VERSION 0.6.3
Written & Edited by SEAN C. RILEY
Special Thanks to BECCA RILEY JUSTIN BROWN ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP THE AEG FORUM COMMUNITY
7th Sea Reborn
The Books of Legend of the 7th Sea
Back in 1999, Alderac Entertainment Group published a revolutionary roleplaying game called 7th Sea. It was a dramatic and innovative game of swashbuckling adventure, and while it developed a devoted fan-base, it eventually faded into the mists of games past. The world of Théah that 7th Sea introduced us to remains a fascinating and complex setting, deserving of attention. Since that game’s time, AEG’s flagship game, Legend of the Five Rings, has reached its 4th Edition, a backto-basics refinement of the fantastic Roll & Keep (R&K) System which once formed the basis for 7th Sea. That brings us to Legend of the 7th Sea. What is presented here attempts to be the best of both worlds — an exciting and richly developed world, blended with a modified R&K System to breathe new life into the Théah.
This document is divided into five “books,” each covering a specific set of topics for playing in Théah, the world of Legend of the 7th Sea. B OOK OF THE W IND details the history and lore of Théah. BOOK OF THE LAND covers general mechanics and rules of play, including combat, Status, Reputation, and Integrity. B OOK OF THE SKY is about character creation, and includes Skills, Advantages, Disadvantages, and equipment. B OOK OF THE SEA details advanced rules, such as Arcana, Swordsman Schools, Sorcerous Heritage, ships, and naval battles. BOOK OF THE SOUL is primarily for Game Masters, and includes information on villains, creatures, and secrets of Théah.
History TROUBLE IN NORTHINGSHIRE (1655 AV) In the wake of the death of the Iron Queen, an ambitious nobleman named Geoffrey Highwall assumed control of the barony of Northingshire after the suspicious death of his brother, Lord Edward. After his wife — Lord Edward’s widow, Lady Jessica — also died under mysterious circumstances, a series of events was triggered that would send the barony into turmoil. Jessica’s daughter, Marilyn, united with William Fletcher, the son of the man accused of Jessica’s murder. Together, they form a band of outlaws to defy Lord Geoffrey and try to reclaim Northingshire.
Secret Societies Les Épines de la Fleur (The Thorns) L’Empereur of Montaigne has cemented his power by various means, and one of his foremost methods is through fear and assassination. His most trusted agents are known as Les Épines de la Fleur — the Thorns of the Flower. This society of assassins is more than just a collection of killers. Most of the Thorns were raised from childhood to learn the arts of death. More than once, l’Empereur has turned young hostages or orphans of his enemies into his most deadly servants.
Drama Points The use of Drama Points is a special rule to simulate the swashbuckling style of Legend of the 7th Sea. You begin each session with three Drama Points (equal to your Destiny Rank). The GM also has a number of Drama Points equal to the highest Insight Rank in the party, plus one for each character in the party. Drama Points can be spent in a variety of ways: You may re-roll any roll, keeping the better result. But be warned, when you spend a Drama Point in this manner, the GM takes the die after the roll and it goes into his pool of Drama Points. You may activate your Virtue, activate a villain’s Flaw, or attempt to prevent the GM from activating your Hubris. You may alter some minor detail of a scene to your benefit, such as a shoddy lock, a conveniently placed chandelier, or an improvised weapon within reach. The GM is free to interpret the results appropriately to the scene. The GM may also spend his own Drama Points to counter a player’s expenditure. Any time Drama Points are spent to counter another Drama Point expenditure, further points can be spent to continue the original attempt. But be careful, as such bidding wars can be expensive. Drama Points should be represented with some sort of token. Glass beads, poker chips, or even pennies work well. It just makes it easier to keep track of the points as they are spent and change hands. Any reference to “Drama Dice” in the original 7th Sea rules can be interpreted as Drama Points in Legend of the 7th Sea. G ETTING MORE DRAMA POINTS You earn Drama Points through roleplaying. If you snap off some witty banter at a villain while engaged in deadly swordplay, you’ll earn a Drama Point. If you pause for a moment before leaping out the window to give the beautiful princess a goodbye kiss, you’ll get a Drama Point. In short, any time you make the scene more dramatic and interesting is an opportunity to earn a Drama Point.
BIND (2 RAISES, FENCING) A bind is only usable when wielding a weapon with the Fencing keyword against a sword that also has the Fencing keyword. It locks the attacker’s sword, buckler, or panzerhand together with the target’s sword. To use this attack, an attacker must declare that he is attempting to bind his opponent’s weapon, and then make an Attack Roll with two Raises, ignoring Armor TN bonuses from armor. If successful, the target’s sword is momentarily bound. While the two combatants are in the bind, neither can use their bound item. To try to break this hold the target must, on his action, make a Contested Weapon Skill / Strength Roll against the attacker. The attacker may roll an additional die for every additional Raise he made on his initial attack roll.
PARRY (0 RAISES) Performing an active parry, deflecting an incoming attack with one’s own weapon, is a Simple Action. This Maneuver may be used on an opponent’s turn, but only if the character has not yet taken his turn for the round, or took only one Simple Action on his turn. A character may declare the intent to parry after an Attack Roll is made against him. If the attacker is wielding a weapon, the character must also be armed to perform this Maneuver. A parry is a Contested Weapon Skill / Agility Roll against the attacker’s Attack Roll. If the character succeeds, the attack is negated and inflicts no damage.
POMMEL STRIKE (3 RAISES) A Pommel Strike is when a character smashes the hilt of his weapon into his target’s face or head to stun him. When attempting a Pommel Strike, make an Attack Roll with three Raises. If successful, the target takes 1k2 Wounds (do not add Strength to this roll) and his base Armor TN is reduced to 5 until his next action. If this roll is failed, that opponent gains a Free Raise on his next action if he makes an attack against the original attacker.
Combat Resolution The Roll & Keep System is designed to be relatively lethal once combat begins. This is an appropriate feel for the duels and battles of the samurai. But a more cinematic approach better suits the swashbuckling action of Legend of the 7th Sea. The system modifications detailed here are designed to enhance the sense of drama and high adventure in Théah. WOUND LEVEL Healthy Nicked Grazed Hurt Injured Crippled Down
TN PENALTY +0 +0 +2 +5 +10 +15 +30
Wounds
RIPOSTE (3 RAISES, FENCING)
In Legend of the 7th Sea, Wound penalties are not as severe. Heroes and villains in Théah generally suffer little more than nicks and bruises while they trade steel, until the final, dramatic blow that ends the duel. To reflect this, the TN penalties inflicted for taking wounds are reduced, allowing for a bit more derring-do before a hero’s injuries bring him to his knees.
A riposte is a parry followed up immediately with a counterattack. A character must first attempt a Parry Maneuver with three Raises. If successful, he may make an immediate attack as a Free Action, also with 3 Raises, on the person who just attacked him. This attack can only be performed with a weapon with the Fencing keyword.
Maneuvers
SHIELD BASH (0 RAISES)
Combat in Théah is unlike that in Rokugan. There are certain maneuvers that are common to Théan fighting styles that generally aren’t found in the Emerald Empire.
Shields are primarily used for defense, but can also be used offensively, bashing one’s opponent. Attacking with a shield requires a Brawling / Agility Roll. If successful, this attack inflicts 1k1 Wounds (do not add Strength to this roll). If wielding a small shield or larger, the attacker may make an immediate knockdown attempt as a Free Action.
WHAT HAPPENED TO STATUS? The Status system as presented in Legend of the Five Rings works just fine for the structured society of Rokugan. The Emerald Empire has a single social order, and nearly everything is measured in terms of ones place in the samurai caste. In Théah, things are more complex. There are many nations, each with their own social order, as well as various organizations in which status and rank are important. Status in Legend of the 7th Sea is best handled by the delicate touch of the GM.
INFAMY Characters who gain Reputation for committing criminal or dishonorable acts may instead by given Infamy. See page 94 of Legend of the Five Rings, 4th Edition for more details on Infamy.
Integrity There are basic principles that most cultures consider moral and honorable. Someone that abides by these can garner great personal strength from his sense of self-worth.
TAG (3 RAISES) Tagging is a particularly flashy piece of showing off with your weapon, designed to temporarily dishearten your enemy. This could be anything from cutting off a lock of his hair to carving your initials in his shirt. In most cases, Armor TN bonuses from armor do not apply when using the Tag Maneuver. Tagging never causes real injury, except perhaps to your foe’s pride. If the Tag Maneuver is successful, the attack causes no damage, but the attacker gains a Drama Point until the end of the skirmish (after which, it is lost).
Reputation & Integrity Reputation Reputation is a measure of how well known an individual’s exploits are. Théans love a good adventure story, and if it is true (or at least based in truths), so much the better! GAINING REPUTATION Gaining and losing Reputation can be done in a variety of ways, all based upon a characters actions and what ramifications his actions have on public opinion of him.
GAINING & LOSING REPUTATION Acknowledgement Caught in a Lie Church Promotion Completing a Quest Craftsmanship Defeat Duels Idleness Immortality Knighthood Marriage Military Promotion Nobility Public Bragging Romance Royal Gifts Skirmishes Stealing Credit Warfare
Gain one Rank if publicly acknowledged by a high noble (duke or greater) or clergyman (bishop or greater) Lose double the Reputation gained by the act the lie was about Gain one Rank if elected Abbot/Abbess, Monsignor, Bishop, or Cardinal Gain Reputation = half the Reputation Rank of the individual issuing the quest Gain one Reputation point for each Raise made when creating the item. Officer who loses a battle / duelist who loses a duel (loses opponent’s Reputation) Winning a fair duel gains Reputation points equal to 1/3 opponent’s Reputation Lose one Reputation point for every week without any Reputation gain Inspiration for a work of art, gain Reputation = Reputation Rank of most prominent admirer Gain one Rank if knighted Increase Reputation Rank of lower-Reputation spouse to one less than higher-Reputation spouse Gain two points for every enlisted rank; four points for every officer rank up to Colonel (army)/Captain (navy); gain one Rank for every office rank thereafter Gain one to three ranks if given noble title After gaining Reputation, you may gain 1 additional point through public bragging One point for a public declaration of love (if paramour is married, lose 3 points) Gain 5-10 points if given a gift by a king or queen Gain one Reputation point for defeating highwaymen, assassins, etc. Gain the amount of Reputation normally gained for the act being usurped Gain 3 points of Glory for surviving a battle, 6 if on the winning side
THE VALUE OF INTEGRITY Characters add their Integrity Rank to the total of any roll made to resist the Intimidation and Temptation Skills, as well as to rolls to resist Fear effects. DISCERNING INTEGRITY When rolling to discern the Integrity Rank of another character, roll Lore: Lore: Investigation (Interrogation) / Awareness (TN 30). See “Discerning Honor” on page 92 of Legend of the Five Rings, 4th Edition for more details). THE INTEGRITY ROLL An Integrity Roll allows a character to call upon his sense of self-worth to succeed where he might otherwise fail. See “Optional Rule: The Honor Roll” on page 92 of Legend of the Five Rings, 4th Edition for more details.
INTEGRITY GAINS AND LOSSES ACT Heinous act (e.g. murder, rape) Unnecessary killing Extreme cruelty Unnecessary violence Blasphemy Stealing Lying for selfish reasons Lying for noble reasons Minor act of piety (e.g. prayer) Major act of piety (e.g. sacred rituals) Minor self-sacrifice Major self-sacrifice Showing mercy to an enemy Risking one’s life for another Showing respect for opposing beliefs
0 -5 -3 -1 – – – – +1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +3 +6 +3
1-2 -7 -4 -2 -1 -1 -1 – – +1 +2 +3 +4 +2 +5 +2
3-4 -9 -5 -3 -3 -2 -3 -1 – +2 +3 +2 +3 +2 +4 +1
5-6 -9 -6 -4 -4 -3 -4 -2 -1 +2 +3 +1 +2 +1 +3 +1
7-8 -10 -7 -5 -5 -4 -5 -3 -2 +1 +2 – +1 +1 +2 +2
9-10 -10 -8 -6 -6 -5 -6 -5 -3 – +1 – – – +1 +3
U NNECESSARY KILLING AND MURDER In Legend of the 7th Sea, killing is a decidedly non-heroic act. Causing the death of another is never an easy thing to do, and can haunt a hero to his grave. Killing in the heat of battle, or in self-defense or defense is forgivable, possibly even necessary, but it is never a “good” act. The truly heroic will make every effort to simply incapacitate an enemy, rather than end his life. This may not always be possible. But when it not necessary to kill an opponent and no effort is made not to kill, a loss of Integrity is in order. To kill an opponent that is helpless, incapacitated, or has yielded is considered murder. Likewise, assassination, or killing in any circumstance other than battle, self-defense, or defense of another is most likely murder. Obviously, the GM must be the final arbiter of what constitutes murder or unnecessary killing. B LASPHEMY AND ACTS OF PIETY Blasphemy includes acts of heresy and religious irreverence. Naturally, this only affects one’s Integrity if blaspheming against one’s own religion. A druid should not suffer for speaking against the Hierophant, nor would a Vaticine cardinal lose Integrity for criticizing the Ussuran Orthodoxy. Acts of piety are just the opposite. These are moment of deep reverence and respect for one’s religion. Taking time out to attend mass, spread the word of one’s faith, or engage in sacred rituals are means of reaffirming one’s faith, and worthy of Integrity rewards.
Character Creation STEP ONE: PICK YOUR NATIONALITY Select a nation of origin. Each Nationality determines your character’s starting Integrity. Your Nationality also allows you to choose one of two Trait bonuses. STEP TWO: PICK YOUR BACKGROUND Select a Background to represent the social class your character was raised in. Background determines your starting money, and grants a Trait bonus, as well as a special benefit in the form of a free Advantage. STEP THREE: PICK YOUR PROFESSION Choose a Profession. This determines your Profession Skills (which all start at Rank 1, unless otherwise specified) and starting Outfit. STEP FOUR: CUSTOMIZE YOUR CHARACTER You have an additional 50 Experience Points to spend on Traits, the Soul Ring, Skills, and Advantages. Disadvantages can grant you more Experience Points (though you must gain GM permission to take more than 10 points in Disadvantages). ARCANA A character may purchase a proper Arcana (and its accompanying Virtue) for 10 Experience Points. An inverted Arcana (and its Hubris) grants an additional 10 Experience Points. You can only ever have one Virtue or Hubris, and never both. STEP FIVE: DERIVED ATTRIBUTES Certain abilities or traits that a character possesses are determined based upon other things. To complete your character, make note of his Integrity (determined by Nationality) and Reputation (1.0 by default), and calculate his Insight Rank. Note that Integrity and Reputation and can increased with Advantages (and decreased with Disadvantages).
Rings & Traits The Traits in Legend of the 7th Sea are identical to those in Legend of the Five Rings. Technically, so are the Rings, but they go by names more appropriate to the setting. The people of Théah do not view the world as a composite of the elements the way the Rokugani do. The elements most important to Théans are those that guide them through their vast and varied world. W IND, which pushes their ships through the seas, replaces Air. LAND, the only stable footing in a sailor’s life, replaces Earth. SKY, the celestial map by which one can always find one’s way, replaces Fire. SEA, that bosom of the world upon which all things rest, replaces Water. SOUL, the inner self and that which drives man to adventure, replaces Void.
Soul A character may pray, meditate, or perform whatever activity is appropriate to his religion to rejuvenate his spirit and faith. After spending at least 30 minutes uninterrupted in this act of devotion, you may make a Soul Ring Roll (TN 15) to recover one Soul Point. This should not be used frivolously. This is an act of religious faith, and should be role-played as such.
Nationality Avalon Green and enchanted, the united kingdoms of Avalon — also known as the Glamour Isles — have recently risen to the forefront of Théan politics. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Willpower or Strength STARTING INTEGRITY: 4.5
Castille Headquarters of the Vaticine church, this fertile nation has recently fallen under attack from the Montaigne to the north. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Intelligence or Reflexes STARTING INTEGRITY: 6.5
Eisen A once-proud country now struggling to recover from the War of the Cross. Far from broken, the Eisen are a people of indomitable will and incredible courage. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Intelligence or Strength STARTING INTEGRITY: 5.5
Montaigne One of Théah’s more powerful nations, leading the world in art and culture even as its Emperor crushes the populace beneath his thumb. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Awareness or Reflexes STARTING INTEGRITY: 3.5
Ussura A vast and wild country, whose people still live as their ancestors did centuries ago. Though anachronistic, the people seem to be looked after by the land itself. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Willpower or Stamina STARTING INTEGRITY: 4.5
Vendel/Vestenmannavnjar This collection of islands is divided between wealthy Guilds seeking to dominate Théah’s economy and the fierce raiders who refuse to surrender their heritage. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Awareness or Stamina STARTING INTEGRITY (V ENDEL): 3.5 STARTING INTEGRITY (V ESTENMANNAVNJAR): 4.5
Vodacce The former cradle of civilization, now split between seven merchant Princes whose complex schemes reach every corner of the world. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Perception or Agility STARTING INTEGRITY: 2.5
Background
Profession
Before answering the call to adventure, every hero had a life that helped shape who they became. Background represents a character’s upbringing and origins. It is important to note that these Backgrounds merely represent where a character came from, not necessarily where he is. A noble can join the priesthood, just as a peasant might be given land or made a governor. A character is not bound to the vocation suggested by his Background. Much like Nationality, Background grants a Trait Bonus. It also grants an additional benefit, in the form of a free Advantage.
Profession determines where life has taken a character. Some Professions may be limited to specific Backgrounds. But with GM permission, it may be reasonable to overlook these requirements, if it suits the story. Your Profession determines your starting outfit and Profession Skills. All Profession Skills start at Rank 1 (unless otherwise specified), and any listed Emphases are granted for free.
CLERGY
ARTIST Beauty is appreciated in some form by every culture, and artists are those that have learned to create works of beauty for others to admire.
Many of those that join the priesthood are actually raised within the Church of the Prophets. Even those of other faiths are often identified at a very young age as holy people, and grow up steeped in tradition.
T RAIT BONUS: +1 Soul BENEFIT: Gain the Ordained Advantage at no cost. STARTING MONEY: 10 guilders OUTFIT: Add a holy symbol to any outfit that does not include one.
GENTRY The gentry are those wealthy families — usually landowners — which are not strictly nobles, but run in similar circles. Most gentry families try to attach themselves to a noble house, in the hope that they will curry favor and see their sons squired and daughters married to young noblemen.
T RAIT BONUS: +1 Intelligence BENEFIT: Gain the Allies (4 points) Advantage at no cost. STARTING MONEY: 20 guilders
MERCHANT The merchant class could be considered a step below the gentry, but in truth they are something of an anomaly in the social order. They often have wealth, but no land. The most powerful merchant families sometimes become gentry, or even lords of the criminal underworld. But many merchants are just simple folk trying to keep the family business running. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Awareness BENEFIT: Gain the Pennywise Advantage at no cost. STARTING MONEY: 15 Guilders
NOBLE Those born to privilege are set upon a pedestal above their fellow man, but are also held to higher standards. Nobles are expected to be above petty concerns, men and women of honor and virtue entrusted with the authority to govern their lessers. Sadly, it often works out differently, as corruption, greed, and decadence easily take root within the ranks of nobility. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Willpower BENEFIT: Gain the Noble Advantage at no cost. STARTING MONEY: 30 Guilders
PEASANT The common folk of Théah are the most numerous, filling the roles of the farmers, woodsmen, servants, craftsmen, tradesmen, and even most soldiers. While looked down upon by most other classes, they are absolutely vital, forming the foundation upon which all society is built.
