small area (7x7) with
impassable walls.
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- A fight in a very large arena (10x20) with a lot

of cover, against a large number of ranged foes
As you see, there’s a tremendous amount of

variety you can put into fights, depending on the
story you’re telling.
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GLOSSARY OF FOES
All foes have the following statistics and traits, depending on class:
Heavy Leader
Vitality: 10 Vitality: 10
HP: 40 HP: 40
Speed: 4 (Dash 2) Speed: 4 (Dash 2)
Defense: 6 Defense: 8
Fray damage: 4 Fray Damage: 3
[D]: 1d6 [D]: 1d6
Guard: Has Rampart. Reduce all damage to self Diaga (1 action): An ally in range 4 is cured.
and allies in orthogonal spaces by 2, as if by
armor.
Artillery
Skirmisher Vitality: 8
HP: 32
Vitality: 7 Speed: 4 (Dash 2)
HP: 28 Defense: 7
Speed: 4 (Dash 4) Fray Damage: 3
Defense: 10 [D]: 1d8
Fray Damage: 2
[D]: 1d10 Slip: Movement ignores rampart, interrupts, and
vigilance.
Skirmisher: Can move diagonally, and dash Aetherwall: Gains resistance against all abilities
moves full speed from characters that are outside of range 2 from
Dodge: Immune to damage from missed attacks, them (Cover halves ranged damage).
area effects and successful saves.
Mob
LEGEND Members: 2/player
Vitality: 10 [D]: d6
HP: 50 per player character (minimum 100) Fray: 3
Speed: 4 (Dash 2)
Defense: 8 Members:
Fray damage: 3 Hits: 2
[D]: 1d8 Speed: 4, Dash 2
Defense: 8
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character Traits: Mob (This character doesn’t trigger slay
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of effects, and is removed when defeated).
the round, this character may clear a status or
mark.
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Unique Templates:
Elite
You can make any foe without the Elite trait an
Elite with the following template. It stacks with
other templates:
The foe takes up 2 points in an encounter budget

and gets the following trait:
Elite: This foe takes 2 turns. Double HP for the

Foe.
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BASIC JOBS
These jobs are flexible and can be used for simple, easy-to-run foes that can fit into any scenario or faction
encounter. You can use these jobs to describe any person, monster, or beast that a character runs into,
with a little adjustment to flavor. If you want to fit these jobs into a faction, you can apply a faction
template.
Bash (1 action, repeatable): An adjacent foe is

Mob shoved 2.
Valiant (2 actions): The soldier rushes up to 4
spaces in a straight line, then may use Bash as a
Basic Mob
free action
Weak foes that find strength and courage in
numbers, fighting alongside their stronger allies.
Impaler
Rabble (1 actions, attack, range 3): On hit: A fighter that pushes around characters and
[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Target foe takes 2 keeps them pinned and at arm’s length.
damage once again for every other mob member
in adjacent spaces to them, up to three times. Special Traits: Sturdy
Rush (1 actions): Effect: Up to three members
in any order may dash 2, then deal 1 damage to a Advance (free action): Rush 1.
foe and shove them 1 space. Spike (2 actions, attack, range 2, combo).
Rally (1 action): Effect: Up to three allies On hit: 2[D]+fray and shove 2. Miss: fray and
adjacent to a member may dash 1 space, or one shove 1. Collide: Foe is slashed.
ally adjacent to a member may dash 3 spaces. • Impale (2 actions, attack, range 2, true
strike, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray and shove
4. The Impaler rushes 3 towards the foe after
Heavy shoving them. Miss: fray and shove 2. Collide:
foe is slashed and stunned.
Warrior Greatsword
Simple, hard-hitting melee fighter that attacks
Straightforward, hard hitting foe that attacks
multiple foes at once.
with sweeping, heavy attacks.
Redondo (free action): Swap places with an
Weapon Vault (free action): The Greatsword
adjacent ally, removing and placing both
targets a character in range 2, then removes itself
characters.
from the battlefield and places itself in any space
adjacent to that character. Then, it may shove that
Cleave (2 actions, attack, true strike): On
character 1.
hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: All foes
adjacent to the warrior or its attack target take
Great Slice (2 actions, attack, line 4,
fray damage.
combo): Effect: Rush 1. On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss
Bull rush (1 action, repeatable): The Warrior
or area effect: fray. Effect: Slash attack target.
rushes 1. An adjacent character when it finishes
• Whirlwind (2 actions, melee, attack, true
its movement is either weakened or shoved 1.
strike, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray
damage. Effect: The Greatsword rushes 1 space,
Soldier three times. After it rushes, each time, it deals 2
Basic melee fighter, controls the flow of combat damage to adjacent characters.
with deft strikes and slashes.
Slash (1 action, true strike, attack): On hit:

Brute
[D] + fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is slashed.
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Large foe that can hurl allies and enemies Sentinel

around. Foe that uses its reach and alert senses to defend
an area.
Special Traits: Sturdy, Size 2
Trip (free action, range 2): A foe is shoved 1
Backhand (1 action, true strike, attack, in any direction.
combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray.
• Backbreaker (2 actions, attack, combo): Sweep (2 actions, attack, range 2, arc 3):
On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is On hit: 2[D]+ fray. Miss or area effect: fray. s
stunned. Effect: Brute may rush 2 before using Shove 1
this ability. Fortress (2 actions, end turn): The Sentinel
Bulk up (1 action): Gain 4 vigor, or 6 if may rush 1, then gains aura 1 until the start of its
bloodied. next turn. While this aura is active:
Hurl (1 action, repeatable): The Brute shoves • The Sentinel gains counter
an adjacent character or object 2. Collide: • Allies without this ability in the aura gain
Character is weakened. resistance.
• Any foe that enters the area without being
Knuckle shoved takes 3 damage, but no more than once a
Heavily armored foe that taunts opponents and turn.
can strike multiple opponents at once
Crusher
Heavy Armor: Resistant to damage from Foe that uses its great strength to grapple or pin
adjacent spaces down its enemies
Overpower (1 action, attack, true strike): Special Traits: Sturdy

On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: All foes
adjacent to the attack target take 2 damage Headbutt (1 action, attack, true strike): On
Crushing Advance (1 action): The Knuckle hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is weakened.
and all allies in range 2 may rush 1 space. Then, Effect: Deals bonus damage to weakened foes.
all foes adjacent to the Knuckle take 2 damage. Mighty Blow (1 action): The Crusher deals 2
Call out (1 action): A foe in range 3 must save damage to an adjacent foe and either shoves them
or be shoved 2 towards the knuckle, then gain 1 or creates a pit under them.
hatred of the knuckle. On a successful save, they Grapple (1 actions, mark): The Crusher marks
are shoved 1 towards the knuckle. an adjacent foe. While marked, that foe must save
if it attempts to break adjacency. On a failed save,
it becomes unable to exit adjacency with the
Berserker
Crusher by any means for the rest of the current
A reckless fighter that becomes more powerful
turn. On a successful save, the mark and this
when taking damage.
effect ends, but the foe is weakened.
Special Traits: Defiance
Enrage: While bloody, gain +1 action Sledge
Hard hitting foe that inflicts stun with a heavy
Bloody crescent (1 actions, true strike, blow.
attack, arc 3, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss
or area effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is slashed. Bullheaded: Has resistance unless suffering
• Full Moon (2 actions, attack, burst 1 from a status.
(target), combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or
area effect: fray. Effect: Berserker gains 4 vigor.
Furious Leap (1 action, repeatable): The
berserker flies 2, then foes adjacent to the
berserker take 2 damage.
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Chain hook (1 action): A character in range 3

is shoved 2 towards the Sledge. Iron Kiss (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]+fray,
Shoulder check (1 action, combo): Rush 1. Miss: fray. Effect: May dash 3 after the attack.
An adjacent foe is shoved 1. Skewer (1 action): Dash up to 3 spaces in a
• Crushing Overhead (2 actions, true straight line, then deal damage to an adjacent foe
strike, attack, combo): Attack: On hit: 3[D] equal to the number of spaces moved +2.
+fray and foe is stunned and shoved 1. Miss: Duel (1 action, range 3, mark): Mark a
fray damage and foe is slashed. Effect: Deals character in range. Gain evasion against the
bonus damage to slashed or weakened marked character, and when the marked
characters. character uses an ability, may dash 1 after the
ability resolves. End the mark if the marked
character hits the Fencer with an attack.
Skirmisher
Assassin
Pepperbox A fighter that attacks in sweeping bursts.
A mobile ranged attacker that hits multiple times
with a short bow or gun. Nimble: Has evasion unless suffering from a
status
Riddle (1 action, attack, range 4, +1 boon):
On hit: 3 damage, three times. Miss: 3 damage. Razor Wind (1 action, attack): On hit: [D].
Effect: Against foes at exactly range 3, inflicts Miss: 1 damage. Effect: Repeat the following
dazed and gains unerring. effect twice: Dash 1, then area effect: burst 1(self):
Strafe (1 action): The Pepperbox dashes 2, then 2 damage
deals 2 damage to a foe in range 3. Gust (1 action, range 2): The Assassin or an
Flash Bomb (2 actions, range 3, small ally in range may fly 2.
blast): Area effect: All foes take 3 damage twice Assassinate (1 action, range 3, end turn):
and are blinded. Effect: If the Pepperbox catches The Assassin chooses a foe in range. At the end of
itself or allies in the area, they gain stealth. that foe’s turn, as long as they’re in range 3,
teleport to any space adjacent to them, deal 2
damage, three times to them, and blind them.
Hunter
Reduce this damage to just 2 damage if they have
A skilled ranged attacker that hunts down and
an adjacent ally. Then, fly 1.
eliminates single targets.
Wayfinding: Has evasion while inside difficult Hellion

or dangerous terrain, and ignores the effects of A flying combatant that is more powerful against
difficult or dangerous terrain. solitary foes.
Hunter shot (1 action, attack, ranged 4, +1 Special Traits: Flying

boon): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Bloodied characters are shoved 1 in a direction of Rake: (1 action, attack, Line 4): On Hit: [D] +
the Hunter’s choice and dazed. fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Hellion can
Set Trap (1 action): The Hunter creates a trap fly to any point on the line after the ability
dangerous terrain space in free space in range 2. resolves. Foes in the area must save or be dazed.
Prowl (1 action, end turn): Dash 1 and gain Pinions (1 action, range 3): Deal 2 damage
stealth three times to a foe in range. Reduce this damage
Hunt (1 action, range 4, mark): A character by one instance for every ally of that foe in range 2
in range is marked. The hunter deals bonus of them.
damage to the marked character and their Swoop (1 action, end turn): Leave the
abilities gain unerring against them. battlefield. Return to the battlefield in a visible
free space at the end of the very next player turn
with stealth.
Fencer
A mobile melee fighter that is an excellent duelist.
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Skulk space, then deal 2 damage to them if they are a

A sneaky foe that hits hard against weakened foe. If they do, they fly 3 instead.
foes. Sticky Bomb (1 action, range 3): The Arsonist
sticks a bomb at a character in range. At the end
Sneak: While in stealth, has evasion and of that character’s turn, the bomb explodes and
phasing. they take 2 damage four times. For every adjacent
foe or ally, reduce the number of times the
Sneaky Stab (1 action, attack): On hit: [D] targeted character takes damage by one, but deal
+fray, Miss: fray. Effect: Attack deals bonus 2 damage instead to that character. Then, end this
damage to and does not break stealth against effect.
bloodied or blinded foes.
Throwing Knife (1 action, range 3,
unerring): A foe in range takes damage equal to
Leader
its distance from the skulk.
Blinding Dust (1 action, end turn): An Errant
adjacent foe becomes blinded. The Skulk then A holy warrior that can intervene and save
may dash 2 and gains stealth. nearby allies from harm.
Shadow Shining Sword (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]

A foe that becomes vastly more powerful when + fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is pacified. Effect:
attacking from stealth. Can cross great distances Damage from this ability does not break pacified.
instantly. Intervention (1 action): The Errant gains the
following interrupt until the start of its next turn.
Special Traits: Phasing If this interrupt is unused at the start of their turn,
the errant can teleport 3 instead.
Shadow Cloak (1 actions, combo): The Intervene:
Shadow teleports 4, then gains stealth. Interrupt 1
• Shadow Scour (2 actions, attack, Trigger: An ally in range 3 is targeted by an
unerring, range 4, +1 boon, combo): On ability. Effect: The ally gains resistance
hit: [D]+2, twice. Miss: [D]+ fray, once. Effect: against that ability and +1 boon on any saves
Blinds foe. Effect: Deals bonus damage to against it. The errant may then teleport
bloodied or blinded foes. adjacent to that ally.
Dark Arts (1 action, range 3): Swap places Blink Strike (1 action, repeatable): An
with a character in range, teleporting. Foes can adjacent foe is teleported 1 space, then the errant
save to avoid this effect. and all its allies in range 3 of that foe can teleport
Smothering darkness (1 action, range 3): 1 space towards the foe.
The Shadow creates a darkness terrain effect in a
single space in range. The area is dangerous Priest
terrain for foes, and foes inside are blinded+. Divinely infused foes with the power to shield
allies from harm.
Arsonist
A fighter that uses bombs to disrupt the Special Traits: Defiance
battlefield.
Holy (2 actions, medium blast, range 4):
Bomb (1 action, range 4, small blast, +1 Autohit: [D] + fray. Miss or area effect: fray.
boon): On hit: [D]+fray, Miss or area effect: Effect: Attack target is pacified. Effect: Allies in
fray. Effect: If only one character is caught in the the area gain 2 vigor
area of effect, deal 2 damage again to that Pandaemonium (2 actions, range 4): The
character and they are dazed. Priest targets a large blast area in range. It may
Kick Off (1 action): The Arsonist flies 1. Before remove all characters in the area, then place them
they fly, they may shove an adjacent character 1 back in any other space in the area. Foes can save
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to avoid this effect, but are sealed on a successful A fortune teller that relies on allies, fate, and the
save. power of the stars to set up attacks.
Shield of Faith (2 actions, range 2, mark):
Allied character in range becomes marked. When Divination (1 action, attack, range 5, multi
marked, the ally is cured. While marked and in mark): Autohit: 1 damage and the foe is marked.
range of the priest, the marked ally has resistance Mark: A card attaches to the target. The next time
and +1 boon on saves. the target is damaged by an attack, the card
explodes in a small blast area effect explosion
Commander centered on them for [D]+fray. Foes within must
Martial leaders that are excellent at moving save or become sealed. Then, the mark clears.
allies around. Dark Fate (1 action, range 5): The Abjurer
chooses a foe in range. That foe is either pacified
Commander’s Aura: Aura 2. Allies in the aura (1-3) and shoved 1 away from them, or sealed
have +1 boon on attacks. (4-6) and shoved 1 towards them.
Bend Fate (1 action, range 5): The Abjurer
Leader’s strike (1 action, attack): On hit: [D] chooses an ally in range, then gambles, applying
+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Up to two allies in range the effect:
3 can dash 2 spaces and gain 2 vigor. 1. Ally deals fray damage to all adjacent
Coordinate Strikes (1 action, range 4): A foe characters.
in range takes 2 damage once for every ally of the 2. Ally may teleport 4
commander adjacent to them, up to three times. 3. Ally gains flying for the rest of combat.
Marching Orders (1 action, stance): When 4. Ally gains stealth
Commander takes this stance, as an action while 5. Ally creates 3 spaces of difficult terrain in
in this stance, and at start of each of the adjacent spaces.
commander’s turns, the commander and all allies 6. Ally becomes unstoppable until bloodied,
in range 2 can dash 2 in the same direction, or as or until defeated if already bloodied.
far as possible.
Greenseer
Abjurer A foe that draws upon the natural world to call
A defensive expert that protects nearby allies forth overgrowth to hinder and harm their
with a powerful shield. enemies.
Aura of Shielding: Aura 1. The abjurer and Greenwrath (1 action, attack, range 5):
allies in the area have dodge Attack: On hit [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals
bonus damage and inflicts sealed if a character is
Cleansing Bolt (1 action, attack, small inside dangerous or difficult terrain.
blast, range 5): Autohit: fray damage. Miss or Vine lash (1 action, range 5): A character in
area Effect: fray. Effect: Does not damage allies. range is shoved 2 in any direction. If they move
Deals bonus damage for each ally caught in its into difficult terrain during this shove, they take 3
area of effect. piercing damage.
Cleansing Charm (1 action, range 3, terrain Healing Spore (1 action, range 5terrain
effect): The Abjurer places a charm in a free effect): The Greenseer creates a spore terrain
space in range. An ally that ends their turn effect in range. Foes are pacified+ while adjacent
adjacent to the charm can consume it to cure to the spore, and the spore grants 2 vigor to all
themselves and fly 2. adjacent allies when created. Only one spore can
Empower Shield (1 action, stance): The be created at once.
Abjurer becomes immobile, but their aura of Wild Growth (2 actions, range 6): Terrain
shielding increases to aura 2 and also grants cover effect: Create a small blast area of difficult
from abilities used from outside the aura. They terrain. The difficult terrain provides cover for
can exit this stance as an action. allies from abilities from the outside.
Diviner Judge
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A tough foe that protects allies with a portable during their turn to maintain this stance. It ends if
shrine and martial arts. the Cantrix takes damage.
Hypnogogia (1 action, range 8): A character
Justice Fist (1 actions, attack): On hit: [D] in range 8 of the Cantrix becomes pacified. If
+fray. Miss: fray damage. Effect: Foe is sealed. already pacified, the character becomes unable to
Shove 1 and deal bonus damage against sealed dash, rush, or fly until the end of their next turn.
characters. Collide: Foe is stunned. Escape (1 action) : The Cantrix swaps place
Chastise (1 action): Effect: A character in range with a marked ally, removing and placing both of
4 takes 1 piercing damage. If that character them.
attacks before the end of their next turn, they take
[D]+fray piercing damage again and this effect
ends. Artillery
Shrine of Sanctuary (2 actions, range 2):
Summon a height 1 shrine destructible object in
Blaster
range (10 HP, attacks automatically hit). While
A fiery foe that hurls blasts that greatly harm
adjacent to the shrine, allies have resistance and
grouped up enemies.
gain +1 boon on attacks.
Blast (2 actions, attack, range 8, medium
Saint blast): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
A pacifistic foe that prefers to prevent any fray damage. Area Effect: Deal 1 piercing damage
violence from happening at all. again to all characters for each character caught in
the area, up to a maximum of three times. Effect:
Martyrdom: When defeated, cures all allies in At round 3+, increase blast to a large blast and
range 2. deals bonus damage
Emberflash (1 action, small blast, range 6):
Starcall (2 actions, attack, arc 6): Autohit: Area effect: 2 piercing damage and create a
[D]+fray and foe is pacified. Area effect: fray. dangerous terrain space in the center, which can
Effect: Foe explodes for a burst 2 (target) area be placed under a character.
effect, dealing 3 damage to all foes within and Flash Fire (1 action, end turn): A character in
granting 3 vigor to all allies. range 6 becomes vulnerable. Vulnerable foes are
Gentleness (2 actions, stance): The Saint shoved 2 and take 1 piercing damage twice.
becomes immobile and gains aura 2 until the start
of its next turn. While in the aura, all characters
Seismatist
gain +1 curse on attacks and take 1 divine damage
A foe that draws on earth aether to create terrain
each time they deal damage to another character
and smash enemies.
with an ability. Allies at 25% hp or lower than end
their turn in the aura are cured.
Earth Bond: Resistance when adjacent to an
Immaculate (2 actions, 1/combat): An ally in
object or inside a pit.
range 5 becomes immune to all damage until the
end of its next turn.
Rumble (2 actions, attack, arc 6): On hit:
2[D]. Miss or area effect: 1 damage. Effect:
Cantrix Releases a medium blast on the attack target as an
A charismatic foe that can strongly empower a area effect, dealing 3 piercing damage again.
single ally with the power of their voice. Effect: Deals bonus damage for every object or pit
in the area. Effect: At round 3+, stuns any
Discord (1 action, attack, range 8, pierce): character on an object or inside a pit in the area.
Autohit: Fray damage. Seismic Rumble (1 action, line 6): Characters
Chant of investiture (2 actions, range 10, are shoved 1 in the direction of the line, in any
mark, stance): An ally in range is marked by the order. Collide: Character is shattered and takes 1
Cantrix and gains resistance, sturdy, and +1 boon piercing damage twice
on all attacks and saves. While in this stance, the
Cantrix is immobile and must spend 1 action
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Upheaval (1 action, repeatable): Summon a Special Traits: Phasing

height 1 boulder object or a a pit in free space in
range 6. Chaos Shard (1 action, attack, range 6,
pierce): On hit: [D]+fray, Miss: Fray. Effect: Foe
Storm Caller is shattered.
A foe that draws on water aether to summon a Destabilize Matter (1 action, range 6,
storm and deny a large area of the battlefield. mark): The Chaos wright marks a character in
range. While marked, the chaos wright may
Special Traits: Flying teleport that character 2 spaces at the start of
their turn. A foe can save at the end of their turns
Blizzard (1 actions, attack, range 8, small to clear this mark.
blast, pierce): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area Chaos Rift (1 action, range 3, terrain
effect: fray. Effect: Summon a pit in a free space effect): Create a pit in free space in range. The
in the area. pit is also dangerous terrain, and characters
Frozen Spear (1 action, line 4, range 6): The cannot attack while inside. The Chaos wright is
first character in the line takes 2 piercing damage immune to damage and effects from its chaos
twice and is shattered. All other foes take 2 rifts, and can teleport to the location of any active
piercing damage. rift in range 3 as a free action during its turn.
Summon Storm (2 actions, range 6, Chaos Storm (2 actions): Teleport all
terrain effect): Summon a medium blast characters 2 spaces. Foes take 2 piercing damage
terrain effect in range. The area is difficult terrain as an area effect. Effect: At round 3+, becomes 1
for foes and while inside, foes are vulnerable+. action.
Allies have flying while inside. The storm caller
can redirect any of its storms with 1 action, Disruptor
moving them up to 3 spaces, then dealing fray A foe that relies on magnetic power to move
damage to any characters in their area. Effect: At around its enemies.
round 3+, becomes 1 action
Magnetism (1 action, attack, range 8): On
Rift Dancer hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: All characters in
A foe that uses lightning aether to zip around the range 2 of the foe are shoved 1 towards or away
battlefield and harass enemies. from that character (Disruptor chooses). Effect:
At round 3+, deals bonus damage and shatters all
Dissonant Bolt (1 action, attack, line 6, foes targeted.
pierce): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: Anchor (1 action, repeatable): An ally in
fray. Effect: Attack target is vulnerable. Effect: range 6 is shoved up to 4 spaces towards the
Foes in the line may be teleported 1. Effect: At Disruptor with phasing.
round 3+, increase this teleport to 2 and deal 2 Disrupt (1 action, mark): A character in range
piercing damage again to foes teleported this way 8 is marked. While marked, they are vulnerable+
Flash step (1 action, repeatable): Teleport 1, and take 1 piercing damage, once, for every
then either Teleport 2, or deal 2 piercing damage adjacent character every time they end their turn.
to a foe in range 3 If they end their turn with no characters adjacent,
Crackling Rift (1 action, terrain effect): The end this mark.
Rift Dancer creates a line 3 dangerous terrain
effect in range 4. Allies are immune to damage Scourer
from the effect and can teleport 1 if they end their A foe that uses bursts of overwhelming power to
turn in the area. Foes are vulnerable+ while in the focus down one enemy and deny them shelter.
area.
Scour (2 action, attack, Line 8, mark): On
Chaos Wright hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect:
A foe that can inflict a high number of blights, Mark the target. Attacks against the marked target
enabling its allies. for the rest of combat gain +1 boon, deal bonus
damage, ignore cover, and inflict shattered. This
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effect does not stack. Effect: At round 3+, this shattered and cannot target adjacent characters
effect can mark any number of targets. or spaces with abilities until the end of their next
Boiling Bolus (2 action, range 6): Create a turn.
medium blast terrain effect in range. Characters
in the area take piercing fray damage as an area Justicar
effect when the area is created. The area is A strong artillery foe that punishes its enemies
difficult and dangerous terrain and new objects or for keeping their distance.
terrain effects cannot be created in the area. The
area lasts until this ability is used again. Bolt (1 action, attack, range 8, small blast):
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect:
Sapper At round 3+, increase area to large blast and deals
bonus damage.
A foe that throws out arcing blasts of energy. Mighty Summoning (1 action): An ally in
range 4 is removed from the battlefield, then
Chain Bolt (1 action, attack, range 8, placed in any space adjacent to the Justicar.
pierce): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Area effect: Alternately, the Justicar can remove any adjacent
One or two different foes in range 4 from the ally, then place them in any space in range 4.
target foe also take 2 piercing damage. Riven (1 action, end turn): Choose a foe in
Entrench (1 action, terrain effect): The range 8. At the end of that character’s turn, they
Sapper puts down a siege rune under itself, or in take 3 piercing damage, once, for every 3 spaces of
an adjacent space. While standing in a siege rune, distance between them and the Justicar.
the Sapper or its allies deal bonus damage, and
their attacks shove 1 and inflict vulnerable on Sniper
their attack target. A hard hitting, simple artillery foe that can do
Fell Shot (1 action, terrain effect, range 8, high damage every other turn if left alone.
end turn): Choose one or two free spaces in
range. Terrain Effect: Characters that enter that Aim (1 actions, combo): The Sniper ends its
space or start their turn there are struck by a turn
projectile, taking 2 piercing damage twice, and • Heart Seeker (2 actions, attack, range 12,
ending this effect. Otherwise, it expires if the +1 boon): On hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray.
Sapper is defeated. Effect: Cannot target characters in range 3.
Effect: At round 3+, costs only 1 action and
Alchemist deals bonus damage.
A foe that uses chemical power to dissolve and Brace (1 action): Create a 1 space terrain effect
disrupt enemy formations. underneath the Sniper. While standing in a brace,
the Sniper ignores height disadvantage and deals
Insulated: Immune to damage from terrain and bonus damage.
terrain effects Grappling Hook (1 action): The Sniper flies 2.
It may fly 4 if it ends its turn in a brace.
Spray (1 action, attack, large blast, range
3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray.
Area Effect: Attack target explodes, shoving
adjacent characters 1 away from them and dealing
2 piercing damage to them
Volatile Mix (1 action, range 6): The
Alchemist chooses a foe in range. At the end of
that foe’s next turn, they explode, taking 2
piercing damage and dealing 2 piercing damage in
a large blast area effect centered on themselves.
Sticky solution (1 action, range 6): A
character in range must save. On a successful
save, they are shattered. On a failed save, they are
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Disappearing Act (interrupt): Trigger: When

Elite bloodied. Effect: Remove self from the battlefield.
At the start of the Rogue’s next turn, return them
to the battlefield anywhere in range 3 of a
character, with stealth.
Archon Wicked Slice (1 actions, attack, +1 boon):
Archons are armored, tough warriors that can On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals 2
be used to represent particularly hardy fighters, damage again to the target for each of the
military leaders, or warlords. Alternately, they following on the target: bloodied, blinded, dazed.
can be used to represent particularly ruthless or Effect: Dash 1 before and after the attack
tough monsters. Blinding Dust (1 action, end turn): An
adjacent foe becomes blinded. The Rogue then
HP: 80 may dash 3 and gains stealth.
Elite: Takes 2 turns Dirty Fighting (1 action, combo): Daze two
Special Traits: Sturdy foes in range 3 of the Rogue and each other, then
Enrage: +1 action while bloodied swap their places, removing and placing them.
• Foul Play (1 actions, combo): Effect:
Blackheart (1 action, attack, true strike, Teleport 4, then deal 4 damage to an adjacent
combo): On hit: Deal [D]+fray. Miss: fray. foe. Can repeat this effect, but must choose a
Effect: Gains +1 boon and deals bonus damage for different foe in range each time unless a foe has
each of the following: character is stunned, already been chosen by this ability, or this effect
slashed, or weakened. has triggered three times.
• Dark Edge (2 actions, attack, medium
blast, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray and shove 2.
Miss: or area effect: [D]+fray and shove 1. Scion
Collide: Foe is weakened.
A scion is invested with holy power, to protect its
Iron Blades (1 action, repeatable): Effect: An
allies and punish its foes. It can be used to
adjacent foe is slashed, if they are already slashed,
represent high priests, temple guardians, or
they take 2 damage.
monsters touched by some sort of divine power.
Great Slam (1 action): Rush 2 spaces, then all
adjacent foes are shoved 1 space. Collide: foe is
HP: 80
weakened.
Great Shieldwall (1 action, stance, usable
Elite: Takes 2 turns
when bloodied): While in this stance, becomes
Gran Diaga: Aura 2. At the start of the scion’s
immobile, but attacks against adjacent allies gain
turn, all allies in the aura gain vigor 3
+1 curse and adjacent allies have resistance. Ends
at the start of the Archon’s next turn.
Great Holy (2 actions, attack, range 6,
large blast): Autohit: [D] + Fray. Miss or area
Rogue effect: Fray. Effect: Attack target is pacified.
Effect: Allies in the area gain 3 vigor.
Rogues are quick witted and quick on their feet. Denial (1 action, range 5): A foe in range must
They can be used to represent skilled thieves, save or become unable to attack until the end of
scouts, or assassins, or particularly agile or their next turn. On a successful save, they take 2
bloodthirsty monsters. damage and are sealed instead.
Gust (1 action, range 3, repeatable): The
HP: 56 Scion or an ally in range may fly 2.
Speed: 5 (Dash 5) Blessed Ground (1 action, range 2, terrain
effect): The Scion creates a space of Blessed
Elite: Takes 2 turns Ground in range. The Scion and allies have
Slippery: Has Evasion while bloodied. resistance and deal bonus damage while inside.
The spaces disappear if the Scion is defeated, and
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it may have a maximum of four, choosing which

to keep and end.
Immaculate (1 action, 1/combat): An ally in
range 5 becomes Intangible until the end of its
next turn.
Crucible
A crucible is a foe brimming with aetheric power,
and could be used to represent a master wright, a
war mage, or a monster that can draw upon
magical forces or blasts of energy.
HP: 56
Special Traits: Flying

Unstable reality (Free action): Self or an ally

in range 3 may teleport 2
Annihilate (2 actions, attack, range 10,

medium blast, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray.
Miss or area effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Attack
target becomes vulnerable. Terrain effect: Create
a pit under target. Effect: At round 3+, increase
blast size to large blast, and deals 2 piercing
damage again to all foes on the battlefield.
• Great Slip (1 action, combo): Remove self
from the battlefield, then return in a free space
in range 3
Fell Shot (1 action, range 8, repeatable):
Mark an unoccupied space in range. Area effect:
Characters that enter that space or start their turn
there are struck by a projectile, taking 2 piercing
damage twice, and ending this effect.
Liminal Arrows (1 action, range 10): Choose
a foe in line of sight and range. At the end of that
character’s turn, it takes piercing fray damage 3
times if not in cover from the Crucible, or just
piercing fray damage if it is. Then this effect ends.
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BASIC LEGENDS
and placed in any adjacent space as they are

tossed around.
DEMOLISHER
Phase II
The Demolisher is pure strength and rage As Phase I but Lumbering Charge triggers
personified. It can be used to represent twice.
particularly colossal warriors, giants, or huge
armored beasts. Additionally gains the following traits:
Frothing Mad: Attacks gain +1 boon and can
Special Traits: Size 2, Sturdy critically hit (+[D]).
Enrage: +1 action
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character Great Lash (1 action, range 4, 1/round): The
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of Demolisher whips a chain or hook around all foes
the round, this character may clear a status or in range. They are shoved 2 spaces towards the
mark. demolisher. Collide: Foes are weakened.
Weakened foes take fray damage.
Phases: Starts in Phase I and enters Phase II
when bloodied. Tactics
The Demolisher is a relatively straightforward
Lumbering Charge (Round Action): At the fight. Characters will want to avoid colliding from
end of the round, the Demolisher may Rush 1 up its abilities, and finish it off quickly in phase II,
to four times. Before each space of this rush, it where it becomes much stronger
shoves all adjacent foes 1 space and deals 1
damage to them.
NOCTURNAL
Phase I
Pound (1 action, true strike, attack, range
The Nocturnal relies on extreme mobility and
2, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage.
fear to strike down its foes. It can be used to
Deals bonus damage for each: character is
represent winged demons, master assassins
weakened, slashed, or stunned.
gargoyles, or other vicious and mobile foes.
• Battle Roar (1 action, end turn): Foes in
range 2 take 2 piercing damage. Bloodied foes
Special Traits: Skirmisher
are slashed.
• Quake Strike (2 actions, attack, range
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character
2, burst 1): On hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss or Area
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of
effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Create a pit under
attack target.
mark.
Hurl Boulder (1 action, range 4): Effect: A
foe in range takes 2 damage and is shoved 1, then
Pick Off: Attacks gain +1 boon against and can
create a height 1 boulder object next to them.
critical hit (+[D]) against foes with no allies
Lash (1 action, range 4): The Demolisher
adjacent.
whips a chain, hook, or weapon around a foe in
Master of the Night: The Nocturnal has aura 2.
range, shoving them 2 spaces towards the
It has evasion and gains stealth if there are no
Demolisher. Collide: Foe is weakened. Weakened
other characters in the aura.
foes take fray damage.
Heavy Vault (1 action, 1/round): The
Demolisher removes itself from the battlefield, Phases:
then places itself in range 3. Characters under it
when its placed take 2 damage and are removed
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Phase change triggers at the start of each round. Phase II

The Nocturnal starts in phase I and goes up to Amygdala (1 action, range 2, 2/round): All
phase II, then III, then back to I. foes in range are inflicted with supernatural fear.
They must save or be shoved 3 spaces in a
Actions direction of the Nocturnal’s choice, or 1 space on a
Has the following actions in all phases: successful save.
Crippling Paranoia (Round Action): At the Phase III

start of the round, the Nocturnal chooses a foe. At Bloody Nightmare (Round Action): At the
the end of the round, that foe deals 6 damage to start of the round, the Nocturnal supernaturally
all allies in adjacent spaces and dazes them, then slashes all foes. For the rest of combat, all foes
the nocturnal can shove them 1 in any direction. take 2 piercing damage at the start of their turns.
This effect stacks.
The Pain (1 action, attack, range 3, true Kidnap (1 actions, 2/round): The Nocturnal
strike, combo): Effect: Teleport 1. Attack: On dashes 4. A foe adjacent to any point during its
hit: [D]+fray and shove 1. Miss: fray damage. dash is removed from the battlefield, then placed
Effect: Teleport 1 adjacent when it finishes its movement. Foes can
• The Agony (1 action, attack, range 5, save to avoid this effect, but are dazed on a
combo): On hit: 3 piercing damage, three successful save.
times. Miss: 3 piercing damage once.
• The Horror (2 actions, attack, combo):
On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. Effect: Tactics
Deals 2 damage again to the target for each The Nocturnal is an evasive and slippery legend
that is true: bloodied, blinded, dazed. fight that is the most scary when foes are split up.
It can use its suite of abilities to force them to do
Bloody Slash (1 action, area effect, line 4): so, or use Crippling Paranoia when it wants to
Area effect: Foes in the area take 2 damage once really isolate someone.
for every foe in the line, up to three times. The
Nocturnal may teleport to any space in the area
after this ability resolves. Master
Great Fell Shot (1 action, range 4, 2/
round): Choose two free spaces in range. The Master represents a monster that commands
Characters that enter that space or start their turn a legion of lesser minions, such as an enormous
there are struck by a projectile, taking 3 piercing spider, a warlord, or a relict necromancer.
damage twice, and ending this effect. This area
lasts until triggered. Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character
Phase I the round, this character may clear a status or
mark.
Lost and Alone (1 action, range 3, 2/
round): The Nocturnal swaps the places of two The Horde: The Master starts combat with a
foes in range 3 of the Nocturnal and each other, unique Minions mob. Minions can be placed
removing and placing them. One foe is then anywhere not in range 2 of a player. The Minions
dazed. mob is defeated if the Master is defeated.
Assassinate (1 action, range 3, 1/round):
The Nocturnal chooses a foe in range 3 that has
not acted yet this round. At the end of that foe’s Minions
turn, as long as they’re in range 3, teleport to any Members: 4/player
space adjacent to them, deal 2 damage, three
times to them, and blind them. Reduce this Members:
damage to just 2 damage if they have an adjacent Hits: 2
ally. Then, fly 1. Speed: 4/2
Defense: 8
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Traits: Mob • Defensive Tempo (1 action, attack, range

[D]: d6 Fray: 3 2, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray
damage. Effect: The Master shoves all foes in
This mob takes one turn a round, at the end of the range 2 one space, then the Master gains
round after all other characters have acted. counter until the start of its next turn, and
grants counter to any adjacent minions for the
Phases: The Master starts in Phase I. At the start same duration.
of round 4, the Master goes into Phase II.
Promote (1 actions, 1/round): A minion gains
Phase I 6 vigor and can immediately use Press the
Assault, ignoring the attack limit. Damage that
Minion Mob Actions spills over from this vigor deals one ‘hit’ of
Press the Assault (1 action, attack): On hit: damage as normal to the minion.
[D]+fray. Miss: fray damage. Effect: Up to four Rally (1 actions, object, 1/round): The
other minions can dash 2. Then, any foes adjacent Master summons a Rally Point object in free space
to at least one minion that dashed this way take 2 not adjacent to a foe in range 3. If using this
piercing damage. action again with an active rally point, it moves
the rally point rather than summoning a new one.
The effects of the following can’t be active on the Rally Point
same members: Size 1 object, destructible (10 hp)
• Guardian Stance (1 action): Up to four Object effect: Aura 1. Minions in the aura
minions take a defensive stance until the start of are immune to all damage and Press the
the mob’s next turn. For the duration, if the Assault against characters in the area deals
master is targeted by an ability and is adjacent maximum damage.
to one of these minions, the minion can sacrifice
themself as an interrupt, destroying them, to Disabling Strike (1 action, range 3): A foe in
grant the master resistance to that ability and range 3 is pacified, then shoved 1 in any direction.
+1 boon on any saves. The mob can take this Pacified foes are shoved 3 instead.
interrupt any number of times a round, but only Barrage (1 action, range 3, burst 1 (target
once a turn. space): Area effect: Foes take 2 piercing damage.
• Skewering Wall (1 action): Up to four Allies are immune.
minions take an aggressive stance until the start
of the mob’s next turn. For the duration, any foe
Tactics
that starts or ends their turn adjacent to one of
The Master is a slightly more complicated basic
these minions takes 2 piercing damage and is
legend that comes with its own (large) group of
shoved 1.
problems. Clearing out minions can make the
fight more manageable, since many of the
Master Actions master’s abilities such as Assault Wave are less
effective with less minions on the field.
Assault Wave (Round Action): At the start of
the round, the master chooses a burst 2 (target Phase II (Round 4+)
space) area of the battlefield. At the end of the
round, foes in the area are charged by all minions Reinforcements (Round Action): At the start
in the area. They must save or take 3 piercing of the round, the Master summons extra
damage per minion in the area, up to a maximum reinforcements. The Minion mob is replenished
of six times, or just 1 piercing damage per minion by 2 new minions per player, which can be placed
on a successful save. in any space on the battlefield not adjacent to a
foe. There is no maximum on minions placed.
Aggressive Tempo (1 action, true strike, Intensify Assault: Assault wave affects a foe
range 2, attack, combo):. On hit: [D]+fray. instead of an area, and activates on all minions in
Miss: fray damage. Effect: Foe is sealed. The range 3 of that character.
Master and any minions in range 2 may dash 2 Great Rally: Rally point’s aura is aura 2.
before or after this attack.
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take 2 damage, then the spire creates 3 spaces of

difficult terrain in adjacent spaces.
Razer Phase II
As Phase I, but:
A powerful and destructive being, such as a Orbital Strike (Round Action): Choose a
flying wyrm, an arch-wright, or an ancient space in range 5. At the end of the round, the
demon. Razer removes itself from the battlefield and lands
in the space, placing itself. Foes in a large blast
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character area centered on them take [D]+fray damage as
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of an area effect and have a pit created under them.
the round, this character may clear a status or Soar (free action, 2/round): Fly 3
mark.
Phase III
Phases: As Phase I, but :
Starts in Phase I, then moves up a phase at the
start of each around, looping back to Phase I after
III. Radiance: When this phase triggers, remove the
Razer from the battlefield, then place them in the
Phase I center of the battlefield, or as close as possible.
Cataclysm (Round Action): At the start of the The Razer is immobile during this phase but its
round, create 2 rock spires, height 1 objects, in abilities have no maximum range. All characters
free space within range 2 of a foe. Foes adjacent not in cover from the Razer take 4 piercing
when the spires are created take 2 piercing damage at the end of their turn.
damage. Elden Chaos (Round Action): At the end of
Scorch (Round Action): At the start of the the round, the Razer fires a blast of pure ancient
round, choose a character in range 6. At the end of chaos. The blast is a large blast area effect
that character’s turn, the Razer shoots an energy centered on any space in line of sight from the
blast at them for a medium blast explosion area Razer. Foes in the area must save. On a failed
effect. Characters within must save. On a save, they take 2[D]+fray piercing damage, twice.
successful save, they take piercing fray damage. On a successful save, they take piercing fray
On a failed save they take [D]+fray piercing damage, twice . Characters in cover automatically
damage. Rock spires in the area are destroyed. succeed the save. Then destroy all rock spires.
Raze (1 action, attack, true strike, range 6): Tactics

On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Attack target The Razor is a destructive tempo fight in which
is vulnerable. Effect: Vulnerable foes release a every third round it can throw a massive attack
burst 1 explosion centered on them, dealing 2 out. Characters will want to make sure to keep
damage to all foes within. Rock Spires around or make their own cover, and
• Resonant Blast (1 action, attack, range 6, spread out so that the Razer becomes unable to
pierce, medium blast): On hit: [D]+fray. deal maximum damage with Elden Chaos.
Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Deal fray
damage again to all foes for every object or pit
caught in the area.
Swat (1 action, range 2): A foe in range is
shoved 2. Collide: Foe is shattered.
Aether Split (1 action, range 5, medium
blast): Area effect: 2 damage, Effect: teleport all
characters in the area 1. Teleport self 3 instead if
in the area.
Eruption (1 action, range 5, 2/round): A
Rock spire in range erupts. Adjacent characters
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FACTIONS
Factions represent common types of foes that can be found across Arden Eld, from the undead Relict to
the spirit-like Hobs. All factions have the following features:
• Template - This template tells you some basic features about the faction. You can apply it to any basic
foe to run them as part of this faction
• Special Mechanic - A special rule that changes how this faction fights
• Faction jobs - Most factions have a unique job for each class. Each has a number of variants, split up
by chapter, that change how the job plays. To use this jobs, pick a variant and use it as written.
• Uniques - Factions all have unique foes, split up by factions, as well as unique elites and legend fights.
• Trophies - Factions have unique trophies you can gain by fighting them. Each unique legend fight has
a trophy or two associated with it.
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Chambers - no matter their current state, or their

I. FOLK current owner.
The great melange of peoples that populate GREAT CULTURE:

Arden Eld, split into the Six Great Cultures. Folk Great Faith: Chroniclers can take slow turns like
are as diverse as the land itself, and all hold dear players. If they choose to take a slow turn, they
their own stories, upbringings, and dreams. gain 3 vigor.
Though their drives and passions often bring
them into conflict, they are, at their root, people Uniques
just like you.
Temple Monk
Template A priest of the chambers. Their knowledge of
Kin: Folk are Kin titan lore is extensive and they are capable of
• Motivations: Kin usually fight for their ideals, channeling divine power through their voice
usually to protect something they care about alone.
(even if that something is something as simple
as their own survival). Unique traits: Defiance
• Flee: Folk value their own lives and will usually
surrender or flee if there’s no chance of winning Peal of Reckoning (1 action, attack, range
a fight. Martial-minded cultures like Islanders, 3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Target
Leggio, or Guilders might put up more of a fight. must save or be shoved 1 three times, or shoved 1
on a successful save. Each shove can be in a
Special mechanic: Great Culture different direction. Charge: Range 6
Forbiddance (1 action, range 4): The temple
To make a Folk foe, use basic foes and apply the monk chooses a foe in range. That foe is sealed
Kin template and Great Culture trait of your and until the end of their next turn, takes 2
choice. damage after entering any space that moves them
closer to the Temple Monk without being shoved.
Prayer (1 action, end turn, delay): The
Chronicler temple monk ends their turn and gains Delay:
Their next turn must be slow. At the start of that
Though many regard chroniclers as sheltered, turn, this character and all adjacent allies are
erudite, and austere, the stereotypes don’t tend to cured.
fit a culture that values a deep drive for curiosity
and learning. A close connection to the divine Bell Warden
and a cultural sense of discipline and purpose Muscle-corded temple priests that are the ringers
tend to drive them forward. and guardians of the mighty bells of the
Chambers, whose peal drives away evil creatures
Monks, priests, and warrior-nuns of the such as demons. These bells, though numerous,
chroniclers often descend from their mountain are holy objects, and their care and upkeep is a
monasteries on quests of great import, often a duty of the highest order.
task given to them by their elders interpreting a
passage from the Great Chant, the Tale of Ages, Fist of Fury (1 action, attack): On hit: [D] +
the Yamangeriad, or some other holy text. This fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Attack target is weakened.
quite often brings them into conflict with folk Charge: Deal 2 damage to all adjacent foes.
who have no idea of their quest, especially when Roundhouse kick (1 action): The Bell Warden
the instructions are based on centuries old rushes 1, then adjacent character is shoved 1 in
prophecy. any direction, including diagonally.
Temple Bell (1 action, summon, end turn,
Occasionally more senior chroniclers are sent to delay): The Bell Warden ends their turn and
retrieve or locate dangerous or powerful gains Delay: Their next turn must be slow. At the
artifacts that were stolen or lost from the
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start of that turn, summon a temple bell in a free Lightning Spear (2 actions, attack, Line
adjacent space. 10): On hi: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray.
Temple Bell Effect: Attack target is vulnerable. Charge: Deal 2
Size 1 object piercing damage again to target and to all foes in
Object effect: When summoned, or when a range 3 of the target
character collides with it, releases a massive Reliquary (1 action, range 6, mark): The
ringing. All characters in range 2 except the inquisitor marks a foe in range. While marked, all
Bellkeeper must save or become weakened. damage against the foe gains pierce, and that foe
Weakened characters take fray damage twice takes 1 piercing damage again after being hit or
instead of saving. This effect can’t trigger missed by any attack.
more than once a round. Multiple bells can be Expurgation (1 action, end turn, delay): The
summoned at once. Inquisitor ends their turn, chooses a large blast
area in range 6, and gains Delay: Their next turn
Yaman must be slow. At the start of that turn, that area
Warrior-nuns and monks that live on the erupts with lightning. Area effect: Characters
mountains, training in martial arts and inside must save or take piercing fray damage,
strengthening their bodies through rigorous diet once, for every character in the area, or just once
and exercise. They tend to be more than a little on a successful save.
eccentric.
Axe Kick (1 action, +1 boon, attack): On hit:

Churner
[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage Churners are the great melange of shop-keeps,
to bloodied foes. Charge: Gains range 2 and may dungeon guides, map-makers, cooks, pack-
dash 2 before using this ability. mules, and other camp followers that make up
Roppo (1 action): The Yaman takes a pose and the nomads that follow the dungeons. Every
gains the following interrupt until the start of dungeon of a certain age and level of fame has a
their next turn. churner camp perched along its edge, and its
Roppo garish tents and colorful shop signs are a
Interrupt 2 welcome sight to many.
Trigger: A foe uses an ability in range 2, and
the ability resolves Churners are more likely than other cultures to
Effect: The Yaman may dash 2, then deal 2 get into dangerous, dirty, or disreputable work,
damage to an adjacent foe. and the more ruthless of them treat adventurers
Hurl Boulder (1 action, range 4): A foe in as a never ending stream of disposable marks,
range takes 2 damage, is dazed, and is shoved 1. easy pickings for an enterprising entrepreneur.
Izuna Drop (1 action, end turn, delay): The
Yaman takes a pose, then ends their turn and Churners are well prepared for nearly any
gains Delay: Their next turn must be slow. At the situation, which usually mean recognizing when
start of that turn, they may dash 2. Then, if a foe is it’s time to cut and run.
adjacent the Yaman grabs them, removing both of
them from the battlefield, then placing both of GREAT CULTURE: Stack Dice: Once a
them back in free space adjacent to each other in combat, when the Churner would roll a random
range 2. The foe must save. On a successful save, d6 as part of an ability, they can choose which
they take fray damage and are dazed. On a failed number to roll. A Churner can always spend a free
save, they are stunned and take 2[D]+fray. action to roll 1d6 and dash up to that many
spaces.
Inquisitor
Lightning-wielding relic hunters of the Uniques
Chroniclers, who are sent out in search of
dangerous artifacts to recover and imprison in Doorkicker
the Chambers.
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Relic thieves and scouts who specialize in Aura of Freedom: Aura 1. The Guide and allies
breaking doors, locks, and mechanisms to get in the aura are immune to movement penalties
prospective adventurers deeper into dungeons. from terrain and elevation.
Knee in the back (1 action, attack): On hit: Tranquilize (1 action, range 6, attack):
[D]+fray, Miss: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage Autohit: fray damage and foe is pacified. Pacified
if made from stealth. foes take [D]+fray instead.
Blackjack (1 action): An adjacent foe is dazed. Grappling hook (1 action, range 3): The
If made from stealth, this action also deals fray Guide teleports adjacent to a summon or object in
damage. range. Alternately, it can teleport adjacent to a foe
Prowl (1 action, end turn): Dash 1 and gain in range, then shove that foe 1.
stealth Double Time (1 action): Roll 1d6. The Guide
Wild Gamble (1 action): Roll 1d6. Dash exactly chooses a number of allies equal to half that
that many spaces in a straight line, or as far as number, then shoves them a number of spaces
possible, then deal damage equal to the spaces equal to that number in any direction.
moved to an adjacent foe. If no foes are adjacent,
deal no damage. Shopkeep
The most noble of Churner professions, and the
Deep Farmer most common. Though sometimes derided as
Dour Churners who make a living out of growing price-gouging opportunists, a lot of shopkeepers
various rare and exotic dungeon flora - which come from old and honorable families and
unfortunately only grow in the warped aether of recognize the necessity of preparation for a
dungeons. This requires a great deal of caution, dungeon trip as an essential part of safe
bravery, and expertise. expeditions, making sure their prices are fair,
and their shops well-stocked.
Raze (1 actions, attack, true strike, range
2): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: All foes in Ban from the shop (1 action, range 4,
range 2 take 2 damage. multimark): Autohit: fray damage. Foe is
Swing Shovel (1 action): Rush 1, then Roll 1d6. marked. While marked, if they end their turn in
An adjacent character takes that much damage, the shop’s aura, they take [D]+fray piercing
and is shoved half that number of spaces. Collide: damage.
Foe is stunned. Chastise (1 action, range 6): Effect: A
Fertilize (1 action, range 2): The Deep Farmer character in range takes 1 piercing damage. If that
chooses a space in range. At the end of their turn, character attacks before the end of their next turn,
this space grows into a mushroom object. they take [D]+fray piercing damage and this effect
Mushroom ends.
Size 1 object Open Shop (1 action, end turn): The
Object effect: Aura 1. Characters in the Shopkeep opens their shop, a size 1 object,
spore-filled aura other than the Deep Farmer summoning it in an adjacent space. It lasts until
choke and are weakened. the shopkeep is defeated or this ability is used
Pull Vegetable (1 action, end turn): The again.
Deep farmer pulls out a massive vegetable by the Shop
roots. Its next attack deals bonus damage and Size 1 object, immobile
stuns on hit. Stunned foes are critically hit (+[D]) Object Effect: No fighting in the shop. Aura
on hit. 1. Characters in the area other than the
shopkeep are pacified+.
Guide Object Effect: While the shop is active, any
Savvy and seasoned dungeon explorers with the character in the aura can use the Rummage
wits not to get into the adventuring business action, which ignores pacified.
Tend to go the other way when the action starts. Rummage (1 action): The character
rummages in the shop and throws
something at a character in range 3. Roll
1d6.
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1. 10 foot pole: Character takes 2 Hold the Line: If the Guard ends any turn
damage and is shoved 2 without attacking, they gain Sturdy and Vigilance
2. Lantern: character takes 4 damage +1.
and loses stealth.
3. Ration: character takes 1 damage. Mace (1 action, true strike, attack): On hit:
Place the ration in a free adjacent [D]+Fray. Miss: fray.
space. A character can eat it by Shield Charge (1 action, repeatable): The
entering its space and using 1 action Guard rushes 1, then adjacent foe is shoved 1.
to gain 5 vigor Collide: Foe is weakened.
4. Bomb: Area effect: medium blast, Get Down! (1 action, end turn): The Guard
deals [D]+fray damage gains the following interrupt until the end of their
5. Strange mushroom: character next turn. If the interrupt goes unused until then,
takes fray damage and becomes they may rush 2.
sealed. Get Down
6. Choose two Interrupt 1
Trigger: An ally takes damage that would
reduce them to 0 hp.
Guilder Effect: The Guard can rush 3. If that puts
Though the cities of Arden Eld are few, they are them adjacent to their ally, that ally goes to 1
growing in both size and influence. With no real hp instead, and the guard sacrifices 25% of
counties or kingdoms, they are the closest thing their hp.
to nations across the great Green. Their citizens On the Spot (1 action, range 3): The Guard
tend to be proud, loyal, and hardworking, even if chooses a space in range, which could be under
a little packed in. themselves. While standing on the spot, the Guard
has resistance. This effect lasts until this ability is
Though diverse in both rule and character, the used again.
cities are largely dominated by the great Trade
Guilds and their fleets of airships, and the Sky Knight
Colleges with their trained Wrights, machines, Knights from the great guild academies.
and clockwork. Renowned explorers and merchants that swear
oaths of valor on their swords, the sky knights
The highlords of the guilds and colleges are serve the colleges and will throw their lives down
powerful indeed, and pursue their own agendas in service of progress, science, and protection.
and machinations with great vigor. Though
many are high minded and truly believe in ideas Oath Sword (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]
of progress, equality, and wealth for all, others +fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage and
are more cynical, worldly, or greedy, and are not slashes on hit if the knight is bloodied.
above employing ruthless tactics to accomplish Strike (1 action): An adjacent foe is slashed.
their goals. Slashed foes take fray damage.
Stinger (1 action): The Sky knight rushes 2
GREAT CULTURE: Strive (free action, 1/ spaces in a straight line, then deals 3 damage,
combat): Until the start of their next turn, the twice, to an adjacent foe. This action can only be
Guider increases the distance of any dash, rush, taken if there are no foes adjacent.
teleport or flight by +3. Great Stride (2 actions): The Sky Knight
rushes up to 6 spaces in a straight line, phasing
Uniques through characters. Foes they pass through take 2
damage, and are then shoved 1 to either side, and
the knight gains 2 vigor per foe passed through.
Guard
City militia and watchmen, sometimes on the
payrolls of the Great Guilds. Aeronaut
Elite crew of the airships and dwellers of the
teetering city spires of Arden Eld’s great cities.
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Aeronauts use aether powered gear to soar, dive, Brave, hardy, and adventurous folk, the
and spin in midair during work and combat. islanders are not ones to shy away from trouble.
Every one of the Thousand Isles is a stunningly
Aerial Acrobat: If an attack misses the diverse place - from it’s people, to its food, to its
Aeronaut, they may deal 2 damage to the attacker, sights and sounds, to its dangers.
then fly 2.
All islands dabble in a little light piracy here and
Strafe shot (1 action, attack, range 4, +1 there, mostly from the soft and cargo-laden ships
boon): Effect: Dash 1 On hit: [D] +fray. Miss: of the great guilds, and pirates and freelance
fray. Effect: Dash 1 brigadiers are often viewed as local heroes.
Double tap (1 action): The Aeronaut flies 3
spaces in a straight line. At the start and end of In times of trouble or scarcity, particularly
their movement, they may deal 2 damage to a hardened or unscrupulous Jarls may order raids
character in range 3, choosing different characters on coastal villages. These can often turn into
each time. bloody affairs, and the Jarls into warlords.
Blinding grenade (1 action, range 3): A foe
in range 3 is blinded. Blinded foes take 3 damage. GREAT CULTURE: Bravado (free action):
Takeoff (1 action, stance): The Aeronaut This character sacrifices 50% of their max hp but
launches into the air. While in this stance, they immediately gains +1 action.
are flying and have evasion. They lose this stance
if they are hit by an attack. Uniques
Aerothurge Cook
Highly skilled wrights that are navigators of the All self respecting islanders know how to eat and
airships. Airships fly not on air, but on currents cook properly. Cooks hold an extremely high
of Aether, so only someone highly skilled and position in Islander culture, the highest of which
with a great degree of sensitivity can guide them sit next to Jarls, the rulers of the great islands.
safely around its surges and storms.
Hot Griddle (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]
High Pressure (2 actions, attack, range 6, +fray Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is sealed. Effect:
large blast, pierce): On hit: fray damage, four Critical hit (+[D]) against sealed foes.
times. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Can target Flapjack (1 action, range 4, repeatable):
one end of a portal. If so, the attack travels The cook summons a flapjack in range.
through the portal and is then retargeted to a new Flapjack
space or character within range 3 of the other end Size 1 summon, intangible
of the portal, as if by rebound. Summon Effect: A character other than the
Whisk (1 action, range 6): A foe in range cook moving into the flapjack’s space can pick
becomes vulnerable, then is teleported 1. it up, removing it. That character gains
Vulnerable foes are teleported 3 instead. defiance. A character that already has
Aether Portal (1 action): The Aerothurge defiance gains 6 vigor. A character with vigor
chooses any two free spaces on the battlefield and becomes unstoppable until the end of their
links them with glowing portals. next turn.
Portal Cook up a storm (2 actions): The Cook
Size 1 object creates a burst 2 (self) terrain effect until the start
Object effect: Any character adjacent to a of their next turn. Foes in the area are shoved
portal can spend 2 spaces of movement to until outside the of area when it is created. The
teleport adjacent to the other linked portal, or area is dangerous terrain for foes, provides cover
vice versa. for allies, and allies in the area when it is created
gain 3 vigor.
Islander Sailor
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The great mass of sailors, pirates, raiders, Sturdy hunters that sail out in search of the
crewmen, and pilots of the great islander fleets. megafish and sea monsters that populate the
The greatest sailors of the Thousand Isles are deep oceans of Arden Eld. Their catch feeds the
legendary in skill and have many a perilous atolls, but requires entire teams to haul ashore.
voyage under their belt.
Spear (1 action, pierce, Line 6): On hit: [D]
Salty: When the Sailor sacrifices any amount, +fray. Miss or Area Effect: fray. Effect: If
they gain 3 vigor after the triggering ability attacking an adjacent foe, deals bonus damage.
resolves. Backflip (1 action, repeatable): The
Harpooner dashes 1. If there is an adjacent foe,
Bloody crescent (1 action, true strike, increase this dash to 2, and shove that foe 1.
attack, arc 3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area Net (1 action, range 6): The Harpooner creates
effect: fray a net terrain effect in a free space range. The net
Sea Legs (1 action): Shove all adjacent space is treated as a pit and difficult terrain.
characters 1 space in the same direction. Collide: Main Harpoon (2 actions, range 6): A foe in
foes are slashed. range must save or take 2[D]+fray, become
Plunder (1 action, repeatable): The Sailor shattered, and be shoved towards the Harpooner
dashes 1, then deals 2 damage and shoves an until adjacent. On a success, the foe takes fray and
adjacent foe 1, is shoved 1 towards the harpooner instead.
Send to Erenhelion (2 actions, true strike):
The Sailor winds up for a massive blow. An
adjacent foe must save or take 3[D]+fray and Leggio
become slashed, or just [D]+fray on a successful
save. Effect: The Sailor sacrifices 25% of their Part warrior clan, part merchant enclave, and
maximum hp after this ability resolves. part theatre troupe, a Leggio caravan is a
magnificent (and relieving) sight to all across the
Doom Diver Green. The Leggio caravans are the lifeblood of
Donning capes of serpent scales or sealskin, the Arden Eld, for without them, far off towns and
doom divers make sport of diving for treasures, settlements isolated by dungeons and growing
food, and pearls in monster-infested waters. blights would be starved of supplies, medicine,
and food. Their arrival in a town is part circus,
Nimble: Has evasion unless suffering from a part festival, and part market day.
status
The caravans occasionally accept shady
Spear Slash (1 action, range 3, attack, +1 business, sometimes out of profit, sometimes out
boon): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals of desperation - transporting dangerous, rare, or
bonus damage to and gains unerring against foes illicit goods. Rarely, and usually due to some
at exactly range 3. traumatic event, a wagon abandons the ways
Slide (1 action, repeatable): The Diver dashes and strictures of the Multicolored Titan, and
3 with phasing, dealing 2 damage to all characters turns to banditry and thievery. These rogue
it passes through wagons abandon the caravan and become
Dive (2 actions, range 4, end turn): The similar to pirates - though they sail the seas of
Diver chooses a foe in range, then removes grass and stone instead of water.
themselves from the battlefield. At the end of that
foe’s next turn, that foe must save as the Diver GREAT CULTURE:
descends, dealing [D]+fray three times on a failed Acrobatics (free action): Dash 2. This action
save, or just once on a successful save. Lower this can interrupt and split up other actions or
damage by [D]+fray for every adjacent ally of the movement.
target, which could cause it to do no damage.
Then, place the Diver in any free space in range 2. Uniques
Harpooner
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Storyteller The rider and allies in the aura are sturdy and
Elders of the Caravans, who keep and carve the deal bonus damage with all abilities.
lore and lineage of the families that make it up
into the side of the wagons. Acrobat
Workers who maintain the caravans while they
Story Staff (1 action, attack, range 2): are on the move, requiring great dexterity and
Autohit: fray damage and foe is pacified. Pacified agility. In town, they often perform.
foes instead take [D]+fray.
Felicity (1 action, range 4, multimark, Tumbling: Moving up terrain costs no
combo): An ally in range is marked. When movement. Can phase through characters and
marked, and at the start of the storyteller’s turn, doing so costs a maximum of 1 movement.
the marked ally may dash 1.
• Fleet (1 action): An ally in range 4 may fly 4
Heroism (2 actions, stance): The Storyteller Spinning kick (1 action, attack): Repeat the
gains aura 2. Allies in the aura gain +1 boon on all following effect three times: Dash 1, then deal 2
saves and may save against statuses at the start damage to all adjacent foes. Must move in the
instead of end of their turn. same direction.
Cartwheel (1 action): The Acrobat dashes up to
Monster Rider 3 spaces, then deals damage to an adjacent foe
Braves of a family, usually young, who tame the equal to the number of spaces it dashed.
massive beasts the Leggio must battle with Partner Work (1 action, range 3, mark):
during their journeys through the blights. The Acrobat marks an ally. That ally gains evasion
Monster taming is a time-honored tradition and and +1 boon on attacks while in range 3 of the
without it, many of the great wagons would lack Acrobat.
a way to move, as most normal animals don’t Acrobatics (2 actions, stance): The acrobat
have to the strength to pull them. takes a nimble stance. While in this stance, they
gain evasion, and when targeted by an ability,
Monster Riding: The Rider starts combat riding may dash 1 after the ability resolves.
a trained monster, and can also mount it as an
action or by spending its standard move. While Pole Fighter
riding, the rider shares space with the monster The militia of the caravans, who use long poles to
and moves when it moves, becoming unstoppable vault from wagon to wagon.
while moving this way. If the two are separated,
this effect ends until the monster is remounted. Slam: When a character collides from the pole
Tame monster fighter’s moves, they are slashed. Slashed
Summon, size 1 characters take fray damage instead.
Summon Action: During the rider’s turn,
can dash 4, then either shove a character 1 Pole Slam (1 action, line 3, attack): On hit:
space or deal 2 damage to them. [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: shove
all characters 1.
Double Team (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]. Rebound (1 action): The Pole Fighter pushes
Miss: 1 damage. Effect: The rider and an ally in off an adjacent character. They shove that
range 3 can each dash 1, then deal 2 damage to an character 1 space, then rush 1. Collide: If their
adjacent foe. target collides with an ally, that ally may also rush
Call out (1 action, range 3): A foe in range 3 1
must save or be shoved towards the rider as far as High Flyer (2 actions, stance, combo): The
possible, then gain hatred of the rider. On a Pole Fighter balances on their pole and uses it to
successful save, they are shoved 1 towards the move, ignoring all terrain damage and movement
rider. penalties, rampart, and engagement while in this
Lancer’s Splendor (2 actions, stance): The stance.
rider takes a magnificent pose and gains aura 1. • Dive kick (1 action, end turn): The Pole
fighter rushes 1, ending their High Flyer
stance. An adjacent foe is stunned and must
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save or take 2[D]+fray, or just [D]+fray on a abandoned, those remaining turning to any
successful save. means necessary to survive.
Fire Dancer GREAT CULTURE: Camaraderie: +1 boon on

