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THE Player’s
Guide to a

BORDERLANDS Mythic
system
setting

The Borderlands – an unnamed land home to

humans, dwarves, elves and halflings where
it is possible to wander far from the fields
that we know.
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Borderlands .......................................................... 1
Heroes: Combining the Mythic and Mundane .................................... 2
Character Origin: Select a People, Describe a Place, Choose a
Word ................................................................................................. 3
Peoples: Kith and Kin ................................................................... 3
Place: Where the Story Began ..................................................... 5
Words: Describing the Character ................................................ 7
Character System: Levels, Ranks, and Points .................................. 9
Levels: Gaining and Tracking Experience ..................................... 9
Classes: Gaining ranks as a Fighter, Magic-user, or Thief .......... 10
Alignments: Gaining Ranks in Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law ........ 11
Attributes: Encumbrance, Hit Points, and Hero Points ............. 12
Character Knowledge: Odds and Ends .......................................... 13
Languages: Communication by Letter or Speech ...................... 13
Basic Lore: Common Knowledge ............................................... 14
Core Skills: Getting Along with Others ...................................... 15
Mundane Matters .............................................................................. 17
Base System .................................................................................... 17
Base System: Initiative ............................................................... 17
Base System: Conflict Actions .................................................... 18
Base System: Objectives and Progress ...................................... 18
Base System: Saving Throws ...................................................... 19
Conflict: Combat ............................................................................ 19
Combat System: Hit Points and Armor ...................................... 20
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Combat System: Blocking .......................................................... 20

Conflict: Exploration ...................................................................... 21
Conflict: Journey ............................................................................. 22
Conflict: Freeform.......................................................................... 23
Coin, Encumbrance, and Equipment .................................................. 24
Coin of the Realm: Where, How, and With What to Buy .............. 24
Encumbrance (ENC): How Much Can a Character Carry? ............. 24
Equipment: Useful Stuff ................................................................ 25
Arms: Doing Onto Others .......................................................... 25
Armor: Protection from Outrageous Fortunes .......................... 27
Light: A Candle in the Wind ....................................................... 28
Rations: Staying Not Hungry ...................................................... 29
Reagents: Eye of Newt and Wing of Bat .................................... 29
Equipment List: Items and Costs ................................................... 30
Class Ranks and Talents: Mundane Skills .......................................... 31
The First Character Level: Beginning Character Talents ................ 31
Fighter Talents: Proficiency with Arms and Armor ....................... 32
Magic-User Talents: The Arts of Knowledge and Magic ................ 34
Thief Talents: A Bag of Crafty Tricks .............................................. 35
Mythic Abilities ................................................................................... 39
The First Character Level: Beginning Bonus Talents...................... 39
Chaos: Growth and Disorder .......................................................... 40
Evil: Pleasure and Wealth at any Price ........................................... 42
Good: Touched by the Light ........................................................... 44
Law: Authority and Responsibility .................................................. 46
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Magic: Betwixt and Between ............................................................. 48

Reagents: Investing in Spells and Rituals....................................... 48
Enchanted Items: Rings, Rods, Runestones, Staves, and Wands .. 49
Schools of Magic ............................................................................. 50
Arcane School: Spell List ................................................................ 51
1st Circle (1 reagent to cast, 1 round/reagent as ritual) ............. 51
2nd Circle (1 reagent to cast, 2 round/reagent as ritual) ............ 52
3rd Circle (1 reagent to cast, 3 round/reagent as ritual) ............. 53
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Introduction to the Borderlands

The Borderlands is a role-playing game set in a fantasy world.
Warriors and wizards, dashing rogues and horrific necromancers
engage in epic struggles to save or destroy everything under the sun.
Farmers can become kings and kings, farmers.

The “mundane” world is a patchwork of peoples, places, and

technologies ruled over by the High King in his distant fortress;
strongmen, knights, bandit kings, or even democratically elected
rulers at a local level; and a network of noble families from ages past.
Humans make up the bulk of the population though other folk
including dwarves, halfling, and elves exist as well. Mortals learn
from experience and can improve themselves in various ways.

At the borders of the mundane world, and interwoven with it, are
“mythic” lands. In these places good and evil, chaos and law are not
just abstract moral concepts but living forces personified in beatific
or monstrous forms. Places where the mythic lands intrude into the
mundane are called “Borderlands”. Mortals who serve one or more
of these mythic forces gain an “alignment” which comes with both
powers and obligations.

In ancient times people built great “Keeps” where mythic incursions

occurred frequently. Some of these “Keeps on the Borderlands”
became great cities and centers of civilization. Others faded into
obscurity as the incursions ceased, only to become important again
when the paths to fields beyond those we know opened up once
more.

This game starts in one such “Keep”, a mostly forgotten relic of the
past in the unnamed County. It may, in time, expand outward from
there.
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Heroes: Combining the Mythic and Mundane

Heroes arise when and where the world needs them. Stalwart
warriors, cunning rouges, and wise scholars step into the breach,
risking everything to save everyone. At least, that is what the stories
say.

The reality of the Borderlands is more complex. Men and women;

elf, dwarf, and man; find themselves in extraordinary situations.
Some rise to the occasion, becoming champions and heroes. Others
do not, or take the easy way to preserve themselves, and become the
villains of the next tale.

A character in the Borderlands is a person who, through

circumstance or choice, finds themselves on the borders between
becoming a hero or a villain. They stand at the cross-roads and their
choices will become legend.

Narratively, a character’s origin is described in three ways – by

selecting a people, detailing the place he came from, and selecting a
word which best describes him. The peoples, places, and words are
outlined below.

Systemically, the character’s origin affects his initial attributes. He

also has a character level, representing his overall experience and
competence, and ranks in one of seven paths. Three of these paths
are called “core classes” and provide mundane skills. Four of the
paths are called “alignments” and mechanically represent the
character’s association with the mythic forces.

Once a character completes both narrative and systemic

descriptions, he is ready to begin his journey on the Borderlands.
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Character Origin: Select a People, Describe a Place, Choose

a Word
A character’s story starts with his origin, a combination of the people
he comes from, the place where he grew up, and the word which
best describes him. These three elements describe the character’s
path to date and establish which direction he might choose when he
comes at last to the crossroads.

Peoples: Kith and Kin

The mundane peoples of the borderlands are dwarves, elves,
halflings, and humans.