T RAIT BONUS: +1 Strength BENEFIT: Gain the Strength of the Earth Advantage at no cost. STARTING MONEY: 5 Guilders
VAGABOND Not every person is part of the social order. Vagabonds are those that have slipped through the cracks of society, and all too often become a burden on it. Gypsies, orphans, hill folk — all just doing what they can to survive. It is common for these people to fall into a life of crime; the underworld is the often the only society in which they can rise above their lowly origins. T RAIT BONUS: +1 Stamina BENEFIT: Gain the Crafty Advantage at no cost. STARTING MONEY: 50 Pennies
BACKGROUNDS: Clergy, Gentry, Merchant, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Etiquette, any two Artisan Skills (choose any Emphasis for each), any two Civil or Merchant Skills, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; Art supplies
ASSASSIN One of the darkest of trades, the assassin specializes in ending the lives of their targets by way of stealth and skullduggery.
BACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Merchant, Noble, Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Assassination, Athletics, Craft: Poison, Knives, Stealth (choose one), any one Martial or Low Skill, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; 10 doses of poison (choose types); knife, any 1 weapon
BEGGAR Not so much a profession as a last resort, those who become beggars sometimes learn to be quite skilled at it. They straddle the fence between the underworld and common society, and are often considered excellent sources of information.
B ACKGROUNDS: Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Defense, Etiquette (Courtesy), Intimidation (Bullying), Lore: Underworld, Sincerity, Stealth, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing (Low Quality), Traveling Pack; Knife
COURTIER If court is a battlefield, then courtiers are the soldiers upon it. Those who learn the ways and secrets of court can advance themselves politically, and even bring about massive change if they earn the favor of the right people.
BACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Merchant, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Courtier (Manipulation), Etiquette (Courtesy), Games, Sincerity, any Civil Skill, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing (Fine Quality), Traveling Pack; Fan, favors
CRAFTSMAN While typically low-born, those that can create with their hands are held in high regard by all classes. Smiths, carpenters, bowyers, masons — all are necessary trades, and those that practice them well can make a very good life for themselves.
BACKGROUNDS: Merchant, Peasant SKILLS: Commerce (Appraisal), any Craft Skill (any Emphasis), any two other Craft Skill, any Merchant Skills, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; Craftsman’s tools
DEBUTANTE Lords and courtiers are always looking for new people to liven up court and give them something to talk about. Enter the debutante, young ladies (and men) whose primary contribution to society is being notable, beautiful, and interesting. While many may seem shallow, those that learn to wield these traits skillfully can become formidable figures in their social circles.
B ACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Noble SKILLS: Courtier (Gossip), Etiquette (Conversation), Games, Perform: [choose one], Sincerity, any two Civil Skills OUTFIT: Clothing (Fine Quality), Traveling Pack; 1 weapon; Steed
FOOTPAD Every city has an underbelly, and its streets are full of thieves, pickpockets, and cutpurses. Footpads make their living by taking from others. They tend to be small-time crooks, stealing small coin and trinkets. Many simply steal to eat, though some are part of larger criminal organizations employing hundreds of these nimble-fingered pilferers.
B ACKGROUNDS: Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Athletics, Defense, Lore: Underworld, Knives, Stealth (Sneaking), Sleight of Hand (Pick Pockets), any one Low Skill OUTFIT: Clothing (Low Quality), Traveling Pack; Knife
HEALER One of the most sacred and necessary professions is the healer, responsible for mending injuries and curing illness, healers are among the most educated and respected people in any part of Théah.
BACKGROUNDS: Clergy, Gentry, Merchant, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Craft: Apothecary, Etiquette, Medicine (choose one), Lore: Anatomy (Human), any Civil Skill, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; Staff
MERCENARY Not all warriors serve a lord or higher purpose. Some fight for coin. It is a hard life, and often a short one. But many feel they have no other option, or soldiering is all they know. Still, the rewards can be great, if you can live long enough to enjoy them.
BACKGROUNDS: Merchant, Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Battle (Skirmish), Defense, Intimidation, any two Weapon Skills, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; any three weapons, light armor
ORACLE Not all of those who are in tune with the ebb and flow of time and destiny can be Fate Witches. Many are called to a life of holiness, in which they learn methods of divination to channel visions from the divine.
BACKGROUNDS: Clergy SKILLS: Calligraphy, Divination (any Emphasis), Evangelism, Lore: Theology, Sincerity, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack, holy symbol; Staff
OUTLAW While footpads plague the city streets, the wilds have their own brand of criminal. Outlaws are often wanted men that flee civilization to make their living preying upon travellers.
BACKGROUNDS: Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Stealth (Ambush), any one Weapon Skill, any two Martial or Low Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; one weapon, partial or light armor
PEDDLER Many merchants carry their wares with them, travelling from place to place to find new clientele. These peddlers are one of the few ways to obtain goods and information from distant places.
INQUISITOR Not all clerics are benevolent caretakers of their congregation’s souls. Some take up the path of the inquisitor — the feared enforcers of the Vaticine’s doctrines. They are the investigators, judges, and executioners when the Church needs to root out heresy and evil.
BACKGROUNDS: Clergy, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Evangelism, Intimidation, Investigation (Interrogation), Lore: Theology, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; Staff, knife; holy symbol
KNIGHT They are the subject of legends and tales of valor. Mounted warriors clad in bright armor, wielding swords in virtuous quests, defending the weak and vanquishing evil. While some knights may live up this unlikely ideal, the truth is that most are simply elite cavalry and symbols of their lords’ power.
BACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Noble SKILLS: Battle, Defense, Etiquette, Horsemanship, any Weapon Skill (any one Emphasis), any additional Weapon Skill, any Civil Skill OUTFIT: Clothing (Fine Quality), Traveling Pack; 3 weapons, any shield, any armor; Steed
LABORER The most common profession in Théah is that of the laborers. Those that toil daily to till the land, mine stone and ore, and fell lumber are the backbone of society, and they rarely receive thanks for the sweat and blood they shed.
B ACKGROUNDS: Peasant SKILLS: Athletics, Lore: [chosen field; e.g. Agriculture] (any Emphasis), Sincerity (Honesty), any four Martial, Merchant, or Low Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack;
BACKGROUNDS: Merchant, Peasant SKILLS: Commerce (Mathematics), Etiquette, Sincerity, Temptation (Bribery), any one Merchant Skill, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; mule or donkey, wagon full of goods
PERFORMER Nobles and commoners alike love to be entertained and distracted from the dreariness of day-to-day affairs. Actors, tumblers, jesters, and musicians are among the many types of performers that bring cheer to the crowds of Théah. Though rarely wealthy, most performers can at least earn room and board with their talents, if not some generous tips as well.
BACKGROUNDS: Merchant, Vagabond SKILLS: Acting, Commerce, Etiquette, Perform: [choose two] (any one Emphasis for each), any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; props, costumes, and make-up
PREACHER The primary role of the cleric is to bring the words of the Prophets to their flock. Preachers are teachers, counselors, scholars, and advisors.
B ACKGROUNDS: Clergy, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Evangelism (Sermons), Lore: Theology (Gospels), Perform: Hymns, Sincerity (Honesty), any two Civil Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack, holy symbol
SAILOR Théan commerce is built upon the tides, and its carpenters and architects are the sailors that keep ships on the move. Be they merchants, explorers, or even pirates, these seamen are highly valued for their shipboard skills, and their willingness to take on such a dangerous profession.
B ACKGROUNDS: Merchant, Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Athletics (Climbing), Brawling, Commerce, Sailing (choose one), any Weapon Skill, any Merchant or Low Skill, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; Knife, any one weapon
SOLDIER Some men are simply meant to be warriors, others have no choice but to take up arms to survive. Those that join an army and learn the disciplined ways of making war often become career soldiers. It isn’t glamorous, and life expectancy is short, but it’s a living.
BACKGROUNDS: Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Athletics, Battle (Mass Battle), Defense, any two Weapon Skills, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; any two weapons, light or heavy armor
SORCERER Those nobles that inherit and pursue sorcerous gifts are held in fear and awe by many. While sorcerers often practice a variety of professions, some devote themselves heavily to the study of their magical heritage.
B ACKGROUNDS: Noble SKILLS: Courtier, Etiquette, Lore: Sorcery (your nation’s sorcerous heritage), Sincerity, any two Civil Skills, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing (Fine Quality), Traveling Pack; books of sorcery, sorcerer’s tools (e.g. runes)
SPY Information about one’s enemies is possibly the most powerful weapon one can wield against them. Spies are the tool through which such information is gained. Every government in Théah employs spies, as do lesser lords, guilds, criminal organizations, and even the Vaticine Church.
BACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Merchant, Noble SKILLS: Acting, Courtier, Etiquette, Investigation (Notice), Sincerity (Deceit), Temptation, any one Skill OUTFIT: Several sets of clothing (at least 1 of Fine Quality), makeup kit, Traveling Pack; 1 weapon
SQUIRE While many squires aspire to knighthood, just as many prefer the honor and privileges that come with serving a knight. Squires must be knowledgeable of horses, weaponry, armor, and even heraldry to best aid their masters. SCHOLAR Knowledge is power, and no one knows this better than the lorekeepers that safeguard and pass on that power. Scholars often serve as advisors, librarians, researchers, and often authors on their fields of interest.
B ACKGROUNDS: Clergy, Gentry, Merchant, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Evangelism, any two Lore Skills (any Emphasis for each), any other Lore Skill, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack, calligraphy kit, blank books and scrolls, personal library
SENTINEL Magistrates, constables, and even simple city guardsmen are the sentinels that keep the watch against the criminal underworld.
B ACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Merchant, Peasant SKILLS: Defense, Investigation (Notice), Lore: Law, Lore: Underworld, any two Weapon Skills, any one Skill OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack, manacles, any two weapons, light armor
SHOPKEEPER Though seldom living adventurous lives, many merchants make a fine living maintaining shops and stores. These shopkeepers are a necessary element of any city or village, their shops being hubs through which coin flows.
BACKGROUNDS: Merchant, Peasant SKILLS: Calligraphy, Commerce (Mathematics), Etiquette (Bureaucracy), Sincerity, any one Merchant Skill, any two Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; stall or small shop stocked with appropriate wares
BACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Noble SKILLS: Animal Handling (Horses), Etiquette, Horsemanship, Lore: Heraldry, any Weapon Skill, any one Civil Skill, any one Skills OUTFIT: Clothing, Traveling Pack; 1 weapon, light armor
STEWARD The average lord isn’t much of a governor, at least not in the sense of knowing the details of running a bureaucracy. The day to day operations of rulership are typically left to stewards — learned men with an understanding of what it takes to keep courts, cities, counties, and nations running.
BACKGROUNDS: Gentry, Merchant, Noble SKILLS: Calligraphy, Commerce (Mathematics), Courtier (Manipulation), Etiquette (Bureaucracy), Sincerity, any two Civil or Merchant Skills OUTFIT: Clothing (Fine Quality), Traveling Pack; 1 weapon; Steed
THUG Some people earn a living with skill, others with raw muscle. Thugs include common “soldiers” of criminal organizations, bouncers, and brute squads.
B ACKGROUNDS: Peasant, Vagabond SKILLS: Brawling, Defense, Lore: Underworld, Intimidation (Bullying), Knives, any one Martial Skill, any one Low Skill OUTFIT: Clothing (Low Quality), Traveling Pack; Knife, any one weapon
Skill List
Skill Descriptions
Following are the Skills available to characters in Legend of the 7th Sea. Emphases are listed in parentheses after the Skill. Skills and Emphases marked with an asterisk (*) are considered Low Skills.
CIVIL SKILLS
CIVIL SKILLS
SUB-TYPES: None E MPHASES: Sermons, Confessions DESCRIPTION: Faith and religion fill the soul and inspire the masses. Those skilled in the arts of preaching can minister to their flock and rejuvenate their spirits. When performing a sermon, you must make an Evangelism / Soul Skill Roll. The TN is 15 for up to ten participants. Add 5 to the TN for every five participants beyond this (rounded up). The TN may be increased for additional distractions, such as trying to preach in a noisy marketplace. If the Skill Roll is successful, all participants (including the preacher) may make a Soul Ring Roll (TN 10, -1 per Raise the preacher achieved, to a minimum TN of 5). If successful, the participant regains a Soul Point. One sermon requires at least one hour. This Skill can also be used to take confessions from a soul burdened with guilt, and offer advice and penance to relieve them. After hearing a confession for a sin committed within the last month that resulted in a loss of Integrity, you may make an Evangelism / Awareness Roll. The TN is equal to 5 x the number of Integrity points the sinner lost for their transgression. If successful, the sinner may regain half of his lost Integrity points (rounded down).
ACTING (Specific Gender, Nationality, or Organization) ARTISAN (Various) C ALLIGRAPHY (Specific Language, Cipher) C OURTIER (Gossip, Manipulation, Rhetoric) DIVINATION (Astrology, Runes, Sorte Cards) E TIQUETTE (Bureaucracy, Conversation, Courtesy) E VANGELISM (Sermons, Confessions) G AMES (Various) INVESTIGATION (Interrogation, Notice, Search) LORE (Various) MEDICINE (Antidotes, Disease, Herbalism, Non-humans, Wound Treatment) PERFORM (Various) SINCERITY (Honesty, Deceit*)
MARTIAL SKILLS ATHLETICS (Climbing, Running, Swimming, Throwing) BATTLE (Mass Combat, Naval Warfare, Skirmish) BRAWLING (Grappling, Improvised Weapons, Panzerhand) DEFENSE (Shields) H ORSEMANSHIP (Mule, Pony, Riding Horse, Warhorse) HUNTING (Survival, Tracking, Trailblazing)
EVANGELISM (SOUL OR AWARENESS)
M ASTERY ABILITIES:
WEAPON SKILLS ARCHERY (Avalon Longbow, Longbow, Shortbow) ASSASSINATION* (Blowgun, Throwing Blades) C ROSSBOWS (Light Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow) GUNS (Flintlock Musket, Flintlock Pistol) HEAVY W EAPONS (Battle Axe, Hand Axe, Heavy Club, Mace, Morning Star) KNIVES (Knife, Main Gauche, Stiletto) POLEARMS (Halberd, Ranseur, War Scythe) SPEARS (Lance, Longspear, Shortspear) STAVES (Flail, Small Club, Staff) SWORDSMANSHIP (Broadsword, Claymore, Cutlass, Rapier, Saber) W HIPS
MERCHANT SKILLS ANIMAL H ANDLING (Dogs, Falcons, Horses, other animal type) C OMMERCE (Appraisal, Mathematics) C RAFT SKILLS (Various) E NGINEERING (Construction, Siege) LOCKSMITH (Lock Assembly, Lock Picking) SAILING (Knot-work, Navigation)
LOW SKILLS F ORGERY (Type of forgery: Artwork, Documents, Seals, etc.) INTIMIDATION (Bullying, Control, Torture) SLEIGHT OF H AND (Conceal, Escape, Pick Pockets, Prestidigitation) STEALTH (Ambush, Shadowing, Sneaking) T EMPTATION (Bribery, Seduction)
R ANK 3: You may hear confession for sins committed up to three months prior. R ANK 5: All participants regain 2 Soul Points rather than 1. R ANK 7: You may hear confession for sins committed up to six months prior.
LORE (INTELLIGENCE) SUB-TYPES: Add: Sidhe, Specific Nation, Syrneth DESCRIPTION: Appropriate Emphases for Lore: Theology would include Vaticine, Objectionism, Church of Avalon, Ussuran Orthodoxy, and Druidism.
MARTIAL SKILLS ASSASSINATION (AGILITY OR REFLEXES) SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill, considered a Low Skill E MPHASES: Blowguns, Throwing Knives DESCRIPTION: A vile practice, assassination is the art of using specialized weapons created specifically for killing outside of combat. MASTERY ABILITIES:
R ANK 3: The damage of all assassin weapons is increased by +1k0. R ANK 5: Dice on Damage Rolls made for assassin weapons explode normally. R ANK 7: The damage of all assassin weapons in increased by +0k1 (+1k1 total).
DEFENSE (REFLEXES) E MPHASES: Add: Shields DESCRIPTION: A character with the Shield Emphasis receives double the Armor TN bonus from his Shield while in the Full Defense Stance. CROSSBOWS (REFLEXES) SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill E MPHASES: Light Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow DESCRIPTION: While not as precise as a regular bow in a skilled archer’s hands, the crossbow packs a punch, and is easier to use. MASTERY ABILITIES:
R ANK 5: Loading a light crossbow requires a Simple Action, and a heavy crossbow requires a Complex Action.
GUNS (REFLEXES) SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill E MPHASES: Musket, Pistol DESCRIPTION: Firearms changed the face of conflict. Harnessing the power of black powder allowed soldiers to penetrate armor that stymied all other weapons.
DISCOUNTED ADVANTAGES
MASTERY ABILITIES:
RANK 5: Loading a gun is a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.
KNIVES (AGILITY) SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill E MPHASES: Knife, Main Gauche, Stiletto MASTERY ABILITIES:
RANK 3: Add: Use of a stiletto allows the user to reduce an unaware target’s Reduction rating by 3. RANK 5: Replace with: Use of a main gauche confers one Free Raise toward the use of the Disarm or Parry Maneuvers.
POLEARMS (AGILITY) SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill E MPHASES: Halberd, Ranseur, War Scythe SWORDSMANSHIP (AGILITY) SUB-TYPES: Weapon Skill E MPHASES: Basket-hilt Claymore, Broadsword, Falchion, Greatsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Smallsword
ADVANTAGE Allies Blackmail Castillian Education Clear Thinker Dangerous Beauty Enlightened Gentry Great Potential Hale Hero of the People Irreproachable Languages Large Leadership Paragon Pennywise Quick Read Lips Sacrosanct Soul of Artistry Strength of the Earth Way of the Land Wary
MASTERY ABILITIES:
RANK 3: The total of all Damage Rolls made with a sword is increased by 1k0. R ANK 5: A sword may be readied as a Free Action rather than a Simple Action. RANK 7: Damage dice explode on a result of 9 and 10 when using a sword.
Advantages & Disadvantages UNAVAILABLE ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES The following Advantages and Disadvantages cannot be purchased in Legend of the 7th Sea. ADVANTAGES: Blessing of the Elements, Blood of Osano-Wo, Child of Chikushudo, Chosen by the Oracles, Dark Paragon, Different School, Elemental Blessing, Forbidden Knowledge, Friendly Kami, Friend of the Brotherhood, Friend of the Elements, Gaijin Gear, Inari’s Blessing, Ishiken-do, Magic Resistance, Multiple Schools, Sacred Weapon, Seven Fortunes’ Blessing, Shadow-Brand, Social Position, Touch of the Spirit Realms DISADVANTAGES: Bad Fortune: Moto Curse, Bad Fortune: Yogo Curse, Black Sheep, Consumed, Cursed by the Realm, Darling of the Court, Dishonored, Elemental Imbalance, Forced Retirement, Forsaken, Gaijin Name, Seven Fortunes’ Curse, Shadowlands Taint, Social Disadvantage, Touch of the Void, Wealthy, Wrath of the Kami RENAMED ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OLD ADVANTAGE NAME Crab Hands Daimyo’s Path, The Kharmic Tie Perceived Honor Imperial Spouse World of the Daimyo, The
NEW ADVANTAGE NAME Warrior’s Hands Sovereign’s Path, The Soul Bond Perceived Integrity Royal Spouse World of Lordship, The
OLD DISADVANTAGE NAME Momoku Failure of Bushido Lord Moon’s Curse
NEW DISADVANTAGE NAME Blackened Soul Failure of Conduct Lunacy (Mental, not Spiritual)
ADVANTAGES ABLE DRINKER [PHYSICAL] (1 POINT) You can really put the liquor away. This could be due to naturally high constitution, or maybe just a lot of experience. Add 2k1 to the total of Land Rolls to resist inebriation. BOOTY [MATERIAL] (1-10 POINTS) You have a cache of money. This is not a regular income (though a shrewd merchant could probably turn it into one). Gain 500 Guilders for every point spent on this Advantage.