Fire wrights who light and keep the lanterns attacks and saves for every adjacent ally.
burning all day and night. The task is odious, the
monster oil used to fuel the lanterns noxious and Uniques
stinking, so when they enter a town they are
happy to let loose with pyrotechnic juggling
shows.
Villager
The common clay of Arden Eld.
Flame Dance (1 action, pierce, attack,
Valorous Strike (1 actions, attack): Autohit:
range 6): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
fray damage. Effect: An ally in range 3 of a villager
Dash 1, then deal piercing fray damage to a
gains 2 vigor, or 4 vigor if bloodied. Effect: May
different character in range 6.
dash 1 before the attack.
Carnivale (1 action, summon, end turn):
Rally (1 action): Effect: Up to three allies
The Fire dancer summons a bomb in range 4.
adjacent to a villager may dash 1 space, or one ally
Bomb
adjacent to a villager may dash 3 spaces.
Summon
Take heart (2 actions): All allies adjacent to a
Summon Effect: When any character enters
villager may end a status and gain 2 vigor, or 4
its space, it explodes for a small blast area
vigor if they are bloodied.
effect explosion. Characters within become
vulnerable, then must save or take 2 piercing
damage twice, or just 2 piercing damage on a Farmer
successful save. A thick-armed commoner, sometimes acting as a
Juggle (2 actions, stance): The fire dancer local militia in times of trouble.
starts juggling flames. While in this stance, at the
start and end of their turn, they may dash 2, then Righteous fist (1 action, attack, true
deal 2 piercing damage as an area effect to all foes strike): On hit [D]+fray and shove 2. Miss: fray
in range 3. and shove 1. Effect: Deals bonus damage to
weakened foes. Collide: Foe is weakened.
Community Watch (1 action): Shove all allies
Yeokin in range 2 1 space towards this character, then any
In the villages, you work together, you eat adjacent allies gain 2 vigor.
together, and you celebrate together. The earth Bale (1 action): The Farmer uses a pitchfork,
supports you, and you support the earth. Life in shovel, or sheer strength and picks up an adjacent
the villages can be slow and appear sleepy or character size 1 or smaller, removing them from
idyllic from the outside, but all villages must the battlefield and placing them in an adjacent
work hard to keep everyone safe, fed, and space, then shoving them 1. Weakened foes are
flourishing. Villages move with the seasons, the shoved 3 instead.
air, the forests, and the whims of the spirits. On the Chin (2 actions, end turn, stance):
The Farmer gains aura 1. The farmer and allies in
It’s considered rare for Yeokin to stray too far the aura are sturdy, and gain 3 vigor at the start
from their villages (those that do tend to become of the farmer’s turn.
adventurers), especially to cause trouble, but it
does occasionally happen. Town priests and Barkeep
elders of larger towns sometimes start to ponder The taverns, inns, and way-houses of the villages
demanding tribute from their smaller neighbors, are a relatively new invention as commerce
or sending over their largest and toughest to returns to Arden Eld, but a welcome one. Their
‘negotiate’ favorable trade deals. When pushed owners are typically stocky and no-nonsense.
into desperation by surging dungeons or
untamed blights, Yeokin towns are occasionally
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Flaming Cocktail (1 action, attack, range 6, Effect: All foes at exactly range 3 take 2 damage,
small blast, pierce): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or including the attack target.
area effect: fray. Round 3+: Large blast Shadow clone (1 action, range 3, summon):
Bar Brawler (2 action, stance): The Barkeep Summon a shadow clone in a free space in range.
takes a fighting stance, with the following Shadow Clone
benefits: Summon, size 1
• They gain counter and sturdy. Summon Effect: Foes adjacent to a shadow
• Any time a foe ends their turn adjacent to the clone at the start of their turn take 3 damage
barkeep in this stance, they take 2 piercing from the clone. The Shinobi and any of its
damage and are shoved 1. allies may gain stealth if they end their turn
• If a foe collides with the Barkeep, they take 2 adjacent to a clone. Clones disappear at the
piercing damage and are shoved 1, but only once end of combat or if the Shinobi is defeated.
a round. Shadow Swap (free action): The Shinobi or
Barrel Roll (1 action, range 5, end turn, an ally swaps places with a shadow clone in range
small blast): Area effect: 2 damage, and shove 2 3 of them, teleporting.
away from the origin point. At round 3+, becomes Raiton (2 actions, range 6): The Shinobi calls
a large blast and any character in the center space down lightning on a foe in range. At the end of
must save or become stunned. that foe’s turn, they take 4 damage, five times and
are blinded, then this effect ends. Reduce this
Village Priest damage by one time for every other adjacent
Village priests of the local temples, who typically character to the target, which could cause it to do
pay homage or worship to the local hobs or no damage.
spirits of nature. These temples are closely tied to
the land and may be built around a great tree, or
a holy rock, or a sparkling waterfall.
Greenwrath (1 action, attack, range 6):

Attack: On hit [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals
bonus damage and inflicts sealed if a character is
inside dangerous or difficult terrain.
Sow (1 action, range 4, mutimark, combo):
The village priest marks a foe in range. That foe
takes 1 piercing damage when marked.
• Reap (1 action): All foes marked by Sow take
3 piercing damage once for every foe marked by
Sow.
Sanctify (2 actions, range 2): Terrain
effect: The village priest scatters salt in a
medium blast area in range. Foes that end their
turn in the area become pacified. Allies that end
their turn in the area gain 2 vigor. This area ends
if this ability is used again.
Shinobi
Nearly all villages in the Green practic e martial
arts for self defense against roving monsters
(and, more recently, bandits). Many of them
have secret scroll arts, some of which have
produced secret warrior societies that predate
the Shades.
Whirling Blade (1 action, attack, unerring,

range 3, +1 boon): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray.
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There are some Relict, remnants of the Black Sun

II. RELICT cult, that have retained more sense of themselves
and work at dark purpose to resurrect the old
empire and bring back the Arkenlords. These
masters of the dead are barely sane from their
long stint with undeath and think only of
returning the surface world to its former glory.
Faction Template
To make any foe a Relict, you can add the

following traits. All Relict have these traits.
Monsters: Most relict are mindless husks. Their

more intelligent masters usually have more
complex motivations.
• Motivations: Relict are usually dormant, but
become active when their tomb-cities are
intruded upon by unlucky treasure-seekers.
They can also be stirred into wakefulness by the
priests of the Black Sun, whose only goal is the
reawakening of the old empire, the resurrection
of the Arkenlords, and the reconquest and total
subjugation of the world of the living.
Legion of the Dead: All Relict have the Legion
of the Dead trait (see below).
The Relict are the most common danger that Special mechanics: LEGION OF
adventurers face in the ruins of Arden Eld. They THE DEAD
are the spectral remnants of the Arken Empire, Relict are a legion of mindless husks, cursed with
souls bound in a semi-automated etheric network an undying existence. This gives all relict except
that runs through the ruins, entrapped there by Legends the following traits:
an ancient sorcerer as a last ditch effort to save a • This character has a chance to rise again when
dying people. The process was technically defeated. Roll 1d6 at the start of each round that
successful, but most relict have been left mindless this character is defeated. On a 5+, this
husks - tormented souls harnessed and stored in character gets back up at 25% hp, returning it
lightning aether powered sarcophagus-like nodes from defeated, and can take a turn normally this
nestled throughout the ruins. round. If defeated again, this character
disintegrates and is removed from the
In its dying days, the Arken Empire became battlefield. If all characters with this trait are
obsessed with escaping its own destruction, and defeated, it deactivates.
the places where Relict now rest show this in • Add a Husk mob to a fight. This does not take
their very stones. The great tomb-cities prepared up points in the encounter.
for the populace now lie beneath the earth, both
dead and alive. Great monuments of dead
emperors peer over pitch black chasms lined with
the husks of the deceased. Relict armor sits eerily
still in alcoves, or crumpled into a corner, until
its a node senses intruders, the Relict within
rippling out through conduits to manifest in
crackling undeath.
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character is an ally, they gain 2 vigor per husk

FOES destroyed. If that character was a foe, they must
sacrifice 2 per husk destroyed.
Husk
The shuffling mass of relict servitors, in thrall to
the network.
WIGHT
The foot soldiers of the Arken empire, their
This mob is always present in Relict fights. When loyalty is no lesser in death. Their long
new husks are summoned, they add to the current imprisonment in the soul network has left them
mob, or create a new one that can act on the mindless, ruthless killing machines. In the later
following round if there isn’t one. days of the doom, even before the Ur-spell, many
soldiers and guards of high officials, satraps, and
Speed: 2 (dash 1) priests were subject to the immortalization
process, as the population gradually became
Endless Dead: Add to this mob by 1 at the start more used to the undead.
of every round, placing a new member anywhere
on the battlefield not adjacent to a foe. Overpower (1 action, true strike, attack):
Fading: This mob is defeated if all of its allies is On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: All foes
defeated, and disintegrates. adjacent to the attack target take fray damage
Hook Spear (1 action, range 2): A foe in
Soul Frenzy (2 actions, attack): Effect: All range 2 is shoved 1 towards the Wight and
husks may rush 1 space. Then foes adjacent to one slashed.
or more husks take 2 piercing damage. Grave Guard (1 action, range 2): All allies in
Soul Sacrifice (2 actions): Choose a bloodied range may rush 1 towards this character. Bloodied
character adjacent to one or more husks, then allies that rushed this way gain 3 vigor.
destroy all husks adjacent to that character. If that
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Death March (1 action, range 2): The Wight

and all allies in range may rush 1 space in the Legionary
same direction, then all foes adjacent to any With interlocking shield, shortspear, and heavy
character that moved this way take 2 damage. helms, these soldiers made up the bulk of the
arkenlords’ armies when they were still alive,
Chapter 1+ trampling empires into dust.
Traits: Sturdy
Tomb Guard Legion’s Advance: Death March affects all
Undead auxiliaries of the old legions, their allies in range 3.
shields and khopesh a common sight in the Carve a Path (2 actions): Repeat the following
catacombs. effect three times: either the Legionary or an
Fortress (2 actions, end turn): The Tomb adjacent ally rushes 1, then deals 2 damage to all
Guard gains aura 1 until the start of its next turn. adjacent foes and shoves them 1. This can affect
While this aura is active, the Tomb Guard gains the same foe more than once.
counter, and allies without this ability in the aura
gain resistance.
NECROSAVANT
Servitor The Priests of the Black Sun were the central cult
Guards of the priest class, with wicked spears for of the Arken Imperium and foremost in political
tearing flesh and forcing obedience. power and influence. It was they, under the
Impaling Jab (1 action, true strike, line 3): leadership of their sorcerer-priests, that
Effect: The Servitor may rush 1 before using this orchestrated the Ur-spell that necrotized what
ability. Area effect: characters take 2 damage. Any remained of the empire.
character at the very end of the line is weakened.
The process of preserving the entire population of
Executioner the empire required a great deal of work, and
therefore the priests classes were split into many
Wielding heavy curved axes, these shock troops
castes that labored at numerous terrible projects.
fight with little regard for their own existence.
In the end of days, in their desperation, they
Lightning Axe (2 actions, attack, range 2,
delved into deeper and darker magics and
medium blast, true strike, usable when
sacrificed their very souls for the purpose of the
bloodied): On hit: 2[D]+fray and shove 2. Miss:
Great Work.
or area effect: [D]+fray and shove 1. Collide: Foe
is weakened.
Special Traits: Defiance
Chapter 2 Unholy (2 actions, attack, range 5, medium
Death March becomes a free action if the Wight blast): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
is bloodied. fray. Effect: Sealed foes must sacrifice 4. Then,
attack target is sealed.
Heliolite Fear (1 action, multimark): Mark a foe in
Skirmishers from the old legions, they fight with range 6. While marked, that foe deals half damage
wicked, barbed spears and a canny malice unless adjacent to an ally. If they end their turn
Redondo (free action): Swap places with an adjacent to an ally, they can save to clear this
adjacent ally, removing and placing both mark.
characters. Black Communion (1 action, range 5, line
Replace Overpower with Seeking Javelin (1 4): Area effect: Foes take 2 damage. Allies gain 2
action, true strike, range 4): On hit: [D]+fray. vigor. Then, create a difficult terrain effect space
Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is slashed. Effect: Has no of grasping dead hands underneath every foe in
maximum range and ignores cover against the area. While inside a grasping hands space,
slashed foes. foes are sealed+ and cannot gain vigor.
Chapter 3 Chapter 1+
Death March deals fray damage instead.
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Soul Flay (1 action, range 4): A foe in range

Arkivist must sacrifice 2, once for every one of its adjacent
Priests entrusted with keeping the names of the allies, then is pacified.
dead, they wander the halls of the arkenruins Soul Shred (1 action, range 4, mark): Mark
obsessively repeating the names of their wards. a foe in range. While marked, that foe gains Aura
2. Foes that end their turn in the aura must
Shepherd of the Dead: Aura 1. Husks are sacrifice 2. A foe can save to end this mark if they
immune to all damage while in the aura. end their turn with no allies in the aura.
Incantation of Reclamation (1 action,
range 3): The Archivist summon a husk in a Chapter 3
free space in range, then deals 1 piercing damage All gain Radiance of the Black Sun (2
to all foes adjacent to that husk. actions, 1/combat): This character becomes
immobile but gains Aura 2 until the start of its
next turn. While the aura is active, Relict other
Grafter
than this character in the area cannot be reduced
Soul Surgeons skilled in the ways of soul
past 1 hp.
grafting. In the final days of the doom, the
empire resorted to all kinds of dark arts in an
attempt to beat back the inevitable. Immortalist
The higher caste of priests, each with a fragment
Special Traits: Regeneration of the Ur-spell embedded into their very beings.
Share Suffering (1 action, stance): The
Grafter gains aura 1 in this stance. Each time a Eternal War: While the Immortalist is on the
relict in the aura takes damage from an ability, battlefield and not defeated, all relict’s Rise Again
they gain 2 vigor. This effect could trigger trait activates on a 3+.
multiple times per ability. After that ability Entombment of Iz (1 action, range 5, 1/
resolves, the Grafter sacrifices 2. At the start of its combat): The Immortalist entombs a character
turn, the Grafter either exits this stance or in range in a magical sarcophagus, summoning it
sacrifices 4 to maintain it. in their space.
Sarcophagus of Iz
Embalmer Object, Destructible (10 hp)
Priests charged with disposal of the physical Object effect: Shares space with a character.
form. In those days, the corpses were stacked like While sharing space with the sarcophagus,
wheat after a harvest. they must sacrifice 3 at the start of their turn
Replace Black Communion with Necrotize (1 and are immobile, but can otherwise be
action, Range 2, Medium Blast): Area effect: targeted normally. The Sarcophagus takes no
foes take 2 piercing damage. Self and allies gain damage from Relict and only 1 damage
vigor 2. Effect: The Embalmer gains Aura 2 until maximum from any ability from a foe inside
the start of its next turn. Foes that end their turn of it.
in the aura must sacrifice 2 and have a grasping If a character is defeated in the sarcophagus, it
dead space created under them, as per Black crumbles and this effect ends.
Communion. Dark Redempta (2 actions, range 4, 1/
combat): Target defeated relict in range and
remove incapacitated. They stop being defeated
Chapter 2+
and return to the battlefield with 50% hp, or 25%
Unholy creates a grasping dead terrain effect
hp if they are an elite. They can act normally and
under up to two of its targets after it resolves, as
take a turn starting next round. If defeated again,
per Black Communion.
they disintegrate and are removed from the
battlefield, and cannot be returned again.
Soul Flayer
Dread priests that made up a secret police. In the
Final Days, they forcibly conscripted the unlucky GHUL
and criminal into the soul legions.
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Some relict have a tiny fragment of self Chapter 2+

awareness, an existential anguish that manifests Life Drain gains range 4.
as a terrible hunger. This gives them more
independence than their kin, allowing them to Devourer
roam where the network is thin and warm bodies
A Ghul that has collapsed in on itself, becoming a
are numerous.
sucking void and gaining the ability to rip away
the essence of the living directly.
Special Traits: Phasing
Traits: Defiance
Bloodfeed (1 action, +1 boon, attack): On
Devour (1 action, end turn, Round 3+
hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe take 2
only): Effect: The Ghul gains aura 2 until the
damage again if not adjacent to any allies, and 2
start of its next turn. Foes that end their turn in
damage again if bloodied.
the aura must sacrifice 25% of their max hp and
Reality Flicker (1 action): The Ghul or a relict
become dazed. Dazed or blinded foes must
in range 2 can teleport 3.
sacrifice 50% of their max hp instead.
Life Drain (1 action): Effect: An adjacent foe
sacrifices 3. If they are bloodied, they sacrifice 6
Chapter 3
instead, and the Ghul gains evasion until the start
of its next turn.
Drain Essence: When used against a foe at 25%
Terrorize (1 action, range 2): Effect: A foe in
hp or lower, Life Drain additionally reduces a foe
range must save or become blinded+ and gains + 1
to 1 hp, and the Ghul gains a vigor surge.
curse on all attacks and saves until it ends a turn
adjacent to an ally, ending this effect. On a
successful save, they are only blinded. Stutterghast
A Ghul that has lived long enough and fed
Chapter 1+ enough on the living that its existential anguish
has begun to manifest into complete insanity. Its
feral wailing cuts out periodically as it stutters
Wailer throughout the network.
A starving ghul that stalks the living for days at
a time. Somewhat pitiable, they long for warmth. Dark Hollow: Deals bonus damage and has
Shriek (1 action): All adjacent foes must save or evasion unless there’s two or more adjacent
be forced to flee, shoving them 3 spaces in a characters.
direction of the Wailer’s choice, or 1 space on a Replace Reality Flicker with Stutter (free
successful save. action): Repeat the following effect twice: The
Stutterghast or an ally in range 2 teleports 2.
Arc Ghul Stutterslash (2 actions, range 3, +1 boon,
A ghul that has become unhinged from its own attack): On hit: [D]+fray, twice. Miss: fray, twice.
anguish, its body barely held together. Effect: Deals bonus damage to bloodied foes.
Effect: Gains unerring against foes at exactly
Soul Shift (2 actions): The Ghul and any range 3. Effect: May teleport self and foe 2 spaces
adjacent relict teleport 6. When they reappear, after this ability resolves.
they must be placed adjacent if possible.
Twinsoul WRAITH
A ghul that is the result of a network malfunction Former slave wrights of the old empire, turned
or the product of soul grafting, a twinsoul is a into living weapons to fight back against the
grotesque amalgam of two beings. Doom. Tethered to the network, these relict can
Twin Strike (2 actions, +1 boon, attack): On float on the air with eerie grace, flickering in and
hit: [D]+2, twice. Miss: 2 damage, twice. Effect: out of existence.
The Twinsoul may backflip and fly 2 after this
ability resolves. Special Traits: Flying, Phasing
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Chain Lightning (2 actions, attack, range 8, Some battle mages of the old world were granted
Burst 2 (target), combo): On hit: [D]+2, twice. the ability to tear at the walls between worlds,
Miss or area effect: 2 damage, twice. using the essence of the Doom itself to fight.
• Soul Spark (1 action, range 6, summon, Rift Step (1 action, range 6): Teleport to the
combo): Creates a Soul Spark summon in free space of any pit in range.
space in range. Round 3+: Two sparks. Open Rift (1 action, range 6): Create a pit
Soul Spark under any character in range. Then, the Wraith
Summon, size 1, intangible may teleport that character to any other pit space
Summon Effect: Foes adjacent to Soul in range 3 of their target’s location.
Sparks are vulnerable+, and all damage deal
to them becomes piercing. Chapter 2+
Area effect: If a foe ends their turn adjacent Soul Sparks deal 1 piercing damage to all
to a spark, it releases a small blast pulse adjacent foe when summoned.
centered on it, dealing 1 piercing damage
twice to all foes Abomination
Effect: The wraith can target the spark with
A wraith created in the final days of the
Chain Lightning. If they do, it gains rebound
Imperium. The extreme methods used to create
and the spark triggers its area effect.
them left them unstable, undead weapons that
Unstable Charge (1 action, range 6, mark):
were not meant to last long.
Mark a foe in range. At the end of that foe's turn,
Unstable: When defeated, explodes in a large
they take 1 piercing damage, once, for every other
blast area effect explosion centered on the wraith.
character in range 2, then become vulnerable.
Characters inside take piercing fray damage,
Then, this mark ends.
twice, as an area effect. The wraith is then
removed from the battlefield. Create a pit in the
Chapter 1+ area it vacated
Scouring beam (2 actions, attack, line 10,
Arc Spectre width 2, pierce, Round 3+ only): On hit: [D]
The most commonly seen wraith, held aloft by +fray twice. Miss or area effect: fray, twice. Effect:
scouring arcs of lightning, with hands bound into Foes in the area must save or be shattered. Effect:
power-amplifying gauntlets. All objects in the path are removed.
Synaptic Storm (2 actions, range 6, terrain
effect): Creates a massive network storm in Chapter 3
range, which could overlap characters. The storm Soul Spark explosions become a large blast
is a small blast terrain effect that is dangerous
terrain, which relict ignore. Foes in the storm are Blasphemy
vulnerable+. Using this ability again with an Heretic Sorcerers who glimpsed the Black Sun.
active storm can move the storm 2 spaces instead So powerful that they were entombed in specially
of replacing it. If used this way, it costs 1 action. bound iron coffins. The coffins float uncannily
At round 3+, moving a storm is a free action. until broken open.
Iron Coffin (Interrupt 1): Trigger: When
Chain Wraith bloodied. Effect: the coffin breaks open. The
Blasphemers boiled alive in the pit of Iz. The Blasphemy becomes intangible until the end of its
chains used to bind them have combined with next turn.
their beings in death. Obliterate Aether (2 actions, attack, range
Bind (1 action): The Wraith chooses two 8, Round 3+ only): On hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss:
characters anywhere in range 3 of each other, [D]+fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage to
then teleports one of them adjacent to the other. characters at 50% hp or lower. Effect: Instead of
Foes must save or be shattered. Becomes a free dealing damage, character targeted sacrifices hp
action if it targets two allied relict. equal to the damage that would have been dealt. If
a character is at 1 hp, they are instead instantly
Rift Wraith defeated.
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abandoned farmhouses, sheds, or shrines during

Uniques the day, as much like other relict, they are
harmed by sunlight.
Chapter 1+
Special traits: Phasing
Blood Hunger: Deals +2 damage with all
SILENT ONE abilities against bloodied foes.
Remnants of children, the elderly, or the
mournful dead, who crave warmth and Feral Frenzy (1 action, attack): On hit: Deal 2
company. damage three times. Miss: Once. Effect: May dash
2 before and after this action.
Special Traits: Defiance Bloody spit (1 action, line 3): Area effect:
Ethereal: Phasing, and has resistance unless Deal fray damage. If foe has vigor, deal [D]
adjacent to a foe. instead, and they are dazed.
Feral Pounce (1 action, end turn): The
Mournful Wail (1 action, attack, range 6): Strigoi gains stealth. Choose a foe in range 3. If, at
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: Foe is the end of that foe’s next turn, they are still in
pacified. Deals bonus damage to pacified foes and range 3 of the Strigoi, it may teleport adjacent to
does not break the pacified condition. them and deal 2 damage, three times, ending this
Fear (1 action, multimark): Mark a foe in effect and stealth..
range 6. While marked, that foe deals half damage
unless adjacent to an ally. If they end their turn AUTOMATA
adjacent to an ally, they can save to clear this War machines used to kill in the wars of the old
mark. Imperium, powered by soul amalgams. Ruthless
Dreadful Sobbing (1 action): The Silent one and cold killing machines that trampled the lands
gains aura 1 until the start of its next turn. of kin in times past.
Characters in the aura are pacified+ and cannot
be cured. Special Traits: Sturdy
Possess (1 actions, 1/combat): The Silent one Automata: If this character attacks the same
moves into and shares the space of an adjacent character as last turn, it deals bonus damage and
character, possessing them, with the following gains +1 boon. This effect stacks.
effects: Empty Husk: This character becomes a height 1
• While possessing that character, they are object when defeated instead of a character, and
intangible, share its space, and move when it cannot be returned to the battlefield.
moves. They can still take actions normally, but
can’t leave the possessed character’s space. Lightning Bolter (1 action, attack, small
• The possessed character takes a free action at blast, range 6, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss
the end of its turn, which the Silent One or area effect: fray.
chooses: • Full Auto (2 actions, attack, range 6,
• be shoved by the Silent one 3 spaces in any small blast, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss
direction or area effect: [D]+fray.
• deal [D] damage to an adjacent character Charged Shield (1 action): The Automata
• become pacified. creates a 1 space terrain effect in range 3. Relict
• A character may save to remove this effect at the inside the terrain effect have cover, and it is
end of their turns after the above effect dangerous and difficult terrain for foes. Using this
activates. When possession ends, the silent one ability again replaces it.
appears in a free adjacent space. Discharge Clip (1 action) The Automata
shoots a line 5 area effect. Characters in the area
STRIGOI take 1 piercing damage twice. If the area includes
A ghul that has fed on enough life force to roam a Charged shield, deals 1 piercing damage four
away from the dungeons, preying on villages times instead.
and herd animals. These ghuls become feral in
appearance and live in the dark holes of FUSED
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A massive relict made up of multiple, fused souls, Blade Sweep (1 action): All adjacent foes are
unfortunates mashed together due to network shoved 1 and slashed. Slashed foes also take fray
malfunction or malicious soul grafting. damage.
Soul Nexus (2 actions): The Idol hardens and
Special Traits: Size 2 release an aura of swirling souls, gaining aura 2
until the start of its next turn. It becomes
Soul Mass: Can share space with other immobile and unstoppable. Relict in the aura
characters. Foes treat the space as difficult become sturdy and gain resistance to damage
terrain, are slashed+ while inside, and have cover from abilities used from outside the aura.
from the outside, but are otherwise targetable
normally. Any foes that start their turn inside its Chapter 2+
space take fray damage. Foes that attempt to leave LIFE HUNTER
this character’s space by any means on their turn
Personal hunters of the Arkenliches, these undead
must save or become unable to exit it until the end
monstrosities were custom crafted to hunt
of the current turn.
adventurers. Unlike other relict, they are nimble,
Release passengers: When defeated, summon
somewhat intelligent, and independently minded.
4 relict husks in or adjacent to its space.
Crush (2 actions, attack, medium blast,
Hand Picked: There can only ever be one Life
true strike, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or
Hunter on the battlefield
area effect: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage to
weakened foes.
Nock (1 action, combo): The Life Hunter
• Melding Mass (2 actions, attack, combo):
dashes 2.
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Fused may
• Life Seeking Arrow (2 actions, +1 boon,
rush 2 after this ability. Characters inside the
attack, range 12, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray.
fused are shoved 3 in any direction. Collide:
Miss: fray. Effect: Hit or miss, foe must also
Characters are stunned.
sacrifice 25% of their max hp. Effect: Cannot
Wail of Terror (2 actions): The Fused releases
target characters in range 2.
a horrible shriek in a medium blast area effect.
Kick Off (1 action): The Life Hunter flies 1.
Foes in the area are weakened, and take 2 damage
Before they fly, they may shove an adjacent
once for every foe in the area, up to a maximum of
character 1 space, then deal 2 damage to them if
five times.
they are a foe. If they do, they fly 3 instead.
Liminal Darts (1 action, mark): Mark a foe in
IDOL line of sight and range 10. At the end of that
Walking statues of old saints, emperors, or character’s turn, it takes [D] piercing damage if
legends, powered by curated soul amalgams. it’s not in cover from the Life Hunter, or just 2
piercing damage if it is. Then this mark ends.
Special Traits: Size 2, Sturdy
Heavy Armor: Resistant to abilities used from REVENANT
adjacent spaces
A rogue ghul that has managed to re-house its
Automata: If this character attacks the same
soul in flesh again, usually by killing its former
character as last turn, it deals bonus damage and
occupant. Revenants never last long, as the flesh
gains +1 boon. This effect stacks.
decays too quickly to be of use.
Empty Husk: This character becomes a height 1
object when defeated instead of a character, and
Shed Flesh: After taking damage that bloodies
cannot be returned to the battlefield.
it, becomes intangible until the start of its next
turn as it wriggles out of its flesh. For the rest of
Heavy Mace (2 actions, attack, +1 curse,
combat, gains phasing and flying.
range 2): On hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Loses curse against slashed foes.
Bloody Hacking (1 action, +1 boon, attack)
Eye Beams (1 actions, Arc 3, Range 4): Area
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is dazed.
effect: All foes are shoved 1 and take 2 damage.
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Effect: Bloodied or dazed foes take 2 damage Execute (2 actions, range 2): A foe in range at
again after this ability resolves. 25% HP or lower must save. On a failed save, they
Life Drain (1 action): Effect: An adjacent foe are defeated, ignoring all other effects. On a
sacrifices 3. If they are bloodied, they sacrifice 6 successful save, they are reduced to 1 hp.
instead, and the Revenant gains evasion until the
start of its next turn.
Horrible twitching (1 action, stance): The UNIQUE ELITES
Revenant gains aura 1. Foes in the aura gain +1
curse on attacks. Allied Relict in the aura gain the
Chapter 1+
dodge trait. The Revenant loses this stance if it
ends its turn with no foes in the aura.
Bone Chilling Scream (2 actions, range 2, ROYAL GUARD
usable while bloodied): The Revenant releases Multi-limbed, multi-bodied warriors fused
a bone chilling scream, a burst 1 area effect. together by dark alchemy and soul grafting at
Characters in the area must save or take 2[D] their entombing to protect the old arken-
+fray, or [D]+fray on a successful save. emperors in death. The four fight as one,
overwhelming the defenses of even the most
Chapter 3 canny fighters.
IMMORTAL HP: 80
Elite guard of the priest caste, entombed alive in
Special Traits: Size 2
their iron armor. Dark magic has sealed their
armor so not even the aether of their soul can
escape. Such is their undying vitality they don’t
Vortex (free action): All characters in range 2
make any attempts at self-preservation. With
of the royal guard are shoved 1 towards or away
their heavy glaives and black armor, they are a
from it.
terrifying sight to even seasoned adventurers.
Battalion of Limbs (1 action, attack,
Special Traits: Sturdy, Defiance
medium blast, multimark, true strike). On
Immortal Disregard: Attacks never miss the
hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect:
Immortal (turn any miss into a hit)
The Royal Guard marks their attack target. This
Aura of Immortality: While Immortal is
mark can be placed more than once and stacks
undefeated, it has Aura 2. Relict without this trait
indefinitely. For each stack of the mark, this
inside cannot be reduced past 1 HP.
attack deals +3 damage on hit or miss. A character
can save against this mark at the end of their turn
Bloody Fuller (1 actions, attack, true strike,
to clear all stacks, but only if they are not in range
range 2): On hit: [D]+2. Miss: 2. Effect: Shove 1.
2 of the royal guard.
Effect: Deals damage again to attack target and all
Blade Shield (1 action, range 3,
foes adjacent to the attack target, hit or miss,
multimark): An ally in range is marked by the
equal to 2 times the round number
Royal Guard. While marked and adjacent to the
March of the Imperium (1 actions, combo):
Royal Guard, they gain +1 boon on saves and
Repeat the following effect twice: either the
resistance.
Immortal or an adjacent ally rushes 1, then deals
Ball Lightning (1 action, true strike, small
2 damage to all adjacent foes and shoves them 1.
blast, range 6): Area effect: Fray damage and
This can affect the same foe more than once.
characters must save or be slashed.
• Arken Impaler (1 actions, combo): An
Wind of Obliteration (2 actions, usable
adjacent foe is shoved 3. The Immortal rushes
when bloodied): Repeat this effect three times:
after the target, following it, ending adjacent if
Effect: The Royal Guard rushes 1, then deals [D]
possible. Collide: foe is also slashed and takes
to all adjacent characters, then shoves them 1. It
fray damage.
gains phasing during this action and must take
Supreme Formation (1 action): All allies
each of these dashes in the same direction.
everywhere may rush 1 space closer to this
Characters can be affected multiple times.
character. Bloodied allies gain 2 vigor.
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Stuttering horrors born of living souls that have

WARMECH been trapped in the Relict system - the remnants
Multi-limbed metal war machine, powered by of adventurers or unlucky wanderers who went
soul amalgamation. Kills dispassionately and too deep in an arkenruin.
with overwhelming force, using weapons that
blight the land and scour the soil. Many of these Special Traits: Phasing
machines are buried in the soil of Arden Eld, even Elite: Takes 2 turns
outside the ruins, and can remain dormant for
centuries. Dark Hollow: Deals bonus damage and has
evasion unless there’s two or more adjacent
Special Traits: Size 2, Sturdy characters.
Automata: If this character attacks the same Surreality: When this character would be
character as last turn, it deals bonus damage and defeated, instead becomes intangible until the
gains +1 boon. This effect stacks. end of its next turn, then removes itself from the
Empty Husk: This character becomes a 2x2 battlefield. It cannot return.
series of height 1 objects when defeated instead of
a character, and cannot be returned to the Stutter (free action): Repeat the following
battlefield. effect twice: The Stutterghast or an adjacent ally
Elite: Takes 2 turns teleports 1.
Plasma bomb (Round Action): At the start of Soul Rip (1 action, attack, Line 4, +1 boon):
each round, the Warmech fires a plasma bomb On hit: [D] damage. Miss or area effect: 1 damage.
into the air, targeted on any visible space. The Effect: All foes in the area must sacrifice 4 after
bomb marks a medium blast area visible to all this ability resolves.
characters. At the end of the round, the bomb Horrid slashing (1 action): The Stutterghast
comes down as an area effect. Characters in the teleports 1, then teleports 1. Each time, it deals 2
area take piercing fray damage and are shattered. damage to an adjacent foe. Bloodied foes are
Any character in the center must save or also be dazed.
stunned. The targeted space then becomes a pit. Shriek (1 action, range 2): All foes in range
The Warmech is immune to its own bombs. must save or be forced to flee, shoving them 2
spaces in a direction of the Izenghast’s choice, or 1
Focus Beam (1 actions, attack, pierce, line space on a successful save.
6). On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Soul Drain (2 actions, usable only on
Effect: Attack target is shattered. Deals bonus bloodied foes): An adjacent foe sacrifices 25%
damage to characters in range 3. of their maximum hp. The Izenghast or another
Charge Boost (1 action, combo): The relict in range 3 is cured.
Warmech flies 3. When it lands, adjacent
characters are shoved 1 ARKITEK
• Seekers (1 action, burst 3 (self), combo): Machine-priests and designers of the deep
Area effect. Foes take 2 piercing damage. Foes arkenruins, the sealed library-vaults intended to
at exactly range 3 take 2 piercing damage twice. let the empire wait out the Doom in undead form.
• Falling Stars (1 action, combo): All foes Masters of the labyrinth, the mechanisms of the
outside of range 3 take 2 piercing damage, dungeons themselves bend and contort
ignoring cover, as an area effect. themselves to protect them.
Side Cannons (1 action, range 2, medium
blast, pierce): Area effect: Foes are shoved 2. VIT: 8
Collide: Foe takes fray damage. HP: 64
Chapter 2+ Special Traits: Defiance

IZENGHAST Stoneskin: While adjacent to an object, has
resistance.
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Deep Call (1 action, attack, range 6): On hit: from the outside, but are otherwise targetable
[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: the Arkitek may normally. Any foes that start their turn inside its
summon a height 1 dungeon ruin object adjacent space take fray damage. Foes that attempt to leave
to its target. the Grave’s space by any means must save or
Reconfigure (1 action, range 2): The Arkitek become unable to exit it until the end of the
removes and places any number of objects created current turn.
by it or another character in range to any other Shed Mass: At the start of its turn, the Grave
free space in range. Characters standing on or summons a husk in a free adjacent space. When
trapped inside an object are moved and placed the Grave is bloodied, it summons 2 husks
with it. instead.
Pillar of Iz (1 action, range 5, 3/combat):
The Arkitek summons a Pillar of Iz in range. It can Hungry Dead (1 action, attack, true strike):
be summoned under characters. On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: All characters
Pillar of Iz in range 2 are shoved 1 towards the grave, which
Height 2 object, destructible (5 hp) could shove them inside of it.
Object effect: Aura 1. Inside the aura, relict Tendrils (1 action, range 2): Characters in
characters have resistance and foes are range of the Grave are shoved 1 towards or away
sealed+. from it. The Grave can choose for each character.
Entombment of Iz (1 action, range 4, 1/ Bloodied characters are shoved 2 instead.
combat): The Arkitek entombs a character in Vomit Lightning (1 action, range 2,
range in a magical sarcophagus, summoning it in medium blast): Area effect: Foes take 2 damage
their space. once for each foe in the area, up to a maximum of
Sarcophagus of Iz three times.
Object, Destructible (10 hp) One Hundred Hands (1 action, end turn,
Object effect: Shares space with a character. combo): The Grave rushes 1 spaces.
While sharing space with the sarcophagus, • Two Hundred Hands (1 action, end turn,
they must sacrifice 3 at the start of their turn combo): The Grave rushes 2 spaces.
and are immobile, but can otherwise be • Three Hundred Hands (1 action, end
targeted normally. The Sarcophagus takes no turn, combo): The Grave rushes 3 spaces.
damage from Relict and only 1 damage • Cacophonous Consumption (2
maximum from any ability from a foe inside actions, true strike): Foes inside the
of it. Grave must save, then they take 5 damage,
If a character is defeated in the sarcophagus, it five times. If they succeed the save, they
crumbles and this effect ends. take 3 damage, five times instead.
Chapter 3
ATROPHIC GRAVE
A massive amalgam of souls, created when the
Ur-spell reached and processed large crowds of
the public, hiding for safety from the
apocalyptica outside and completely unaware of
their impending immortalization.
HP: 80
Special Traits: Defiance, Sturdy, Size 3

Trait modifications: This character lacks the
Guard trait
Soul Mass: Can share space with other

characters. Foes treat the space as difficult
terrain, are slashed+ while inside, and have cover
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Phases:
LEGENDS The Knight switches to phase 2 when bloodied.
The Knight has the following ability series in all

I. VESSEL KNIGHT phases:
Darklight cleaver (1 action, true strike,
attack, range 2, combo): On hit: [D]+ 1. Miss:
Black-armored conqueror knights of incredible
1. Effect: Foe gains +1 Malice.
power that were dispatched alone to lands not
• Darklight splitter (1 action, true strike,
conquered by the Arken to conduct diplomacy -
line 5, attack, range 2, combo): On hit: [D]
at the tip of a sword if need be. There were forty
+1 and +1 Malice. Miss or area effect: 1 damage
of these knights, ten for each of the cardinal
and +1 Malice.
directions. Each was a hero of unparalleled
• Darklight crusher (2 actions, +1 curse,
strength, their name recorded in the annals of the
attack, range 2, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray
imperial muster, and blessed by the Emperor.
and +1 Malice. Miss: [D]+fray and +1 Malice.
Dark Strength (1 action, repeatable): Rush
While they still lived, these knights were marked
2, then an adjacent foe is shoved 2 spaces. Collide:
by dark ritual, their very essences bound to their
foe is slashed. Slashed foes are stunned.
armor so that they could continue their duty even
in death or after mortal injury. During the
Doom, they all succumbed, but this did not stop Phase I:
them from carrying out their orders. Repeated Rage of Iz (1 action, terrain effect, range 6,
death has stripped most of them of their sense. 2/round): Effect: The Vessel roars, and a foe of
Now they are vaporous husks - hollow iron shells its choice in range 6 feels the ground trembling
filled with dust and a sense of loathsome purpose. beneath their feet. At the end of that character’s
When the ruins rise, they rise from their graves turn, roll 1d6. The knight summons either a pit
and call forth armies, slaughtering and (1-3) or a height 1 dark light spire object (4-6)
conquering in the name of an empire that no under that foe. The ground erupts in a small blast
longer exists until they are beaten and sealed area effect centered on this terrain, dealing fray
again. damage to all characters.
Despair (1 action, range 3, 1/round): The
Special Traits: Sturdy, Size 2 knight charges a character in range 3 with dark
energy, creating a small blast area on them. At the
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character end of that character’s next turn, they must
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of sacrifice 3 for every space of the cross not
the round, this character may clear a status or occupied by themselves, an ally, or a summon.
mark. Then, they gain +1 Malice.
Damocles (free action, range 3, 1/round):
Malice: After they attack, the Vessel knight The knight chooses a character in range. At the
marks their target, granting a stack of malice. end of the very next turn, if that character is still
• Malice stacks indefinitely and can mark any in range of the knight, it removes itself from the
number of characters. battlefield, then places itself adjacent to them and
• At the end of their turn, a character sacrifices 3 may make the next of its Darklight attack series
for every stack of Malice they have. against them.
• If a character suffering from Malice doesn’t
attack during their turn, at the end of their turn, Phase II:
they reduce their stacks of Malice by 2 before When bloodied, the Knight becomes intangible
sacrificing, which could clear them. until the end of the current turn, then transitions
• It can also be cleared by anything that clears a into Phase II. It ignores all damage that put it into
mark, but doing so only clears one at a time. its phase transition past its bloodied value.
Beyond Death: When defiance activates, roll a
d6. On a 3+, this character immediately regains As phase I, but:
defiance. Divine damage bypasses this trait. Spectral form: Gains phasing, flying, and speed
6
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Dispersal (interrupt, 2/round): Trigger: The

knight is damaged by an ability. Effect: The knight
may teleport up to 3 spaces
Soul Cleaver (free action, range 2, 2/
round): Effect: All foes in range take 2 divine
damage. Each time this ability is used again this
combat, increase its damage by +1.
Tactics
The Vessel Knight is a relatively straightforward
and threatening legend fight. Characters must
balance their own ability to attack with increasing
stacks of Malice. Malice can be reduced by not
attacking, but in Phase II, the knight starts to
ramp up its damage output with its Soul Cleaver
ability, which will become overwhelming over
time.
Trophies
Helm of Command
Uses: 2
Effect: You can use the power of this helm to issue
a dread command as a Round Action at the start
of any round in combat. The command is so
powerful that you may shove all foes and allies 2
spaces in a direction of your choice, and all foes
are weakened+ for the duration of the round.
Darklight Infuser
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: You dip your weapon or implements in the
dread essence of Divine Death. For the duration of
this expedition, your attacks gain slay: cure
yourself, and any attack you make that would
reduce a character to 0 hp before any reductions
or other effects becomes divine damage.
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grid map (imagine it like a big cross centered on
each character).
Witness the Coming Terror (2 actions,
II. ARKENLICH range 4, 1/round): The Lich reveals a glimpse
of a possible dark future to a character in range.
Designers of the Ur-spell and arch-priests of the
That character becomes vulnerable from the
Dark Sun, these ancient warrior-necromancers
sheer stress and must save or become stunned. If
were embalmed and entombed even before the
there are none of its allies in range 2, that
final death of the empire, their souls bound into
character also sacrifices 25% of their maximum
specially prepared vessels so they could carry out
hp.
the great work of the old emperors uninterrupted
Offer Obeisance before Thy Proper Lords
by the frailties of mortality. Their bronze
(1 action, end turn, 1/round): The Lich
sarcophagi are engraved with their titles and
releases a word of powerful Ur-magic, ordering all
names and their eyes are sealed with gold.
foes to kneel. Foes can choose: either kneel and
Though the process left their minds largely
become immobile for the rest of the current
intact, the long dark and centuries in contact
round, or be shoved 2 away from the Lich. Collide:
with the anguished souls trapped in the Relict
Foe is vulnerable.
network have left most of them insane. Most of
Fear (1 action, range 6, multimark, 1/
them lie dreaming in fitful nightmares until
round): Mark a foe in range. While marked, that
awakened by unlucky adventurers.
foe deals half damage unless adjacent to an ally. If
they end their turn adjacent to an ally, they may
save to clear this mark.
Master of the Four Winds (1 action): The
mark.
Lich either teleports 4, or removes itself from the
battlefield, then places itself in free space in range
Phases: At round 3 and every third round
2.
thereafter, the Lich uses Utterances of the
Crawling Dead.
The Inevitable Corruption of Flesh (1
action, line 5, combo): Area effect: Foes in the
Phase I: line take 2 piercing damage, then each foe deals 1
piercing damage to all its adjacent allies.
Thy Tribute is Demanded (Round Action): Characters adjacent to more than one foe in this
At the start of each round, the Lich severs part of effect can be damaged multiple times.
a foe’s soul in range 4, placing it in a free space • The Word of Beckoning Cowards (1
adjacent to that character. action, line 5, combo): Area effect: Foes in
Soul Fragment the line take 2 piercing damage. The first foe in
Summon, immobile, intangible the line is shoved 2 towards the Lich, or as far as
Summon Effect: Each soul fragment is tied possible.
to a specific character. Characters adjacent to
any soul fragment are vulnerable+. Profane (1 actions, attack, range 4, small
Additionally, fragments can be affected by the blast, pierce, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss
Lich’s round actions Annihilation of the or area effect: fray.
Wicked and Utterances of the Crawling • Bolide (1 action, attack, range 6, large
Dead. blast, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area
Annihilation of the Wicked (Round Action, effect: fray. Effect: Character in the center space
True Strike): At the end of each round, the Lich is shattered. Then create a height 1 smoking
wreaks the battlefield with scathing ur-magic. All meteor object in free space adjacent to them
foes on the battlefield take 1 piercing damage, • Black Blade of Iz (2 actions, attack,
once, for every other foe or soul fragment that range 2, true strike): On hit: [D]+fray,
they share a row or column with on the battlefield twice and shove 1. Miss: fray damage, twice.
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Effect: Deals bonus damage vs shattered or consumes the die. This doesn’t take an action or
vulnerable foes. interrupt and doesn’t count as using an ability,
but each time you do, you must sacrifice 3.
Phase II (round 3, 6, 9+):
As phase I, but:
Utterances of the Crawling Dead: At the start
of the round, the lich begins incanting. It chooses
a foe, who gains aura 2, and becomes immune to
being shoved by the lich’s abilities. Every other
part of the battlefield begins to shift with crawling
darkness. At the end of the round, the battlefield
erupts. All foes not in the safe zone marked by the
aura must sacrifice 50% of their maximum hp. If
any of a character’s soul fragments are not in the
safe zone, they must additionally sacrifice 25% of
their max hp per soul fragment caught outside the
area.
Tactics
The Arkenlich is a legend fight based on
positioning. At the end of each round, all foes are
pelted with magic that stacks up in nasty ways if
they are lined up in the wrong way, but many of
the Lich’s abilities require characters to group up
to avoid. Every third round, Utterances of the
Crawling dead makes the area they have to line up
in even smaller. The Lich can also pull characters
around itself to get them out of position.
Trophies:
The Black Book
Uses: 1
Effect: As 2 actions, a character can read aloud
from the Black Book of the dead, choosing a
character in range 4. That character gains aura 2.
At the end of that character’s turn, a flurry of
tormented souls sweeps across the battlefield,
forcing all characters outside the aura to sacrifice
25% of their maximum hp, then this effect ends.
This has no effect on Legends.
Golden Mask
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: This mask allows one to peer into dark
futures. At the start of any expedition you use this
mask, roll a d20, d10, d8, d6, and d4 and record
the numbers. You can substitute the number
when you gain or roll any die (such as a damage
die, attack roll, gamble, or power die) made by
you, your allies, or the GM for the rest of the
expedition during tactical combat. Doing so
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LORDS:
III. DREAD LORDS
LORD EVICTOR
The Legions of the Arken were always ruled in Lord of the Center, the Black Iron Lord. Arken
triumvirate, each legion headed by three of its nobles granted this title were renowned and
mightiest lord commanders. At the fall of the greatly feared generals tasked with controlling
Empire, these minor Arkenlords were entombed and holding the center mass of a combat, and in
with their troops, buried alive under rubble, other times protecting the homelands of the
scoured by dread magics and left smoking on the Empire and keeping order by rooting out
battlefields, or burned alive in the smoking cities seditionists and rebels. In life, they crushed all
of the Arken. Their immortalization crystallized before them with cold-hearted brutality. In
their hatred at their failure to protect the empire, death, there is little difference.
honing it to a razor's edge. Now, in death, they lie
dreaming, entangled in nightmares of ceaseless Special Traits: Sturdy, Rampart, Armor 2
bloodlust and brutal conquest. The priests of the
Black Sun work endlessly at their resurrection, Strength of Hell (Round Action): The Lord
for when the Dread Lords can be awakened, their Evictor prepares to strike a seismic blow. At the
wrath is terrible, and their ambition endless. end of the round, they slam the battlefield,
affecting all characters in range 3 from them.
HP: 50 per player character (min 100) Characters take differing effects depending on
how far away they are from the Lord Evictor:
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character • adjacent: 3 damage, three times, and shoved 3
Eternal Lordship (Round Action): At the • 2 spaces: 2 damage, twice, and shoved 2
start of the round, clear a status or mark on one of • 3 spaces: 1 damage and shoved 1
the Lords.
Actions
Triumvirate: This Legend is made up of three
powerful undead lords. Each is a unique character
Dread March (free action): The Lord Evictor
and tracks statuses and effects separately, but all
rushes 1, then shoves all adjacent foes 1.
three share the same health pool and become
Imperium: The other lords can also rush 1.
bloodied when their total health is at 50%. When
reduced to 0 hp, all three are defeated
Blood Rush (1 actions, attack, true strike,
simultaneously.
range 2): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Imperium: When this legend takes a turn, it acts
The Lord Evictor may rush 1 before this attack.
with one of the three Lords. It cannot take another
Effect: The Lord swings their weapon in a massive
turn with a Lord in a round until all three have
arc after this ability resolves. Foes adjacent to the
acted. However, abilities with an Imperium effect
Lord take 2 damage again and are shoved 1.
grant the two lords who are not currently acting
an additional effect.
Crush Peon (1 action): An adjacent foe is
picked up and crushed by the Lord Evictor.
Phases: Remove them from the battlefield as they are
At the start of each round, one of the Dread Lords hurled into the air, then smashed down in any
can use its Round Action, with a different Lord’s space in range 2, returning them. They are
round action each round, until all three have used slashed. Slashed characters are stunned instead.
their Round Action. At round 3 and every three Imperium: If the other one or two lords are in
rounds thereafter, the Lords use Eternal range 3 of the target’s landing point, they juggle
Imperium. the target with attacks before they land, each
dealing 2 piercing damage.
ETERNAL IMPERIUM (Round 3, 6, etc) Break Earth (1 action, range 3): The Lord
At the start of this round, all three Lords use their Evictor smashes the ground with the hilt of their
Round actions simultaneously. weapon, dealing fray damage to and weakening a
character in range. Weakened characters are
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stunned. Imperium: If another Lord is in range 3, Drain Essence (1 action, range 5, small
the Lord Evictor can cause a shockwave that blast): Area Effect: Foes inside take 2 piercing
creates a height 1 debris object underneath that damage and must save or become pacified.
Lord, or raises the height of such an object by 1. Dark Astra (1 action, mark): The Lord
Dark Grip (1 action, range 4+): A foe at or Prelictor marks itself or another Lord with a ward
further away than range 4 must save. On a of energy. That Lord gains 10 vigor. When this
successful save, they are shoved 2 spaces towards vigor is destroyed, or at the end of the round, the
the Lord Evictor. On a failed save, they are shoved ward explodes, ending this mark. Foes in a large
until adjacent, or as far as possible. blast area effect centered on the targeted Lord
take 2 piercing damage twice and must save or be
LORD PRELICTOR shattered. A character also loses this vigor if the
Lord of the Right Flank, the Pure Silver Lord. mark is transferred, but it doesn’t cause the ward
Arken nobles granted this title were wrights and to explode.
warrior-philosophers of great power. They were
master strategists and quartermasters, as skilled LORD VEXATOR
with the organization and upkeep of the legions Lord of the Left Flank, the True Bronze Lord.
as they were with scathing the battlefield with Arken nobles granted this title were rangers,
blasts of primal magic. In death, they are able to scouts, and vanguards tasked with scouting new
muster and catalogue the dead with the same lands for conquest and with the purgation and
ruthless efficiency as they did in life. subjugation of barbarians. Their bloodlust and
cruelty was unparalleled.
Special Traits: Aetherwall
Special Traits: Skirmisher, Dodge
Muster the Dead (Round Action): At the
start of the round, the Lord Prelictor summons Punishment of Heaven (Round Action):
three wailing souls, in free space anywhere on the The Lord Vexator prepares to shoot a massive
battlefield not adjacent to a foe. flurry of bolts from a greatbow at all characters
Wailing Soul close to it. At the end of the round, they release a
Summon, size 1, intangible flurry of shots, affecting all characters in range 3
Summon effect: Foes adjacent to souls are from them. Characters take differing effects
vulnerable+ and all damage dealt to them depending on how far away they are to the Lord
becomes piercing. If a foe collides with a soul, Vexator:
they release a large blast shriek area effect • adjacent: 1 damage and shove 1
centered on them, dealing 2 piercing damage • 2 spaces: 2 damage, twice, and shoved 2
to all foes inside, then removing the soul. • 3 spaces: 3 damage, three times and shoved 3
Actions Actions
Master of the Secret Places (free action):
The Lord swaps the positions of any or all of the Raid (1 action): The Lord Vexator leaps and
three Lords, removing and placing them. flies up to 3 spaces. Imperium: If they land next
to another Lord, both Lords can leap and fly up to
Imperishable Star (1 action, attack, pierce, 3 spaces again, then each can deal 2 damage to an
range 5, large blast): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or adjacent foe after landing.
area effect: fray. Effect: Create a pit under the
attack target. Scathe Barbarians (2 actions, attack, range
4): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. Effect:
Yawning Void (1 action, range 3, terrain Deals bonus damage for every difference in height
effect): Summon a pit in a free space in range. between the Lord Vexator and their target. If the
Characters that start or end their turn in the pit difference is 2+, this ability gains unerring, foe
can be teleported by the Lord Prelictor to any takes 2 damage twice again and is dazed.
other pit created by this ability or Imperishable
Star. Imperium: The Lord Prelictor can then
teleport another Lord in range 3 2 spaces.
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The Language of the Shadows (1 action): damage becomes divine and the attack cannot
The Lord Vexator gains stealth, and adjacent foes miss. Additionally, it gains slay: gain 1 resolve.
must save or become blinded. Imperium: Another
Lord in range 3 gains stealth.
Essence Arrow (1 action, line 6): The Lord
Vexator shoots a line 6 area effect. Foes inside
take fray damage. Imperium: If the Lord Evictor
is caught in the area, the area gains true strike,
and foes in the line are then shoved 1 towards or
away from the Lord Vexator. If the Lord Prelictor
is caught in the line, the arrow deals 2 piercing
damage twice instead.
Tactics
This legend fight is three warriors that work in
tandem with each other. The Lord Evictor and
Lord Vexator are powerful fighters whose Round
Actions punish players for getting close or staying
away, respectively. The Lord Prelictor can use its
abilities to swap around the positions of the lords
or making targeting one lord less appealing,
making this tricky to handle. It’s Wailing Soul
summons are potent, but players might consider
getting shoved into them voluntarily to clear them
before they can become a problem.
Trophies
Grasp of Iron
Uses: 3
Effect: Clutching this heavy iron gauntlet, when
worn, can summon any foe. As 1 action, you may
use this gauntlet and choose any foe on the
battlefield. That foe is shoved until adjacent to
you.
Key to Iz
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: This dagger-like key allows one to slip to a
forbidden and writhing interstitial space. For the
duration of an expedition, you can call upon its
power to gain the ability to create a swirling rift
pit space in any space in range 6 with 1 action, and
also to teleport to any pit on the battlefield as a
free action.
Shivering Arrow
Uses: 1
Effect: This arrow is made of cold, dead titan-
killing steel. You can declare you are using it with
any ranged attack. If you do, all the attack’s
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Relict Trophies
Tech Description and Effect Uses
This sinister helm can only be used against Relict, and
only once per combat. To use this helm, you must spend 1
action and save. On a successful save, target a relict
Circlet of Command without the elite or legend tag. You control that relict’s 1
next turn. On a failed save, regain the charge for this
ability, but you are stunned, and can’t attempt to use it
again this combat.
Use this gem as an action to summon 3 Relict Husks. They
Soul Gem 2
fight as allied summons, acting on your turn.
An ancient Relict weapon that still barely functions,
shooting bolts of lightning. You can make a 1 action attack
Relict Arbalest with it (1 action, ranged attack, line 8, on hit: [D]+fray, 3
area effect: fray effect: all foes in the area take 1 piercing
damage)
Speak the name of your foe into this pendant as a free
action to inflict the sealed status on that foe anywhere on
Whispering Pendant 5
the map. That foe also cannot benefit from stealth or
evasion for the rest of the round.
Crush this gem as a free action to sever your soul
temporarily from your body. Your soul is an intangible
size 1 summon that is created in free space within range 5
of your body. While your soul is out, your body is
unstoppable but otherwise can still take damage and be
Gem of Spirit Severing 1
targeted normally. You take all actions and movement
from your soul instead of your body, and your soul
additionally has flying and phasing. Your soul reunites
with your body if you end a turn with it adjacent to your
body, or at the end of combat.
Strap on a piece of decaying relict armor for extra
protection. As an interrupt when you’re hit by any attack
Decayed Arkentch Armor 3
but before damage is applied, you can expend the plate to
reduce the damage by 3, as if from armor
While holding this rod, you gain the Levitation trait
Telekinetic Rod 1 expedition
(immune to terrain damage and movement penalties)
When strapped to a hilt of a weapon, this clasp causes all
Shock Clasp attacks to deal 1 piercing damage to their target after the 1 expedition
ability resolves, hit or miss.
Weaving these metallic strands into a cloak or armor
Ghost Weave 1 expedition
grants you phasing.
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Not all ruin beasts are hostile, and some are in
III. Ruin Beast fact quite docile unless provoked. However,
nearly all of them are capable of tremendous
bursts of strength and power when enraged, a by
product of their harsh environment - and
necessary for survival.
Faction template
To make any foe a Beast, you can add the
following traits. All Beasts have these traits.
Monsters: Beasts do not negotiate. They might

flee if losing a fight badly or act out of self
preservation.
• Motivations: Beasts have simple
motivations, which are typically for territory
or food. Ruin beasts in particular are often
affected by the blighted energies of
unconfined ruins, which can mutate them or
drive them sick or mad. Sometimes it is
possible to cure these beasts of their
afflictions.
All beasts have the enrage trait
The ruins are full of wildlife that has adapted to
their unique environment over time - or have
been changed or warped by it. Wherever there
Special Mechanic: Enrage
are dungeons or a Blight, there are Ruin Beasts.
They are the most common monsters found afield Enrage: Gain +1 action when bloodied.
in the blight-stricken areas of Arden Eld, and the
most likely to wander adrift.
Beasts fit into a dungeon ecosystem much the

same as they do in more mundane ecosystems
outside of their unnatural environments. There
are many biologists and naturalists across Arden
Eld undertaking the hard work of categorizing
the dizzying number of species that are found
every week by intrepid adventurers. Many beast
organs and excretions are extremely useful in
medicine, research, industry, and even cosmetics,
and teams of hunters are often sent out to bag a
particularly beast once its kind are sighted.
Some naturalists are more in favor of

conservation, and argue that despite their
strange origins, the beasts of the great dungeons,
though dangerous and unusual, should be
treated as just another part of the natural world.
They’re more interested in studying the beasts
and preventing them from harming local
communities than actively poaching them.
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FOES Stone Lizard

Thick hides and stony hides make these large
beasts almost impossible to tell from boulders.
Curl Up: When defeated, this character curls up
and becomes a height 1 boulder object.
Rolling Boulder (1 action): The lizard gathers
momentum, then rolls 4 spaces in a straight line,
or as far as possible, rushing. After it stops
moving, it deals damage to all adjacent foes equal
to the spaces it rushed, then shoves them 1.
Halitoad
The enormous and foul-smelling Halitoad uses its
long tongue to strangle and digest its prey.
Stench: This beast has aura 1. Foes in the aura
take +1 curse on attacks and saves.
Replace Wild Toss with Tongue Flick (1
Brawler Beast action, range 3, repeatable): The toad shoves
a a character in range one space towards it, or 3
Beasts with thick hides, strong limbs, and spaces if the toad or its target is bloodied.
monstrous tempers. These dungeon-dwelling
beasts enforce their territory through raw Horned Rooter
aggression and muscle. The energies of the Large omnivores that use their horns to tear up
dungeons have given them prodigious size. dungeon stones and get at the roots and insects
within.
Special Traits: Enrage Special Traits: Size 2
Primal Strength: All the beast’s abilities have Earthbreaker (1 action, range 3): The Rooter
collide: foes are is weakened. Weakened foes take either creates a height 1 debris object in range, or
2 damage on collide instead, and the beast gains 2 removes an object in that range. Characters
vigor. adjacent to an object when it is placed or removed
take 2 damage.
Smash (1 action, true strike, attack): On hit:
[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Shove 1. If the beast Chapter 2+
or its target is bloodied, increase shove to 3. Wild Toss can be used on foes.
Wild Toss (1 action, repeatable): The beast
hurls an adjacent ally, removing them from the
battlefield, then placing them in range 3. That ally
Howler
deals 2 damage to adjacent foes when landing. Part ape, part wolf, the Howler is a hyper
Barreling Charge (2 actions, range 2, end aggressive monster with a bad temper.
turn): Effect: The beast chooses a foe in range Special Traits: Counter
and becomes sturdy. At the end of that foe’s next Howl (2 actions, 1/combat): All foes in range
turn, the beast rushes up to 4, with each space 2 take 2 damage, are weakened, and must save or
moving towards that foe, phasing through be stunned.
characters. Characters the beast passes through Bulk up (1 action): The Howler gains 4 vigor, or
are shoved 1 to either side and take 2 damage. If 6 vigor if bloodied.
the beasts ends this movement adjacent to their Iron Driver (1 action, usable when
foe, that foe is weakened and must save or take bloodied): The Howler grabs an adjacent
2[D]+fray and become stunned, or [D]+fray on a character, removing them from the battlefield,
successful save. Then, this effect ends. then rushes 2 spaces in any direction, placing
them in a free adjacent space and slamming them
into the ground repeatedly. That foe is slashed
Chapter 1+
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and must save or take 3 damage, three times or

just 1 damage, three times on a successful save. Stalking Beast
Beasts of unusual intelligence or cunning that
Chapter 3 have learned to track and hunt the unlucky
Wild Toss range increases to 5 and deals 3 creatures that wander too deep into dungeons,
damage when the beast is bloodied. becoming lost or disoriented and making them
perfect prey. Unfortunately, this includes many
Baggoth adventurers.
Enormous beast found in overgrown dungeons.
Its long tusks, thick and shaggy coat of hair, and Camouflage: If this beast ends its turn adjacent
sword-length claws make it a formidable to an object or or inside difficult or dangerous
opponent. Though fierce in appearance and quick terrain, it gains stealth
to anger it spends most of its day sleeping and
mostly forages for carrion, berries, and roots. Ambush (1 action, attack, +1 boon): On hit:
Special Traits: Size 3, Speed 2, Sturdy [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Beast may dash 2
Shaggy Mass: The Baggoth blocks line of sight before making the attack. Effect: if made from
and provides cover as though it was a height 3 stealth, deals bonus damage and dazes its target.
object. Stalk Prey (1 action, range 3, mark): The
Rancor: Foes that end their turn adjacent to the Stalking beast marks a foe in range. While
Baggoth take 3 damage and are slashed. marked, at the end of that foe’s turn, the beast can
Terraslam (2 actions, attack, true strike, remove itself from the battlefield, then return in
medium blast, usable when bloodied): On any adjacent space to them. If the marked foe is
hit: 2[D]+Fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: not adjacent to any allies, the beast deals 6
Create a pit under the attack target, and one or damage to them, then gains stealth.
two height 1 debris object in the area. Effect: Rake (1 action, unerring, line 4,
Increase damage on hit or miss by +[D] against repeatable): Foes in the area take 2 damage.
weakened or slashed foes. The Stalking Beast may dash to any space in the
area after this action resolves, with phasing.
Chapter 1+
Aetherachnid
A large, spider-like beast that has the uncanny
ability to phase through matter.
Phase Shift (Free action): Teleport the beast
and all its adjacent allies 1 space in any direction.
Teleporting poison (1 action): A foe in range
2 is blinded and teleported 1. Bloodied foes are
teleported 3 instead.
Wailicat
A lithe, furred beast that leaps forth from hiding
with an ear splitting yowl.
Leap: This beast ignores height movement
penalties. When it ends any movement on a lower
elevation than it started, it gains flying for the
duration of that movement.
Replace Stalk Prey with Pounce (1 action,
range 3, end turn): The cat gains stealth.
Choose a foe in range. If, at the end of that foe’s
next turn, they are in range 3 of the cat, it may
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teleport adjacent to them and deal 6 damage, the attacker, then self or the triggering ally gains
ending this effect. stealth, and can teleport 2.
Fowl Play (1 actions, usable when
Dungeon Jelly bloodied): Effect: Teleport 4, then deal 4
A phantasmal jellyfish-like beast that is so thin damage to an adjacent foe. Can repeat this effect,
and light it can float through the air. Its cloud of but must choose a different foe in range each time
toxin is potent and sought after by thrill seekers. unless a foe has already been chosen by this
ability, or this effect has triggered three times.
Aura of Distortion: Aura 1. Allies inside the
aura have evasion and foes are blinded+. Becomes
Symbiote
aura 2 when bloodied. Odd beasts that have evolved a cooperative or
parasitic relationship with other dungeon
Chapter 2+ denizens, using them for survival or food as
Ambush dash becomes fly 2 needs be.
Burrower Traits: Shelter, Diaga

Beast Traits: Enrage
A heavy clawed mammal that chews up and
Latch: Starts combat sharing the same space as
digests raw stone into a slurry which it uses to
another ally the same size or larger. While latched
make its lair.
on, can’t move, but instead moves with its host.
Earthglide: The Burrower is at home in the
Being moved out of its host’s space end this effect.
earth, granting it the following beneifts:
If the Symbiote would be shoved, teleported, or
• Has phasing.
removed from the battlefield, it can pass a save to
• While inside a pit, has evasion.
avoid the effect and become immune to these
• Ambush creates a pit under its target, hit or
effects until the end of the current turn. Can latch
miss.
on to a new adjacent allied character with 1 action
Replace Stalk Prey with Burrow (1 action,
or its standard move ability.
range 8, mark): The Burrower marks a foe in
range. The Burrower digs down and creates a pit
Scrabble (1 action, attack, range 2): Autohit:
under itself. While marked, at the end of that foe’s
2 damage, twice.
turn, the beast can remove itself from the
Pheremone Blast (1 action, range 4): A foe
battlefield, then return in any adjacent space to
in range is pacified, then shoved either 1 space
them, dealing 3 damage to them. If the marked
towards or away from the Symbiotic.
foe is not adjacent to any allies, the beast deals 3
Spur (1 action, repeatable): The character the
damage three times to them, then gains stealth.
symbiote is latched on to dashes 3 and may deal 2
damage to an adjacent character of the symbiote’s
Chapter 3 choice.
Ambush can critically hit (+[D]) when this beast Berserk (2 actions): The Symbiote’s host
is bloodied. becomes sturdy, gains 5 vigor, and gains +1
action. These effects last until the end of the host’s
Skinner Shrike next turn.
A nasty terrestrial bird that has the habit of
collecting trophies of its fallen prey to impress Chapter 1+
mates.
Ruin Ape
Blinding speed (free action, usable while
Small and intelligent simians that form
bloodied): The Shrike teleports 3. If it started
symbiotic, if slightly one-sided, relationships
this teleport adjacent to a foe, that foe is blinded.
with other monsters.
Stalking Slasher (1 action): Until the start of
Malicious Screeching: While the Ape or its
its next turn, the Shrike gains aura 1. Itself and
host is bloodied, it has aura 2. Foes in the aura are
allies in the aura gain evasion. When it or an ally
sealed+, take bonus damage, and take 2 piercing
in the aura successful evades an attack, it can daze
damage if they end their turn there.
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Detonate Thralls (2 actions): Any number of