Dwarves: taciturn and volatile in equal measure, dwarves are a

wandering folk after the loss of their great underground cities to “the
Dark” hundreds of years ago. Families and clans travel the world
looking for a place to settle but rarely stay anywhere for long.

Dwarves stand between 4ft and 5ft. tall with dark hair of varying
shades. They weigh between 180 and 220 lbs but are rarely
overweight – instead their bones and flesh are extremely heavy and
dense, making it impossible for them to swim or float.

All dwarves gain either brave or solid in addition to any other word
they may have. Dwarves also possess Stone Sense, which prevents
them from being lost underground.

Elves: thin and fey, individual elves appear in times of strife and
turmoil. Each awakens from dreams alone, with limited memories of
their lives before. They set out with whatever is at hand to meet the
destiny life has set before them.

Elves stand between 5ft and 6ft tall with hair of various pale shades
including white, blonde, lavender, and green. Many have almost
luminescent eyes. They weigh between 100 and 130 lbs
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All elves gain the word fey in addition to their base word. Elves also
have “Star-sight”, which allows them to treat starlight as normal
illumination.

Halflings: short and stout, the “little folk” are masters of living well.
The lands they tend provide bountiful harvests and rarely suffer from
catastrophic setbacks. They live in extended, settled families who
rarely leave their “shire” – grants of land given to the halflings for
their service to the High Kings of old.

Halflings stand between 3ft and 4ft tall with olive to bronze-tanned
skin and brown hair. They weigh between 60 and 80 lbs.

All halflings gain the word handy in addition to their base word.
Halflings are naturally resistant to mythic effects and may roll 2d10
rather than 1d10 for their saving throws against them.

Humans: are the primary race in the Known World. Dwarves refer to
them as a “heady brew”, a mix of all of the traits one might expect
from the world’s people. Although short-lived (many see no more
than sixty winters), their drive and diversity allow them to thrive.

Humans stand between 5ft and 7ft tall with skin ranging from ebony
to ivory and hair of blonde, brown, black, or red. Their builds vary
widely, leading to a range of weight between 100 and 250 lbs.

All humans start with two words of their choice at the start of the
game rather than just one. Humans are also Lucky, and add the
result of their hero point when they use it to re-roll a failed check
rather than replacing the roll with the original result.

There are other races including dragons; goblins, hobgoblins, and

orcs; enchanted animals; monstrous aberrations; and even the
undead. These mythic races come from the “other fields”, realms
which touch upon the mundane world at the borderlands.
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Place: Where the Story Began

The place where the character’s story began is closely tied to his
people. Dwarves rarely awaken from the elves dreamless sleep,
while halflings are not commonly from wandering merchant
caravans. Such things are certainly possible, of course; stories are
filled with human foundlings taken in by dwarves and dwarves who
settle down with halfling husbands.

Some example places include: the academy, the awakening, the

headman’s house, the farm, the freehold, the merchant caravan, the
shop, the witch’s hut, and the village.

The Academy (People – any): someone noticed the character’s

talents at an early age and took him away for training. He spent most
of his life in focused, earnest study with other children and young
adults selected for similar qualities. The troubles in the Borderlands
prompted the Academy to release its pupil to put his skills to the test.

The Awakening (People – elf): the character awoke under the green
leaves, far away from others. She slowly gathered her wits and
wandered into the settled lands. Her memories of her past are
fragments and dreams, but the future seems clear enough. There are
monsters that need slaying and lands crying out for a hero.

The Headman’s House (People – any): the character grew up in the

home of the local leader. She may be the leader’s child, a foundling,
or someone associated with the household. This afforded her the
opportunity to learn something about leadership, a bit about
commerce, and a great deal about other people. These benefits will
serve her in good stead as she starts on her adventures.

The Farm (People – halfling, human): the character grew up on a

farm located somewhere near one of the villages or towns scattered
through the mundane world. Nothing much happened there, but he
learned the value of honest labor and careful planning. The farm
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could not contain his dreams, though, and so the character has set
out for a grand adventure.

The Freehold (People – human): the character grew up away from

civilization in a freehold carved from the wilderness surrounding the
High King’s lands. This rough and tumble existence taught her to rely
on her own skills for almost everything. This attitude will serve her
well in the life of an adventurer.

The Merchant Caravan (People – dwarf, human): the character grew

up in a caravan which travelled from village to town to city and back
again. He has seen a lot of the road and the people who live beside
it, but knows next to nothing about how to live in one place for long.

The Shop (People dwarf, halfing, human): the character grew up

helping to tend a business run by a master tradesman. This trade
was most likely legitimate, though some thieves and other rogues
may also classify themselves as “tradesmen”. This upbringing taught
her a lot about business and how to make a living in civilized lands. It
also gave her a bit of a blind-spot when dealing with those who do
not come from similar circumstances.

The Witch’s Hut (People: halfling, human): the character grew up

near one of the wise, who took him in and nurtured his talents. Over
time he grew bored with just learning about the world. His mentor
gave him some basic equipment as a parting gift, along with some
words of wisdom and a stout pair of boots.

The Village (People: halfling, human): the character grew up in a

close-knit community. Outsiders were welcomed to stay for a few
days then sent on their way. Now, for whatever reason, she is the
outsider travelling through the lands and her own people welcome
her as a guest; then send her on her way again.
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Words: Describing the Character

Characters start the game with one or more “words” which describe
who they are. These words may come from trades he has pursued,
natural abilities which set him apart, or unusual circumstances which
provide him with an edge.

As a character advances in levels he may have the opportunity to pick

up additional “words”. Some of these words may be acquired as part
of the hero’s advancement in one of the classes or alignments.
Others are gained as the character improves his level.

Having a word adds +1 to rolls tagged with that word. For example, a
character attempting a 1d10 (brave, solid) action would roll 1d10 if
neither word described him, 1d10+1 if he had one, and 1d10+2 if he
had both.

The starting words are:

Brave: the character is able to keep cool under pressure.

Big: the character is larger than average for his people and can
therefore carry more.

Charming: the character has charm, poise, and social grace.

Comely: the character is pleasing in both appearance and manner.

Educated: the character’s exposure to rhetoric, reading, math, and

philosophy.

Fey: the character’s connection to the mythic powers.

Friendly: the character is empathetic and makes friends easily.

Gentle: the character’s presence is soothing and peaceful.