DISCOUNT -1 to cost -1 to cost 5 points 2 points 2 points 5 points -1 to cost 4 points 3 points 1 point 1 point Varies 3 points 5 points 6 points 3 points 5 points 3 points 3 points 4 points 2 points 1 point 2 points
DISCOUNTED FOR: Gentry Vodacce Clergy, Gentry, Noble Clergy Montaigne, Vodacce Clergy Gentry, Noble Avalon Peasant Peasant Castille See Advantage description Vendel/Vestenmannavnjar Eisen Avalon, Eisen Vendel Castille Gentry, Noble Clergy, Castille Montaigne Ussura Merchant, Vagabond Vagabond
BONUS POINTS FOR DISADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE Antisocial Ascetic Bitter Betrothal Sickly Brash Contrary Dark Secret Epilepsy Greedy Idealistic Insensitive Lechery Obtuse Overconfident Rumormonger Soft-Hearted
BONUS POINTS +1 point 3 points 3 points 4 points 4 points 3 points 5 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 3 points 3 points 4 points 3 points 5 points 3 points
BONUS POINTS GRANTED TO: Vagabond Clergy Gentry, Noble Noble, Vagabond Vestenmannavjnar Clergy Vodacce Noble Merchant, Vendel Avalon, Castille Vodacce Montaigne Peasant, Vagabond Noble, Avalon, Eisen Gentry, Merchant, Peasant, Avalon Clergy
CASTILLIAN EDUCATION [MENTAL] (6 POINTS, CASTILLE ONLY) Perhaps as a result of their lost sorcery, the Castillians have devoted a great deal of effort toward furthering their minds. This Advantage signifies a connection of some kind to the royalty of Castille. When you are using Experience Points to increase a Civil Skill during character creation, the total cost is decreased by 1 point each time (minimum 1). In addition, you may increase Civil Skills up to Rank 5, instead of 4. Clergy, Gentry, and Noble characters may purchase this Advantage for 5 points. HALE [PHYSICAL] (4 POINTS) You can expect to live a long and healthy life. Whenever you are rolling to resist the effects of a disease or poison, you gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of the roll. Peasants may purchase this Advantage for 3 points. INHERITANCE: DRACHENEISEN [MATERIAL] (VARIES, EISEN ONLY) Eisen is riddled with veins of ore called dracheneisen (or “Dragon Iron”). It is a superior grade of iron-bearing ore unseen anywhere else in Théah, and an entire group of Eisen’s smiths have devoted their lives to crafting items from it. The process is long and difficult, but the end results are impressive. Anything that can be crafted of steel can be made from dracheneisen. See the table below for the benefits of some dracheneisen items and their costs. PANZERHAND MODIFICATIONS
Locking Grip (3 points): With a successful Bind Maneuver, your grip is unbreakable. It requires a key and a Complex Action to release your grip, and until then, your off-hand cannot be used for anything else. Mounted Crossbow (4 points): A hand crossbow is built into the panzerhand. Built-in Pistol (5 points): A pistol is built into the panzerhand. When loaded, the first successful Attack Roll using the panzerhand causes it to go off, inflicting an additional 4k2 damage.
Spikes (2 points): The panzerhand has spikes built into it, increasing its DR to 2k2. Weighted Knuckles (1 point): The panzerhand is fused shut in a fist, and possesses heavy weighted knuckles. This increases its damage to 2k2, but it cannot be used for anything except punching or the Parry Maneuver.
DRACHENEISEN ITEM Chain Shirt (Light) Heavy or Riding Armor Half Plate Armor Full Plate Armor Shield Panzerhand Small melee weapon Medium melee weapon Large melee weapon Musket Pistol Lock
COST 6 8 10 12 5 3 4 6 8 7 5 2
EFFECT +1 to Reduction, TN penalty reduced by 5 +2 to Reduction, TN penalty reduced by 5 +3 to Reduction, TN penalty reduced by 5 +4 to Reduction, TN penalty reduced by 5 +3 to all Armor TN bonuses, TN penalty reduced by 3 See weapon description +1k0 DR +0k1 DR +1k1 DR, -1 to required Strength +20’ Range, additional -3 to Armor TN and -2 Reduction +20’ Range, additional -2 to Armor TN and -1 Reduction An unbreakable padlock
There is no cost in Guilders for dracheneisen items, for they are not sold. Generally the only way to possess such an item is to have some kind of blood tie to the royal family of Eisen. Only Eisen characters with the Noble Advantage may take this Advantage. Should a dracheneisen item find its way to the black market, the Eisen nobility would go to great lengths to see those involved dead, and the dracheneisen recovered. LANGUAGES [MENTAL] (1 OR 2 POINTS) All characters speak their nation’s native language. Additional languages may be purchased with this Advantage. See the table below for language costs based on nation. This Advantage may be purchased multiple times, learning a new language each time. LANGUAGES Castille Cymru# Crescent High Eisen* Eisen Montaigne Théan** Teodoran*** Ussuran Vendel Vodacce
AVALON 1 – 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1
CASTILLE – 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1
EISEN 1 1 2 1 – 1 2 2 1 1 1
MONTAIGNE USSURA 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 – 2 1 2 2 1 2 – 1 1 1 2
VENDEL 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 – 1
VODACCE 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 –
# Cymru is the language of Avalon. The language called “Crescent” by Théans is a trade language called “tikaret-baraji” by the Crescents. *High Eisen was developed in order to speak privately in front of dignitaries from other countries. **Théan was the official language of the Old Republic (1 AUC to 340 AV). Mass and most scripture of the Church of the Prophets, as well as some less mainstream scholarly texts, use this language today. ***Teodoran is the language from which modern Ussuran is descended. Today is has become an obscure language spoken only among scholars, and occasionally used to conceal messages.
LUCK [SPIRITUAL] (3/6/9 POINTS) Fortune seems to have taken you for a pet. You begin each session with a number of additional Drama Points equal to your rank in this Advantage. MEMBERSHIP [SOCIAL] (VARIES) See the 7th Sea Players’ Guide, page 136. Disregard all references to gaining this Advantage for free. NOBLE [SOCIAL] (5 POINTS) You are a member of a noble family with good standing. You have access to your family’s estates, servants, wealth, and influence. The size and depth of these resources is for you and your GM to determine. But be forewarned that the greater a noble’s resources, the greater his responsibilities, and the more accountable he is should he fail in those responsibilities. Generally, a noble can expect a monthly stipend of 50 Guilders, though this could be considerably more for the wealthiest noble families. This Advantage is not required to purchase Sorcerous Heritage, but a sorcerer without it has lost his standing. ORDAINED [SOCIAL] (4 POINTS) You’ve obtained a position in the Church of the Prophets (or your chosen religious institution), a position that brings you a great deal of influence and advantage (most likely that of a priest). Being a member of the Church means you get three square meals a day, a stipend of 10 Guilders per month, and all of your basic needs taken care of (this may or may not be true of
other religions). In addition, you gain +1k0 to all Social Skill Rolls made with adherents to your faith (with the GM’s discretion). PENNYWISE [MENTAL] (4 POINTS) You excel in matters pertaining to wealth and mercantile pursuits. You gain a bonus of +1k1 to the total of all Commerce Skill Rolls. Vendel characters may purchase this Advantage for 3 points. PERSUASIVE [SOCIAL] (4 POINTS) You have a natural charm that puts others at ease. Whenever you are attempting to persuade someone, regardless of the circumstances, you gain a bonus of +0k1 to the total of the Social Skill in question. This bonus only applies to persuasion, not coercion. SORCEROUS HERITAGE [SPIRITUAL] (VARIES) You have inherited magical abilities through your bloodline. There are two degrees of sorcery: Full-Blooded and Half-Blooded. This Advantage must be purchased during character creation (except to advance to Journeyman or Master Ranks), is only available to characters of noble blood (which usually means the Noble Background). FULL-BLOODED (10 POINTS) You are a Full-Blooded sorcerer, having inherited your powers from two Full-Blooded parents of the same nation’s sorcerous heritage. Select a Sorcery School; you gain the Apprentice Technique of that School, and 20 bonus Experience Points to purchase Knacks. These Experience Points cannot be spent on anything else. You must purchase this Advantage again (for another 10 points) each time you wish to gain a new Sorcery School Rank (but you do not gain additional Experience Points). H ALF-BLOODED (6 OR 12 POINTS) You are a Half-Blooded sorcerer, having only one Full-Blooded parent, or two Half-Blooded parents. Select a Sorcery School; you gain the Apprentice Technique of that School, and 12 bonus Experience Points to purchase Knacks. These Experience Points cannot be spent on anything else. Your Sorcery School can never advance beyond the Apprentice Rank, and your Knacks can never exceed Rank 3. Purchasing this twice (for twelve points) means that you are TwiceBlooded, inheriting power from two Full-Blooded parents, each of a different sorcerous heritage. You gain the Apprentice Rank in two Sorcery Schools, gaining 12 Experience Points for Knacks in each School, but your Knacks still cannot exceed Rank 3. SWORDSMAN TRAINING [SOCIAL] (10 POINTS/RANK) Select a Swordsman School; you gain the Apprentice Technique of that School. You must purchase this Advantage again (for another 10 points) each time you wish to gain a new Technique. Therefore, a swordsman must invest a total of 30 points to become a Master of his School.
DISADVANTAGES UNLIKABLE [SOCIAL] (3 POINTS) No matter how hard you try, there is just something others find distasteful about you. The TN of any Etiquette roll you make is increased by +10. UNLUCKY [SPIRITUAL] (2/4/6) Fortune favors…well, not you. Each session, the GM receives a number of additional Drama Points equal to your rank in this Disadvantage. These Drama Points can only be used against you, either by granting re-rolls to an NPC acting against you, activating your Hubris, or countering your attempts to alter the scene in your favor. SICKLY [PHYSICAL] (3 POINTS) You are unhealthy and prone to illness. You suffer a penalty of -2k0 to resist all poisons and diseases. This Disadvantage is worth 4 points to Nobles and Vagabonds.
Equipment Armor Armor is rarely worn in Théah. It simply isn’t practical, given how many Théan weapons easily penetrate most armor. PARTIAL ARMOR Includes cloth armors, hides, and incomplete sets of light armors. ARMOR TN BONUS: +3 R EDUCTION: 1 PRICE: 1 Guilder LIGHT ARMOR Includes leather armors, chain shirts, and incomplete sets of heavy armors. ARMOR TN BONUS: +5 R EDUCTION: 3 SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +5 TN penalty to all Athletics and Stealth Skill Rolls. PRICE: 25 Guilders HEAVY ARMOR Includes chainmail, scale mail, and breastplates. ARMOR TN BONUS: +10 R EDUCTION: 5 SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +5 TN penalty to all Skill Rolls involving Agility or Reflexes. PRICE: 50 Guilders HALF-PLATE Formed by steel plates that cover the vital body parts, such as the shoulders, chest, back and stomach. These plates are connected to each other by a mesh of chain mail that covers the arms and upper torso. Both the mesh and the plates are sewn into a quilted vest for comfort and a small degree of extra protection. ARMOR TN BONUS: +10 R EDUCTION: 7 SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +10 TN penalty to all Skill Rolls involving Agility or Reflexes. PRICE: 200 Guilders FULL PLATE Full plate armor is much like half-plate, but covers the entire body with heavy metal plates, and must be fitted to each wearer to be effective. ARMOR TN BONUS: +15 R EDUCTION: 10 SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +10 TN penalty to all Skill Rolls involving Agility or Reflexes. If you are wearing full plate not specifically fitted to you, the armor’s Armor TN bonus drops to +5, and TN penalties increase to +15. PRICE: 350 Guilders
SHIELDS Using shields is a normal part of the warfare of many nations of Théah. However keeping a hold of a shield and trying to attack an opponent while staying in an orderly formation is tricky at best. Wielding any sort of shield confers the Armor TN bonus listed in the shield entry. However, all shields also use the Wielding Two Weapons rules in Legend of the Five Rings, 4th Edition (page 141) to determine the penalty that the wielder suffers to all Attack Rolls. In addition (unlike wielding two weapons) the wielder of a shield also suffers the same penalty to all Athletics Skill Rolls. Unlike wielding a weapon in the off-hand, using a shield does not allow the wielder to add his Insight Rank to his Armor TN. BUCKLER A buckler is a very small shield worn on the wrist. KEYWORDS: Small, Fencing ARMOR TN BONUS: +2 SPECIAL RULES: As the buckler is worn and not held, you may hold another weapon in the same hand. Wearing a buckler does not cause the normal +5 TN penalty to attacks with your dominant
hand (though attacking with the buckler still suffers the usual +5 TN penalty for attacking with a Small weapon in your off-hand). PRICE: 4 Guilders
SMALL SHIELD A light shield, typically made of wood lined with iron. KEYWORDS: Medium ARMOR TN BONUS: +5 SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +3 TN penalty to all Stealth Skill Rolls. PRICE: 7 Guilders LARGE SHIELD A heavy
shield, typically made of wood, though sometimes with metal. KEYWORDS: Large ARMOR TN BONUS: +10 versus ranged attacks, +5 versus melee attacks SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +5 TN penalty to all Stealth Skill Rolls. PRICE: 10 Guilders
TOWER SHIELD A very large shield, generally as tall as its wielder’s breast. It provides a great deal of protection, but is heavy and unwieldy. KEYWORDS: Large ARMOR TN BONUS: +15 versus ranged attacks, +5 versus melee attacks SPECIAL RULES: You suffer a +8 TN penalty to all Skill Rolls involving Agility or Reflexes. PRICE: 50 Guilders
Weapons Assassin Weapons BLOWGUN A popular weapon for assassins because it is quiet, simple to use, and can deliver poison at a distance. KEYWORDS: Medium DAMAGE: 1 Wound R ANGE: 50’ (maximum range) SPECIAL RULES: Triple an opponent’s Armor TN bonus from armor. The damage increase from the Assassination Skill increases the blowgun’s damage to 1k1 at Rank 3 and 2k1 at Rank 7. Reloaded a blowgun is a Free Action. PRICE: 3 Guilders THROWING BLADE A small knife with a weighted blade designed for throwing. Some throwing blades have multiple edges. Assassins will frequently tip these blades with poison, or target hands or feet to disable a target or pursuer. KEYWORDS: Small DR: 1k1 R ANGE: 25’ (maximum range) SPECIAL RULES: Damage dice do not explode. Do not add Strength to DR when used as a ranged weapon. PRICE: 2 Guilders
Arrows The cost of arrows in Théah is as follows: STANDARD ARROW: 5 cents ARMOR PIERCING: 10 cents F LESH CUTTER: 25 cents R OPE CUTTER: 15 cents SIGNAL ARROW: 25 cents
Bows AVALON LONGBOW A powerful type of longbow designed by the denizens of the Glamour Isles, the Avalon Longbow is used for both hunting and as a weapon of war. A single unit of Avalon archers armed with these bows can be a devastating
force on the battlefield, with their remarkable range. Even a single archer is a major concern with the Avalon longbow’s uncanny accuracy and penetrating power at shorter ranges. Traditionally the 6’ bow was made from yew dried for one to two years, then slowly worked into shape. The entire process can take up to four years. Since its inception, new methods of working the wood while still wet have reduced this creation time to roughly six months for a skilled bowyer. For obvious reasons, the bows are highly prized. KEYWORDS: Large STRENGTH: 5 (Minimum Strength 3 required to wield) R ANGE: 500’ SPECIAL RULES: +1k0 to attack and damage rolls within 250’. Increase the TN of all attack rolls by +10 if used from horseback. PRICE: 20 Guilders (rarely sold outside of Avalon, and always much more expensively) LONGBOW The basic bow carried by infantry archers. KEYWORDS: Large STRENGTH: 4 (Minimum Strength 3 required to wield) R ANGE: 250’ SPECIAL RULES: Increase the TN of all attack rolls by +10 if used from horseback. PRICE: 8 Guilders SHORTBOW Smaller than the longbow and generally easier to use and carry, the shortbow is a popular bow for use by scouts and others who depend on speed and stealth. KEYWORDS: Medium STRENGTH: 1 R ANGE: 100’ SPECIAL RULES: Increase the TN of all attack rolls by +10 if used from horseback. PRICE: 5 Guilders
Brawling Weapons Brawling Weapons are weapons designed to integrate into hand-to-hand combat maneuvers. Attacks made with Brawling Weapons are considered unarmed attacks. PANZERHAND The dracheneisen gauntlet used by the Eisen. KEYWORDS: Small, Fencing DR: 0k2 SPECIAL RULES: The panzerhand is not subject to rules for dualwielding. A panzerhand may be used to Parry, Bind, and Disarm. With two Raises on a Parry, you can attempt to break your opponent’s weapon. Roll the panzerhand’s DR (plus +1k0 per Raise on the Parry roll). If you inflict at least 10 Wounds to the weapon, it breaks. You must inflict an additional 5 Wounds for every Raise of item quality the weapon possesses (e.g. 25 Wounds for a weapon with 3 Raises of item qualities), and an additional 5 Wounds to break Heavy Weapons and claymores. Dracheneisen weapons cannot be broken this way. PRICE: 5 Guilders
Crossbows HAND CROSSBOW A handheld crossbow that sacrifices power for its compact size. KEYWORDS: Small DR: 2k1 R ANGE: 50’ SPECIAL RULES: Reduces TN bonus from armor by 5 and Reduction by 1. Requires a Complex Action to reload. PRICE: 10 Guilders HEAVY CROSSBOW A ranged weapon that launches a bolt at high speeds.