Bubble Fish characters with spore infestation explode as if
A Lungfish that covers the head of monsters or defeated, ending the infestation.
kin, acting as a filtration system for the fetid air
of dungeons. Chapter 3
Bubble Barrier: While the fish or its host are If latched on, if enraged, also grants + 1 action to
bloodied, the fish and its host have evasion. Any its host. This stacks with a host’s enrage.
foe that starts or ends its turn adjacent to the host
while the barrier is active is shoved 1 away from it. Nialla’s Corpseflower
Collide: Foe is stunned. A carnivorous flower that grows over fierce
dungeon beasts. The flower feeds off carrion by
Aethertick putting its host to sleep mid-meal.
This slow moving bug absorbs Aether, which can Acid Burst: When the Flower or its host take
tear at the life force of living beings and warp damage, all adjacent foes take 1 piercing damage.
space around it. It has the uncanny ability to This effect can trigger any number of times a
teleport arrows or even bolts of magic partially round, and does not break pacified.
out of existence. Pacifying Spores (2 actions, range 5,
Turn Bolts: While the Tick or its host are medium blast): Area effect: Foes are pacified,
bloodied, it has aura 2. Attacks from outside the then must save or take [D]+fray, or just fray
aura against characters in the aura gain +1 curse damage on a successful save. Pacified foes take
and deal half damage. double damage.
Replace Spur with Aether Warp (1 action, Morpheus (1 actions): A foe in range 6 is
repeatable): The Aethertick and its host teleport pacified and must save. On a failed save, they
3 become so sleepy that they cannot attack, dash,
fly, or teleport on their following turn, then this
Chapter 2+ effect ends.
Gains defiance.
Yellow Creeper
Blight Beast
This parasitic creature is a symbiotic fungus with Beasts that are soaked in the corruptive energies
deadly spores that it uses to control other of the deep arkenruins. Most of them are
creatures. incredibly poisonous, some by regular toxins,
Spore (1 action, range 3): The Creeper puts and yet others through being able to channel the
down two terrain effects in free spaces in range. sickening energies of the dungeon cores.
Characters that pass through these spaces gain
spore infestation, with the following effects: Blight Splash: Attacks deal 1 piercing damage
• While they have the infestation, they are on hit or miss to all foes in range 2 of the target as
sealed+. an area effect.
• When a character with a spore infestation is
defeated, they release an explosion around Biotic (1 actions, pierce, attack, range 8,
them, dealing [D]+fray as a medium blast area small blast): On hit: [D]. Miss or area effect: 1
effect centered on them and pacifying all damage. Effect: Foe is shattered. Effect: At round
characters within. Pacified characters take 3+, deals bonus damage and increase effect area
maximum damage. to a large blast.
• Spore infestation can be removed if a character Deluge (1 action, repeatable): The beast flies
is cured, instead of any other of cure’s regular 2, then deals 2 piercing damage to a foe in range
effects. 6.
Puppet (free action): A character with spore Blight Lob (2 actions, range 8, end turn):
infestation is shoved 3 spaces in a direction of the The Beast creates a small blast area of difficult
creeper’s choosing, then may deal fray damage to terrain in range. Characters in the area when it is
an adjacent character of the Creeper’s choice. created take 3 piercing damage as an area effect,
and characters inside the area are vulnerable+.
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A massive, muscular worm the size of a person,

Chapter 1+ found only in deep dungeons. Resilient and able
to tunnel through solid rock by exuding a
Ruin Centipede powerful acid. Exists only to eat.
Dig: Can phase through terrain and characters.
These huge, man sized insects are a potent
Dweller in Dark: The Worm has the following
symbol of bad luck in most villages.
abilities:
Vile (1 action, range 5): A foe in range
- Immune to blinded
becomes vulnerable, then create two dangerous
- May use its standard move to teleport from the
terrain spaces in free adjacent spaces.
area of any pit to any other pit in range 4
- Has resistance while inside a pit
Gulper Tunnel (2 actions): The Red Worm creates a
This amphibian exudes a thick layer of slime pit under itself, then another pit in range 6. It
when threatened, which it can spit as a weapon. then removes itself from the battlefield and re-
Slime Spit (1 actions, line 6): The Gulper emerges in the second pit. When it emerges, it
shoots a line 6 stream of slime. Characters caught deals 1 piercing damage three times to all foes in
in the area when it is created are shoved 1. Allies range 2 as an area effect.
are shoved 2 instead, and can be shoved in any
direction. Collide: Foe takes 1 piercing damage
twice and is is shattered. UNIQUES
Ironfeather
Chapter 1+
This greedy avian’s feathers are spine-like and
can be shot like quills at range.
Special Traits: Flying Beast pack
Feather spray (1 action, medium blast): A pack of hunting beasts, such as molven, grox,
Area effect: Characters take 1 piercing damage or wolf lizards.
twice and are shoved 1. Then, the Ironfeather may
fly 2 spaces for every foe caught in the area. Cornered: When half its members are remaining
or less, this pack gains +1 action.
Chapter 2+
At round 3+, Blight Lob only costs 1 action. Pack Attack (1 actions, attack): On hit: [D]
+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Up to three other
members can dash 2, then deal 2 damage to the
Blast Beetle
attack target.
Volcanic beetles with chemical blood and spit so
Hunting Tactics (1 actions): A beast in range
volatile that it ignites on contact with the air.
3 of a pack member gains stealth and can dash 2.
Rocket jump (free action): The Beetle flies 2
Vicious Howl (1 actions, repeatable): A foe
Explosive Demise: When defeated, explodes in
in range 3 of a pack member is weakened.
a small blast area effect centered on it. Characters
Weakened foes take 2 piercing damage instead.
inside are shoved 1 away from the origin space
Drag Down (1 action, range 2, mark): A foe
and must save or take [D]+fray, or fray on a
in range of a pack member is marked. While
successful save.
marked, they are weakened+ while adjacent to
Acid Ignition (2 actions, attack, range 6,
any pack members.
large blast, Round 3+ only): On hit: 2[D]
+fray. Miss or area effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Deals
bonus damage to and can critical hit (+[D]) Harpy
vulnerable foes. Birdlike beasts with pale faces and soothing
voices, they use their resonant throat sacs to
Chapter 3 hypnotize prey and draw them closer. They often
At round 3+, Blight Splash triggers three times. use these talents to hypnotize cabals of other
monsters to protect their nests.
Red Worm
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Ear Splitting Song: The Harpy has aura 2. Foes Swarms of bats, beetles, centipedes, or other
in the aura gain +1 curse on saves and do not save carrion-eaters that have fed upon corpses in the
against statuses at the end of their turn. The aura deep ruins and become instilled with an uncanny
increases to aura 3 when the Harpy is bloodied. hunger.
Sonic Screech (1 action, attack, line 6): On Special Traits: Size 2

hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: Fray. Effect: Foe
is sealed. Amorphous: Can share space with other
Hypnogogia (1 action, range 8): A character characters. Any foes that end their turn inside its
in range of the Harpy becomes pacified. If already space take fray damage. Does not provide
pacified, the character becomes unable to dash, obstruction, but characters treat its space as
fly, or teleport until the end of their next turn. difficult terrain.
Frenzied Song (1 action, range 2): Allies in
range of the Harpy can dash 1 and immediately A Hundred Maws (1 actions, attack, true
save against all statuses. strike): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Song of Deadly Soothing (1 action, range Deals bonus damage to characters inside its space.
3): All foes in range of the harpy must save or Effect: All Characters inside its space take 2
become shoved as far as possible towards the damage
harpy and pacified, or just shoved 1 towards it on Swarm Surge (1 action, repeatable): The
a successful save. Swarm rushes 2. Allies inside its space can also
rush 1.
Barghest Consume (1 action, multimark): A foe inside
A dog-like beast with a fleshless, skull-like face. It the swarm's area is marked. While marked, they
feeds off carrion and is drawn to the aftermath of are slashed if they start or end their turn inside or
battles. Its body is so suffused with corrupted adjacent to the swarm, and they take 2 damage if
aether from the meat it feeds on that it can flicker they are inside the swarm and it uses an ability.
ghost-like in and out of reality.
Bicorn
Special Traits: Phasing An equine monster with a forked, spiral horn,
Aetherflesh: The Barghest can teleport 5 instead which it can use to channel ambient aether into
of taking a standard move. deadly, reality bending bolts.
Open Wound (1 action, attack): On hit: [D], Aetherskin: When bloodied, becomes intangible
Miss: 1 damage. Effect: The character gains an until the end of its next turn.
open wound. While wounded, it takes [D] again at
the end of its turns. This effect does not stack, and Lightning Gallop (1 action, combo): Dash 2
ends instead if the character ends their turn with phasing. If this movement is in a straight
adjacent to an ally. line, increase to dash 4. When this dash finishes,
Reality Flicker (1 action): The Barghest or an deal 2 piercing damage to a foe in range 4.
adjacent ally can teleport 3 • Spiral Horn (2 actions, pierce, attack,
Bane Hunter: (1 action, range 4, mark): The line 8): Attack: On hit: [D], twice. Miss or area
Barghest releases an unearthly howl, marking a effect: 1 damage, twice. Effect: Create a volatile
character in range. That character gains aura 2. mote, a terrain effect, next to every character in
While the Barghest is in the aura, that character the line. When the Bicorn passes through a
takes bonus damage from all sources and cannot mote, it picks it up and increases the hit and
attack. miss damage of this ability by +2 permanently.
Iron Jaw (1 action, repeatable): The Barghest (so picking up one would make it do [D]+2,
dashes 3 spaces in any direction. An adjacent foe twice, and 3 damage, twice on a miss, for
when it starts moving must save or be dragged example).
them with it, shoving its target towards it until its Destabilize (1 action, range 6): A foe in range
adjacent. Bloodied foes fail the save. becomes vulnerable. If that foe moves more than
1 space on its next turn, it also takes 2 damage
Canoptic Swarm twice.
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Surge Shift (1 action): Remove the Bicorn or against all statuses and dash 1. Allies at 25% hp or
an ally anywhere from the battlefield, then place lower are additionally cured.
the Bicorn or that ally in range 2 of its original
location. Unstoppable Rage:
Crimson Rampage (1 action, attack, true
Chapter 2+ strike, pierce, medium blast): On hit: [D]
+Fray. Miss or area effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Deals
Bonabra maximum damage against stunned characters.
Headbutt (1 action, repeatable): A character
An enormous ruin beast resembling a cross
adjacent to the Bonabra is shoved 4. Collide:
between a hippopotamus and a massive,
Character takes [D]+fray and is stunned.
corpulent ape. It spends most of its day sleeping,
Gigakaiser (1 action): The Bonabra rushes 2,
and the rest eating. Though usually content to
then an adjacent character takes fray damage and
feed on trees and local dungeon flora, it is an
is stunned. Stunned characters must additionally
incredibly strong hunter capable of insane bursts
sacrifice 25% of their maximum hp. Characters at
of speed and aggression, as creatures that
25% hp or lower are instantly defeated.
disturb its rest are capable of finding out. Many
adventurers have been shocked at the sight of one
of these rotund giants tearing a demon in half. Megacrab
A massive crab with a thorny shell that has
Special Traits: Size 3 adapted to life away from water. It burrows
Bounteous Rest: The Bonabra starts combat beneath loose soil in dungeons, where it mimics
asleep. This has the following effects: boulders.
• The Bonabra is immobile
• It cannot act or move outside of its turn, and Special Traits: Size 2, Armor 10
only takes one action on its turn.
If the Bonabra is damaged at all by a foe’s ability, Flip Over: When taking damage more than its
it wakes up and flies into an unstoppable rage. It armor total, loses all armor, becomes stunned,
also wakes up at the start of round 4. If combat and all attacks against it deal bonus damage.
ends before then, or all its allies are defeated These effects last until the end of its next turn.
before then, the Bonabra remains asleep and is
instantly defeated. Claw Slam (2 actions, +1 curse, true strike,
Unstoppable Rage: If the Bonabra wakes up for attack, range 2, medium blast): On hit: 3[D]
any reason, it flies into an unstoppable rage, +fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: The crab
granting it the following benefits: can spend additional actions on this attack. Every
• The Bonabra is unstoppable extra action it spends on it gives it bonus damage
• It gains 3 actions, can use its Unstoppable Rage and +1 boon.
abilities, and can only use those abilities, dash, Claw Jab (1 action, true strike, line 3): Area
interact, and standard move. effect: Fray damage.
Water Jet (1 action, stance): The Crab creates
Regular a line 5 area effect drawn adjacent to it while in
Sheltering Mass: The Bonabra blocks line of this stance. When the crab moves, it can
sight and can be used as cover as though it was a reposition this effect, but reduces its size by 1.
height 3 object. Characters that move into the area or start their
Roll over (1 action): The Bonabra removes turn there take 2 damage, are shoved 2 and must
itself from the battlefield, then places itself save or become weakened. Weakened foes fail this
anywhere in 1 space of its original location. save and take 4 damage instead. When the area
Characters inside its area when it returns take 4 reaches 0, the stance ends.
piercing damage and are removed from the
battlefield, then placed outside its space as close Landshark
as possible to its original location and shoved 1.
Peaceful Snore (1 action): All allies of the A fish that uses its spiny body and an exuded
Bonabra in range 2 of it can immediately save slime to burrow through loose dirt or rock
between stays in underground pools.
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Floating Toxin (1 action, range 6,

Beast Traits: Enrage multimark): The fish shoots a spiny dart into
Landswim: The shark has evasion and phasing. the bloodstream of a character in range, marking
The shark cannot move through objects. If the them. While marked, the character has flying,
shark collides with an object, it is stunned and cannot dash, rush, or teleport, cannot benefit
loses this trait until the end of its next turn. from sturdy, and is shoved 2 in a random
Dart: At the start of its turn, the land shark direction at the end of their turns. Roll 1d6 for the
shoves itself as far as possible towards the closest direction, relative to the map (1: fish chooses, 2:
foe, with each space of its movement moving up, 2: down, 3: left, 4: right. 6: character chooses).
closer to that foe. If the closest foe is standing on A character can save against this mark after being
an object, as soon as the shark would move onto shoved this way, ending it on a success.
the object’s space, it collides with it and stops
moving. Chapter 3
Gnaw (1 actions, attack, +1 boon): On hit: 3

damage, three times. Miss: once. Doomcloak
Sand Blast (1 action, range 2, repeatable): This terrifying batlike creature uses its leathery
A foe in range is blinded. Blinded foes take 3 wings to abduct and choke creatures with a
damage. soporific acid, taking them to its nest and storing
Anklebiter (1 action, burst 1 (self)): Area them in pods made of bone meal and spit for
effect: All foes in the area not standing on an later digestion.
object take fray damage and must save or become
dazed. Dazed foes take fray damage again on a Special Traits: Flying, Sturdy, Counter,
failed save. Defiance
Chasing Claw (1 action, attack, true strike):

Floatfish On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: shove 1, and
An airborne eel that uses sacs of buoyant liquid,
Doomcloak can fly 1. Effect: Deals bonus damage
which it can emit as a vapor, to propel itself
to choked foes.
around. It can inject this liquid into the bodies of
Rake (1 action, area effect, line 3,
its prey, causing them to float helplessly into the
repeatable): Foes in the area take fray damage.
air, where it snatches them up.
The beast may rush to any space in the area after
this action resolves.
Acid Stream (1 action, true strike, line 4):
Aetherskin: When bloodied, becomes intangible
Area effect: Foes in the area take 2 damage and
until the end of its next turn.
are shoved 1.
Choke (2 actions, stance): Stance: The
Pearlescent Bubble (1 action, range 4,
Doomcloak gains 8 vigor, then moves into an
combo): The fish spits out three bubbles in
adjacent foe’s space, sharing it, with the following
range.
effects:
Pearlsecent Bubble
• While in this stance, both this beast and its
Terrain Effect
chosen foe are immobile.
Terrain effect: When a character enters the
• The choked foe takes [D]+fray damage at the
bubble’s space, it pops, shattering them,
start of their turn, ignoring vigor, and cannot
shoving them 3 in any direction, and creating
gain vigor while being smothered.
a space of difficult terrain. Shattered
• When the Doomcloak takes damage, the choked
characters are stunned. Collide: Character
foe take 2 piercing damage. This effect can
also takes fray damage twice.
trigger any number of times.
• Slime Stream (2 actions, attack, line 8,
• When the Doomcloak’s vigor is broken or
combo): Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or
replaced, this stance ends, removing it, and
area effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Shove all
placing it into an adjacent space.
characters 2 spaces in the direction of the line.
Effect: At round 3+, deals bonus damage and
shatters target.
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space inside one of its other zones. Foes can pass

Unique Elites a save to avoid this effect, but are dazed on a
successful save.
Sink (1 actions): The Kelpie disperses into
Chapter 1+ seaweed and water and reappears in any space
inside one of its deep water zones, teleporting.
KELPIE Hellhound
This horselike predator dwells in shallow pools of
stagnant water that are found in blighted A spiny dog-like creature with an incredible
regions. Like a crocodile, it is an ambush stomach. It is able to unhinge its jaws to gaping
predator, its slimy skin acting as an adherent. It proportions to feed on toxic dungeon refuse, the
is surprisingly intelligent and will often act which it boils into a fetid slurry in a special
injured or pass itself off as an ordinary horse in organ, swallowing and chewing into stone to
order to lure Kin close to it to attack. help the digestion process. As an offshoot of this
bizarre diet, the hellhound can belch clouds of
HP: 56 poisonous and incredibly flammable gas.
Elite: Takes 2 turns HP: 64
Cursed Deeps: At the start of combat, creates Special Traits: Size 2

two terrain effects, medium blast areas of cursed Elite: Takes 2 turns
deep water. The center space is a pit, and all other
spaces are difficult terrain. None can be placed Corrosive Gas (Round Action): At the start of
within range 3 of each other. the round, the Hellhound creates two terrain
Aquatic: Can move through all spaces of its own effect spaces in free spaces in range 6. The area is
deep water areas normally, and has evasion in dangerous terrain, and all damage against
those areas. characters other than the hound at least partly in
the space becomes piercing.
Adhere (interrupt 1): When damaged by an Blast (1 actions, attack, range 6, small
ability from an adjacent foe, the kelpie can force blast, pierce, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss
that foe to make a save or adhere to its hide. or area effect: fray. Effect: At round 4+, becomes
While adhered, the foe cannot move or be placed a large blast.
more than 1 space from the kelpie, and when the • Inferno (2 actions, attack, range 4, burst
kelpie moves or teleports, they are removed from 2(target), combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or
the battlefield, then placed adjacent to the kelpie area effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is
when it stops moving. They can save to repeat this shattered.
effect at the end of their turn. A kelpie can only Hellish Breath (1 action, line 4, width 2,
adhere to one character at once, and can choose repeatable): Area effect: All characters take 2
which to keep or lose. piercing damage and are shoved 1. Corrosive gas
clouds can also be moved 1 space towards or away
Savage fang (1 actions, attack, +1 boon: On from the Hellhound, which could cause them to
hit: [D]+fray . Miss: fray. Effect: Deal 3 damage to enter characters’ spaces.
all other foes adjacent to the Kelpie. Effect: Deals Spitfire (1 action, pierce, range 6,
bonus damage to characters inside its deep water multimark): Mark a character in range. At the
zones or characters adhered to the kelpie. end of that character’s next turn, if that character
Waterspout (1 action, range 3, repeatable): is still marked, the Hellhound shoots a fiery blast
The Kelpie spurts fetid water, blinding a foe in for a medium blast explosion area effect.
range. Blinded foes, or foes inside its deep water Characters within must save. On a successful save,
zone, take 3 damage. they take fray damage. On a failed save they take
Submerge (1 action): A character inside one of [D]+fray. If the explosion would include one or
the Kelpe’s deep water zones is teleported to any more spaces of corrosive gas, it detonates the
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area, destroying it but dealing fray damage to all placed in the closest adjacent space of its choice,
characters in the area per space detonated. Then, then shoved 1.
this effect ends.
Chapter 2+
Basilisk
A pale, man-sized serpentine beast that eats and
digests stone, wriggling through dungeon walls
KINFISHER like a worm through a corpse. In order to
process its prey more efficiently, its body and
saliva secretes a magical toxin that can corrupt
This bizarre creature is a land-dwelling lungfish
the aether of living flesh, desiccating them and
the size of a draft horse, a relative of the land
turning them to stone, though the effect is
shark. It uses its enormous jaws to burrow
reversible with treatment. Canny and older
through solid rock and a fleshy lure to draw in
basilisks will keep gruesome ‘pantries’ of
unwary travelers. At a distance, the lure can look
petrified statues for later consumption.
like a wounded person, a bobbing lantern, or a
fleeing spy - at least until the fish’s unlucky prey
HP: 56
gets close enough to realize where they are
standing.
HP: 64
Stone Pantry: Has evasion while adjacent to an
object. In addition, if this beast ends its turn
Special Traits: Immobile, Size 2
adjacent to an object, it gains stealth
Petrification: Some of the Basilisk’s abilities
inflict petrification, which has the following
Lure (Round Action): At the start of the round,
effects:
the Fisher puts a lure out adjacent to a foe of its
• When a character gains petrification, give them
choice. The lure is a size 1 intangible summon.
a token.
Perfect Camouflage: The Fisher is intangible
• If a character reaches 3+ tokens, at the end of
unless there’s a foe adjacent to its Lure
their turn, discard all petrification tokens, then
they are defeated, removed from the battlefield,
Lure Spines (1 action, attack, range 3, true
and replaced by a height 1 lifelike statue object
strike): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
with 10 hp. Return them to the battlefield and
This attack can only be made from the Lure’s
rescue them when the statue is destroyed. They
location instead of the Kingfisher’s main body.
can take a turn as normal starting with next
The Maw (1 action, attack, true strike): On
round.
hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. Effect: Foe must
• A character can get rid of 1 petrification token if
save or be stunned. Effect: Deals bonus damage to
at the end of their turn for each of the following
weakened foes.
that is true: they have not attacked, they have
not moved.
Reel in (1 action): The fisher moves its lure up
to 4 spaces towards it, then shoves all adjacent
Toxic Spine (1 action, attack, unerring,
characters to the lure the same amount in the
range 3, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray.
same direction. Characters can pass a save to
Effect: Create a toxic pool difficult terrain effect
reduce this shove to 1.
space under the attack target with the effect: Foes
Acid Spit (1 action, Line 6): Area effect: Foes
that end their turn in this space gain 1
take 3 damage and must save or be weakened.
petrification.
Submerge (1 action, usable when bloodied,
• Toxic Lash (2 actions, attack, range 2,
end turn): The Kinfisher submerges into the
combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
ground, removing itself from the battlefield, then
Inflict 1 petrification on the attack target.
resurfaces in free space in range 4, even to an
Tail Slash (1 action, range 2): A foe in range,
occupied area. When it resurfaces, characters in
takes 2 damage, is dazed, and infected with a
its area take fray damage, are removed then
petrifying poison. At the end of their next turn,
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they take 1 petrification unless they end that turn Stinger (1 action, multimark, 1/round): A
adjacent to one or more allies. Then, this effect character adjacent to the Gigantapede’s tail is
ends. This effect does not stack. marked. While marked, they are slashed+, and
Gall Stone (1 action, range 4): The Basilisk shoved 2 in a direction of the Gigantapede’s
spits up a height 1 object, a pillar of toxic bile, in choice at the start of their turn. A character can
range. Foes that end their turn adjacent to one or end this mark if they end their turn without
more of these pillars gain 1 petrification per pillar. moving.
Burrow (1 action, end turn): All characters
adjacent to the Gigantapede’s head are shoved 1,
Chapter 3 then remove it from the battlefield. It’s head then
resurfaces in a new space in range 5, returning it
to the battlefield. Place its body in any
GIGANTAPEDE configuration.
Enormous burrowing insects that feed off

livestock and large animals unlucky enough to
fall into their nests. Generally ignore Kin unless
provoked - then they have enough acid to melt a
knight in full armor.
HP: 80
Special Traits: Defiance, Sturdy

Elite: Takes 2 turns a round.
Chitinous Coil: The Gigantapede occupies an

arc 6 space instead of a normal space for its size.
Only its first and last space (the head and the tail)
are attackable or can be used to make attacks or
abilities, but its entire body causes obstruction
and engagement. Keep track of which is the head,
and which is the tail. Only one space can be hit if
both are included in the area of an attack or
ability (attacker chooses which). When it moves,
move its head, then rearrange its body in any valid
configuration.
Iron Scales (Round Action): At the start of

the round, either the Gigantapede’s head or tail
becomes immune to all damage until the end of
the round. The Gigantapede can choose which
starts immune, but the effect must swap back and
forth.
Thrash (1 action, true strike, attack): On

hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe must save or
be stunned. Can be made from the head or tail.
Spiny body (1 action, repeatable): All foes
adjacent to the Gigantapede take 2 damage.
Acid spray (1 action, line 4): Area effect:
Characters inside must save or take 3 damage,
damage 3 times, or just once on a successful save.
Special: Can only be made from the head.
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The Chimaera has the following actions in all

Unique Legends phases:
Bound (1 action, 2/round): The Chimaera

I. CHIMAERA rushes 3 or flies 1, then deals 2 damage to
adjacent foes and shoves them 1.
Triple Threat (1 action): The Chimaera rushes
Some beasts of the blighted lands are especially
1, then deals 2 damage to an all adjacent foes.
susceptible to the warping energies of the
Two heads: Increase damage to 3. Final head:
arkenruins, absorbing them with such rapidity
Also shove all foes 1.
that they become enormous, multi-headed
monstrosities, infused with tremendous aetheric
Each time the Chimaera loses a head, its phase
and physical might. Occasionally these creatures
changes. Abilities become more powerful with less
are created when beasts of several types are
heads.
fused by rogue aether surges. Even more rarely,
these creatures are intentionally created by
Phase I: Three heads
rogue wrights, unscrupulous lowlander clans, or
No additional effects.
ultra wealthy and morally loose guild barons
looking for a pet monster. Any way they come
Phase II: Two heads
into the world, the results are always horrifying,
The Chimaera is sturdy.
and the resultant beast is always a maddened,
rampaging mess.
Phase III: One head
Feral Rage: The Chimaera gains +1 action and
HP: 60 per player characters (min: 120).
becomes unstoppable.
Chimaera Heads (d10 3 times, reroll
repeats, or pick 3)
mark affecting it. 1. Lion
Monstrous Heads: The Chimaera has three Lion’s pride: While the Lion is undefeated,
heads, chosen or rolled for from the following list, reduces damage to all other heads by 2, as if from
each unique. Armor.
• Each head has 1/3 of the Chimaera’s total hp, Savage bite (1 action, attack, range 2, true
rounded up. strike): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage
• When dealing damage to the Chimaera, a Roar (1 action): Adjacent characters take fray
character must choose which head they are damage, are shoved 1 and become slashed. 2
damaging, and can only target one head at once. heads: Affects foes in range 2, and slashed foes
Heads that are reduced to 0 hp are defeated. must save or be stunned. Final head: Affects all
Damage that ‘spills over’ on one head is lost. foes, everywhere, and ignores cover.
• Each head has unique set of abilities. Abilities
become more powerful the less heads there are. 2. Bull
• Statuses, marks, or other effects only affect the
currently acting head. Bull’s Fortitude: While the Bull is undefeated,
the Chimaera is immune to being shoved.
Each time the Chimaera takes a turn, it takes a Headbutt (1 action, attack, true strike): On
turn with only one of its heads. A different head hit: [D]+fray and shove 1. Miss: fray. Collide: Foe
must act from the last head that acted, unless is weakened. Effect: The Chimaera can rush 2
there is only one head left. The Chimaera is only spaces before making this attack.
defeated when all three heads are defeated. Rampant Galloping (1 actions): Effect: The
Bull rushes 1, twice. Each time it rushes, it deals 2
Phases damage to all adjacent foes and shoves them 1.
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Two heads: Rushes twice. Final head: Rushes from the battlefield. At the start of their turn, the
three times. toad spits them out, placing them in any adjacent
space to the chimaera’s current location, then
3. Serpent shoving them 2 spaces. Collide: Character takes
[D]+fray. Two heads: Weakened characters fail
Serpent’s Guile: While the Serpent is alive and the save. Final head: Character also takes damage
undefeated, bloodied foes deal only half damage on being spit out equal to 25% of their maximum
to the Chimaera. hp.
Numbing Bite (1 action, attack): On hit: On
hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: Foe is pacified. 6. Baboon
This attack does not break the pacified condition
and deals bonus damage to pacified foes. Baboon’s Malice: While the Baboon head is
Poison Bliss (2 actions, range 4): The undefeated, all the Chimaera’s damage is
Serpent creates a small blast terrain effect in piercing.
range. The area is dangerous terrain for foes and Deep Breath (1 action, combo): Adjacent foes
foes are pacified+ inside. While at least partly to the Chimera are shoved 1 towards or away from
inside the area, the Serpent attacks and saves with it.
+1 boon. This area lasts until used again. Two • Fiery Detonation (2 actions, attack, range
heads: Costs 1 action. Final head: The Serpent 6, large blast, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray
can have up to three of these areas active. Miss or area effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Deals
bonus damage for every object caught in the
4. Crocodile area. Two heads: Attack target must save or be
stunned. Final head: Does not need to combo
Crocodile’s Savagery: While the Crocodile is with Deep Breath.
undefeated, the Chimaera’s attacks can critical hit Pyroclast (1 action, range 8, small blast):
(+[D]). Characters in the area takes 2 piercing damage.
Open Wound (1 action, attack): On hit: [D], Summon a height 1 smoldering debris object in
Miss: 1 damage. Effect: The character gains an the area.
the end of its turns. This effect does not stack, and 7. Wolf
ends instead if the character ends their turn Wolf’s Brutality: While the Wolf head is
adjacent to an ally. undefeated, the Chimaera gains stealth if it ends
Death Roll (2 action, range 3): The Crocodile its turn with no foes adjacent.
chooses a foe in range. At the end of the very next Savage Claw (1 action, attack, arc 3): On hit:
player turn, if that foe is still in range 3, the [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: Fray. Effect: Deals
Chimaera lunges. It can remove itself from the bonus damage to blinded foes. Effect: May dash 2
battlefield, then place itself adjacent to that foe, after using this ability.
who must save. Foes are dazed and take 2[D] Shadow Breath (1 actions, range 2,
+fray on a failed save, or just fray damage on a medium blast): Area effect: fray damage and
successful save. Dazed foes fail the save. Two foes must save or become blinded. Two heads:
heads: Range 5. Final head: No maximum range. Large Blast. Three heads: Deals fray damage twice
instead. Bloodied foes take fray damage three
5. Toad times instead.
Toad’s Repulsion: While the Toad head is alive, 8. Goat

all heads have counter.
Tongue (1 action, attack, range 3): On hit: Goat’s Wisdom (Round Action) : While the
[D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: The target is shoved goat is alive, at the start of the round, mark a
2 towards the chimaera. visible space. At the end of the round, a meteor
Swallow Whole (1 actions): A adjacent smashes into the space, inflicting fray damage
character must save or be swallowed whole. On a twice in a large blast area effect centered on the
successful save, they are weakened. Remove them space to all foes within and stunning any foe in
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the center space. Then, create a height 1 comet

object anywhere in the area.
Tactics
The Chimera is a fairly simple legend fight that
Cross Bolt (2 actions, attack, range 8, small
increases in tempo the more of its heads are
blast): On hit: 2[D]+fray . Miss or area effect:
defeated. Canny players may figure out that
fray. Effect: Attack target is vulnerable. Effect:
defeating all three heads at the same time can
Shove all foes in the area 1.
prevent some headaches, or they may choose to
Primal Meteor (2 actions): All characters not
defeat a head that is giving their party
in cover from the Chimaera must save or take fray
composition particular trouble.
damage twice and become vulnerable, or once on
a successful save. Then, summon a height 1
meteor object adjacent to any character affected. Trophies
Two heads: Fray damage three times on a failed
save. Final head: Fray damage five times on a Chimaeric Ichor
failed save. Uses: 2 expeditions
Effect: You coat your weapon in Chimaera ichor.
9. Chicken While coated, your attacks turn into a triple strike,
Chicken’s Spite: While the Chicken head is causing two aetheric copies of your weapon to
undefeated, all attacks against the Chimaera take strike out after the ability resolves, each copy
+1 curse. dealing 3 piercing damage to a foe in range 3 of
Peck (1 action, range 2, attack, true strike, you.
pierce): Autohit: fray. Two heads: Fray, twice.
Final head: Three times. Chimaera Bile
Return to Egg (1 action, range 6): A Uses: 3
character in range becomes pacified and starts to Effect: Drinking a vial of purified Chimaera bile is
be encased in a stone egg. If they don’t attack a powerful curative. It can be drunk as a free
during their turn, the petrification effect ends. action to cure yourself and grant yourself
Otherwise, at the end of that turn, they must save. regeneration and defiance.
On a failed save, they are encased in stone,
removing them from the battlefield and becoming However, it also causes cosmetic mutation, and
replaced with a destructible (5 hp) height 1 egg prolonged use can be fatal. After drinking a vial of
object. Until the is destroyed, they cannot take a Chimaera blood, roll 1d10 and consult the heads
turn. When it’s destroyed, they are returned to the table. You gain minor beastlike mutations that are
battlefield in the space they left and can take a similar to the chosen beast (like claws, hair, slit
turn as normal. eyes, fangs, scales, etc). The mutations last until
the end of the following interlude.
10. Bear
Bear’s Vitality: While the Bear is undefeated,

II. APEX
the Chimaera’s Juggernaut trait triggers twice at
the start of the round. The absolute pinnacle of the ferocious wildlife
Icy path (1 action, attack, true strike, Arc that roam the blight lands, the Apexes are
6): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. incredible dangerous, aggressive beasts that are
Effect: Deals bonus damage per status affecting the primal lords of their kind. These beasts are
the target. naturally occurring in some blight land species,
Cold Feet (1 action): A character in range 8 is but also occur when a particular beast gains
slashed. Unless that character moves at least 3 unnatural power and strength from exposure to
spaces on their next turn, at the end of that turn blighted food or soil. Apexes are incredibly
they are also stunned. Two heads: Also winds durable, aggressive, and intelligent for beasts of
characters. Final head: Also deals fray damage to their type, and display a range of incredible
a chosen character, and fray damage again if they natural abilities, from shooting lightning from
fail to move. specially shaped scales, to venomous fangs, to
clouds of steam generated from special glands.
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Thrill seekers, researchers, profiteers, and

foolhardy adventurers alike pursue these beasts Bound (1 action, 2/round): The Apex rushes
and seek to hunt or capture them for not only 3, then deals 2 damage to adjacent foes and
their rare and bizarre physiology, but also in shoves them 1. If it starts this movement inside a
hopes of curing them, studying them, or Hunting Ground, it can rush 5 or fly 3 instead.
preventing them from preying on the hapless or
unwary. Savage swipe (1 action, attack, range 2,
combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe
HP: 50 per player characters (min: 100). and all adjacent foes to its target are slashed.
Speed: 5 (Dash 3) Slashed foes take fray damage again.
Special Traits: Size 2 • Ram (1 action, true strike, attack): On hit:
Legend: Takes 1 turn for each player character [D]+fray and shove 2. Miss: fray and shove 1.
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of Effect: Apex may dash up to 4 before making
the round, this character may clear a status or this attack.
mark. • Primeval Crusher (2 actions, attack,
range 2, medium blast): On hit: 2[D]
Might of the Wild: The Apex has three unique +fray. Miss or area effect: [D]+fray. Effect:
abilities, depending on what type of beast it is. Create a pit under the attack target.
Choose or roll for them. The third ability only Characters already in pits are stunned. Effect:
becomes usable during its second phase. Apex may dash 1 either before or after this
Hunting Grounds: Before the fight, the GM attack.
places three small blast difficult terrain areas on
the map. None can be placed in range 2 of each Rear up (1 action, range 2, combo, end
other. Each area is a hunting ground. The Apex turn): The Apex slams the ground in a medium
gains +1 boon on attacks and deals bonus damage blast area effect in range. Foes inside take fray
to characters in hunting grounds. damage, then it rears up. At the end of the very
Monster Hunt: A foe that ends their turn inside next turn, it lands, shoving all foes inside 3.
any space of a hunting ground can attempt to Collide: Foe is slashed.
make a ploy against the Apex by using the natural • Steaming Rage (1 action, combo): The
environment, as long as the Apex is in range 3. Apex shove all adjacent foes 1, then gains 10
• Making a ploy is a free action that ends a vigor. Its next attack deals bonus damage, and
character’s turn. gains pierce. However, after it attacks, the
• That player describes to the GM the impressive Apex loses any vigor it has.
stunt they pull against the Apex, then rolls 1d6 • Gargantua Pinch (1 action, combo):
and hands the die to the GM. An adjacent character must save. On a
• While the Apex has the die, it takes bonus successful save, they take fray damage and
damage and one of its Might of the Wild abilities are shoved 2 in any direction. On a failed
is disabled, has no effect, and cannot be used, save, the Apex picks them up in jaws or
chosen by the player. It reduces the die by 1 at paws, removing them from the battlefield.
the end of each of its turns. When a die would be At the start of that character’s next turn, the
reduced to 0, discard it. Apex tosses them, placing them back on the
• Each hunting ground can only be used once to battlefield in a free adjacent space to the
disable the Apex. Apex, then shoving them 2. Collide:
• The Apex can keep multiple dice at once (track Character is weakened.
which ability they are disabling) and the bonus
damage effect from them stacks. Phase II (Round 4+)
Hidden Might: The apex’s third Might of the
Phases Wild ability becomes active.
The Apex enters phase II at round 4 or later. Terminus Howl (Round Action): At the start
of the round, all foes take piercing damage equal
Actions to the round number +1, ignoring cover. This
The Apex has the following action combos in all damage cannot reduce a foe below 1 hp.
phases:
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Seismic Geyser (1 action, range 5): The

Apex chooses a foe in range that has not acted
MIGHT OF THE WILD yet. At the end of that foe’s turn, a geyser
Might of the Wild abilities can be used twice a erupts under them, dealing fray damage and
round, in any combination, plus once more if inflicting weakened as a medium blast area
there are 4 or more player characters. effect centered on them. Weakened foes take
[D]+fray instead.
Roll or choose two abilities.
7. Chameleonic
1. Toxic Blend in: If the Apex starts its turn in
Toxic Cloud (1 action, range 5): The Apex difficult or dangerous terrain, it gains stealth.
creates a small blast area of dangerous terrain Primal Ambush (1 action): The Apex
(which the Apex ignores) in free space in disappears from sight, removing itself from
range. Foes inside the area are blinded+. If the battlefield. It then re-appears adjacent to
the Apex uses this ability again, it can either any player character in range 3, placing it in
create a new cloud, or blow its existing clouds free adjacent space. They must save or take 2
2 spaces in any direction, which could cause damage, four times and be dazed, or just 2
them to overlap characters. It can have up to 2 damage, twice on a successful save.
clouds at once. Clouds last indefinitely, but
evaporate if this ability is weakened. 8. Winged
Winged: The Apex’s standard move is fly 5,
2. Thick Hide and all its dashes or rushes may be replaced
Harden (1 action): The Apex gains 10 vigor with a fly. This trait deactivates if weakened.
as its armor hardens. The next time it takes Talon Snatch (1 action): The Apex soars
damage from a foe’s ability, the armor into the air, removing it from the battlefield,
explodes, ending all vigor, and dazing and then returns with at least one space in range
dealing 4 piercing damage to all foes in range 2. When it takes off, it can pick up an adjacent
2 as an area effect. foe, dealing fray damage and forcing them to
save. On a failed save, they are removed with
3. Spines the Apex, then placed adjacent after it lands.
Sanguine Barb (1 action, range 6): The On a successful save, they are shoved 1.
Apex impales a character in range with a barb.
While this effect is active, they take 1 piercing 9. Lashing Tail
damage for each space they move, dash, or are Tail Sweep (1 action, arc 4): The Apex
shoved. The effect can be removed if a sweeps their tail in an arc 4 area effect. Foes
character doesn’t move for their entire turn, inside take 2 damage and are all shoved 2 in a
or if they are cured. direction of the Apex’s choice. Collide: Foes
take 2 damage again.
4. Horned
Primal Charge (1 action ): The Apex 10. Carrion Eater
rushes 3, then shoves an adjacent foe 2 Carrion Stash (1 action, end turn): The
spaces. Collide: Foe takes fray damage twice Apex digs up some stashed carrion and eats it.
and is slashed. Create a pit in an adjacent space. During their
next turn, all their abilities deal bonus
5. Brutal Strength: damage and their attacks gain +1 boon and
Stone Toss (1 action, range 3): Effect: A may critical hit (+[D]).
foe in range takes 3 damage and is shoved 1,
then create a height 1 boulder object next to 11. Sonic Shriek
them. Collide: Foe is stunned.. Shriek (1 action, range 2): The Apex
releases a shriek, affecting all foes in range as
6. Burrowing an area effect. Foes take 2 damage, once, for
Earthglide: The Apex has Phasing each space between them and the Apex (so
foes at range 2 would take 2 damage, twice
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etc). If the Apex is inside a Hunting Ground, changed. The wyrms went into hibernation,
this effect increases to range 3. curling up and sinking into the earth, resting in
unceasing slumber. As they slept, they conserved
12. Element Breath their energy, for another age, when they could
Primal Elements (1 action, medium emerge and feed, growing fat and strong again.
blast, range 2): The Apex releases a blast of
ice, fire, sand, or some other element, creating Wyrms have a primal aetherstone instead of
a medium blast area effect. Foes inside take 2 their heart. This allows them to channel
damage, then must save or be shoved 2 and unbelievable raw energies that were present
blinded, or just shoved 1 on a successful save. when the world was young, and spit scouring
Then create up to two dangerous terrain pit divine fire that turns nearly all matter to ash.
spaces in the area (fire, water, quicksand, etc).
Occasionally, over the history of Arden Eld, a
wyrm will naturally awake from its long sleep.
Tactics The emergence of a wyrm is a cataclysmic event
The Apex is a fairly straightforward Legend. It can
similar to a volcanic eruption or a natural
stack up a lot of bonus damage with its abilities,
disaster. The land quakes and belches forth
especially using its Hunting Grounds, but players
poison gas and magma, plants wither, and
can also use these hunting grounds to temporarily
wildlife flees from the eruption site. It quickly
disable its extra abilities. Players must be careful
establishes a hunting grounds and rules over a
since they have limited hunting grounds available
massive territory as a primeval monarch, culling
and their effects are erratic.
herds of animals (including kin) to acceptable
populations to maintain its feeding stock.
Trophies
More recently, the Churn has awakened more
Apex Fang and more Wyrms, an unfolding calamity with no
Uses: 3 easy solution and terrifying consequences.
Effect: At the start of combat you may call on the
power of this fang to temporarily magically HP: 50 per player character (min 100)
transform into a beastlike form, spending one or
more uses of this ability. Roll 1d12 per use spent. Special Traits: Size 3, Sturdy
You gain the use of the rolled ability from the
Might of the Wild table and any associate traits Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character.
for the rest of combat. Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of
Apex Mantle mark affecting it.
Uses: One expedition
Effect: You can don this cloak of Apex hide to Dragonfire: The wyrm’s divine fire scorches the
show your dominance during this expedition. You very soul. When an ability inflicts dragon fire, all
deal bonus damage to beasts, and at the start of of its targets sacrifice 25% of their max hp.
one combat, you may summon a beast pack mob Path of Ruin: Many of the Wyrm’s abilities key
with 6 members. The mob is allied to you. off a particular map edge, called the Path of Ruin.
The GM decides and announces the initial Path of
Ruin edge at the beginning of combat, then it
III. WYRM moves clockwise at the start of each round.
When the world was young and still scalding and Map
steaming from the raw energies of its creation, This fight is best on a medium or larger sized map
the Wyrms were born. Massive, serpentine (10x10, 12x12, 14x14, etc).
beasts, they emerged from the molten earth fully
formed, or so the legend goes. These ancient Phases
beast gods ruled the land for a time, and then The Wyrm enters phase II when bloodied.
their age passed, as all ages will, and the world
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PHASE I Jaws of Death (1 action, combo): The Wyrm

Devastate (Round Action, True Strike, Path rushes 2, then an adjacent foe must choose: stand
of Ruin): At the end of every round, as a path of their ground or flee.
ruin effect, the Wyrm marks out an area that • Stand your ground: Become slashed and
extends from the entire path of ruin edge up to 4 take fray damage. Then save, or also be
spaces from that edge. The Wyrm can not inflicted with dragonfire on a failed save.
voluntarily enter this area. At the end of the • Flee: Be shoved 4 spaces. The Wyrm can
round, it scours the area as a massive area effect. choose the direction of this shove, and can
Foes inside must save or take 2[D]+fray damage change directions mid-shove.
and be stunned, or [D]+fray on a successful save. • Seismic Geyser (1 action, range 4,
Sirocco (Round action, Path of Ruin): At the combo): The Wyrm chooses a foe in range that
start of every odd numbered round, the Wyrm has not acted yet. At the end of that foe’s turn, a
creates a twisting, burning tornado, a one space geyser erupts under them, dealing fray damage
mobile terrain effect, in range 3. The Sirocco is and inflicting weakened as a medium blast area
difficult and dangerous terrain. At the end of the effect centered on them. Weakened foes take [D]
round, as a path of ruin effect, all Siroccos move 3 +fray instead.
spaces towards the path of ruin. After each space
of this move, they shove all adjacent foes 1 space Ancient Fury (1 action, attack, true strike,
away from them. Then, any foes shoved by at least medium blast):. On hit: [D]+fray and shove 2.
one Sirocco during this movement are inflicted Miss or area effect: Fray damage and shove 1.
with Dragonfire. Siroccos last indefinitely. Effect: The Wyrm may rush 1 before this attack.
Liquify (Round Action): At the start of the • Gigacrush (2 actions, attack, range 3,
round, the Wyrm liquifies the ground beneath a small blast, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss
foe’s feet. That foe takes 2 piercing damage and or area effect: [D]+fray
becomes immobile. If the affected character would • Rage of Arden (1 actions, attack, range
be inflicted with dragon fire, the rock melts and is 4, combo, path of ruin): On hit: [D]+fray.
destroyed instead of dragon fire’s normal effects. Miss: fray. Effect: The Wyrm soars into the
The immobilized character or an adjacent air. It removes itself from the battlefield, then
character can also chip the rock off by using the as a path of ruin effect draws a line area effect
interact ability (1 action) and ending their turn. 3 spaces wide straight across the battlefield,
When the rock is destroyed, this effect ends. starting on the side opposite the path of ruin
edge, and ending with the path of ruin edge.
Gigabeam (1 action, 1/round): The Wyrm Foes inside take piercing fray damage. Then
chooses a foe in range 3 that has not acted yet. At the Wyrm returns to the battlefield in range 2
the end of that foe’s turn, the Wyrm fires a of its original location.
massive beam as a path of ruin effect. If that foe
ends their turn within range 3 of the Wyrm, they Phase II (when bloodied)
are inflicted with dragonfire. If not, then the
beam sweeps across the entire battlefield and hits As phase I, but all Path of Ruin effects activate
all foes, inflicting dragonfire on all of them. twice: once directed towards where the Path of
Blazing Wind (1 action, 2/round, path of Ruin currently is, and then once where it will be
ruin): As a path of ruin effect, all foes must next round.
choose: Take 4 damage or else be shoved 1
towards the path of ruin. In addition, the Wyrm gains the following round
Molten Eruption (1 action, range 3, 1/ action, which activates at the start of the next
round): The Wyrm creates a height 2 blight pillar available round:
object in free space in range 3. The pillar and all
spaces in a small blast area centered on it are Zetaflare (Round Action, true strike,
dangerous terrain, which the wyrm is immune to. divine): The Wyrm chooses a foe at the start of
When it is created, adjacent foes take 2 piercing the round. At the end of the round, after all other
damage. effects have resolved, all foes not in range 2 of that
foe take 5 divine damage, ignoring cover.
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Tactics
The Wyrm is a ferocious foe that is capable of
dealing incredible damage. Most of its effects are
telegraphed, moving towards the path of ruin, so
good positioning from player characters can avoid
them. Characters can mostly choose between
being shoved by the wyrm’s abilities (and
potentially into a bad position) or taking the hurt.
Canny characters might position themselves so
they are shoved into objects with Blazing Wind, or
figure out that Liquify can make them immune to
the negative effects of Blazing Wind, Jaws of
Death, and Gigabeam, since they cannot be
shoved - but also makes them vulnerable to other
effects, such as Zetaflare.
Trophies
Wyrm Gut
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: Wrap your armor or weapon with the
power of the wyrm, imbuing you with its fury. For
this expedition, at the start of any combat, you
can choose your own path of ruin edge. At the end
of the round, you may choose to shove all
characters 1 space towards that edge, then deal
fray damage to them if they are in range 4 of that
edge.
Tail Sword
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: The tailbone of a Wyrm has a remarkable
sword shape and is razor sharp. While wielding
such a magnificent weapon, your attacks against
bloodied characters inflict dragonfire. Legends
are immune to this effect.
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Beast Trophies
As an action, you may toss this sack of spores. Characters
Yellow spore sack in a small blast area in range 3 are sealed and you may 5
shove them 1 in any direction.
Use as an action to splash the oil about, reversing gravity
Drift Oil and drifting into the air. You and every other character in 3
range 2 may fly 3 in a direction of their choice.
Venom from a howler beast. You can apply during any
Howler Venom attack to grant it bonus damage, pierce, and inflicts 2
slashed.
Step on the screecher gland as an action to make a
horrible screeching noise. Characters in a medium blast
Screecher gland 3
area centered on you, including you, must save or
become stunned
You may use this cape as a free action and dive into the
Landshark cape earth. Dash 4 spaces in a straight line with phasing. You 3
are intangible while dashing.
As an action, you can hold this severed head up. It spurts
Kelpie head fetid water at all foes in range 4. Those foes are shoved 1. 3
Collide: They take [D]+fray and are also blinded.
This expedition, when ending your turn adjacent to an
Stalker scales object or inside difficult or dangerous terrain, gain 2 expeditions
stealth
This huge stinger is big enough to be used as an offhand
Gigantapede stinger weapon. Your attacks this expedition gain Effect: Deal 2 1 expedition
piercing damage to an adjacent foe.
Wrap yourself in tough, rippling, Chimaera hide. This
Chimaera Hide expedition, you automatically succeed on all saves 1 expeditions
against statuses or other effects at the end of your turn.
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don’t provide obstruction, can’t be targeted, and
IV. Scavenger can share space with anything except other
valuables tokens. Characters drop them in
Scavengers is a particular term in Arden Eld, adjacent spaces when defeated, or can drop them
referring to the scions of the Churning Age - voluntarily as 1 action. Any character that ends a
those who rush into the ruins in search of relics to fight holding two or more valuables tokens gains 1
extract for a quick profit, or prowl the roads in dust. Valuables tokens left on the battlefield don’t
search of vulnerable folk to shake down. Many count.
find that it is easier to have others do the hard Greed: When the Scavenger uses an ability and
work for them, then rob them blind on the way either they or their target has one or more
out. valuables tokens, the ability gains more powerful
greed effects.
Scavenger bands are as diverse as any other folk Cut and Run: If a Scavenger has 4 or more
of Arden Eld, but usually turn to scavenging out valuables tokens, they attempt to flee the
of a desire for profit, something that can be battlefield, fleeing successfully if they start their
intensely personal. Many scavengers come from turn in an edge space of the battlefield with no
the cities, seeking wealth from the ruins that was hostile characters adjacent
denied to them by virtue of social class in their
homelands. Still others are opportunists,
deserters from Imperial armies, Churners whose
business has dried up, or people from local
villages that were sick of the parochial life and
wanted to exercise their ambition. A lot of the
time, they are barely one step away from
adventurers.
Not all scavenger bands employ banditry, and

some are actually large, ‘legitimate’ enterprises,
sanctioned by the major guilds (frequently
involving a lot of corruption). These bands are
run by individuals colloquially known as Churn
Barons - ruthless profiteers who will turn to any
means to make money.
Faction Template
To make any foe a Scavenger, you can add the
following traits. All Scavengers have these traits.
Kin: Scavengers are kin, can be bargained with,

and will flee or surrender if heavily outnumbered
or heavily losing a fight
• Motivations: Scavengers are typically after the
wealth in the ruins and won’t fight if terms can
be reached
All Scavengers have the Valuables trait:
Special mechanic: Valuables

Valuables: If fighting scavengers, the GM places
valuables tokens on the battlefield equal to the
number of players +1. Valuables can be picked up
by any character by moving into their space. They
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Bouncer
FOES Thick armed ruffians who are hand picked to
guard the best of the spoils. Usually picked by
scrap bosses for their prodigious size.
Prodigious size: Size 2.
Scrapper Guard Loot: Doesn’t pick up valuables tokens.
Toughs that act as enforcers and workers for Instead, counts as holding any valuables tokens it
scavengers. They are typically large and is standing on, and has resistance while standing
hardened from years of street fighting or hard on at least one.
labor. Usually have the thankless job of hauling
the heavy loot out of a dungeon. Brawler
Rough and tumble street toughs, come to the
One-Two (1 action, true strike, attack): On ruins to turn a quick guilder.
hit: Deal fray damage twice. Miss: Once. Street Fighter: Has resistance while adjacent to
Fastball Special (1 action): An adjacent ally is two or more foes
shoved 3. Collide: If they collide with a foe, that Hurl Loot (1 action): The Brawler picks up an
foe is weakened and shoved 1, and that ally gains adjacent valuables token and throws it at a foe in
3 vigor. range 4. That foe takes 2 damage, then either
Uppercut (1 action): Rush 1, then an adjacent picks up the token or becomes slashed.
character takes 2 damage and is shoved 1. Greed:
they are slashed, take 2 damage, and are shoved 1 Pit Fighter
again. Braggards and thrill-seekers who make a name
Haymaker (2 actions, true strike): Rush 2, for theirselves in blood sport.
then an adjacent foe must save or take [D]+fray Replace uppercut with Rolling Cutter (1
and become stunned, or just fray damage on a action): Swap places with an adjacent foe,
successful save. Greed: 1 action. removing and placing both characters. That foe is
slashed, then shoved 1. Greed: Free action:
Chapter 1+
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Golden Knuckles (1 action, true strike): An valuables token, discard a valuables token,
adjacent foe is shoved 1 for every valuables token destroying it.
the Pit Fighter is holding. Collide: foe takes 3
damage, once for every valuables token the Pit The Block (1 actions, range 3, true strike,
Fighter is holding. end turn): The splitter chooses a foe in range. At
the end of that foe’s next turn, the Splitter rushes
Chapter 2+ up to 4 spaces towards them. If the splitter ends
When bloodied, Uppercut becomes a free action. this movement adjacent to the chosen foe, they
must save or take 2[D]+fray, or [D]+fray on a
successful save. Slay: Gain +2 valuables.
Brewer Execute (2 actions): A foe in range 2 at 25%
Rowdy fighters that get drunk off their own HP or lower must save. On a failed save, they are
custom camp brews, often found starting brawls defeated, ignoring all other effects. On a
in the local watering holes. successful save, they sacrifice down to 1 hp.
Throw Bottle (1 action, attack, range 5,
true strike): On hit [D]+fray Miss: fray. Effect:
Foe is weakened. Looter
Battle Brew (free action): The Brewer swigs a
battle brew. Gamble. The brew has random Canny and ambitious folk with quick fingers and
effects. This ability cannot be used again this quick wits. Usually specialists who are able to
combat until the Brewer picks up a valuables crack dungeon doors, disarm traps, open chests,
token.. Duplicate results instead move the result or scout dangerous locations.
up or down by 1 category (brewer’s choice).
1. Brew explodes in a small blast area effect Bully: This character always treats bloodied foes
centered on the brewer, dealing [D]+fray with as if they have a valuables token.
true strike to everyone (including the
Brewer!) Slice and Dice (1 action, attack, range 4, +1
2-3. Brewer gains counter for the rest of boon): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: May
combat. Re-roll if they already have counter. dash 1 both before and after attack.
4- 5. Brewer become sturdy for the rest of Mug (1 action): An adjacent foe is dazed. If they
combat and is immediately cured. have a valuables token, that foe takes 3 damage,
6. Brewer becomes unstoppable for the rest of then the looter gains a valuables token
combat and is immediately cured. Swing sack (1 action, arc 3): Area effect: 2
damage. Greed: Deal 2 damage again to each
character for each valuables token the Looter has.
Chapter 3
Smoke Bomb (1 action, range 3, 1/combat):
Uppercut deals +1 more damage per valuables
Create a small blast area of difficult terrain in
token the Scrapper is holding.
range, then the Looter gains stealth. The area can
overlap characters. Self and allies in the area gain
Splitter evasion+, and foes inside are blinded+.
Executioners of the scavenger camps, enforcing
the brutal justice of the Judges and the rule of the
Giltfinger
Barons. Their armor is festooned with trophies
Kin that care little for what they carry out, only
and ornaments.
that it glitters.
Thiefcraft: Gains stealth at the start and end of
Special Traits: Sturdy
their turn if holding a valuables token.
Sneak Attack: Attacks that break Stealth deal
Deep Pockets: Starts with 1 valuables token.
bonus damage and can critical hit (+[D]).
Golden Armor (Interrupt 1, requires at
least one valuables token): Trigger: Self or an
adjacent ally is targeted by ability. Effect: Grant Toe-taker
resistance and unstoppable against the triggering Dust congregates under the fingernails and toes
ability, then if this character has at least one of travelers in the ruins, with predictable
influences on the truly desperate.
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Golden Burden: Has evasion against characters Blinding Venom (1 action): An adjacent foe is
holding a valuables token. blinded+. They can end this condition by picking
Replace Slice and Dice with Toe Cut (1 up a valuables token, or ending a turn adjacent to
action, +1 boon, melee attack): On hit: [D]. an ally.
Miss: 1 damage. Effect: The character gains an
the end of its turns. This effect does not stack, and BROKER
ends instead if the character ends their turn The managers and pit bosses of the Scavengers,
adjacent to an ally. who are responsible for payroll and managing
work teams, often chipping in themselves on site.
Plucker Dirty and thankless work.
Hardened fighters who have made a habit of
letting everyone else do the hard work. Overseer’s Bolt (1 action, attack, range 3):
Golden Step (1 action, range 3): An ally in On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is sealed.
range can dash 3 with phasing. Any time the Effect: All allies in range 2 of the target foe may
chosen ally picks up a valuables token during that dash 1.
move they deal 2 damage to all adjacent foes, then Swindle (1 action, range 3): Swap places with
Plucker gains the token. a character in range, removing and placing both
characters. Foes can pass a save to avoid this
Chapter 2 effect, but are pacified on a successful save.
Smoke bomb gains Greed: Medium Blast Greed: Free action
Incentivize (1 action, range 3, end turn):
Finger Collector The broker either puts down a valuables token in
range, or allows an ally in range 3 to dash 3.
Especially cruel scavenger barons will
Exact Price (1 actions, range 6, mark): A foe
occasionally exact a flesh price in lieu of paying a
in range is marked. At the end of their turn, that
debt.
foe must sacrifice 3. They can avoid paying this
Serrated Bolt (1 action, range 6, unerring):
cost if they drop a valuables token into an
Effect: Deal 3 damage to a character in range.
adjacent space. They both avoid the cost and end
Greed: Free action
this mark by dropping two or more valuables
Collect bounty (2 actions, attack, range 6,
tokens instead.
+1 boon): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+Fray.
Effect: Can only be used against bloodied targets.
Slay: Gain +2 valuables. Greed: Gains unerring. Quickfinger
Hedge wrights that use fire aether to bend light,
Chapter 3 making fools of the greedy and dull.
Smoke bomb creates a cloud of choking gas.
When created, all foes in the area take 3 damage Trick of the Light (1 action): Gain the
and are dazed. following interrupt until the start of the next turn:
Trick of the Light
Interrupt 2
Nightcloak
Trigger: An ally anywhere is targeted by an
Master thieves of the scavenger bands. Their
attack. Effect: That ally gains evasion against
enchanted cloaks are jet black and fool the eye,
that attack. After it resolves, teleport that ally
blending into the shadows.
3 spaces to their ‘real’ location.
Traits: Phasing
Sorter
Jet cloak (1 action, end turn, requires a Semi-retired scavengers who mostly do the work
valuables token): Discard a valuables token, of sorting loot and organizing the payrolls.
destroying it. Remove self from the battlefield. At Sort Spoils: (1 action, range 2, end turn):
the start of the next player turn, return adjacent to Place two valuables tokens in range, then swap
any player character. That character takes 2
damage twice and is dazed.
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the position of any number of characters in range Obsessives that collect and sort dungeon detritus,
2 with an equivalent number of valuables tokens. working with scavenger bands to enrich their
Greed: Allies swapped this way can then dash 1. collection. Usually dropouts from the city
colleges, dungeon researchers who have become
Underboss too work-obsessed, or collectors with a little too
Manager-sergeants that organize scavenger much love for their hoards.
bands and keep them on their toes.
Aura of Skulduggery (1 action, end turn): Junk Armor: The first time the Junker is
Until the start of their next turn, the underboss is damaged by an attack or ability in a combat,
immobile and gains Aura 2. The underboss and reduce all damage to 0 and summon 1 valuables
allies in the aura have evasion and counter. token in free space in range 2 from them.
Scrapstorm (1 actions, attack, pierce, small