Graceful: the character’s has exceptional control over his physical

movement.
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Handy: the character is trained in mundane crafts like blacksmithing,

woodwork, and weaving.

Keen: the character is sharp of sight and hearing.

Kind: the character understands the importance of helping others.

Sharp: the character is quick witted.

Solid: the character’s is unusually healthy and resilient.

Sneaky: the character is talented at remaining unseen.

Strong: the character exerts exceptional physical force when he

must and can carry heavy loads.

Tricky: the character is cunning and clever.

Wise: the character’s intuition and ability to see connections.

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Character System: Levels, Ranks, and Points

As characters overcome hardships and explore the world they gain
levels which they can allocate as ranks into one of the three core
classes (fighter, magic-user, or thief) or four alignments (chaos, evil,
good, or law).

Classes represent mundane training and abilities which expand the

character’s options. Each rank the character gains in a class increases
his hit points and gives him access to a new talents.

Alignments represent the character’s allegiance and access to mythic

forces. Ranks in an alignment give the character access to abilities
which can be used in a variety of ways. They also make the hero
more vulnerable to mythic effects, as he walks further and further
into the fields far from those we know.

Levels: Gaining and Tracking Experience

A daring raid into the Caves of Chaos to rescue a kidnapped girl. A
battle to hold the line against invading men who look like birds and
scream like devils. A long night of drinking followed by an epic
journey through psychedelic realms. Each of these might mark a
waypoint along the road, another step down the long path.

As the characters’ adventures unfold they will suffer from

devastating defeats and amazing victories. Both give the character
“experience points”. Accumulating enough experience allows the
character advance his “level”, a system construct representing
accumulated growth and knowledge.

Each time the character gains a level he can increase one of the core
classes or one of the alignments by one (1) rank. The character does
not have to allocate his rank immediately, though withholding the
rank offers no benefits.

Every five character levels (5th, 10th, etc), the character may gain one
word, select an adverb or synonym of a word he already has, or add
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an advanced class for which he qualifies. For example, a character

advancing to 5th level with the “brave” word could select another
word entirely, choose an adverb or synonym for brave like “blindly”
or “doughty”, or add an advanced class like “ranger” or “invoker”.

Each adverb or synonym improves the core word’s bonus by +1.

Each advanced class is gained a rank 0, grants access to its class
talents, and can be ranked like a core class as the character advances.
The character may increase the rank of his advanced class in the
same level which he gained it.

Classes: Gaining ranks as a Fighter, Magic-user, or Thief

Each level the character gains 1 rank he has the option to allocate
into one of the core classes: fighter, magic-user, or thief. The
character may also, through a combination of alignment and class
ranks, gain access to prestige classes he can allocate ranks to.
Allocation is permanent once performed.

The fighter core class focuses on mundane combat in all its variety of
forms. Each rank of fighter increases the character’s hit points by +6
and gives him access to one fighter talents (or “proficiency”). A
character who starts with a rank in fighter at 1st level gains the
“mighty” bonus talent.

The magic-user core class focuses on learning spells which he can

either cast using reagents as a single action which might fail or enact
as a ritual which takes multiple rounds and consumes more reagents
but always works. Each rank as a magic-user increases the
character’s hit points by +2 and gives him access to one talent (or
“art”). A character who starts with a rank in magic-user at 1st level
gains the “cantrips” bonus talent.

The thief core class focuses on developing talents which enable

discovery, exploration, and interaction. Each rank of thief increases
the character’s hit points by +4 and gives him access to one thief
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talent (or “trick”). A character who starts with a rank in thief at 1st
level gains the “quick” bonus talent.

Alignments: Gaining Ranks in Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law

People can be kind to one another or engage in horrific acts of
cruelty without the intervention of mythic powers. Inspired
creativity and rigid adherence to the letter of the law exist in all
mortals in equal measure.

Alignment implies more than just word and deed. It is a personal

commitment to the powers of another realm. That commitment
brings with it mythic abilities, but also marks the hero as somehow
other.

Mechanically, as a character gains levels he may choose to allocate

his ranks into alignments rather than classes. This allocation is
permanent although the character may, through circumstances or
fate, find his alignments changed without his express consent.

Characters who align with chaos tap into growth and inspiration on a
mythic scale. They gain insights which other minds cannot grasp but
find themselves bound by limited reality at every turn. These limits
can in time drive them mad. Each rank given to chaos increases the
character’s inspiration and luck but also makes him more vulnerable
to law. Chaos is most often represented by the faery, spirits whose
spontaneous actions may serve good or ill. Those aligned with chaos
are sometimes called chaotics. A character who starts with a rank in
chaos at 1st level gains “changeling” bonus talent.

Characters who align with evil draw on infernal powers for their own
benefit. They cling to the ideal that might makes right and that their
desires take precedence over all others. Each rank of evil grants the
character greater power and prosperity but also expand his
obligations to other evil powers; from their point of view he is just
another minion who must serve his betters. Evil is represented by
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the devils who tempt mortals and the demons who feed on their
souls. Those aligned with evil are sometimes called infernals. A
character who starts with a rank in evil at 1st level gains the
“predator” bonus talent.

Characters who align with good touch upon the primal light which
illuminates the worlds. This touch illuminates their spirits, protecting
them from evil and granting them strength. Each rank placed into
good grants the character additional powers associated with the light
but also makes him visible to the other mythic forces. Good is most
often represented by the guardians, spirits of the virtues who stand
watch over the boarders between worlds. Those aligned with good
are sometimes called goodmen. A character who starts with a rank
in good at 1st level gains the “virtue” bonus talent.

Characters who align with law become part of the natural order of
things. This position gives them authority over things seen and
unseen but also limits their actions. Each rank placed into law gives
the character additional authorities but places a geas on him as well.
Law is most often represented by ghosts, the spirits of mortals who
were placed in positions to watch over the past, present, and future.
Those aligned with law are sometimes called the “orderly”, a term
which implies both behavior and obligation. A character who starts
with a rank in law at 1st level gains the “persistence” bonus talent.

Attributes: Encumbrance, Hit Points, and Hero Points

A character’s attributes are used in game elements of the system to
determine how many resources he can carry with him
(encumbrance), how much punishment he can sustain before being
forced to stop (hit points), and how far luck and pluck will bend
chance to his will (hero points).

Encumbrance represents the character’s ability to carry the heavy

load of equipment most adventures seem to require. A character can
carry 10 “items” of equipment. A character who is either big or
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strong can carry 15; one who is both can carry 20. See the section on
equipment for more details.