KEYWORDS: Large DR: 3k2 R ANGE: 300’ SPECIAL RULES: Reduces TN bonus from armor by 10 and Reduction by 4. Requires two Complex Actions to reload. PRICE: 12 Guilders
LIGHT CROSSBOW A lighter version of the crossbow. While not as powerful, it can be reloaded much more quickly. KEYWORDS: Large DR: 2k2 R ANGE: 200’ SPECIAL RULES: Reduces TN bonus from armor by 10 and Reduction by 2. Requires a Complex Action to reload. A light crossbow can be fired one-handed if the attacker declares a Raise to do so. PRICE: 8 Guilders
Guns MUSKET, FLINTLOCK A device that propels a small lead bullet at remarkable speed via an explosion of black powder. KEYWORDS: Large DR: 5k3 R ANGE: 200’ SPECIAL RULES: Reduces Armor TN bonus from armor by 10, and Reduction by 10. Requires a Complex Action to reload. PRICE: 20 Guilders PISTOL, FLINTLOCK A handheld version of the musket. Generally used as a last resort if an enemy gets too close. KEYWORDS: Small DR: 4k2 R ANGE: 50’ SPECIAL RULES: Reduces Armor TN bonus from armor by 10, and Reduction by 6. Requires a Complex Action to reload. PRICE: 15 Guilders
Heavy Weapons BATTLE AXE This large two-handed axe, often with two blade heads, is as intimidating as it is devastating. The ability to wield one effectively is seen as a mark of great strength. KEYWORDS: Large DR: 0k4 PRICE: 10 Guilders HAND AXE A one-handed axe, often a farmer’s hatchet. Peasant militia and other such folk employ this as a weapon since axes are cheap and widespread. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 2k3 PRICE: 6 Guilders HEAVY CLUB A two-handed heavy club or hammer, often tipped with a metal head, used to bludgeon a foe down. The heavy club focuses its impact on a small area, shattering armor plates and crushing lighter protection. KEYWORDS: Large DR: 5k2 PRICE: 8 Guilders MACE The mace is a one-handed weapon with a heavy spiked or serrated head. The weapon is primarily used to shatter and crush enemy armor. KEYWORDS: Medium
DR: 3k2 PRICE: 6 Guilders
MORNING STAR A weapon consisting of a heavy ball set with spikes attached rigidly to a staff. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 3k3 PRICE: 10 Guilders
Knives DAGGER An average knife, useful as both a weapon and a survival tool. They are common to every nation of Théah. KEYWORDS: Small DR: 1k1 PRICE: 6 Guilders MAIN GAUCHE The main-gauche (Montaigne for “left hand”) is used mainly to assist in parrying incoming thrusts, while the dominant hand wields a rapier or similar longer weapon intended for one-handed use. It may also be used for attack if an opportunity arises. KEYWORDS: Small, Fencing DR: 1k1 PRICE: 8 Guilders STILETTO A short knife with a long slender blade. A stiletto is primarily a stabbing weapon; its narrow shape, ending in a rigid pointed end allows it to penetrate deeply. It is not well suited for cutting or slashing. KEYWORDS: Small DR: 0k2 (0k1 if used for slashing) PRICE: 6 Guilders
Polearms HALBERD A halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft, about 5’ to 6’ long. It has a hook or thorn on the back side of the axe blade for grappling mounted combatants. KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 3k3 PRICE: 20 Guilders RANSEUR The head of a ranseur is composed of a spear-tip affixed with a cross hilt at its base. Often this hilt is crescent-shaped, giving it an appearance similar to that of a trident. The entire head is mounted on a shaft, generally 6’ or longer. KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 1k2 PRICE: 8 Guilders WAR SCYTHE A war scythe is a kind of improvised pole weapon, usually created from standard scythes. The blade of the scythe is transformed so as to extend upright from the pole, thus forming an infantry weapon practical both in offensive actions against infantry and as a defensive measure against enemy cavalry. KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 1k4 PRICE: 8 Guilders
Spears LANCE The lance is used only in a charge on horseback, where it is braced under the rider’s shoulder with the tip pointing outward. The lance is very poorly designed for anything other than a charging attack, and is virtually useless under any other combat circumstances.
KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 3k4 SPECIAL RULES: The listed DR only applies if the lance is used from horseback and to make an attack directly following a Move Action. Under any other circumstances, its DR is 1k2. Using the lance without a Move Action increases the TN of all Attack Rolls by +5 on horseback and +10 on foot. A lance shatters if it inflicts more than 30 Wounds in one attack. PRICE: 10 Guilders
LONGSPEAR The standard spear, employed by every culture in Théah, is 6’ to 8’ long, used two-handed on foot and one-handed when mounted. A basic, utilitarian weapon, it is commonly given to conscripted soldiers, and is frequently employed by city guards as well. KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 2k2 SPECIAL RULES: The spear can be thrown a maximum range of 30’, and has DR 1k2 when thrown. PRICE: 14 Guilders SHORTSPEAR A shorter, but slightly heavier version of a spear. It is roughly 3’ to 4’ in length with a metal tip, and can be used effectively in melee combat or thrown short distances. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 1k2 SPECIAL RULES: The shortspear may be thrown accurate up to 50’. PRICE: 8 Guilders
Staves FLAIL An adapted threshing tool, the flail is simple to build and surprisingly effective. It consists of two wooden handles (one typically longer than the other) connected by a short length of chain or rope. KEYWORDS: Small DR: 1k2 PRICE: 4 Guilders STAFF The simplest of weapons, a staff is simply a wooden shaft 5’ to 6’ in length. It is used as a walking stick by travelers, and makes for a handy weapon. KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 1k2 PRICE: 2 Guilders SMALL CLUB Essentially a heavy stick or short staff, up to 3 feet in length. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 0k2 PRICE: 1 Guilder
Swords BASKET-HILT CLAYMORE A heavy blade with a thick hand-guard attached to the hilt which serves both to protect the wielder’s hand, and provide a blunt instrument to punch opponents that get too close. This weapon is rarely seen outside of the Highland Marches. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 1k3 PRICE: 10 Guilders BROADSWORD See “longsword” in Legend of the Burning Sands. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 3k2 PRICE: 10 Guilders
FALCHION A heavy, curved blade descended from the scimitars of the Crescent Empire. Some heavier cutlasses are more like falchions than sabers. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 2k3 PRICE: 8 Guilders GREATSWORD A large, two-handed sword that is used in broad strokes. Several variants exist, such as the Eisen zweihander, or the claymore wielded by the denizens of the Highland Marches. KEYWORDS: Large, Reach DR: 3k3 PRICE: 13 Guilders RAPIER A lightweight, flexible sword designed for precision piercing attacks. KEYWORDS: Medium, Fencing DR: 3k1 SPECIAL RULES: Strength: 3 (as a bow). If a character possesses the Rapier Emphasis, reduce Armor TN bonus from armor by 5, and Reduction by 2. PRICE: 15 Guilders SABER A curved, single-edged blade, often with a large hand guard. A variant of the saber is the cutlass, favored by sailors for its ease of use in close fighting, and for cutting the ropes used by boarders. KEYWORDS: Medium, Fencing DR: 2k2 PRICE: 15 Guilders SHORTSWORD See Legend of the Burning Sands. KEYWORDS: Medium DR: 2k2 PRICE: 7 Guilders
THE TRAVELING PACK
Perfume Pet (dog, cat, monkey, songbird (two items)) Pillow book Prophet’s Cross (pendant) Rope (50’) Set of dice Shovel Signet ring Small hand mirror Small knife (non-combat) Small tent Smoking pipe Snowshoes Sorte deck Spare set of clothing Spices Sweets Vial of paint Walking stick Waterskin Week’s rations Whetstone Wig Wool cloak Writing kit (Quills and ink)
Whips
SMALLSWORD A light, one-handed sword designed for thrusting, similar to a rapier but with a thicker blade. Favored by students of the Donovan Swordsman School. KEYWORDS: Medium, Fencing DR: 2k2 SPECIAL RULES: If a character possesses the Smallsword Emphasis, reduce an opponent’s Reduction rating by 2 against attacks made with a smallsword. PRICE: 18 Guilders
Basket Blacksmith’s hammer Blanket Bottle of bleach/dye Bottle of water Bottle of whiskey Bottle of wine Bucket Candles (6) Coin purse Cooking pot Fan Fishing net or pole Flint and tinder Grapple hook Hat Heraldic tabard Jewelry or accessory Lantern Makeup kit Mask Miniature chess set Mortar and pestle Musical instrument Parasol or umbrella Parchment and charcoal (10)
KEYWORDS: Medium, Reach DR: 0k1 SPECIAL RULES: A whip may be used to make a melee attack upon opponents up to 8’ away. The whip may be used to initiate and maintain a Grapple. If used to make a successful Knockdown attack, the whip confers a +1k0 bonus to the subsequent Strength roll. PRICE: 2 Guilders
Arcana
Virtues
Each Arcana has two aspects: proper and inverted. If a character has a proper Arcana, it gives him a special Advantage called a Virtue. An inverted Arcana gives him a Disadvantage called a Hubris. A character can have a Virtue, a Hubris, or neither. Having an Arcana at all is incredibly rare, and having two is unheard of. For more details on individual Hubrises and Virtues, see page 160 of the 7th Sea Players’ Guide. ARCANA FOR HEROES ARCANA 0 Fool 1 Magician 2 High Priestess 3 Empress 4 Imperator 5 Hierophant 6 Lovers 7 Chariot 8 Strength 9 Hermit 10 Fortune 11 Justice 12 Hanged Man 13 Death 14 Temperance 15 Legion* 16 Tower 17 Star 18 Moon 19 Sun 20 Judgment 21 Terra
INVERTED (HUBRIS) Rash Ambitious Hedonistic Lecherous Hot-headed Trusting Star-crossed Overconfident Cowardly Overzealous Misfortunate Judgmental Indecisive Reckless Envious Loyal (Virtue) Arrogant Stubborn Inattentive Proud Righteous Greedy
PROPER (VIRTUE) Propitious Willful Intuitive Comforting Commanding Creative Passionate Victorious Courageous Focused Fortunate Exemplary Altruistic Adaptable Self-controlled Perspicacious (Hubris) Uncanny Inspirational Perceptive Friendly Insightful Worldly
*The Legion card is unique in that its Hubris is based upon its proper form, not its inverted form.
Hubrises U SING HUBRISES The GM may activate your Hubris by spending a Drama Point. If the GM activates your Hubris and you really don’t want it happening at that time, you can spend a Drama Point to counteract the GM’s Drama Point. When a Hubris is activated, it consumes the character’s attention. Everything the character does must be focused on fulfilling his Hubris. Any action that does not relate directly to this suffers a TN penalty of +20, and cannot benefit from the expenditure of Soul Points or Drama Points. These penalties last until the Hubris’ requirements are fulfilled, or a Drama Point is spent to counteract it. A Hubris is more than a mere personality flaw; this is the threads of destiny tugging at your character, and cannot be ignored. INATTENTIVE Replace italicized text with: Your GM can activate your Hubris to cause you to fail a Perception or Awareness Trait Roll automatically. INDECISIVE Replace italicized text with: Your GM may activate your Hubris during timesensitive moments to inflict a -10 penalty to your Initiative for the remainder of the scene. MISFORTUNATE Replace italicized text with: Your GM can activate your Hubris to cause you to reroll a successful roll with a TN of 25 or higher. The GM can only do this once for any given roll.
U SING V IRTUES You may activate your Virtue by spending a Drama Point. Unlike Hubrises, the activation of a Virtue cannot prevented in any way. ADAPTABLE Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue in order to cancel the effects of a surprise or ambush. This Virtue applies only to you; no others can benefit from it. COMFORTING Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to reduce the effects of Fear on your party. All Fear ratings are effectively reduced by 1, and anyone in your party being affected by Fear may make another roll to resist it at the new rating. You may activate this Virtue multiple times to reduce a Fear rating even further. COMMANDING Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to gain Fear at a rank equal to your Insight Rank for one scene. COURAGEOUS Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue in order to reflect the effects of Fear back on one of your opponents. That is to say, the creature’s Fear rating affects itself instead of you. The rest of your party is still affected by the creature’s Fear. EXEMPLARY Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to allow the rest of your group to use one of your Skill Ranks during a Cooperative Roll. This is good for only one roll. FOCUSED Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to transfer one rank in any of your Traits to another Trait for the duration of a scene. You may only transfer ranks from one physical Trait to another, or one mental Trait to another. You cannot increase a Trait above 10, or decrease a Trait below 1. This transfer expires at the end of the scene, and cannot be cancelled prematurely. This Virtue may be used only once per scene. FORTUNATE Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to reroll any failed roll with a TN of 20 or less. The second roll cannot result in a Mishap, regardless of how many 1’s are rolled. This can only be done once for any given roll. FRIENDLY Replace italicized text with: This Virtue costs two Drama Points to activate, and grants you a contact at some point within the current scene. The GM determines the circumstances of your relationship with this contact. INSIGHTFUL Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue in order to determine which Arcana (if any) another character possesses. In addition, if you determine that a villain has a Wile (as opposed to a Flaw), then you can spend a Soul Point to try to cancel that Wile. INTUITIVE Replace italicized text with: This Virtue costs two Drama Points to activate, and allows you to make a leap of logic about a mystery or dilemma facing you. The GM will provide you with the information as he sees appropriate. This Virtue may only be activated once per session.
PROPITIOUS Replace italicized text with: This Virtue costs two Drama Points to activate. You may activate your Virtue in order to call for a lucky escape from the current scene. This will extract you and your entire party from your current predicament. This Virtue may only be activated once per session. SELF-CONTROLLED Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to cause any Social Skill used against you to automatically fail. VICTORIOUS Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue after you hit your opponent, but before you make a Damage Roll. Instead of rolling for damage, you automatically inflict damage equal to your kept damage dice x 10. WILLFUL
your weapon slightly when you hit, adding your Sky Ring to the total of your Damage Roll. JOURNEYMAN When you inflict damage upon your opponent, you may choose to suffer 1k1 Wounds to inflict the same amount upon your opponent. MASTER A Master of Ambrogia can exploit the slightest opening to devastating effect. If you are attacked and your opponent misses by 5 or more, his Armor TN drops to 5 + armor bonuses on your next attack. If your next action is not an attack against that opponent, this benefit is lost. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding weapons with the Fencing keyword.
Boucher
Replace italicized text with: This Wile does not need to be activated. No hero may use Drama Points when facing the villain in direct combat.
C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Montaigne Boucher students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman’s Guild.
WORLDLY
TECHNIQUES
Replace italicized text with: You may activate your Virtue to gain ranks equal to your Insight Rank + 1 in any Skill that you do not currently have any ranks in.
APPRENTICE
Swordsman Schools To learn from a Swordsman School, you must purchase the Swordsman Training Advantage. This Advantage must be purchased again for each new Technique learned. Any character may learn the Apprentice Technique. Insight Rank 2 is required to learn a Journeyman Technique, and Insight Rank 3 is required to learn a Master Technique. These Techniques must be learned in order; one cannot learn a Journeyman Technique before the corresponding Apprentice Technique, nor become a Master before one is a Journeyman. Unless otherwise stated, all members of a Swordsman School must take the Membership: Swordsman’s Guild Advantage.
Aldana
Students of the Boucher style of fighting are trained to wield a knife in each hand. They are also trained to get inside an enemy’s guard and strike quickly. You suffer no off-hand penalties for wielding two knives. In addition, as long as you are wielding a knife in each hand, your Initiative is increased by 5 + your Insight Rank. JOURNEYMAN Boucher Journeymen have learned to draw their opponent’s attention to the knife that isn’t attacking them. When you are wielding a knife in each hand, your opponents must make two additional Raises to use the Parry Maneuver against your knife attacks. MASTER Boucher Masters learn to unleash a flurry off attacks against their opponent. While in the Full Attack Stance, as a Complex Action, you may make an Attack Roll with your knives that gains an additional +2k1 (for a total of +4k2). In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding knives.
C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Castille
Donovan
TECHNIQUES
C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Avalon
APPRENTICE
TECHNIQUES
Castillian swordsmen are renowned for their lightning-fast reflexes and aggressive fighting style. Gain a bonus of +2k1 to your Initiative Rolls. JOURNEYMAN The Aldana Journeyman’s weaving, disorienting style of movement makes him difficult to hit. Add twice your Wind to your Armor TN. MASTER Masters of Aldana enter a trance where they are focused entirely on the duel at hand. At the start of a skirmish, gain bonus rolled dice equal to your Insight Rank. These dice can be spent on any Attack Roll or Agility Roll made for Full Defense. Once used, these dice are gone until the next skirmish. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding weapons with the Fencing keyword.
Ambrogia C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Vodacce
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Learning the Ambrogia style of fighting negates the off-hand penalty when using a dagger or main gauche. Apprentices among Veronica’s Boys are also trained to think quickly and take advantage of every opportunity they get. When wielding a knife or weapon with the Fencing keyword, you may twist
APPRENTICE You do not suffer any kind of penalty to attacks for wearing a buckler. You may also add your Insight Rank to your Armor TN when wearing a buckler. In addition, you gain a +1k0 bonus when using a buckler for an Attack Roll, or when making a Defense / Reflexes roll for the Full Defense Stance. JOURNEYMAN Donovan teaches its students to take the offensive even when defending themselves. There is a particular move known as Donovan’s Twist that allows a Journeyman to rake the edge of his smallsword’s blade across his opponent’s hand while performing a parry. When you successfully use the Parry Maneuver with a one-handed sword, you deal 1k1 damage to your opponent, +1k0 per Raise. You do not add your Strength to this damage. MASTER Edward’s Thrust was taught to Donovan by his master, the late Jacob Edwards. The technique is performed by first acclimating an opponent to repeated slashes, and then suddenly rushing in with a deceptively quick thrust. Once per round, if your attack roll misses an opponent’s Armor TN by 5 or less, you may immediately make a second attack with a Free Raise. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding a smallsword.
Drexel C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Eisen
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Apprentices of the Drexel school have learned some of the basics they will need to know in order to master the zweihander. You know 2 zweihander Positions (choose from the list below). In addition, your Initiative score is increased by 5 as long as you are wielding a greatsword. JOURNEYMAN Journeymen have expanded their basic knowledge of the zweihander, and they have learned to use their strength and skill to intimidate their opponents (as well as their own men). You learn 1 additional zweihander Position. In addition, you receive the Fear ability equal to your School Rank. When leading men against a creature or person that also has Fear, your Fear rating cancel out the effects of the its Fear rating on you and your men on a 1-for-1 basis (i.e. if a monster has Fear 3 and you have Fear 2, the monster’s Fear is reduced to 1, and yours is reduced to 0). MASTER Masters of the Drexel school have mastered all of the zweihander’s secrets, and are feared warriors. You learn the final zweihander Position. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding a greatsword.
JOURNEYMAN Eisenfaust Journeymen have learned how to break their opponents’ weapons with their panzerhand. Whenever you make a successful Parry roll using your panzerhand, you may spend a Soul Point to attempt to break your opponent’s weapon. You must make a successful Strength Roll against TN 20. Raises may be required to break higher quality weapons, or weapons that are inherently tougher (such as a claymore). Dracheneisen weapons require an additional three Raises to break. MASTER Eisenfaust Masters have learned the art of patience. You may hold an action to wait for an opening. For every five Initiative turns that you hold the action, you gain +1k0 to damage if that action is used to attack. You may not gain more damage dice through this technique than your Land Ring. For example, if your Initiative was 15, and you hold your action until Initiative 5, you would gain a +2k0 bonus to damage. You may only hold one action in this manner per round, and may not use any other actions that round to attack. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding a panzerhand, or melee weapons with the Large keyword.
Finnegan C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Avalon (Inismore) Finnegan students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman Guild.
ZWEIHANDER POSITIONS
TECHNIQUES
The zweihander is a particularly flexible weapon that has four primary Positions. You can declare a Position any time you draw a greatsword, or any time you choose a Stance.
APPRENTICE
T HE BITTNER, OR F ORWARD POSITION The zweihander is held at head level, almost like a spear. This Style is most defensive, but it makes the zweihander much easier to maneuver. You gain +1k1 to use the Parry Maneuver with a greatsword. T HE G ERBECK, OR H IGH POSITION The blade is held pointing upwards, with the hands near the face, and the weapon is used like an axe, making huge swings. In this Position, the greatsword’s DR increases to 4k3. T HE KÖHLER, OR LOW POSITION The zweihander is held horizontally with an overhand grip near the user’s waist, pointing toward the opponent. This is a very quick Position, allowing rapid movements with the blade. In this Position, you receive +10 to your Initiative (in addition to your normal +5).
Students of the Finnegan style of fighting learn how to punch hard. Real hard. You gain a bonus of +Xk1 to damage when making unarmed attacks, where X is equal to your Finnegan School Rank. JOURNEYMAN Those who study under Finnegan must be prepared to suffer endless bruises and broken bones, which toughen them up considerably, enhancing their ability to shrug off a wound. You gain Reduction equal to your Land Ring. MASTER A Finnegan Master’s fists are a flurry of seemingly wild swings and blows. You may make unarmed attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action.