Chapter 2
blast, range 8): On hit: [D]+fray and foe
Swindle gains range 5
becomes vulnerable. Miss or area effect: fray.
Round 3+: deals bonus damage, becomes a large
Spender blast, and also creates a valuables token in its
The tip-top of Broker society, with the pockets to area.
match. Scrap Turret (1 action, range 6, summon):
Deep Pockets: Starts with 1 valuables token The Tinker summons a scrap turret in range.
Aura of wealth: Aura 2. All characters inside Scrap Turret
count as holding 1 valuables token Size 1, intangible
Bribe (1 action, range 6): The Spender creates Summon Effect: Once a turn, when a foe in
valuables token, then gives it to a foe in range. range 3 from the turret takes damage from
That foe is pacified, then must save or become the Scrapper, the turret deals 1 piercing
unable to attack until the end of their next turn. damage twice to them.
Pile it up (1 action, range 6): The Junker
Chapter 3 creates a height 1 scrap pile object in a space in
Swindle has no maximum range. Allies that are range 6. Characters adjacent to it when it is
swapped with swindle gain stealth. created takes 1 damage twice and are shoved 1. If
created under a character, it pushes them up on
Blood Broker top of it instead. Greed: Increase damage, height
Contract wrights that use the water Aether of and shove by +1
blood to exact terrible prices.
Thumper
Special Traits: Regeneration Brawny junkers who build custom made scrap
Blood Price: The Blood Broker has Aura 2: mortars. Usually get a solid wage and a full belly
• Foes inside the aura that use an ability must at the camp.
sacrifice 2 after the ability resolves. Load Scrap (1 action, end turn): The
• Whenever a character in the area sacrifices, the Thumper loads an adjacent valuables token into
broker may grant 2 vigor to itself or any ally in their mortar, removing the token. The next scrap
the aura. storm they use deals 5 piercing damage again to
Bulk up (1 action): The Blood Broker gains 4 all characters, creates a pit under its attack target,
vigor, or 6 if bloodied. and its attack target must save or become
Equivalent exchange (1 action, range 5, stunned. Then, place a valuables token anywhere
multimark): The Blood Broker cures and marks in the area.
an ally in range. If that ally is defeated while
marked, the character that defeated them must Junk Mage
sacrifice 25% of their maximum hp. Wrights that have found creative uses for earth
Aether, animating their collections in times of
Junker trouble to come to their defense.
Junk form (free action): The Junk Mage
transforms into junk, then swaps places with any
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free valuables token in range 3, removing and 5. Demon Bone: Creates a pit. Characters in
placing itself. the pit cannot draw line of sight to spaces
Animate Valuables (1 action, range 8): The outside the pit.
Junk Mage chooses a character in range. That 6. Arkentech portal device: Creates two
character releases a burst 2 (target) area effect, spaces, both within range 6 of each other.
which deals 2 piercing damage to them once for Characters can spend 1 space of movement to
each loose valuables token in the area. teleport from one to the other, as long as the
space they enter on other end is unoccupied.
Scrap Trapper
Careful junkers that ward the perimeters of Chapter 3
scavenger camps to protect their hoards. Pile it up gains +1 damage, height, and shove per
Hoard Ward (1 action, range 8, terrain valuables token the hoarder has, to a maximum of
effect): The Tinker creates a small blast area of 3 height, +3 damage, and +3 shove.
difficult terrain in range. When the area is
created, all characters inside take 2 piercing Gildhand Wright
damage. Foes that pick up a valuables token in the Rogue wielders of metal aether, a powerful
area take 4 piercing damage. Ability cannot be derivative of earth aether. Usually upstart
used again until the scrap trapper picks up a alchemists, geomancers, and guild college
valuables token. dropouts pursuing the Midan Apotheosis who
have put their considerable talents to nefarious
Chapter 2 uses.
Pile it up gains Greed: adjacent foes must save Deep Pockets: Starts holding a valuables token
or be shattered. Golden hand (free action, range 8): The
wright transmutes an object in range into solid
Collector gold. Characters standing adjacent to it count as
Scavengers with impressive collections, not all of holding a valuables token.
them useful. Often come from traveling dungeon Flesh to Metal (1 action, range 8, 1/
merchants who got a little too obsessed with their combat): A foe in range must save. On a
wares. successful save, they are shattered, and the
gildhand can use this ability again this combat.
Great Junk Armor: The first and second time On a failed save, they begin turning into solid
this character is damaged by an ability in a gold. At the end of their next turn, remove and
combat, reduce all damage to 0 and summon a replace their character with a size 1 destructible
valuables token in spaces in range 2 from them. object with 10 hp. Until the terrain piece is
Rummage (1 action): Effect: The collector goes destroyed, they cannot take a turn. When it’s
through their collection to find something useful. destroyed, return them to the battlefield.
Gamble. Objects can be thrown at a space or Characters standing adjacent to the object count
character in range 6 as part of this action. as holding a valuables token.
1. Grenade: Medium blast area effect, fray
damage
2. Jar of Hornets: Character takes 1
Uniques
piercing damage 5 times
3. Arkentech cube: Rapidly expands to Chapter 1+
creates a height 1 destructible object (1o hp).
If created under a character, pushes them up. Goons
4. Gaudy Hat: Put the gaudy hat on a
Loot Hauler: Goons can pick up valuables
character. A character wearing a hat is
tokens. Allies of goons can take valuables tokens
vulnerable+. If an attack hits that character,
from them by entering or exiting a space adjacent
they can throw it at the attacker, forcing the
to the goon holding one.
attacker to wear it.
Yes Boss (1 actions, attack): On hit: fray,
twice. Miss: fray. Effect: The acting goon may
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rush 2 before this attack. Effect: All other Heavy Caliber: The judge’s abilities have
characters standing adjacent to one or more goons collide: fray damage and foe is slashed.
take 2 damage.
You got it Boss (1 actions): Up to two goons Long Arm of the Law (2 actions, attack,
can rush 1, then daze an adjacent foe. Dazed foes Line 3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
take 4 damage instead. fray damage. Effect: Characters adjacent to the
Fill Em with Daylight (2 actions, Round 3+ Judge in the area take double damage and are
only, 1/combat): A foe in range 4 of any goon shoved 3.
takes 3 piercing damage, once, per Goon in range Lock (1 action, range 3): Effect: The judge
4. This damage cannot reduce a foe past 1 hp. throws a bola at a foe in range. That foe either
takes 4 damage or becomes weakened and
slashed (foe chooses).
Tollkin
Stock (1 action): Effect: The judge shoves an
Strong-armed and thick-bodied scavengers that
adjacent foe 1 and deals them 2 damage, then
have learned a more leisurely lifestyle of blocking
rushes 1.
a road, bridge, or passageway and hiring a few
Smoking Barrel (2 action, usable when
friends to make passing travelers’ life miserable.
bloodied): Repeat the following effect three
times: Effect: Rush 1, then Area effect: medium
blast, fray damage, and shove 1.
Immovable Object: Cannot be shoved,
teleported, or removed from the battlefield.
Aura of Taxes: Aura 2. Foes that enter or exit Chapter 2+
the aura stop moving and become immobile until
the end of the current turn. They can ignore this Redhand
effect by immediately paying 1 valuables token to Roaming bounty hunters that collect from the
the Tollkin, which the Tollkin picks up. If they scavenger camps, and are more than happy to
have paid the toll, they ignore this trait for the rest hunt down the foes of the churn barons - for the
of combat. right price.
Barricade Slam (2 actions, attack, true Unflattering Bounty Poster: The Redhand
strike): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe starts combat by unveiling an unflattering poster
is slashed. of bounty target, chosen randomly from all player
Build Barricade (2 actions): The Tollkin characters. The Redhand’s has evasion against
creates a line 4 terrain effect in free space, with at that character and their abilities are stronger
least one space adjacent. The effect is difficult against them.
terrain, the Tollkin deals bonus damage to
characters in the area, and foes that enter or exit Collect bounty (1 actions, attack, unerring,
the area are weakened. range 6): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+Fray.
Great Golden Knuckles (2 actions, true Effect: Can only be used against bloodied targets
strike): An adjacent foe is shoved 2 for every or the Bounty Target. Slay: Gain +2 valuables.
valuables token the Tollkin is holding. Collide: foe Kick Off (1 action): The Redhand flies 1. Before
takes 4 damage, then 4 damage again, once for they fly, they may shove an adjacent character 1
every valuables token the Tollkin is holding. space, then deal 2 damage to them if they are a
foe. If they do, they fly 3 instead.
Judge Lasso (1 action, range 4): A character in range
What passes for lawmen among the Scavengers. 4 is shoved 1 towards the redhead. Greed: Free
Shotgun wielding and dour, answering only to action. Effect: Against the bounty target, shoves
the Churn Barons. them 2 instead and dazes them.
Stun Bomb (1 action, small blast, range 4):
Tithe-law: Characters can always avoid effects Area effect: foes are dazed. Dazed foes or the
from the Judge by paying the Judge 1 valuables bounty target takes 4 damage.
token, or sacrificing 25% of their max hp.
Scum
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Misanthropic and ill-mannered dregs of

Scavenger society that get their way through a Take Measure (1 action, attack, range 8,
combination of bootlicking, groveling, and plain medium blast): On hit: [D]+fray and increase
old thievery. Tally by 1. Miss or area effect: fray.
Count (1 action, end turn): Increase Tally by 1
Special Traits: Dodge Incentivize (1 action, range 3, end turn):
Trait Modifications: No diaga. Would not heal The aurelian either puts down a valuables token
you if your life depended on it. in range, or allows an ally in range 3 to dash 3.
Cowardly by Nature: The Scum surrenders and
ends the fight if it’s the only character left. Weight of Conscience (1 action, multimark,
requires 3+ Tally, reduces tally by 1): The
Rat Out (interrupt 1): Trigger: The Scum or Aurelian marks a foe in range 5. While marked,
one of its allies in range 2 is targeted by an attack. the foe can only move a maximum of 3 spaces a
Effect: The attacker must save. On a successful round, no matter their abilities or speed. A foe can
save, the attack gains 1 curse. On a failed save, the end this mark by not moving at all for their entire
Scum chooses a different ally other than the turn.
attacker within range 2 of the Scum. That Lift Burdens (1 action, multimark, requires
character becomes the new target of the attack, 6+ Tally, reduces tally by 2): The Aurelian
regardless of range or line of sight. marks an ally in range 5. While marked, the ally
gains flying, evasion, dodge and their attacks deal
Smack (1 action, attack): Autohit: fray damage bonus damage.
Cover me! (1 action, range 3): All allies in Collect (2 actions, requires 10 Tally, resets
range of the Scum may dash 2 towards the Scum. tally): Every foe on the battlefield sacrifices
Drop Scraps (1 action): The Scum drops a down to 50% of their maximum hp. Foes at 50%
valuables token in an adjacent space. hp sacrifice down to 25%. Foes at 25% hp or lower
Master Steal (1 action, end turn): An are defeated.
adjacent foe has something stolen. They can
recover the stolen item by hitting the Scum with
an attack from within range 3. The Scum can only Unique Elites
steal one of each item, but can steal from a
different character each time.
• Weapon: Foe is pacified+ Chapter 1+
• Armor: Foe cannot benefit from armor or
resistance.
• Boots: Foe cannot dash or rush MONDO
Sometimes all you need is a really, really big guy.
Chapter 3
HP: 80
Aurelian
Esoteric Priests of the Scavengers that worship Special Traits: Size 2, sturdy
the Crimson Titan of debt and greed. As rare and Elite: Takes 2 turns
occult as their power is, they are often hired as
accountants by particularly enterprising Churn Enrage: +1 action when bloodied.
Barons. Oooh, shiny: When Mondo enters the space of a
valuables token, they stop moving and admire it,
Special Traits: Defiance then pick it up. This stops any movement from
Tally: The Aurelian has a d10 power die and Aura any ability or round action and immediately halts
2. Whenever a foe uses an attack against the the ability.
Aurelian or any of its allies in the aura, tick the die
up by 1. Also tick Tally up by 1 every time the MONDO DESTROY! (Round Action): At the
Aurelian picks up a valuables token. Certain start of the round, Mondo chooses any foe. At the
actions require higher or lower tally. end of the round, Mondo rushes up to 6 spaces
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towards that foe, or until adjacent, with each Animate Junk Golem: At the start of combat,
space of the movement ending closer to the the Hoarder summons a Junk Golem in range 3.
chosen foe. If Mondo ends this movement Junk Golem
adjacent, they wallop the foe with awesome force. Size 1, intangible
That foe is stunned and must save or take 2[D] Summon Action: When summoned, or
+fray, twice, or just once on a successful save. once on the hoarder’s turn, the golem can
move 3 spaces, then shove an adjacent foe 1. If
MONDO BASH (1 action, attack, true that foe collides, they take 2 piercing damage
strike, range 2, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. and are vulnerable.
Miss: fray damage. Greed: Deals bonus damage Summon Effect: When the golem enters the
per valuables token Mondo or their target is space of a valuables token, it absorbs it. It’s
holding. If 3+ tokens in total, deals an extra +[D] speed, shove, and collide damage all increase
on hit or miss. by +1 for the rest of combat.
• MONDO SMASH (2 actions, true strike,
range 2, medium blast, combo): On hit: Scrapstorm (1 actions, pierce, small blast,
2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray damage. range 8): On hit: [D]+fray and foe becomes
Greed: Deals bonus damage per valuables token vulnerable. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: At
Mondo or any character in the area is holding. If round 3+, deals bonus damage, becomes a
3+ tokens total, stuns all characters inside. medium blast, and also creates a valuables token
in its area.
MONDO SPINNING LARIAT (1 action): Pile it up (1 action, range 6): The Hoarder
Mondo rushes 2, three times, in the same creates a height 1 scrap pile object in a space in
direction. Each time they finish a rush, they shove range. Characters adjacent to it when it is created
all adjacent characters 2. takes 1 damage twice and are shoved 1. If created
MONDO SPIRAL CRUSHER (1 action): under a character, it pushes them up on top of it
Mondo flings an adjacent character high into the instead. Greed: Increase damage, height and
air, removing them from the battlefield, then shove by +1
chooses a space in range 3. At the start of that Weigh Down (1 action, range 6, mark): The
character’s next turn, they return to the battlefield Hoarder causes junk to accumulate and stick to a
in that space, or as close as possible if it’s foe of its choice in range. That foe is marked.
occupied, dealing 5 damage to all adjacent While marked, the foe cannot dash or rush, and
characters. That character is weakened. drops a valuables token in an adjacent space of
their choice at the end of their turn. A foe can end
this mark if they don’t move for their entire turn.
Hoarder Great Junk form (1 action): The Hoarder
transforms into junk, then swaps places with any
Particularly savvy junk mages can amass a quite free valuables token, removing and placing it.
impressive collection of artifacts. Teetering
under the weight of their hauls, which are often
strapped to their backs, they often act as leaders ,
Chapter 2+
guides, or advisors to scavenger bands. Loathe to
sell or part with any of their collection, they are
nonetheless willing to use it to protect themselves Ring Finger
when in danger. Master assassins and ‘problem solvers’ in the
employ of Churn Barons and guild masters both.
HP: 64 They use cloaks woven from special silk imbued
with the Weeper’s Tears, a liquid collected deep
Elite: Takes 2 turns underground and said to come from the eyes of
Great Junk Armor: The first and second time the dead Night Titan. These cloaks render them
the Hoarder is damaged by an attack or ability in completely invisible, the only traces they leave
a combat, reduce all damage to 0 and summon a footprints in dust and stab wounds on their
valuables token in spaces in range 2 from them. victims.
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HP: 56 usually employing hundreds of underlings to

Speed: 6 (Dash 6) explore dungeons and do everything from haul
cartfuls of loot to scrap the gold off of statues.
Elite: Takes 2 turns Each gets paid out very little, and the rest filters
Leave Tracks: At the start of their turn, the Ring up the chain until it reaches the very well stuffed
Finger puts down a track in their space. A pockets of the Barons.
character that enters that space collects the track.
When a track has been collected, the Ring Finger’s HP: 80
Master Cloak trait deactivates until the end of the
Finger’s next turn. Arkentech Hover Chair: Flying and Sturdy.
Master Cloak: While this trait is active, the Ring Loses both when bloodied.
Finger is unstoppable, has phasing, and cannot be Assets: The Baron has a d6 power die, starting at
directly targeted at all. Their location is not 6. They may tick the die down to spend some of
revealed on the map. Instead, the GM secretly their tremendous wealth to empower their
records their location. Auras, area effects, and abilities. The die ticks up by 1 at the start of their
other effects that can target a space affect them turn, or 2 every time they pick up a valuables
normally (taking into account dodge). This trait token.
deactivates until the end of the Finger’s next turn
if a track is collected or the Finger attacks. Too Rich to Care (interrupt 1, costs 3
Assets): Trigger: The Baron or an ally in range 3
Pay the Ferryman (1 actions, attack, +1 is targeted by an ability. Effect: The target gains
boon): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage resistance and unstoppable against the ability.
Effect: This attack breaks master cloak. If this
attack breaks Master cloak, deals added base Lucky Day (free action, costs 1 Assets): A
damage equal to twice the round number plus character in range 6 gains a valuables token.
twice the number of valuables tokens the Ring Fortune Maker (1 action, costs 3 Assets, 1/
Finger is holding. Effect: The Ring Finger may round, range 4, multi-mark): The Baron
teleport 2 spaces before and after the attack. chooses an ally in range and motivates them with
Mug (1 action, combo): An adjacent foe is promises of extreme wealth, marking them. That
dazed. If they have a valuables token, that foe ally’s attacks can no longer miss and they can no
takes 3 damage, then the ring finger gains a longer fail saves.
valuables token. Problem Solver (1 action, range 6, costs 4
• Swindle (1 action, combo): Swap places Assets, 1/round): The Baron creates a Crony, a
with a character in range 3, teleporting. Foes new character, in range. The Crony is an ally of
can save to avoid this effect. the Baron that doesn’t take its turn
Blinding Dust (1 action, range 3): The Ring independently, but acts on the Baron’s turn.
Finger throws blinding dust at a small blast
location in range. Characters within take fray Crony
damage and must save or become blinded. Size 1, no vit, 10 hp, 8 def, spd 4/2
Drop Caltrops (1 action, terrain effect, 1/
round): The Ring Finger creates a line 3 area of When created, or on the baron’s turn, may use
difficult and dangerous terrain. its standard move to move 4 spaces, then
makes one of the following attacks:
• Blunderbuss (1 action, attack, range
Chapter 3 6, pierce): On hit: 5 damage. Miss: 2
damage. Greed: +2 damage
• Arkentech Explosives (1 action,
Churn Baron attack, range 4, small blast, true
strike): Area effect: 2 piercing damage,
shove 1. Greed: +2 damage
A wealthy boss or owner of a professional
scavenger operation, usually incorporated as a
Arkentech Force Beam (1 action, attack,
guild or some kind of ‘legitimate’ looking
range 3, pierce): Autohit: fray. Area Effect: All
enterprise. These operations work off sheer size,
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foes in range 3 of the Baron take fray damage.

Shove all affected foes 1 either away from or
towards the Baron.
Pay Off (1 action, range 6, mark): The Baron
gives a foe in range a valuables token. That foe
must then save or become marked. While marked
and holding at least one valuables token, they are
pacified+.
Count Money (2 actions, end turn, 1/
round): The Baron gains 6 Assets and gains
resistance until the start of their next turn.
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fast one without taking their soul bound partner

down at nearly exactly the same time - a difficult
prospect.
Unique Legends
People that are ‘twinned’ this way tend to grow
very close to their twin, and even come to
I. Twinblades resemble them in their mannerism and
sometimes physical appearance, a side effect of
the wrightcraft used to bond them together.
Good things come in pairs, or so they say.
Twinblades are often found guarding the leaders
Splitting the loot can be a tenuous and tedious of scavenger bands, acting as enforcers, and
process, and often involves a lot of backstabbing. collecting the lion’s share of the loot. After all,
Some exceptionally well resourced mercenaries there’s few enterprising barons out there that
have found it very useful, and even preferable, to wouldn’t pass on a pair of nigh-immortal
use blood magic to solve this common problem. bodyguards.
By entangling their soul aether in a powerful
ritual, they become unable to die as long as the HP: Each twin has 25 hp per player character
other one lives. That way, there’s no way for (min 50)
them to cut and run - or for anyone else to pull a
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adjacent to the target, the target takes bonus

Special Traits: Skirmisher damage from this attack.
• Twist Knife (1 action, attack, combo): On
Legend: Takes 1 turn after every player character hit: 2 damage, five times. Miss: 2 damage.
turn. Effect: Foe is dazed. Effect: If both twins are 3
Juggernaut (Free action, 1/round): Clear a spaces away from each other, they deal 2
status or mark on one of the twins. piercing damage again to all adjacent foes.
• Mortal Wound (2 actions, attack,
Twins: This legend is two separate size 1 combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray.
characters, with the following features: Effect: Deeply wounds the target. While
• Each track effects and hp separately suffering from this effect, they must sacrifice
• However, combos and uses of per round 3 after using any ability. This effect ends when
abilities are tracked between both twins. they are defeated, or they can remove it by
• When this legend takes a turn, only one twin ending their turn without attacking.
acts at a time, alternating if possible.
Fatebound: If a twin is reduced to 0 hp, they Kick Off (1 action, combo): The twin flies 3,
become defeated as normal. However, starting at kicking off an adjacent character, with different
the end of the next player turn, and at the end of effects depending on that character:
every player turn past that, if the other twin has at • Foe - Foe takes 2 damage and is shoved 2
least 1 hp and is in range 5, the defeated twin • Other Twin - Other twin can fly 3
returns from defeated and heals to 25% of their • Twirling Blade - Blade is shoved 2.
max hp. • Spin (1 action, combo): Both twins deal 2
damage to all adjacent foes as an area effect.
Phases Any Twirling Blades adjacent to a twin spin
The twins enter Phase II at the start of round 4 again, dealing 2 piercing damage to all adjacent
foes.
PHASE I • Venom Cloud (1 action, combo): All
Knife Juggling (Round Action): At the start adjacent foes to a twin must save or become
of the round, the twins choose a character in blinded. The twins gain evasion until the end
range 3 of one of the twins. At the end of the of the current round.
round, each twin flings a knife at that character.
Each knife deals 4 piercing damage if the chosen Phase II
character is in range 3, or just 1 piercing damage if As phase I but:
they are further away. Twirling Blades summons two blades instead of
Twirling Blade (Round Action): At the start one.
of the round, the twins summon a twirling blade Seeking Blades : All twirling blades deal
in range 3 of one of the twins. The blade is a piercing damage equal to the round number
summon. Foes that collide with a blade or start instead of just 2. In addition, all twirling blades
their turn adjacent to a blade take 2 piercing can be shoved 1 space in any direction by the
damage. If a blade collides with a character, it also twins at the start of the round.
deals 2 piercing damage to them. Characters can
be damaged by multiple blades at once. Tactics
The Twinblades are a dynamic duo that can put
Turnabout (1 action): If both twins are in out a lot of pressure and damage on the
range 5 of each other, they remove themselves characters, especially in phase II where their
from the battlefield, then switch places, placing whirling blades becomes more mobile and start
them back in each other’s positions. When they dealing more damage. They can use turnabout to
land, they deal 2 damage to all adjacent foes. confuse characters that think they have gotten it
all figured out, and benefit from good positioning.
Gemini (1 action, attack, combo): On hit: [D] A good strategy for players will be to damage
+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Both twins can dash 3
them both down at the same time, so that they
before the attack is made. If both twins are then
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can’t use the opportunity to resurrect each other,

or else split them up.
Trophies
Twinblade charm
Uses: 5
Effect: You and a chosen ally attach these charms
to your armor or weapon. While attached, you or
your ally may expend a charge and swap places
with each other as a free action as long as you are
both within range 5 of each other, removing and
placing both characters. When you land, you may
both deal 2 damage to all foes.
Battle Blade
Uses: 3
Effect: Summon a twirling blade in free space in
range 3, as per the round action. At the start of
your turn, you may shove the blade 1 space in any
direction.
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II. BLOOD BOUND BAND Actions

Every brother has the following actions in all
Mercenaries, ex-churners, and veteran fortune phases:
seekers congregate together around the
Arkenruins like scum on a pond. Occasionally, Blood Bond (1 action): Swap places with a
the scum rises to the top. Blood Brother in range 3, removing and placing
both characters.
When some scavenger bands have been together Setup (1 action, end turn): Dash 3, then any
a long time, they undergo an old and ill-reputed brother gains stealth. That brother’s next ability
ritual, from the old days before the Doom. treats all targets as bloodied.
Writing up a contract, they inscribe runes of Serrated Knife (1 action): A character in range
binding into their very flesh, using their blood to 4 takes 2 damage. If they’re bloodied, they take 3
seal the contract. The agreements within govern damage twice instead.
everything from share of the loot to proper First Blood (1 action, attack, range 3): On
conduct to appropriate shaving. Violating them hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: May dash 1
repeatedly causes deep and wracking pain, before and after attack. Effect: Attack gains +1
worse than a bad hangover, until the rune-spell dash and deals +2 damage on hit or miss per
is broken. fallen brother.
The bond has another benefit, however. Those Blood Brothers (d10 4 times, reroll
bound by the blood contract grow closer to each repeats, or pick 4 different brothers)
other, and gain supernatural abilities, able to
fight together like one deadly being. 1. Boots
HP: Each brother has 13 hp per player character
Traits: Guard
(min 26).
The Boot (free action): An adjacent foe is
shoved 1. If they’re bloody, they are instead
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character.
shoved 3. Collide: Foe is weakened.
Strength in Blood (Round Action): At the
Flying Dropkick (2 actions): Boots rushes 3
start of the round, this legend may clear a status
towards a foe. Then, if they are adjacent to that
or mark affecting one of the Brothers.
foe, that foe takes take D]+fray and is shoved 3.
Collide: Foe is stunned.
Blood Brother: This legend is made up of four
Brothers. Each Brother is a separate character,
Blessing: All remaining Brothers become sturdy
tracking hp and effects separately. The Band is
and gain The Boot
only defeated when all Brothers are defeated. On
each of the Band’s turns, the Band acts with a
different brother, until all have acted at least once. 2. Fixer
Each Brother has unique actions and a Blood- Traits: Guard
bound Blessing. Iron Blade: Attacks against bloodied foes gain
Blood Bound Blessing: Each time a Blood true strike and slash them.
Brother is defeated, all active brothers Grapple (1 actions, mark): Fixer marks an
immediately gain the Blood-bound Blessing of the adjacent foe. While marked, that foe must save if
fallen brother, empowering them. it attempts to break adjacency the first time in a
round. On a failed save, it becomes unable to exit
adjacency with Fixer by any means for the rest of
Phases the current round. On a successful save, the mark
When only one brother is remaining, the band and this effect ends, but the foe is weakened.
goes into Phase II.
Blessing: One brother can use Grapple once a
Phase II (1 Brother): If only one Brother is round.
remaining, they become unstoppable and gain +1
action for the rest of combat.
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3. Filth Blessing: All Brothers go to speed 5 and gain

Traits: Skirmisher, Dodge phasing
Dripping Blade: Attacks force the attack target
to sacrifice 3 after dealing damage. 7. Sharp
Poison gas (2 actions): Area effect: small Traits: Aetherwall, Slip
blast. Characters in the area take 6 damage. Then, Keen Eye: All attacks can critical hit (+[D])
they must save or take 6 damage again and Ricochet shot (1 action, attack, pierce,
become blinded. Blinded characters fail this save. range 10): On hit: [D]+fray and foe is shattered.
Miss: fray. Effect: A different foe in range 3 from
Blessing: All remaining Brothers gain Dripping the original target takes fray damage. Effect:
Blade Deals bonus damage against bloodied foes.
4. Cats Blessing: All Brothers gain Keen Eye, and one

Traits: Skirmisher, Dodge brother can use Ricochet Shot once a round.
Feline Felicity (Free action): Teleport 3, then
may deal 2 damage to an adjacent foe. Bloodied 8. Fanatic
foes take 2 damage twice. Traits: Aetherwall, Slip
Fan of Nya-ives (1 action): Area effect: Spark (free action): Choose a foe in range 6
Medium Blast. Effect: Foes take 3 damage. that has not acted this round. At the end of that
Bloodied foes take 3 damage twice. Then, Cats foe’s next turn, they explode in a small blast area
may teleport 2. effect for [D]+fray piercing damage, dealing
damage to all foes other than them in the area.
Blessing: All Brothers gain Feline Felicity. Summon a pit under them. If they are standing in
a pit when the explosion happens, they are
5. Sharkie stunned and also take damage.
Traits: Diaga Blood Pyre (1 actions, attack, range 6,
Great Aura of Skulduggery (1 action, end medium blast): On hit: [D]+fray, Miss or area
turn): Until the start of their next turn, Sharkie is effect: fray. Effect: Summon a pit under every
immobile and gains Aura 2. Sharkie and allies in bloodied character in the area. Deals bonus
the aura have evasion and counter. Foes that damage to characters inside pits.
trigger counter or evasion are also shoved 2 after
the triggering ability resolves. Blessing: One brother can use Spark once a
Great Swindle (free action): A foe in range 3 round
is sealed, then must save or swap places with
Sharkie, teleporting. Bloodied characters fail the 9. Broker
save. Traits: Diaga, Defiance
Aura of Bloodletting: Aura 2. All foes that use
Blessing: All Brothers gain Great Swindle an ability in the area, including basic abilities,
must sacrifice 2 after the ability resolves. Bloodied
6. Pale foes sacrifice 5 instead.
Traits: Skirmisher, Dodge Bloody Bond (1 action, mark): Mark an ally
Nighthaunt (2 actions, end turn, combo): in range 4. While marked and in range, that ally
Pale teleports 3, then becomes intangible and has resistance to all damage, but Broker must
gains phasing until the start of their next turn. sacrifice 3 at the end of that ally’s turn.
This action grants evasion instead if they are the
only Brother active. Blessing: All Brothers gain Defiance
• Midnight Blade (2 actions, attack,
combo): On hit: 3D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. 10. Monger
Effect: Deals half damage if foe has any amount Traits: Diaga
of vigor. Deals bonus damage if foe is bloodied. Bounty Hunt (1 action, mark): A foe in range
6 is marked. While marked, abilities against the
target gain true strike, and allies gain +1 boon to
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attack the foe. Using this mark again transfers it.

A foe can end this mark by ending their turn more
than 2 spaces away from any Brother.
Weakening Venom (1 action): A foe in range
6 is pacified+. They can purge the venom from
their system at the end of any turn they attack,
ending this effect.
Blessing: All foes are marked by Bounty Hunt
Tactics
The band are a bunch of nasty fighters that may
seem unassuming at first, but become very
dangerous when foes are bloodied. They are a
fairly straightforward fight, but can benefit from
looking at what each brother can do to combo
their abilities together. Characters might try to
defeat them all in the same round to limit the
effects of their blessings, or pick off a particularly
troublesome brother early.
Trophies
Blood Rune
Uses: 3
Effect: Use this remnant of runic power at the
start of any combat. Roll 2d10 and pick either
result, choosing the brother that matches that
result. For the rest of the combat, you gain the
blood bound blessing of the chosen brother.
Boot’s Boots
Uses: 5
Effect: Immediately use Boot’s The Boot ability.
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Grand Transmutation (Round Action): At

III. MIDAN the start of the round, all foes gain 1 net worth.
Gildhand wrights and Aurelian priests find their Halcyon World (Round Action): At the start
uses in the Scavenger bands, to tally, account, of the round, the Midan creates a height 3 golden
and transmute in the name of the pursuit of pillar in free space anywhere on the battlefield. At
profit. In the end though, the rogue mage- the end of the round, a foe increases their net
wrights who hunger for the secrets of metal worth by 1 for each of these pillars they are
aether all desire one thing - the Midan adjacent to.
Apotheosis, the ability to transmute matter into Glittering World (Round Action): The Midan
pure gold. Temporary transmutation - enough to injects the closest foe to them with powerful metal
trick a merchant or impress a crowd - is simple aether. If there are foes at an equal distance, it can
enough. The real thing requires mastery of metal choose. This has the following effects:
aether so twisted, so maddening in its • Increase that character’s net worth by 1d6. Even
complexity, that most who pursue it are broken if that character would go to 10 net worth, they
from exhaustion. are not defeated.
• Instead, at the end of the round, the affected
Those with the fortitude to achieve the Apotheosis character explodes, dealing piercing damage
are terrifying metalwrights. They no longer equal to twice their net worth to all allies and
pursue wealth, but have become wealth itself. destructible objects in a large blast area effect
The process draws down their life aether so fast explosion centered on them with true strike and
that most of them die within a few years, living increasing allies’ net worth in the area by 2.
out their shortened lifespans in massive, Then, they reduce their net worth by 4 and end
unbelievable opulence. this effect.
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. Molten Creation (1 action, line 10, 1/
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of round): The Midan blasts a line 10 area effect
the round, this character may clear a status or drawn from its position. Foes in the area increase
mark affecting it. their net worth by 1. The Midan can then
duplicate any of its terrain effects or objects in the
Net Worth: The Midan’s pernicious metal aether area, creating exact copies in a free adjacent space
slowly turns everything on the battlefield into gold to the original effect.
and precious jewels. Their abilities have more Market Evaluation (1 action, range 4, 1/
effects and deal more damage to foes according to round): The Midan chooses a burst 2 (target
their net worth. A foe’s net worth is tracked with a space) in range. It may swap the positions of any
d10, for each character. characters or objects in the area, including itself,
Perfection: If a foe has 10 net worth at the end removing and placing them. It may then swap the
of their turn, they are fully encased in precious net worth of two characters in the area.
metals and jewels. Their net worth is reduced to 0, Molten Shell (1 action, 1/round): The Midan
then they are defeated, removed from the surrounds itself with a molten gold shell, gaining
battlefield, and replaced by a height 1 golden a d6 power die with 1 charge per player (max 6).
statue object with 10 hp. Return them to the The Midan becomes resistant to all damage and
battlefield, still defeated, when the statue is unstoppable while the metal shell is active.
destroyed. However, when it would take damage, reduce the
metal shell power die by 1, then increase the net
worth of whoever dealt the damage by 2. When
Phases
the die reaches 0, the shell cracks and this effect
At round 3, and every third round thereafter, the
ends.
Midan uses The Price is Right.
Melt (1 action, 1/round): The Midan removes
itself from the battlefield, then places itself in free
Actions
space in range 3.
The Midan has the following actions, round
actions, and traits in all phases:
The Weight (1 action, range 6, small blast,
attack, combo): On hit: [D]+ twice net worth.
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Miss or area effect: twice net worth. Effect: All increasing all foes net worth by 2 in the
characters in the area are shoved 1 and have their area.
net worth increased by 1.
• Golden Glove (1 action, +1 boon, true Phase II (Round 3, 6, 9, etc)
strike, range 3, attack, combo): On hit: [D] The Price is Right (Round Action): At the
+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe must save or be start of the round, the Midan shows the characters
shoved 1 for every 2 net worth they have, or just three golden caskets (a left, right, and center
1 space on a successful space. Then, they gain 1 casket).
net worth. Collide: Foe is stunned.
• Take Measure (2 actions, range 4, The GM secretly assigns a number to each casket,
medium blast, pierce, attack, combo): from 1 to 3. They must then tell the players what
On hit: 2[D]+ twice net worth. Miss or area each number does, but not which numbers have
effect: twice net worth. Effect: Foe is been assigned to each casket - that’s up to the
shattered. Effect: Foes in the area gain 1 net players to find out!
worth. Bloodied foes gain 2.
Characters must choose a casket (left, right,
Scatter Wealth (1 action, range 3): Create a center), and must decide which casket to choose
coin pile difficult terrain space in any space in at the start of the round.
range. The Midan is not slowed by these spaces,
and when it takes this action, it may dive into the Then, the Midan hides the caskets. At the end of
ground, then appear inside the coin space. When the round, they return the caskets and open them,
it emerges, deal 2 piercing damage to all adjacent showing the numbers, in order, applying the
foes. effects to all characters that chose that casket,
Glimmer (1 action, range 3, end turn, then hiding the caskets again.
combo): Terrain effect: the Midan creates a
height 1 volatile gem object in free space in range. • Casket #1: Increase net worth by 1, then
Volatile Gem receive 1 dust.
Height 1 Object, 1 hp • Casket #2: Reduce net worth to 0
Object effect: Explodes when taking damage • Casket #3: Double net worth.
from any ability (including the Midan’s),
destroying them. When destroyed, each object Tactics
deals 1 piercing damage, once, to all adjacent
Fighting the Midan is all about managing a
foes for every net worth, then increases their
characters’ net worth. Certain effects, like the
net worth by 1.
Midan’s molten shell, can rack it up very quickly
• Crystallize (1 action, combo): The Midan
on unprepared characters. The Midan can blow up
creates a geode in free space underneath any
its own volatile gems and swap characters into
foe. The geodes are pits, and foes inside are
bad positions in order to maximize wealth gain,
vulnerable+. Foes that end their turn inside a
also using Molten Creation to double up on
geode increase their net worth by +1 and
powerful terrain effects or objects such as
become vulnerable.
Aurelian Bomb. The amount of objects and terrain
• Aurelian bomb (1 action, range 3, can get overwhelming for players very quickly if
combo): Terrain Effect: The Midan creates a
it’s not dealt with!
bomb of molten gold in range.
Aurelian Bomb Canny players may figure out that Glittering
Height 1 object, 10 hp World can be used to destroy the Midan’s objects
Object effect: When the Midan or free characters that have been turned to gold,
summons a bomb, it may choose to and also safely reset the net worth of characters
detonate any Aurelian bombs that it that are too high.
didn’t place this turn. Bombs explode
with a medium blast area effect centered
on them, shattering all foes inside, Trophies
dealing piercing fray damage four times
to all foes and objects inside, then Gilthand
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Uses: 1
Effect: Use this golden hand as a 1 action ability
to immediately transmute a non-legend foe into a
golden statue. They are removed from the
battlefield and replaced with a golden statue
object with a height equal to their size. The object
has 10 hp. When it is destroyed, return the foe to
the battlefield. If that foe was the last foe, they are
instead defeated.
Crystallized Greed
Uses: 1
Effect: Shatter this Midan crystal during any
interlude to instantly gain 1d6 dust. For every
interlude that passes while you hold on to the
crystal, roll one more die and choose the highest
result, up to a maximum of 4.
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Scavenger Trophies
Deal bonus damage to any character holding a valuables
Scav Badge Unlimited
token
Take the following action: Gang Up (1 action): Up to
three allies in range 5 can dash 3 spaces. If they end their
Gold Tooth 2
turn adjacent to the same character, each of them deals 2
damage to that character.
During the next combat, abilities you use against foes
Shank’s Cross Hilt standing next to your allies gain true strike and deal bonus 1
damage.
Ruffian’s Boots Free action: Gain stealth 5
Don a sparkling cloak that shifts and obscures your
Glittercloak location. During the next combat, gain evasion. Any foe 1
that ends their turn in range 2 of you gains hatred of you.
Spend a charge to use the following Interrupt: Trick of
the Light (Interrupt 1): Trigger: An ally is targeted by
Sparkling Gem an attack or ability from a foe. Effect: That ally gains 3
evasion against that attack or ability. After it resolves,
teleport that ally 3 spaces to their ‘real’ location.
This expedition, the first time you take damage in any
Junk Mage Talisman 1 expedition
combat, reduce it to 0.
This blade has the ability to magically create wealth from
Plunder Blade nowhere. All your attacks gain (as a relic) Invoke (attack 1 expedition
15+): Create 2 valuables tokens adjacent to your target foe
This cursed icon causes weapons to transmute their foes
temporarily into gold. All foes you defeat are removed
from the battlefield and replaced with an object equal to
Midan Shard their size. After combat, they either revert to normal (with 1 expedition
the gold sloughing off) or stay frozen, depending on the
tone of your game. For every two foes defeated this way
during an expedition, gain 1 dust.
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Kin: Imperials are kin, can be bargained with,
or heavily losing a fight
• Motivations: Imperials have orders they are
following from whatever guild master, warlord,
or under-baron they serve. Usually this is to
capture a location, object of power, or person of
interest. If characters can work around those
orders, Imperials can usually be bargained with
or even be helpful.
• All Imperials have the Chain of Command
trait (see below)
Special mechanic: Chain of

Command
• Commanding Officer: Designate one foe the
commanding officer of the imperial detachment.
They get a special template.
• Orders: At the start of the round, give an
orders token to any imperial character. That
character automatically activates any exceed
effects of their attacks, deals bonus damage, and
gains +1 action, but can only take their turn
after all other imperials have acted. At the end
of the round, discard that token.
Special template: Imperial

V. IMPERIAL Officer
Any job
The great cities of Arden Eld are growing, This template stacks with other templates.
stretching at their limits. Some have crowned Promotion: Starts combat with vigor equal
kings, dictators, or patricians. Other set their to their VIT
ambitions higher - to create a nation, or recreate Imperial Command Aura: Aura 2. Allies
the old empire - a terrible endeavor indeed. The in the aura gain +1 boon on attacks.
leaders of the Imperials are single-minded people
in love with regalia, the war-banner, the factory,
and the clang of steel. They worship the musket.
Their soldiers on the ground are less enthusiastic,
but given the chance, they will trample the Green
into mud and ashes none the less.
Imperials make heavy use of salvaged and

repurposed arkentech, that drive the engine-
cores of their massive war machines and
automatons. The black-powder weapons that
they employ are low quality but effective in mass.
Faction Template
To make any foe an Imperial, you can add the
following traits. All Imperials have these traits.
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Chapter 1+
Foes
TROOPER
The poor bloody infantry, the rank and file
Auxiliary Mob soldiers of the imperial legions, armed with
Made of of levies pressed into service from short-muzzled muskets, broad swords, heavy
captured villages and towns and armed with armor, and hob-nailed boots. In their stained
heavy old-fashioned arquebuses. and muddy regalia, they tramp through
whatever battlefield their lord sends them to.
Get Down, Sir! (Interrupt 1): Trigger: An ally They are tough fighters in melee combat, able to
adjacent to an auxiliary is targeted by an ability. repel the fiercest monsters or fighters that Arden
Effect: That auxiliary is defeated. The ally gains Eld has to offer.
resistance against the triggering ability and is
shoved 1 in any direction after it resolves. Brutal Strike (1 actions, attack, true
strike): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Exceed: Foe
Fusillade (2 actions, pierce, attack, range is stunned.
6): On hit: 2 damage, three times. Miss: 2 Blunderbuss (1 action, true strike,
damage. Effect: Another auxiliary can deal 2 repeatable, line 3): Rush 1, then Area effect:
piercing damage to a foe in range 6 of them. Characters are shoved 1 and take 2 damage. If
Exceed: Repeat the effect. only one character is caught in the area, they are
Focus Fire (2 actions): A foe in range 6 of any slashed.
Auxiliary becomes marked. While marked, they Hold the Line! (2 actions): The Trooper gains
are vulnerable+ and cannot benefit from cover, 3 vigor, then gains aura 2 until the start of its next
stealth, dodge, or evasion. A foe can end this turn. The Trooper and any of its allies inside the
mark by dropping to the ground at the start of aura are sturdy and have counter and resistance
their turn, becoming immobile and unable to
attack for the duration of that turn.
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against any abilities or damage from inside the The entire aura granted by Hold the Line!
aura. extends the Trooper’s Rampart effect.
Flame Trooper Hessian

Troopers armed with black powder bombs that Mercenary soldiers from across Arden Eld hired
pack a heavy payload. on for their love of combat or bloodshed.
Extremely skilled and usually kept in reserve
Flame Bomb (1 action, small blast, range 2, until their talents are needed.
true strike): May rush 1, then then Area effect: Special traits: Sturdy
Characters are weakened. Weakened foes take Blood Rush: May rush 2 before making any
fray damage instead and must save or be stunned. attack. If the attack triggers exceed, may rush 2
again.
Buzz Trooper Hessian Long Rifle (2 actions, attack, true
Troopers armed with a belt-driven chain-sword. strike, range 8, 1/combat): On hit: 2[D]+fray
Very noisy and not particularly subtle. Miss: [D]+Fray. Effect: Foe is slashed. Exceed:
Foe is also stunned.
Replace Brutal Strike with Chain Slash (1 Disarm (1 action): An adjacent foe takes 3
action, attack, true strike, arc 3): On hit: [D] damage and must save. On a failed save, their
+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Attack weapon flies out of their hands to a free space in
target is is slashed. Exceed: Rush 1, then repeat range 2. They can re-unite with their weapon by
the area effect, which could overlap the first. ending their turn in that space or adjacent to it.
Until they do, they cannot attack.
Shotgun Trooper
Troopers armed with crude but heavy metal guns Scout
hammered together from scavenged Arkentech.
Double Barrel (1 actions, medium blast): Spies or rangers sent ahead to track enemy
May rush 1, then Area effect: 2 damage once, for movements and terrain for encroaching imperial
every foe in the area, up to a maximum of three armies to navigate. Often recruited from local
times. Then shove all characters 1. populations, they are well-traveled, educated,
and well paid compared to the common legion
grunts, something that usually earns them the ire
Chapter 2+
of other soldiers.
The aura granted by Hold the Line! also grants
+1 curse on attacks for foes in the area.
Lone Wolf: When ending their turn with no foes
or allies in range 2, gains stealth.
Thunder Trooper
Higher rank soldiers armed with some of the Pistolero (1 action, attack, range 4): On hit:
latest to come out of the imperial forges. Using [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Exceed: Gains unerring, and
blast-packs to jump into combat, they swing deals bonus damage.
about with heavy arkentech force maces. Flash Bomb (1 action, small blast, range 2):
Rocket Boost (1 action): The Thunder trooper Area effect: foes are blinded. Blinded foes are also
rushes 4 spaces, also ignoring all terrain and dazed.
height penalties while moving, then shoves all Prep Decoy (1 action): This character dashes
adjacent characters 1. Effect: This action becomes 2, then gains the following interrupt until the start
a free action if the Trooper activated an exceed of their next turn:
effect this turn. Decoy
Ground Pound (1 actions, range 2, true Interrupt 1
strike): Foes in a small blast area effect in range Trigger: Self or any ally in range 4 is targeted
take 2 damage. Any foe in the center space is by an attack. Effect: Grant evasion against
weakened, and that space becomes a pit. that attack, then after it resolves the targeted
character teleports 3 spaces to a free space,
Chapter 3 which is its ‘real’ location.
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Chapter 1+ Then, it flies 4, and all other characters in the area

may fly 1.
Imperial Spy Zip Line (1 action, range 4, end turn): The
Groundbreaker creates a 1 space terrain effect in
Top line imperial operatives, trained at a guild
an adjacent space, then another 1 space terrain
academy.
effect in free space in range. Characters entering
one of these terrain effects during their own turn
Disguise (1 action, range 3): Swap places with
can grab on to the zip line, removing them from
a foe or ally in range, teleporting both characters.
the battlefield, then place themselves in free
Foes can save to avoid this effect. If a foe succeeds
adjacent space to the other terrain effect, then fly
on the save, the Spy can instead dash 3.
1. This effect can interrupt abilities and other
movement, but can only take place once a turn. If
Informant a new zip line is placed, the old one is removed.
Well paid, and well fed, informants infiltrate
local populations and pass information up to
Chapter 3
imperial command.
Flash bomb becomes medium blast, range 5
Low Profile: Has evasion against ranged attacks
Replace Prep Decoy with Snitch (1 action): Imperial Shinobi
The informant gains the following interrupt until Imperial operatives trained in imitation of the
the start of its next turn. Scroll Arts of the Shades. The combination of
Gathered Intelligence black powder, traps, and shadow magic is
Interrupt 1 extremely effective at removing particularly
Trigger: A foe anywhere starts their turn. tough ‘obstacles’ for imperial generals,
Effect: Any number of allies in range 2 of that sometimes including political opponents.
foe may dash 2, then gain stealth.
Shadow clone (1 action, range 3, summon):
Summon a shadow clone in a free space in range.
Imperial Demolitionist
Shadow Clone
Laden with explosives, demolitionists blow doors
Summon, size 1
in ruins, gatehouses of cities, or collapse tunnels
Summon Effect: Foes adjacent to a shadow
below armies.
clone at the start of their turn take 3 damage
from the clone. The Shinobi and any of its
Clamp Mine (1 action, range 3): The
allies may gain stealth if they end their turn
Demolitionist throws a sticky mine on to a
adjacent to a clone. Clones disappear at the
character in range. At the end of that character’s
end of combat or if the Shinobi is defeated.
turn, they explode with a small blast area effect
Shadow Swap (free action): The Shinobi or
centered on them. That foe and other characters
an ally swaps places with a shadow clone in range
in the area are dazed. If the exploding foe is the
3 of them, teleporting.
only character in the area, it ceases to become an
Shadow Play (1 action, range 2): The Shinobi
area effect. Instead, they are dazed and take 3
swaps the positions of two characters in range,
damage, twice.
teleporting them. Allies swapped gain stealth.
Chapter 2+
Flash bomb may teleport any allies in its area 1 Sergeant
space after it resolves.
Field officers that are all too eager to push their
rank on the battlefield. Covered in pomp and
Groundbreaker frippery and eager to test out techniques and
Part combat engineer, part sapper, weaponry fresh from the imperial war colleges
groundbreakers are sent in to set up advance with very little regard for the results or
positions for troops to use. applications, a cause of constant griping for the
rank and file. Always have well-polished boots.
Grenade Jump (1 action): The Groundbreaker
releases a burst 1 (self) area effect for 2 damage.
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Tactics Aura: Aura 1. Allies ignore engagement Furnished with the latest scopes and tech,
and rampart effects while in the aura, and may Artillerists often come to the battlefield with their
dash 1 if they start their turn there. helmets festooned with extremely unwieldy
devices that are a source of mockery for the
Leader’s strike (1 action, attack, range 3): grunts and relief for the cannoneers.
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is sealed.
Effect: An ally in range 3 can dash 2 spaces. Scope out (1 action, range 6, mark): Mark a
Exceed: Repeat the previous effect. character in range and line of sight. While
Hold the Line! (1 action, mark, range 5): marked, that foe is sealed+ and cannot benefit
The Sergeant marks an ally in range. That ally from stealth, evasion, or cover. This effect ends if
gains regeneration and becomes sturdy. All these the character moves 5 or more spaces on their
effects are lost if the mark is moved or replaced. turn.
Arm Shot (1 action, range 5): A foe in range
takes 2 damage and takes a shot to the arm. After Chapter 2+
they next attack, they become unable to attack for After using Martial Might, the Sergeant and all
their entire following turn. adjacent allies can dash up to 2, but must move in
Martial Might (1 action): This character gains the same direction.
the following interrupt until the start of their next
turn: Mechanist
Discipline Specialty officers armed to the teeth with the
Interrupt 1 newest bombs and a custom arkentech flame
Trigger: An ally anywhere makes an attack hurler. Often boost morale through spectacular
roll, and the final result is determined. Effect: displays of pyrotechnics.
The Sergeant can use this interrupt to cause Line Breaker (1 action, range 3, 1/combat):
them to re-roll the attack with +1 boon, taking The Mechanist hurls an explosive charge at a
the second result as the final result instead. medium blast area effect in range. All characters
inside take 4 damage and are shoved 3 away from
Chapter 1+ the center.
Flame Hurler (1 action, range 5, mark): The
Evocatus mechanist sprays flame in a line 3 area effect in
Retired officers that have re-enlisted for better range. Characters in the area take 2 damage, and
pay. They often go into battle to complete the one character of the Mechanist’s choice is marked.
training of levies and legionnaires. While marked, they are pacified+, and cannot
dash, rush, teleport, or fly. The mark ends if they
Forced March: At the start of their turn, the end their turn adjacent to an ally.
Evocatus and all allies may dash 1 in the same
direction. Chapter 3
Martial Might grants 2 uses of Discipline.
Decurion
Officers that are better than average shots and Legatus
lead by example. Tend to garner more respect Senior tacticians that are rightly feared by the
than their peers, as they are promoted from foes of the legions. Tend to be advanced in age
within the ranks. and use their cunning as a master artisan uses
the tip of a knife on a particularly juicy cut of
Leg Shot (1 action, range 5): A foe in range chicken.
takes 2 damage, then takes a shot to the leg.
During their next turn, they can only move a Master of Strategy: Before combat starts, may
maximum of 3 spaces. After they move 3 spaces, move every character to any space up to 2 spaces
they become immobile for the rest of the turn. in any direction from their starting location
Tactician’s Advance (free action): Up to two
Artillerist allies anywhere on the battlefield may dash 2.
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Ultimate Weakness (2 actions, range 6, Hotshot

mark): The Legatus marks a foe in range. While Gunners with nasty, custom tooled chemical
marked, every attack against the target gains +1 shells that ignite on contact.
boon, deals bonus damage, and exceed: deal 4
damage again after this ability resolves. Napalm Shell (1 action, range 6, mark): The
Gunner marks a foe in range. While marked, at
Gunner the end of their turn that foe has a dangerous
terrain space created under it and any of its
adjacent allies. It can save against this mark at the
Armed with jumped-up, heavy blackpowder guns end of their turn, ending it on a success.
(sometimes with multiple barrels, scopes, or
other unnecessary additions), gunners are the Spotter
hammers to the anvil of the legion frontlines. Armed with cloaks and long ranged scopes, these
Flashy, armed with the teeth, and with an gunners use colorful semaphore to signal their
attitude to match, they are the envy of the partners.
infantry.
Take The Shot (1 actions, mark): The Spotter
Heavy Arquebus (2 actions, attack, range marks a foe in range 8 for an off-battlefield sniper.
10): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. Effect: They choose a side of the battlefield. At the end of
Foe is vulnerable. Exceed: Shell explodes, dealing that character’s turn, if they are not in cover from
1 piercing damage twice in a large blast explosion that side of the battlefield, they must save or take
area effect centered on its target.. Special: The [D]+fray, or fray on a successful save. The Spotter
Gunner cannot attack during their next turn. can change the side of the battlefield at the start of
Extra Ammo (1 action, range 3, terrain their turn. A character can end this mark by
effect): The gunner puts out a 1 space terrain moving 5 or more spaces on their turn.
effect in range. The gunner or any ally standing in
the space may consume it to activate the exceed
Chapter 2+
effects of their next attack and grant that attack
Overwatch’s damage gains unerring.
bonus damage.
Overwatch (1 action, range 8, end turn):
The Gunner creates a medium blast terrain effect Cannoneer
anywhere in range and line of sight that lasts until Using heavy, multi-barrel arkentech gatling
the start of the Gunner’s next turn. Any foe that cannons, these heavy troopers can lay down
ends their turn in the area takes 6 piercing hails of aether-charged bullets.
damage as an area effect. If the Gunner is Full auto (1 action, end turn, stance): While
blinded, or a character is in cover from the in this stance, the this character is immobile, but
Gunner, this damage is halved. gains the following benefits:
• All their attacks gain +1 boon, deal bonus
damage, and deal 2 piercing damage to all foes
Chapter 1+
in range 2 of their target as an area effect
Sharpshooter • Their abilities have no maximum range.
A college-trained gunner with a pedigree in They can only exit this stance by spending 1 action
precision combat. Usually involved in some kind and ending their turn.
of betting board back at the barracks. Collateral Damage (1 action, rages 6, round
3+): The Cannoneer blasts a character in range
Brace: When adjacent to an object, increase the with a hail of bullets, dealing 2 piercing damage to
range of all abilities with a listed range by +4. them, then creates a medium blast area effect on
Deploy barricade (1 action, 1/combat): The the other side of that character. Characters in the
sharpshooter creates a height 1 barricade object area take 2 piercing damage, once, per character
in an adjacent space. Adjacent characters other caught in the area.
than the sharpshooter are shoved 2 away from it
when it is created.
Chapter 3
At round 3+, Overwatch becomes a free action.
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starts moving takes 2 damage and must save or be

Janissary shoved 2 towards it. Bloodied foes fail the save.
The cream of the crop, recruited from high
ranking imperial guard, wielding expertly rifled Iron Soldat
long guns. Stony faced, steely-nerved, and An imperial soldier that has been fitted with a
wearing incredibly ornamental armor that is heavy arkentech power armor. The armor makes
frequently laughed at by the rank and file. them cumbersome but powerful opponents.
Expert Overwatch: The Janissary is a masterful Special Traits: Sturdy

gunner, granting the following benefits: Heavy Arkentech Armor: The Soldat is fitted
• When Overwatch’s area is created, the Janissary with heavy power armor that is only strong from
can deal 2 piercing damage to all foes inside as the front, with the following effects:
an area effect. • They cannot dash, fly, or teleport
• Any foe entering or exiting Overwatch’s area • They can be used for cover by allies as if a height
takes 2 piercing damage from the Janissary, but 1 object
no more than once a turn. • At the end of the Soldat’s turn, decide which
Headshot (2 actions, range 6): A foe in range character they are facing towards. They become
at 25% HP or lower must save. On a failed save, resistant to all damage from that character and
they are defeated, ignoring all other effects. On a unstoppable against any of their abilities. It can
successful save, they are reduced to 1 hp. instead choose to grant these benefits to an
Suppressive Fire (1 action, range 8, mark): adjacent ally. It must choose a different
The Janissary marks a foe in range 8. While character each turn from the last.
marked, that foe take 2 piercing damage after they
use any ability other than their standard move. If Chain Gun (1 action, true strike, attack,
they are in cover from the Janissary, they can range 4): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
ignore this damage. If they don’t take this damage Foe is weakened. Deals fray damage to all
for their entire turn, this mark ends. adjacent characters to the foe. Excel: Deals bonus
damage and foe is stunned.
Lumbering charge (1 action): The Soldat
Uniques rushes 1, then shoves an adjacent foe or ally 2
spaces.
Mortar (1 action, range 6): The Soldat
Chapter 1+
chooses a character in range and creates a
War Beast medium blast area effect centered on them that
This large, bear-like imperial beasts are bred for moves with them. At the end of that character’s
war and fitted with spiked armor. turn, the shell lands in the area. Foes within the
area take 4 damage once for each foe in the area.
Special Traits: Counter
Enrage: Gain +1 action while bloodied.
Clank
Crushing Jaw (1 action, true strike, attack): Steam and clockwork-driven automata, made in
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Exceed: Gain +1 imitation of the arkentech automata that
action. Effect: Deals bonus damage to bloodied populate the ruins. Crude, noisy, and tend to
foes. break down at the worst times.
Shoulder Check (1 action): An adjacent
character takes 2 damage and is shoved 1. Collide: Special Traits: Defiance
Character is stunned. Effect: The War beast may
spend additional actions on this ability. For every Automata: If this character attacks the same
action spent, increase the shove and damage by character as last turn, it deals bonus damage and
+2. gains +1 boon. This effect stacks.
Steel Jaw (1 action): The War Beast rushes 3 Empty Husk: This character becomes a height 1
spaces in any direction. An adjacent foe when it object when defeated.
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Thumper Gun (1 action, attack, range 4, Repurposed gendarme units from imperial cores,
true strike): On hit: [D]+fray and shove 1. Miss: used to suppress rebellions and police newly
fray damage. Exceed: A different foe in range 3 acquired territories. Gear walkers are part
takes fray damage and is shoved 1. Collide: Foe is power armor, part vehicle, with long stilts that
weakened. allow them to clamber over barricades,
Bullet Spray (1 action, repeatable, range 2, buildings, vehicles, and unlucky rebels.
medium blast): Area effect: 2 damage.
Shield Mode (1 action, end turn): The Clank Special Traits: Sturdy
retracts its systems and turns into a walking Long Legs: Ignores all obstruction and terrain
shield. While in this stance, it is immobile but can movement penalties.
be used as cover as though it was a height 1 object,
and attacks against adjacent allies gain +1 curse. Bolt Gun (1 action, attack, range 3): On hit:
Self Destruct (1 action, end turn): The Clank [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is shoved 1, then
begins shuddering. At the end of the next round, must save. On a failed save, they are shoved 2
or if it is defeated before then, it explodes, more spaces. Collide or Exceed: All movement
instantly defeating it and creating a medium blast values during the foe’s next turn are reduced to 1.
area effect on its location. Characters inside must Deploy Barricade (1 action, end turn): The
save or take 2[D]+fray damage and be stunned, or walker drops a height 1 barricade object in an
[D]+fray on a successful save. adjacent space. The Barricade is a destructible
object with 5 hp. Spaces adjacent to the Barricade
Biker have rampart. The barricade lasts until this
Imperials with helio-bikes, powered by a ability is used again.
combination of steam and solar power. Though Ashura Blitz (1 action, combo): The walker
fragile the bikes can move incredibly fast over rushes 2. If it ends this move adjacent to a foe, it
rough terrain. shoves all adjacent foes 1 space, then rushes 2
again.
Arkentech Bike: The Biker ignores difficult • Pressure Rush (1 action, range 3,
terrain. It can only move in straight lines, but has combo): The walker chooses a foe in range that
phasing. Any character it passes through takes 2 has not acted yet. At the end of that foe’s turn, it
damage, but no more than once a turn. rushes up to 4 spaces towards that foe, ending
adjacent if possible. Then, that foe takes fray
Chariot (2 actions, attack, melee, combo): damage three times, or just once if it’s adjacent
On hit: 2[D]. Miss: [D]. Effect: Foe is dazed. to an ally.
Exceed: Foe is knocked into the air, removing
them, then placing them in any space in range 3. War Balloon
Effect: The Biker dashes up to 2 spaces before and A colorful flying machine, lifted by hot gas and
after this attack. This attack deals added base acting as a mobile battle platform for imperial
damage on hit or miss based on how far the Biker soldiers.
moved with this ability before making the attack.
• Spin out (1 action, combo): Effect: Deal 3 Special Traits: Flying, Sturdy
damage to all foes in range 2. The Biker gains
evasion until the start of its next turn. Hovering: Immune to rampart
Throw knife (1 action, unerring, range 3): Deflate: If the War Balloon is prevented from
A foe in range takes damage equal to the range flying, it becomes immobile until it can fly again.
from the biker. Battle Platform: Characters can mount or
Rev (1 action): The Biker gains stealth, then dismount the War Balloon by spending 1 space of
increases its speed and the distance moved by movement, placing them adjacent when
Chariot by 2 for the rest of combat. dismounting, with the following rules:
• Imperials can start the battle mounted on the
Chapter 2+ balloon.
Gear Walker • While mounted, place characters inside a free
space in the balloon (so the balloon has space
for 4 size 1 characters). They share its space,
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move when it moves, and have cover. While ignoring cover. They must choose different foes
moving with the balloon, characters are each time and cannot choose the attack target.
unstoppable. Showdown (1 action, range 3, end turn):
• Characters hostile to the balloon must pass a The gunwright chooses a foe in range. Until the
save to mount it. end of that foe’s next turn, the Gunwright cannot
• Characters mounting it the balloon when it is move or be moved by allies in any way. At the end
defeated are placed in any free adjacent space of of that turn if the chosen foe is in range 3, dash 1,
the balloon’s choice and take 3 damage. and the effect ends. If they’re at range 4 or higher,
Vantage Point: Characters mounted on the War they take 2 damage three times, ignoring cover.
Balloon ignore height disadvantage, have +1 boon Tactical Reload (1 action, end turn): Shove
on attacks and increase the range of all their an adjacent foe 1, then dash 1. The next ability
abilities with a listed range by +4 used by the Gunwright causes them to erupt with
a hail of fire, dealing 2 unerring damage as an
Side Guns (1 action, attack, range 6, small area effect to all foes in range 3.
blast): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Counter Fire (1 action): The Gunwright gains
Exceed: Repeat the area effect, targeting the same the following interrupt until the start of their next
or a new area in range. turn. At round 3+, Counter fire becomes a free
Flare Bomb (1 action): The Balloon flies 5 in a action.
straight line. It drops a small blast area effect Fiery Retort
below it over any space it moved over. Characters Interrupt 1
in the area take 3 damage. The character in the Trigger: The Gunwright or an ally adjacent to
center space must save or become stunned. it is targeted by a character’s ability, and that
Drop Supplies (1 action): The Balloon drops a character is 2 or more spaces away.
supply crate, a height 1 destructible object (5 hp), Effect: The triggering character must save. On
in a free adjacent space. Any ally adjacent to the successful save, they dive out of the way and
supply crate gains +1 boon on attacks and saves, are shoved 1 in a direction of the Gunwright’s
and may cure themselves by spending 1 action. choice. On a failed save, they take 2 damage
The Balloon can have two of these crates active at twice, ignoring cover. If their ability was an
once. attack, it also gains +1 curse.
High Altitude (1 action, end turn, 1/
combat): The Balloon and any of its passengers
drift high up, removing them from the battlefield. Unique Elites
They all return in any valid space on the
battlefield at the start of the balloon’s next turn.
Chapter 1+
Chapter 3+
Praetorian
Gunwright
Wielding six-barreled guns in imitation of the These imperial troopers are walking fortresses of
Freelancers, these wrights have honed their iron and custom-forged arkentech. More
aether sensitivity to attune to the fire aether of machine than kin, their heavy power armor
black powder, gun smoke, and bullet ignitions. bristles with the newest weaponry, and they
They are masterful shots and skilled in firearms loom over their foes and allies alike, inspiring
of all kinds. dread in equal measure.
Master of Gun: Has counter against all abilities HP: 80

used from a range of 3 or greater. Damage from
counter ignores cover. Heavy Armor: Resistance against abilities used
from adjacent spaces.
Strafe Shot (1 action, attack, range 3): On Elite: Takes 2 turns
hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: The Gunwright
may dash 1 before and after this attack. Each time,
they may deal 2 damage to a foe in range 3,
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Aura of Dread: The Praetorian has aura 2. Foes Rev Hammer (1 action, end turn): The
inside the aura take +1 curse on saves. Any foe Steam Wright revs the steam hammer, granting it
that fails a save inside the area must sacrifice 3. +1 boon, increasing its range by 1, granting it
unerring, and causing a secondary explosion as
Heavy Mace (1 action, true strike, attack): an area effect after the ability resolves, dealing 3
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is damage to all foes inside the area.
weakened. Deals fray damage to all adjacent Steam Shroud (1 action, range 3, mark): An
characters to the foe. Excel: Deals bonus damage ally in range is marked. While marked, they gain
and foe is stunned. stealth at the start of their turns, and have
Rocket Jump (1 action): The Praetorian evasion if there are no other characters adjacent.
rushes 3 spaces in a straight line, ignoring terrain Steam Blast (1 action, line 4): Area effect:
and movement penalties. All adjacent foes when it Characters take 3 damage. Blinded characters
finishes this movement are shoved 1. take 3 damage twice instead.
Shield Jumper (1 action): An adjacent ally to
the Praetorian uses its shield as a springboard and
can fly 3.
Chapter 2+
Arkentech repulser shield (1 action, end
turn, usable when bloodied): The Praetorian
becomes immobile and gains aura 2 until the end Sword master
of its next turn. The Praetorian and any of its Master duelists, trained at imperial war
allies inside the aura have resistance against academies. Usually the product of a privileged or
abilities originating from characters inside the pampered upbringing, but not less deadly.
aura. Foes entering the aura must first pass a
save, or become unable to enter the area by any Masamune (1 action, attack, unerring,
means on a failed save until the start of their next range 2, combo): On hit: [D] Miss: 1 damage.
turn. Effect: Slash foe with a mortal wound. If they
attack during their next turn, they take 6 damage.
STEAM WRIGHT Exceed: Also apply Muramasa’s effect to the foe.
• Muramasa (1 action, attack, unerring,
Engineer-wrights that have attuned to the water range 2, combo): On hit: [D] Miss: 1 damage
aether of steam, the fire aether of burning coals, Effect: Slash foe with a mortal wound. If they
and the earth aether of metal gears. Their power move during their next turn, they take 6
allows them to attune with machinery of all kinds damage. Exceed: Also apply Masamune’s effect
and maintain the automata necessary to run and to the foe.
manage the largest imperial war machines. Hone (2 actions, end turn): The next attack
from this character deals maximum damage and
HP: 56 triggers all exceed effects.
Cut Through (1 action, line 4): Area effect: 3
Boiling Shroud: While bloodied, the steam damage. The Swordmaster may teleport to any
wright has permanent stealth and gains aura 1. point on the line after this ability resolves.
All other characters inside the aura are blinded+ Duelist’s Fervor (1 action, range 3, mark):
while inside. The Swordmaster marks a foe in range 3. While
Elite: Takes 2 turns the foe is marked and in range 2, the Swordmaster
has evasion and deals bonus damage with all
Acrobatics (free action): Dash 2. This action abilities against that foe. The foe can end this
can interrupt and split up other actions or mark by hitting the Swordmaster with an attack.
movement.
Steam Hammer (1 actions, melee attack, BATTLE WAGON