Hit points represent the character’s ability to sustain punishment

before falling unconscious. Characters start with 10 hit points and
gain hit points as they add ranks to the core classes (fighter, magic-
user, thief). Hit points are restored after a night’s rest. When a
character reaches 0 hit points he can no longer fight, but he is
unlikely to actually be killed.

Each character also has 1 “hero point” which he can use each session.
A hero point can be spent to re-roll any one d10, taking the higher of
the two results. A human adds his second roll to his first due to his
racial “Lucky” characteristic.

Character Knowledge: Odds and Ends

All characters start out knowing a good bit about the world and the
people who inhabit it. This knowledge includes a smattering of
languages, some basic lore, and the core skills (common etiquette,
basic law, who to go to for normal services, knowledge of figures of
local and national importance, etc.) that they need to live a day-to-
day life.

Languages: Communication by Letter or Speech

Everyone in the High King’s Demesne speaks the “Common”, an
informal language built on a common core and used for trade, barter,
and inventive cursing. Common is not a scholarly language. It is
written in “marks”, roughly 200 ideographs which can be combined
into simple sentences. Most characters can read marks (and
therefore Common).

Human characters speak one additional language based on their

place of origin. An educated character may also read this language in
the local script and be able how to translate it into other scripts he
knows.
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Elves, dwarves, and halfings speak their “racial” languages, generally

a formal version of whatever languages are common among their
own kind. An educated character may read his racial language and
write some of it reasonably well.

Most of the mythic races speak both a racial language and a tongue
shared with those with whom they share an alignment. The chaotic
tongue is called Faery; the evil tongue is “Black Speech”, the good
tongue is “Angelic”, and the lawful tongue is “Noblis”. Characters
can learn to read, speak, or write these languages by selecting the
Linguist talent in the magic-user class.

Finally, many of the guilds have a “cant”, a system of gestures,

symbols, and words which hold specific meaning to guild members.
These “cants” are learned as part of formal induction into the guild or
may be translated through the use of magic.

Basic Lore: Common Knowledge

Everyone knows that the world is filled with wonder and mystery.
Elves awaken from their endless dreams and wander the world of
men. Dwarves and halflings roam the hallowed hills. Magic is a force
that can be mastered by those with sufficient will and education.

Everyone knows about the High King on his Opal Throne in far-away
Kingsport. Wondrous tales of that fabled city say it rivals even the
highest heavens for splendor and the deepest hells for its corruption.
Local kings and their minions are but lesser figures in the great
passion play.

Everyone knows that sometimes a man might walk out his door and
find himself far from the fields that he knows. In such places dragons
are real, orcs and goblins common, and angels speak to mortal men.
Such things happen. It is only when the travel happens in the other
direction, when the mythic joins with the mundane, that things get
complicated.
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Everyone knows that when the Borderlands open up the guilds and
mercenary companies, soldiers and freeloaders, take notice. The
most honored of these organizations are the Adventurers Guilds of
the various cities who hold charter from the High Kings hand for
paying bounties and organizing expeditions. The next most
important are the various mercenary companies who make good
money off of contracts with the Guilds or local nobles.

Everyone knows that gods and devils, faery and ghosts are all as real
as the ferrets who tear out chicken’s hearts. Many worship them or
serve them in societies both open (e.g., the Inquisition or the
Sanctuary) and occult (e.g. the Black Brotherhood).

Core Skills: Getting Along with Others

As a functional adult member of a society, characters are assumed to
have the basic skills required to care for themselves. These include
knowledge of basic social graces, knowledge of the legal framework,
common services, and local dignitaries. Most characters are not
actually able to make a living it a “decent” trade unless they
deliberately allocate ranks into a class to do so.

Basic social graces include common manners and modes of address,

permissible behaviors, and appropriate ways to ask for forgiveness.
It also includes things like when it is appropriate to barter, how to
greet and take leave, and similar niceties.

The law can be tricky, but in general property rights are honored and
violence frowned upon. Murder and theft are treated harshly when
discovered by the local watch; even more harshly by the Inquisition
should they take an interest. Failure to pay debts can end with a
prison sentence.

No one, not even an elf, lives entirely on his own. Most people work
together in a community to provide one another with enough
security to get through a year. A character knows how to read marks
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and ask around to find anyone offering a “common service” including

running an inn, selling meals, or making a particular kind of item.
Clusters of villages often share a single artisan doing complex work,
so finding the right person for a particular task may require a bit of
travelling around.

Finally, a well-advised traveler always spends a few minutes learning

the names and titles of various important people in a new town. It’s
always important to know who not to run afoul of or when the local
High Inquisitor will be out making his rounds. Gathering this kind of
information is just prudence and does not require much time or
forethought.
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Mundane Matters
Characters engage in a variety of conflicts including combat,
exploration, and journey. These conflicts consume resources; when
the characters are out of resources they should return to the keep for
resupply.

All of these conflicts are resolved using the same base system and
equipment rules. The base system involves roll 1d10 each round to
determine how successful the character’s action was with a roll of 6
or higher indicating success. Equipment and talents provide the
characters with resources and actions they can take.

Base System
The base system is used to determine success or failure in conflicts or
in situations where there is some uncertainty of outcome. Conflicts
are divided into sequences (combat: rounds, explore: turns, journey:
phases), with the player’s descriptions and talents determining the
order of action.

Characters declare their actions based on the conflict, equipment,

and talents. For example, in combat the basic action is hit and
anyone can attempt it. A character with a sword can use it to modify
the hit action or use his shield’s action instead. A fighter might have
additional actions available from his talents in combat, while a thief
might have the same in exploration.

Once declared, the player rolls his d10 and adds any appropriate
modifiers. If the result is 6 or higher, the action succeeded and
applies its effects.

Base System: Initiative

In order to maintain some semblance of order, characters must act
one at a time. This “initiative order” is determined by each player
rolling 1d10 and adding +1 for each word he has appropriate to that
conflict.
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The character with the highest initiative goes first, then the next
highest, then the next, and so on down until the end of the order.
Once each character has acted the round/turn ends.

If two characters have the same initiative, the character with the
most words relevant to the type of conflict at hand goes first. The
faster character may choose to defer his action until after an allies if
he so chooses.