Gallegos C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Castille
TECHNIQUES
T HE METZGER, OR BACK POSITION
APPRENTICE
In this Position, the sword is held like a broom, with the blade pointing at the ground a little bit behind the user. It is an extremely offensive Position that allows for quick, surprising attacks. In this Position the greatsword’s DR increases to 4k4, but your Armor TN is reduced by 5, and you suffer a -1k1 penalty to any attempt to use the Parry Maneuver.
Apprentices of the Gallegos school have mastered the First Circle. They learn to play the waiting game and watch for attacks from their opponents. You receive a Free Raise for using the Parry Maneuver with a weapon with the Fencing keyword. In addition, gain +1k0 on Attack Rolls against opponents that have already acted in the round.
Eisenfaust
JOURNEYMAN
C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Eisen
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE When using a panzerhand on your off-hand, you do not suffer penalties of any kind for wielding two weapons or using a weapon in your off-hand. When your opponent attacks you and misses, you gain +1k0 to your next Attack Roll against them for every 5 total points they missed your Armor TN by. The bonus dice rolled cannot exceed your Eisenfaust School Rank. These bonus dice must be used against that opponent on your next action, or they are lost. In addition, if that same opponent successfully attacks you before you use the bonus dice, they are lost as the window of opportunity closes.
Once he has mastered the Second Circle, the journeyman can fight comfortably while only occasionally shifting a step to the left or right. He waits for an attack, then turns it around against the attacker with a flick of his wrist. You gain a Free Raise to use the Riposte Maneuver, applicable to both the initial Parry and the counterattack. MASTER After learning the Third Circle, the master no longer needs to move his feet during a fight. His flashing blade and graceful movements make his incredibly difficult to hit. Increase your Armor TN by 10 against melee attacks while wielding a weapon with the Fencing keyword. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding a weapon with the Fencing keyword.
Gelingen C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Eisen Gelingen students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman’s Guild. They must, however, purchase the Lore: Monsters Skill, with at least one Emphasis.
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE For the purposes of these Techniques, any monster for which you possess the appropriate Emphasis in your Lore: Monsters Skill is considered your Prey. When making Attack and Damage Rolls against your Prey, you may roll and keep additional dice equal to your School Rank. JOURNEYMAN Against the attacks of your Prey, your Armor TN is increased by your Lore: Monsters Rank x 3, and you gain Reduction equal to your School Rank. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when facing your Prey. MASTER By this point, the student has begun to make broad generalizations in his training that apply to many different types of monster. You gain +1k1 on Attack and Damage Rolls and +5 to Armor TN against all monsters that are not your Prey. You have no limit to the total Emphases you may purchase in Lore: Monsters. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when facing any monster.
Goodfellow Country of Origin: Avalon Goodfellow students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman’s Guild.
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Students of the Goodfellow School gain proficiency with the bow by understanding every aspect of it. Gain a bonus of +1k0 when making Craft: Bowyer Skill Rolls, and on all Attack Rolls made with a bow. In addition, a Goodfellow archer may treat the Strength of any bow as if it were one higher. JOURNEYMAN Robin Goodfellow knew that precision is the key to expert marksmanship. You gain one Free Raise that can only be used to make the Called Shot Maneuver. Additionally, you gain a bonus of +2k0 to the total of all damage rolls when using a bow. MASTER Masters of the Goodfellow style can load and loose arrows at an astonishing rate. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a bow.
Höpken C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Eisen Höpken students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman’s Guild.
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Apprentices of the Höpken school have learned some tricks when firing a crossbow. Gain +1k0 on Damage Rolls for crossbow attacks, and ignore 1 additional point of Reduction. JOURNEYMAN Journeyman of the Höpken school have learned to use the crossbow to its best advantage, firing it further and more accurately than any untrained user. Gain +1k0 on Attack Rolls with a crossbow. Your range with a crossbow is increased by your School Rank x 10’.
In addition, you are taught to build a special heavy crossbow with a DR of 3k3, and that lowers Reduction by 6. This costs 5,000G. Anyone with a Strength of less than 4 requires an extra Complex Action to reload it. MASTER Masters of the Höpken school are generally considered the most skilled crossbowmen in all of Théah. If you have the Crossbows Skill at rank 5, you may reload a light crossbow as a Free Action, and a heavy crossbow as a Simple Action. If your Crossbows Skill is lower than rank 5, then you gain the Crossbows rank 5 Mastery Ability instead. You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using a crossbow.
Leegstra C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Vendel/Vestenmannavnjar
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE When learning the Leegstra style, you learn how to focus your blows. At the beginning of a combat round, you may reduce your Initiative by any amount you choose, and then add the half that amount (rounded up) to your damage rolls for the remainder of the round. At the beginning of the following round, your Initiative returns to the value it had before you decreased it. JOURNEYMAN Journeymen have learned to ignore wounds that would kill lesser men. Any time you suffer Wounds, you may spend a Soul Point to make a Raw Land roll vs. a TN equal to the number of Wounds suffered, before the Wounds are inflicted (thus you do not suffer additional TN penalties due to the damage). If you succeed, you suffer no Wounds from the injury. MASTER Masters have learned to cause grievous wounds with their weapons. For every two Raises you achieve on successful Strength-based rolls (including damage rolls using Strength), you gain a Free Raise. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding a Large weapon or a Heavy Weapon.
MacDonald C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Avalon (Highland Marches)
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Students of the MacDonald style learn to wield the claymore with surprising finesse. You may ignore any penalties incurred from a sword’s Reach keyword. JOURNEYMAN The ferocious sword swings of the Highlanders are as wild as they are deadly. A number of times per session equal to your Strength, you may reroll a damage roll with a Large weapon, keeping the better of the two rolls. MASTER Masters of the MacDonald style have learned to put their whole body into their swings. You may roll and keep one extra die when making damage rolls with a claymore. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while wielding a greatsword.
Rogers C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: None
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Add your Athletics Skill Rank to the total of all rolls to use the Parry Maneuver or Full Defense Posture. In addition, you learn one Pirate Trick. JOURNEYMAN While on board a ship, you may add +5 to your Armor TN, except against opponents that you are unaware of. In addition, you learn one Pirate Trick.
MASTER
HOLD YOUR LIQUOR
Masters of the Rogers style learn to use fear as a weapon. Gain Fear 2, or add +2 to an existing Fear rating. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when using Small or Medium knives or swords. You also learn two Pirate Tricks.
You gain +2k0 whenever rolling to resist inebriation or attack with a beer mug or stein (improvised weapon: DR 1k1).
PIRATE TRICKS AGAINST THE RAILS You gain +2k0 to your attack rolls any time your opponent is off-balance or backed against a rail, wall, corner, etc. BELAY THAT! You gain +1k1 to the DR of a belaying pin (making your DR 2k2). When wielding a belaying pin in your off-hand, you do not suffer penalties for dual-wielding.
KICK UP You may kick a Small or Medium weapon to your hand, arming yourself, as a Free Action. This allows you to ready a weapon and attack with it in the same round, provided you are standing next to it at the start of your action. OVER THE SIDE! The Boarding rolls of your side in a Boarding Action are increased by 1. Up to three Rogers swordsmen may modify the Boarding roll of a single side. QUICK DRAW You may draw a pistol as a Free Action, allowing you to ready a pistol and fire in the same round. SEA LEGS You gain +2k0 when rolling Agility to maintain balance. This does not apply to rolls to resist Knockdown. SIDEARM When wielding a pistol in your off-hand, you do not suffer penalties for dual-wielding.
Rois et Reines C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Montaigne Rois et Reines students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman’s Guild.
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Students of the Rois et Reines style become more adept at using firearms and bayonets. In your hands, the range of a pistol is increased by your School Rank x 10’, and a musket’s is increased by your School Rank x 20’. In addition, gain +1k1 to all Attack Rolls with a mounted bayonet. JOURNEYMAN Journeymen of the Rois et Reines style continue to improve their marksmanship over time. You may draw a pistol as a Free Action, allowing you to ready a pistol and fire in the same round. In addition, you may treat a mounted bayonet as if it has the Reach keyword. MASTER Masters of the Rois et Reines style are crack shots under any conditions. You may spend a Soul Point to ignore Armor TN or Reduction modifiers for cover, range, darkness or other similar considerations. In addition, you may load a gun as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action. If you possess the Guns Skill at Rank 5, you may load a gun as a Free Action, but if you fire in the same round, you suffer a +10 TN penalty.
Soldano C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Castille DAGGER RIDE As a complex action, you can drive a knife into a nearby sail and ride it to the deck, avoiding all falling damage. While doing this, you can make an unarmed attack against someone below you using Athletics / Agility. If your attack succeeds, you roll +1k0 damage, and may automatically attempt a Knockdown Maneuver without declaring the required Raises. DEATH FROM ABOVE If you are at least one Level higher than your target, you may spend an action to swing down and attack using Agility/Athletics, inflicting 3k1 Wounds, and your opponent becomes prone. If your attack fails, you must roll Agility/Athletics against a TN 15 or become prone yourself.
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Apprentices in the Soldano school are trained to deal with large numbers of poorly trained opponents — and to do it with style. You suffer no off-hand penalties for wielding two weapons with the Fencing keyword. In addition, at the beginning of a skirmish, you receive a number of Drama Points equal to your School Rank. These Drama Points, if unspent at the end of the combat, are lost. JOURNEYMAN Journeymen of the Soldano school have learned to marshal their strength for a single, devastating attack. When rolling damage for weapons with the Fencing keyword, you may spend a Soul Point to inflict an additional 2k1 Wounds.
MASTER
JOURNEYMAN
Masters of the Soldano school have learned to thoroughly enrage and outwit their opponents. During the Reactions Phase of any round in which you successfully attacked your opponent, but he did not successfully attack you, you gain a bonus Drama Point. This Drama Point must be spent against that opponent by the end of the following round, or it is lost.
Journeymen have learned how to “raise the stakes” in a fight. Whenever you declare at least one Raise when attacking an opponent and succeed at the attack roll, that opponent must declare at least as many Raises as you did on his next attack against you, up to his maximum number of declared Raises. Free Raises that you benefit from do not add to the number of Raises your opponent must declare.
Torres C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Castille
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE Apprentices in the Torres school have learned the art of using their cloak to draw attention away from their true movements. Your cloak is considered an off-hand weapon, and will increase your Armor TN accordingly. You suffer no penalties for wielding a cloak in your off-hand. In addition,
MASTER Masters of Valroux are the fastest swordsmen in the world. After any combat round in which you are not successfully attacked or affected by an offensive action, increase your Initiative by 5. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding a Fencing weapon in your main hand, and a dagger or main gauche in your off-hand.
Sorcery
JOURNEYMAN Journeymen of the Torres school are very fast on their feet. Add twice your Wind Ring to your Armor TN. MASTER Masters of Torres are some of the most agile and quick-witted fighters in the world. XXX In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding a weapon with the Fencing keyword.
Tout Près C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Montaigne Tout Près students are not required to take the Membership Advantage, as they are not members of the Swordsman’s Guild. Lead-weighted, wide-brimmed hats are a popular choice of apparel for students of Tout Près. Such a hat is considered an improvised weapon, inflicting 1k1 damage (do not add Strength to this). APPRENTICE Students of the Tout Près school are intimately familiar with many common objects that they might need to defend themselves. You do not suffer an offhand penalty when wielding an improvised weapon in your off-hand. In addition, you gain +1k1 to your roll to use the Parry Maneuver with an improvised weapon.
To learn from a Sorcery School, you must purchase the Sorcerous Heritage Advantage. This Advantage must be purchased again for each new Technique learned. Any character may learn the Apprentice Technique. Insight Rank 2 is required to learn a Journeyman Technique, and Insight Rank 3 is required to learn a Master Technique. These Techniques must be learned in order; one cannot learn a Journeyman Technique before the corresponding Apprentice Technique, nor become a Master before one is a Journeyman. Each School of Sorcery has various Knacks, which have Ranks from 0 to 5. Just what these Knacks and Ranks represent varies from one School to the next. The Sorcerous Heritage Advantage grants bonus Experience Points to purchase Knacks with. The cost for Knacks is the new Rank x 2. Unless otherwise specified, using a Sorcery Technique or Knack is a Complex Action.
Druidism C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Avalon Druidism is considered to be a form of shaman magic, and ignores effects that cancel or distort sorcery. No character with sorcery may learn and use any shamanic magic, but he is affected by it as normal. The Sorcerous Heritage Advantage is not necessary to take this School (and in fact would prohibit it). Druids, instead, must purchase the Ordained Advantage, as well as the Druidic Training Advantage (see sidebar).
JOURNEYMAN
DRUIDIC TRAINING [SPIRITUAL] (6 POINTS)
Journeymen of the Tout Près school learn to react quickly to new situations, and receive instruction in many skills that are useful in getting out the way of an oncoming blow. You may pick up and have an improvised weapon ready as a Free Action. In addition, while you have an improvised weapon in hand, you may add your Sky Ring to your Armor TN.
You have been taught the mystical ways of the druids. Gain the Apprentice Technique of the Druidism “Sorcery School,” and 20 bonus Experience Points to purchase Knacks. These Experience Points cannot be spent on anything else. You must purchase this Advantage again (for another 6 points) each time you wish to gain a new Druidism School Rank (but you do not gain additional Experience Points).
MASTER Masters of Tout Près use their improvised weapons to distract their opponents from the rapier in their other hand. After an attack with an improvised weapon (whether successful or not), gain +2k1 on your next attack if it is made with a weapon with the Fencing keyword. In addition, you may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action when wielding improvised weapons, or when wielding an improvised weapon and a weapon with the Fencing keyword.
Valroux C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Montaigne
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE When wielding a Fencing weapon in your main hand, and a dagger or main gauche in your off-hand, you suffer no penalties of any kind for dual wielding, and you gain a bonus of your Insight Rank to your Armor TN (this is cumulative with the normal bonus for wielding two weapons).
ASCENDANCY Druids base their magic on the seasons of the year as well as the presence of the moon, which has a 28-day cycle on Théah. Each of their five Knacks is “ascendant” part of the time. The Druids hold ceremonies to mark each “change-over,” some of which are never seen by outsiders. Whenever a Druid uses his magic, he must make an ascendant Knack / Awareness Roll. ASCENDANCY Spring Summer Autumn Winter Moon
START DATE END DATE Quartus 1 Sextus 30 Julius 1 Septimus 30 Octavus 1 Decimus 30 Primus 1 Tertius 30 Ascendant at night, except during a new moon. It overrules the other four Knacks.
During the new moon and the Prophet’s Mass, none of the Druid’s Knacks are ascendant. When they use their magic during these times, they roll only their Awareness.
TECHNIQUES
BREAKING LESSER G ESA
APPRENTICE: AUSPICES
When a character breaks a Lesser Gesa, he loses all of his Soul Points, and cannot recover them until the sun has risen and set again.
Three times per session, you may use your knowledge of omens and auspices of the world to determine the proper moment for the success of an action. You may add your Rank in the ascendant Knack to another character’s roll after he’s already made the roll.
MASTER (OLLAMDH): GREATER GESA You may place Greater Gesa on other characters. You may have no more than one Greater Gesa in effect at once, and no single character may be affected by more than one Greater Gesa at the same time. Greater Gesa are restrictions placed on the manner in which a character (or Villain) may die. Only if the conditions of the Gesa are met may the character be killed. Otherwise, Fate will conspire to save his life somehow. Of course, he can still be pretty beat up without fulfilling the Gesa, but he won’t die. C ASTING GREATER G ESA In order to cast a Greater Gesa, you must choose a weakness that your GM approves of (see the list of examples in Nations of Théah: Avalon, page 100), tell the character you wish to affect that “You may only be killed by [chosen weakness],” make an ascendant Knack / Awareness Roll against a TN of 40, and spend three Soul Points. These Soul Points are lost even if you fail your roll. A given weakness can have one — and only one — Trait attached to it. “A bearded man” is acceptable. “A one-eyed, bald bearded man who speaks with a lisp and has bad palsy in his fingers” is not. BENEFITS OF G REATER G ESA Unless the condition of the Gesa is met, the character cannot be killed. He can still be wounded, crippled, knocked out, maimed, and so on…just not slain. BREAKING G REATER GESA Whenever a character is attacked by his weakness, he’s in a lot of trouble. Not only does it affect him and can it kill him, but he’s nearly helpless against it. He cannot spend any Soul Points while threatened by his weakness, nor may he benefit from Raises against it. Keep in mind also that the GM is the final arbiter of the Gesa and its weakness. He can interpret your words to use against you if you aren’t careful. For example, “you can be killed only by a dead man” can be interpreted to mean a man whom everybody thinks is dead, but lives on in secret, waiting for a chance to strike…. The Druids themselves — the secret rank above ollamdh — seem to have gesa powers even greater than this. Stories abound of Derwyddon predicting that men’s sons will betray them, and that true lovers will turn to murdering each other when the love goes sour. Only the seven Druids have ever displayed such magic; they are universally feared as a result.
Glamour ADEPT (BARD): LESSER GESA
C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Avalon
You may use your knowledge of the power of words to place Lesser Gesa on other characters. You may have no more than three Lesser Gesa in effect at once, and no single character may be affected by more than two Lesser Gesa at the same time. Lesser Gesa are restrictions placed on a character’s actions in order to strengthen him. If the character ever violates one of these restrictions, the Gesa is broken and ceases giving him its benefit.
TECHNIQUES
C ASTING LESSER G ESA In order to cast a Lesser Gesa, you must say it out loud in front of the character you wish to affect, make an ascendant Knack / Awareness Roll against a TN of 20, and spend a certain number of Soul Points, depending on how restricting the Gesa is. The more it restricts your target’s actions, the fewer Soul Points it costs you to cast. Relatively simple Gesa, like “never eat dog,” cost you 3 Soul Points to cast. Gesa that are harder to avoid, such as “never bathe,” cost you 2 Soul Points to cast. Gesa that are very difficult to avoid, such as “always offer hospitality to strangers,” cost you 1 Soul Point to cast. Your GM should determine this cost at his discretion. The Soul Points are spent even if you fail at your roll. BENEFITS OF LESSER G ESA For each Lesser Gesa a character still has in effect on him, he receives a bonus Soul Point above his normal maximum. This Soul Point is recovered as normal. This does not increase the character’s Soul Ring.
Glamour Points are treated as Soul Points in all ways, save that they cannot be spent to activate (or prevent the activation of) Arcana. Glamour Points may be used to power Glamour Knacks, just like ordinary Soul Points. APPRENTICE: THE BLESSING OF RENOWN You gain a number of Glamour Points each day equal to your Reputation Rank. You can use the Apprentice Technique of any Legend Knacks you know by spending a Soul Point (or more, if specified). ADEPT: THE BLESSING OF GOOD FORTUNE Once per game session, the first time a non-player character uses a Soul Point in your presence, you may choose to reduce that character’s remaining Soul Points by an amount equal to your lowest Ring. If this reduces the character’s Soul Points to 0, he cannot spend the point. Also, you can use the Adept Technique of any Legend Knacks you know by spending a Soul Point (or more, if specified). MASTER: THE BLESSING OF POWER Your Soul Points are now based upon your Soul Ring plus your highest Ring (or next highest, if Soul is your highest). In addition, you can use the Master ability of any Legend Knacks you know by spending a Soul Point (or more, if specified).