range 2, small blast): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or Slow, ponderous, and fuel-hungry, these massive
area effect: fray. Exceed: Deals bonus damage, imperial war machines crawl across the
dazes foe, and gain +1 action battlefield on metal tracks, belching smoke. Their
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thick armor turns aside even the most powerful blast area effect, destroying it. If multiple foes
attacks, and their heavy cannons can blow are equidistant, the wagon can choose. Foes in
asunder walls, towers, and infantry alike. the area must save or take [D]+fray, or fray
damage on a successful save. Then, create a
HP: 80 pit under the foe. Foes standing on an object
Elite: Takes 2 turns succeed the save automatically, but all objects
under them are removed instead of creating a
Special Traits: Size 2, Sturdy pit.
Heavy Armor: Resistance to damage from
adjacent spaces. Chapter 3+
All Terrain Vehicle: Unaffected by terrain and
height movement penalties Centurion
Commanders of the legions, festooned with
Battle Platform: Characters can mount or
medals and accolades from past battles.
dismount the Battle Wagon by spending 1 space of
Fearsome tacticians. Each commands a hundred
movement, placing them adjacent when
kin, has personal servants, and their own private
dismounting, with the following rules:
mess tent. A recent trend in helmet height and
• Imperials can start the battle mounted on the
adornment had to be kept under control by high
wagon.
command as it was causing morale problems.
• While mounted, place characters inside a free
space in the wagon (so the wagon has space for
Centurions are tasked with keeping the company
4 size 1 characters). They share its space, move
standard, a fearsome sight and magnificent
when it moves, and have cover. While moving
emblem that the company will throw their lives
with the wagon, characters are unstoppable.
into defending.
• Characters hostile to the wagon must pass a
save to mount it, and cannot attempt to mount
HP: 80
it for the rest of the turn on a failed save.
• Characters mounting it the wagon when it is
defeated are placed in any free adjacent space of
Master of Strategy: Before combat starts, may
the wagon’s choice and take 3 damage.
move every character to any space up to 2 spaces
in any direction from their starting location
Main Cannon (1 action, attack, true strike,
Imperial Command Aura: Aura 2. Allies in the
range 4, medium blast): On hit: [D]+fray.
aura gain +1 boon on attacks.
Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: All foes in the
Give Orders (Round Action): At the the start
area are shoved 1. Exceed: Deals bonus damage.
of each round, may give an orders token to any
The wagon, all its passengers, and all adjacent
other Imperial.
characters to the wagon are shoved 1 from the
Cannon Strike (Round Action): At the start of
back blast away from the attack target.
each round, may designate a small blast area to be
Lumber (1 action): Rush 3, then shove all
hit by off-battlefield artillery. At the end of the
adjacent foes 1
round, any characters in the area must save or
Flak Cannon (1 action, true strike,
take 2[D]+fray, or fray damage on a successful
repeatable, line 3): Rush 1, then Area effect:
save. Any character standing in the center space is
Characters are shoved 1 and take 2 damage. If
also stunned on a failed save.
only one character is caught in the area, they are
slashed.
Tactician’s Gambit (Interrupt 1): Trigger: A
Torpedo (1 action, range 6, summon, 1/
character is about to make a save or attack roll.
round): The Wagon summons a burrowing
Effect: The Centurion also rolls a d20 and may
torpedo in a free space in range 6.
replace the final result with the Centurion’s roll
Torpedo instead of the original d20 roll.
Size 1 summon
Summon Effect: At the end of the next Tactician’s Advance (free action): Up to two
player turn, the torpedo submerges, burrows, allies anywhere on the battlefield may dash 2.
and detonates under the closest foe for a small
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Spear Sweep (1 action, attack, range 2, Traits: Size 2

combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character.
Shove 1. Area Effect: All foes in range 2 take fray Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of
damage and are shoved 1. Exceed: Dash 1, then the round, this character may clear a status or
repeat the area effect. mark affecting it.
• Vital Tusk (2 actions, attack, combo): On
hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: Attack target Hellforged: Immune to its own terrain effects.
must save. On a successful save, they are shoved
1. On a failed save, they are removed from the Phases
battlefield, then placed in any free adjacent The Crimson Weapon changes to phase II when
space, then shoved 3. Exceed: Character fails the bloodied.
save.
Flare Gun (1 action, range 6, repeatable): ROUND ACTIONS
Ignores stealth. A foe in range 6 is sealed and Arkentech Munition (Round Action,
loses stealth. Sealed foes also take fray damage. Summon): At the start of the round, the Weapon
Supreme Standard (2 actions): The fires a slow burning munition that lands in a
Centurion plants a banner in an adjacent space. space adjacent to any foe.
Imperial Standard
Munition
Size 1 object
Size 1 summon
Summon effect: Aura 1. Self and Allies in
Summon effect: If a foe ends their turn
the aura gain +1 boon on attacks and saves,
adjacent to a munition, it explodes for a large
and if they start their turn in the area they are
blast area effect. Characters inside, including
cured. Foes in the aura gain +1 curse on
the weapon, must save or take 2[D]+fray and
attacks and saves, and if they start their turn
be stunned, or just [D]+fray on a successful
in the area, they lose all vigor. The centurion
save.
can only plant one of these banners at a time.
Hades Cannon (Round action, unerring,
true strike): At the start of the round, the
Legends Weapon charges up a massive flame cannon. At
the end of the round, it fires a searing blast from
the cannon.
• Assign each side of the weapon a number, from
Chapter 1+ 1 to 4, then roll 1d4. The weapon blasts a line
area effect 2 spaces wide that is exactly lined up
with the rolled edge of the weapon and goes the
I. CRIMSON WEAPON entire battlefield.
• Foes inside the explosion are weakened and
must save or take 2[D]+fray, or [D]+fray on a
The pinnacle of imperial engineering, Weapons successful save. This damage cannot reduce a
are achievements of reverse-engineering of character below 1 hp.
arkentech - towering clockwork and steam titans • Munition inside explode.
of the battlefield, and often the equivalent of • The Weapon takes 8 damage if it’s caught inside
using a steam-powered sledgehammer to crack a an explosion.
walnut. • Then, create a space of burning dangerous
terrain under every foe, then 2 more spaces
Crimson Weapons are heavily armored and anywhere in the area, even if there were no foes
piloted automata, often bipedal, built specifically inside.
by Imperials to fight individuals of exceptional
skill, ability, divine providence, or talent that
ACTIONS
could otherwise cause the legions problems - in
other words ‘heroes’.
Phase I
HP: 60 per player character (min 120) Mortar (1 action, true strike, 2/round): The
weapon chooses a character in range 6 and creates
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a burst 2 (target) area effect centered on them. At • Any dangerous terrain the Weapon creates also
the end of that character’s turn, the shell lands in becomes difficult terrain.
the area. Foes within the area take 3 damage once
for each foe in the area. Then, all munitions in the The weapon also gains:
area detonate, and this effect ends. Hellscape (Round action): At the start of the
Drop Barricade (1 action, 1/round): The round, the Crimson Weapon creates a small blast
Weapon drops a height 1 barricade in an adjacent terrain effect of searing fire in free space in range
space. The Barricade is a destructible object with 3. The flames are dangerous terrain. Munitions
5 hp. Spaces adjacent to the Barricade have cannot be created in the area, and if they enter the
rampart. area for any reason, they immediately explode.
The areas last until the end of the fight.
Pressure Blade (1 action, attack, true
strike, arc 3, combo): On hit [D]+fray. Miss or
area effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is slashed.
Tactics
The Crimson Weapon is all about the Hades
Deals bonus damage to already stunned, or
cannon. This cannon can deal brutal damage - for
slashed characters. Exceed: All foes take 2
free! - but its targeting is random. Players that
damage again
spread out in diagonal spaces around the weapon
• Chest Cannon (1 action, attack, unerring,
will be mostly safe from it - mostly. They can also
range 5, small blast, combo): On hit: [D]
choose to voluntarily stand so that the weapon
+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Create a
might blow up its own munitions and damage
pit under the target. Exceed: All munitions in
itself - potentially a worthy sacrifice. Munitions
the area explode.
will be eventually too much for players (and the
• Pile Bunker (2 actions, attack, melee,
weapon) to handle, so the fight should move
range 2, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray and
quickly in phase II.
shove 3. Miss: [D]+fray and shove 1. Effect:
Foe is stunned. Exceed: Then, rush 2.
Trophies
Ashura Blitz (1 action, combo): The Weapon
rushes 2. If it ends this move adjacent to a foe or Hellforged Armor
munition, it shoves all adjacent foes and Uses: 1 expedition
munitions 1 space, then rushes 2 again. Effect: This armor grants immunity to dangerous
• Pressure Rush (1 action, range 3, terrain. While bloodied during this expedition, the
combo): The Weapon chooses a foe in range armor becomes wreathed in flames. All terrain
that has not acted yet. At the end of that foe’s adjacent to you counts as dangerous terrain.
turn, it rushes up to 4 spaces towards that foe,
ending adjacent if possible. Then, that foe takes Hades Cannon
fray damage three times, or just once if it’s Uses: 3
adjacent to an ally. Effect: Spend a charge of this ability and one
• Ashura Burst (1 action, range 3, action to immediately use the Hades Cannon, as
unerring, combo): The weapon fires two per the Round action.
arcing shells into the air, choosing two free
spaces in range 3. The spaces last until
activated. When a foe enters the space for any Chapter 2+
reason, they take fray damage and are
weakened, then shoved 1 in any direction.
Then create a space of burning dangerous
AZURIAN WEAPON
terrain in the area. Massive landships, Azurian weapons are steam-
belching monstrosities that use a combination of
Phase 2 prow-mounted drill and tracked locomotion to
As phase 1, but: plow through the earth, causing completely
• The Weapon creates two munitions instead of impractical amounts of destruction in their wake.
one. They mount heavy arktentech artillery that can
pound an entire town to dust in short order. Like
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other Weapons, they are part automata, and can Summon effect: The reticle can share space
function without a crew - though they often have with other characters. It moves 1 space
one and are used to transport imperial regiments towards the chosen character at the start of
long distances. that character’s turn, then 1 space after they
use any ability, including their standard move
Speed: - and interrupts. When the reticle enters any
Size: Special foe’s space, the Weapon deals 3 piercing
damage to that character a number of times
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. equal to the round number.
the round, this character may clear a status or ACTIONS
mark affecting it.
Phase I
Advanced Scopes: Immune to blinded, and
Chasm Collapse (1 action, 1/round): The
abilities have no maximum range.
weapon creates a 1 space chasm terrain effect
Landship: The weapon is immobile. It occupies 1
anywhere in free space on the map. Foes adjacent
space along the entire edge of one side of the
to the area when it is created are shoved 1 away
battlefield (imagine it lined up along the edge).
from it. The area is a pit, and any foe that
Characters and objects cannot share space with
attempts to exit the space by any means must pass
the weapon. If it is removed from the battlefield, it
a save. On a successful save, they can move as
always returns in the same spot.
normal. On a failed save, remove them and place
them adjacent to the pit. They are immobile for
MAP the rest of the current turn.
Run this legend on an 8x8 or 12x12 battlefield. Broadside (1 action, 2/round): All foes must
save. On a successful save, they are shoved 1 away
Phases: from the Weapon. On a failed save, they are
The Weapon enters Phase II at the start of round shoved 3. Collide: They also take 4 damage.
4. Torpedo (1 action, range 6, summon, 2/
round, no max range): The Weapon summons
ROUND ACTIONS a burrowing torpedo in a free space.
Torpedo
Arkentech Artillery (Round action,
Size 1 summon
unerring, pierce, true strike): At the start of
Summon Effect: At the end of the next
combat, divide the map into four equal size
player turn, the torpedo submerges, burrows,
quadrants, then number each one. At the start of
and detonates under the closest foe for a
each round, roll 1d4. The Weapon shoots an
medium blast area effect, destroying it. If
artillery barrage into the air that comes down at
multiple foes are equidistant, the Weapon can
the end of the round, affecting all foes in the
choose. Foes in the area must save or take [D]
rolled quadrant. Foes in the area at the end of the
+fray and become stunned, or just fray
round must save or take 2[D]+fray piercing
damage on a successful save. Then, create a
damage, or [D]+fray on a successful save. Then
pit under the foe. Foes standing on an object
create two height 1 debris objects in free space in
succeed the save automatically, but all objects
the area.
under them are removed instead of creating a
Rotary Cannon (Round Action): At the start
pit. Foes standing in a pit fail the save
of combat, the weapon chooses a character, then
automatically.
summons a targeting reticle at exactly range 3
from them. The Weapon can only have one of
Turret Fire (1 action, pierce, attack, no
these reticles active at once but either place a new
max range, combo): On hit: [D]+fray and
one or retarget the reticle by using this Round
shove 1. Miss: fray damage. Effect: The Weapon
Action again on subsequent rounds, changing
may move its targeting reticle 1 space in any
which character it chases.
direction.
Targeting Reticle
Size 1, intangible
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• Seismic Thumper (2 actions, unerring, into the artillery fire. Foes can avoid the torpedoes
medium blast, attack, no max range, it can fire out if they are quick enough by standing
combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage. on the debris it put out, or even the mines or
Effect: Create a Seismic Thumper destructible thumpers created by its abilities
object in free space in the area.
Seismic Thumper Trophies
Size 1 object, 10 hp
Summon effect: Adjacent spaces to the Targeting Flare
thumper are difficult terrain. Foes that Uses: 1
start their turn there take 4 damage. Effect: At the start of any round, fire this flare at a
• Flak Blast (1 action, true strike, space in range 6 to call in off map artillery. At the
attack, no max range, combo): On hit: end of that round, a cannon strike hits the area as
[D]+fray. Miss: fray damage. Effect: Foe is a large blast area effect. Characters inside must
vulnerable. All foes adjacent to the targeted save or take 2[D]+fray damage and be stunned, or
foe take 1 piercing damage three times. just fray damage on a successful save. Then create
a pit in the center space.
Submerge (1 action): The Weapon moves
clockwise to the next side of the battlefield. When Landship Drill
it emerges, it shoves all adjacent foes 1, then deals Uses: 1 expedition
3 damage to all foes in range 3 as an area effect. Effect: For the use of this expedition, you ignore
Arkentech super mine (1 action, no max terrain penalties for being in pits. You may create
range): The weapon fires a mine at a free space a pit underneath yourself at the start of any of
in range. your turns, and may spend 1 action and end your
Arkentech super mine turn to remove yourself from the battlefield, then
Object, destructible (5 hp) re-appear inside any free pit on the battlefield.
Effect: The mine arms at the the end of the
next player turn, after all other Weapon
abilities and effects have resolved. If any foe
Chapter 3
ends their turn adjacent to the mine while
armed or collides with it, it explodes in a burst
1 (self) area effect, dealing 3 piercing damage VERIDIAN WEAPON
to foes within and shattering them. If
When a lord, baron, or dictator really wants to
destroyed or removed, the mine fizzles out.
show off, they will undertake the construction of
one of these massive, armored airships, a project
Phase II that typically takes months to complete and the
As phase I, but in Phase II: manpower of a small nation. Festooned with the
• Submerge becomes a free action the first time latest armaments, scopes, and automata
it’s used in a round. technology, Veridian Weapons take to the skies
• The Weapon can summon a second Rotary as an embodiment of imperial might, splendor,
Cannon with its Round Action. and prestige. Each one carries a super-weapon,
• Arkentech Artillery covers an entire half of an arkentech mega bomb, or energy beam, or
the map (divide the map and flip a coin for something similarly as inventive as it is
which side). At the start of round 7, it covers the terrifying in effect, to blow away any ideas of
whole map instead. opposition before they manifest.
Tactics HP: 60 per player number of players (min 120).

The Azurian weapon can put out withering Each section of the ship has 1/3 of its max hp,
amounts of firepower, eventually culminating in rounded up.
carpet bombing the entire map if players don’t Speed: -
defeat it fast enough. It can use Broadside to
shove foes into the mines and seismic thumpers it Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character.
puts down, as well as put them out of position and
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Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of - When all three are destroyed, the Weapon is
the round, this character may clear a status or defeated.
mark affecting it.
AUTOMATA
Airship: This Weapon fight takes place on the
Weapon, an airship that could be any shape, but is Sections can summon Automata. Automata are
better run on a smaller, rectangular map of no summons without intangible, so they can be
more than 10 or 12 spaces on its longest side. The attacked and damaged regularly. They otherwise
deck of the airship is treated as basic terrain and abide by the regular summon rules. Automata
not a character (it’s too heavily armored), but its have a defense of 5 and 5 hp. When created, they
three sections can be attacked to deal damage to can be created in any free space in range 4 of the
it. section that created them.
Arkentech Megabomb: The Weapon has a
massive Arkentech weapon that is constantly ROUND ACTIONS
charging. If it is allowed to fire it, it ends the fight,
resulting in a player loss. Usually the weapon Under-deck rumbling (Round Action): At
firing will result in some massive loss of life, like a the start of the round, as long as the Engine is
town being wiped out, but you can decide what intact, create a medium blast area anywhere on
the stakes are for your game. the battlefield. At the end of the round, the area
explodes. Characters still standing in the area take
Track the bomb's energy charge with a d6. It fray damage three times and are shoved 2 away
starts at 1, and ticks up by 1 at the start of each from the center. Automata in the area are
round past the first. If the Veridian Weapon ends destroyed.
a round with its charge at 6 or higher, the fight is Tracking Missile (Round Action): At the
over. Players can deplete the charge by destroying start of the round, as long as the Forward
sections, and the weapon can increase it with Turret is intact, it fires a tracking missile at a foe.
certain abilities. At the end of that foe’s turn, they take 20 damage
and must save or be stunned. Effect: If they are
PHASES: adjacent to any other foes or automata, this
When a section is destroyed, lower the Megabomb damage is reduced by 5 for each of those
counter by 1. Each remaining section gains an characters, and each of those characters takes 5
ability depending on which section was destroyed. damage instead.
Anti-boarder napalm flood (Round
SECTION RULES Action): At the end of the round, as long as the
The targetable parts of the Weapon are three Aft Turret is intact, all non automata characters
separate sections: the Engine, the Forward Turret, not standing on an object take piercing damage
and the Aft Turret. equal to the round number.
- Each section is a separate size 2 character that
is immobile and has 1/3 of the Weapon’s total SECTIONS
HP. If removed from the battlefield, can only be
placed in the same space.
- Sections cannot be placed within range 2 of AIRSHIP ENGINE
each other.
- The Sections also count as height 2 objects. Overlock piston (1 action, 1/round): The
Other characters can move on them or use Engine pops a piston out of the deck.
them as cover Overclock Piston
- When acting, the Weapon acts with only one of Height 1 Object (destructible) 10 hp
its sections at a time. It must take a turn with Summon Effect: All engine sections and
each of its sections in a round before taking a automata gain +1 boon on all attacks per
turn with a different section. overlock piston active. If three or more are
- When a section is reduced to 0 hp, it is active at the end of the round, also increase
destroyed and removed from the battlefield. the Megabomb counter by 1.
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Repair Automaton (1 action, 2/round): The damage, once, per character caught in the
Engine releases a repair Automaton. area.
Repair Automaton
Summon, 5 defense, 5 hp Destruction: If this section is destroyed, all
Summon Effect: At the end of the round, remaining sections gain Collateral Damage as a
the engine grants 3 vigor to any section per 1/round free action.
active repair automata. It can only repair one
section at a time this way. Aft Turret
Steam Vent (1 action, attack, range 4, Gatling Cannons (1 action, attack, range 6):
medium blast: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area Autohit: 3 piercing damage. Area effect: All foes
effect: Fray. Effect: Attack target is pacified. in range 6 take 3 piercing damage.
Lurch (1 action, repeatable): All characters, Shield Automaton (1 action, combo): The
including Automata, are shoved 1 in the same section summons a shield automaton.
direction as the ship speeds up or slows down. Shield Automaton
Collide: Foes take 2 piercing damage Size 1, 5 defense, 5 hp
Summon Effect: The automata has aura 1.
Destruction: If this section is destroyed, all Foes in the area gain cover from all directions,
remaining sections gain Lurch as a 1/round free but automata in the area reduce all damage
action. taken to 1.
Summon Action: Once a round, during the
FORWARD TURRET Aft Turret’s turn (including when summoned)
the automaton can move 3 spaces.
Deck Sweeper (1 action, true strike, 1/ • Combat Automaton (1 action, combo):
round): Deal damage equal to the current round The section summons a combat automaton
number+1 to all foes. Foes in cover from the turret Combat Automaton
take no damage. Size 1, 5 defense, 5 hp
Summon Action: Once a round, during the
Mega Gun Turret (1 action, attack, range 8, Aft Turret’s turn (including when summoned)
small blast): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area the automaton can move 3 spaces, then make
effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is sealed and the following attack: Automaton gun (free
shoved 1. action, attack, range 4): On hit: 5 damage.
Pop-up turret (1 action, summon, combo): Miss: 2 damage.
The Turret summons an automaton turret
anywhere on the battlefield. Destruction: If this section is destroyed,
Turret Automaton remaining sections gain the ability to summon
Size 1 summon, 5 defense, 5 hp Combat Automaton as a 1/round free action.
Summon Effect: While undefeated, also
counts as a height 1 object and can be
moved on or used as cover by other
Tactics
The Veridian weapon is a chaotic fight that is a
characters
straight race between destroying ship sections to
Summon Action: Once a round on the
delay the bomb counter, and destroying the
forward turret’s turn, including when
numerous automata it spits out before they
summoned, the automaton can deal 2
become too overwhelming. Characters may want
damage twice to a character in range 4
to keep some of these sections and automata alive,
• Collateral Damage (1 action, range 6,
however, due to abilities like tracking missile,
combo): The Forward Turret blasts a
deck sweeper, and anti-boarder napalm flood,
character in range with a hail of bullets,
which can more easily be avoided if there are
dealing 2 piercing damage to them, then
more objects and automata around.
creates a medium blast area effect on the
other side of that character. Characters in the
area, including automata, take 2 piercing Trophies
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Retooled Combat Automaton

Uses: 3
Effect: By spending 1 action, can unfold and
deploy a combat automaton, as per this legend’s
action. It can act during your turn.
Doom Key
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: You have access to a portable version of an
Arkentech mega weapon. It takes a long time to
charge, but is incredibly potent and can end fights
even with just the threat of firing. All fights this
expedition automatically result in a victory for you
at the end of round 6. However, once this effect is
used, it is used up and is no longer active for the
rest of the expedition.
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Imperial Trophies
The Arquebus gives you a basic heavy ranged attack with
Imperial Arquebus 1 expedition
a range of 8 this expedition.
As an action, you may place an intangible size 1 summon
in a space in range 3 not adjacent to any character. If any
Arkentech Mine character exits or enters any space adjacent to the mine, 3
it explodes for [D]+fray in a medium blast area effect
and dazes characters within.
Spend a charge for the following action: Flame hurler
Flame Hurler (1 action, range 2, medium blast, unerring, true 3
strike): Area effect: 5 damage
As an action, you may spend a charge to activate this
energy shield and gain aura 2 until the end of your next
Arkentech Force Shield 3
turn. Yourself and allies have resistance against abilities
originating from characters outside the aura.
As free action during your turn this expedition, you may
Imperial sidearm 1 expedition
deal 1 piercing damage to a foe in range 4
As an action, you may spend a charge to rush 3 spaces in
Imperial Rocket Pack a straight line, ignoring terrain and height penalties. All 3
adjacent foes when you land are weakened and shoved 1.
Arkentech Power Armor This expedition, start every combat with vigor 1 1 Expedition
This expedition, all shoves your abilities inflict are
Arkentech Power Gauntlet increased by 1, and your attacks gain exceed: shove your 1 Expedition
foe 1 (+1) spaces.
Arkentech Goggles This expedition, your abilities gain unerring. 1 Expeditions
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VI. DEMON
The origin of Demons is a mystery, but most scholars agree they appear to be closely related to the
Doom. They are among the most dangerous and fearsome creatures that lurk in the deep levels of the
Arkenruins, existing seemingly only to destroy. Whenever they appear, they drive other creatures to the
surface in a Blight.
The deeper you go in the ruins, the more demons you come across, and the more reality seems to fall
apart. Some of the more infamous and unconquered ruins in Arden Eld descend miles and miles, deep
into the earth, where they eventually dissolve into lightless Abyss, full of squirming Natal demons that
crawl over each other like maggots, and stalked by enormous, misshapen horrors.
Faction Template inevitably pour forth. Given time, Natals warp,
To make any foe a demon, you can use the burst, and shed their skins, transforming into
following template: different and more powerful demons.
Monsters: Demons do not flee or negotiate. Natal

All Demons have the Devour trait. Legion: Fights with demons always include at
• Motivations: Most demons are mindless, extra least one Natal mob. Some demon abilities will
dimensional killing machines that exist to kill add or remove to this mob, even if there are no
and eat living things. Those that have the members of the mob left.
intelligence or wherewithal to communicate
with Kin usually reveal a cruel and sadistic Squirm (2 actions): Effect: Dash 2, then deal 1
malice. They delight in inflicting pain, fear, piercing damage to all adjacent foes. Effect: Up to
violence, and destruction - including on each two other Natals may deal 1 piercing damage to an
other. adjacent foe.
• All have the Abyssal Legion trait (see below) Void vomit (2 actions): Effect: Create a
difficult terrain space adjacent to up to two natals.
Special mechanic: Abyssal Legion This space can be created under characters, and
deals 1 piercing damage to a character in the space
Legion: When fighting demons, at the start of when it is created.
combat, place a Natal mob, this faction’s special
mob, on the map. The mob does not count for the
total faction budget.
Devour (2 actions, 1/combat): The Demon
devours and absorbs an adjacent bloodied demon,
destroying it permanently and curing itself. They
then gain +1 action for all their turns for the rest
of combat, starting with this one.
• Can also be used as Devour Natal:
Devour Natal (free action): Demons may
Devour an adjacent Natal as a free action,
destroying it and giving them +1 action for
this turn only. A demon can only use Devour
or Devour Natal in the same turn, and not
both.
Unique Mob: Natal

Natals are immature demons, smooth, pale-
skinned humanoids. Wherever demons appears,
breaching the veil between worlds, they
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each action spent, it can repeat the following
FOES effect after this ability resolves: Rush 1, then deal
2 damage to all adjacent foes and shove them 1.
Battle Demon Blood Feed (1 action): The demon deals 2
damage to all adjacent characters. It then gains 2
Apex predators of the lightless spaces beneath the
vigor per demon damaged this way, up to a
earth, battle demons, or Type I demons, exist
maximum of three times.
seemingly only to split living creatures into parts
Aura of Slaughter (2 actions, stance, aura):
convenient enough for eating. They don’t sleep,
The Battle Demon gains aura 2, with the following
rest, breathe, or do anything except stalk the
effects:
winding corridors of the deep Arkenruins and
• Foes that start or end their turn in this aura take
smash nearly everything they come across into a
3 damage and must save or gain hatred of the
bloody pulp, including each other, and then eat
demon. Bloodied foes fail the save.
the pulp. According to top guild scholars,
• When the Battle Demon uses devour or devour
Demons don’t need sustenance at all to exist,
natal, it deals 2 damage to all other characters
suggesting their hunger is more existential - or
other than natals in the aura, then all demons in
worse, for pleasure.
the aura may rush 1.
Engorge: Becomes unstoppable if it devours
another non-natal demon. Chapter 1+
Starving Demon
Rampage (1 action, true strike, attack, line These skeletal demons swell to enormous size
3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. when they absorb their defeated foes.
Effect: Attack target is slashed. The Battle Demon Flesh Hook (1 action, range 4): A character in
can spend additional actions on this attack. For range takes 2 damage and is shoved 2 towards the
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Demon. If they are bloodied, they are also are increased are removed and placed adjacent to
weakened. Becomes a free action if used on an the demon.
ally.
Horn Demon
Armor Demon A powerful, muscular demon crowned with
A knight-like demon clad in armor-like carapace curling horns. It tears the earth up with its
that fights with no sense of self preservation and violent strikes and exudes a mist of bloody steam
crushes all before it. Seeks powerful foes in from its body.
combat.
Special Traits: Sturdy Traits: Regeneration
Implacable Evil (1 action): Rush 1 space, Hurl Body: When the Horn Demon devours
shove all adjacent characters 1 space, then gain another demon or a natal, it uses its prey’s
counter until the start of next turn. leftover body as a weapon, hurling it at foes. A foe
Instill hatred (free action, range 4): A in range 4 of the demon becomes weakened and
bloodied foe in range gains hatred of the demon. takes 4 damage if devour was used, or just 2
damage if devour natal was used.
Gaping Demon Void Fist (2 actions, +2 curse, small blast,
This demon is almost all mouth, teeth, and melee attack, combo): On hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss
tongue, which nearly splits its body in two. or area effect: fray. Effect: May rush 2 before this
Swallow Whole (1 action): A adjacent attack. Effect: Attack target is shoved 3. Collide:
character must save or be swallowed whole. On a Foe is stunned.
successful save, they take 2 damage and are Abyss Spike (1 action, range 3): Create a
weakened. On failed save, they are also removed height 2 Abyss spike object in range. Characters
from the battlefield. At the start of their turn, the adjacent take 2 damage and are shoved 1. The
demon spits them out, placing them in any spike releases an aura 1 of dark energy while it’s
adjacent space to the demon’s current location, active. Foes in the aura are weakened, and take 2
then shoving them 3 spaces. damage if they end their turn there. Effect:
Becomes a free action while bloodied.
Chapter 2+
Engorge also grants bonus damage on all
abilities.
Void Demon
Type III demons. Whippet-thin, agile, and eyeless
Nail Demon demons with extremely sharp talons. They use
the talons to peel apart the skin of reality and slip
A demon made out of iron, pierced with long and
through the wound, an effect which tears away
extremely sharp nails that it can retract at will
at living and nonliving matter both. Less
like spines.
aggressive and more calculating than other
Power from pain: Has counter, and grants
demons, they will often stalk travelers for days,
counter to all adjacent allies. Each time counter
taking in their scent.
triggers on self or adjacent allies, this demon
gains 1 vigor.
Void Prowler: Void Demons can create void
Painwrack: Characters that collide with the Nail
rifts, which are 1 space pit terrain effects with the
Demon take 4 damage, but no more than once a
following features:
round.
• Foes inside void rifts are blinded+.
Impale (2 actions, attack, range 2, true
• Demons inside void rifts have evasion and
strike, usable while bloodied): On hit: 2[D]
ignore movement penalties when entering or
+fray and shove 4. The demon rushes 3 towards
exiting a rift space
the foe after shoving them. Miss: fray and shove
• Void demons can treat any two void rifts as
2. Collide: foe is slashed and stunned.
adjacent spaces when moving, teleporting when
they move between them. However, they can
Chapter 3 only teleport this way once a turn.
Engorge also increases the demons’ size to 2.
Other characters in the demon’s area when its size
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Void Talon (1 action, attack, +1 boon, range rolls against that foe, and may teleport 1 after that
3): On hit: [D]+Fray. Miss: fray. Effect: The Void foe uses an ability. A marked foe can save against
Demon creates a void rift adjacent to its target, this mark at the end of their turns, ending it on a
which could be placed underneath it. Effect: The success.
demon can spend additional actions on this
attack. For every action spend, it may teleport 2, Chapter 2+
once, before using this ability. If three or more Void Rifts are also dangerous terrain spaces for
actions are spent on this attack, it gains unerring foes.
and deals 2[D]+fray on hit instead.
Tear rift (1 action, range 3): Create a void rift Lurking Demon
in range 3, then may teleport into the Rift.
This slick demon’s skin constantly shifts to match
Time Lock (1 action, range 4, mark): A foe
its surroundings. It’s long, thin arms can reach
in range is marked. While marked, that foe cannot
out from darkness and choke the life out of its
use interrupts, free actions, or abilities that cost 2
prey.
actions unless they are adjacent to an ally. If
adjacent to an ally, a marked foe can save against
Lurker in the dark: Has stealth+ if no other
this mark at the end of their turn, ending it on a
characters are in range 2.
success.
Scuttle (1 action): The demon dashes 4 with
Decaying Orbit (1 action): Teleport 1, then
phasing. If it ends this movement inside a void
teleport 1. Each time, may teleport an adjacent
rift, it can teleport to the space of any other void
character 1 space.
rift as part of this action.
Strangle (1 actions, range 3, mark): The
Chapter 1+ demon marks a foe in range. If that foe ends its
turn in range 3 of the demon, the demon grabs
Hollow Demon and chokes the life out of them. They may shove
This demon is barely there, a hole in reality that their prey 2 spaces in any direction, and that foe
sucks in the air at the edges. Hands occasionally sacrifices 3. A foe can save at the end of their turn
grip the edges of the hole. if this effect doesn’t activate, ending this effect on
Ethereal: Phasing, and has evasion unless a success.
adjacent to a foe.
Void Caller (2 actions, 1/combat): Create a Chapter 3
natal adjacent to every Void Rift, up to six times, Void Demons gain stealth+ while adjacent to
adding to the natal mob. void rifts.
Prowling Demon Crystalline Demon

This bestial demon has the ability to become A demon made of shimmering crystals with
insubstantial, retreating to the void from whence razor sharp edges, made to sever flesh and draw
it was spawned when in danger. blood. The crystals are infectious and make
Phase slip: After being damaged for the first living flesh brittle.
time on any turn, become intangible until the Traits: Counter
start of the following turn Crystal Dagger: When the demon teleports, it
may deal 1 damage to a foe in range 3.
Cutter Demon Crystal Burst: When the demon is destroyed or
This demon’s arms end in cutting blades with devoured, it shatters, teleporting all characters in
black, reflective edges. range 2 from it 2 spaces and dazing them.
Cut Through (1 action, line 4): Area effect: 3 Crystallize (1 action, mark): A foe in range 4
damage. The Cutter Demon may teleport to any is marked. While marked, they turn partly to
point on the line after this ability resolves. crystal. While marked, they take 3 damage after
Replace Time Lock with Hunt (1 action, using any ability. If they miss with an attack, they
range 4, mark): The Cutter Demon marks a foe take 6 damage instead. A foe can end this mark at
in range. While marked, the demon deals bonus the end of any turn they didn’t deal damage.
damage against that foe, gains +1 boon on attack
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Smoke Demon
Terror Demon This demon is a cloud of venomous, choking
Type VI demons, which seem to feed off strong smoke. Writhing images in the smoke
negative emotions in the way other demons feed occasionally surface in the form of screaming
off flesh. Prominent demonologists have faces.
theorized demons are themselves shaped by the Traits: Phasing, Flying
fears and concepts of kin, as their true forms Corruptive cloud (2 actions, terrain effect,
exist on a plane of reality utterly range 2): The smoke demon summons a
incomprehensible to normal senses. It would medium blast terrain effect. The cloud grants
certainly explain the way terror demons seem to cover and the entire zone is considered part of the
be able to warp themselves into imitations of demon’s Aura of Terror. This zone lasts until this
primal fears. ability is used again.
Aura of Terror: The Demon has aura 2. Foes in Bulging Demon

the aura are pacified+ unless adjacent to an ally. This demon’s grayish skin shifts and bulges
unnaturally.
Enfeeble (1 action, attack, small blast, Special Traits: Regeneration
range 6): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: Disgorge: Whenever this demon loses all vigor,
fray. Effect: Character is pacified. Pacified create a natal in range 2
characters take fray damage again. Effect: The Last Revenge: When defeated (not devoured),
demo can spend additional actions on this attack. explodes in a medium blast area effect centered
For each action spent, it deals bonus damage and on it. Non-demons in the area take [D]+fray, then
increase the blast size from small, to medium, to summon 2 Natals in free spaces in the area.
large. If 3+ actions are spent, demons are immune
to its damage and gain 3 vigor instead.
Chapter 2+
Paranoia (1 action, range 6, multimark): A
Bloodied foes also have +1 curse on attacks and
foe in range is marked. While marked, they
saves inside Aura of Terror.
cannot gain or benefit from vigor, and cannot
target allies with abilities. This mark ends if they
end their turn 2 or more spaces away from any Warping Demon
allies, or they may save at the end of their turn, This demon is a collection of bubbles with a
ending it on a success. disconcertingly skin-like texture
Demon Burst (1 action, range 4): The Terror Special Traits: Flying
demon destroys a Natal in range, then grants 3 Pop bubble (1 action): This demon’s bubbles
vigor to an ally in range. If that ally is bloodied, bulge, giving it the following interrupt until the
this becomes a free action. start of its next turn:
Demon Flay (1 action, range 4): Target foe Warping bubble
and all its adjacent allies take 2 damage, then Interrupt 2
summon a natal in range 2 of the foe. Trigger: An ally in range 2 is targeted by an
ability, and that ability resolves.
Chapter 1+ Effect: That ally gains 2 vigor after that ability
resolves each time they were damaged by that
Screaming Demon ability.
This demon is full of holes that make a high Skinwarp (2 actions): Remove any ally from
pitched screaming when it moves. the battlefield, then place them anywhere else on
Death Shriek: When defeated, all foes on the the battlefield. If bloodied, they are also cured.
battlefield take 2 piercing damage and gain +1
curse on attacks and saves for the rest of the
Chapter 3
round.
Bloodied foes must save before entering any space
Howl of Terror (1 action, range 2): Area
of Aura of Terror during their turn. On a failed
effect: Foes in range take 2 damage, or 4 if they
save, they cannot move into the aura by any
are not adjacent to an ally.
means until the end of their turn.
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Puppeteer Demon Fatal Thaum (1 action, range 8, mark):

This silent demon is made up of woven strings, Mark a character in range. Area effect: At the end
and can unweave itself to link to the vital forces of that character’s turn, shoot a bolt of energy at
of other creatures that character, creating a medium blast area
White Strings (1 action, range 2): All allies in effect centered on them. Deals piercing fray
range are teleported 2 in any direction damage to that character, removes all created
Black Strings (1 action, range 4): A foe in terrain in the area, and shoves all other characters
range 5 is sealed and must save. On a failed save, 1 away from that character. Then, end the mark.
they teleport up to 3 spaces. If they end this
teleport adjacent to one or more or their allies, Chapter 1+
those allies take 4 damage from the target.
Hasten Life’s Thread (2 actions, mark): A Arachnid Demon
demon in range 6 is marked. While marked, they This demon’s spindly limbs end in humanlike
are intangible, deal bonus damage, and gain +1 hands, which it uses to spin acidic webs.
action, but unravel into multicolored string and Demonweb (2 actions, range 6): Create a
are defeated at the end of the round. small blast area of difficult and dangerous terrain
in range. Foes in the area are vulnerable+.
Chaos Demon Demons are immune to its effects.

Deadly Strand (free action): The demon
The Arkenruins are a wound in the earth so deep chooses a character in range 2 of a demonweb.
that at the bottom reality begins to unravel. Even That character is teleported into the closest space
though the air there is thin and stagnant, a of the demonweb. Foes can save to avoid this
terrifying wind lashes through the stygian halls. effect.
Though there is no light, thin ripples of color boil
across the air, like rainbows on oil. Reality starts Unstable Demon
to come apart, as the laws of the world begin to This demon is a barely controlled chaos, its very
unravel and time and space begin to have no form constantly twisting and warping.
meaning. In this environment, impossible Implode: At the start of round 4, this demon
creatures slip through the cracks and cavort on explodes, destroying the demon and dealing [D]
the dead breezes. +fray piercing damage as an area effect to all non-
demon characters on the battlefield.
Feathered demon
Reality Razor (1 action, attack, small blast,
A bird-like demon with wet, insectile eyes that
range 8): On hit: [D]+fray and foe is vulnerable.
track its prey with ravenous longing.
Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: The demon can
spend additional actions on this ability. If it
Shift (1 action): Teleport 4
spends 2 actions, the area increases to large blast
Reality Rift (1 action, range 6): The
and it gains pierce. If it spends 3+ actions, it deals
Feathered demon creates a line 3 terrain effect in
1 damage, three times, to all characters inside
range. Characters that enter any space of the
after the ability resolves.
effect may be teleported 2 by the demon. The area
Chaos Cocoon (1 action, end turn): The
lasts until this ability is used again.
Chaos Demon summons a cocoon destructible
object in range 3. Effect: At round 3+, can spend
any number of additional actions to summon 1 Chapter 2+
more cocoon per action spend. Chaos Cocoons deal 2 piercing damage to all
Cocoon adjacent foes when summoned.
Height 1, object, 1 hp
Object effect: The Cocoon also is destroyed if a Color Demon
character collides with it. When the Cocoon is This demon is a scintillating cloud of colors that
destroyed or removed, summon two natals in cannot be named. Looking at it too long hurts.
or adjacent to its space.
Replace Aetherwall with Distorted Soul:
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• When not bloodied, gain resistance to all intelligence and survives by digesting its prey
abilities from adjacent spaces. However, whole.
abilities used against them from range 2 or Vitality: 12
greater gain pierce and ignore resistance. HP: 48
• When bloodied, gain resistance to damage from
any ability not from adjacent spaces. However, Trait Modifications : No Guard
all abilities used against them from adjacent Amorphous: Phasing and can share space with
spaces gain pierce and ignore resistance. other characters. Characters that end their turn in
Fleshwarp (1 action, range 4): A character in its space take fray damage.
range is torn into pieces, then teleported 3 and Split: At the start of any turn that it is bloodied,
reassembled. That character takes 1 piercing the Ooze creates an ooze duplicate in an adjacent
damage, twice. space. The duplicate is a new character that is an
Distort foe (1 action, mark, range 6): A foe exact copy of the Ooze at the time this split
in range 6 is marked. While marked, they gain the happens, except without this trait. It may act
Distorted Soul trait (from above). starting next round. An ooze can create multiple
copies of itself this way in a fight.
Chapter 3
Chaos Cocoons summon 3 natals. Tendril (1 action, attack, range 3): [D]+fray.
Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is weakened.
Interlinked Demon Pseudopod (1 action, range 3): A character in
range is shoved 1 in a direction of the Ooze’s
This demon is made of geometric shapes that
choice.
look wrong to the eye. As it moves, it constantly
Slide (1 action, repeatable): The Ooze rushes
re-assembles itself.
3 spaces. Foes it passes through take 1 damage.
Reality Splinter (1 action, range 6, mark):
Effect: If this ability is used again this turn, it
The demon marks itself or an ally in range. While
deals +2 more damage. This effect does not stack.
that character is marked, the Demon gains the
following interrupt.
Break Reality Stretched Demon
Interrupt 1 A demon that looks like a pale, hairless person as
Trigger: The marked character is damaged by viewed through a distorted lens. Theorized to be
a foe’s ability. what happens to natals that fall into parts of the
Effect: After the ability resolves, the foe swaps abyss where space works differently.
places with the demon, removing and placing
both characters. Spindly Limbs: Ignores engagement from other
Sacred Geometry (1 actions, range 6, character, and spends no additional movement
mark): A foe in range is marked and forced into moving up or down terrain.
strange geometries. While marked:
• Any time they use an ability on an ally, they Clutch (1 action, melee attack): On hit: [D]
become unable to use abilities on allies until +fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage to
they use an ability on an enemy. bloodied characters. Effect: The demon sinks its
• Any time they use an ability on an enemy, they claws into the target, grabbing them with
become unable to use abilities on enemies until elongated limbs. If the targeted character ends
they use an ability on an ally. their turn within range 3 of the demon, it pulls
them in, removing them from the battlefield and
placing them adjacent to the demon. They then
Uniques take damage equal to 25% of their maximum hp.
Either way, this effect ends at the end of their
turn.
Chapter 1+
Melt Face (1 action, range 3, unerring): A
Ooze foe in range 3 takes 2 damage and is blinded.
An amorphous demon that is more like fauna Stretch Flesh (1 action, range 3,
native to the demon realm. Lacks any real repeatable): A character in range has their flesh
warped across space. The character takes 2
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damage, then is shoved 1 in any direction. They Tend Thralls (1 action): All characters marked
must then save or be shoved 2 again in any by Pleasant haze either gain 3 vigor or take 3
direction. Allies and bloodied foes fail this save. damage (the succubus may choose for each one).
Elongate (1 action, range 4, mark): The Corruptive Spray (1 action, range 3): The
demons warps a character’s localized space, Succubus creates 3 spaces of dangerous terrain in
causing them to occupy an arc 3 area instead of range. Characters in the area are shoved 1 outside
their normal space while marked. When they it when it is created.
move, move one space of their area and then place
the rest in any valid configuration. Chapter 2+
Mimic
Succubus A potent, formless demon with the ability to
A semi-intelligent Type VI demon made of mimic ordinary objects. It has a fascination with
interwoven tendrils. It exudes a cloud of soporific large objects such as furniture or weaponry and
musk that induces hallucinations, waking will often transform into whatever is nearby.
dreams, and illusory fantasies in those effected.
After it has a satisfactory number of thralls, it Mimicry: In any battle with the Mimic, place 5
spends its time digesting them by inverting its decoys on the battlefield at the start of the battle.
stomach on them. Unlike other summons, they lack the intangible
trait and can be destroyed.
Decoy
Fruit of Delirium (Round Action): At the Size 1 summon, immobile, 1 hp, 1 defense
start of the round, the Succubus summons a fruit Summon Effect: The GM secretly picks one
in range 3, a 1 space terrain effect. Only two of of the decoys that is actually the Mimic. When
these fruits can be active at once. Any character that decoy is targeted by an ability, before the
can consume a fruit by moving into its space. ability is made, replace the decoy with the
Consuming a fruit grants +1 action this turn, but mimic and retarget the attack to the mimic.
also marks the character with Pleasant Haze. This reveals the mimic.
Pleasant Haze (1 action, multimark, range Surprise! (interrupt 1): Trigger: The mimic is
3): A character in range 5 is marked. While at targeted by an ability, and the ability resolves.
least one character marked, the Succubus has the Effect: The mimic is revealed and dashes up to 3
following interrupt spaces. An adjacent foe must then save or take [D]
Delirium +fray, or just fray damage on a failed save.
Interrupt 1 per marked character
Trigger: The marked character ends their Bone-cracker (+1 boon, 2 actions, attack):
turn On hit: [D]+1, a number of times equal to the
Effect: The succubus chooses one of the round number. Miss: 2s damage, a number of
following effects: times equal to the round number. Effect: The
• Rest Now: Character becomes immobile mimic may dash 2 before making this attack.
until the start of its next turn. Reveals the mimic. Deals half damage if the
• Unstoppable giggling: Character mimic is revealed before making this attack.
becomes pacified. Prowl (1 action, end turn): Dash 2 and gain
• Frolic: Character dashes 3 in a direction of stealth
the succubus’ choice Shell Game (1 action): Swap places with a
• Uncontrollable rage: Character decoy, removing and placing both characters. This
immediately deals fray damage to all does not reveal the mimic.
adjacent characters, including allies. Scuttling Retreat (1 action, range 4, end
• Nightmare: Character loses all vigor and turn): The mimic creates 2 decoys anywhere in
cannot gain vigor this turn range, then secretly replaces any active decoy,
swapping places with it.
Flaying Tentacle (1 action, attack, range 3):
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: deals bonus Gazer
damage to characters marked by Pleasant Haze.
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A type IV demon that takes the form of a floating, A lesser demon forged in imitation of a beautiful,
lidless eyeball. It has the ability to selectively winged kin. Speaks, but doesn’t make any sense
unravel reality wherever its gaze lies. Theories the longer you listen to one. Theories about these
abound that this demon is merely a protrusion of creatures are they are a creation of the Abyss
a higher entity and that most of its body is itself trying to entreat with its prey.
hidden, unable to be seen by mortal eyes.
Special traits: Flying
Decree (Round Action): At the start of the
Behold (2 actions, pierce, range 8, medium round, the Emissary makes one of the following
blast): On hit: 2D]+fray. Miss or area effect: decrees, choosing a foe in range 6. That character
Fray. Effect: The Gazer rolls 1d6 and applies one must follow the decree or else take [D]+fray
of the following effects to the attack target, which divine damage and become stunned:
last until the end of its next turn. - Decree of Anger: Attack this round.
1. Scour Gravity: The target gains flying, but at - Decree of Selfishness: Do not use abilities that
the end of their turn, they fall, shattering target allies this round.
them. - Decree of Paranoia: End turn without being
2. Scour Friction: The target doubles its adjacent to any other characters.
speed, but must move maximum speed when - Decree of Rashness: End turn adjacent to a foe
moving and cannot only move in one direction
for each action. Unholy (2 actions, attack, range 5, medium
3. Scour Force: The target cannot deal blast): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
damage, but also becomes immune to all fray. Effect: Sealed foes must sacrifice 4. Then,
damage for the duration. attack target is sealed.
4. Scour Scale: The target increases its size to Immaculate (2 actions, 1/combat): An ally in
3. It can share space with foes and objects range 5 becomes Intangible until the end of its
during this effect. next turn.
5. Scour Time: The target immediately rolls a Lift Burdens (1 action, repeatable): Self, or
d20 and their class damage die. All of their an ally in range 6 may fly 2. Effect: Increase fly by
results for any of those dice rolled during this +2 for each time this ability was used this turn.
turn become the respective rolled result (so,
for example, if a 13 was rolled on the d20, all
d20 rolls on their turn would be 13). Unique Elites
6. Scour Space: The target may teleport to any
space for 1 action. However, for the duration,
all characters may teleport to any space
adjacent to this character for 1 action. Chapter 1+
Yawning Void (2 actions, terrain effect):
The Demon creates a small blast area of non- GREAT BELL DEMON
space, a terrain effect, which lasts until the end of
combat. When the demon creates the terrain, it A huge, stout demon with an enormous black
removes all characters inside and places them iron bell. The shackles on its body seem to
adjacent to any edge. Characters and effects indicate it was imprisoned somewhere. These
cannot occupy the space. Any character that demons are common enough that its believed
enters the space for any reason can be removed by they once served some function in the Arken
the demon and placed in any adjacent space. Foes empire.
can pass a save to choose which space they end up
instead. On a failed save, they take fray damage HP: 80
and the demon can choose anyway. [D]: 1d8
Chapter 3 Special Traits: Size 2

Lesser Emissary Elite: Takes 2 turns
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Black Temple Bell: This demon’s huge bell is so A great, many winged and fair-faced demon,
heavy it can only attack once a round. larger and more intelligent versions of the lesser
emissaries. These demons have a mild and
Flatten Mortal (2 actions, attack, range 2, seemingly gentle manner and often entreat with
medium blast): On hit: 4[D]+fray. Miss or area kin, gathering followings and cults, though when
effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Foe is stunned. provoked they are no less violent. Able to use holy
Bell sweep (1 action, burst 1 (self)): Area wrightcraft, much to concern of scholars.
effect: 2 damage and shove 1
Swat (1 action): An adjacent foe is shoved 2. HP: 80
Collide: foe is weakened. Special Traits: Flying
CLANG (1 action, true strike, burst 2
(self)): 2 damage, and foes must save or be Decree (Round Action): At the start of the
weakened. Weakened or stunned foes take 2 round, the demon makes one of the following
damage, twice. decrees, choosing a foe in range 6. That character
must follow the decree or else take [D]+fray
divine damage and become stunned:
PAINWHEEL - Decree of Anger: Attack this round.
- Decree of Selfishness: Do not use abilities that
This hellish demon takes the form of a person target allies this round.
strapped to or merged with a burning wheel, - Decree of Paranoia: End turn without being
screaming in agony. adjacent to any other characters.
- Decree of Rashness: End turn adjacent to a foe
HP: 64
Speed: 15 (Dash 15) Holy (2 actions, medium blast, range 4,
combo): Autohit: [D] + fray. Miss or area effect:
Trait modifications: No skirmisher fray. Effect: Attack target is pacified. Effect: Allies
Elite: Takes 2 turns in the area gain 2 vigor
Burning Wheel: This demon’s speed is 15. • Refulgence (2 actions, combo): Effect:
However, the demon must move in the same Center three medium blast area effects on up to
direction for each ability it uses, and can only three characters, one at a time, choosing
move in straight lines. different characters each time. For each area,
foes inside take 2 piercing damage, once, per
Agonize (1 action, attack, combo): On hit: character in the area. Allies inside gain 2 vigor,
[D] and foe is dazed. Miss: 1 damage. Effect: The once, per character in the area.
Wheel dashes up to 8 spaces before this attack. It Chastise (1 action): Effect: A character in range
deals additional damage equal to how far it 6 takes 1 piercing damage. If that character
traveled before it attacked. attacks before the end of their next turn, they take
• Exfoliate (2 actions, combo): Repeat the [D]+fray piercing damage and this effect ends.
following effect three times. Effect: An adjacent Lift Burdens (1 action, repeatable): Self, or
foe must save or take [D]+fray, or fray damage an ally in range 6 may fly 2. Effect: Increase fly by
on a failed save. Bloodied foes gain +1 curse on +2 for each time this ability was used this turn.
the save.
Spit fire (1 action, small blast, range 4): Chapter 2+
Area effect: 2 damage. Effect: The demon can
spend additional actions on this ability. For every
action spent, it increases the range and damage by JUDICATOR DEMON
+2.
Spin out (1 action): Adjacent foes must save or
Maleficent, and eyeless, greater demons from
become blinded, then the demon gains stealth.
deep below the earth. Relatively intelligent, they
delight in riddles, bargains, and technicalities.
GREATER EMISSARY HP: 80
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It must gaze at a different foe each round from the

Special traits: Size 2 last, if possible. If the foe breaks line of sight, the
Elite: Takes 2 turns Pale Man can immediately switch its gaze to a new
Eyeless: Immune to blinded. character as an effect.
Ceaseless Shrieking: If no foe is in line of sight
Fair is Fair (Round Action): At the start of the of the Pale Man at the start of its turn, it spends
round, the Judicator demon may use one of the its entire turn shrieking instead of using abilities.
following effects. All foes take [D]+fray piercing damage and are
- Move any status from self or any ally to a foe. stunned.
- Move up to 5 vigor from a foe to self or an ally.
- Swap the places of self or an ally with another Void Bolt (1 action, attack, pierce, gaze
ally in range 3, removing and placing both target only, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or
characters area effect: fray. Effect: Summon a height 1 debris
object in the area.
Sap Strength (1 action, pierce, small lbast, • Annihilate Flesh (2 actions, pierce, gaze
attack, range 5): On hit: [D]+fray and character target only, combo): The Pale man chooses
is be pacified. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: the target of its gaze, then focuses its eyes on
Deals added base damage on hit, miss, or area them. At the end of that character’s turn, they
effect, equal to the vigor the Judicator Demon has. take [D]+2 five times. Reduce the number of
Cut Deal (1 action): A foe in range 6 sacrifices times this deals damage once for each other
5. That foe chooses one of their allies. That ally character or piece of created terrain in the area.
gains 5 vigor. Fatal Thaum (1 action, range 10,
World Revolving (1 action): Shove all multimark): Mark a character in range. Effect:
characters on the battlefield 1 spaces in the same At the end of that character’s turn, shoot a bolt of
direction. Collide: Foe takes 2 damage and is energy at that character, creating a medium blast
sealed. Sealed or pacified foes take 4 damage area effect centered on them. Deals fray damage
instead. to that character, destroys or un-summons all
Balance scales (1 action, range 4): A foe in created objects in the area and shoves all other
range must save or sacrifice 25% of their max hp, characters 1 away from that character. Then, end
or sacrifice 3 on a successful save. Self or an ally in this mark.
range gains vigor equal to the amount they Destabilize (1 action, range 8): A foe in range
sacrificed. becomes vulnerable. If that foe moves more than
1 space on its next turn, it also releases a burst 1
area effect centered on them, dealing 1 piercing
PALE MAN damage twice to all characters within, including
that foe.
This demon’s pallid skull is crowned with a grisly
crest of eyes. It’s incredibly slow movement is Chapter 3
punctuated by shrieking and discharges of
scintillating energy from its eyes that can
pulverize stone, flesh, and armor. MAZE DEMON
A greater form of an Interlinked Demon, a
HP: 64
demon made of interlocked plates of impossible
Speed: 2 (Dash 1)
geometries. Given time, these demons grow and
stabilize, eventually becoming (horrifying and
dangerous) dungeons themselves.
Eyes within Eyes: Immune to blinded. Simply
HP: 64
grows more eyes.
Speed: 2 (Dash 1)
Lidless Gaze (Round Action): At the start of
Demon Traits: Devour
the round, the Pale Man gazes at a foe in range 10.
Some of its abilities can only target its gaze target.
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Dissolving Reality: At the start of round 1, 3,

Chapter 1+
and 5, the Maze demon creates a special terrain
effect of Dissolving Reality anywhere on the
battlefield, a medium blast zone. The zone is
LIMB DEMON
dangerous terrain to characters other than A massive, worm-like demon that appears to be
Demons. made up of fused rings of hands and arms.
Law of the Maze (Round Action): At the start Theories abound as to how a monstrosity like this
of each round, roll 1d20 and 1d10. All values of gets its start, but a common postulation is that
any d20 in a Dissolving Reality zone are set to the when the population of natals becomes too high
number on the d20. All values of any other die are in deep areas of the Abyss, they run out of room
set to the d10 number, even that number would and fuse into these larger demons, which devour
otherwise be invalid. and absorb their nest-mates until the new
Pull of the Maze (Round Action): At the end amalgamate being becomes strong enough to eat
of the round, the Maze Demon teleports one or its way to the surface. Unlucky prey of the Limb
two characters in range 3 of a Dissolving Reality demon are often stuffed into its maw still alive,
area into that area. It may choose itself. where they are fused and absorbed over time.
Some are rescuable - for a time.
Disgorge Maze Shard (1 action, combo):
The Maze Demon creates a height 1 object inside HP: 60 per player character (min 120)
one of its dissolving reality zones. Characters that
end their turn adjacent to the object may be Special Traits: Size 2
removed by the demon and placed in any valid Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character.
space in range 2 of the demon. Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of
• Twisting Law (2 actions, attack, range 8, the round, this character may clear a status or
small blast, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss mark affecting it.
or area effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is
shattered. Effect: All maze shards release a Amorphous: Can share space with other
large blast area effect centered on them, dealing characters and objects. Any foes that end their
3 piercing damage to all characters. Shattered turn inside its space take 2 damage. Does not
characters take 6 damage instead. provide obstruction, but characters treat its space
Cheat Reality (1 action, 1/round): The Maze as difficult terrain. Area effects this character
Demon fixes it’s Law of the Maze numbers to 13 creates can overlap its space, and it is immune to
(d20) and 6 (d10) for the rest of the round. damage and effects from its own attacks.
Rearrange (1 actions, range 2): The Maze Crawling Chaos: When the Demon hits with an
Demons removes all characters in range, then attack or uses certain abilities, it summons a
places them in any valid configuration in range. crawling mass of loose limbs in a free space in
Reality Splinter (1 action, range 6, mark): range 3 of its location. The mass counts as a pit
The demon marks itself or an ally in range. While and dangerous terrain to all characters but the
that character is marked, the Demon gains the demon. A character can destroy a crawling mass
following interrupt. by spending the interact action while adjacent to
Break Reality it.
Interrupt 1 A Thousand Hands: The demon deals +1 base
Trigger: The marked character is damaged by damage with its amorphous trait and all its
a foe’s ability. abilities per crawling mass it is sharing space
Effect: After the ability resolves, the foe swaps with.
places with the demon, removing and placing
both characters. Phases:
The Demon starts in Phase I, then goes into Phase

UNIQUE LEGENDS II when bloodied.
Phase I
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either side of its movement and take 2 damage

Flinch (Interrupt, 1/round): Trigger: The after it resolves.
Demon is targeted by attack. Effect: The attacker
can either choose to give the demon resistance to Phase II
the attack OR summon two crawling masses after As phase I, but loses Flinch and gains
the attack resolves. Swell Flesh (Round Action): The demon
starts to swell and grow unnaturally in size. At the
Control Limbs (1 action, multimark, 1/ start of the round, it grows its size by +1. This has
round): The demon chooses a character in range no maximum.
4 and gains control over their limbs. After that Limb from Limb (2 actions, true strike,
character rolls a d20, the demon can choose to end turn, 1/round): The Demon rushes 4
roll its own d20, substituting the demon’s result spaces in a straight line with phasing. Characters
as the final result. A character can resist this effect in its path must save or take 2[D]+fray and be
by sacrificing 6, also ending this mark. stunned, or [D]+fray damage on a successful save.
Swallow Whole (1 action, 1/round): A When the demon passes through a character’s
adjacent character must save or be swallowed space during this move, it summons a crawling
whole. Remove them from the battlefield. At the mass adjacent to them, but only once per
start of their turn, the demon spits them out, character.
placing them in any adjacent space to the demon’s
current location, then shoving them 3 spaces.
They are weakened. Collide: Character takes [D] Tactics
+fray and is stunned. The Limb demon scatters its mutated body over
the battlefield, making it incredibly hard to move
Crush Body (1 actions, attack, range 2, true around safely for foes over time. Foes will have to
strike, burst 1 (target), combo): On hit: [D] position so that its relatively short range attacks
+fray and summon a crawling mass. Miss or area cannot reach them without moving it out of the
effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is slashed. space of its own crawling mass spaces. In phase
• Echoing Scream (1 actions, attack, II, this becomes a race before the demon grows
unerring, line 4, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. large enough to make this not an option.
Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: All foes in the
area must save or be shoved 2 spaces in any Trophies
direction. All crawling masses and pillars of
flesh in the area also release a scream, White flesh strip
weakening all adjacent foes. Uses: 3
• Crush Soul (2 actions, attack, range 3, Effect: Consume this rubbery white flesh at the
large blast): On hit: [D]+fray, twice. Miss or start of any combat to gain regeneration and the
area effect: fray, twice. Effect: All characters in amorphous trait for the rest of the combat.
the area in crawling mass spaces take 3
piercing damage. Clasped Hand Ring
Pillar of Flesh (1 action): The Demon agitates Uses: 1 expedition
a crawling limbs space in range 4, transforming it Effect: During this expedition, you can use the
into a pillar of flesh. It becomes a height 1 object, power in this ring to unnaturally puppet your
or increases its height by +1 if it is already an enemies’ limbs. You gain the control limbs ability,
object. The pillar causes engagement as if it was a as a mark instead of a multi mark.
character, and characters that end their turn
adjacent to the pillar take 2 damage, once, per
height of the pillar.
Thrash (1 action, combo): The demon deals 2
damage to all adjacent foes and shoves them 1.
• Lumbering Charge (1 action, combo):
Rush up to 3 with phasing. All characters in the
demon’s space during this move are shoved 1 to
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Regard: Critically hitting the demon earns its
regard until the end of the round, giving the
II. VIOLENCE DEMON demon hatred+ of that character for the duration.
This effect can switch targets if the demon is
These incredibly powerful demons wield seven critically hit again.
swords that are fused with their beings. Nobody
knows what causes their appearance, but they Phases:
are drawn to scenes of carnage and battle, eerily The Violence Demon must swap phase at the start
drifting in out of the darkness on spindly limbs. of each round. It starts in phase I.
They appear to exist only to fight incredibly
strong foes, and when they emerge they spend all Actions
day and night cutting down everything before The demon has the following actions in all phases:
them with complete, unrelenting brutality,
finishing with all other demons, until nothing else Call Blades (1 action, 1/round): Summon
remains. Only then do they drift on. three blades of agony from the void anywhere on
the battlefield. Characters adjacent each blade
Their appearance in the surface world is usually when they are summoned are shoved 1.
treated as a calamity, and entire sealer orders Torturous star (1 action, range 4, 1/round):
are often roused to try and drive one back The demon chooses a foe in range 4 that has not
underground. acted yet, marking out the space under them. At
the end of that foe’s turn, if they are in range 4 of
Speed: 5 (Dash 5) that space, a burning blade impales them, dealing
[D]+fray damage and blinding them, then
Special Traits: Skirmisher summoning a blade of agony in the chosen space.
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. If they are further away than range 4, this effect
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of deactivates.
the round, this character may clear a status or Ancient Hatred (1 action, range 4,
mark affecting it. multimark, 1/round): A character in range is
filled with boiling hatred, granting them the
Soul Suffering: The violence demon can stack following effects:
any number of marks on foes - They take +1 damage from blades of agony
Blade of Agony: Many actions from this legend - They deal 3 damage to themselves and all
summon a blade of agony, an incredibly sharp, adjacent foes and allies when they end their
bonelike demon blade. Blades can be summoned turn
in range 3 from the demon. This mark ends if the marked character deals
Blade of Agony damage to the violence demon, or 2 or more allies
Size 1, summon with this mark.
Summon Effect: Foes may pass through the
space of a blade, but treat them as difficult Sixfold Cut (1 action, true strike, range 2,
terrain. It also has the following effects. attack, combo): On hit: 1 damage six times.
• Blade Slash: Whenever a blade is Miss: three times. Effect: Dash 2, after this ability
summoned, all blades, including the one resolves. Exceed: Damage becomes divine.
that was just summoned, slash every space • Mansplitter (2 actions, attack, combo):
adjacent to them, dealing 1 divine damage On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Attack
to all foes. A character can hit by multiple target is dazed. Effect: May dash 3 before the
blades at once. attack. Exceed: Increase base damage by +[D],
• Blade consume X: Certain actions must hit or miss.
consume X blades of agony to be used. • Blade Storm (1 actions, unerring,
Blades are consumed at the start of the attack, range 3, medium blast, combo):
action and must be in range 3 of the demon On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: Fray.
to be valid. This destroys the blades, Effect: Summon a blade of agony. Exceed:
removing them from the battlefield. Summon another blade of agony.
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Phase I mode. It can choose between letting its blades of

agony build up, denying an area, or spending
Traits: Counter them for powerful effects. Player characters must
Blade Pin (1 action, range 4, blade overcome its relatively weak defensive tools
consume 1): A character in range from the before it can build up its stock of blades enough to
violence demon must save or be shoved 3, or just 1 split them apart.
on a successful save. Then, the character is pinned
down by the blade, taking piercing fray damage Trophies
and becoming immobile. They can break the blade
by using the interact ability, or break free Seventh Sword
automatically at the end of their turn, ending this Uses: 1
effect. Effect: Swing the seventh sword, instantly
Blade Parry (Interrupt, blade consume 1): defeating a character in range 4, then defeating
Trigger: The violence demon is targeted by an yourself. You cannot be rescued for the remainder
attack. Effect: The demon gains evasion against of combat and cannot ignore any wounds gained
that attack, then teleports 2. from being defeated. Legend characters take 25%
Maddening shift (1 action): The violence of their maximum hp as divine damage instead.
demon removes itself from the battlefield, then You gain a cosmetic, twisting scar (describe it to
re-appears in a space in range 3. your party and the GM) as the result of the cut to
Hunt Flesh (1 action, range 3, mark): The your soul aether from swinging this sword.
violence demon marks a foe in range. If that foe Swinging a seventh sword again causes you to die.
ends its turn out of range, the violence demon
may teleport to any space adjacent to the marked Bone Chakram
foe, then the foe must save or become dazed and Uses: 3
take 3 damage, three times, or just 3 damage on a Effect: Activate this cursed talisman at the start of
successful save. any combat. For the rest of combat, at the end of
your turn, you are filled with unbelievable
Phase II bloodlust. You deal 3 damage to all characters,
including yourself, in range 2 of you at the end of
Advance (free action, 2/round): The violence your turn. This damage cannot reduce you below 1
demon teleports up to 3 spaces, but must end hp.
adjacent to a foe.
Vital Edge (Free action, end turn, blade
consume 1): The demon’s next attack gains +1
boon and deals bonus damage. This effect stacks.
Garuda (1 action, mark, blade consume 3):
A foe in range 6 is marked and impaled by three
blades. Effect: At the start of their turn, a blade
rips out of them, dealing 5 damage and
summoning a blade of agony adjacent to them.
Once this effect has triggered three times, it and
the mark ends. Effect: If the mark is removed
early, summon the remaining blades in adjacent
spaces to that character.
Universal Violence (2 actions, melee
attack, range 3, blade consume 6): On hit:
Foe takes five damage, six times. Miss: Three
times. Exceed: Damage becomes divine.
Tactics
The Violence demon is a tempo fight that switches
between a defensive mode and an aggressive
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Immensely powerful demons that take the