Base System: Conflict Actions

The base conflict actions are:

 Combat – Hit (Effect: Strike a target with a hand or stick for

1d4 damage to hit points)
 Exploration – Search (Effect: find one clue or hidden object
in the scene)
 Journey – Travel (Effect: make progress towards a
destination)
 Free Form – Succeed (Effect: make progress towards a
specific goal)

Actions are written as Action (word 1, word 2) – description of effect.

All actions have a target number of 6 on 1d10. If a character has one
of the words associated with the action he gains +1 to his d10 roll. If
he has two, he gains +2.

Base System: Objectives and Progress

Each scene has a number of objectives which the characters can
meet. Every objective requires a certain amount of progress
(number of successful actions) to be completed. Progress requires
one or more characters to take successful actions, as defined by the
objective “conditions”.

For example, in an exploration scene the basic action is explore.

There might be several objectives including: find the Caves of Chaos
(4), avoid an encounter (2), find a secret entrance to the caves (2). As
19

the characters take actions, they allocate their progress towards

different objectives.

A failed action can result in the appearance of a “threat”, opposed

characters or dangerous circumstances which test the character’s
mettle. Successfully overcoming the threat may, in turn, generate
some progress towards the objective even though the initial action
failed.

Base System: Saving Throws

Some actions or events in the game will apply an effect to the
character. The character may attempt to resist these effects by
making a saving throw by rolling 1d10. This is a free action in the
round in which the effect is applied and a normal action in later
rounds.

Conflict: Combat
Combat conflicts involve one or more characters facing a
combination of threats and other characters who wish to do them
harm. A combat is successfully resolved when all objectives are met;
all threats and combatants are removed; or all of the characters fall.

Each combat conflict is divided into rounds. In a round, each player

may declare one action and roll 1d10 to resolve it. The base action of
combat is the “hit”, which deals 1d4 damage to the target’s “hit
points”.

Characters declare their actions in initiative order, as determined by

each rolling a d10 (big, brave, graceful, keen, strong) at the start of
the conflict and acting in descending order.

Actions a hero might attempt in combat include:

 Hit: strike a target with a hand or stick for 1d4 damage.

 Hold Action: Hold action until a lower point in the initiative
order. Held actions take place first during the point in the
20

order they are used but must be declared before anyone else
at that point acts.
 Use Equipment: Based on equipment
 Use Talent: Based on talent

Common equipment for combat includes arms (axes, hammers,

swords, spears, etc.) which increase the damage of a hit, armor which
adds to the character’s hit points, and shields which can be used to
block attacks.

Combat System: Hit Points and Armor

Characters who engage in combat generally take some effort to
protect themselves from the slings and arrows of outraged fortune.
These protective efforts generally take two basic forms: armor which
takes damage for the character and shields which deflect some
portion of the damage.

A character’s hit points represent his general health, combat training,

and ability to endure pain. If a character goes to 0 hit points due to
damage or other effects he can no longer take actions during the
round. A character may be killed if his party is defeated or he is not
taken with the heroes as they retreat from a losing contest.

Armor is protective clothing worn by people who fear they might be

attacked. Armor provides armor points, effectively the armors “hit
points”. A character struck by an attack may choose to take some or
all of the hit “on his armor”, sacrificing the armor rather than his own
flesh. Some weapon effects force the allocation of damage between
armor and hit points.

Combat System: Blocking

Some characters carry shields or try to use their weapons to “block or
parry” attacks. A block with a shield is an action with the shield
which stops 1d of damage, assessed before the damage roll. A parry
21

is generally ineffective unless the character has fighter proficiency

which allows him to do so effectively.

Conflict: Exploration
Exploration conflicts occur when the characters spend focused time
investigating a specific area for clues, secrets, or treasure. Discovery
objectives generally involve finding what is hidden and its threats
include alarms, natural hazards, and traps which might spring on the
unwary.

Each exploration conflict is divided into turns. In a turn, each player

may declare one action and roll 1d10 to resolve it. The base action of
exploration is “search”, which reveals one piece of information about
the environment or one hidden thing (secret door, trap, etc).

Characters declare their actions in initiative order, as determined by

each rolling a d10 (fey, handy, keen, tricky, wise) at the start of the
conflict and acting in descending order.

The actions undertaken during exploration include:

 Guard: Sets aside the character’s action. If the turn

transitions into a combat round due to a threat, the
character may take a free action before rolling initiative.
 Search: find one clue or make progress towards finding
something hidden in the scene
 Use Equipment: Based on equipment
 Use Talent: Based on talent

Each turn the characters engage in exploration in dark conditions

consumes 1 round of a light source (candle, torch, light spell, etc.)
Elves can see normally when using just the light of the stars and do
not need a light source when under a night sky.
22

Conflict: Journey
Journey conflicts involve the characters travelling from a place that
they know to a location they have not yet been. The process is
greatly aided by maps and greatly complicated by entry into the
borderlands or other fields far from those we know. Generally each
character contributes towards a journey conflict and they make 1
progress if any of them succeed in the round. A threat may be
generated by any failure.

Each journey conflict is divided into phases. In a phase, each player

may declare one action and roll 1d10 to resolve it. The base action of
journey is “travel”, which advances the character’s one “leg” towards
their destination.

Characters declare their actions in initiative order, as determined by

each rolling a d10 (educated, handy, solid, sneaky) at the start of the
conflict and acting in descending order.

The actions undertaken during a journey include:

 Travel: make progress on a leg of the journey.

 Use Equipment: Based on equipment
 Use Talent: Based on talent
 Watch: Sets aside the character’s action. If the discovery
turn transitions into a combat round due to a threat, the
character may take a free action before rolling initiative.

Each phase the characters must achieve a number of successes or

find themselves off course or otherwise detained. When travelling in
the fields that they know, or with a good map, they may only need 1
or 2 successful rolls. In the fields far away or on dangerous ground,
more might be required.

Each day of travel requires each character to use one ration. Normal
rations last for 10 days, while iron rations remain edible until eaten.
23

Conflict: Freeform
Conflicts not involving combat, discovery, or exploration are handled
as “freeform” conflicts. These kinds of conflicts might involve
gathering information, researching in a library, or running across
rooftops.

Characters declare their actions in initiative order, as determined by

each rolling a d10 (educated, handy, solid, sneaky) at the start of the
conflict and acting in descending order.