LEGEND KNACKS Each Legend Knack is categorized by type. You cannot choose more than one Legend of each type. Unless otherwise specified, using a Legend Knack is a Free Action. ANNE O’ THE WIND (FINESSE) APPRENTICE: Add 3 x Knack Rank to your Initiative total. JOURNEYMAN: Add your Knack Rank to your Sea Ring for the purpose of determining Move Actions. This benefit lasts until you reach your destination, so long as you do nothing but move toward your destination, eat, drink, and rest (resting no longer than two hours at a time). This could last for ten minutes, or weeks on end, all depending upon how far away your destination is. MASTER: Gain an additional Simple Action, which takes place at the beginning of the round, before all other actions. Only one additional Simple Action may be gained this way per round. BLACKCLOAK (FINESSE) APPRENTICE: Hide the traces of your passing for the rest of the scene. The TNs of all attempts to track you are increased by 5 x Knack Rank. ADEPT: Reduce the TN of a single Athletics Skill Roll by 10 x Knack Rank. MASTER: Reduce the TN of a single Sleight of Hand or Locksmith Skill Roll by 10 x Knack Rank. THE GREEN MAN (RESOLVE) APPRENTICE: Roll a number of dice equal to your Knack Rank, keeping one (these dice do not explode). Choose another willing character, who adds the result of your roll as a bonus to the total of all rolls until the end of the scene. Only one bonus at a time may be conferred this way upon a single character. ADEPT: Choose one character (you may choose yourself). The next time that character suffers enough Wounds to drop to the next Wound Level (or lower), those Wounds heal at the end of the round in which they were received. This may bring a character back from Out, but not from death. MASTER: When you use your Adept ability on another character, the person being affected may pay the Soul Point to activate the ability instead of you. THE HORNED HUNTER (BRAWN) APPRENTICE: Add your Knack Rank to your Strength for one roll. This cannot be used during Contested Rolls or Damage Rolls. ADEPT: Gain Reduction equal to your Knack Rank x 2 for one round. MASTER: Add your Knack Rank to your Strength for one Damage Roll or one Contested Roll. IRON MEG (BRAWN) APPRENTICE: Instantly heal Wounds equal to your Land x Knack Rank. ADEPT: Nullify one type of poison that is currently affecting you. MASTER: Ignore the damage of any single attack that inflicts Wounds equal to or less than your Land x Knack Rank. ISAAC SNAGGS (WITS) APPRENTICE: Add your Knack Rank to your Defense skill when making a Defense / Reflexes Roll when you assume the Full Defense Stance. ADEPT: Gain an extra Simple Action that may only be used to catch a missile weapon that was thrown or shot at you. This can include knives, axes, or even arrows. To catch the missile, roll Athletics / Reflexes against a TN equal to the Attack Roll. You must have one free hand to perform this maneuver, and you take no damage. MASTER: As the Adept Technique, but you can now catch bullets from a pistol or musket. JACK (WITS) APPRENTICE: As a Simple Action, transform a small object (less than one cubic foot in size) into one of the following items until the next dawn (or until you will the enchantment to end), when it reverts to its former self. If a transformed object is broken into pieces, all of the pieces disappear at dawn except for one (randomly chosen), which reverts to its original unharmed form.
A knife A fist-sized hunk of cheese (if eaten, the original object is destroyed) A bird (if killed, the original object is destroyed) A rock (you may affect up to five small objects at once) A pair of dice A normal-sized playing or Sorte card (you may affect up to five small objects at once) Guilder (may affect a number of small objects up to your Knack Rank x 5) A 20-foot ball of twine A button ADEPT: Learn one of the following five forms for every Rank you have in this Knack. You may spend one Soul Point to transform yourself into one of the forms you know until the next dawn. You may spend two Soul Points to transform another willing person (or a horse, willing or not) into one of the forms you know until the next dawn. Performing these transformations is a Simple Action. The Child: The affected person temporarily becomes younger. If he is middle-aged or elderly, he becomes spry (seeing the Aging rules in the GM’s Guide). If he is younger than that, there is no effect. If the GM is enforcing Aging penalties, then this form negates them; otherwise there is no mechanical effect. The old horse affected by this form would temporarily regain its youth. The Hag: The affection person appears older and much uglier, and rolls one less die on all Social Skill Rolls, bu the person is physically unrecognizable as himself. None of his other Traits or Skills are affected. A horse affected by this form would become a much less attractive animal. The Noble: The affected person becomes more handsome or beautiful, and may roll one extra die on all Social Skill Rolls. A horse affected by this form would become a much more attractive animal. The Ogre: The affected person is transformed in subtle ways to be more intimidating. Whether it’s a sharper point to his teeth, or a slight red gleam to his eyes, he has an unnerving effect on those who see them. The target suffers a one die penalty on all Social Skill Rolls, except those involving intimidation or interrogation, which he may roll two extra dice for. A horse affected by this form would be more frightening, possibly with fire coming from its nostrils or a red glow to its eyes. The Peasant: The affected person assumes a much blander, more ordinary appearance, and may roll two extra dice on all Acting (Disguise), Sleight of Hand, and Stealth Skill Rolls. A horse affected by this form would lose any distinctive characteristics, such as a white star on its forehead. M ASTER: Enchant one building (no bigger than 4,000 square feet in size) with Glamour. It takes one month of preparation. Using the tear of a Sidhe reduces this preparation time to one full day. Once the enchantment is complete, you may select a number Laws equal to your Knack Rank as part of the enchantment. They work without fail inside the house unless some other sorcery (such as the Thomas Knack) disrupts them temporarily. You may have only one house enchanted at a time, but you can end the enchantment on one house and recast it on another. I can’t die in my house. Nobody’s magic but mine works in my house. I always know where everything (and everyone) is in my house. No one can enter my house without permission. Nobody ages in my house. The pantry in my house always has food and drink in it. I can instantly rearrange the inside of my house with a thought. My house cannot be harmed in any way. The inside of my house is twenty times bigger than the outside. No one can find the way to my house unless I let him.
JEREMIAH BEREK (PANACHE) APPRENTICE: Add your Knack Rank x 2 to the total of any roll. ADEPT: Activate before making a roll. For every die that explodes during that roll, roll and keep two additional dice, not one. MASTER: Activate after failing a roll. You may re-roll and try again, keeping the better result. You may use this ability only once per roll.
KING ELILODD (WITS) APPRENTICE: Add your Knack Rank x 3 to the total of any Social Skill Roll made with the Sidhe. With the Seelie, this ability can only affect rolls involving charm and similarly positive effects, while only intimidation and similarly negative effects by may this bonus when used against the Unseelie. ADEPT: Call out to the nearest Seelie for aid. Roll Knack / Willpower against a TN 30. If successful, a Seelie answers your call and aids you as best it can (for a price, naturally). If the roll is 10 or less, an Unseelie has answered your call, and the price it demands for its assistance (assuming it doesn’t kill you out of hand) will be much, much harsher. MASTER: Create a 10’ wide circle centered around you that Unseelie Sidhe cannot enter. They are hurled away from you if they are inside the circle when you activate this power, and they cannot use their magic on you while the effect lasts. You may maintain this effect as long as you can stay awake (you must make a Willpower Trait Roll every morning or fall asleep, TN 10 x the number of days you’ve been awake). If you move from the spot the effect ends, and anyone else who leaves it is instantly vulnerable to the Unseelie. KING ROBERT THE DARK (RESOLVE) APPRENTICE: While in mass battle, add your Knack Rank x 2 to the general’s Battle (Mass Combat) / Perception Roll. Up to three Glamour mages may contribute to the army’s success in this manner, or five if the general is a MacLeod. ADEPT: During the Determination phase of mass battle, add your Knack Rank x 2 to your Battle (Mass Combat) / Perception roll. MASTER: Add your Knack Rank x 2 to the total of the next roll of up to five people you select. You may not select the same person more than once. This bonus must be used by the end of the scene, or it is lost. MAD JACK O’BANNON (BRAWN) APPRENTICE: Disappear behind an object that at least partially covers you. You cannot be seen as long as you don’t move, but you can be heard, and if you peek around the object to see what’s going on, the upper half of your body will be apparent. Any attempts to locate you while complete hidden have their TN increased by your Knack Rank x 5. ADEPT: Step behind one object and step out from behind another object that is within a number of feet equal to Knack Rank x 100. MASTER: You may spend three Soul Points when you are killed. At dawn the next morning, you will return to life, all Wounds healed and all harmful substances purged from your body. However, the stress of dying leaves you weakened. Your Stamina and Strength are lowered by 1, using the Reduced Trait rules. This penalty remains for one full cycle of the moon (one month).
The ability for the ship to sail itself. Unless the pilot of the ship purposely steers the ship into an obstacle or aground, the ship will, regardless of normal ship movement limitations, steers its way around such things.
THE STONE KNIGHT (RESOLVE) APPRENTICE: Shout for help to a number of your friends equal to or less than your Knack Rank. They will all hear your cry over any distances and know immediately where you are (or at least where you shouted from). ADEPT: Ignore a Fear rating less than or equal to your Knack Rank until the end of the scene. MASTER: Choose a patch of ground (or a bridge, etc.) no more than 10’ wide and 10’ long. Until a sunrise and a sunset have passed, as long as you do not leave your chosen ground, you cannot die or be crippled. You can still suffer Wounds, but you do not suffer Wound penalties until the effect ends. Leaving the chosen area ends the effect immediately. When the Glamour expires, if your Wounds have taken you beyond the Out Wound Level, you drop dead on the spot. THOMAS (PANACHE) APPRENTICE: Whenever someone (or something) that possesses sorcery comes within 30’ of you, your left thumb begins to tingle (this does not require the Knack to be activated ahead of time). It continues to tingle until the source moves out of range. When someone uses sorcery directly on you, you immediately detect what’s being done. If the Rank of the Knack affecting you is less than or equal to your own Knack Rank, you may spend a Soul Point to resist that magic. This ability doesn’t affect such things as being struck by a shaped-changed Ussuran, since the magic involved is affecting the Ussuran, not you. ADEPT: When someone uses sorcery within 30’ of you, you immediately detect what is being done (this does not require the Knack to be activated ahead of time). If the Rank of the Knack being used is less than or equal to your own Knack Rank, you may spend a Soul Point to cancel it, even if it is merely active, and not currently being used. This might cancel a Fate Witch’s Blessing, turn an Ussuran back to his human form, or prevent a Porté mage from teleporting away. MASTER: Spend a Soul Point to prevent magic from being used within 10’ of you for a number of rounds equal to your Knack Rank. Any active magical effects that enter this area are immediately canceled.
Lærdom C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Vendel/Vestenmannavnjar
ROBIN GOODFELLOW (FINESSE)
USING RUNES
APPRENTICE: Lower the effective Range of your next attack with a bow by Knack Rank x 5’. ADEPT: Roll additional dice equal to your Knack Rank on the Damage Roll of any one attack with a bow. MASTER: Lower the Armor TN of your next attack with a bow by Knack Rank x 5.
Most of the runes add dice to specific actions, or control the weather. These effects are explained below. In the descriptions, each rune is listed with three Target Numbers, used when invoking, inscribing, or becoming that rune (respectively).
ST. ROGERS (PANACHE) APPRENTICE: Add your Knack Rank x 3 to any Athletics, Sailing, or Attack Rolls made on a ship. ADEPT: Instantly heal a ship whose surface you are touching of XXX. MASTER: Become the ship whose wheel you are holding. The two of you are considered a single entity. When making rolls of any sort for either of you, use the higher Trait (either yours or the ship’s). When you suffer XXX, the ship suffers XXX, and vice versa. This ability ends as soon as you release the ship’s wheel. In addition, a St. Rogers master may choose one of the following three abilities to permanent bestow upon a ship. Once this ability is bestowed, the Glamour mage cannot bestow an ability upon another ship unless the first ship is destroyed. The ability for the ship to acquire Reputation, and use Reputation Ranks as Soul Points like a Glamour mage. The ship gets a number of Reputation Ranks equal to the sum of its crew’s Reputation Ranks, divided by 10 (round down). For example, if the crew has 23 total Reputation Ranks between them, then the ship gets a Reputation of 2. +2 to any one of the ship’s Traits, ignoring maximums.
WEATHER Weather runes have powerful effects. Typhoons, droughts, and blizzards can all be summoned using these runes in conjunction. The area affected and duration of effect are based on your School Rank (assuming another sorcerer doesn’t tamper with the weather). You may choose to cancel any weather effects you’ve caused at any time. SCHOOL RANK Apprentice Adept Master
AREA OF EFFECT 1 square mile 3 square miles 10 square miles
DURATION 1 hour 1 day 1 week
Note that the GM has full control over the practical effects of weather. It is possible for people to be killed in monsoons or earthquakes, but the Skjæren who caused them through the use of runes cannot control this effect. With a successful Knack Roll and no Raises, they can only turn the basic weather effect (as seen in the rune description) on and off. Raises can be made to increase or decrease the effects with some modicum of control, however. The Skjæren asks for a specific change to the basic effect as written, and the GM assigns a number of required Raises. Ordinarily, the GM will simply use the Weather rules found in the 7th Sea Game Master’s Guide.
GENERAL RULE RESTRICTIONS Runes are dangerous to work with. If you overstep your abilities, you’ll get burned by their power. Whenever you try to invoke, inscribe, or become a rune and fail the roll, you take 1k1 damage for every 5 points by which you missed the Target Number (round up). Thus, if you roll 7 lower than the rune’s TN, you take 2k2 Wounds. This damage cannot be reduced in any way. Skjæren can only control as many runes as his Stamina Rank. For example, a Skjæren with Stamina 3 may not use more than three runes at once. This can be increased through Raises (one per additional rune attempted, applied to every action performed with that rune). If a Knack Roll with Lærdom is ever failed while using more runes than your Stamina, the sheer power coursing through your body becomes too much for you to handle, and you suffer 1k1 Wounds for every rune being used at that time. This damage cannot be avoided in any way. All the runes immediately fail, ending their effects. Most importantly, no one can be directly affected by more than one of the same rune at any time.
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE: DISCOVERER OF SECRETS (INVOKING) At this degree of skill, you are able to invoke only a small amount of power from the runes, and that power is temporary. When you tap into the power, the natural instinct is to pull away. You invoke the words spoken by Creation, after all, and such power could burn you if you aren’t careful with it. Most apprentices use paper and ink to invoke the words, although they could also be written in the sand, on wood or glass, or on any other surface. ADDING DICE When invoking a rune that adds dice, you use one action and roll Rune Knack / Willpower versus that rune’s Invoke TN. If successful, you receive the benefit from the run for one round, plus one round for each Raise you make. W EATHER When invoking a Weather rune, roll Rune Knack / Willpower versus that rune’s Invoke TN. If successful, the weather adjusts according to the specifics of the rune (as shown in the rune’s description). This is a Complex Action. You can only invoke Weather runes outdoors. R ESTRICTIONS ON INVOKING RUNES
is inscribed and good for one use. Anyone (even someone without Lærdom) who holds the inscribed object and speaks the name activates the rune, as if the original sorcerer had just invoked it. The person who activates the rune immediately takes 1k1 Wounds to power the rune. This damage cannot be reduced in any way. No roll is made when using an inscribed rune, only when actually inscribing it. Inscribed Weather runes do not count toward a sorcerer’s limit of maintained runes, and they can only be used outdoors. R ESTRICTIONS ON INSCRIBING RUNES First, runes cannot be inscribed onto anything alive other than a Skjæren. Second, any individual object can have one, and only one, rune inscribed on it — ever (i.e., a sword that is inscribed with the Kjøt rune could not be re-inscribed with the Sterk rune after the duration of the Kjøt rune wore off). Third, the sorcerer cannot maintain more inscribed runes at once than his Stamina Rank. If he exceeds this limit, then all runes he is maintaining fail, ruining all the objects involved. They may never have another rune inscribed on them. Lastly, an inscribed rune may only be activated a number of times per day equal to the inscriber’s Intelligence. MASTER: THE HEART OF SECRETS (BECOMING) At the final level of mastery, the Skjæren has learned to touch the deepest heart of lærdom — he becomes the runes he summons. Lærds are branded into the Skjæren’s flesh and become a part of him forever. ADDING DICE When you become a rune that adds dice, you brand or carve it permanently on your own body. This takes ten Complex Actions and requires a red-hot iron brand. You roll Rune Knack / Willpower versus that rune’s Become TN. If successful, the rune permanently becomes a part of your body, giving you its benefits as long as you live. You also suffer 2k2 Wounds during this process. These Wounds cannot be reduced in any way. The rune cannot be destroyed short of killing you, and it does not count towards the normal limit of runes affecting you at once (see Limitations, below), nor does it have to be maintained like an inscribed rune. If the Becoming ceremony fails, you take damage as normal, but it may be attempted again after a week, as the failed rune fades from your skin by then. W EATHER
You may only attempt to invoke a number of runes per day equal to your Intelligence. Failed attempts and multiple invocations of the same rune count towards this total.
Becoming a Weather rune is done the same way as Becoming a rune that adds dice. This allows you to use its power at will.
ADEPT: WARD OF SECRETS (INSCRIBING)
You may only become one rune — ever.
At the second degree of power, you have learned to hold the power of the lærds a little longer — time enough to mark an object with it, carving it into the item’s surface. Runes have been found on swords, armor, doors, archways, and even goblets. Runes inscribed on objects are not permanent and must be maintained. Each one you’ve inscribed must be renewed once per year, or they lose their power. Conventional wisdom within Vendel holds that lærds renewed on the specific day they were inscribed gain additional effect, even allowing the Skjæren to make contact temporarily with their gods. ADDING DICE Inscribing a rune that adds dice requires three Complex Actions. Then you roll Rune Knack / Willpower versus that rune’s Inscribe TN, and give the object that is being inscribed a name (which the item will thereafter always be called). Keep track of the number of Raises made at this point. If successful, the rune is inscribed for one year to the day. On that day (or before, if you desire), you may perform the ritual of inscription again, renewing the rune upon the item. Once an item is given a name, it may never take another. Anyone (even someone without Lærdom) who holds the inscribed object and speaks its name is affected by the rune inscribed on it for one round, plus one round for each Raise made at the time of inscription. No roll is made when using an inscribed rune, only when actually inscribing it. W EATHER Inscribing a Weather rune requires three Complex Actions a Rune Knack / Willpower Roll versus that rune’s Inscribe TN, naming the object and making note of any Raises for when the item is used. If successful, the rune
R ESTRICTIONS ON BECOMING RUNES
RUNE KNACKS 1: KJØT (“FLESH”) – TN 15/25/40 The first rune is that of Self. “Know yourself,” it sings. “That is the first lesson; the first truth…” The rune of Flesh demands that the sorcerer be honest with himself. It is said that the god who embodies this rune was the most hermetic Vestenmannavnjar to ever live, never speaking to anyone but Empathy (See rune #2) after he solved the Riddle of Flesh. Gain +2k0 to resist any attempts to fool or beguile through magical or mundane means. 2: BEVEGELSE (“EMPATHY”) – TN 20/30/40 Gain +2k0 on any Social Skill Roll. 3: VARSEL (“OMEN”) – TN 15/25/40 With a successful Knack Roll (or at will, if you have Become this rune), you may speak to others in secret (all those present who you wish to deceive hear only a garbled, foreign language). Those using the Flesh rune (#1) are immune to the effects of this ability. 4: ENSOMHET (“SOLITUDE”) – TN 15/25/40 Gain +2k0 on Land, Stamina, and Willpower Rolls. 5: STYRKE (“STRENGTH”) – TN 15/25/40 Gain +1k0 on all damage rolls.