III. MAJESTY DEMON warped imitation of earthly royalty, Majesty
Demons are found deep in the pits of the ruins,
where they hold court in lightless and pulsating
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chambers. Their influence is such that they warp of the Majesty Demon’s turns, flies 1. Cannot
the behavior of other demons, forcing them into move unless it’s within range 4 of a player
subservience in mock ‘kingdoms’ that wage war character. When defeated, drops its scepter in its
against other dungeon inhabitants and the space as a terrain effect. Any character standing
surface world. Though these demons appear in the scepter space other than the Majesty
intelligent, their proclamations are chaotic and Demon deals double damage with abilities
frequently nonsensical. (double all damage after rolling and totaling up all
damage). The scepter disappears when this
They are immensely powerful aetherwrights and summon is re-summoned.
supposedly capable of granting wishes. Those The Shrouded Lady (Summon, intangible,
that take bargains from Majesty Demons enjoy a flying): Teleports 4 spaces when summoned, and
few years of prosperity before they inevitably at the start of each round towards the closest
hear the call of the ruins. As they trek slack- player character. At the end of the round, deals 40
jawed towards their doom, they find their soul damage to all adjacent characters other than the
and body warping until they are dragged into Majesty Demon.
subservience in the Court of the Covenant. The Maiden (Summon, 5 defense, 10 hp):
Has aura 2. Characters other than the Maiden in
HP: 150 per player character (min 300) the aura are pacified+, but have resistance.
Flagellant Knight (Summon, 5 defense, 40
Special Traits: Size 2 hp): Once a round on the demon’s turn, one
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. flagellant knight may rush 2 towards the nearest
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of foe and and use the following ability on them:
the round, this character may clear a status or Wicked Blade
mark affecting it. Free action
Attack: On hit: 6 damage, Miss: 2 damage.
COURT OF THE COVENANT Effect: Shove 2.
At the start of combat, or as a round action, the Summon effect: When any character takes
Majesty Demon summons until it has the damage adjacent to the knight that wasn’t dealt by
following set of summons active: The a knight, the knight reduces it by 5, as if by armor,
Sycophant, the Scepter Bearer, the then takes 5 damage.
Shrouded Lady, the Maiden, and one
Flagellant Knight per character. All summons Phases:
are demons that must be placed within range 2 of The Majesty Demon changes phases when
a player character or the Majesty Demon and bloodied.
cannot be placed within range 2 of each other.
Unlike other summons, some can be attacked and
Phase I:
take damage, and are removed when defeated.
Declare Will (Round Action): At the start of
The Majesty demon cannot directly target its
the round, the Majesty Demon makes one of the
summons with attacks and effects unless
following decrees (roll 1d6).
specified. When the Majesty Demon re-summons
• 1. Decree of Penance: All foes deal 10 damage
one of these special summons, it takes damage
twice, to themselves as an effect at the end of
equal to twice their maximum hp, which cannot
the round.
be reduced in any way.
• 2. Decree of Obeisance: Foes must end their
turn adjacent to one of the summons from Court
The Sycophant (Summon, 5 hp,
of the Covenant, or else take 10 damage twice.
intangible): Counts as an ally for player abilities.
• 3. Decree of Pain: Player characters cannot be
Projects aura 2 around it. The aura reduces all
reduced below 1 hp this round. Player characters
damage to to player characters to 1 while it is
at exactly 1 hp when the round ends regain hp to
inside. At the end of any turn in which the aura
put them at 50% of maximum. Player characters
was used to reduce damage, the Sycophant is
not at exactly 1 hp become pacified, sealed, and
destroyed.
stunned at the start of next round.
The Scepter Bearer (Summon, 5 defense,
10 HP, flying): When summoned, and on each
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• 4. Decree of Annihilation: One foe (chosen meteor object adjacent to any character affected.
by the demon) takes 10 damage four times as an Round 3+: Fray damage three times on a failed
effect at the end of the round. save. Round 5+: Fray damage five times on a
• 5. Decree of Glory: Flagellant knights deal failed save.
and take double damage this round.
• 6. Decree of Haste: All movement and shoves Phase 2:
are doubled this round. As phase 1, but the demon chooses two decrees,
rolling twice and discarding duplicates. In
Death XIII (1 action, 2/round): A foe in range addition, it gains:
6 that has not acted yet pulses with dark energy.
At the end of that character’s turn, they take 20 Wretched (2 actions, 1/round): A foe in range
damage. The character can reduce this damage to 8 must save or become weakened, slashed, dazed,
10, then deal 10 damage to an adjacent character, blinded, vulnerable, shattered, pacified, and
but only if there is an adjacent character available. sealed. On a successful save, a character is
affected by two of these statuses of the demon’s
Embroil (1 action, attack, range 6, combo): choice. On a failed save, a character additionally
On hit: [D]+1 damage. Miss 1 damage. Effect: becomes immune to a further use of this action
Deals 2 piercing damage again to the target after for the rest of combat.
this ability resolves, for each status the foe is
affected by.
• Effluvia (1 action, attack, range 6, Tactics
combo): Autohit: Fray damage. Effect: Foe is Player characters may balk at the Majesty
pacified. Pacified foes take 3 damage, three Demon’s massive amount of hp, but it is mostly a
times. puzzle fight in which destroying its summons is a
• Ebullient (1 action, attack, small blast, good way of defeating it, and players can
range 6, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or frequently deal double damage. Most, if not all
area effect: fray. Effect: Copy all statuses on summons are useful to the players and can be
the foe, then inflict them in a different foe in used to reduce damage from or manage the
the area. demon’s incredibly powerful abilities, and players
should use the summons wisely, as they get only
Fold Space (1 action): Teleport 4 spaces one set per round. The demon can also use its own
Comet Rain (1 action, range 6, medium summons to mitigate damage or deny players
blast): Area effect: fray damage. Effect: shelter. It also can deal out some very nasty
Character in the center space is shattered or statuses, especially in phase II, and can obliterate
vulnerable (demon’s choice). Then create a height players suffering from statuses very quickly.
1 smoking meteor object in free space adjacent to
them Trophies
Silence (1 action, mark, range 4): The demon
chooses a foe in range. That foe is sealed and must Clasp of the Flagellant
save. On a failed save, they are mark and become Uses: 3
unable to attack while marked. This effect ends if Effect: This knight’s badge digs into your flesh.
the mark is transferred, or at the end of their turn. For this combat, you gain the Flagellant’s Guard
Backhand (1 action): An adjacent foe is shoved trait.
3. Collide: foe is weakened or slashed (demon’s Flagellant’s Guard: Reduce all damage to
choice). self and adjacent allies by 3, as if from armor,
Waterspout (1 action, unerring, range 4, but you must sacrifice 3 at the end of your
repeatable): The demon spurts water, blinding turns.
or dazing a foe in range. Blinded foes take 2
damage. Death XIII
Primal Meteor (2 actions): All foes not in Uses: 3
cover from the demon must save or take fray Effect: This tome of dark magic can be called
damage twice and become vulnerable, or once on upon in combat. Choose a foe in range 6. That foe
a successful save. Then, summon a height 1 pulses with dark energy. At the end of that foe’s
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turn, they take 20 damage, or 10 damage and they

deal 10 damage to an adjacent ally. They cannot
choose to split the damage if there is no adjacent
ally available.
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Demon Trophies
As a free action ability, create a Void Rift terrain effect in
Void Shard free space in range 3, which counts as a pit to everyone but 6
demons.
Slippery and foul smelling. Apply at the beginning of
Natal Slime combat to, gain counter for that combat. Foes that trigger 3
counter are also shoved 1.
This bone is hollow but seems bigger on the inside. Free
Empty Bone action ability: End turn. Become intangible until the 2
start of your next turn
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Swig before combat to gain regeneration, but at the start of
Purified Demon Blood 3
your turn gain hatred of the closest foe.
Point this swiveling eye at a foe as a 1 action ability for the
following Effect: Deals [D]+fray to that character, removes
Pale Man Eye 2
all created objects in a medium blast area effect, and
shoves all other characters 1 away from that character.
A chunk of flesh from a chaos demon. Squeeze it as a free
action ability to remove yourself from the battlefield, then
Warping Flesh return in any space in range 8. When you come back, you 3
are slightly wrong for a few days (extra fingers, face
askew, limbs slightly crooked, etc)
This expedition, your attacks gain (as a relic) Invoke:
Chaos Shard 1 Expedition
Attack, 16+: Inflict any status of your choice
This expedition only, gain aura 2. Whenever a foe gains
Judicator Heart Valve vigor in the aura, you may gain the same amount of vigor, 1 Expedition
but only once a round.
This expedition only, you may teleport 2 as a free action
Unstable Demon Bone 1 Expedition
ability on your turn
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them are often pariahs, exiled from society, for
real or perceived transgressions, forced into a
life of brutal survival.
The lowlander way of life is one of hunting,

constantly on the move, and using convoys of
giant, blight resistant pack insects to haul their
tents, cargo, and supplies. Many lowlander clans
are raiders, and using the blight as a natural
barrier they attack the towns, farms, and lands
outside when they need to gather supplies,
retreating into the blight when pursued. Some
principled lowlander clans may try to avoid
bloodshed and take only what they need, but the
villages they take from would nearly all see it
differently.
Clanners are masters of the giant (and very

dangerous) insect species of the Blightlands,
using them for labor, transportation, food, and
protection. They have the biggest repositories of
knowledge about blightland fauna and flora in
the known world, and are frequently hired as
guides or advisors by enterprising outsiders.
Many of them have also developed a semi-
religious respect for the dungeons that in its
worse forms can manifest as cult-like reverence.
Faction Template
To make any foe a Lowlander, you can add the
following traits. All Lowlanders have these traits.
Kin: Lowlanders are kin, can be bargained with,

VII. LOWLANDER or heavily losing a fight
• Motivations: Lowlanders nearly always fight
for territory or supplies. Negotiating for them
A society of rejects, survivors, and outcasts, for passage through their territory usually
lowlanders are a relatively new development in involves doing a favor or payment, and they
Arden Eld - those that make their homes in and typically respect fair deals. They prefer to take
under the blightlands - the areas around long- captives in battle and ransom them back later.
emerged and active arkenruins that are • Flee: Lowlanders are survivors and won't
inhospitable to life and full of monsters, where hesitate to back down from a fight they know
the very ground might be poison. They often live they will lose - conversely, they won’t hesitate to
in squalor and constant danger from their harsh exploit weaknesses.
environment, and band together for survival into
loose clans. All lowlanders except legends have the Blightland
Survivalists trait (see below)
Those that live in the blightlands live on the
fringe. Most people that are out there chase the
herds of monsters and blighted fauna, harvesting
Special mechanics: Blightland
them for valuable parts that can be sold or Survivalists
traded back to guilds or other clans. Many of
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Lowlander Toxin: At the start of each round in

any combat featuring lowlanders, all non-
lowlander characters sacrifice 2 hp.
Pit expert: Lowlanders ignore movement and
height disadvantage from pits
Suddenly!: At the start of any round, the GM can
spring a lowlander trap in any unoccupied
space not adjacent to a player character, with the
following features:
• The trap is a pit.
• When activated, a foe in range 2 of the trap
must save or be shoved until inside the trap.
• Foes that end their turn inside the pit take 3
piercing damage.
• All traps can be disarmed by a character taking
the interact action adjacent, removing it.
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If the Slab or their target is bloodied, gains:

Collide: character is stunned.
Foes Chapter 1+
Butcher
Lowlanders tasked with the ritual task of carving
SLAB and carefully preparing monster meat for
Heavy-bodied Lowlanders that keep the peace, consumption, an important task in every clan,
haul supplies, repair tools and gear and leaving their frames corded with muscle.
generally keep the camp in working shape.
Though their work is often exhausting, long, and Replace Raze with Fury Strikes (1 action,
difficult, they are the backbone of the camp, and attack, true strike, mark): On hit: [D]+fray.
vital to its survival. Miss: fray. Effect: foe is slashed. Effect: May mark
the foe after the attack resolves. While marked,
Special Traits: Defiance the butcher’s attacks cannot miss the marked foe
(turn any miss into a hit) and deal bonus damage.
Demolish (1 action, attack, true strike,
range 2): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: If Mule
the foe is in a pit, they take 2 damage again, and Strong or burly lowlanders that carry supplies
the Slab gains 3 vigor. through dangerous terrain over a long distance.
Wall of Meat (1 action, range 2, mark): The They can do the same with captives.
Slab marks an ally in range. While marked and in Blightlands Brawn: When bloodied, becomes
range, that ally has resistance, but the Slab sturdy, kidnap goes +2 more spaces, and kidnap
sacrifices 3 hp at the end of that ally’s turns. also slashes foes.
Mancatcher Bolas (1 action, range 3): A foe
in range is weakened and shoved 1 towards the Canker
Slab. Weakened foes are shoved up to 4 spaces Clan members that spend too long without
towards the Slab, or until adjacent to them. protective gear or who have consumed a little too
Kidnap (1 action): The slab rushes in a straight much monster meat often develop tough hides
line 3 spaces, phasing through characters. The and a rank stench.
first character the slab encounters is shoved along Stench: This character has aura 1. Foes in the
with the slab to the end of the line, then shoved 1. aura take +1 curse on attacks and saves.
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Toxic Revenge: Area effect: When defeated, Clanners that are tasked with the menial but
explodes with venom, inflicting [D]+fray damage important tasks of the clan, which mostly involve
as a burst 1 (self) area effect. scouting out the paths through the blights,
digging pits to defend the camp, or disposing of
Chapter 2+ unsavory waste, offal, and dangerous residues.
Great Kidnap: The Slab can spend both actions Since the aboveground is extremely dangerous,
on Kidnap to increase its distance to 6 spaces. they become experts at squirming through the
tight, catacomb-like networks of tunnels and
Snork collapsed ruins under the blight lands.
Clanners with heavy, woven environmental suits
Master of the underway: The grub gains
that are tasked with cleaning up the worst of the
stealth if they start or end their turn in a pit and
clan’s refuse and keeping the peace.
can use 2 spaces of movement to teleport from
Entrenched: Unstoppable while in a pit.
any pit space to any other free pit space.
Intimidate (1 action, mark, end turn): The
Snork marks a foe outside of range 6. After the
Razor Shot (1 action, attack, range 4, +1
marked foe uses an ability, the Snork may rush 2
boon): On hit: [D] +fray. Miss: fray. Effect: May
spaces towards the foe, shoving characters in their
dash 1 before and after attack. Effect: Gains
path 1 space out of the way. If the marked
unerring and deals bonus damage to foes in pits
character starts their turn adjacent to the Snork,
or bloodied foes.
they take fray damage twice, become stunned and
Dirty Fighting (1 action, range 3): Swap
this mark ends.
places with a character in range, teleporting both
Flame Blast (2 actions, true strike, large
characters. Foes can pass a save to avoid this
blast: Area effect: characters take 3 damage twice
effect, but are dazed on a successful save. Can’t
and are shoved 1 in any direction.
use if unable to teleport.
Reveal Pit (1 action, range 4, terrain effect,
Chapter 3
end turn): The Grub chooses a foe in range, then
Kidnap gains collide: foe takes damage equal to creates a pit underneath them. The chosen
the distance the Slab rushed with this ability. character can avoid the pit by becoming dazed
instead, shoving them 1 space out of the way in a
Slaughterer direction of the grub’s choice. Dazed foes cannot
Axe-wielding Lowlanders tasked with the ritual avoid the pit and take 3 damage.
slaughter of livestock and captive monsters. The
strength required to swing their heavy, pitted Thresher
iron blades is tremendous. Threshers are tasked with cleaning the pits and
Bloodwhetter: When the Slaughterer is tunnels of dangerous wildlife and often form
damaged by an ability they may deal 2 damage to uncanny bonds with them.
an adjacent foe, each time they are damaged. Call pit worm (1 action, 2/combat): The
Cull (1 action): Deal 3 damage, once to an Thresher chooses a pit space in range 4 and
adjacent foe for each of the following that is true: summons a pit worm in it.
• Foe is weakened or slashed. Pit Worm
• Foe is bloodied Size 1, summon
• Foe is in a pit Summon Action: When summoned, or
Grapple (1 actions, mark): The Slab marks an during the Thresher’s turn, the worm can
adjacent foe. While marked, that foe must save if teleport to any free pit space, then deal 3
it attempts to break adjacency. On a failed save, it damage to a foe in range 3.
becomes unable to exit adjacency with the Slab by
any means for the rest of the current turn. On a
successful save, the mark and this effect ends, but Scab
the foe is weakened. Unsavory scouts that are tasked with patrolling
the edges of Lowlander territory, reporting on
the movements of travelers and dealing with
GRUB them if necessary.
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Track (1 action, mark): A foe in range 5 is they are assigned permanent patrol duty and
marked. While marked, that foe cannot benefit occasionally left food and supplies.
from cover and the Scab may dash up to 3 spaces
towards that foe at the end of their turn. Lick Knife: The Tick’s abilities all have Slay:
Razor Shot (1 action, range 3, unerring): A gain +1 action. This trait can only trigger once a
foe in range takes 2 damage. If that foe is turn.
bloodied, they take 3 damage twice instead. Scuttle Away (1 action): The Tick gains the
following interrupt until the start of its next turn:
Darter Scuttle
Curating noxious, hallucinogenic toxins from the Interrupt 2
alien plant and wildlife of the blights, Darters Trigger: A foe moves adjacent to the Tick.
become experts with the tiny bone darts that they Effect: The Tick deals 2 damage to that foe,
throw or shoot from a blowgun. then may dash 3. If they move into a pit, they
may also then teleport to any other pit space.
Blowdart (1 action, range 4, mark): The Leg Trap (2 action): The Tick chooses a foe in a
Darter shoots a toxic dart at a foe in range, pit anywhere. That foe becomes immobile. That
marking them. Whiled marked, the foe is inflicted foe can choose to sacrifice 6 to break themselves
with a maddening toxin and must save at the start out of this effect as a free action on their turn, or
of their turn. On successful save, a foe is shoved 1 else can save against this effect at the end of their
in a direction on the Darter’s choice. On a failed turn, ending it on a success. If the foe is removed
save, instead of taking a standard move that turn, from the space, they also take [D]+fray, but this
the Darter may shove that character 3. effect ends.
Chapter 2
Reveal Pit also creates a pit under the Grub
BOIL
Apothecaries and priests that have learned the
Mole floral lore of the blight lands, able to gather
sustenance, medicine, and insight from its
Pale, gangly clanners that spend more time
various alien and toxic species of plant life. The
below ground than aboveground.
aether in blighted lands runs stagnant and
Collapse Tunnel (2 actions): The Mole creates
tainted, but has its own kind of order, and can be
a line 4 area effect of difficult terrain. Characters
mastered and channeled like any other.
standing in the area when it is created are dazed.
If a pit is caught in the space, it explodes with a
Toxion (1 action, attack, range 5): On hit:
medium blast area effect, dealing 6 damage to
[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Sealed or Pacified
characters within but removing the pit.
foes are shoved 2 in a direction of the Boil’s
Dig Tunnel (1 action): The Mole chooses two
choice.
pit spaces on the battlefield and connects them
Deep Well Poison (1 action, mark): A foe in
with a tunnel. Any character can use a free action
range 5 is marked. While marked, they gain no
to teleport from one end of the tunnel to the next,
benefit from being sturdy or unstoppable. At the
as long as the other end of the tunnel is
start of their turn, the Boil may shove them 1
unoccupied.
space as an effect.
Noxious Cloud (1 action, range 3): The Boil
Chapter 3 creates a choking cloud, a small blast terrain
After using Reveal Pit, the Grub may teleport to effect, in free space in range with the following
the space of any free pit, then deal 2 damage to all effects:
adjacent foes. • Foes in the cloud are pacified+ and take 2
piercing damage if they start their turn there.
Tick • Allies that start their turn in the cloud gain 2
Exiles of exiles, Ticks are clanners so reviled that vigor, or 6 vigor if they are marked with
they have been banished from the clan grounds. Adrenalize (see below)
Nevertheless, their labor cannot be wasted, so The cloud lasts until this ability is used again.
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Adrenalize (1 actions, range 4, multimark): Noxious Garden (2 actions, range 3): The
An ally in range is marked. When marked, they Mycowright creates up to two mushroom
gain defiance, and while marked they gain summons in range.
increased from noxious cloud Mushroom
Size 1, immobile, 1 hp
Chapter 1+ Summon Effect: When a character collides
with a mushroom, it explodes for a small blast
Priest of the Nettle blast area effect. Characters inside must save
Clanners that learn their ways around the or become pacified, then take [D]+fray
various poisons and noxious wastes of the blight piercing damage, or just fray damage on a
lands eventually join the priesthood to pass on successful save. The character that collided
their knowledge. automatically fails the save.
Noxious Censer: The priest has Aura 2.
Characters in the aura have cover against abilities Chapter 3
used from the outside, and foes in the aura get +1 Adrenalize increases the speed of the marked
curse on attacks character by +2.
Viper Scion of Pollution

Scarred lowlanders that dip the blades and Wrights that have learned to master the
arrows of their allies in the pure toxic ground of corrupted air and water aether of the blight
the blights. lands. In a twisted imitation of the storm
Toxic Coating (1 action, range 3): The viper benders, they call the poisonous winds of the
puts out a 1 space terrain effect in range. The wastes to their bidding.
abilities of allies inside this effect gain pierce and Acid Rain (Round Action): At the start of
deal bonus damage. combat, the priest creates a medium blast terrain
effect in free space in range 6. Characters that end
Priest of the Herb their turn inside the terrain effect take piercing
damage equal to the round number +2. The scion
The healers of the Lowlanders, potent in their
can redirect the terrain effect as part of this round
knowledge to ease sicknesses and ills - but
action, moving it 3 spaces in any direction.
equally potent in their ability to inflict them
Fetid Wind (1 actions): All foes are shoved 1 in
Purifying Censer (2 actions, range 3): The
the same direction. Collide: Character takes fray
Apothecary summons a censer in range.
damage.
Herbal Censer
Dissolution (1 action, range 4): Effect: An
Height 1 object
ally in range 3 is dissolved into poisonous gas.
Object effect: The censer has aura 1. Allies
That ally sacrifices 15, but gains flying and
that end their turn inside the censer’s aura
becomes intangible until the start of their next
may end a status or mark of their choice.
turn.
Chapter 2+
Allies may dash 3 when Adrenalize is used on
them.
APIARIST
Tamers who keep blight bees, necessary for a
Mycowright camp’s survival. These odd little insects pull in
the tainted aether of the blight lands, and
More mycelium than person, mycowrights use
produce Black Honey, an extremely potent
water and earth aether to cultivate the various
substance that is a key component of lowlander
toxic mushroom species that grow out in the
toxin.
wastes, learning how to prepare them for food
and medicine.
Summon the Swarm (2 actions, attack,
Special Traits: Regeneration
range 8, medium blast): On hit: [D]+fray.
Aura of Rot: The Mycowright has aura 2. Foes
Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Does not affect
that start or end their turn in the aura lose all
allies. Effect: Deals bonus damage for each
vigor, then take 2 piercing damage.
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character in the area. If 3 or more characters are Especially bold or foolish Apiarists who apply
in the area, all foes in the area take 2 piercing their chitin-lore to taming enormous and
damage and are shattered. extremely venomous Ruin Centipedes.
Skittering Mass (1 action, range 6): A foe in Agonizing Bite (1 action, range 6): Effect:
range either becomes vulnerable or takes 1 The tamer calls centipedes out of the earth to bite
piercing damage, twice. Effect: At round 3+, this a foe, targeting a medium blast area. For every pit
inflicts both effects. in the area, a foe in the area takes 2 piercing
Updraft (1 action, range 6): An ally or allied damage, once. A shattered or vulnerable foe can
summon in range may fly 3 be damaged multiple times by one use of this
Attack Insect (1 action, range 3, summon): ability, otherwise it may only affect each foe once.
The Apiarist summons an attack insect in range 3.
It may have a maximum of two insects at once. Chapter 2+
Attack Insect When an attack insect flies, the Apiarist or an
Size 1 ally can latch on and fly with it, mirroring its
Summon Action: When summoned, or movement.
once on the Apiarist’s turn thereafter, the
insect may fly up to 3 spaces, then deal 1 Black Mead Brewer
piercing damage, twice, to an adjacent foe.
Brewers of the potent drink that the apiarists
partake of to control their swarms (and
Chapter 1+ occasionally for leisure).
Traits: Defiance, Regeneration
Initiate Black Honey vial (1 action, range 6): The
Apiarists of low rank and influence, who have brewer throws a black honey vial at a free space in
not partaken of the Black Mead and must resort range, a 1 space terrain effect, drawing in swarms
to pheromones to control insects. of insects. The area is difficult and dangerous
Maddening Stinging (1 action, range 6, terrain, and characters inside are vulnerable+. At
mark): The initiate marks a foe in range with the start of the Brewer’s next turn, the area
pheromones that attract stinging and biting increases to a large blast.
insects. While marked, after using any ability on
their turn, the Initiate may shove the marked foe 1 Chapter 3
in any direction. An adjacent ally, but not the Attack insects deal double damage to bloodied
marked character, can deal 4 piercing damage to foes.
and use the interact ability on the marked
character to dislodge the insects, ending this Swarm Wright
mark.
The highest ranks of the Apiarists, who have
forsaken their flesh to fuse with their swarms,
Monster Hunter becoming one gestalt being.
Wrights and hunters that use their swarms to Traits: Flying, Phasing
track and hunt down monsters for the clan’s Swarm Shroud: Aura 2. Attacks against the
safety or sustenance. They fight with great- wright and allies in the aura gain +1 curse, and
glaives, spinning blades that return to their foes that start their turn in the area take 1 piercing
wielder. damage.
Burrowing Swarm (1 action): The Swarm
Replace Summon the swarm with: Wright gains the following interrupt until the start
Hunting Glaive (1 action, attack, pierce, of its next turn:
range 6): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Skittering Retreat
Deals bonus damage for each ally adjacent to the Interrupt 2
target. All allies or allied summons in range 2 of Trigger: The Swarm Wright is damaged by an
the target may dash 2. ability and the ability resolves.
Effect: Teleport 3, then create a pit under the
Centipede Tamer space vacated.
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Thousand Maws (2 actions): The Swarm Speed: 6 (Dash 3)

Wright becomes intangible, then dashes 6 spaces Defense: 8
in a straight line, then ends this effect. Foes they Fray Damage: 3
pass through take 1 damage five times. This [D]: 1d6
damage becomes piercing against foes inside pits.
Saddle Up: Lowlanders can mount or dismount
Uniques the Riding Insect by spending 1 space of
movement, placing them adjacent when
dismounting, with the following rules:
Chapter 1 • Lowlanders can start the battle mounted
Zombie Mob • While mounted, place characters inside a free
The head borer is a cooperative beetle swarm space on the insect (so the insect has space for 4
that feeds on carrion - and is able to puppet it size 1 characters). They share its space, move
using the shredded remnants of its nervous when it moves, and have cover. While moving
system, to walk to new feeding grounds, and to with the insect, characters are unstoppable.
protect the swarm if need be. Lowlanders are • Characters mounting it the insect when it is
able to tame and control these beetles with the defeated are placed in any free adjacent space of
use of pheromones, and therefore are able to use the insect’s choice and take 3 damage.
a scarce but precious resource - corpses - for
labor and defense. Bite (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]+fray and foe
is weakened. Miss: fray.
Walking Dead: Disintegrates and is defeated if Acid Spit (1 action, range 4, burst 1
all other foes are defeated. (target)): Area effect: 2 piercing damage.
Swarm Detonation: When any zombie is Leap (1 action): The Insect flies 3. If it moves
defeated, it deals 2 piercing damage to all adjacent from a higher elevation to a lower one, increase
foes. this flight to 6
Drag Along (2 actions, attack): On hit: [D] Boil Slug

+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Shove 1 in any direction. An enormous species of guard slug that can be
If a character ends this shove adjacent to another trained like a loyal, cuddly, and particularly
zombie, shove them 2 again. malodorous dog. It shoots boiling slime in a
Swarm Release (2 actions, stance): Each stream that can melt metal.
zombie releases an aura 1, with one of the
following effects: Bubble Up (1 action): The Slug becomes
• Swarm Frenzy: Foes that end their turns in the sturdy, gains 5 vigor, and gains counter. It loses
aura take 2 piercing damage and must save or all these effects at the start of its next turn.
become dazed. • Slime Stream (2 actions, attack, line 8,
• Swarm Synchronized: Attacks against allies in combo): Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or
the aura take +1 curse, and allies gain cover area effect: [D]+fray. Effect: Shove all
against abilities not used from adjacent spaces. characters 2 spaces in the direction of the line.
The mob can swap which effect is active at the Effect: At round 3+, deals bonus damage and
start of the mob’s turn. This stance lasts until the shatters target.
mob moves on its turn. Sucking Mire (1 action, range 5): The slug
creates a slimy pit in range. It can be created
Riding insect underneath bloodied foes. Foes that start their
Lowlanders ride many varieties of enormous turn in the pit must save or be unable to dash, fly,
insects or arachnids - usually beetles, but or teleport for the remainder of their turn.
occasionally formics, spiders, or land-bound Slime Spit (1 actions): The Slug shoots a line 6
hound flies. stream of slime. Characters caught in the area
when it is created are shoved 1. Allies are shoved 2
Vitality: 10
HP: 40
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instead, and can be shoved in any direction. caught in the area they are dazed and take
Collide: Foe takes 1 piercing damage twice and is bonus damage.
is shattered. Leaf Dance (1 action, stance): The Mantid
gains counter and evasion. After each time
Clot counter activates, it may teleport 1. This stance
Simple golems made from the sucking white mud ends when the Mantid is hit by an attack.
of the blight lands. Lack intelligence and fall Cut Through (1 action, line 4): Area effect: 3
apart quickly once on firm ground. damage. The Mantid may teleport to any point on
the line after this ability resolves.
Speed: 2 (Dash 1)
Special Traits: Defiance Sage Snail
Great snails that roam the blight lands, having
Mud Body: Has resistance while inside difficult developed a powerful slime barrier as a defense
or dangerous terrain, or pits. If outside those mechanism against its corruption. They are
terrain areas, takes bonus damage and +1 curse relatively intelligent for animals, can use the
on attacks and saves. aetheric arts, and often follow around lowlander
Harden: The Clot hardens over time, and bands in exchange for food and the occasional
increases all damage it deals by an amount equal shell-cleaning.
to twice the round number. At the end of round 6,
it finally petrifies and is defeated. Special Traits: Size 2
Slap (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]. Miss: 1 Bubble Stream (1 action, line 8): On hit: [D]
damage. Effect: May rush 1 before the attack. +fray. Miss: fray. Effect: If only one foe is caught
Mud Spray (1 action, range 3): A foe in range in the line, creates a large blast area effect
is weakened. Weakened foes take 4 damage. centered on them. All characters are shoved 1
Mudslide (1 action, terrain effect): The Clot away from that character. Foes in the area take 2
rushes 3, then creates a terrain effect in the spaces piercing damage, and allies gain 2 vigor.
it just passed through. The effect is difficult Suds Spray (1 action, range 3): The Snail
terrain, and characters other than clots that enter sprays a medium blast area effect with slippery
the space for the first time on their turn or start liquid. Characters in the area are shoved 1, then
their turn there must save or slip and be shoved 2 the snail creates up to two spaces of difficult
in a direction of the clot’s choice. Collide: terrain in the area.
Character takes 3 damage, twice. Bubble Shield (1 action): The Snail gains Aura
2 until the start of its next turn and becomes
Chapter 2 immobile for the duration. Characters in the aura
Mantid Warrior gain resistance to abilities from outside the aura.
Pearlescent Bubble (2 actions, range 4):
Enormous and extremely intelligent fighting
The Snail spits out three bubbles in range.
insects that can be trained as capable war beasts.
Their extreme speed makes them formidable Pearlsecent Bubble
opponents but they eat a lot - making it hard for Size 1, summon
a clan to retain one for long. Summon effect: When a character enters
the bubble’s space for any reason, it pops,
Camouflage: If this character ends its turn destroying it. Foes are pacified then, shoved 3
adjacent to an object or or inside difficult or in any direction. Allies gain vigor 3.
dangerous terrain, it gains stealth
Chapter 3
Wind Slash (1 action, combo): The Mantid Pariah
deals 2 damage to all adjacent characters, then Lowlanders that through a combination of
teleports 2, then gains stealth misfortune, exposure, or time have become
• Blightrazor (2 actions, Arc 4, attack, mutated to the point of unrecognizable by the
combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area terrifying forces and strange radiations of the
effect: Fray. Effect: If only one character is Blightlands. Their flesh crawls over itself and
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reforms, strange energies pour out of their eyes,

and they shed multicolored skin. Pariahs are Enrage: +1 action when bloodied
usually outcast from lowlander communities but Battle Platform: Characters can mount or
kept in a hermitage or tent far from the main dismount the Beetle by spending 1 space of
camp where they live out their warped existence, movement, placing them adjacent when
clinging to shreds of sanity. dismounting, with the following rules:
• Lowlanders can start the battle mounted on the
Mutate: When bloodied, the Pariah deals bonus Beetle.
damage and becomes unstoppable. • While mounted, place characters inside a free
space in the beetle (so the beetle has space for 9
Flesh warp (free action): The Pariah rips itself size 1 characters). They share its space, move
apart, then reassembles. It teleports 2, then when it moves, and have cover. While moving
teleports 2. It can split up these teleports with with the beetle, characters are unstoppable.
another action • Characters hostile to the beetle must pass a save
Chaos beam (2 actions, attack, line 10): On to mount it.
hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: • Characters mounting it the beetle when it is
Roll 1d6 and apply the following effects to all defeated are placed in any free adjacent space of
characters within. Effects, except vigor and the beetle’s choice and take 3 damage.
statuses, last until the end of the round. Zipline dismount: Characters mounted on the
1. Characters may teleport when they move beetle can fly 3 and dismount it as free action
2. Characters cannot attack ability.
3. Characters that end their turn adjacent to at
least one other character take 5 damage per Beetle Horn (1 action, true strike, attack,
adjacent character, then grant 5 vigor to each range 2): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
adjacent character Foe is weakened. Effect: Deals bonus damage
4. Characters are shattered and shoved 1 against foes at exactly range 2
5. Characters are removed from the battlefield, Side Harpoons (1 action, range 4): The
then returned to play at the start of their next Beetle deals 3 damage to a foe in range once for
turn anywhere within range 2 of their original each mounted ally. A foe can only be damaged
space. once by this ability.
6. Characters are reduced to 50% max hp if Beetle Rampage (1 action, repeatable):
above 50% max hp. Bloodied characters gain a Effect: The beetle rushes up to 2 spaces. When it
vigor surge. ends this movement, all adjacent foes take 2
Warping Blast (2 actions, range 6, medium damage and are shoved 1.
blast): Remove all characters in the area from Main Harpoon (2 actions, range 6, usable
the battlefield, then place them in any space when bloodied): A foe in range must save or
within range 3 of their original location. take 2[D]+fray, become slashed, and be shoved
until adjacent to the beetle. On a success, the foe
takes [D]+fray and is shoved 2 towards the beetle
BATTLE BEETLE instead.
Massive beetles with iron-hard shells that are
chiefly used for transportation or war. These
beetles, once tamed, can live for hundreds of
Unique Elites
years and sport watch towers, howdahs,
ramshackle residences, or even gardens on their
back. Capturing these beetles is a common Chapter 1+
reason that clans sometimes go to war with each
other.
Ruin Speaker
HP: 60 Some superstitious lowlanders are changed by
spending too much time in the Blightlands. This
Special Traits: Sturdy, Size 3 can manifest in strange powers, a connection to
Trait Modifications: No Guard the ruins themselves that sometimes manifests as
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a voice that only the Speakers can hear - and call friendly, but are also equally as likely to abduct a
to if need be. ‘sun-lander’ captive to trade for food or metal
later.
HP: 64
HP: 56
Ruin lord: Can stack up to two marks on Elite: Takes 2 turns
characters.
Call Ruin (Round Action): At the start of the Master of the underway: The Borer gains
round, the Ruin speaker chooses a space in range stealth if they start or end their turn in a pit and
6. At the end of the round, a ruin chunk surfaces can use 2 spaces of movement to teleport from
in that space, a height 3 object. Spaces next to this any pit space to any other free pit space.
terrain are difficult terrain. Any character Tunnel: When the Borer ends its turn, create a
occupying the space is pushed up on top of the pit underneath it.
ruin chunk but also takes piercing fray damage
and is stunned. Razor Hook (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]
+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: If made from inside a pit,
Landwrack (2 actions, attack, Arc 8, the Borer can fly 3 before the attack, and this
combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: attack deals bonus damage and blinds its target.
fray. Effect: Summon a height 1 ruin object Grapnel Pick (1 actions, range 3): A foe in
adjacent to the character. Deals bonus damage for range takes 3 damage. If the Borer is standing in a
each object it passed through before the attack pit, that foe also must save or swap places with the
target. Borer, teleporting.
• Sinkhole (1 action, range 6, mark, Gut Shot (1 action, range 3, mark): A foe in
combo): A foe in range 6 is marked and has a range 5 is dazed and marked, Effect: While
pit created under them. At the end of their turn, marked, the character gains an open wound.
that character creates another pit underneath While wounded, it takes [D] again at the end of its
them. If that character is already standing a pit turns. This marks ends if that character ends their
when one is created by this ability, they take 4 turn adjacent to an ally.
piercing damage instead. At the end of their Subterranean Abduction (1 actions, end
turn, this mark ends. turn, 1/round): Effect: The Borer chooses a foe
Entropus (1 action, range 6, multi-mark, 1/ inside a pit anywhere, then removes both the
round): A character in range of the ruin speaker Borer and them from the battlefield. The Borer
is marked and starts to petrify. While marked, and its victim both gamble, re-rolling ties. If the
they are shattered and take 5 piercing damage at victim rolls higher, at the start of their turn they
the end of their turns if they end their turn take 3 damage and may re-emerge from any pit of
adjacent to or inside an object, pit, difficult, or their choice at the start of their turn. If they lose
dangerous terrain. A character can clear this mark the roll-off, they take 3 damage three times
by not moving for their entire turn. instead, and the Borer chooses which pit they
Earthglide (1 action, repeatable): Dash 3. emerge from at the start of their turn. The Borer
Gain phasing and become intangible while returns to any open pit of its choice at the start of
moving. its turn.
BORER Chapter 2+
Pale and solitary lowlanders that spend more
time below the earth than on top of it. Some
prefer to move this way to avoid the strange Wrangler
energies and roaming monsters of the surface. Those among the outcast with the patience,
Others recognize the strange madness that creeps bravery, or lack of survival instinct often become
in to someone that lives this way for a long time. master monster tamers. In larger Lowlander
Often hired as mercenaries by camps, these clans they act as bounty hunters and brutal
subterranean hermits can be helpful or even dispensers of justice, enforcing the laws of the
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clan and collecting tithe. Their trained hound- nor water. Lowlanders cultivate these spiders as
flies, insects the size of an arm, can track a mounts, border guards, and jailers. Their venom
quarry for miles. also has a wide use as a medical reagent and has
saved the life of many clanners.
HP: 80
HP: 56
Elite: Takes 2 turns Elite: Takes 2 turns
Beastmaster: The Wrangler starts combat with Hunting Horror: The Larder Spider has
3 unique trained beast summons. Place them evasion unless there are two or more adjacent
within range 3. foes.
Trained Beasts
Subterranean Hunter (Round Action): At
Size 1, 5 defense, 20 hp
the start of the round, the spider can choose to
Summon Effect: Unlike other summons,
burrow into the ground. If so:
these summons have defense and health and
• Remove it from the battlefield. The GM secretly
lack intangible (so they can take damage and
places a spider’s burrow marker within range 3
effects). When defeated, the summons
of a player character.
disappear as normal, and they do not cause
• A foe can reveal the spider by entering or exiting
obstruction or engagement.
a space adjacent to the marker.
• Otherwise, the spider is revealed at the start of
Sic (1 action, attack): The Wrangler makes one
its turn.
of the following attacks, from the position and
• When revealed, the spider is placed on the map
location of one of its beast summons, from the
on the marker, removing the marker, and may
following list. If the Wrangler is bloodied, these
dash 3 as an interrupt.
attacks deal bonus damage. It must activate a
• While burrowed, every time a player turn
different summon from the last each turn.
passes, the spider may gain a d6 power die or
- Hound Fly: Fly 3, then Attack: Line 4,
may tick the die up by 1 if it already has one.
unerring. On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
Discard the die if the spider is revealed by a foe.
Fray.
• The spider may spend this power die when
- Gorebeast: Sturdy. May rush 2, then Attack:
attacking with Toxic Fang. If they do, it deals 4
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: Shove 2.
damage, once, on hit or miss to its target after
Collide: Foe is stunned.
the ability resolves for every charge on the die.
- Spitter: May move 2, then Attack (Range 8,
pierce): On hit: Fray damage 3 times. Miss:
Toxic Fang (1 action, attack): On hit: [D]
Fray damage.
+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Foe is blinded. Special
Crack the Whip (1 action, range 3): The
Effect: Gains a massive damage boost if burrowed.
Wrangler shoves all summons (hostile and allied)
Web Swing (1 action): The spider flies 3, then
in range 3 spaces in any direction.
gains stealth.
Weakening Toxin (1 action, range 5): A foe
Venom Spike (1 action, unerring, range 4,
in range 5 is pacified. Pacified foes take 4 piercing
repeatable): A foe in range takes 2 damage. IF
damage damage, which doesn’t break pacified.
that foe is bloodied, they take 3 damage instead
and are also dazed.
Chapter 3 Reveal Pit (1 action, terrain effect, end
turn): The spider chooses a foe in range 4, then
creates a pit underneath them. The chosen
LARDER SPIDER character can avoid the pit by becoming dazed
instead, shoving them 1 space out of the way in a
Massive, burrowing arachnids that keep direction of the spider’s choice. Dazed foes cannot
gruesome ‘larders’ of food in subterranean avoid the pit and take 3 damage.
caverns. Its toxin has a paralyzing venom that
puts its foes into a paralytic sleep for as long as a
week, slowing their metabolism to a crawl so Unique Legends
they stay living and fresh, requiring neither food
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• Worshippers can act again in a round, but only

when all worshippers have acted at least once.
• When defeated, worshippers other than Clots
Chapter 1 deal damage to the idol equal to their maximum
hp. This is only way to damage the idol
FETID IDOL Fetid Cult

Especially zealous or desperate lowlander clans
raise idols to the blight lands themselves, in some Lesser Clot
hope of relief from the hostile environment they (5 defense, spd 4, mob)
live in. Occasionally, their prayers are answered • Filth Body: Lesser Clots are immune to all
and the idols are inhabited by some corrupt and damage while inside difficult or dangerous
animating force drawn up from the ruins, terrain or adjacent to the Idol
something ancient and unknowable from the • Fetid Grasp (2 actions, attack, range 2):
Doom or the deep dungeons. The land itself boils On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Shove foe 1
and sucks in all the venoms of the blight lands, space towards the acting clot. Effect: All other
the corruption spilling forth in unholy clots may shove a foe in range 2 one space
manifestations of pollution. towards them, then all foes that were shoved
this way take 2 damage.
These idol cults are dangerous, and often
shunned by other lowlanders, as they take 1-2: Cultist
captives and eschew the codes of hospitality and (15 hp, 10 defense, spd 4, dodge,
contract followed so strictly by the clans. skirmisher)
Offerings to the idol are hurled into pits of • Blood spiller (1 actions, attack): On hit: [D]
sucking mud and buried alive. +fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals fray damage
again to bloodied characters, or fray damage
Traits Modifications: No Juggernaut twice again to characters at 25% hp or lower.
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. Effect: Dash 2 before or after the attack
• Drag Hook (1 action, unerring). Effect: A
The Idol: The Idol is a 2x2 height 3 immobile character in range 5 takes 2 damage, is dazed
object on the map that is not a character and is and shoved 1 in any direction. Bloodied
immune to all damage and effects except from its characters are shoved 3 instead.
own worshippers. It cannot be removed for any
reason. 3-4: Vile Darter
Aura of Sacrifice: Damage deal to characters (15 hp, 8 defense, spd 4, Aetherwall)
adjacent to the idol becomes divine. • Blowdart (2 actions, attack, range 8):
Attack: On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Worshippers: At the start of combat and the Deals bonus damage to bloodied foes. Effect: If
start of every round, the Idol creates worshippers. foe is standing adjacent to the idol or in difficult
It always has a mob of lesser clots, and a number or dangerous terrain, they are shattered.
of total worshippers (including the mob) equal to
twice the number of players. Worshippers use the
idol’s damage die (d8) and fray damage (3).
5-6: Giant Insect
(20 hp, 6 defense, spd 4, Guard)
• Worshippers are new characters that only act on
• Crush (1 action, attack, true strike): On
the idol’s turn. When created, they can be
hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Shove 1, or
created in range 3 of the idol or any of its terrain
shove 3 if foe is bloodied. Collide: Character is
effects.
weakened.
• On each of the Idol’s turns, it chooses a different
• Pound (1 actions, medium blast): Dash 2
worshipper to act, including the clot mob. A
spaces. Area effect: characters take 2 damage
worshipper may use their standard move, dash,
and are shoved 1.
or use the abilities in their profile.
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Phases: Tactics
The Idol changes phases when bloodied The Fetid Idol itself is not the focus of this fight,
but its worshippers, who will vastly outnumber
Phase I: the players. Players that can dish out a lot of
Worshippers (Round Action): At the start of damage to an area will find success in this fight, as
combat, then at the start of each round, the Idol clearing the idol’s corrupted flock is the only way
creates clots until it has 1 clot per player, adding to defeat it, a fact that becomes especially relevant
to the clot mob. Then it creates other worshippers in phase II when players are racing the clock.
randomly, rolling for each one, until it has a total Characters should be especially wary of standing
number of worshippers equal to twice the number near or adjacent to the idol, where they take
of players (the mob always counts as 1 double damage, but can use this to their
worshipper). advantage - it does not discriminate!
Manifestations (Round Action): At the start

of each round, the Idol creates one of the Trophies
following terrain effects (roll 1d6). Manifestations
must be created in free spaces. There is no Corruptive Ichor
maximum number active. Uses: 3
• 1-2: Blight Geyser: Create a pit. At the end of Effect: You may smash this skin of fluid on to the
each round, the pit erupts. Characters in a ground during tactical combat as a Round Action
medium blast area effect centered on it take 6 to summon an unholy manifestation (as per the
piercing damage. ability), serving you.
• 3-4: Spewing Growth: Creates a height 1
destructible object (10 hp). The area around it is Icon of The Pit
difficult terrain. During the Idol’s turn, the Idol Uses: 1 expedition
can use the following ability once a round for Effect: Holding this icon of an eye within a wheel
each pillar, made from a pillar’s location: grants you the power of the deep and dark powers
Disorienting Vomit: (Free action, range of the blight lands, the corruptive influence of the
6, unerring): 3 damage and shove 2 Black Sun. During this expedition, you cannot
• 5-6: Pillar of Filth: Create a height 3 pillar. sleep, but nor do you require it. In any tactical
Destructible (10 hp), and when destroyed, or combat, you have resistance while standing in
when a character collides with it, falls over. pits, and deal divine damage to any character
Create a line 3 area effect next to it in a direction standing inside a pit.
chosen by the character that destroyed it.
Characters inside must save or take 2[D]+fray Chapter 2+
and be stunned, or [D]+fray on a successful
save. The area becomes difficult terrain for the
rest of combat.
HEAD LOPPER
Phase 2 (when bloodied): Legendary warriors of the clans and monster
Unholy Vapors (Round Action): At the start hunters of wide repute. They carry a bevy of
of each round, non-lowlander characters must weapons captured from fallen warriors and a
save or sacrifice down to 50% of their max hp, if string of trophy monster heads attached to their
higher. If the round is 6 or later, they must belts. Often, Head Loppers are exiled Colossi who
sacrifice down to 25% hp instead. cannot restrain or master their bloodlust. They
Worshippers: As phase I, but once a round, come from a certain cast of hero or adventurer
may act with an extra worshipper during a turn who cannot find any thrill in regular battle and
(so two worshippers act at once, in any order). travel to the blight lands seeking only the
Manifestations: As phase I, but in addition to strongest battles: blight beasts, demons, or
its regular manifestations, creates the following: blood-crazed Jotunn. They act as mercenaries
• Pit of Sacrifice: Create a pit. Damage dealt to and sometimes leaders for Lowlander clans, but
characters in the pit becomes divine. will only show up for exceptionally powerful
opponents. They respect only prowess in battle
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and have become totally consumed with their rush 1 before and after this attack. Effect:
obsession with strength. Shove 2 to all foes. Collide: 4 damage
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. Spinning Lariat (1 action, repeatable): The
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of Head Lopper rushes 3. All foes that are adjacent
the round, this character may clear a status or during any part of this movement are shoved 1.
mark affecting it. Collide: Foe takes 2 damage and is slashed.
Jotunn Crusher (1 action, repeatable): The
Phases: Head Lopper rips up the earth and throws a
Changes phases when bloodied. When changing boulder at a character in range 5. That character
phases, becomes immune to all damage and takes fray damage, then create a height 1 boulder
unstoppable until the start of its next turn. object adjacent to them.
Demon Pankration (1 action, range 3, 2/
Phase I: round, end turn): The head lopper attempts to
Walking Cataclysm (Round Action): At the grab foe of its choice in range. At the of the very
start of each round, the Head Lopper chooses two next player turn, if that foe is still in range 3, the
spaces, each within range 3 of a different foe. At Head Lopper removes itself from the battlefield,
the end of the round, a height 3 dungeon spire places itself adjacent, then performs one of the
object bursts forth from the earth in the first following moves, dealing 6 damage and ending
space, and a pit in the second. Each creates a this effect:
medium blast area effect centered on them when • DDT: The foe is stunned, weakened, slashed,
they emerge that weakens and deals fray damage and shoved 1
to foes within. Foes standing on the space when it • Spinning Piledriver: The Head Lopper and
is created must save or also become stunned. the foe rush 2 together, then the foe takes
Havoc (Round Action): At the start of the piercing fray damage again and has a pit created
round, the Head Lopper chooses any foe. At the underneath them.
end of the round, they remove themselves from • Backbreaker: The foe becomes immobile for
the battlefield, flying high into the air, then land their next turn
on top of the foe, dealing a massive impact. As an
effect, the foe takes 6 damage. For every other Phase 2:
character, pit, or object adjacent, this effect deals As phase I, but gains:
6 damage again. Then, the Head Lopper lands, Enrage: +1 action
placing them in a free space adjacent to that Gigakaiser (1 action, 1/round): The Head
character. Lopper rushes 2, then an adjacent character is
stunned. Stunned characters must additionally
Earth Breaker (1 action, attack, true strike sacrifice 25% of their maximum hp. Stunned
burst 1 (target), combo): On hit: [D]+fray and characters at 25% hp or lower are instantly
foe is weakened. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: defeated.
Create a height 1 boulder object under the attack
target. Increase the height of any existing objects Gain God Waster.
in the area by +1, to a max of 3.
• Massive Overhead (2 actions, +2 curse, God Waster (Round Action): At the start of
range 2, burst 1 (target), attack, combo): the round, the Head Lopper either chooses Raze
On hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: [D]+fray. Hell or Raze Heaven. Whichever they choose,
Effect: May rush 2 before this attack. Effect: they must choose the opposite next round,
Attack target must save or be stunned. Effect: alternating each round. At the end of the round,
Create a pit under the attack space. Lower all they unleash a massive storm of violence. As an
objects in the area by 1 space, or remove all effect, all foes take divine damage depending on a
height 1 objects. character’s elevation, which cannot reduce them
• Tornado Kick (1 action, attack, below 1 hp.
unerring, line 4, combo): On hit: [D] • Raze Hell:
+fray. Miss: or area effect: fray. Effect: May • Pits: 100% of max hp
• Ground: 50% of max hp
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• Height 1: 25% of max hp

• Height 2 or higher: No effect.
• Raze Heaven:
• Pits: no effect
• Ground: 25% of max hp
• Height 1: 50% of max hp
• Height 2 or higher: 100% of max hp.
Tactics
During this fight, the Head Lopper tears up the
battlefield with its insane strength, transforming
it into a scarred wasteland. Over time, it will
become tough for characters to avoid colliding,
and avoid its powerful Demon Pankration moves
and its massive Havoc dive. In phase II,
characters must take note of the elevation of the
battlefield, which could be the difference between
life and death. Characters can build their own
refuges to escape God Waster, or position
themselves so it becomes hard for the Head
Lopper to knock them into bad positions with
Tornado kick and Demon Pankration.
Trophies
Cataclysm Weapon
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: This oversized weapon is incredibly hard
to even swing or shoot, but packs a punch. During
this expedition, your attacks deal bonus damage
and create a pit under your target after you attack
them.
Belt of the Champion

Uses: 3
Effect: Buckle on this impressive belt and spend a
charge to use the Demon Pankration ability.
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Chapter 3 Rider
Worm Riding: When the Worm enters or exits
HURIAN WORM RIDER any space within range 2 of the Rider, the rider
can hitch along. Remove the Rider from play as it
Master warriors, also called Hurians, that tame
hops on the worm. At the end of the current turn,
and ride Great Red Worms through the
place the Rider adjacent to the worm.
underways of the Blightlands. Taming such a
powerful beast is an extremely dangerous and
Wormlure (1 action, range 3, terrain effect,
ritualistic endeavor that takes many years of
1/round): The Rider puts out a worm lure, a 1
deprivation and preparation, including the
space terrain effect, in range. If any foe ends its
grafting of wormspore, a process which, when
turn adjacent to the worm lure, if the Worm is
survived by its recipient, grants a mild form of
active it may immediately remove and place itself
immortality. These legendary hunters tend to
adjacent to the lure, destroying it, then use its
have high rank within the clans, if not as leaders
Massive Jaws attack as an interrupt, ignoring the
themselves. With hookspear and javelin they are
attack limit. The lure remains action until
also accomplished acrobats, pole-vaulting into
triggered.
the sky to swing down with terrifying force.
Burrow (1 action, 2/round): The Rider
removes itself from the battlefield, then gains 3
HP: Each partner has 25 hp per player (min 50)
vigor and places itself adjacent to the Worm,
creating a pit in the space it left.
Hurian Dive (2 actions, range 6, 1/round):
Life Bond (Round Action): At the start of the
The Rider chooses a foe in range, then removes
round, this character may clear a status or mark
themselves from the battlefield. At the end of that
affecting either the worm or the rider.
foe’s next turn, that foe must save as the Rider
descends, dealing 6 damage four times on a failed
Worm and Rider: This fight is made of two
save, or twice on a successful save. Lower this
characters, the worm and the rider. Each is
damage by one instance for every adjacent ally of
separately targetable, has its own hp, and tracks
the target, which could cause it to do no damage.
statuses and effects separately. When this legend
Then, place the Rider in any free space in range 2.
acts, it alternates turns between the Worm and
Rider if possible (if both of them are active and on
Wormhunter Spear (1 action, attack, +1
the battlefield - the Rider might not be from
boon, unerring, range 4, combo): On hit: [D]
Hurian Dive).
+fray and shove 2. Miss: fray and shove 1. Collide:
• The Worm is size 2 and sturdy
Foe is dazed.
• The Rider is size 1 and has the skirmisher and
• Shuriken Spray (1 action, attack, range 4,
dodge traits
combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
Wormspore bond: If the Worm or Rider is
fray. Effect: Release a burst 2 (target) area
defeated, at the end of the round, if their partner
effect, dealing 2 piercing damage to all other
is active, undefeated, and within range 4, they
foes.
return to 25% maximum hp and return from
• Artery Cut (2 actions, attack, mark, line
being defeated. The legend is only fully defeated if
4, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area
both worm and rider are defeated in the same
effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is marked
round.
and gains an open wound. While marked, it
Deep Riders: Both these characters ignore
takes [D] again at the end of its turns. This
movement and height penalties from pits. Attacks
effect ends instead if the character ends their
against characters in pits deal bonus damage and
turn adjacent to an ally.
can critical hit (+[D])
Slicing Shuriken (1 action, Burst 3 (self)):
Area effect: 2 damage. Bloodied foes take 4
Phases: damage instead.
The phase changes at round 4 and later.
Worm
Phase I (Round 3 or lower) Devour the Land (Round Action): At the
start of the round, the Worm chooses a medium
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blast area of the battlefield. At the end of the become increasingly hard to do over time. The
round, the worm burrows, removing itself from worm and rider work together with many of their
the battlefield, and devours the earth in that area, moves, with the worm able to shove foes into bad
creating a massive hole for the rest of combat. positions for the rider to pick them off with Artery
Foes in the area when it is devoured are stunned Cut and Hurian Dive. You can use this to your
and must save or take 2[D]+fray damage, or just advantage in phase II, when they can do this both
fray damage on a successful save. The entire area on the same turn. Defeating one at a time is not
counts as a connected pit. Place the worm in the an option, with each partner able to resurrect the
area or as close as possible after this trait resolves. other. Characters that stick together will have a
better time in this fight, but also risk getting hit by
Massive Jaws (1 action, attack, true strike, a huge devour the land or massive jaws.
range 2, Burst 1 (target)): On hit: [D]+fray.
Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Foe is dazed.
Effect: Bloodied foes in the area are flung into the
Trophies
air, shoving them 2 in any direction
Lesser Wormspore
Spit Rock (1 action, unerring, range 6): A
Uses: 1 expedition
foe in range takes 2 damage and is blinded.
Effect: This unique Red Worm gland pulses like a
Blinded foes take 2 damage, twice instead.
living thing and fuses to flesh. Though a weaker
Body Slam (1 action, line 4): Foes in the area
version of the real thing, attaching this to a living
must save or take fray damage twice and be
body takes preparation and bravery. Once
shoved 2 to either side of the line. On a successful
attached, for the duration of an expedition, you
save, they only take fray damage and are shoved 1.
automatically rescue yourself at the start of your
Burrow (1 action, end turn): Remove the
turn if defeated. In addition, only the first wound
worm from play, then place it back in any free
you take reduces your maximum hp (you are still
space. Foes adjacent when it emerges are shoved
fallen if you suffer 4 wounds).
1. Create a pit in one of the spaces it left.
Swallow Whole (1 action, 1/round): A
Hurian Spear
adjacent character must save or be swallowed
Uses: 6
whole. On a successful save, they are dazed.
Effect: This agile spear can be used as a pole
Remove them from the battlefield. At the start of
vault. You may spend a charge to fly 3 as a free
their turn, the worm spits them out, placing them
action ability. If you end that flight on an object or
in any adjacent space to the worm’s current
adjacent to a character, you may fly 3 again.
location, then shoving them 2 spaces. Collide:
Character takes [D]+fray. Effect: Dazed
characters fail the save.
Phase II:
Round 4 or higher.
As round 1, except Devour the Land triggers

twice, and:
Crumbling Earth (Round Action): All foes in

pits take 3 piercing damage
Law of the Worm: This legend gains +1 action.
The extra action must be used to take a Rider
action on the Worm’s turn, or vice-versa, though
the per-turn attack limit must still be obeyed.
Tactics
This double team fight is all about staying out of
pits for player characters - something that will
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Lowlander Trophies
This huge hooked pole can be used as a free action on
Mancatcher your turn to shove a character in range 3 as close to you as 3
possible.
Antidote You are immune to lowlander toxin 1 expedition
Small iron icon of the dungeons underneath the blight
lands. As free action ability you can call on the ruins to
Ruin Icon surface. Create a height 1 ruin object in range 6. 3
Characters adjacent to it when its created take 2 damage
and are shoved 1 away from it.
Rub this incredible potent poison on your weapon as a
Pit Poison free action. Your next attack’s damage cannot be reduced 3
in any way (by armor, resistance, statuses, cover, etc)
A potent improvised weapon. As a free action ability, deal
Monster spine launcher 1 piercing damage to and inflict vulnerable on a character 6
in range 6
Thick, foul smelling, and greasy medicine distilled from
blight lands beasts. Use as a free action ability to cure
Ointment 3
yourself but take 1 piercing damage after the cure
resolves.
During any fight in this expedition, you can cause the fight
Lowerlander Toxin 1 Expedition
to have the Lowlander Toxin effect (as the faction trait)
This expedition, as a free action ability you may fly 3, but
Grappling Hook must end this movement adjacent to an object or 1 Expedition
character.
This expedition you are immune to lowlander toxin,
Survival Suit 1 Expedition
dangerous terrain, and damage from terrain effects.
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Kin: Ancient Jotunn are kin, can be bargained
VIII. JOTUNN with, and will flee or surrender if heavily losing a
fight
Distant cousins of the Troggs, Jotunn were born • Motivations: Jotunn are motivated strongly by
of the Titans and served them when the world their negative emotions (sadness, anger,
was young. A variety of peoples, they are united distrust, ennui, hunger, etc). Appeasing them or
only by their origins, extreme age, prodigious appealing to their feelings can soften them and
strength, and enormous stature. Most Jotunn make them open to negotiation.
stand twice the height of other kin, some as big as • Flee: Jotunn typically don’t flee but value their
a small building. lives and will surrender if they see no chance of
winning a fight
Jotunn seem virtually immune to disease, and do Monsters: Blood Jotunn are infected with the
not age, making them technically immortal, Blood Rage.
though they can still be slain by a powerful • Motivations: Born of the slaying of the Titans,
enough foe. They do not reproduce, but were they are driven only by their pain and rage and
made by the titans, fully formed. There are have been reduced to near mindless monsters.
therefore a limited number of them in the world They do not flee or negotiate. It might be
(though many have yet to emerge), and possible to cure the Rage.
eventually their age will pass. This is something
many Jotunn are keenly aware of. All Jotunn have the traits described in Legacy of
the Titans below.
Jotunn have long but very fallible memories, and
the ancients remember the Arken and the Doom, Special Mechanic: Legacy of the
and have witnessed the sins of Kin throughout Titans
the age. This tends to make them melancholy, Elite: All Jotunn have the Elite type if they don’t
distrustful, or resentful. At their best, they are already have it. They’re worth 2 points in an
burdened by the weights of their long lives. encounter budget and take 2 turns. Double HP if
Many ancient Jotunn wander the land or stand upgrading from a normal foe.
guard over crumbling titan ruins, following the Titanblood: Increase size to 2 if not already 2.
edicts, patrol routes, and tasks given to them by Titanfall: When defeated, roll 1d6 and assign a
their ancient lords, so long ago that even they compass direction (1 - none, 2- N, 3-E, 4-S, 5-W,
have forgotten. Others seek out the cities and 6- GM choice). The Jotunn falls into a medium
towns of Kin, finding purpose in labor, learning, blast area placed adjacent to its space in that
or battle. direction. Size 1 characters inside must save or
take 6 damage, or 3 on a successful save. Move all
The slaying of the titans scattered their blood characters out of the area into the closest available
across the land, where it sunk smoking into the space and place the defeated Jotunn there. They
earth. Where the blood crystallized and pooled, it count as a 2x2 height 1 object while defeated.
formed cysts that grew a new crop of Jotunn. Titan Armament: You can arm a Jotunn with
The Jotunn that have emerged from the earth in Titansteel weaponry. This increases a Jotunn’s
the millennia since then have all emerged insane, encounter budget cost by +1. If you do, they have
and driven only by the pain and rage of their 50% more hp and take one extra turn a round.
dying progenitors, going on rampages until they
are slain or collapse dead from exhaustion.
Older Jotunn often seek out their insane kin in

order to put them down or out of some faint hope
for salvation, hoping for some final end to their
pain.
Faction Template
To make any foe a Jotunn, you can add the
following traits. All Jotunn have these traits.
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HP: 80
Special Traits: Size 2, Sturdy

FOES Elite: This character takes two turns
Mighty Smite (1 action, attack, true strike,

HIRSINN line 4): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
fray. Effect: Deals 2 damage again to attack target
Lesser storm jotunn, descendants of the eternal and the Jotunn gains 2 vigor if the foe is affected
halls. Strong enough to rip an ox in half with by a status. If that foe is affected by 3 or more
their bare hands, as big around as a carriage statuses, increase damage and vigor gain to 5.
and twice as heavy. These jotunn are hairy, Berserkgang (1 action, range 3, 1/round): A
tusked, and often horned, like their lesser kin, the foe in range must save or gain hatred of the
troggs. Their shaggy pelts and thick hides turn Jotunn. On a successful save, they are weakened.
away spear strikes and sword blows from If the target or Jotunn is bloodied, they gain +1
would-be hunters. In battle, they steam with heat curse on this save.
and are capable of inciting the Berserkgang, a Storm Cunning (1 action, range 2): Swap
tremendous blood rage, even in their opponents. places with an ally in range, removing and placing
Largely spurning civilization, these jotunn are both characters. Bloodied characters gain 3 vigor.
tremendous eaters, extremely crafty, and spend Joyous Combat (1 action): Effect: All adjacent
their days hunting, rune-carving, and smithing foes must choose: be shoved 2, or take 4 damage
at their cavernous forges carved from bare rock. from the Jotunn. Collide: Foe is slashed.
Their bestial disposition belies a canny intellect
and they are fond of riddles, stories, and Chapter 1+
drinking games.
Beastblood Jotunn
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Jotunn born of beast titans are part or at least Split the earth (1 action, terrain effect, 1/
wholly of animal form, fanged, and blessed with combat): The Jotunn creates a line 3 area, then
freezing breath. creates pits in those spaces. These spaces can be
Frost Blast (1 action, range 3, small blast, created under characters.
1/round): Area effect: 2 damage. The foe in the
center space is also slashed, then summon a Chapter 3+
height 1 icicle object adjacent to them. The icicle When bloodied, Strength of the Storm also
has rampart. forces the attack target to save or be stunned.
Barbudo Bloody Companion