Each objective in a freeform conflict is tagged with two or more

words. A character attempting to make progress towards that
objective modifies his roll with those words.
24

Coin, Encumbrance, and Equipment

A character can only carry a limited amount of equipment with him
on his adventures. His practical carrying capacity is based on the
armor he wears and some descriptions. Equipment is consumed
when the character takes actions or in response to serious
confrontation.

Equipment includes: arms, armor, light sources, rations, and

reagents.

Coin of the Realm: Where, How, and With What to Buy

Coins. Jewels. Ropes of pearls and gold. All of these can be found in
treasures and used to purchase items both mythic and mundane.

The base unit of coin under the High Kings is the “silver penny”. One
silver penny divides into 5 copper pennies. 10 silver pennies combine
into an electrum penny, and 10 electrum into a single gold sovereign.

1 copper penny will buy a simple meal and a jack of ale. Three
pennies will feed a person for a day with a pence or two left over to
rent a floor for the night.

Assuming a character has coin to spare, he can spend it with a

merchant to purchase equipment or other services. Merchants and
craftsmen carry a variety of goods. Bargaining and haggling is part of
the ordinary act of purchase or sale but some characters have unique
talents which allow them to get better prices.

Encumbrance (ENC): How Much Can a Character Carry?

Adventurers and porters must both struggle under the weight they
carry. Both are generally assumed to have proper equipment:
backpacks, straps, and appropriate padding to prevent normal
injuries.

A character can carry 10 items with him. A big or strong character

can carry 15; one who is both big and strong can carry 20.
25

Some items are particularly heavy and therefore count as more than
one item. Two-handed weapons and lanterns generally count as 2
items. Light armor counts as 3 items. Medium armor counts as 6
items, while Heavy armor counts as 9.

Some items come in stacks. Each stack is treated as one item. For
example, arrows come in stacks of 10. One arrow, five arrows, and
ten arrows are all counted as 1 item. 15 or 20 arrows counts as 2
items, and so on.

A horse or mule can carry 30 items but will require handling during
exploration, consumes rations, and may be adversely impacted by
combat or threats encountered along the road.

Equipment: Useful Stuff

A good, sharp sword. A pack full of food. A candle to hold back the
night. These are all vital equipment for any adventurer. The
equipment described below just barely scratches the surface of what
is available.

Arms: Doing Onto Others

Arms allow the hero to do additional damage and apply effects to
opponents in combat. Some arms are also handy tools, or can be
used as such in a pinch.

Axe (big, strong): axes are a big man’s weapon. Long-hafted axes
wielded in two hands do 2d10 damage, count as 2 carried items, and
apply a bleeding effect to those struck. The target must make a
saving throw or take an additional 1d4 damage each round before
they take an action. Shorter axes do 1d10 damage and can be
thrown.

Bow (graceful, keen): are a soldier’s or hunter’s weapon and can

strike at range. A bow deals 2d10 damage and counts as 2 carried
items. Every 10 arrows counts as 1 carried item. Bows cannot be
used without arrows, except as clubs (1d10 damage) in close range.
26

Crossbow (sharp): are simpler to use than a bow but slower to

reload. A crossbow deals 3d10 damage and counts as 2 carried
items. Every 10 bolts counts as 1 carried item. A crossbow takes 1
action to reload.

Dagger (sneaky, tricky): these short-bladed weapons are easy to

carry and handy in a pinch. A dagger deals 1d10 damage and 2 count
as 1 carried item. It can be thrown to strike a target at range.

Hammer (solid, strong): a heavy hammer deals staggering blows. A

two-handed hammer deals 2d10 damage, counts as 2 items, and
applies a stun effect to its target, forcing them to lose their next
action unless they pass their saving throw. A one-handed hammer
can do the same in the hands of a trained fighter.

Halberd (brave, strong): these two-handed spears have blades

suitable for cutting and thrusting. A halberd does 2d10 damage and
counts as 2 carried items. When wielded by a strong character, a
halberd deals ½ of its damage (rounded down) directly to the target’s
hit points.

Mace (brave, big): a sharp blow from this metal club can injure
armored foes. A mace deals 1d10 damage and applies an injured
effect to the target. The target must make a save or suffer -1 to all
rolls until he does so or the combat ends.

Sling (handy, keen): the “shepherd’s bow” launches rocks and heavy
metal slugs almost as far as a bow can shoot. A slug deals 1d10+3
damage and 10 of them count as 1 carried item. A sling can be used
without slugs, dealing 1d10 damage at range.

Spear (brave, sharp): a sharp blade attached to a shaft is called a

spear. A two-handed spear deals 2d10 damage, counts as 2 carried
items, and in the hands of a sharp character deals ½ of its damage
(rounded down) directly to the target’s hit points (ignoring armor).
27

Shorter spears deal 1d10 damage and may have the same effect in
the hands of a skilled fighter.

Staff (keen, sharp): a long wooden shaft, sometimes reinforced with

wood, is a traveler’s best friend and a good weapon at need. A staff
is a two-handed weapon which deals 2d10 damage and counts as 1
carried item.

Sword (graceful, strong): sharp bladed weapons between 24 and 72

inches in length. Swords are iconic weapons often wielded by heroes
of legend. A two-handed sword does 2d10+4 damage and counts as
2 carried items. A one-handed sword deals 1d10+2 damage. A
“short” sword deals 1d10 damage and has the additional descriptions
tricky and sharp.

Armor: Protection from Outrageous Fortunes

Armor is composed of materials which help to protect the wearer
from harm. This provides the character with additional hit points but
also reduces his ability to carry items.

The hit points from armor do not return after an evening’s rest.
Instead armor must be repaired by a skilled smith, leatherworker, or
armorer before it becomes useful again.

Clothed (unarmored): clothes may provide some protection from the

elements or other benefits, but they do not grant additional hit
points. Clothes count as 1 item.

Light (padded, leather, ring-mail): light armors provide some

protection from harm without greatly sacrificing mobility or carrying
capacity. Light armor provides +10 hit points and counts as 3 carried
items.

Medium (chain-mail, banded mail, splint mail, scale mail): medium

armors provide a good balance of protection from harm with weight.
They provide +20 hit points and count as 6 carried items.
28

Heavy (king’s chain, plate and chain, scale and chain): heavy armors
sacrifice mobility and carrying capacity for safety. They are most
commonly worn on the battlefield. Heavy armors provide +30 hit
points and count as 9 carried items.