6: UVITENHET (“MYSTERY”) – TN 20/30/40 Gain +2k0 when deceiving someone else, and you may counter the Gateway rune (#21). 7: STANS (“CALM”) – TN 10/20/35 When you first take this Knack, you must decide which one of two foci you wish to have: weather or emotions. Each has a different mechanic that follows you through your career. Once the choice is made and play begins, it cannot change and every degree of mastery uses that effect. Weather: Stills the present weather conditions within the effective range. Gales fall to breezes, and blizzards are reduced to gentle snowstorms. Weather conditions cannot be changed with this rune (e.g. rain cannot be turned into an earthquake). Emotion: Gain +2k0 when trying to calm another’s mood or curb aggressive emotions. 8: STORSÆD (“GREATNESS”) – TN 15/25/40 Invoke/Inscribe: During the rune’s duration, and after performing any successful action with Raises, you may distribute bonus dice equal to your Raises among any who observed the action (all going to one person, or one each to several). These bonus dice must be applied to the very next action the recipients take, granting +1k0 per bonus die to the roll. This ability cannot grant more bonus dice than the Skjæren’s Soul Ring. Become: At the start of every scene, you receive a pool of bonus dice equal to your School Rank. You may use these yourself or divvy them out to others in your presence at any point during the scene. Each bonus die grants the recipient +1k0 to a single roll when spent. Any bonus dice not used by the end of the scene are lost. 9: KYNDIGHET (“SKILL”) – TN 15/25/40 During a skirmish, you may reroll one die each round. Note that all parameters for the use of runes that add dice also apply here. 10: STERK (“WHOLENESS”) – TN 20/30/40 You may add +5 to your Armor TN. Note that all parameters for the use of runes that add dice also apply here. 11: VELSTAND (“WEALTH”) – TN 10/20/35 When you first take this Knack, you must decide which one of two foci you wish to have: money or wisdom. Each has a different mechanic that follows you through your career. Once the choice is made and play begins, it cannot change and every degree of mastery uses that effect. Money: With a successful Knack Roll (according to the rules for runes that grant dice) you gain an additional 100% of all monies acquired through means other than regular income while this rune is active. Wisdom: With a successful Knack Roll (according to the rules for runes that grant dice) you may tap into your hereditary memory, and may ask the GM one question relevant to your current situation. The answer will be a brief “flashback” into the life of a former Skjæren devoted to the Wealth rune which is pertinent to your present state somehow. The relevance of the scene must be determined by the player. 12: FJELL (“MOUNTAIN”) – TN 15/30/45 Invoke/Inscribe: For the duration of this rune’s effect, you ignore your highest Wound Level, both for the purpose of determining penalties and for determining unconsciousness (but not death). Become: Your Land is considered one rank higher for the purpose of determining Wound Levels. 13: HØST (“HARVEST”) – TN 20/30/40 Invoke/Inscribe: At any sunrise, you may voluntarily reduce one Skill by one rank. With a successful use of this rune, the rank is “stored away” until the following sunrise, at which point the rank is returned and the Skill is temporarily increased by one additional rank. This increase lasts until the following sunrise. You may only “store” a single rank of a single Skill at a time. Become: You may use your Invoke/Inscribe ability once per adventure without rolling. 14: GRENSELØS (“UNBOUND”) – TN 15/25/40 Invoke/Inscribe: When you invoke this rune, all bindings and shackles fall off of you. Locks unlock themselves, knots untie, ropes and webs loosen
or fray away. To shrug off magical bindings, the TN of your Knack Roll is increased by 10, plus 5 for every Raise made to create the binding. Become: Bindings and shackles slip off of you whenever you will it. Magical bindings must still be overcome with a Knack Roll (see above). 15: KRIEG (“WARRIOR”) – TN 15/25/40 +1k0 on all attack rolls. 16: NØD (“INTENSITY”) – TN 15/25/40 When you first take this Knack, you must decide which one of two foci you wish to have: weather or emotions. Each has a different mechanic that follows you through your career. Once the choice is made and play begins, it cannot change and every degree of mastery uses that effect. Weather: Worsens the present weather conditions within the effective range. This can turn a drizzle into a downpour, or a snowstorm into a blizzard. Weather conditions cannot be changed with this rune (e.g. rain cannot be turned into an earthquake). Emotion: Gain +2k0 when trying to incite another’s wrath or promote aggressive emotions. 17: SINNE (“ANGER”) – TN 15/25/40 Gain +2k0 on all Strength Trait Rolls. This does not include Damage Rolls. 18: TUNGSINN (“GLOOM”) – TN 15/25/40 Gain +2k0 when trying to cause depression or fear in another. 19: HERJE (“RUIN”) – TN 20/30/40 Add twice your Knack Rank to the TN of your target’s next action. 20: REISE (“JOURNEY”) – TN 15/25/40 Gain +2k0 on all Perception rolls. 21: FORNUFT (“GATEWAY”) – TN 20/30/40 You may call up visions of other places, but the rune of Mystery blocks the visions for a radius of 50’, showing only a cloudy gray haze. While calling up a vision, you must close your eyes and cannot speak. Invoke: You may view events in a place you are familiar with for one round, plus one round per Raise. Inscribe: When the item is used, it shows events in a location the user has seen before for one round, plus one round per Raise. The object must have a reflective surface of some kind. Become: You may call up visions of anywhere in the world you’ve been to and maintain them for one round, plus one round per Raise. While calling up a vision, you must close your eyes and cannot speak. This ability may be used only once per day. 22: LIDENSKAP (“PASSION”) – TN 15/25/40 You can increase the temperature within the range accorded by the rules for weather runes. This may include such things as blistering heat waves, droughts, and other heat-based effects. 23: KJØLIG (“HATRED”) – TN 15/25/40 You can decrease the temperature within the range accorded by the rules for weather runes. This may include such things as freezing nights, snow, and other cold-based effects. 24: VILLSKAP (“FURY”) – TN 15/25/40 You can fire a lightning bolt from your hands, with a range feet equal to your School Rank x 25’. Roll Rune Knack / School Rank for both your Attack Roll and Damage Roll.
Porté C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Montaigne
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE In the beginning of your training you learn to make small Doorways, just large enough for a fist to fit through. Then, you are taught the “bleeding method.” You mark an object such as a mirror, knife, or snuffbox with your own blood. Then you are taken to another room and told to concentrate on
the object. When you are ready, you rip open a small hole and reach through to the blooded object. When you feel the object, you pull it back through the Doorway. ADEPT At this degree, you have learned to pull yourself to objects you have blooded. This time, you concentrate on the object and rip a hole large enough to step through. When you feel you’ve reached the object, you grasp it and find yourself holding the object in the location you left it. Passing through a Doorway leads to portal sickness (see below). Sorcerers learn never to open their eyes while passing through a Doorway. It is said that those who do are lost forever in the Walkway. Of course, no one can prove this theory, for most sorcerers are too wise to open their eyes as they step through. The ones who do not make it to the other side presumably ignored their masters’ wise advice. You can also now pull objects as large as yourself (6’, 200 lbs.) through the Doorway. These items must be blooded and you must be physically able to pull them through the Doorway, which means you must be able to lift them in the first place, let alone pull them through a magical Doorway. MASTER Finally, you have learned to move objects larger than yourself, most notably other people. Those who pass through portals suffer from portal sickness (see below), and the danger of moving someone through who might open his eyes is always present. You may only move a number of people equal to your Willpower, and they must hold on to you or someone who is holding on to you. Of course, those who lose their grip in the maelstrom between Doorways (a Strength Trait Roll against TN 10 is required when the winds are really bad) are lost forever.
THE LIMITS OF PORTÉ PORTAL SICKNESS Portal sickness is a condition suffered by any human moving through a Doorway, even the caster himself. Its symptoms are akin to sea sickness, but much more violent. Nausea and dizziness are common, and the effect can linger for hours afterward. Whenever moving through a Doorway, the caster rolls one die and subtracts his Willpower Trait. The result is the number of rounds he suffers from portal sickness. Until he recovers, he suffers a +5 TN penalty to all actions. Those who do not possess Doorway magic and move through the bloody portals also roll a die (but do not subtract their Willpower). They suffer for a number of rounds equal to the die result. PULLING THROUGH Characters with Porté can pull objects through the Doorways toward them and pull themselves toward blooded objects. There is no other physical connection between the two Doorways. In other words, if a character drops a blooded pin into the ocean and opens a Doorway to that pin, water will not rush out through the Doorway. The pin will be wet when the character pulls it through, however. Likewise, if a character tries to pull himself through a Doorway toward an object and the object is in a place that the character cannot enter, he will find his passage blocked and he’ll be forced to go to another blooded object in order to get out of the portal…not a very pleasant option. For example, if the character leaves a blooded pin in a lady’s chamber and the lady places the pin in her jewelry box, the character will not be able to move through the portal into the jewelry box. However, he will be able to pull the pin toward him without compromising the integrity of the box. If a character has stepped through the Doorway, walks to his items, finds that he cannot connect with it and has no other blooded objects to home in on, then he’s trapped on the other side forever, or at least until something finds him. THE ANCHOR When Walking or Bringing, there must be a blooded item or “anchor” at the opposite end of the portal, whether you are Bringing it to yourself or Walking to it. Without this anchor, the magic simply cannot work.
CREATING A PERMANENT PORTÉ GATEWAY See Nations of Théah: Montaigne, page 78 for details about creating permanent Porté gateways, with the following change: The Master mages creating the gateway gain the Weakness: Stamina Disadvantage (but gain no points for it) for one year following the ritual. After that time, the Disadvantage fades, and their Stamina ranks return to normal.
PORTÉ KNACKS ATTUNEMENT Attunement allows a character to sense, very generally, where the items he has blooded are in relation to himself. Each Rank in this Knack allows you to sense items further away. ATTUNEMENT RANK 1 2 3 4 5
DISTANCE Up to 10 feet Up to 100 feet Up to 1 mile Up to 5 miles Up to 10 miles
BLOODING When a character wishes to blood an object, he makes a Blooding / Willpower Roll at TN 20. Success means that the item is blooded and the character can home in on it and open portals to its location. For every Raise achieved when blooding the object, the TN to open a portal to it is reduced by 5 (to a minimum of 5). Apprentices may have up to three objects blooded at once, Adepts may have six, and Masters may have nine. They may drop the link they have created to a blooded object at any time, but it cannot be reestablished without the object being re-blooded. The ritual to blood an object takes ten rounds to perform. The blood can be washed off by a person observant enough to spot it in the first place. BRING When a character wants to Bring a blooded item to himself, he rolls Bring / Willpower. The base TN is 20, reduced by 5 for every Raise made when the object was first blooded (signifying a stronger link). It requires a Complex Action to open a small doorway and a simple action to reach through and pull the object out. HANDING OFF AN OBJECT One Porté mage can hand one of his Blooded objects to another Porté mage using Bring / Willpower. The mage begins to send the object, and the other feels a tingle warning him that an object is being sent to him. It takes one Complex Action for each mage to open the portal, and another Complex Action from each to complete the exchange. The closer relations the two mages are, the lower the TN. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MAGES Twins Father, Son, Mother, Daughter Brother, Sister Uncle, Aunt, Nephew, Niece First Cousin Other (including non-related)
TN 5 10 15 20 25 30
CATCH The Porté mage has mastered the art of quickly whipping open small portals to catch bullets and other projectiles in order to stop them from hitting him. This can be used much like the Parry maneuver, acting on an opponent’s turn if the mage still has a Simple Action available. Make a Contested Catch / Air Roll against the attacker’s Attack Roll. If used against slower projectiles (e.g. arrows, quarrels, thrown weapons, etc.), the mage receives a +1k0 bonus to the attempt. This Knack is ineffective against melee weapons. POCKET The character can claim a small “pocket” of the Walkway as his own and store things there. These objects do not need to be blooded, but there are a few restrictions. First, living creatures cannot be stored in the pocket; they simply can’t enter it. Second, the sorcerer can only store your Knack Rank x 10 lb. worth of items in the pocket. Exceeding this limit causes the pocket to dump all the items in it onto the Walkway, where they are lost.
Third, there is a small chance that items may disappear when placed into the pocket; it isn’t a great idea to leave valuable or one-of-a-kind items in it. The sorcerers aren’t sure what causes this, but there’s a theory that the objects are being stolen. Lastly, any object placed inside the pocket must hold its shape on its own. Thus, liquids could not be stored in the pocket unless they were in a container. Attempts to pour a liquid into the pocket result in the liquid falling back out of the portal. It takes one simple action to reach in and pull a specified object out of the pocket.
important strands. A Fate Witch does not need the appropriate Knacks to see strands, only to manipulate them. A Fate Witch can also attempt to see a specific fate strand between two people. The TN is 15 and she must make a Knack / Intelligence Roll, using the Knack that corresponds to the suit of the strand. If she succeeds, she receives the information under The Composition of a Strand (see sidebar on page 221 of the 7th Sea Players’ Guide). If she fails, she is unable to find that particular strand.
WALK
When a Fate Witch wishes to see if a person has an Arcana, she must roll against a new TN of 15. If she succeeds, she can tell whether or not that person has an Arcana, and if so which once he possesses. In game terms, the Arcana reveals which Hubris or Virtue (or Flaw or Wile) the character possesses, if any.
When a character wants to Walk to a blooded item from wherever he may be, he rolls Walk / Stamina. The base TN is 20, but this is reduced by 5 for every Raise made when the object was first blooded, signifying a stronger link. With two Raises the character may bring along another person. It requires a Complex Action to open a Doorway large enough for a man to fit through, and a full round to move through to the next Doorway. Every extra passenger adds one round to the Walking time (this extra time can be mitigated with two Raises). DISTANCE FALLEN Less than 10 feet 10-19 feet 20-29 feet 30-39 feet 40-49 feet 50+ feet
TN 30 25 20 15 10 5
BREAKING A FALL A Porté mage of Adept or higher rank may attempt to save himself from a fall by entering a portal in midair. He must make a Walk / Willpower roll against a TN based on the distance he is falling (see the table below). Note that he is then inside the portal, and must Walk to a Blooded object as usual.
Pyeryem C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Ussura
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE: SHAPE OF THE BEAST XXX ADEPT: HEART OF THE BEAST XXX MASTER: SOUL OF THE BEAST XXX
PYERYEM KNACKS KNACK XXX
Sorte C OUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Vodacce
TECHNIQUES APPRENTICE: TOUCHING THE STRANDS Sorte apprentices (called Clotho by their sisters) first learn to sense the strands of fate. As your skill grows, you can see the connections between people, and determine the nature of those connections. For instance, you could see the Cups strand between two secret lovers, and the Swords strand beginning to form between her lover and her unaware husband. SENSING STRANDS A Fate Witch can do one of two things when sensing fate strands. She can either sense the most important strands in a person’s life, or attempt to look at a specific strand between two people. A Fate Witch can automatically look at a person’s most important strands. An apprentice can see the single most important strand, an adept can see the two most important strands, and a master can see the three most
T HE ARCANA
BLESSINGS AND CURSES Vodacce women who wish to pass on a blessing or a curse do so at the risk of great harm to their own fate. The ritual is very simple. The witch looks into the eyes of the recipient and speaks his name three times. Then she kisses him. If the ritual is interrupted, the curse or blessing fails. When the ritual is complete, the witch makes a Knack / Willpower Roll, using the appropriate Knack. For every 15 points rolled, the recipient gains a Blessing Die or a Curse Die. However, the witch gains one Curse Die for every 10 points rolls. BLESSING DICE: A character who receives a Blessing Die rolls +1k1 on every roll linked to the appropriate strand. However, this die cannot explode. The die remains until it rolls a 1, then it is discarded. CURSE DICE: These work identically to Blessing Dice, but instead of adding to each roll’s total, a Curse Die subtracts from it. The die remains until it rolls a 10, then it is discarded. ADEPT: TUGGING AND STRETCHING THE STRANDS Adepts of Sorte (called Lachesis by their sisters) have the ability to “tug” on the strands they’ve learned to perceive. You can make some strands tug harder on a person than others. For instances, if a person feels slight loyalty to his father and a stronger loyalty to his mother, you can tug on the slighter Staves strand, making it stronger than the mother’s Staves strand for a short period of time. Instead of tugging on a strand, you can stretch it. Stretching the strands increases or decreases the target’s chances of success or failure. Fate Witches do not use this power carelessly. Although they know they will get the desired effect when using their magic, they are never certain just how the magic is going to accomplish its goal, and Sorte can be perverse in its interpretations of a Fate Witch’s wishes. TUGGING STRANDS Fate Witches cannot tug on strands they have not first perceived. Therefore, a witch must first see a strand before she can begin manipulating it. Tugging on a strand can increase or decrease its strength. Strands that currently have Court Cards cannot be tugged upon. Strands have a strength rating from 1-10. In order for the witch to increase or decrease the strength of a strand, she must make a Knack / Willpower Roll with a TN equal to 10 x the number of points she wishes to alter the strand’s strength up or down. This change lingers for one day per Rank in the Knack used. The effects are not sudden, nor are they spectacular. Technically, the witch has caused something to interfere with the relationship. If she has weakened a Passion strand, then perhaps the two lovers will quarrel tonight. Perhaps she will notice his eye wandering over to a Castillian beauty. Maybe he will be sent away to war, and their relationship will fade over the distance. Whatever the reason, the relationship will suffer, at least until the Fate Witch’s magic wears off. STRETCHING STRANDS A Fate Witch cannot stretch a strand that current has a Court Card. The simplest way to use Fate magical increases or decreases the dice a character gets to use for an action. First, decide how many rolled dice (not kept) dice you wish to add or take away from the target’s dice pool. Make a Knack / Willpower Roll at a TN of 15 x the number of dice. You must have a Knack that corresponds to the action; the Cups Knack cannot affect a character’s chance at bargaining.
MASTER: CUTTING THE STRANDS
SWORDS
Master Fate Witches (called Nonna Atropos by their sisters) have learned the most potent ability of all: to create and destroy fate strands. Again, the Witch will get what she asked for, but the means of accomplishing the desired effect can only be guessed at. Creating and destroying fate strands is extremely dangerous. It tampers with the very fabric of reality, a fabric that is very elastic and has been known to snap back at those who tamper with it.
Swords are red strands that represent Conflict. A Sword strand indicates that some degree of conflict (emotional or physical) exists between two subjects.
DESTROYING STRANDS Destroying a strand is like ripping apart a spider’s web: each strand is just as important as another in maintaining the balance of the structure; the stronger the strand, the more vital it is to maintaining that structure. A Fate Witch cannot destroy a strand that currently has a Court Card. In order to destroy a strand, make a Knack / Willpower Roll against a TN of 40. If successful, the strand snaps. The effects of this are very dramatic. Life-long friends, lovers, husbands, and wives suddenly feel no emotional connection whatsoever. A tragic accident might tear a father and his son apart, and the two might never meet again. This is the most dangerous kind of magic, for the Fate Witch is inevitably caught up in the wash of its effect. All strands attached to the target are affected by the act, and by default of her cutting the strand, the witch is attached to both targets, even if only as a casual acquaintance. Thus, few witches are willing — even if able — to destroy strands; the consequences are simply too grave. C REATING STRANDS Creating new strands puts an unexpected strain on fate’s skein, thus causing pressures that cannot be predicted. In order to create a strand, make a Knack / Willpower Roll against a TN of 50. Like destroying strands, the Fate Witch will feel the repercussion of that added strain. However, creating new strands tends to be less menacing that destroying them, although the effects are equally chancy. Creating a new political relationship between two important leaders can lead them to mutual agreement, but it can also lead to a war if the relationship isn’t tended properly. Likewise with a romantic relationship: a witches who makes a lover her courts disaster if she isn’t careful about the man she picks. If she doesn’t watch out, she ends up with a romantic interest who just won’t go away, and must resist the temptation to just cut the man — literally — out of her life…and then face the metaphysical consequences.