Great bearded jotunn that populate the high
Ferocious, bestial jotunn that were once in
mountains where the air is thin, only descending
service to the Berserker Queen. Immune to the
to pluck the occasional herd animal for their
blood rage, since their own blood boils out all
pantry.
impurities. In modern days they have found new
Great Leap (1 action, 1/round): The Barbuda
purpose in hunting down their maddened kin
flies 3, then shoves all adjacent characters 1
and putting them to death.
spaces. Bloodied characters are shoved 3 spaces
instead. Collide: character takes 2 damage.
Special Traits: Defiance, Regeneration
Weakened characters take 5 damage instead.
True Enrage: +1 action and unstoppable while
bloodied.
Ettin
Two-headed slave jotunn created to build the Counter Strike (1 action): The Jotunn takes a
walls of the ancient titan city Numenea. While defensive pose, gaining two uses of the following
one head slept, the other would continue the interrupt, which do not refresh at the start of its
work. turn, and last until the end of the current round. It
Two Heads: Saves at the start and the end of its cannot use this ability again while it has uses of
turn to end conditions or other effects. this interrupt remaining.
Ground Pound (2 actions, range 2, true Counter-strike
strike, usable when bloodied): Foes in a Interrupt 2
small blast area take [D]+fray and must save or Trigger: The Jotunn or an adjacent ally is
become weakened. Then create a pit in the center targeted by an attack
space. Effect: The Jotunn grants sturdy to the attack
target for the duration of the attack. Then,
Chapter 2+ after it resolves, the Jotunn may rush 3. If
When bloodied, Strength of the Storm no that puts it adjacent to the attacker, the
longer ends the Jotunn’s turn. attacker takes 3 damage and is shoved 1
Bloody Fuller (1 actions, attack, true strike,
Valkyrie range 2): On hit: [D]+2. Miss: 2. Effect: Shove 1.
Effect: Deals damage again to attack target and all
All-female martial Hirsinn that followed the
foes adjacent to the attack target, hit or miss,
Hundred Sword Titan, the berserker queen,
equal to 2 times the round number
collecting the weapons of worthy warriors. Now,
they mostly wander the battlefields, weathered
with age and continuing their grisly duty without
purpose.
ELEMENTAL
Spare Weapon (free action, range 3, true Colossal Jotunn forged from the elements, all of
strike): Effect: A foe in range is shoved 1 and them children of the Formless Titan, the chaos
takes 2 damage. mother. These Jotunn are closely connected to the
Comet (1 action, 2/combat): The Jotunn hurls primal elements that compose their bodies, and
a spare weapon in a line 3 area, where it comes to care little for the laws, logic, and ways of kin.
rest as a height 1 object. Characters adjacent to They roam the wilderness, soaring free and
the weapon when it lands take fray damage and utterly unconcerned, only stopping their endless
are shoved 1 space. travels out of curiosity or confrontation. The very
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oldest of the elementals have begun to lose their A jotunn made of rippling flames. Outside of the
intelligence and have started to revert to the inert boiling calderas and steaming chemical lakes
elements from which they came, a calm and slow where these jotunn make their homes, their
unison with the natural world which will flames burn weaker.
eventually overtake all of their kind. Dancing Flames (1 action, range 3): The Ifrit
deals 2 damage to a character in range, then deals
HP: 56 2 damage to all marked foes.
Ignition (1 action, range 3, multimark, 1/
Special Traits: Phasing, size 2 round): The Ifrit marks a foe in range. At the
Amorphous: Can share space with other start of that foe’s turn, or when the Jotunn hits
characters. Any characters that start their turn the target with an attack, they explode for a small
inside its space take fray damage. blast area effect centered on them, dealing 2
Elite: Takes 2 turns damage to all characters within.
Elemental Smite (+1 boon, range 2, Undine

Attack): On hit: [D]+fray. miss: fray. Effect: May This Jotunn is made of the churning water of the
dash 1 before the attack. deep ocean.
Soar (1 action): Fly up to 4 spaces in a straight
line. One adjacent foe when the elemental either Waterspout (1 action, unerring, range 4,
starts or ends this flight is dazed. repeatable): The undine spurts water, blinding
Swirling Elements (1 action, burst 2 (self)): or dazing a foe in range. Blinded foes take 2
Area effect: All foes are teleported 1. Bloodied damage.
characters are teleported 2 instead. Living Deeps: Instead of a 2x2 space, this
Raging Storm (2 actions, range 3): The Jotunn occupies an Arc 4 space that can be placed
Elemental creates an elemental storm in range 3, in any configuration. When it moves, move either
a 1 space terrain effect. Elementals have evasion end space of the Arc, then re-place the Arc in any
and permanent stealth inside the area. The area is valid configuration. It can make attacks or use
dangerous terrain for all other characters and abilities from any of its spaces.
other characters are blinded+ while in the area. At
the end of the round, all storms grow to a small Chapter 2+
blast area, or a large blast area if they are a small Swirling Elements also blinds all bloodied foes.
blast. Up to two storms can be active at once.
Mistral
Chapter 1+ A playful but dangerous Jotunn made of
Alp swirling, freezing wind.
An earth elemental with a body of churning soil Traits: Flying
and stone. Its constant movement beneath the Whirlgang: At the start of its turn, the Mistral
earth sends vibrations up through the bones that and all allies in range 2 may fly 1 in the same
can be felt for miles around. direction.
Replace Soar with: Sweep of the Wind (1 action, range 2): The
Rumble: The Alp becomes intangible, then Mistral targets all characters in range, then
dashes 6 spaces. One foe it passes through removes itself and them from the battlefield,
becomes dazed. returning itself to any free space in range 4. It
Ancient Geo (2 actions, attack, arc 6): On then returns all other characters to any space in
hit: 2[D]+1. Area effect or miss: 2 damage. Effect: range 2 of its new location and dazes them. Foes
Attack target releases a medium blast explosion can save to avoid this effect. Dazed foes fail the
centered on them, dealing 2 damage to all save.
characters within. Effect: If the attack target is
bloody or dazed, they explode again, repeating
this effect.
Ifrit
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Chapter 3 Bale Curse (1 action, range 4, multimark,

Swirling Elements also creates a 1 space 1/round): A foe in range is marked. While
elemental mote terrain effect in its area. While at marked, they turn any boons they gain on rolls
least partly inside the area effect, elementals have into curses instead. A character can remove this
evasion and stealth+. mark by ending their turn adjacent to the Troll’s
Cauldron, but they then become pacified.
Quintessent Cauldron (1 action, range 3, summon): The
Troll summons a cauldron in range, a height 1
Rare elementals made of swirling, multicolored
object. Characters adjacent to the cauldron when
Aether, quintessents are created from the pure
it’s summoned are shoved 1.
energy of life itself. They are creatures of rare
beauty and strong passions. Cauldron
Traits: Flying Object, height 1
Crystal Perfection: This Jotunn can use the Summon effect: The Cauldron has aura 1. The
average of its damage die (6) instead of rolling for troll and any of its allies in the aura gain +1
damage. boon on saves, and foes gain +1 curse on saves
Aetherstorm: The Quintessence’s Raging Storm in the aura.
deals 2 divine damage to all foes inside when The Troll gains additional actions when in range 2
created, and its allies are immune to its effects. In of its cauldron.
addition, when any character starts its turn in the • Strange Brew (1 action, range 3): The
area, the Quintessent can apply one of following Troll throws a potion at an ally in range. That
effects. ally gains 3 vigor, then gambles.
1. Earth - Create a pit under the character 1. The brew explodes, stunning the ally.
2. Fire - Character deals 2 piercing damage to 2. The ally increases in size by +1 for the rest
all adjacent foes. of combat, up to a max of size 3.
3. Air - Teleport character 2 spaces Characters in the area when the ally
4. Water - End a status on the character, increases in size are removed and placed
adjacent to it.
3. The ally gains Defiance
TROLL 4. The ally is teleported 2
5. The ally gains 6 more vigor
The witch-sages of the Jotunn, wise in herbalism, 6. The ally immediately clears all statuses
husbandry, and medicine, and skilled in runes. and marks.
Trolls keep large gardens and herds of unusually
• Cauldron Smash (2 actions): An adjacent
large pigs or goats. They build their squat foe is stunned and takes 6 damage. Un-
dwellings in caves or under the ruined bridges of summon the cauldron.
the old empire, as they are sensitive to the sun,
where they offer their services to local
Chapter 1+
communities as healers, midwives, or cooks. The
prices of a Troll’s services tend to be strange and Pork Wright
sometimes exorbitant (a hundred fresh eggs, ten Stout trolls that are experts in rune-cunning.
beard hairs from a virgin man, a child’s milk They keep large herds of pigs and occasionally
teeth), so it is best to approach any deal with ‘add’ to their herds temporarily to teach a lesson
them with a health amount of caution. or as payment for services.
Nevertheless, their skills are legendary and there Porcine (1 action, range 5, 1/round): A
is little beyond their knowledge. character in range must save. On a successful
save, they are pacified. Otherwise, they are
HP: 80 transformed into a pig. While transformed, they
cannot attack, dash, fly, or teleport but can
Special Traits: Regeneration. otherwise act normally. They untransform at the
Elite: Takes 2 turns end of combat, or if they end their turn adjacent
to the Troll or their cauldron.
Ladle (1 action, attack, range 3): On hit: [D]
+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect: Attack target is sealed. Wildblood
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This arboreal troll is more plant than kin, shaggy They know the language that was spoken when
with leaves and bark. the world was young and can speak into being
Gain the following Cauldron actions: incredible curses.
• Sprouting Brew (1 action, range 5, end Sweet Torment: The Hag has aura 2. Foes in
turn): The Troll splashes a brew that grows a 1 the Hag’s aura or in the aura of their cauldron do
space wild berry vine, a 1 space terrain effect, in not save against statuses at the end of their turn.
a space in range. Foes that end their turn
adjacent to the vine are pacified. Any ally that Bend Fate (1 action, range 5, mark): The
ends their turn adjacent to the fruit can pick it Hag chooses an ally in range and marks them.
up, granting 4 vigor to themselves and That ally gains defiance. While marked, attacks
destroying the vine. cannot gain boons against that ally, and gain +1
curse, and that allies attacks cannot gain curses
Gourmand and gain +1 boon.
Trolls, like all other jotunn, eat a tremendous Inside Out (1 action, range 5, 2/combat):
amount, and their immortality allows them a The Hag curses a foe in range with awful nausea.
long time to build up their tastes and cooking If that foe moves more than 1 space or uses any
skills. ability that costs 2 actions on their turn, they must
Gain the following Cauldron actions: save. On a failed save, they take damage equal to
• Splash Soup (1 action, range 5, arc 3): 50% of their maximum HP and are stunned. If
Area effect: Fray damage. they succeed on the save, they take damage equal
• Healing Brew (2 actions, burst 2 (self)): to 25% of their maximum HP.
Area effect: Cure all allies, then unsummon Rotten Curse (2 actions, range 5): A foe in
the cauldron. range must save or take 5 damage, once, for every
condition or mark they are affected by. On a
successful save, reduce each instance of this
Chapter 2+
damage to 2 instead.
Increase cauldron aura to 2.
Night Troll TETHIAN

A pale troll born of the tears or blood of the Strange, stoney-skinned jotunn that are found
Weeper. At a distance, these jotunn look corpse- around titan ruins. They make their homes in
like and scarily thin. colossal broken towers, fallen bridges, or long-
shattered city gates. All Tethians are keepers and
Bale (1 action, stance, end turn, aura 2): guardians of dangerous or forbidden knowledge.
The Night troll becomes immobile and fixes its Sometimes their ward is a physical location such
gaze on one character in the aura. While within as a gate or door, or a sealed vault. Other times,
the aura, that character automatically misses with the Tethian themselves holds the knowledge or
all attacks (turn any hit or critical hit into a miss power in their minds or bodies, acting as a living
instead). The Troll can exit this stance or change prison. Though they are not skilled in wrightcraft
its target by spending 1 action. in the traditional sense, they can easily
manipulate aether through their bodies and are
Cauldron actions: masters of rune-cunning. Most, if not all
• Black Flame (1 action, range 5, small Tethians, have either a third eye on their body or
blast): Area effect: All characters take fray skull, or only a single eye in the middle of their
damage. Bloodied characters sealed. head. This unique eye can only see Aether, and is
capable of focusing it into intensely powerful
Chapter 3 beams the same way a prism focuses light.
Foes do not save against conditions at the end of
their turn while in the area of the cauldron. HP: 64
Hag Elite: Takes 2 turns

Wizened trolls with little patience, rotten
tempers, and a total mastery of rune-cunning.
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Third Eye (1 action, pierce, attack, range 8, Sage jotunns with a single eye in their foreheads.
arc 3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Tend to live as mountain hermits in places of
Effect: The Tethian may choose to scour the target import, keeping crude shelter and herds of goats
with ethereal flames. If so, the tethian may deal 2 or sheep.
piercing damage, once, to the target for each Scouring Gaze: The Cyclopean shoots a beam of
status they are suffering from, then remove all energy at any foe that ends their turn in the
statuses. Effect: At round 3+, this deals 4 piercing Dampen Time area, dealing 4 piercing damage to
per status instead. them. If they are blinded, foes take only 1 piercing
Polaris (1 action, range 8): Mark a visible damage instead.
space in range. While at least one of these spaces
is active, the tethian gains the following interrupt, Rune-skin
which it can use any number of times as long as it A hairless jotunn with oddly colored skin covered
has a space active. in runes and an unflinching gaze.
Starfall Great Warp (1 action, range 6): A character
Interrupt in range takes 2 piercing damage and is teleported
Trigger: The end of any player character turn. 2
Effect: Gamble, then a star lands in the space Open Rune Gate (1 action, terrain effect, 1/
for a small blast area effect, dealing piercing round): The Rune-Skin opens a gate in a free
damage equal to the gamble result to all adjacent space, a 1 space terrain effect. Characters
characters within. Any character in the center that enter the space are teleported 4 to a space of
space is shattered. Then remove the space. the Planar’s choice. Foes can save to choose the
Chains of Fate (1 action, range 6, 1/round): destination of their teleport instead. Using this
The Tethian chains a foe in range 6 to an adjacent ability again moves the gate.
space. That foe becomes vulnerable, and if they
end their turn in or adjacent to that space, they
Chapter 2+
take fray damage three times and are stunned. At
Foes in Dampen Time cannot activate vigilance
the end of their next turn, they are shoved up to 3
or rampart effects.
spaces towards that space, ending in it if possible,
then this effect ends. A character can only be
affected by one set of chains at a time. Watcher
Dampen Time (1 action, range 6): The A strange, solemn jotunn with a gemlike third-
Tethian creates a medium blast terrain effect in eye. In an older age, responsible for maintaining
range, which could be placed other characters. the flow of Aether itself throughout the land,
While in the area, foes cannot use 2 action repairing it as a tailor repairs a torn bolt of
abilities, free actions, or interrupts. cloth. Increasingly few in number.
Traits: Phasing
Time Lock: After any ability resolves that
Chapter 1+
damages the Watcher, it becomes intangible until
Starblood the start of the following turn, and may teleport 2.
A jotunn born of the multicolored blood of the Ordening Law (1 action, multimark, 1/
Outsider, the observer titan. Tend to be avian in round): A foe in range 6 is marked. While
appearance. marked, they can only take use one non-basic
ability per round. They can break this restriction,
Special Traits: Flying but take 2 divine damage for every further action
Meteor (2 actions, Round 3+ only): All foes taken. They can end this mark by ending any turn
not in cover from the Starblood must save or take in which they took only one non-basic ability.
fray damage three times and become vulnerable,
or just fray damage once on a successful save.
Chapter 3
Then, summon a height 1 meteor shard object
Dampen Time removes the effects of sturdy or
adjacent to one character affected.
unstoppable inside its area.
Cyclopean Carceral
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A living prison for an extraordinary powerful times if it’s marked. Effect: Create a pool of
force - usually a being that the Titans wanted quicksilver under the smith.
sealed away. Carcerals are tremendously Heat the Forge (2 actions, combo): Create a
powerful rune-wrights and live a melancholy pool of quicksilver under the smith. Then, all foes
and austere existence in ruined and forgotten not in cover from the smith must save or become
temples or mountain time shrines, constantly vulnerable and have a space of roaring flames
aware of the evil presence writhing inside of dangerous terrain created adjacent to them.
them. Then, the smith deals 1 piercing damage, three
Torpor (free action, 2/combat): A bloodied times to all foes. Effect: At round 3+, this
character in range 8 is stunned. becomes 1 action.
Sisyphus (1 action, range 6, multimark): • Work Metal (1 action, range 6,
Mark a character, putting a marker down at their multimark, combo): The Smith marks a foe
current location. At the end of their turn, if they in range. While marked, the foe is vulnerable+
are still marked and in range 4 of that marker, and cannot benefit from armor or resistance.
remove them from the battlefield and return them This mark and its associate effects ends if the
to the marker (or as close possible if the area is foe ends their turn in a pool of quicksilver, but it
occupied), then remove this mark. consumes the pool and that foe becomes
Imprisoned Time (2 actions, range 6): The stunned.
Carceral creates a line 5 terrain effect in free space Bellows (1 action, range 2, small blast):
in range. Characters other than Tethians that exit Area effect: 1 piercing damage, twice, and shove 1
the area immediately end their turn if it is their
turn. Using this ability again moves the area Nilfling
rather than placing a new once. Blind and blood hungry Jotunn that are born
malformed from cysts in the earth where Titan
Uniques blood has congealed and stagnated. The most
common type of Blood Jotunn. Small compared
to most Jotunn.
Chapter 1+
Thinblood: Size 1, takes 1 point in an encounter
budget, and doesn’t have the elite trait like other
Ire Smith Jotunn
Lesser forge Jotunn that assist the Eldflame Eyeless: Immune to blinded.
Keepers in their great subterranean workshops.
Sometimes split off and serve as blacksmiths for Slavering Maw (1 action, attack, true
local towns or cities. These gnarled Jotunn are strike): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: The
bent with work and age and harbor dogmatic Nilfling can rush 2 before this attack.
devotion to their work, the only thing that keeps Leap (1 action, repeatable): The Nilfling flies
them sane. 2. When it lands, all adjacent characters are
shoved 1. If it starts this move from a higher
HP: 64 elevation and ends on a lower one, increase the fly
Elite: Takes 2 turns to 4, and all adjacent characters when it lands
take 2 damage.
Iron Scale: Resistant to abilities used from Finish Off (1 action): Effect: The Nilfling deals
adjacent spaces. Loses this trait when bloodied. a phenomenal blow to an adjacent bloodied
Quicksilver: The Ire Smith’s abilities leave pools character. That character must save or take 8
of quicksilver on the ground. Quicksilver is a 1 damage, become slashed, and become weakened.
space difficult terrain terrain effect, which the On a successful save, they only take 4 damage and
smith ignores are either slashed or weakened (the Nilfling can
choose).
Smite the Anvil (1 action, attack, range 3):
On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Character VANNIR
takes 1 divine damage, or 1 divine damage twice
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Especially old and Aether-wise Jotunn are The Storm Titan had a mighty hall called
known as Vannir. These sagely Jotunn wander Erenhelion, where the titans would feast after
the land disguised as travelers or old men, doing battle. The drops of mead from that hall
sometimes shape-shifted or using illusions to smoked where they hit the earth and gave rise to
reduce their size and cloak themselves. They tend the Aetnir, battle Jotunn of unprecedented skill
to view themselves as judges to lesser beings, and and strength, who came forth fully formed, clad
often given to offering advice, prophecies, or and armed for battle. The Aetnir view combat as
riddles. a veneration of their progenitor and wander the
land looking for the strongest opponents. There
HP: 80 are less than a hundred Aetnir left, and their
Elite: Takes 2 turns numbers dwindle as the age of ancients dims.
Rune-Glamor: May be size 1 or size 2 (choose at HP: 80

the start of combat) Elite: Takes 2 turns
Star Shower (1 action, ranged attack, Enrage: +1 action when bloodied

pierce, small blast, range 6): On hit: [D]
+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Exalt Erenhelion (Round Action): At the
Master of Rune-Cunning (1 action): The start of the Round, the Aetnir either chooses
Vannir gains the following interrupt. It does not Crush Cowards or Break the Mighty. At the
refresh at the start of their turn, and uses last end of the round, the chosen effect occurs.
until the end of the current round. • Crush Cowards: Effect: The Aetnir raises its
Rune-Wise weapon. At the end of the round, it sweeps out
Interrupt 2 with a massive slash, affecting a burst 3 (self)
Trigger: The Vannir or an ally in range 2 is area effect around it, with different effects
targeted by an attack depending on how close characters are. Foes 3
Effect: The attacker must save. On a failed spaces away take 10 damage. Foes 2 spaces away
save, the attack automatically misses. take 5 damage. Adjacent foes take 1 damage.
Rune-curse (1 action, range 6): A foe in range • Break the Mighty: Effect: The Aetnir raises
becomes sealed or pacified (Vannir chooses). If its shield. At the end of the round, it slams its
they have both conditions, they also take 4 shield down. Adjacent characters take 6 damage
piercing damage. and are shoved 2 spaces away. Collide:
Aencraft (1 action, range 6, summon, Characters take 6 damage again and are
mark): The Vannir marks itself or an ally in stunned.
range. That character gains a d4 power die,
starting at 4, and the Vannir gains the following Titan Cut (1 action, melee attack, Line 4):
interrupt, which it can use any number of times a On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: or area effect: fray.
round as long as the power die is 1 or greater. If Joyous Combat (1 action): Effect: All adjacent
the die would be reduced to 0, this mark ends. foes must choose: be shoved 2, or take 4 damage
Illusory Double from the Jotunn. Collide: Foe is slashed.
Interrupt Storm Cunning (1 action, range 2): Swap
Trigger: The marked character is targeted by places with an ally in range, removing and placing
an ability. both characters. Bloodied characters gain 3 vigor.
Effect: The Vannir may spend any amount of Bull rush (1 action, repeatable): The Aetnir
ticks on the power die to gamble, rolling one rushes 1. An adjacent character when it finishes
dice per tick spent. That character its movement is either weakened or shoved 1.
immediately gains vigor equal to the gamble Leap (1 action, repeatable): The Aetnir flies 2.
result. If the result was 4+, they also become When it lands, all adjacent characters are shoved
sturdy against the ability. After the ability 1. If it starts this move from a higher elevation and
resolves, they may teleport 2. ends on a lower one, increase the fly to 4, and all
adjacent characters when it lands take 2 damage.
AETNIR
Chapter 2+
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Some trolls abandon the ways of rune-cunning

THANNIR and medicine - sometimes out of necessity,
sometimes out of injury. These trolls become wild
The Thannir were born from old battlefields, and fierce, roaming a broad territory. Under
places where the restless dead had no time to be duress their natural regenerative abilities
buried and were given to the wilds. They are tall, become rampant and they often grow extra limbs
beautiful jotunn born from Tsumi, the moon as a shark grows teeth - hands, arms, or legs that
titan, and they carry a great sorrow and are still able to act for a few minutes after being
resentment in their beings. With their lopped off.
greatscythes, they wander old overgrown
battlefields and groves that were once charnel HP: 80
houses, tending to the bones of the dead and the Elite: Takes 2 turns
pale flowers that grow there.
Wild Regeneration: At the end of any turn the
HP: 80 Bale Troll takes 10 or more damage to its hp, it
Elite: Takes 2 turns gains 10 vigor, then summon a loose limbs
summon in free space in range 2.
Spirit Scythe (1 action, attack, arc 6): Loose Limbs
Autohit: Fray. Area effect: Fray. Effect: Attack Summon
target is sealed and shoved 1 in any direction. Summon effect: At the start of the Troll’s
Lonely Dead (1 action, summon, 1/round): turn, may rush 1 space, then deal 2 damage to
The Thannir summons a lonely soul in range 4. an adjacent foe.
Lonely Soul
Summon, Size 1 Storm of Claws (1 action, true strike,
Summon action: When summoned, or once attack, range 3, combo): On hit: [D]+fray.
a round on the Thannir’s turn thereafter, may Miss: fray. Effect: Attack target is slashed. Effect:
move 3 spaces and deal 2 piercing damage to All foes in range are shoved 1 towards the troll.
an adjacent foe. If that foe is sealed or • Boulder Fist (2 actions, +2 curse, burst
marked, the soul can also then shove the foe 1(target), melee attack, combo): On hit:
1. 3[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: May
Full Bloom (1 action, range 6, small blast): rush 2 before this attack. Effect: Attack target is
Area effect: 2 piercing damage. If a foe is sealed, it shoved 3. Collide: Foe is stunned.
takes 2 piercing damage again. If a foe is also Incredible Bulk (1 action, end turn, stance)
marked, it takes 2 piercing damage once more. The troll deals 10 piercing damage to itself, which
Rune of the Spring Flower (1 action, cannot reduce it below 1 hp. While in this stance,
multimark, range 6): The Thannir marks itself it gains counter and is sturdy. All allies adjacent
or an ally in range. After any ability that damages to the troll gain resistance. This stance ends at the
that ally resolves, they gain 2 vigor and may dash start of its turn, but it can deal 10 piercing damage
2. to itself again to refresh it.
Rune of the Grave (1 action, range 6, Hurl Boulder (1 action, range 4): Effect: A
mark): A foe in range 6 must save or be marked. foe in range takes 2 damage and is shoved 1, then
On a successful save, they are pacified instead. create a height 1 boulder object next to them.
While marked, a character cannot benefit from Re-attach Limb (1 action): The troll absorbs
defiance or effects that prevent them from being an adjacent loose limb, destroying it. It gains 4
defeated, loses all vigor at the end of each turn, vigor, and may remove a status affecting it.
and cannot gain vigor. A character can end this
mark by spending an entire turn not attacking. Chapter 3+
Execute (2 actions): A foe in range 2 at 25% GREAT STORM KINDRED
HP or lower must save. On a failed save, they are Former guards of the great gates of Erenhelion,
defeated, ignoring all other effects. On a these bestial Aetnir lords are armed with
successful save, they are reduced to 1 hp. hammers forged of sky steel by the Storm Lord
and imbued with fragments of his shattered soul
BALE TROLL aether. Bereft of purpose now that the great hall
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lies shattered and scattered across the land, they HP: 56

wander aimlessly and melancholic, looking for
strong foes to challenge in battle and stave off Elite: Takes 2 turns
their existential rot.
Titanforged greatbow (2 actions, ranged
HP: 80 attack 8): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Shove 1. Effect: This weapon deals bonus damage
Elite: Takes 2 turns and gains +1 boon against characters outside of
cover.
Storm Hammer (Round Action): At the start Bounding Leaps (1 action): The Great Hunter
of the round, the Jotunn slams a hammer of flies 3. Effect: If it lands on an object, it can repeat
lightning into a small blast area, creating a this flight once more.
terrain effect in that space. Foes in the area are Hunter Arrow (1 action, range 8,
weakened+, and the area has Rampart. At the repeatable): Mark an unoccupied space in
end of the round, the hammer is recalled. All foes range. Characters that enter that space for any
in the area, and all foes adjacent to the Jotunn reason are struck by a projectile, taking 4 piercing
take 4 damage. If foes are both in the area and damage and ending this effect. The areas last until
adjacent to the Jotunn, they take damage twice. the end of the current round. After this effect is
triggered or expires, create a height 1 great arrow
Mighty Smite (1 action, attack, true strike, object in an adjacent space.
line 4, combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area Bolt from the Blue (1 action, range 6,
effect: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage to mutimark, 1/round): The Jotunn fires a
weakened or slashed foes. sheathe of arrows into the air, marks a foe in
• Thunderfury (2 actions, +2 curses, range, then sets out a d6 power die, starting at 6,
attack, range 2, burst 1(target), combo): or ticks it up by 1 if it already has a die, to a
On hit: [D]+fray, three times. Miss or area maximum of 6. At the end of any turn, the Jotunn
effect: fray. Effect: Deals bonus damage to may tick the die down by 1 to deal 2 piercing
attack target per status or allied mark they are damage to any target marked by this ability.
affected by. If they are affected by three or more,
they are stunned.
Berserkgang (1 action, range 3, 1/round): A
foe in range must save or gain hatred of the
Jotunn. On a successful save, they are weakened.
If the target or Jotunn is bloodied, they gain +1
curse on this save.
Storm Cunning (1 action, range 2): Swap
places with an ally in range, removing and placing
both characters. Bloodied characters gain 3 vigor.
Primal Spark (1 action, range 6): A foe in
range takes 2 divine damage.
Sturmreiten (1 action): The Jotunn flies 4 with
phasing, and is intangible while flying. All
characters they pass through take 2 damage.
GREAT HUNTER
A wild jotunn born of Gaia, with great antlers
and hooves. These jotunn speak little of the
tongue of Kin, and bound through the forest at
the head of great herds of animals. Their bow
strings are made from the sinews of the greatest
beasts of Arden Eld, and their arrows are
whittled from stripped down, young trees.
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characters are each shoved 2 away from each

Unique Legends other.
• If a character ends their turn within range 2 of a
character with an opposite charge, they are
I. RIDER OF THE PRIMAL shoved towards that character until adjacent
and become stuck to them. While stuck:
STORM • If either character attempts to break
adjacency, or is moved by another character
in a way that would break adjacency, they
The Great Hall Erenhelion had among its must first save.
number the most exalted Aetnir, warriors of • On a successful save, they can move or be
exceptional skill and martial prowess. These moved normally.
demigods rode primal titan steeds born of the • On a failed save, they become unable to exit
wind and storm, six-legged monstrous horses adjacency with the character they are stuck
that could ride on their air as easily as the earth. to for any reason for the rest of the current
They were bridled with gold and hitched to the turn (they can still move normally, as long
Hall, as it was the Riders’ holy task to pull it as they don’t break adjacency).
through the air. • Being shoved by like polarity (see above)
bypasses this save and always works.
Now Erenhelion is lost, shattered, and its
fragments scattered across the land. The Riders Lingering Spark (Round Action): Create a
are less than a dozen in number but still ride the Lingering Spark adjacent to the first foe that acts
great storms that gather over the deep oceans of in the round at the start of their turn, a 1 space
Arden Eld. When such a storm sweeps over the terrain effect. Any foe entering the spark’s space
land, the joyous war cries of a Rider and the can swap their polarity, but take 1 piercing
thunder of unearthly hooves can sometimes be damage. Each spark is destroyed at the end of the
felt in the bones of the mortals that cower in their round it is created.
flimsy shelters below. Judgement Bolt: At the start of each round, roll
1d6. At the end of the round, all foes are hit by
Riders are legendary, boisterous warriors that divine lightning, the effect of which depends on
only descend to the earth for tasks of great the roll.
import or to stave off their ancient melancholy • (1-3) Judgement of Cowards: Foes take 2
with the thrill of battle, largely leaving the divine damage. Increase this to 6 divine damage
earthly realm alone. Stories abound of foolish if they are adjacent to one or more of their allies.
and hubristic mortal heroes challenging the • (4-6) Judgment of the Brave: Foes take 2
storm, only for the storm to answer. They are divine damage. Increase this to 6 divine damage
scions of destruction and the lightning is at their if they are not adjacent to one or more of their
beck and call. allies.
Special Traits: Size 2 Phases:

Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. The Rider enters its second phase when bloodied.
Phase I:
mark affecting it.
Blade of the Storm Lord (1 action, attack,
arc 4, true strike, combo): On hit [D]+fray.
Divine Presence: Immune to stun
Miss or area effect: Fray. Effect: May rush up to 2
Static charge: At the start of combat, roll 1d6 for
before this attack. Effect: Shove all foes 1
each foe (or flip a coin). On tails, or 1-3, the foe
• Great Bolt (2 actions, attack, line 10,
gains a negative charge. On a 4+, the foe gains a
combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area effect:
positive charge. These charges are ongoing effects:
fray. Effect: Attack target crackles with a static
• If a character ends their turn adjacent to a
charge. If they don’t end their next turn adjacent
character with the same charge as them, both
to another character, they take 3 piercing
damage, then this effect ends.
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• Crackling Blow (1 action, attack, positioning, by using Lingering Sparks to flip their
unerring, range 4, Large Blast): On hit: polarity, or by walking into Grand Fulmination.
[D]+fray, Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: Attack
target crackles with a static charge. If they end
their next turn adjacent to another character Trophies
they take 3 piercing damage and this effect ends.
This effect is exclusive with Great Bolt. Aegis of Erenhelion
Jolt (1 action, range 4): A foe in range takes 3 Uses: 1 expedition
damage. They must then save or become Effect: This shield-shaped brooch wards against
weakened and have their polarity flipped. pernicious runes and hexes. For the duration of
Weakened foes fail the save. this expedition, you may choose to become
Grand Fulmination (1 action, range 4): A immune to the effects of foe abilities that check if
free space in range of the rider crackles with you are adjacent to an ally, or not adjacent to an
lightning. The next time a foe enters that space for ally.
any reason, they have their polarity flipped, then
must save or take 3 damage three times and be Bridle Shard
weakened, or just once on a successful save. The Uses: 3
space lasts until the end of combat. Effect: Hold this bridle shard aloft at the start of
Joyous Combat (1 action): Effect: All adjacent any combat to summon a titansteed to ride for the
foes must choose: be shoved 2, or take 5 damage rest of combat, gaining the benefits of the Rider’s
from the Jotunn. Collide: Foe is slashed. Call Steed trait for the rest of this combat.
Sturmreiten (1 action, 2/round): The Rider
flies 4 with phasing, and is intangible while
flying. All characters they pass through take 2 II. Keeper of the
damage
Eldflame
Phase 2:
As phase I, but:
Great apprentices of the Forge Titan, Flame
Keepers cultivate sparks of the Eldflame, the
Call Steed: The Rider gains a massive
divine flame that was used in the making of the
Titansteed, granting it the following benefits:
world. Though sputtering with age, the
• Increase the Rider’s speed to 5
imperishable divine flame burns just as hot as the
• The Rider gains flying.
day it was bestowed, no matter how much it is
• The Rider may break up any of its movement
divided.
with actions.
Primal Levin (Round Action): At the start of
These demigods of the forge confine themselves
the round, the Rider creates a number of small
to their workshops deep beneath the earth,
blast area effects equal to the round number
buried in mountain caverns, or perched at the
anywhere on the battlefield, targeting foes if
edge of wind-swept precipices. There they toil
possible. At the end of the round, massive bolts of
endlessly, bent with work and age, trying to
lightning strike these spaces. Foes in the area of at
replicate or repair their masters’ work, largely in
least one bolt take divine damage equal to 2 + the
vain.
round number
The Keepers are the best smiths in Arden Eld, and
by themselves are responsible for forging items
Tactics of tremendous power, fell objects that armies
Fighting this boisterous jotunn is mostly about have fought and died for.
managing polarity. Characters that don’t position
correctly can quickly be cut down by the jotunn’s Special Traits: Size 2
numerous effects that require a character be Divine Presence: Immune to stun
adjacent to allies or apart from allies. Characters
can ameliorate this somewhat with good Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character.
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Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of Light the Everforge (1 actions, end turn,
the round, this character may clear a status or combo): The Keeper gains 10 vigor and
mark affecting it. summons the Everforge
Everforge
Volatile Ember (Round Action): At the start 2x2 height 2 object, destructible
of the round, the Keeper creates 1 Volatile Ember 10 hp + 10 per player
in any space within range 2 of a character until Effect: This massive forge sparks with godly
there are six Embers active. A Volatile Ember is a power. Character standing on the forge when
special terrain effect that may be picked up by a it is summoned are pushed up on top of it,
character moving into its space. A character and foes adjacent are shoved 1 away from it.
carrying at least one ember takes 3 divine The forge has aura 2. While in the aura, the
damage, at the end of their turn. This damage smith is immune to being shoved, teleported,
cannot reduce a character below 1 hp. If a or removed from the battlefield and can use
character is defeated while holding embers, they the forge actions below. When the Keeper
are snuffed out. uses a Forge action, the area on and adjacent
to the forge explodes for a 2 piercing damage
The Keeper’s abilities become stronger against area effect, and the forge takes 10 damage,
character carrying embers. However, carrying an potentially destroying it.
ember fills a character and their weapons with • The Keeper can only keep one of each
godly power and has the following benefits: unique effect active at once, including the
• 1+: All attacks gain +1 boon and deal bonus forge itself.
damage • When the Keeper uses a forge effect, it gains
• 3+: Character’s abilities gain true strike and 10 vigor.
ignore resistance. • When a Forge effect ends, create a space of
• 6+: Character’s abilities ignore vigor and deal quicksilver adjacent to the Keeper.
double damage to the Keeper’s armor.
Forge Weapon (1 action, end turn): The
Quicksilver: Certain abilities from the Keeper Keeper forges a godly weapon, rolling 1d6 for
drop a pool of Quicksilver. Quicksilver is difficult type, granting it a new ability. When the ability is
terrain, which the Keeper ignores. Characters that used, the weapon is destroyed, ending this effect.
end their turn in quicksilver quench their embers, Only one weapon form can be active at once until
getting rid of all of them, but also consuming the the weapon is used.
quicksilver space. • 1: Hammer (1 action, attack, +1 curse,
range 3, large blast): On hit: 5[D]+fray and
Phases: foe is stunned. Miss or area effect: [D]+fray.
The Keeper changes phases when bloodied. • 2: Spear (1 action, attack, pierce, line
10): On hit: [D]+1, five times, Miss or area
Phase I effect: [D]+1, twice.
Smite the Anvil (1 action, melee attack, • 3: Sword (1 action, true strike, arc 6):
range 3): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: On hit: 4[D]+fray. Miss or area effect: 2[D]
Character gains 1 ember. +fray.
Hard Headed (1 action): The Keeper rushes 3. • 4: Curved Sword (1 action, burst
Before and after its movement, it may shove all 2(self)): Autohit: [D]+fray. Area effect: [D]
adjacent foes 1. +fray. Effect: Attack target is vulnerable.
Quickening (1 action): A foe in range 6 gains • 5: Bow (1 action, unerring, range 10): On
an ember, then has their embers stirred up. At the hit: 3[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. Effect: Shove
end of their next turn, they explode, dealing 1 5. Collide: Foe is stunned and shattered
piercing damage once for every ember they are • 6: Axe (1 action, melee attack, range 2):
holding to all other foes in a large blast area effect On hit: 4[D]+fray. Miss: 2[D]+fray. Effect:
centered on them (the chosen character takes no Deals +2[D], hit or miss, to bloodied
damage). They then become vulnerable and have characters.
a space of quicksilver created next to them. Forge Mail (2 actions, end turn): The Keeper
forges itself a piece of armor, rolling 1d6 for type.
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The Keeper can only have one piece of armor damage, once for each pool picked up this
active at once, and each have separate effects. round.
When forged, each armor piece gains 8 hp per
player character. A character can choose to
damage an armor piece instead of the Keeper
Tactics
The keeper is a tempo fight that hits extremely
when damaging the Keeper. Armor pieces don’t
hard every few turns, but requires set up. Its
benefit form the Keeper’s vigor, resistance, cover,
armor abilities can be very potent if allowed to
or dodge. When an armor piece is destroyed, its
linger, but can cause explosive bursts of tempo
ongoing effects end and it has an additional effect.
when destroyed. In phase II, its ability to smith
• 1-2: Shield: The Keeper forges a massive
becomes even faster, and it gains the ability to
shield, gaining cover against all abilities not
quickly burn down player characters. Characters
used from adjacent spaces, and dodge. If the
can gain increased power from picking up embers,
shield is destroyed, they throw it, forcing a foe
but must be careful not to damage allies with
in range 8 to save or take 5 damage, become
Quickening, and must be wary of burning out
stunned and shoved 3, or just 2 damage and
from their damage, using quicksilver to quench if
shoved 1 on a successful save.
needed.
• 3-4: Helm: The Keeper becomes sturdy and its
Juggernaut trait triggers twice at the start of the
round. When the helmet is destroyed, the Trophies
Keeper spits fire in a medium blast area effect in
range 3 as an interrupt. Foes within take 1 Quicksilver Draught
piercing damage four times. Uses: 3
• 5-6: Breastplate: The Keeper gains armor 2 Effect: Drink this magic draught to neutralize all
and resistance to abilities from adjacent spaces. aether affecting your body. You end all effects,
In addition it cannot be critically hit (turn all positive or negative, currently affecting you,
critical hits into regular hits) or take bonus including marks, statuses, stances, delay effects,
damage. When the armor is destroyed, it blows etc.
off the Keeper with an explosion, dealing 2
piercing damage to all foes not in cover from the Star of the Creator
Keeper as an area effect. Uses: 3
Effect: This blinding star can be embedded into
Phase II armor temporarily, granting incredible power.
As Phase I, but: Call on its divine power as a free action ability
• Forge actions and Lighting the Everforge during your turn to temporarily become immune
no longer end turn. to all damage and effects. This effect ends at the
• Forge mail becomes 1 action. The keeper can start of your next turn.
have any number of armor pieces active from
Forge Mail and can choose which to forge
The Keeper also gains the following traits:

Great Ignition: At the end of the round, all
embers that haven’t been picked up explode,
destroying them and dealing 1 divine damage to
all foes as an effect.
Blade of Creation: The Keeper gains aura 1.
When the Keeper ends its turn, it draws in any
quicksilver in the aura, destroying it. Track the
number of pools it picks up with a power die. At
the end the round, it makes the following attack:
• Blade of Creation (Round Action, attack,
true strike, divine, range 4, line 10): On
hit: 5 damage, once for each quicksilver pool
picked up this round. Miss or area effect: 2
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Time Heals All: As a side effect of time

III. Warden of the distortion, after this fight, all characters heal all
wounds.
Aeongate Tides of Time: Many of the Warden’s abilities
create a Time effect. Time effects have a Time Die,
The rarest and most powerful Tethians in Arden
which is a d6. The die is either rolled or starts at a
Eld, beings imbued with a tiny fragment of true
fixed number. At the end of any turn, including
divine power, who guard the many-pillared
the Warden’s turns, tick all time dice down by 1.
gates at the high and low places of the earth.
When the die is at 1 and would tick down to 0,
What lies beyond the gates is a matter of deep
remove the die and immediately trigger the Time
theosophical speculation. Some believe them to be
Effect. Time dice and their current number are
a portal to great treasures. Still others believe
visible to all characters.
beyond them lies the Garden of Eyoning, the
place where the fruit of immortality was
Sever Mortal Thread (Round Action): At the
cultivated. Other, more pessimistic observers
start of round 4, and every 2 rounds thereafter,
believe it to be a plane of deepest abyss, and the
the Warden cuts the lifespan of all characters on
gate wardens are not guarding the gates from
the battlefield, reducing their current and
the outside, but defending the outside world from
maximum hp and vigor by 25%. This does not
the gates.
stack with wounds, and takes priority over any
wounds a character has taken (so a character with
The church of the Chanters believe beyond the
1 wound wouldn’t lose any additional max hp).
gates is the Highest House, the seat of the
This HP reduction stacks (so 25%, 50%, 75%, etc).
Creators that sat even above the Titans, and the
At the end of round 10, the Warden permanently
final (and thankfully unrealized) conquest goal of
severs the lifespan all characters, instantly
the Arken Imperium. Whether the House is empty
defeating them and ending the fight.
or occupied is unknown and a frequent topic of
Eternal Star (Round Action): At the start of
dogma.
each round, the Warden summons an Eternal
Star, a massive meteor. The star is a single space
The point is moot anyway, as nobody, not even
time effect with a d6 time die set to 6, targeted on
the Imperium, was able to fight its way past a
any space. When the star comes down, all foes
gate warden.
take divine damage depending on their distance
from the star’s space.
HP: 40 per player (min 80)
• 0 (in the space): 100% of max hp.
• 1: 75% of max hp
• 2: 25% of max hp
Divine Presence: Immune to stun
• 3+: 1 damage
Unmoor: At the start combat, the Warden
chooses a character, which gains aura 2 for the
rest of the fight. When that character ends their
turn with a time effect in the aura, they may
mark affecting it.
choose to re-roll any or all of those time effects. A
character can willingly pass this aura to an
Phases Change: adjacent ally as a free action on their turn, and it
The Warden changes phases when reduced to 0 affects a new character (chosen by the Warden) if
HP and defeated. It then alters time to a timeline the currently affected character is defeated.
where it wasn’t defeated, then reduces its
maximum hp. It is finally defeated when reduced
Phase 1:
to 0 HP in phase 3.
Slip Between Space (free action, 1/round):
The Warden has the following traits in all phases:
Remove the Warden from the battlefield and
place it in a new space in range 5
Primal Starseed (1 action, summon, 1/
round): The Warden chooses a foe, then
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summons a primal star-seed exactly 4 spaces effect: fray. Effect: Create a height 1 meteor
away from them. object adjacent to the attack target.
Star Seed • Nemesis (2 actions, attack, range 4): On
Size 1, phasing hit: [D]+Fray. Miss: fray. Effect: If target is
Summon effect: The seed is keyed to a affected by one or more time effects, they take
specific character. At the start of that 2 damage, once, per tick on the highest time
character’s turn, or after that character uses effect die, then all time die affecting them are
any ability and the ability resolves, the seed re-rolled, taking the re-roll as the new result.
moves 1 space towards them. If the seed Effect: Then, that foe becomes vulnerable.
would enter the space of any foe, it explodes Primal Polaris (1 action): Mark a visible space
for a large blast area effect, destroying it. with a d6 time effect. Roll 1d6 for turns
Foes inside must save or take 6 divine remaining. When the effect goes off, a meteor
damage, twice, or just 2 divine damage twice smashes into the space, inflicting [D]+fray divine
on a successful save. The star-seed persists for damage in a small blast area effect centered on
the rest of combat, but if it it caught in the the space to all foes within, ending this effect.
area of Primal Polaris or an adjacent space to Foes in the center space are shattered. The
an Eternal star, it fizzles out and is destroyed. Warden can only have up to three of these spaces
Chains of Fate (1 action, range 6, 2/round): active at once, and can choose which to replace if
The Warden chains a foe in range 6 to an adjacent it places a new one.
space. That foe becomes vulnerable, and if they
end their turn in or adjacent to that space, they Phase 2:
take fray damage three times and are stunned. At As phase I, but:
the end of their next turn, they are shoved up to 3 • The Warden is returned to 50% max and
spaces towards that space, ending in it if possible, current hp.
then this effect ends. A character can only be • It summons two Eternal Stars instead of one at
affected by one set of chains at a time. the start of each round
Primal Meteor (2 actions, 1/round): All foes • It gains the following action:
not in cover from the jotunn must save or take Key of Existence (free action, 1/round):
fray damage twice and become vulnerable, or Re-roll all time die.
once on a successful save. Then, summon a height
1 meteor object adjacent to any character affected. Phase 3:
Round 3+: Fray damage three times on a failed As Phase I and II, but:
save. Round 5+: Fray damage five times on a • The Warden is returned to 25% max and current
failed save. hp.
Primal Sisyphus (1 action, 1/round, mark): • It becomes immobile in this round except for its
Mark a character with a d6 rolled time effect, and slip between space ability
put a marker on their current location when • It summons one eternal star per player
marked. When the time effect runs out, remove character, centered on each player character at
them from the battlefield and return them to the the start of each round.
marker, or as close as possible if the space is • Key of Existence becomes 2/round
occupied. Then end this mark.
Tactics
Staff of Eternal Order (1 action, attack,
The Warden is a fight that requires heavily on
range 6, combo): Autohit: fray damage. Effect:
good turn ordering by player characters, true to
Create a time effect, centered on the target and
its theme. Its time effects are heavily telegraphed,
moving with them. Roll 1d6 for turns remaining.
but hit extremely hard. It can use Primal Sisyphus
The effect deals [D]+fray divine damage when it
and Chains of Fate to pull characters back into
triggers to all characters other than the warden
Polaris or Eternal Star, or yank them into a bad
that are sharing the same row or column of the
position for Staff of Eternal Order’s time effect.
battlefield as that character.
Characters can ameliorate this somewhat with the
• Comestion (1 action, attack, unerring,
Unmoor aura, making the character bearing it
pierce, true strike, range 6, combo, Burst
very important. At phase III, characters will have
2 (target)): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area
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very little time to burn the Warden down before it

flattens them with divine meteors.
Trophies
First Key to the Gates
Uses: 1
Effect: Turning this key at the end of your turn
allows you to slow the flow of time for everyone
but yourself. You gain an additional turn this
round, which you take directly after this turn. The
key then disintegrates and is destroyed.
Second Key to the Gates

Uses: 1
Turn this key as an interrupt ability. Trigger: An
ally is defeated. Effect: Reverse the flow of time
slightly and alter causality. That character is
reduced to 1 hp instead. End the current turn.
Then the key disintegrates.
Third Key to the Gates

Uses: 1
Turn this key as an interrupt ability. Trigger: A
foe uses a non-basic ability on its turn, and the
ability resolves. Effect: End that foe’s turn. After
three uses, this key disintegrates.
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Jotunn Trophies
Swing this enormous blade for the following attack:
Titan Blade Titan Blade (2 actions, attack, +1 curse): On hit: 1
3[D]+fray. Miss: [D]+fray. Effect: Foe is stunned.
This mead may be administered to a dead character,
even after combat, to bring them back to life (also restore
all wounds). If you do so, their soul is bound to the
Mead of Erenhelion 1
ancient, ruined hall of the Storm Titan and will return
there, or to its ruins, after death, binding them as a
formless shade. It might be possible to undo this fate.
Swing this scythe to cure all allies in range 3 and remove
Thannir Greatscythe 2
all vigor from foes in range 3
Elder Titanrune This combat only, become size 2 3
As a 1 action ability, slam this huge hammer into a small
Titan Hammer blast area in range 3. Characters inside are weakened 3
and take 4 damage.
Thick, potent blood of the Holy Body. Consume to gain
Blackblood 3
20 vigor, which could put you over your maximum.
This expedition, your ranged attacks gain pierce and
Titanforge Greatbow 1 Expedition
shove 1, but you cannot dash, rush, fly or teleport.
This expedition, gain the skirmisher trait if you don’t
Great Wolf Mantle 1 Expedition
already have it
This expedition, your attacks deal maximum damage to
Nilfling Tooth 1 Expedition
foes at 25% hp or lower.
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enough to play tricks, but otherwise have no
IX. HOB more awareness than the birds, mice, and
flowers from which they draw their essence.
Nature spirits of the Green and the Deep Green, Conversely, the Aesi are powerful and skilled in
Hobs are the keepers of field and forest. Tied old, powerful magic, being tied to deep and dark
intimately to the seasons, the flora and fauna of lakes, enormous trees, rock formations, or
Arden Eld, and to the land itself, these ancient embodied as ancient beasts or in the shape of kin.
beings range from the tiny, mischievous spriggs
to the the colossal Forest Gods. Most of the time, Hobs pay travelers little heed
other than innocent curiosity, and many villages
Hobs are animate spirits made of the aether of of the Green worship them along with a broad
Arden Eld itself - the world soul, that inhabits cast of local spirits, leaving offerings and prayers
every tiny rock, tree, and blade of grass. Most of to placate them. The relationship is often
the time these spirits slumber peacefully inside harmonious and mutual - with Hobs often
the land, their presence felt rather than seen, but reciprocating by guiding travelers back to
in places where the aether of the world is civilization, blessing harvests, or gifting small
especially strong, these spirits burgeon forth, and valuable presents to local children.
emerging at the twilight hours to frolic, gallop,
and clamber through the trees and streams. However, Hobs have existed far longer on Arden
Eld than civilization and do not play by its rules.
Hobs range from childlike or barely intelligent, Some hobs have no more intelligence than the
to ancient and wise, depending on the aspect of wild beasts from which they draw their essence,
nature they are tied to. The tiny spriggs are and can be just as dangerous. Others may find it
curious enough to follow travelers and smart perfectly acceptable to lead a traveler astray for
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three days in order to show them a breathtaking usually returning to their usual natures once the
lake view, to encourage beautiful and colorful crisis passes.
weeds to grow over a field, or to transform
someone into a deer for a week so they can run All mobs have the Nature Spirits trait:
wild in the forest. Occasionally, this turns sour
and conflicts spring up between Kin and Hob - Faction Mechanic: Nature Spirits
conflicts that Hobs remember for a very long
time. A village priest familiar with their ways Greenwalker: Hobs are immune to difficult
may grow old and die, or grandson may forget terrain
the yearly offering that his grandfather made to Spirit Away (free action): The Hob swaps
the local spirits, and the Hobs see no difference - places with an adjacent character, removing and
only a sudden and unforgivable slight. placing both characters.
Trickery: Like player characters, Hobs have
In the worst cases, the aether of the land is charge abilities and can choose to take a slow turn
stirred when the natural order is wounded. The whenever they would take a regular turn.
Churn has driven more and more kin into the Forest Children: Any fight with Hobs may
deeper parts of the land, as power-hungry include a Sprigg mob.
kingdoms, barons, and princes use fire, axe, and
machine to tear up the forests and mountains to
fuel their industries and armies. In these cases, Unique Mob: Sprigg
the Hobs that emerge from the wounded Spriggs are tiny nature spirits born from the
landscape are wild, vicious, or mad with rage. essence of undergrowth and the small animals
Driving up local animals into a frenzy, they that live there, such as tiny birds or mice. They
become a terrifying force of nature that can are extremely curious and playful, and often
wage all-out war with local towns or outposts, emerge from forests to follow after travelers for
killing scores. some distance in lines like wayward children.
The aether of spriggs is so thin that it is almost
impossible to harm them.
Faction Template
To make any foe a Hob, you can add the following Sprigg
traits. All Hobs have these traits.
Members: 1 per player character (min 2)
Kin: Hobs can (technically) be bargained with, Barely There: Spriggs are intangible and don’t
and will occasionally flee or surrender when they cause engagement or obstruction. Characters can’t
are badly losing a fight. Unless greatly pressed, collide with them and can share their space. They
hobs that are considered kin will never kill disappear when combat ends, or all other non-
characters intentionally, preferring to punish or sprigg allies have been defeated.
humiliate.
• Motivations: Hobs are usually strongly Frolic (2 actions): The acting Sprigg swaps
motivated by trespass or injury against the land. places with an ally in range 3, removing and
Some are motivated by some perceived slight or placing both characters.
offense against some ancient bargain, rule, or Mischief (2 actions): The acting Sprigg swaps
compact. Still others are simply motivated by the places of two other characters in range 2 of the
natural beauty or whimsy and don’t see malice Sprigg, removing and placing both of them.
in their own actions.
• Flee: Being immortal nature spirits, being
killed doesn’t really bother a Hob (they will
usually return with the next season), but they
can be flighty and will run away if afraid.
Monsters: Hobs that are stirred up by some
natural disaster or desecration of the natural
world are warped and malicious, and will not
bargain or negotiate until things are put right,
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take 2 damage. A foe can end this mark by not

FOES moving for their entire turn.
Seismic Slam (1 actions, end turn): The Hob
FOREST HOB ends its turn and gains Delay: it’s next turn
must be slow. At the start of that turn, all adjacent
Greater hob spirits of the dark and shady spaces
foes must save or take 2[D]+fray and be shoved 1,
underneath the trees. Tend to take the forms of
or [D]+fray on a successful save. Collide: Foe is
beasts, fungi, or shade-growing plants. Due to
stunned.
their size and strength, most forest hobs pay little
heed to kin and tend to ignore them if not
bothered. During winter, they hibernate and it is Chapter 1+
easy to stumble across one by accident. Twiggan
This sturdy, but still diminutive Hob, is the result
Pummel (1 action, attack, true strike): On of a Spriggan animating a body made up of
hit: [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Charge: Shove all sticks and thorny branches.
adjacent foes 2 Twisting Thorn (1 action): Repeat the
Root (1 action, range 3, multimark): The following effect twice: A foe in range 3 takes 1
hob chooses itself or an ally in range, marking damage, then is shoved 1 in any direction.
them. When marked, that character gains 3 vigor,
and while marked, that character is immune to all Ruddcap
shove, teleport, and remove from the battlefield These ornery, man sized mushroom spirits use
effects from foes. This mark ends if the marked rubbery fists to pummel their foes.
character moves, but does not end if its allies Poison Burst (2 actions, range 2): The
move them. Ruddcap releases a burst of poisonous spores that
Twist Leg (1 action, range 3, mark): Effect: becomes a small blast blast area of difficult
A foe in range is slashed, then marked. While terrain that lasts until the hob uses this ability
marked, each time that foe is shoved, teleported, again. Foes that start or end their turn in the area
or removed and placed on the battlefield, they are weakened and take 2 damage. Weakened foes
are stunned. Charge: Range 4 and medium Blast
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that foe, the hob deals 2 damage to them and

Lesser Boulderhob shoves them 1 in any direction. At the start of the
Lesser mountain hobs, these hobs resemble Hob’s next turn, they detach, ending this effect. It
mossy boulders, and will sometimes go for weeks also ends if the Hob and their target are separated
without moving. for any reason.
Heavy Armor: Resistant against abilities used
from adjacent spaces.
Mudslide (1 action): The Hob rushes 3 with
SPIRIT HOB
phasing, then creates a terrain effect in the spaces Flying hobs that tend to congregate around
it just passed through. Characters that enter the lonely and forlorn places such as moors, swampy
space for the first time on their turn or start their wetlands, riverbanks, or mountaintops, drawing
turn there must save or slip and be shoved 2 in a from their mournful essence. These hobs are
direction of the hob’s choice. drawn towards the strong emotions and
presence of kin as though seeking warmth.
Chapter 2+ Though not outwardly malicious, they are
Seismic Slam deals bonus damage for every dangerous company to spend long hours with.
object caught in its area of effect.
Great Carp Hob
Spirit Orb (2 actions, small blast, range 8):
This fishlike Hob abducts foes and drags them
On hit: [D]+2, twice. Miss or area effect: 2
into pools of aethereal water in order to ‘rescue’
damage, twice. Charge: Teleport affected foes 2
them from the air. It often forgets other creatures
spaces. Round 3+: Gains charge effect for free
can’t breath underwater.
Whisk (1 action, range 6): A foe in range
Dive Kick (1 action): The hob rushes up to 2s
becomes vulnerable, then is teleported 1.
spaces in a straight line, then an adjacent foe is
Vulnerable foes are teleported 3 instead.
shoved the number of spaces the hob rushed.
Playful Pricking (1 action, range 6, mark):
Charge: Up to 5 spaces instead.
A character in range of the spirit is marked. While
Drag Under (1 action, usable when
marked, each time they teleport, they take 1
bloodied). An adjacent foe takes fray damage,
piercing damage. This damage cannot reduce
and remove both the Hob and that foe from play
them past 1 hp. A character can end this mark by
as they dive into a pool of magicked water. Both
not moving for their entire turn.
return to play at the start of that foe’s next turn, in
Fell spirit (1 action, range 6): The spirit hob
any free space in range 3 of their original location.
ends its turn and chooses a terrain space in
range 6. Delay: The hob’s next turn must be slow.
Chapter 3 At the start of that turn, the space explodes,
Seismic slam affects all foes in range 2 instead. releasing a massive blast of sonic energy in a
medium blast area effect centered on it. Foes
Fanged Hob inside are teleport 2 spaces, shattered, then must
These fuzzy, animalistic hobs are, oddly, quite save or take [D]+fray twice, or once on a
friendly. Their idea of expressing happiness is successful save.
chomping down on a leg with their enormous
fangs and not letting go. Nixie
Traits: Counter An ill tempered hob with a colorful array of
Tongue Lash (1 action, range 3): A foe in curses and hexes it is fond of using.
range is shoved 1 towards the Hob. Charge: Spirit Trickery (1 action): The Nixie gains the
Range 5, and shove 3 following interrupt until the start of its next turn
Latch On (1 action, end turn, usable while Spirit Trickery
bloodied): The Hob ends its turn and clamps Interrupt 2
fangs down on an adjacent foe’s leg. The Hob Trigger: The nixie or an ally in range 2 is
becomes unstoppable, and moves into and shares damaged by a foe’s ability, and the ability
their space, moving when they dash, rush, fly or resolves.
teleport. After any ability resolves that damages
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Effect: The triggering foe, the nixie, and their the light is destroyed, it fizzles out without
ally (if applicable) are all teleported 2 exploding.
Charge: Summons two lights
Banshee
This mournful, birdlike hob is drawn to locations Chapter 3
that carrion birds frequent, like graveyards or Whisk becomes repeatable.
battlefields. Its shrieking cry is incredibly potent.
Horrific Screech (1 action): The Banshee Mist Hob
gains the following interrupt until the start of its A wispy, hob made of morning mist and the
next turn breath of dying travelers. Its breath can chill the
Screech bones.
Interrupt 1
Trigger: A foe in range 6 of the Banshee rolls Mist Form: The Hob is a character and also a
a save, and the result is determined. space of dangerous and difficult terrain.
Effect: The triggering foe, re-rolls their save Characters can share space with it, and it has
with +1 curse, taking the new result as final. If resistance against any character inside of its
they fail the save, they also become space.
vulnerable. Great Slip (1 action): Remove the Hob from
the battlefield, then place it in any space in range
Mayfly spirit 4.
These playful, insect-winged hobs are fond of Flash Freeze (1 action, range 6): A character
stirring up barbed plants and watching mortals in range has an encasing of ice cover them. While
do a silly dance. encased, the targeted foe is immobile until they
Thicket Dance: At the start of its turn, before take any amount of damage. They or an adjacent
any delay effects activate, the Mayfly spirit and all ally can also use the interact ability to break them
characters in range 2 teleport 1 space in a out, dealing 6 piercing damage to them but ending
direction of the spirit’s choice. this effect.
Thorny Thicket (1 action, range 6, 1/
combat): The spirit creates a line 3 area of
dangerous terrain in range. HEARTH HOB
Hobs that coalesce in and around the dwellings
Chapter 2+ and towns of Kin. Tend to be able to speak a little
Whisk can be used on allies. If so, it always of the tongue of Kin, and have a fondness for
teleports them 2 spaces and does not inflict trinkets and other shiny items. Can often only be
statuses. seen by children. When treated well, act as
family guardians and protectors of the hearth.
Wisp When treated poorly, can become akin to
This dancing light is the spirit of deep swamps poltergeists or spirits of ill mischief.
and the dark spaces between trees.
Lead Astray: The Wisp has aura 2. The wisp Longfinger (1 action, +1 boon, range 2,
may teleport any character that ends their turn in attack): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
the aura 2 spaces in any direction. Deals 3 damage again its target if they are
Dancing Light (1 action, range 6, end turn, marked. Charge: Dash 3 and gain stealth
summon): The Hob summons a dancing light in Steal Speed (1 action, unerring, range 3):
range in any space not adjacent to a character. The hob may dash up to 2, then foe in range is
Dancing Light dazed. Dazed foes take fray damage.
Size 1, intangible Snatch Memory (1 action): The Hob prepares
Summon Effect: When a foe starts or ends to pilfer its foe’s memories, gaining the following
a turn adjacent to the light, it explodes in a interrupt until the start of its next turn:
medium blast area effect centered on it. Snatch Memory
Characters inside must save or take fray Interrupt 1
damage twice, or once on a successful save. If
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Trigger: A foe in range 3 uses an ability and Garberhob

the ability resolves. A long fingered hob that is born out of the aether
Effect: The foe loses the memory of that of lost objects. It’s fond of stealing anything it
ability, becoming unable to use it again until finds fascinating.
the end of their next turn. Any passive effects
of the ability for that duration still continue as Steal skill (1 action, range 4, multimark):
normal. The Hob chooses a foe in range, marking them.
Cavort (1 action, end turn): The Hob ends its While marked, they treat all foes as having
turn and gains Delay: it’s next turn must be evasion and dodge. A character ends this mark if
slow. At the start of that turn, it teleports 3, then they hit with an attack.
deals 3 damage to an adjacent foe. Can repeat this Lost Object (1 action, range 4): The Hob
effect, but must choose a different foe in range produces and throws a lost object at a foe in
each time unless a foe has already been chosen by range. Roll 1d6
this ability, or this effect has triggered three times. 1. Elixir: Foe gains 4 vigor
2. Kettle full of Tea: Hot tea inflicts 5
Fennehob damage and blinds the character
A suspicious, raccoon-like hob that takes 3. Portable Hole: Create a pit under the
pleasure in illusions. foe
Displacement (1 action, range 3, mark): 4. Old Sandwich: Foe is dazed, then must
The hob marks itself or an ally in range. That save or lose all vigor.
character gains evasion and dodge, and may 5. Spare Sword: Foe takes [D]+fray
teleport whenever it would move any number of damage.
spaces. These mark effects turn off if the marked 6. Bag of Hammers: Foe must save or take
character is adjacent to a foe. 3 damage five times, or just once on a
successful save.
Spinhob
This arachnoid hob lives in cellars, abandoned Chapter 3
furnaces, and workshops, where it makes Snatch memory also dazes and blinds bloodied
trinkets and weaves odd clothing out of nearly characters.
any available material.
Weave Garment (1 action, mark, end turn): Eaves Hob
The Spinhob weaves an incredibly odd or ugly A powerful crow-like hob that lives in the eaves
garment, placing it on a character in range 3. of houses. Brings good luck on families that feed
While under this effect, the character fails all it well, and pokes holes in the roofs of those that
saves. After the character fails a save, they may don’t.
transfer this mark and effect to a new character in Traits: Flying
range 3, including a foe. If there are no characters Lucky Feather: When taking damage that would
in range, this effect ends. reduce the hob to 0 hp, gamble. On a 3+, become
immune to all damage from the triggering ability.
Midden Hob True strike bypasses this effect.
This stinking toad-like hob draws its essence Pilfer Luck (1 action, range 3, mark): The
from the mud in cart tracks, fallow fields, or the hob marks a foe in range. While marked the foe
pits dug in outhouses. It has the attitude to cannot gain boons, and the Hob gains +1 boon on
match. all its attacks and saves. A foe can end this mark
Overwhelming Stench: The hob has aura 1. by choosing to roll all attacks and saves with +1
Attackers in the aura gain +1 curse on attacks, and curse for their entire turn. The mark then ends.
characters in aura that end their turn there are Crow storm (2 actions, range 4): The hob
dazed. Dazed characters take 4 damage instead. chooses a foe in range. At the end of that foe’s
next turn, a huge storm of crows descends on
Chapter 2+ their location for a medium blast area effect
Snatch memory gains range 6 centered on them. That foe takes 4 damage six
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times. Reduce this damage once for each other leaving that character’s original body as a set of
character in the area of effect. clothes as a 1 space terrain effect, placed adjacent
Bounding Leaps (1 action): The hob flies 3. to them. While a character is a seal, they cannot
Effect: If it lands on an object or adjacent to a attack, but have evasion and phasing. A character
character, it can repeat this flight once more. other than the transformed character can pick up
the clothes by using the interact ability (1 action)
while standing on the space, ending this effect.
FIELD HOB The marked character is removed from the
Hobs of the fields, meadows, beaches and battlefield and placed adjacent to the space.
savannas, where the skies are plentiful. More
aether-wise than other hobs and fond of tricks Bonfire Spirit
and deals. People sometimes seek out these hobs These jubilant festival spirits delight in the
and make offerings for a blessing of fertility, luck summer celebrations of outlying villages. Their
in business, or in rare cases, to curse a rival. exuberance does not help them realize how
flammable most people are.
Aura of Alacrity: Aura 1. Allies in the aura can Fireworks (1 actions, Burst 3 (self)): Area
use the charged effects of abilities even on normal effect: All foes in range 2 take 2 damage. Foes at
turns. exactly range 3 are sealed.
Bonfire Festival (1 action, range 3, terrain
The Old Magic (1 action, attack, range 5): effect, 1/combat): The Bonfire spirit creates a
On hit: [D]. Miss: 1 damage. Effect: The Hob height 1 bonfire object.
inflicts a status it is currently suffering from on its Bonfire
foe, then deals 2 damage, once, per status its foe is Height 1 object
afflicted by. Charge: All statuses. Object effect: The area on top of the object is
Yank Thread (1 action, range 4): A foe in dangerous terrain, and the object emits aura
range is sealed. Sealed foes are shoved 2 in any 1. Allies in the aura gain the charged effects of
direction. all abilities, even on normal turns.
Cut Deal (1 action): The Hob gains the
following interrupt until the start of its next turn Bark Spirit
Cut Deal Hobs that inhabit the stumps of old trees and
Interrupt 2 roots. They are older and wiser than other hobs,
Trigger: A character in range 3 of the Hob and can sometimes speak the tongue of kin,
gains a status. acting as intermediaries.
Effect: The Hob transfers the status to itself Curse of Bounty (1 action, range 4): A
or an ally in range 3 of the Hob. If it removed character in range from the Bark Spirit is cursed.
a status from an ally, that ally gains 2 vigor. At the end of that foe’s next turn, they grant 4
Marry (1 action, range 3, mark): The Hob vigor to all hobs in range 2, then this effect ends.
marks any two characters in range. While marked,
if a marked character ends their turn in range 3 of
Chapter 2+
their marked partner, they are both pacified and
The Old Magic also deals 2 damage per mark
gain 3 vigor.
the foe is suffering from.
Chapter 1+
Pixie
A diminutive, fast talking, foul mouthed hob with
Seal Spirit a manic attitude and a powerful knack with the
Seal-like hobs that can transform into kin-shape old magic.
by stealing clothing. They often abuse this power Traits: Flying
to cavort in seaside towns, party, and rack up Pixie Dust: Aura 2. Allies that start their turn in
wild debts, only to slip away in the morning. the aura gain flying until the end of their turn.
Seal Form (1 action, mark, range 4): The Toad (1 action, 2/combat, range 4): A
seal spirit transforms itself or character in range 4 character in range is transformed into a frog.
into a seal, teleporting them 2, marking them and While a frog, a character has defense 20 and
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dodge, but cannot deal damage or inflict statuses.