Shield (sharp, solid): a shield gives the character the chance to block
an attack. Rather than attacking, the shield wielder may use his
action to block, causing one attack targeting him to do 1d less
damage.

Light: A Candle in the Wind

Characters who wish to explore in dark places should carry light with
them. Otherwise, they are at the mercy of things which can see in
the darkness.

Light sources include: candles, lanterns (and oil), and torches. Some
magic-users or characters with alignments can conjure light as well.

Candle: a taper made of tallow or wax with a string core. A candle

burns for one round. 3 candles count as one carried item. When all
three candles are burned, the character may attempt to merge the
stubs into one more candle d10 (handy, wise).

Lantern: a lantern (or lamp) is a device which allows for the

controlled burning of oil. A lantern counts as two (2) carried items.

Lantern Oil: can be burned in a lamp to provide light. Four (4) rounds
of oil counts as 1 carried item.

Torch: a rod of wood or other flammable material which can be

burned to produce light. A touch counts as one (1) carried item and
lasts for 2 rounds. It may be used as a weapon, dealing 1d10
damage.
29

Rations: Staying Not Hungry

Exploring is hungry work. Characters who do not have sufficient
rations do not heal after a night’s sleep.

Normal rations provide enough nourishment for one day per stack of
2 carried. They will generally begin to spoil seven to ten days after
being purchased.

Iron rations are preserved to prevent spoilage but are more

expensive.

Reagents: Eye of Newt and Wing of Bat

Magic-users rely on reagents to cast spells and perform rituals. A
magic-user without reagents is just a scholar with a pen facing down
the forces of darkness.

Five (5) reagents count as 1 carried item. Generally a spell costs one
(1) reagent to cast and a ritual costs a number of reagents equal to its
circle.
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Equipment List: Items and Costs

Item Cost ENC Item Cost ENC
Arms Armor
Axe (1h) 1 ep 1 Clothes 1 sp 1
Axe (2h) 4 ep 2 Light 2 ep 3
Bow (2h) 5 ep 2 Medium 1 gs 6
Arrows (10) 1 sp 1 Heavy 4 gs 9
Crossbow (2h) 1 gs 2
Bolts (10) 1 sp 1 Light
Dagger (2) 4 sp 1 Candle (3) 1 sp 1
Hammer (1h) 1 ep 2 Lamp 5 sp 2
Hammer (2h) 4 ep 1 Oil (4) 5 sp 1
Halberd (2h) 3 ep 2 Torch 2 cp 1
Mace (1h) 1 ep 1
Sling (1h) 4 sp 1 Rations
Bullets(10) 1 sp 1 Rations (2) 2 sp 1
Spear (1h) 3 sp 1 Iron Rations (2) 4 sp 1
Spear (2h) 5 sp 2
Staff (2h) 2 sp 1 Reagents
Sword (1h) 7 ep 1 Stack of 5 4 sp 1
Sword (2h) 2 gs 2
Sword (short) 5 ep 1 Lifestyle Per Day
Poor 1 sp
Common 2 sp
Artisan 5 sp
Rich 1 ep
Noble 4 ep
31

Class Ranks and Talents: Mundane Skills

As a character gains levels he may allocate ranks to any of the three
core classes. Each allocated rank gives the character one “talent”
from that class and increases the character’s hit points by a set
amount.

The First Character Level: Beginning Character Talents

At 1st level the player chooses the character’s first class or alignment
rank. If that rank is in one of the three core classes (fighter, magic-
user, thief) he gains hit points, 1 talent (described below), and a
special talent representing the advantages gained by years of training
in a specific field.

A 1st level fighter gains a total of +6 hit points, 1 fighter talent (called
a proficiency), and the special talent “Mighty”, which allows him to
add the bonus from a weapon’s words to his damage with that
weapon’s total damage when he hits an opponent.

A 1st level magic-user gains a total of +2 hit points, 1 magic-user

talent (called an art), and a special talent “Cantrips” which reduces
the reagent cost of a spell by 1 (minimum 0) when he rolls a natural
10 on the casting dice check, as well as giving him access to the
Arcane school and 1 Arcane spell.

A 1st level thief gains a total of +4 hit points, 1 thief talent (called a
trick), and a special talent “Quick” which allows him to take a trick
action as a “free” action once per round at a -4 penalty.
32

Fighter Talents: Proficiency with Arms and Armor

A fighter may come from many backgrounds but all have taken time
to develop proficiency with the physical skills, mental disciplines, and
weapons knowledge required to survive in battle. The more a
character focuses on this core class, the more effective he is in
combat.

Each time a character gains a rank in the fighter core class he may
select one of the following proficiencies. Proficiencies which grant a
bonus can be taken multiple times.

Proficiencies which require a bonus (e.g. 5 to hit) refer to the total

bonus of words + proficiencies, not just to proficiency bonuses.

Armored: the fighter is experienced in wearing armor and can better

bear its weight. Reduce the carried item cost of armor by 2, to a
minimum of 0.

Armorer (educated, handy): the fighter is able to maintain his own

arms and armor. Each night he may attempt an armorer check. If he
succeeds, he restores 1d10 hit points to one piece of armor. If he
selects this talent multiple times, he gains +1d10 restoration.
Additional dice may be allocated to different suits of armor.

Archer: the fighter gains +1 to hit and damage with a bow, crossbow,
and sling.

Axeman: Requires +5 to hit and damage with an axe. When wielding

an axe the fighter’s strikes inflict an additional +1d4 bleed effect.
This causes a one-handed axe to inflict bleed and a two-handed axe
to inflict 2d4 bleed on a failed saving throw.

Dwarf Trained: the fighter gains+1 to hit and damage with hammer
and mace; and +1 to block with a shield.

Elf Trained: the fighter gains+1 to hit and damage with bow, dagger,
and sword.
33

Fletcher (handy, keen): the fighter is able to manufacture his own

ammunition given time and materials. Each night, he can attempt a
fletcher check. If he succeeds, he manufactures 1d4 arrows, bolts, or
bullets. Each time he selects this talent after the first he gains +1 to
the amount of ammunition manufactured.

Knight: the fighter gains +1 to hit and damage with bow, spear, and
sword.

Marksman: Requires +5 to hit with a bow, crossbow, or sling. The

marksman’s successful strikes with a bow, crossbow, or sling gain
“pierce”, inflicting ½ (rounded down) damage directly to the target’s
hit points.