FATE LASHES There are times when witches pull too hard on the strands of fate. A witch earns a Fate Lash when one of the dice she rolls for any Sorte Knack Roll explodes two times or more. Please note that she can choose not to re-roll 10s, so any Fate Lashes she receives are the result of her own ambitions. Each Fate Lash immediately causes the Fate Witch to lose three Soul Points. For every Soul Point she is short, she takes 2k1 Wounds (these cannot be avoided in any way). The physical scar remains for three months, but there are no further mechanical disadvantages.
SORTE KNACKS ARCANA Arcana appear as ghostly images looming over the person they accompany. These images can appear right-side-up (in their “proper aspect”) or upsidedown (in their “inverted aspect”). COINS Coins are yellow strands that represent Commerce. A Coin strand from one person to another indicates some sort of business relationship, or a relationship based on fiscal advantage. CUPS Cups are blue strands that represent Passion. A Cup strand indicates an emotional link between the two subjects. STAVES Staves are green strands that represent Authority. A Staff strand between two individuals represents a relationship based on status or respect (forced or otherwise) rather than emotion or commerce.
Ships CREW TRAITS C OMBAT Warfare determines a crew’s overall martial ability. This is a unit’s offensive Trait. A unit with Combat 1 might contain primarily unskilled sailors, whereas a unit with Combat 5 is comprised of highly trained marines. PROFICIENCY Proficiency measures a crew’s general skill at operating the ship. Noncombat rolls are made with the Proficiency Trait. DISCIPLINE Discipline determines the crew’s present morale and willingness to fight on. Discipline will fluctuate up and down depending upon how the fight is going. If Discipline ever reaches 0, the unit surrenders or breaks. SIZE Size is a general assessment of the number of people in a given unit. Size essentially serves as a unit’s Wound Levels. Each Size Rank represents roughly 10 men.
SHIP TRAITS C ANNONS This Cannons Trait represents the general firepower a ship has. When you roll for damage, roll the ship’s Cannons dice. HULL The Hull Trait represents how tough the ship is, and how much damage it can take before sinking. Multiply Hull by the highest Destiny Rank aboard the ship to determine total Wounds at each Wound Level. RUDDER Rudder determines a ship’s maneuverability. Rudder determines a ship’s base Armor TN, as well as how quickly it can change direction. SAIL The Sail Trait represents a ship’s overall speed through the water. A ship can move a number of units hexes per round equal to its Sail. C REW This is the minimum Size required for a unit to man the ship effectively. If the crew’s Size ever drops below the ship’s Crew rating, all TNs are increased by 5 per Size Rank the crew falls short. LEGEND Like characters, a ship can have a reputation, allowing it to inspire allies, and strike fear into the hearts of enemies. The Legend statistic functions very similarly to a character’s Reputation. In fact, the ship captain’s Reputation can grant a temporary bonus to a ship’s Legend (if it is believed he is captaining). If the captain’s Reputation exceeds the ship’s Fame, add half the difference (round down) to the ship’s Legend. When ships first engage in battle, it is a harrowing moment as the sailors realize they could be minutes away from a watery grave. The stress can take its toll, and it can also invigorate their spirits. Each side rolls Legend / Discipline against a TN equal to the other ship’s Legend x 5, plus 5. A crew’s Discipline is increased or decreased by 1 point for every 5 they succeed or fail this roll by (rounded down). For example, if a crew needs to hit a TN of 20, and they roll a 9, they will lose 2 points of Discipline. Similarly, if they had rolled a 29, they would gain 1 point of Discipline.
OTHER SHIP STATISTICS C HAIN SHOT
Optional Systems
GUN DECKS
Warlord Options and Features
G RAPE SHOT
NAVAL BATTLE SYSTEM
HULL PLATING (1-3) You may ignore one to three points of casualties each round.
Naval Combat When two or more ships clash on the high seas, it is a flurry of cannon shot, shouted commands, clashing steel, and swinging rigging. Large scale conflicts between entire fleets use the Naval Battle System. But when only a handful of ships face off, the following rules apply. Combat between ships isn’t all that different from a skirmish between characters.
Sequence of Events
STAGE ONE: INITIATIVE — During the first Round of naval combat, the acting captains of each ship select their Tactics, then make an Initiative Roll, rolling Battle (Naval Combat) / Perception. An Initiative Roll is only made on a ship’s first round of participation in the combat, and the resulting Initiative Score is used for the remainder of the combat. STAGE T WO: TURNS — The ship with the highest Initiative Score takes its Turn first, and may make one cannon attack per gun deck the ship has, plus each boarding party may make an attack. The captain may choose to delay in the same manner than a character may do so in a skirmish. STAGE T HREE: BATTLE T ABLE R OLLS — Player characters’ individual actions can have an impact on the combat much in the same way they wound in a mass battle. Each character declares his level of engagement (Heavily Engaged, Engaged, Disengaged, Reserves), then rolls one die and adds it to his Sea Ring plus his Battle Skill. The total of this roll is compared to the Battle Table. The character takes a number of Wounds equal to the number of dice listed (e.g. an entry that normally inflicts 3 dice of Wounds instead inflicts 3 Wounds), and all Reputation gains from this roll are reduced by 1. Each character that triumphs in a Duel or Heroic Opportunity grants a 1k0 bonus to the captain’s Legend / Awareness roll in Stage Four. STAGE F OUR: M ORALE — The ship captains must make a Contented Legend / Awareness roll, applying any modifiers gained through Heroic Opportunities. The winner of this roll may boost his crew’s Discipline, or reduce the enemy’s Discipline, by 1 rank. Each Raise allows an additional Discipline rank to be affected. STAGE F IVE: R EACTIONS — As in a skirmish.
Tactic A ship’s Tactic determines what actions may or may not be taken during its Turn in a naval combat Round. The Tactics that may be used are as follows: ASSAULT: Assault is the Tactic adopted when firing upon another ship at a distance. Generally, the goal of assault is to sink the enemy, though sometimes the intent is merely to weaken one’s foe. B OARDING: Boarding involves pulling up right alongside the enemy ship and sending parties onto its deck via planks or ropes. It is during such actions that both ships are most vulnerable to cannon fire, as it is nearly impossible to miss at such range. R EADY: X E VASION: X FULL SAIL: X
The naval combat rules above are fine for conflicts involving a handful of ships. But when fleets meet for battle, such detailed rules can become cumbersome. The following rules build upon the Army Battle System found in Appendix Two: Way of the Daimyo, in Emerald Empire. To resolve a battle using the Naval Battle System, the GM and players go through six stages, as follows: STAGE ONE: COMPARE FLEET COMPOSITION The battle begins with the fleets facing each other on the water (the approach to battle should be handled through role-play and story development). Each side totals the Strength of the forces available to them, based on the strengths of units listed under Vessels and Personnel (under the Warlord features below), and compares the two numbers. The difference between the two fleets becomes a bonus to the larger fleet’s admiral during the Resolution Roll in Stage Five. STAGE TWO: TERRAIN AND WIND The location of a battle can significantly affect the end result of the fight, sometimes more than tactics. The concept of “terrain” on the water may seem strange, but features like sandbars, reefs, coves, and islands can have present major challenges to sea captains. The direction and strength of the wind can also have a powerful impact on sea battles. The GM should determine which side of battle has the upper hand in terms of terrain and wind. The GM grants a bonus to the advantageous side for the Resolution Roll in Stage Five. Most battles on the open sea will have no terrain bonus, but in shallower waters were hazards lurk under the surface, a bonus of +5, or even +10 could be granted. STAGE THREE: TACTICS The two admirals must make a Contested Battle (Naval Warfare) / Perception Roll to determine which of them uses superior tactics. Modifiers may be applied to this roll based on the units available to each side (See Vessels and Personnel Features below). Take the difference between the two rolls and divide in half. This total becomes a bonus to the better general’s fleet during the Resolution Roll in Stage Five. STAGE FOUR: HEROIC OPPORTUNITIES Heroes can change the course of battle itself with the smallest events on the battlefield. At this point, the GM may opt to allow any PCs who are personally fighting in the battle to roll on the Mass Battle Table and resolve any resultant Duels or Heroic Opportunities. Each successful Heroic Opportunity or Duel grants a bonus of +2 to the Resolution Roll on that character’s side. STAGE FIVE: RESOLUTION Finally, the admirals make one last roll, the Resolution Roll, to determine the result of the battle. Each admiral rolls one die (which can explode as usual) and adds the result to the combined total of his Water Ring, his Battle Skill, the combined Strength of his fleet, and any modifiers garnered from the previous Stages (such as for terrain, tactics, or Heroic Opportunities). The higher roll determines the victor of the battle. A difference of more than 10 indicates a massacre. STAGE SIX: CASUALTIES The difference between the two Resolution Rolls represents the casualties taken by the losing side. The defeated fleet loses a number of units whose combined Defenses (see Vessels and Personnel Features below) equal the difference. Of course, the victorious fleet cannot avoid casualties as well. The winner normally suffers one-fourth of the casualties taken by the losers, unless the victory is considered a massacre, in which case the victor only suffers one-sixth of the loser’s losses. (In special circumstances, the GM may
rule that a battle is unusually devastating — causing the winner to lose onethird, one-half, or even two-thirds of the loser’s casualties.) If the Resolution Rolls are tied, the GM may require a re-roll or simply declare the battle a draw, with appropriate casualties to both sides. Each admiral assigns half of the casualties taken by each side. Thus, the best and worst units of each army will suffer damage during battle. MULTIPLE ROUNDS? A battle resolved with this method generally takes only one round. However, after casualties are suffered, the GM may decide to have fleets start once more from Stage One if he feels a decisive victory has not yet emerged from the fighting.
LEVEL 1 WARLORD FEATURES Vessel: Light Ship (2 points): Smaller, lighter vessels are fast and maneuverable, but cannot hold many cannons or take much of a beating. In an emergency, a light ship can be converted into a fire ship — set aflame and piloted directly into enemy ships. Fire ships increase their Strength to 5, but the ship is lost (this cannot be considered among a fleet’s casualties). STRENGTH: 2
DEFENSE: 3
Vessel: Medium Ship (4 points): Most ships fall under this category. They are useful for longer voyages and can make a good showing in a fight, but not as cumbersome as larger vessels. STRENGTH: 4
DEFENSE: 5
Vessel: Heavy Ship (6 points): The largest ships, such as galleons, are very difficult to sink, and can carry a massive compliment of cannon and crew. STRENGTH: 6
DEFENSE: 7
Personnel: Archers (1 point): Though less and less common in the naval battles of Théah, archers were once a mainstay, useful not only for killing enemy soldiers, but also for making a terrible mess of the enemy’s sails. Each archer unit adds +1 to the admirals Battle Skill roll in Step 3, to a maximum of +5. STRENGTH: 1
DEFENSE: 1
Personnel: Boarders (1 point): When ships get in close, boarders are used to attack enemy sailors directly on their own decks, especially when the intention is to take a ship, rather than destroy it. STRENGTH: 1
DEFENSE: 1
Personnel: Buccaneers (2 points): These savage seamen are sometimes used as effective but expendable units. STRENGTH: 2
DEFENSE: 3
Personnel: Crewmen (1 point): The sailors that keep a ship moving. At least one Crewmen unit is required for every ship in the fleet. STRENGTH: 0
DEFENSE: 1
Personnel: Musketmen (2 points): Mostly seen on military ships, rows of musketmen can be a devastating force for holding off enemy boarders. STRENGTH: 2
DEFENSE: 1
Support: Ship’s Doctors (1-3 points): A skilled physician on board a ship can help a crew function long after it has been ground down by the brutality of war. Each level of this Feature counts as 1 Defense when counting casualties. These units are not lost from casualties. Support: Flagmen (1 point): Ships use flags to communicate quickly between one another and make sure the fleet is able to fully understand and execute the admiral’s orders. Gain a +3 bonus to your Battle (Naval Warfare) / Perception roll during Stage Three.
LEVEL 2 WARLORD FEATURES Personnel: Marines (2 points): These highly trained military men can storm a ship and make quick work of the enemy. STRENGTH: 3
DEFENSE: 3
Support: Command Staff (3 points): You may reroll your Battle (Naval Warfare) / Perception roll during Stage Three. You must accept the second roll. Support: Master Shipwright (3 points): Your ships gain +1 Defense. Support: Quartermaster (1 point): Your fleet gains +2 Strength overall.
LEVEL 3 WARLORD FEATURES Personnel: Special Forces (4 points): Each Nation has access to highly trained warriors, such as Montaigne’s Musketeers, or Avalon’s Sea Dogs. STRENGTH: 5
DEFENSE: 4
Villain Arcana
The Game Master’s Toolbox NATURAL CREATURES OTTER Air 2
Earth 1
Fire 1
Water 1
Reflexes 3
–
Agility 3
Perception 2
Initiative: 3k3
Attack: Bite 3k2 (Complex), Claw 3k2 (Complex)
Damage: Bite/Claw 2k1 (cannot explode)
Armor TN: 20
Reduction: 0
Wounds: 6: +5, 12: Dead
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
S WIFT : 3 (when swimming) A QUATIC: Otters are just as comfortable in water as on land, and do not need to make a Skill Roll to swim.
SNOW LEOPARD Air 2
Earth 3
Fire 2
Water 3
Reflexes 4
–
Agility 4
–
Initiative: 4k4 Damage: Claw 4k2, Bite 2k2 Reduction: 3 Skills: Hunting 3, Stealth 4
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
F EAR: 1 S WIFT : 1
Attack: Claw 5k4 (Complex), Bite 4k4 (Complex) Armor TN: 25 Wounds: 20: +10, 40: Dead
Villains aren’t like normal people. They do things that others would never dream of doing. There is often a trace of madness lurking within them that makes them do unpredictable things. Sometimes, this helps out the heroes, such as when the villain feels the irrational need to talk about his evil scheme. Other times it can seal their doom, such as when a villain is perfectly willing to die in order to see his plans fulfilled. For more details on individual Flaws and Wiles, see page 144 of the 7th Sea Game Masters’ Guide. ARCANA FOR VILLAINS ARCANA 0 Fool 1 Magician 2 High Priestess 3 Empress 4 Imperator 5 Hierophant 6 Lovers 7 Chariot 8 Strength 9 Hermit 10 Fortune 11 Justice 12 Hanged Man 13 Death 14 Temperance 15 Legion 16 Tower 17 Star 18 Moon 19 Sun 20 Judgment 21 Terra
INVERTED (FLAW) Rash Ambitious Extravagant Lecherous Hot-headed Merciful Squeamish Overconfident Cowardly Cruel Misfortunate Paranoid Scheming Talkative Envious Megalomaniacal Arrogant Stubborn Careless Proud Misled Greedy
PROPER (WILE) Ruthless Willful Prudent Regal Commanding Brilliant Seductive Victorious Hateful Focused Fortunate Honorable Fanatical Adaptable Self-controlled Charismatic Uncanny Careful Deceitful Beguiling Resourceful Recurring
Flaws U SING F LAWS A Flaw works a little differently than a Hubris does. Players can activate a villain’s Flaw by spending a Drama Point. Unlike a Hubris, the villain can’t spend his own Drama Point to stop it. Once a villain’s Flaw is activated, there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it. When a Flaw is activated, it consumes the villain’s attention. Everything he does must be focused on fulfilling his Flaw. Any action that does not relate directly to this suffers a TN penalty of +20, and cannot benefit from the expenditure of Soul Points or Drama Points. When the player’s activate a villain’s Flaw, there are a couple of ways to handle it. If they simply spend a Drama Point to activate it, they shouldn’t get much of an advantage. However, if they role-play a bit to provoke the villain and then spend a Drama Point, they should receive the full benefit of the villain’s Flaw. CARELESS Replace italicized text with: The player may activate this Flaw in order to automatically succeed at any one roll with a TN of 20 or less during an escape from one of the villain’s traps or prisons. MISFORTUNATE Replace italicized text with: The players can activate this Flaw to cause the villain to reroll a successful roll with a TN of 25 or higher. The players can only do this once for any given roll.
Wiles U SING WILES Just as heroes have Virtues, so may villains have Wiles. Wiles work exactly like Virtues in every way; a villain spends a Drama Point and it’s turned on. Players cannot spend a Drama Point to deactivate them. ADAPTABLE Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile in order to cancel the effects of a surprise or ambush. This Virtue applies only to him; no others can benefit from it. BEGUILING Replace italicized text with: The GM receives a Drama Point every time the villain helps the heroes in some significant manner. Whenever the villain makes a roll that helps the heroes, he receives a +1k1 bonus to the roll. BRILLIANT Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to alter the scene in a dramatic way. This is much more significant than spending a Drama Point to the scene. Examples include unveiling a secret weapon, the sudden arrival of reinforcements, or a clever trap right under the heroes’ feet. This may only be done once per scene. CAREFUL Replace italicized text with: Whenever the villain spends a Drama Point to make a re-roll, and the second roll is lower than the first, he gets the Drama Point back. COMMANDING Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to gain Fear at a rank equal to his Insight Rank for one scene. FANATICAL Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to ignore all Wound Penalties for one roll. FOCUSED Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to transfer one rank in any of his Traits to another Trait for the duration of a scene. Ranks may only be transferred from one physical Trait to another, or one mental Trait to another. This cannot increase a Trait above 10, or decrease a Trait below 1. This transfer expires at the end of the scene, and cannot be cancelled prematurely. This Wile may be used only once per scene. FORTUNATE Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to reroll any failed roll with a TN of 20 or less. The second roll cannot result in a Mishap, regardless of how many 1’s are rolled. This can only be done once for any given roll. HATEFUL Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to declare someone his enemy. The TNs of all Social Skill Rolls against the villain by his enemy are increased by 15. In additional, the villain gains a bonus of +1k0 to Attack and Damage Rolls against his enemy. A villain may only have one enemy at a time, and cannot declare a new enemy until the first one is killed. HONORABLE Replace italicized text with: Whenever the villain has an opportunity to gain or profit from an act that would cause an Integrity loss, but refrains, the GM gains a Drama Point. PRUDENT Replace italicized text with: This Wile does not need to be activated. Whenever a player spends a Drama Point to reroll for an action taken directly against the villain or his minions, the GM gains two Drama Points instead of one.
REGAL Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to grant a +1k0 bonus to the next five rolls made by any of his minions. RESOURCEFUL Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to gain Rank 2 in any Skill or Knack that you don’t already have a rank in, until the end of the scene. RUTHLESS Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to try to shock his enemies. He must first perform an evil act of a shocking nature. Then, he makes a Contested Intimidation / Awareness Roll against each hero’s Willpower. Any hero that fails this roll is Dazed until your next turn. SELF-CONTROLLED Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile to cause any one successful Social Skill Roll made against him to automatically fail. VICTORIOUS Replace italicized text with: The villain may activate this Wile after successfully attacking an opponent, but before making a Damage Roll. Instead of rolling for damage, the villain automatically inflicts damage equal to his kept damage dice x 10. WILLFUL Replace italicized text with: This Wile does not need to be activated. No hero may use Drama Points when facing the villain in direct combat.