A character can save against this effect at the end
of their turn, ending it on a success and becoming
immune to it for the rest of combat.
Chapter 3
If the hob or its target is bloodied, The Old
Magic also may end all statuses affecting the hob
after transferring them.
Floating Petal Aesi

One of the greater Hobs, that takes a long time to
coalesce. These slender and coy Aesi are born
from the amorous feelings of spring, the beautiful
petals of blooming trees, and flowers floating on
water. These spring hobs are numerous - the
least powerful but the most amicable of their kin.
Special traits: Phasing
Amorous Aura: Aura 2. Characters in the aura
reduce all damage from pacified foes to 1.
Love-struck (1 action, range 4): A foe of the
Aesi’s choice in range4 must save. On a successful
save, the foe is pacified. On a failed save, the Aesi
chooses itself or one of its allies. Until the end of
their next turn, all other characters than the
chosen character are immune to all damage and
effects from the chosen foe.
Donkey (1 action, range 4, mark, 2/
combat): The Aesi marks a character in range.
They grow donkey ears on the top of their head.
While marked, they are pacified+, and after they
use any non-basic ability, the Aesi may shove
them 2 in any direction. At the end of their turn,
they may save to end this mark, ending it on a
success.
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Speed: 4 (Dash 2)
Uniques Defense: 5
Fray damage: 3
[D]: 1d6
Chapter 1+
Beast spirit Traits: Phasing. This trait also transfers to a
Many hobs take beast form, becoming like the rider.
animals giving them their essence. In this form,
they are majestic, specimens of their kind, able to Enrage: +1 action when bloodied.
run along on air as easily as ground. Other hobs Saddle Up: Hobs can mount or dismount the
such as the Aesi occasionally ride them. Beast Spirit by spending 1 space of movement,
placing them adjacent when dismounting, with
Vitality: 10 the following rules:
HP: 40 • Hobs can start the battle mounted
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• While mounted, place characters inside a free Great Suplex (1 action, usable when
space on the spirit. They share its space, move bloodied): The Kappa grabs an adjacent foe, the
when it moves, and have cover. While moving removes both the Kappa and them from the
with the spirit, characters are unstoppable. battlefield. Return them in free space within range
• Characters mounting the spirit when it is 3, adjacent to each other. The foe takes fray
defeated are placed in any free adjacent space of damage, is slashed, and then shoved 1.
the spirit’s choice and take 3 damage. Spinning Geyser (1 action, end turn,
terrain effect, delay): The Kappa ends its turn
Wild Rage (1 action, attack, true strike): On and gain Delay: The Kappa’s next turn must be
hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Shove 1. Charge: slow. At the start of that turn, it summons a
Shove 3. massive geyser underneath it. Adjacent characters
Majestic Galloping (1 action): The beast spirit are shoved 3. Collide: Character is stunned and
flies 3. If it has a rider, it can then fly 3 again. takes [D]+fray. The Geyser becomes a pit space
Rampage (1 action, repeatable): Effect: The terrain effect for the rest of combat. Whenever the
beast spirit dashes up to 2 spaces. When it ends Kappa uses this ability again, repeat the shove
this movement, adjacent foes take 2 damage and effect on all active geysers. The Kappa can choose
are shoved 1. whether or not to be shoved by this effect, and is
immune to the pit space.
Faun
Goat-headed hobs fond of drink and skilled with Chapter 2+
the pipes. Fierce fighters when provoked.
Nymph
Marching Pipes (1 action, attack): On hit: A spring hob that coalesces from the essences of
[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: The Faun and a single reflections in pools. They appear at a distance to
ally in range 2 may dash 2 before this attack. be comely kin - different depending on who is
Charge: Repeat the effect. looking at them. This appearance is a glamour,
Dancing Curse (1 action, range 3, mark): and upon getting closer, their true form, of
The faun curses a foe in range, marking them. shifting water, is revealed.
While marked, after any ability resolves that
allows that character to dash, fly, or teleport, all Aura of Glamour: The Nymph has aura 2. Foes
the faun’s allies everywhere may dash 2, and that outside the aura cannot directly target the Nymph
foe becomes dazed. with abilities.
Hot Foot (1 action, range 3): The faun
chooses a foe in range. That foe must move at Yew bow (1 action, pierce, attack, range 6):
least 5 spaces during its next turn, or else sacrifice On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Deals bonus
5. Then, this effect ends. Charge: At least 8 damage for every character adjacent to the target.
spaces. Charge: Range 12
Swirling Leaves (1 action, range 2): The Enthrall (1 action, range 6): The Nymph
Faun puts down a terrain effect in range. chooses a foe in range 6. That foe must save. On a
Characters that enter the space can fly 3 spaces as successful save, they are vulnerable. On a failed
an effect, but only once a turn. save, they are vulnerable and Nymph controls
their standard movement on their next turn.
Kappa Already vulnerable characters fail the save.
A strong, scaly hob that is the essence of powerful Riven (1 action, round 3+ only): The Nymph
rivers and streams. Emerges with the snowmelt, chooses a character in range 8. At the end of that
and obsessed with contests of strength. character’s turn, they take 5 piercing damage once
for every 3 spaces of distance between them and
Body Slam (1 action, attack): On hit: fray the Nymph. Then, end this effect.
damage, twice. Miss: once. Effect: Foe is Greenpath (2 actions): Remove the Nymph
weakened. from play, then place them anywhere on the
Tidepool (1 action, range 2): Shove all battlefield in free space. Clear all statuses from
characters in range 1 space toward the Kappa. them.
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depend on the foe’s class. If multiple foes are

equidistant, it can choose.
Greenkeeper
• Stalwart: The Changeling becomes sturdy
A enormous tree-like Hob that has coalesced
until the start of its next turn
from an old oak tree that has stood alone for fifty
• Vagabond: The Changeling gains evasion until
years or more. Greenkeepers are slow moving
the start of its next turn.
and thinking, and consider themselves shepherds
• Mendicant: The Changeling may cure itself.
of the forest. Plant life around them bends and
• Wright: The Changeling creates a height 1
ripples at their beck and call.
aethershard object in range 3, then may teleport
on top of it.
Living Root: When defeated, becomes a height 2
Snap Shot (1 action, unerring, attack,
object
range 4, combo): On hit: [D] +fray, Miss: fray.
Effect: May dash up to 2 before this attack. Effect:
Hungry Forest (2 actions, attack, range 4,
Gain stealth.
medium blast): Autohit: [D]+ fray and foe is
• Warping Shot (2 actions, attack, range 4,
sealed. Area effect: fray. Delay: The
combo): On hit: 2[D] +fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
Greenkeeper’s next turn must be slow. At the start
Foe warps and stretches, swapping places with
of that turn, the area erupts again. Foes in the
another character in range 2 from them, then
area take fray damage twice. Allies in the area are
becoming dazed. Charge: Increase all ranges by
cured.
+2.
Bloom (1 action, range 4): The Greenkeeper
Blinding Dust (1 action, range 2): A foe in
creates a space of difficult terrain in the area.
range 2 is blinded, then the changeling gains
Allies in the area when it is created gain 2 vigor.
stealth.
Charge: small blast.
Warped Reflection (1 action, end turn): The
Ancient Heal (1 action): The Greenkeeper
Changeling’s appearance and that of those around
gains aura 2 until the start of their next turn. All
them ripples disconcertingly. The Changeling
characters in the aura that start their turn there
gains aura 2 until the start of its next turn. All
gain 2 vigor.
characters in the aura gain evasion and dodge.
Overgrow (1 action, range 4): The
Greenkeeper chooses a foe in range. At the end of
that foe’s turn, if they have not moved at least 4
spaces at the start of their turn, they become
Unique Elites
immobile as the undergrowth grows over their
feet. This effect ends when they take any amount Chapter 1+
of damage, or they or an adjacent character can
hack the growth away with the interact ability (1 Great Boulder Hob
action), dealing 4 piercing damage to them but Great spirits of the mountains, these colossal
ending the effect. hobs are peaceful and animalistic, but terrifying
when enraged. Their tendency to startle,
Chapter 3 combined with their tendency to look like a
Changeling regular rocky hillside, does not help this
situation.
A strange hob that has coalesced from the
unsettling sensation of meeting a stranger on the
HP: 80
road or in the woods. It is capable of imitating
kin and transforming its shape. Most
changelings don’t seem to have any great malice,
but a great deal of amoral curiosity.
Lumbering: Cannot dash. Only takes slow turns.
Lesser Mortal Mockery: At the start of its
Crumbling Body: Has 12 armor. After any
turn, the changeling transforms its physical form
ability damages the hob, permanently reduce its
into a brief mockery of the closest foe. The effects
armor by 1 for the rest of combat, even if that
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damage is reduced to 0. If it's armor is 0, all Trigger: A character ends their turn adjacent
attacks against it become critical hits on hit. to the chosen character, or deals damage with
an ability to that character.
Ancient Geo (2 actions, attack, arc 4): On Effect: The Hob teleports to an adjacent
hit: 2[D]+1. Area effect or miss: 2 damage. Effect: space as an effect, then swipes that character
Attack target releases a medium blast explosion Other hobs are shoved 1 and take no damage.
centered on them, dealing 2 damage to all All other characters take [D]+fray damage.
characters within. Effect: If the attack target is This effect ends if the Banderhobb’s target
bloody or dazed, they explode again, repeating deals damage to it in any way. If the effect
this effect. Charge: Repeat the effect ends, the Banderhobb can immediately
Great Stone Toss (1 action, range 4): Effect: choose a new character to protect, but can’t
A foe in range takes 2 damage and is shoved 1, choose any target it’s already chosen this
then create a height 1 boulder object next to them. combat.
Earthforce (1 action): An adjacent object is
shoved 3. Characters in its path are shoved 1 to Savage Swipes (1 action, attack, Burst 2
either side and become slashed. Collide: (self)): Attack: On hit, [D]+fray. Miss or area
Characters also take 4 damage. effect: fray. Effect: If there’s only one valid
Hurl Self (2 actions, usable when character in range, deals bonus damage. Charge:
bloodied): The Boulder hob sacrifices 25% of its Burst 3
maximum hp, hurling part of itself at a foe. A foe Bounding Leaps (1 action): The Banderhob
in range 5 must save or take 3[D]+fray, be shoved flies 4. Effect: If it lands on an object or adjacent
3, and become stunned. On a successful save, they to a character, it can repeat this flight once more.
are shoved 1, slashed, and take [D]+fray. Then, Pounce (2 actions): The hob flies 4, then an
create a height 1 boulder object adjacent to that adjacent foe is dazed and must save or take [D]
foe. If the hob is at 1 hp, it defeats itself with this +fray, twice, or fray on a successful save.
move.
Chapter 2+
Banderhob
Enormous, shaggy hobs that are surprisingly Geryan
light on their feet, able to soar through the air A hob appearing in the shape of an elderly Kin,
with just a touch. They tend to be rotund and dressed for travel. There’s little way to see
relatively relaxed, so are often underestimated through this hob’s disguise, but they often wear
by unlucky travelers. Surprisingly intelligent cloaks and hats, and smoke a fragrant pipe.
despite their lack of speech and bestial form, they These hobs are the spirits of well-traveled roads
are extremely protective of children of all kinds, and therefore can move about the land quite
and have a habit of unintentionally abducting freely. They often feign illness or weakness, and
them for long stretches of time. They often reward kindness or charity. They have a great
become confused, and due to their large size, see knowledge of the ancient healing arts and are
most Kin as lost children, which can lead to fond of striking bargains.
unfortunate incidents.
HP: 80
HP: 56 Elite: Takes 2 turns
Elite: Takes 2 turns Bargain: Once per round, as an interrupt, the

Protect the Child: At the start of combat, the Geryan can strike one of the following bargains
Banderhobb chooses a foe, deciding it’s a child to with any foe. The bargain interrupts anything
be protected. It gains three uses of the following that’s currently going on, and resolves
interrupt, which carry over between turns and immediately. Accepting a bargain is voluntary. If a
only refresh at the start of each round. character refuses a bargain, the Geryan or an ally
Protect the Child of its choice gains 4 vigor.
Interrupt 3 - Luck: Trigger: The foe started their turn.
Effect: The foe gains +1 boon on all attacks and
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saves this turn. Terms: The Geryan gains characters in the aura that start their turn there
another use of one of its 1/combat abilities. gain 2 vigor.
- Immortality: Trigger: Foe just took a wound.
Effect: The character can ignore the wound. Wissan
Terms: The Geryan grants a vigor surge to itself Spirits that inhabit and embody very ancient,
and an ally in range 6. powerful, or aether-rich trees. When a tree
- Wealth: Trigger: The foe’s turn started. reaches a hundred years old, it is said a Wissan
Effect: Place a wealth token in a free space of always appears. Wissan can appear in the shape
the Geryan’s choice in range 6. The wealth of Kin and speak their tongue. They know many
token is an intangible summon. It can be picked old and ancient magical arts, and are studious
up if any character ends its turn adjacent with for Hobs, hoarding many secrets and treasures
no other characters adjacent to the token, and in their cavernous root networks. Particularly
is dropped in an adjacent space if a character is ambitious Wrights will sometimes head into the
defeated. If a character ends combat with the old woods to try and study with one.
wealth token, they gain 1 dust.
- Beauty: Trigger: The foe just took damage. Wissan may appear anywhere where their spirit
Effect: The foe reduces all that damage to 1. tree has roots, which gives them a surprising
Their skin and hair/fur become clean and look reach.
amazing. Terms: Every ally of the Geryan in
range 3 of that foe gains hatred of them and HP: 64 (16 per root)
they become sealed and pacified.
Wish (Interrupt 1, 1/combat): Trigger: An Elite: Takes 2 turns
ally in range 6 is reduced to 0 hp. Effect: That ally
returns to 25% hp instead, then the the Geryan Deep Rooted: At the start of any combat, place 4
sacrifices 25% of its maximum hp. deep roots on the map
Deep Root
Old Staff (1 actions, attack, small blast, Object, height 1, immobile
range 4): On hit:[D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect: Object effect: The roots have aura 1. Foes in
Attack target is pacified. the aura are vulnerable+. All roots must be
Chastise (1 action, range 4): Effect: A accessible to characters and placed within
character in range takes 1 piercing damage. If that range 6 of another root. The Roots are
character attacks before the end of their next turn, considered to be the Wissan for purposes of
they take [D]+fray piercing damage again and this targeting and each has 25% of its max hp.
effect ends. When a root is destroyed, remove it.
Pilfer Luck (1 action, range 3, multimark): Tied to the Tree: The Wissan’s body is
The Geryan marks a foe in range. While marked intangible. When all four roots are destroyed, it is
the foe cannot gain boons, and the Hob gains +1 instantly defeated and disappears. It can teleport
boon on all its attacks and saves. A foe can end to any space adjacent to a root as a free action.
this mark by choosing to roll all attacks and saves
with +1 curse for their entire turn. The mark then Ancient Bolt (1 action, attack, pierce, Line
ends. 8): Attack: On hit [D]+fray. Miss: Fray. Effect:
Inside Out (1 action, range 4, 1/combat): Attack target takes 2 damage, once, for every
The Geryan curses a foe with awful nausea. If that adjacent foe or ally.
foe moves more than 1 space or uses any ability Root Lash (1 action): A character in range 4
that costs 2 actions on their turn, they must save. from a root summon or a deep root takes 3
On a failed save, they take damage equal to 50% damage, then must save or be shoved as far as
of their maximum HP and are stunned. If they possible towards that root, or 1 space on a
succeed on the save, they take damage equal to successful save.
25% of their maximum HP. Ancient Rime (1 actions, 1/round, pierce,
Ancient Heal (1 action): The Geryan gains line 6): Area effect: Characters in the area take
aura 2 until the start of their next turn. All fray damage. Delay: The hob’s next turn must be
slow but at the start of that turn, a freezing
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weapon made of water coalesces at the end of the Primal Stars (1 action, piercing, attack,
line, repeating the area. Characters in the area range 6, burst 3(target), combo): Autohit: 2
effect take [D]+fray. Then this effect ends. damage, twice. Area effect: 2 damage, twice.
Summon Root (1 action, range 6): The • Breath of the Wild (1 actions, attack,
Wissan creates a lesser root in a free space in range 4, pierce, small blast, combo): On
range. hit: [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect:
Lesser Root Deals bonus damage and increase to large blast
Size 1, intangible if it catches a tree in the area. Doesn’t affect
Summon effect: The root emits aura 1 allies.
around it. Foes in the aura are vulnerable+. Overgrow (1 action, range 6): The beast
Summon effect: When a root is summoned, chooses a foe in range. At the end of that foe’s
deal 1 damage, once, to one foe in range 2 for turn, if they have not moved at least 4 spaces at
every lesser root or deep root in range 2 of the start of their turn, they become immobile as
that character, including this one. the undergrowth grows over their feet. This effect
ends when they take any amount of damage, or
Chapter 3 they or an adjacent character can hack the growth
away with the interact ability (1 action), dealing 4
WHITE BEAST piercing damage to them but ending the effect.
Horn Smash (1 action, range 2): A foe in
A rare, enormous beast-like hob with spiraling
range 2 is shattered. Shattered foes are shoved 2.
horns that is the essence of the primal forests of
Pollen Haze (1 action, range 6, small blast):
Arden Eld. Often take the forms of stags, but also
Area effect: Foes in the area take 1 damage twice.
boars, wolves, or other creatures of the wild.
A foe in the center spaces then becomes
These ancient hobs are older than all civilizations
vulnerable. If the area catches a tree in the area,
and have existed since the days of creation.
foes take 1 piercing damage three times instead.
Herds of animals follow in their wake. They are
largely peaceful, and flighty - unless hunted, as
their blood is said to cure all ailments. Then, they
can drive animals into a frenzy and become
hostile to all kin for many years. As the forests of
Arden Eld wither and shrink, these beautiful and
majestic hobs are increasingly rare, or
sometimes turn up ill and sickly.
HP: 64

Wild Hunt (Round Action): At the start of the

round, the beast can choose an edge of the map.
At the end of that round, a huge stampede of
animals sweeps across the map from that end to
the next. All foes take 2 damage, three times.
However, characters that are standing on the
other side of objects or terrain as if they were in
cover from this effect are immune to it.
Prance (Round Action): At the start of the
round, the beast flies 3 spaces, then creates a
height 3 blooming tree object in any space it
vacated.
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divine alcohol Ambrosia. Such spirits are treated

Unique LegendS with great respect and must be fed and watered
well before their journey back into the forest.
Good treatment of these minor forest gods brings

Chapter 1+ good harvests and wealth to the village, however,
courting them is not without risk. These Aesi,
though they have a jovial temperament, are wild
Summer Flame Aesi and unrestrained in their passions, as the beasts
they draw their essence from. They have
Great hobs of the summer that are the spirits of tremendous appetites, and in the throes of drink
midsummer festivals and the raucous partying they go into a rage and rile up partygoers into
that usually accompanies them. These horned great (and often dangerous) acts of debauchery
goat-like Aesi can often speak the tongue of kin. and stupor. Without care, villages often end up
During summer festivals in the green, it is not half on fire, sodden with alcohol, and strewn
uncommon for a midsummer Aesi to ramble in with unconscious partygoers. A common
from the forest to join in and patronize the strategy is to spike the Aesi’s drink, so they
festivities, brining hob-spirit with them, the
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calmly fall asleep and disappear with the Brew Smash (1 action, attack, true strike,
morning mist. small blast, range 3, combo): On hit: [D]
+fray. Miss or area effect: Fray. Effect: All
Special Traits: Size 2 affected foes take +1 intoxication if they have less
than 4. Effect: Deals bonus damage to weakened
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. foes.
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of • Wild Blow (1 actions, +1 curse, small
the round, this character may clear a status or blast, melee attack, combo): On hit: [D]
mark affecting it. +fray. Miss or area effect: fray. Effect: May rush
2 before this attack. Effect: Deals 1 damage
Divine Ambrosia: The Aegis’s mere presence again to the target, once, hit or miss, for each
envelops the battlefield in a drunken haze. At the level of intoxication.
start of combat, give a d6 to all characters,
representing their level of intoxication. Certain Uncork (1 action, range 3, combo): The Aesi
abilities Intoxicate foes, ticking the die up by 1. If summons a height 1 keg object in range.
a die would become 6, a character can’t take any Keg
more. The must save or sacrifice 25% of their Object, destructible (5 hp), size 1
maximum hp and spend their entire next turn Object effect: The object has aura 1.
incapacitated and throwing up, resetting the die Characters in the aura are weakened+, and if
to 1. On a successful save, lower the die by 2 and they start their turn there, they increase their
take no other negative effects. intoxication by +1.
Sober Up: A character can sober up at the start • Steal Sip (1 action, combo): The Aesi drinks
of their turn by rolling 1d6, taking one of the from all adjacent kegs, gaining 2 vigor per keg.
following effects and reducing their intoxication If it drinks from 3 or more kegs, its next attack
by 3, to a minimum of 1. Effects with a duration deals maximum damage.
last until the start of the character’s next turn. Raucous Dance (1 action, burst 2(self)): The
1. Nonstop singing: The character gains aura Aesi implores all foes in the area to dance, shoving
1. Allies in the aura are weakened+. them 2 spaces. Characters can choose the
2. Stagger: The Aesi shoves the character 2. direction by taking +1 intoxication, otherwise the
Collide: Foe takes 5 damage Aesi chooses the direction. Collide: Foe takes 5
3. Stand and Blink: The character becomes damage
immobile. Wandering Haze (1 action): The Aesi rushes
4. Clingy: The character can only use non-basic 3, then shoves all adjacent foes 1
abilities if adjacent to an ally.
5. Take a Nap: The character is weakened. If
Phase II:
already weakened, they are stunned.
As phase I, but has the following:
6. No extra effects
Haze of Ambrosia (Round Action): All foes
increase their intoxication by +1
Phases: The Aesi enters Phase II when bloodied.
Ignite (1 action, range 4, 1/round): The Aesi
shows off its fire breathing. A foe in range 4 must
Phase I: save or take 4 piercing damage, once, (reduced to
Fire Pit (1 action, 2/round): The Aesi creates 2 piercing, once, on a successful save) for every
a pit space that is also dangerous terrain. stack of intoxication they have, but then clears all
Stiff Drink (1 actions, true strike, 1/round): intoxication, resetting the die to 1.
The Aesi implores an adjacent character to drink Duel of Flagons (1 action, range 3, 1/
before giving them a stiff whack. If the character round): The Aesi chooses a foe in range and
drinks, they gain a vigor surge but increase their tosses them a flagon.
intoxication by 2. Then, they must save or take • If that character chooses not to drink, the Aesi
2[D]+fray damage from the Aesi and become gains 10 vigor and clears all statuses.
slashed, or [D]+fray on a successful save. Slashed • If that character chooses to drink, they increase
foes fail the save. their intoxication by 2. The foe rolls 1d6 and the
Aesi rolls 1d8. The loser of the contest becomes
weakened and sacrifices 4. If they were already
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weakened, they sacrifice 6 instead. If a

character wins, they can repeat the challenge,
repeating this effect.
Tactics
Fighting this drunken brawler is a matter of
timing sober up so that it doesn’t put you in a bad
spot. There might be times it is better to indulge,
such as with Stiff Drink and Duel of Flagons. After
all, characters that save successfully against
Ambrosia intoxication take no ill effects, and can
gamble on their good fortune. Keeping
intoxication high can still be risky due to moves
like Ignite and Wild Blow.
Trophies
Mask of Summer
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: While wearing this mask, you gain a
supernatural tolerance for intoxicants of any kind.
In addition, you may shove yourself 3 at the start
of your turns, then shove all adjacent foes 1.
Pure Ambrosia
Uses: 3
Effect: Sip from the divine wine to cure yourself
as a free action ability and become unstoppable
until the end of your next turn.
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stealth. They are master thieves and can steal

Chapter 2+ anything: a moment, an essence, a thought, or
even a memory. Though they eventually return
what they stole, they are indiscriminate in their
Falling Leaf Aesi fascination with the habits and skills of Kin.
A greater hob formed from the essence of Legends abound of them stealing the skills of
dancing leaves in autumn. The Aesi take a long master tradesman on a whim for a fortnight,
time to coalesce, and therefore are quite powerful leading to their poor victim’s financial ruin, or
and ancient. These hobs are shaped more like Kin stealing the tongue of a bride for a year and a
than their more animalistic brethren and are day, leading her groom to run away out of
extremely skilled in the ways of sword craft and shame.
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1. Friendship: Foe’s abilities can't target

Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. allies and treat all allies as immune to
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of their effects, including any active marks,
the round, this character may clear a status or stances, auras, etc.
mark affecting it. 2. Sight: Foe is blinded+
3. Luck: Foe makes all attacks and saves
Immortal Thievery: Some of the Aesi’s abilities with +1 curse, cannot gain boons, and
have the thievery tag. When an ability with this cannot critical hit.
tag is used, the Aesi creates a memory as a 4. Heart: Foe cannot gain vigor or benefit
summon in any free space within range 4 of that from defiance.
character. 5. Grace: Aesi cannot miss this foe with
Memory attacks, and they cannot reduce damage
Size 1, intangible from the Aesi in any way.
Effect: Can share space with all characters. 6. Youth: Foe cannot dash and is dazed+
Characters can end any thievery effects on
them by passing over and picking up a Leaf Dance (1 action, +1 boon, attack,
memory (any memory will do). This combo): On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray. Effect:
consumes the memory, removing it. Aesi may dash 2 spaces before this attack.
• Cutting Wit (1 actions, +1 boon, melee
Phases: At the start of round 3, and every two attack, range 2, small blast): On hit: [D]
rounds thereafter (5, 7, etc), the Aesi uses Mortal +fray. Miss or are effect: fray. Effect: All foes
Mockery. are dazed. Shove all memories outside of the
area.
Phase I: • Artery Cut (2 actions, attack, mark, line
4, combo): On hit: 2[D]+fray. Miss or area
effect: fray. Effect: Attack target is marked
Swirling Leaves (Round Action): At the start
and gains an open wound. While marked, it
of each round, the Aesi puts down a space of
takes [D] again at the end of its turns. This
swirling wind, a 1 space terrain effect, adjacent to
mark ends instead if the character ends their
its space. Characters that enter such a space,
turn adjacent to an ally.
including the Aesi, can fly 3 spaces as an effect,
Gust strike (1 action): The Aesi flies exactly 3
but only once a turn. Spaces persist until the end
spaces in a straight line, dealing 2 damage to all
of combat.
foes it passes over. If it lands on an object height 1
or higher, it may repeat this effect, but only once a
Steal Ability (Interrupt, 2/round,
turn, and may only damage foes once per use of
thievery): Trigger: A foe in range 2 uses an
this ability.
ability and the ability resolves. Effect: The foe
Whirling Branches (1 action): Effect:
loses the memory of that ability, becoming unable
Teleport 1, then deal 1 damage to all adjacent foes
to use it until they pick up a memory.
and shove all adjacent foes and memories 1.
Repeat this effect three times.
Greenpath (1 actions, 1/round): Remove the
Aesi from play, then place them anywhere on the
battlefield in free space. Clear all statuses from Phase 2: Mortal Mockery (Round 3, 5,
them. 7, etc)
Wall of Thorns (1 action, 2/round): The Aesi As phase I, but also:
creates a line 3 area of height 1 thorny wall Mortal Mockery (Round Action): The Aesi
objects. Each object is destructible (5 hp) and also transforms its physical form into a mockery of the
considered dangerous terrain, but only for foes. closest foe. The effects depend on the foe’s class. If
Foes that collide with it take 2 piercing damage. the same effect would be chosen twice, the Aesi
Fae Thief (1 action, thievery, 2/round): The can choose a different one of its choice to apply.
Aesi steals something from a foe in range 5,
marking them. Roll 1d6 to see what. Picking up a Naturally, all of these effects stack if the Aesi is
memory ends this effect. Re-roll repeat effects. allowed to use them again. Why be one class when
you can be all of them?
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• Mock Stalwart
• The Aesi gains armor 2 and rampart. In
addition, Leaf dance and Cutting Wit gain true
strike.
• Mock Vagabond
• The Aesi may split up all its movement with
actions. In addition, Leaf dance and Cutting Wit
gain unerring and the ability to critically hit,
dealing +[D] on a crit.
• Mock Mendicant
• The Aesi gains regeneration. In addition, Leaf
Dance and Cutting Wit deal bonus damage.
• Mock Wright
• The Aesi gains the Aetherwall trait. In addition,
Leaf Dance and Cutting Wit gain pierce.
Tactics
Characters fighting this Aesi will find themselves
scrambling to recover memories as they have their
abilities quite literally blown out of them. The Aesi
can make this difficult by knocking memories
around, isolating them with Wall of Thorns, and
forcing them to group up with Artery Cut. In
phase II, characters must make quick work of the
Aesi, or find themselves overwhelmed.
Trophies
Mask of Autumn
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: While wearing this gnarled, oiled mask,
you gain phasing and the use of the Swirling
Leaves Round Action (as per this legend).
Wind Cloak
Uses: 3
Effect: Wrap this swirling cloak of leaves around
yourself to remove yourself from the battlefield,
then place yourself anywhere in range 4. When
you land, all allies in range 3 may fly 2.
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essence slowly condenses, taking in the sorrow of

Chapter 3 frozen death, the withering of plant life, and the
landscapes of barren snow. Unlike their kin, they
DEEP SNOW AESI are somber, solitary, and melancholy beings with
an air of gravitas about them. They can only be
The Aesi of Deep Winter. Each takes seventy glimpsed during the deep cold, or in the dead of
seasons to coalesce. During that time, their night. Their benediction can allow villages to
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survive the winter - with unexplained warm Icicle
spells, mysterious hidden caches of crops, or Object, destructible (8 hp)
respite from storms and blizzards. When Effect: The icicle has aura 1. The aura has the
enraged, however, their wrath is terrible, and following effects:
they will freeze entire towns solid just to avenge • Foes that start their turn in the aura take 2
the most minor slight. piercing damage
• Foes are vulnerable+ while in the aura.
Special Traits: Flying • The aura is difficult terrain
Freeze Solid (1 actions, range 4, 1/round) -
Legend: Takes 1 turn for every player character. A character in range becomes shattered. At the
Juggernaut (Round Action): At the start of end of that character’s next turn, they must save.
the round, this character may clear a status or On a failed save, they are encased in ice, removing
mark affecting it. them from the battlefield and becoming replaced
with a destructible (10 hp) height 1 frozen statue
This legend is best fought in a battlefield that is object. Until the statue is destroyed, they cannot
12x12 or a little larger. take a turn. When it’s destroyed, they are returned
to the battlefield in the space they left and can
Phases: The Aesi enters phase II at the start of take a turn as normal.
round 4 or when bloodied. Biting Cold (1 action, range 4, multi mark,
1/round): The Aesi marks a foe in range. While
Phase I: marked, that foe cannot benefit from sturdy or
Creeping Cold (Round Action): At the start of unstoppable. This mark ends if this foe starts
combat, the Aesi creates a Creeping Cold effect in their turn adjacent to an ally.
every space along the edge of the map, a creeping
black frost terrain effect. The Aesi ignores its Storm Whip (1 action, true strike, attack,
effects, but cannot voluntarily enter the area and range 4, small blast, combo): On hit: [D]
must end its turn outside it if possible. +fray. Miss or area effect: fray damage. Effect:
• The area is difficult terrain, even for flying Shove all foes 1 away from the center space.
characters Collide: Foe is vulnerable.
• Foes that either start or end their turn in • Diamond dust (2 actions, ranged
Creeping Cold sacrifice 25% of their maximum attack 6, Large Blast): On hit: 2[D]+fray.
hp. Foes at 1 hp are defeated instantly, and Miss or area effect: fray damage. Effect:
removed from the battlefield as they freeze solid Deals 1 piercing damage, again, to all foes
and replaced with a frozen statue object with 10 for every foe or object in the area
hp. When the statue is destroyed, return that foe • Crystalline Lance (1 actions,
to the battlefield, in its space, still defeated. unerring, attack, line 10): On hit:
At the start of every two rounds thereafter (3, 5, 7, [D]+fray. Miss or area effect: fray
etc), the effect creeps in by 1 space on all sides, damage. Effect: Foe must save or be
shrinking the available battlefield space until it shoved 4, or shoved 1 on a successful
covers all spaces. save. Collide: Foe takes 5 damage and is
shattered.
Stiffen Limbs (1 action, range 4, 2/round):
The Aesi chooses a foe in range. During their next Northern Winds (1 action): The Aesi flies 2. It
turn, that foe must move at least 5 spaces, or else becomes intangible while moving.
take 5 piercing damage and become stunned. Scatterfrost (1 action, range 4): The Aesi
Then, this effect ends. shoves up to three foes 1 space. Foes in difficult
Frozen Impaler (1 action, range 6, 2/ terrain are shoved 2 in any direction instead.
round): The Aesi chooses a character in range 6. Collide: Foe takes 2 damage.
At the end of that character’ turn, an icicle Howling Blizzard (2 actions, stance,
coalesces and falls on that character for a small combo): The Aesi gains aura 2 while in this
blast area effect centered on them. Characters stance, gaining resistance to damage from foes in
inside take 2 piercing damage, then create the the aura and unstoppable against their abilities.
icicle adjacent to the targeted character. This aura cancels out Whipping Winds.
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Whipping Winds (2 actions, stance,

combo): The Aesi gains aura 2, gaining
resistance to damage from foes outside the
aura, and unstoppable against their abilities.
This aura cancels out Howling Blizzard.
Phase II
As phase I, but:
Frozen Impaler creates a large blast explosion
and becomes 3/round
Creeping Cold sacrifice is increased to 50% max
hp
Icy Death (Round Action): A wind begins
blowing from one side of the map, which the Aesi
chooses at the start of each around. After using
any ability, a foe is shoved 1 in the direction of the
wind.
Tactics
The Aesi of Winter is fought in a gradually
shrinking arena, which will eventually become a
death trap due to its Frozen Impaler, Stiffen
Limbs abilities, and numerous AoE attacks. It can
alternate between Whipping Winds and Howling
Blizzard depending on its positioning. Characters
can try to cancel out its shove options by leaving
the icicles from Frozen Impaler up and the frozen
statues of their allies, but may also want to
destroy the icicles to stop the build up of their
powerful auras, and the objects to free their allies.
Trophies
Frozen Fetish
Uses: 2
Effect: Smash this small icon as a Round Action to
create 4 spaces of icy black deep frost anywhere
on the battlefield. These spaces have the same
effects as creeping cold (as per the ability).
Mask of Winter
Uses: 1 expedition
Effect: While wearing this mask, your body
temperature dips to supernatural lows, your flesh
becomes blueish and icy, and you are no longer
affected by the cold. You become immune to
difficult terrain, and shove, teleport, or remove
from the battlefield effects for the duration of this
expedition.
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Hob Trophies
Summon an allied Sprigg mob with 3 members. The
Yunmes blossom 3
Spriggs disappear at the end of combat
Create a wissan root object as a free action ability, a
height 1 object in range 5. The area around the root is
Wissan Root splinter 2
difficult terrain, and the root emits aura 1 around it. Foes
in the aura are vulnerable+
Eat this frozen berry at the start of combat to gain aura 1.
Winter Berry Characters in the aura have cover and foes that end their 3
turn there are sealed.
Take a puff from this pipe as a free action ability to gain
+1 boon on all rolls until the start of your following turn.
Geryan’s Pipe 5
During your following turn, take +1 curse on all rolls
instead.
Throw this pebble as a free action ability to shove a
Boulder Hob Pebble character in range 3 1 space, then create a height boulder 5
object adjacent to them
Eat this mushroom to transform into a frog until the end
Transmogrifying
of your next turn. While a frog, you have evasion 20 and 3
Mushroom
dodge but cannot deal damage or inflict statuses.
This expedition, while adjacent to an ally you have
Banderhob fur mantle 1 expedition
counter and evasion.
This expedition, you may swap place with any adjacent
Spirit Hob Charm 1 expedition
ally as a free action ability on your turn.
This expedition, gain dodge, evasion, and cover while
inside the area of a terrain effect, difficult terrain, or
Mark of the Forest God dangerous terrain, and additionally become immune to 1 expedition
all damage and movement penalties from terrain and
terrain effects.
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DEEPTOWER
Deeptower is a simple expedition for level 0-2 The top of the tower broke off and was lost
characters. Try it at level 1 or 2 if you want somewhere during its ascent from the deep earth,
characters to have more options. You can use it as but the bottom half is still intact. The Chroniclers
a jumping off point to get people into the game who noted the event on their seismographs have
and write your own material. named the sinister ruin Deeptower.
REWARDS: 6 xp, 3 dust. There’s some extra Persons of Interest and hooks
arkentech and dust possible, and camp upgrade. Here are some folk that players might run into in
CAMPS: 1 town, and a quick description of each. You can use
any or all of them as hooks for players to go to the
tower.
The Town
Elder Yu:
Oxbridge is a small, tight-knit farming Beastfolk (goblin), Yeokin, he/him
community, a collection of twenty or homesteads, A wizened goblin beast folk who is the town elder.
barns, and a small town square surrounded by He speaks slowly and his great age is apparent.
fields of green and small town shrine to the local His skin is graying and his catfish-like whiskers
spirits. Ruins haven’t surfaced near here for are long, white, and drops almost to the floor.
generations, and the valley surrounding the town
is quiet, bucolic, and peaceful. It’s a cozy town, He has two foster sons and has kept the town safe
with a welcoming, peaceful, and friendly vibe. The for two decades or so.
thatch of the houses is overgrown with grass, Hook: Elder Yu may get a boy to approach
neighbors sit outside in the evenings and gossip, characters as they come into town, imploring
and the gardens and windowsills are lush with them to see him, or may have called them in the
wildflowers and vegetables. Everyone knows each first place. He’s in a desperate state. His foster son
other. Gwyn has been missing for several days after
staying out later for work, and his other foster son
There’s also the eponymous Ox bridge, just Cado is in a terrible depression because of it.
outside of town, where the local herders drive There are also lights in the tower, making the
their cattle before coming into town to trade. It’s Elder think that people are camped there, or
old, perhaps pre-empire, massive, and made of worse. He suspects that Gwyn’s disappearance
red stone that has weathered the rest of time. was connected to the tower or people who have
come to plunder it. Yu will promise payment in
dust if characters can find what happened to his
The Tower son and bring him back… or his body.
There’s an undercurrent of anxiety running
Cado
through the town. Just three days ago, an
Thrynn, Yeokin, he/him
Arkenruin surfaced about half a day by foot, up in
A pre-teen boy. Anxious and quiet, and gangly,
the foothills. This is probably the reason the
with hair that often goes over his eyes. Won’t talk
players are here. The ruin is close enough to the
to the players without some prodding or action on
town that it presents a significant danger if left
the part of the players to get him to open up.
unexplored, and there is doubtlessly still a strong
Players might see him acting suspiciously around
concentration of Dust and arkenrelics within for
town.
the adventurous or greedy - which will doubtlessly
Hook: Cado and his foster brother, Gwyn, heard
draw scavengers.
about the riches in the tower from Quell, the
Churner who was passing through town. Quell
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promised to pay them handsomely if they could

bring her back something from the ruins, and
while exploring, they were ambushed by Relict
and split up. Cado fled, leaving Gwyn, and has felt
so guilty about it he can’t tell his foster father
what really happened. He’ll tell characters this out
of some sense of guilt and even take them to the
ruins, but will refuse to come with them further
without extreme convincing.
Quell
Trogg, Churner, she/her
Quell is a Churner, a traveling merchant who was
in town for the night when the tower surfaced.
She has curling horns, dark curled hair, and solid
gold caps on the end of her horns. She has a
morbid sense of humor and keeps her true
intentions hidden.
Hook: Quell knows towers like this can have
powerful arkenrelics hidden deep inside, and paid
Yu’s sons to go scout it out, not expecting them to
actually enter the tower. She felt so terrible about
what happened that she pulled some strings and
hired a mercenary band, Carel’s Brigadiers, to go
get the kid out. The band is still at the tower and
hasn’t returned. She’s genuine in her remorse, but
secretly has also promised the band she’ll fence
any relics they find as payment. She’s not
planning on actually selling the relics, but intends
to split town as soon as she gets her hands on
anything valuable. She might get the characters to
go fix her problem for her, promising payment.
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The Tower
Setting out for the tower is not a particularly hard
journey, though a lot of it is uphill. The tower,
when it comes into view, juts out of the
mountainside like a broken fang, the top split off,
leaving part of it open to the air. The earth around
its base is torn up and characters who linger in the
area will occasionally feel minor seismic tremors
in the earth.
There are several areas that characters could enter

the tower (if you want to check for this
information, you could have a character make a
fortune roll to gather information). The first and
most obvious route is through area 1 at the gate. more player characters than hostile characters
The second is an open gallery on the second story, stand in the objective zone at the center of the
area 5, that looks like it would take some climbing map. If the gate closes for three rounds, it remains
to get to. Cado can tell the players that he entered so permanently (for the meantime) and characters
this way with his brother. The third, and least will have to find another way around.
obvious (requiring some looking to notice) is a
windowed part of the tower jutting down the cliff 2B. THE GALLERY, MAIN LEVEL
face (area 9) that characters could climb through, This room is overgrown with dark, leafy greenery
a difficult and more dangerous proposition, and already and lit faintly from above during the day
the open part of the wall around from there, area with thin shafts of sunlight. A dark pit in the
11, which takes some further climbing. center of the room is a shaft that descends all the
way to the pit entrance (area 3). There are stairs
that lead up to level 2A and down to 2C.
1. THE GATE
COMBAT ENCOUNTER: GATEKEEPERS The door to area 4 is jammed closed but could be
opened with one or two actions from the players.
The main tower gate is open but not undefended. It makes a lot of noise and could alert Carel and
Relict stand undying watch over it, their empty his men in area 7 on failure.
shells eerily still until the presence of life causes
them to hiss and spark into motion. 4. The Knight
This fight uses the Relict faction. For every two

A crumpled figure in ancient arkentech amor has
players, add a Relict Soldier
collapsed on an altar at the end of the room here,
lit by a sunbeam. Adjacent to the altar is a stair
Then fill the remaining with the following leading down. Rows of stone pews mark the way
enemies depending on your players and there.
preferences:
A dark miasma has seeped from the knight’s
Embalmer helmet, a curling black mist that seeps across the
Arc Wraith floor and sinks low across the stone, which looks
corroded.
A good mix of Heavies with ranged attackers will
make a more satisfying fight. The wraiths, if It’s a 6 or 8 segment clock to try and move across
included, stay back. this room safely and deal with the knight
somehow without touching the life-leeching
At the start of the fight, the main gate starts to miasma, which can inflict harsh harm on the
close. Characters can prevent this for a round if
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players. Removing the helm will cause the body • Carel is willing to talk and negotiate with the
within and the armor to collapse into dust. players, especially if Quell sent them.
• Carel knows that Gwyn is somewhere down in
Rewards the lowest level - he can hear the boy calling out
The helm is a dangerous arkenrelic worth 1 dust if for help sometimes.
players take it out. It can be investigated with an • Carel knows there’s a patrol of Imperials from
action or two from the players to learn that the the city Encross that landed by airship about a
helm is broken. It can be fixed as a minor day away and have entered the lower levels
ambition during an interlude to gain the somewhere. He’s deciding whether it’s worth
following: risking his men’s lives to tussle with the
imperials. If characters can deal with the
Helm of Mist imperials, he’ll let them use the key he has to get
Trophy into the pit.
Effect: Free action ability: You and all adjacent • Carel is planning to double cross Quell and Yu
characters gain stealth. Foes take 2 piercing and try to ransom Gwyn back to the town. He
damage. might let this slip accidentally, or if the players
Uses: 3 presss him.
• Carel has the key to the door to the Pit, rather
The stairs lead down to area 11: THE WELL conspicuously around his neck. He also has a
key to the cell in area 7 where Marat is being
2A: THE GALLERY, UPSTAIRS kept.
• Carel and his men have already clearly looted
The top of this room is open to the sky and the top levels of the ruins
elements. Greenery has poured in over the edges
over the last few days. There’s a narrow corridor If negotiations go poorly, he’s not beyond
going to area 6. This room has a couple of grates attempting to rob them blind (of any dust they’re
with bars in them, behind which is darkness. carrying), knock them out, and kick them out of
Investigation of the spaces shows that they were the tower. If Carel’s band is defeated, he’ll
empty but once may have served as cells. One of surrender and leave the tower if asked.
them has someone inside (7).
If characters use the key to get into the pit, Carel
5. OLD GATEHOUSE and his men will attempt to ambush the
A second gatehouse juts out of the building here. characters on the way out. They will demand any
It’s a little climb up. Climbing without alerting the treasure the players found as a finders fee,
Relict in area 1 or Carel in area 6 is probably a 6 fighting the players if they refuse. Canny
segment clock that could end in a fight or a characters can also get away before they’re cut off.
confrontation. Cado is happy to point the
characters here. ENCOUNTER: CAREL’S BRIGADIERS
The gatehouse door is ajar and voices can be This fight is with basic foes. Carel is an elite and
heard from behind it. Crumbled pillars have takes up 2 points. He uses the Rogue basic
almost sealed it off, but there's enough space to elite.
squeeze through.
The rest can be filled from the following, at 1 pt
6. CAREL’S BRIGADE each:
Sniper
The mercenary Carel and his men are here, Sledge
camped out across the bridge.
Skulk
Carel Priest
Thrynn Guilder, he/him
Well dressed, callous, calculating
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If fought in area 6, the levers on the map can be

pulled with the interact action (1 action) to raise One of the lords very obviously held a key in her
or lower the bridges on the map. hands, but that key is missing (Carel in room 6
has it).
7. MARAT, THE TRADER
Inside this cell is a Xixo Leggio trader (upbeat, The entrance to room 9 is barricaded and will take
talkative, they/them), named Marat. They don’t muscle to get through unless the barricades are
seem particularly concerned about being locked in removed from the other side. Characters
a cell, telling characters they can get out any time. attempting to get through the barricades might
In fact, Carel locked Marat in here after catching alert the imperial patrol in room 9.
them in the ruin just yesterday.
9. THE FIFTH ENCROSS LEGION
Marat has some healing elixirs, and will loudly try A patrol from the Fifth Encross Legion has set up
and get characters to buy, possibly alerting Carel here after landing their airship a day or so away
in room 6. Buying an elixir allows a character to and marching in on foot. Encross is a large city-
trade 2 dust to heal 50% of their max hp, and state with a cruel patrician and ambitions to
Marat has two of them. become a nation-state. Fortunately, it is rather far
away, and this is only a scout patrol.
They will also constantly hint to the characters
about Carel and his band in room 6 and ask if they The gallery is open to the air at points. Characters
come across a key to return and let them out (it’s can climb in down the cliff face and through the
no trouble, really). window, but it might be a tough endeavor
(probably a 4 or 6 clock at least). Complications,
2C: SUBLEVEL 1 other than falling or slipping, could involve
This level is dark, with little light penetrating it. alerting the imperials.
Sprawled across the landing here are desiccated,
skeletal remains. The stair down is blocked by The imperials arrived a day ago, trying to make it
debris and climbing safely to area 3 will require down to the bottom chamber in order to retrieve
some action by the players. the artifact they suspect is there. They have no
idea about Cado and Gwyn, though they are aware
The hall to the east (that would go to area 11) is of Carel and his men. They lost a soldier to the
blocked by debris that could be cleared by a armored demon exploring area 10, and after
superpowered action. The hall to the west is open, checking out area 11 have determined there may
but the heavy stomping of armored feet can be be a way down to the lower level through the well
heard down it. there.
8: THE COURTYARD The commanding officer of the patrol is Hela

Valstrakker.
In the center of this courtyard is a huge statue of
Hela
imperious looking Arkenlords, decayed over time.
Beastfolk (garou), Guilder/Imperial, she/her
Braziers set into of the stone in this room glow
Ambitious, patriotic, confident, and dismissive of
with artificial green fire.
criticism.
Hela’s looks tired, and mottled fur could use a
At the pinnacle of one of the arkenlord’s staffs is a
wash. She wears a suit of arkentech power armor
massive looking ruby, which nobody seems to
which gives her a bulky frame and an oversized
have noticed it. Grabbing it, it can be sold later for
sense of confidence.
2 dust. On investigation, the hollow eyes of the
statues are trapped and will shoot beams of
Hela’s orders are to secure the tower and retrieve
lightning at characters that venture close. It’s easy
the artifact from its lower levels at all costs. She’s
enough to skirt around the edge of the room to
willing to talk to the players, but may try and get
avoid the traps. Climbing up the statue without
them to stand down or surrender first, attacking if
falling, making a ton of noise, or activating a trap
they refuse. If she defeats the players, she’ll
in the room is fairly risky, and requires a clock.
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capture and interrogate them, but probably let key and are successful, Hela will accompany the
them go. If defeated, she’ll try and retreat with her characters in their fight with the Nocturnal.
men to the airship and return to Encross if
allowed. Here’s what she knows: 11. THE WELL
• She’s frustrated and upset after losing a man in
her initial forays, and after discovering Carel’s This room is lit by bright sunlight coming in
band, the group is deciding whether they need through the cracked wall during the day.
to mount an assault on the mercenaries or not. Characters can climb here from outside, or climb
• The well in room 11 probably leads to a way up to the entrance from here, but it’s a long and
down but is blocked by some sort of monster. If difficult climb.
characters can deal with it, she’ll deal favorably
with them and send some men to accompany There’s muffled, deep snoring coming from the
them. enormous well, which is coated in a thin layer of
• Area 10 has a dangerous monster in it, some slime and has an absolutely otherworldly stench
sort of demon, but it seemed to also house a coming from it. Characters that get close without
relict node, which could contain dust. waking it up can see that the well is clogged by a
• Demons means this tower might disgorge more Halitoad. It’s possible for creative players to find
parts of itself, and ultimately a blight, if not other ways past the toad (luring it away from the
quieted. well, setting a distraction, etc) but failure means it
• If told about Gwyn, her posture towards the will immediately wake up and attack them.
characters will soften, and she’ll promise to help
the players out of they help her, and they let her COMBAT ENCOUNTER: WELL BEAST
get out with the relic.
• If they promise to deal with Carel and bring This fight uses the Beast faction. The creature in
back his key, Hela will scoff but gladly accept. the Well is a Halitoad, a huge beast monster. Its
noise attracts other monsters to the fight from the
ENCOUNTER: ENCROSS PATROL outside.
If fighting the soldiers, use the Imperials faction Brawler Beast (Halitoad)
and the following basic foes. Hela has the
following profile:
Fill out the rest with any combination of the
following, but save 1 point.
Sergeant (Decurion)
Beast Soldier
Fill out the rest of the encounter with the
following options, costing 1 point each: Beast Blaster
At the start of round 3 an enraged megabadger

Auxiliaries Mob enters the fight from one of the edges of the map.
Imperial Warrior This uses the Dervish basic foe with the Elite and
Imperial Blaster Beast templates applied to it (double hp, and it
Imperial Pepperbox takes 2 turns)
The pools of oil (difficult terrain) on the map can

Elite Beast Dervish
be ignited by damaging them with any magic
attack (attacks auto hit) or attack that inflicts Clearing the toad from the well reveals a set of
burning. They become difficult and dangerous stairs going down.
terrain.
10. BATTLE CHAMBER
Alliance: If they promise to help clear out the
courtyard for the Imperials or fight Carel for his The sounds of heavy footfalls echo through this
room, which is filled with the crumpled skeletal
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remains of warriors, and the broken armors of Rewards:

Relict. The relict node in the room is damaged and can
(unusually) be disabled. It’s fairly difficult, but the
The center of the room has a sunken aetheric network in the area can be shut down,
Sarcophagus-like structure, the relict node. A disabling the Relict at the gate (area 1) and also in
statue atop this node once held a huge gleaming the room. Characters that discover this can spend
mace, almost as big as a man, but it has been torn an entire turn during combat to accomplish this
off by the demon in this room. The node is effect.
damaged.
The node has a chamber full of 2 dust, which can
A massive armor figure treads the room in a be retrieved after combat, or with an interact
circle. Occasionally, a relict will flicker to life only action in combat.
to get swatted aside and disperse. The figure is an
huge armored demon, which has been trapped The armor demon’s mace can be taken as
here in a nonstop battle for centuries. Arkentech. It can barely be swung by a normal
person, requiring magical infusion to
The demon will immediately attack upon noticing supernaturally lighten it.
the characters. Without its attention, the node
roars to life and summons Relict. Dread Mace
Trophy
COMBAT ENCOUNTER: DREAD KNIGHT Uses: 1
Use for Obliterate
The demon uses the Archon basic elite to 2 actions, attack, range 2
represent it, taking up two points. Attack: On hit: deal 4[D]+fray and foe must save
or be stunned. Miss: 2[D]+fray. Critical Hit: Foe
Archon fails the save
Along with the demon are Relict, which can be 3. GREAT SEAL
chosen from the following, at 1 pt each:
The very bottom of the tower is sealed by a
circular door. Inspection shows it has been
Arc Wraith inscribed with arkenrunes of sealing. The door is
Relict Skulk sealed with an extremely powerful mechanism. A
Relict Soldier long clock or a superpowered action could serve to
get it open, or the key from Carel in area 6 could
be used to open it right away. Opening it reveals a
Reinforcements:
yawning void, with a narrow staircase descending
At the start of round 2, and every round
downwards against the wall. It’s a long fall.
thereafter, summon two relict husks anywhere
on the battlefield.
12. Collapsed room
The Relict are not allies of the armor demon, nor
is it allies of them. They will generally attack This room’s exits and entrances are all blocked by
whatever is closest. rubble, except the exit to room 14. Normally
characters won’t enter this room unless Room 10
The four pillars in the room can clearly be collapses into it. If they enter this room, Room 10
attacked and destroyed (10 hp each). If 2 or more hasn’t collapsed, and the archon is still alive, with
pillars are destroyed, or at the start of round 3, the some light they can see its heavy footfalls shake
whole room collapses into the second combat dust from the ceiling. If the room above has
map, room 12, which is adjacent to the Pit room. collapsed, characters can climb up out of it again
All characters without dodge take 1d6 damage as with only a little effort.
an effect and are slashed.
13. Bottom of the Well
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The staircase that leads down here from the well that can be picked up with Interact. While
breaks off about 15 feet from the floor, requiring carrying Gwyn, characters cannot dash, run, or
characters to take some action to get down safely. attack.
The room is pitch black without light. The well is This room is the former prison of The Wretch, a
dry, having drained during the tower’s ascent Nocturnal demon, a powerful Legend, which will
from the deeps, but there’s still a thin film of allow characters to enter the room before
water and clinging on the floor here. attacking if it notices them.
A shoe, belonging to Gwyn, is stuck in the mud, THE WRETCH

close to the entrance to area 14. If characters The wretch uses the Nocturnal basic legend to
make enough noise here, Gwyn will call out for represent it.
help with a hoarse voice from the adjacent area.
Nocturnal
14. THE PIT
On the map there are four braziers. A brazier is a
This is the lowest chamber in the tower, a circular height 1 object that can be lit with a the interact
chamber with recesses in the walls inset with iron ability. Torches emit an aura 1 around their own
bars, like prison cells. It stinks of stale air and spaces. They count as allies for the Nocturnal’s
rotting meat. pick off ability, and the Nocturnal is vulnerable+
while in their light.
In one of these cells is Gwyn, the adoptive son of
the Elder, and Cado’s adoptive brother. Characters can flee from the fight, taking Gwyn
with them, if it’s going poorly. The Nocturnal is
Gwyn repulsed by even a thin sliver of sunlight coming
Beastfolk (Lopen), Yeokin, he/him down either the well (in area 13) or the stair out of
Gywn is a very tired, hungry, and frightened the pit or way out of the collapsed room (area 3
teenager, only a little older than Cado. He’s been and 12) and will not follow the characters out of
trapped down here for days by the Nocturnal after its chamber.
fleeing from monsters. He managed to squeeze
through the bars in one of the cells, which seem to Rewards:
be anathema to the demon, and has only been
drinking what little rainwater has seeped down In the area, set into the central plinth that was
here. He hasn’t seen the sun in days. trapping the natal, there is a precious Elixir
Stone, a powerful relic and camp fixture.
In the center of the chamber is a plinth with a Characters that can make it out with the stone get
blood red stone inlaid into it, and a set of pitons, the fixture for free at the start of the next
that used to pin a pair of iron shackles to the interlude, or can sell it for 4 (total) dust.
plinth. The pitons have been torn free in the
tower’s ascent. The shackles are around the wrists Camping at the tower
of a colossal, batlike demon that will unfurl itself
from the shadows and attack the players at a point Characters will have the opportunity to camp
of its choosing after they enter the room, or if they once, which only takes an hour or two. Leaving
notice it, starting a combat encounter. Sneaking in the tower and camping safely outside is always
and out without alerting the demon is possible but possible. If characters are on good or neutral
probably requires superpowered effort, or a terms with Carel or the Encross Imperials, or have
difficult clock (10 or 12 segments). gotten them out of the way, they can safely camp
on their levels. Camping on the lowest level is
COMBAT ENCOUNTER: THE WRETCH impossible.
Gywn, with some convincing can be freed from his Leaving the tower
cage with the Interact action in combat. He is too
weak to walk. Treat him like an intangible ally
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Characters that get out safely (or flee) will find the blight near the border, and crossings aren’t safe.
following, depending on the situation: If you can deal with it, the patrician will pay you
• If Carel and his band haven’t been defeated, and personally.
the imperials are still active, they’ll give up and • The second part of the tower surfaces nearby.
split town, taking their loot with them • Marat finds your band and has a proposal: bring
• If Carel is still around but the imperials are not them back to their Leggio family, a few days
a factor, he’ll let characters leave with Gwyn, but from here. There’s a big problem though -
demand they cut him and his brigade in on the Marat has a terrible price on their head.
valuables, including the elixir stone. He can be
convinced otherwise with a lot of effort (or
healthy intimidation), otherwise he will attack.
• If Hela and the Imperials are around and on
good terms with the players, and Carel has left,
she’ll let them go with their valuables and Gwyn,
but demand the Elixir stone before they leave,
or she’ll order her soldiers to take it by force.
She can be convinced otherwise, but it’s
difficult.
• Neither Carel nor Hela will kill player characters
if they can help it. If players are defeated, they’ll
be dumped somewhere outside the tower, with
Gwyn. Carel will rob them and split town, Hela
will take the stone, leave them with 2 dust, and
leave.
Aftermath
Returning Gwyn to the town will make his foster

father extremely happy, and Quell very relieved.
Characters can collect payment (6 xp and 3 dust
per player). Quell will pay characters an extra 1
dust per player if they know the true story to keep
quiet. If players try to indict Quell and offer
convincing evidence, Yu will kick her out of town
after some deliberation, banning her for a year.
Quell won’t be that upset about it.
Marat safely escapes from the tower, regardless of

if characters free them or not.
Hooks
The game can safely go into an interlude

(probably in town) at this point. If you want to use
this as a jumping off point for another expedition,
here’s some hooks you can use:
• Carel’s mercenaries have purportedly set up
shop robbing passerby at the Ox Bridge, and
they’ve joined forces with another, much nastier
band of scavengers, the Skull Kickers. Elder Yu
calls a town council to convene.
• Hela reports back to Encross, who reaches out
to your band with a proposal: there’s been a
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©Tom Bloom 2023

Links and support

Thanks for playing! I hope your games are enjoyable.

- Tom “Abbadon” Bloom

Update notes (v1.5)

• Update to cover and LoS

Update notes (v1.5) 3

Playing the game 11

Setting and Tone 12

I. THE BOOK OF TALES 16

Speci c Action Examples 23

Rituals and Projects 28

Complications and Consequences 29

Player characters in Narrative Play 34

Expeditions, camps, and interludes 39

Narrative Character Creation 45

Folk of Arden Eld 46

THE SIX GREAT CULTURES 52

III. The Mighty 60

IV. The Wolf 62

VI. The Highborn 66

VII. The Mender 68

VIII. The Brave 70

IX. The Broker 72

XI. The Outsider 76

XII. The Dreamer 78

II. THE BOOK OF BATTLE 80

Combat, step by step 87

The Battle eld 89

Resolve and Limit Break 99

Vigor, Camping, and Healing 100

Victory and Defeat 101

Combat Glossary 102

Advanced Combat 106

Demon Slayer 125

III. THE BOOK OF ADVENTURE 237

GAME FLOW 238

General Dungeon Trophies 243

CUSTOM RULES 261

Additional Rules 283

IV. THE BOOK OF FOES 287

GLOSSARY OF FOES 298

BASIC JOBS 300

BASIC LEGENDS 310

II. RELICT 324

III. Ruin Beast 345

IV. Scavenger 366

VI. DEMON 406

VII. LOWLANDER 428

VIII. JOTUNN 448

IX. HOB 467

villages dot the landscape, nestled in glades and

The Churn threatens to throw the Green Age into

by the players, who can choose to stay in a certain

- A character makes a narrative roll with 1 boon.

Characters make saves to avoid or end harmful

For example: Arden Eld is post-post apocalyptic, and full of

cruel, and technomagically advanced empire

ICON is a game about playing heroic GETTING STARTED

As a game master you are welcome to change, Advancement

Levels max out at level 12. Every 4 levels

There’s much more detail on advancement in the

There’s more details on all of this in the

- Characters level from level 0 to level 1 after the first session.

Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit

7 2 Gain a Mastery Point Improve an action

10 3 Gain a Mastery Point Improve an action

11 3 Gain +1ap Improve an action

12 3 Gain a Mastery Point Gain a Bond power

I. THE BOOK OF TALES

The Action Roll Action Ratings

obvious consequences, but the action is difficult

For example: Tests of ability can be a fortune roll - a

situations, a GM can always turn things back on

• Chapter 2 is for adventures at the regional Chapter 1