Militia: the fighter gains +1 to hit with bow and spear, and +1 to
block.

Shieldman: the fighter can use a shield’s block action once per round
in addition to his normal action and gains +1 to block per rank. Each
time he selects this talent, increase the number of blocks by +1.

Smith: requires +5 to hit and damage with a hammer. The smith

gains+1 to armorer and fletcher rolls. With one-handed hammers he
wields deal a stun effect to a struck target.

Spearman: Requires at least +5 to hit with a spear. One-handed

spears the fighter wields gain “pierce”, doing ½ (rounded down) of
their damage directly to the target’s hit points. Two-handed spears
do 3/4ths (rounded up) of their damage directly to the target’s hit
points.

Swordsman: Requires at least +5 to hit with a sword. Each time this

talent is selected, the fighter may select one of the following effects
to apply when he hits with a sword. If the fighter knows multiple
effects, each strike can only deal one. The effects are: bleed (1d4
34

damage), cripple (-1 to rolls), or pierce (do ½ damage directly to hit

points).

Soldier: the fighter gains +1 to hit and damage with mace and spear;
and +1 to block with a shield. This proficiency may be selected
multiple times.

Weapon Master (weapon): Requires +6 or higher with the weapon.

The fighter may choose to reduce his bonus by -5 and make two
attacks with the weapon.

Magic-User Talents: The Arts of Knowledge and Magic

A magic-user studies many things in order to cast spells. This study
includes languages, lore, natural philosophy, and the various schools
of magic. As a character focuses on these “arts” he becomes more
and more flexible, bringing an ever growing array of options to meet
the challenges he faces.

Every rank a magic-user may select one of the arts described below.
The rules for selecting magic-user arts are described in the arts
themselves, as they vary from art to art.

Advanced School (School): the magic-user gains access to one of:

abjuration, celestial, evocation, necromantic, or summoning spells.
These schools generally teach spells of circles 3 to 9. Each time the
magic-user selects this art he gains access to a different advanced
school and one spell from the lowest circle the school teaches.

Cartographer: the magic-user can both draw and read maps,

including maps which include various borderlands. This gives him a
+1 bonus to explore rolls, or +2 if he is reading a map prepared by
another cartographer.

Conservative Casting (School): the magic-user only loses 1 reagent

when he fails to cast a spell rather than all of the reagents invested.
35

This art only effects casting from one school but may be selected
multiple times.

Familiar: the magic-user summons a familiar who aids him in his

endeavors. The familiar is a magical animal who can, in times of
need, provide advice and sometimes direct support. If this art is
selected twice the familiar is revealed to be a mythic creature.

Linguist: the magic-user’s studies give him a good ear for languages.
He knows how to read, write, and speak one additional language
each time he selects this art.

Sage (Educated, Sharp): the magic-user has studied lore from many
cultures. Each time he selects this talent, he may select one area of
lore from: ancient, celestial, chaotic, heavenly, infernal, orderly, or
occult. Making a sage action allows the character to make progress
towards objectives related to the appropriate area of knowledge.

Scholar: the magic-user gains the educated word. If he already has

educated, he may gain an adjective to educated which increases the
bonus for having the word to +2. The scholar talent may only be
selected once.

Ritualist: the magic-user loses the base amount of reagents required

rather than all of the reagents invested in a spoiled ritual. A second
selection of this talent allows the magic user to treat the base
reagents as investable for the purpose of determining duration or
other effects.

Student: the magic-user gains +2 spells of his choice from any school
of magic he has access to.

Thief Talents: A Bag of Crafty Tricks

A thief relies on quick thinking, a steady hand, and a glib tongue to
get through most of life’s challenges. The more ranks a character has
36

in the thief class, the more adept he becomes at the “tricks of the
trade” which make him so effective.

Every rank a character invests in the thief core class gives him access
to one of the tricks below. Thief “tricks” may be selected multiple
times. Each time after the first a trick is selected the thief gains a +1
bonus to that action.

Backstab (Graceful, Sneaky): when wielding a dagger or short

sword, the thief replaces his normal hit action with backstab. This
backstab deals normal damage +1 per rank the thief has in this trick.

Bluff (Charming, Tricky): the thief attempts to confuse or mislead

another person at least long enough to get away. If the thief
succeeds and the target fails his saving throw (sharp, wise), then the
target acts as if he believes what the thief suggested for 1d4 rounds
or until the truth becomes apparent.

Case (Handy, Wise): the thief replaces the standard search action in
discovery with “case”, the application of knowledge and intuition to
discover things others would like to leave hidden.

Climb (Graceful, Strong): the thief makes two (2) progress rather
than one (1) when he successfully attempts to climb over or around
an obstacle.

Evade (Graceful, Keen): the thief may attempt to avoid an attack

entirely by taking this action. If he succeeds, he dodges the attack or
spell. If used as a normal action, evade applies to the next action
targeting the thief.

Flirt (Charming, Comely): the thief targets one person, focusing their
attention on him until the target makes a saving throw (solid, tricky).

Gossip (Friendly, Tricky): the thief replaces the “search” action in an

urban setting with “gossip”, the application of wine and time to
discover hidden information.
37

Palm (Sharp, Tricky): the thief can take a “palm” action to hide an
unsecured small object (something that could fit into his hand) on his
person with others noticing.

Patter (Charming, Sneaky): the thief sets up a soothing patter which

distracts everyone who listens. So long as combat has not begun, the
thief and his friends’ gain +1 to any sneaky or tricky action they take
targeting the affected group. The group’s leader is allowed to make a
saving throw (friendly, wise) to notice what the thief is doing.

Pick Purse (Sharp, Sneaky): the thief can slip one small object or
2d10 coins from an unaware target’s purse into his own. On a
failure, the target becomes aware of what the thief attempted to do.
Some characters, particularly paranoid fighters, may also get a saving
throw.

Pick Lock (Handy, Tricky): the thief can use wire and cleverness to
open even the most stubborn lock given enough time. Each time the
thief succeeds he advances 1 action towards opening a locked
container or door. Each time he takes an action, he may also spring
any associated traps.

Sneak (Keen, Sneaky): the thief can avoid detection by hostile eyes.
On a successful sneak, the thief is no longer a target for opposed
characters in the encounter until he is spotted or reveals himself by
taking an action.

Trap (Handy, Sharp): the thief can either disarm or set a trap.
Disarming a trap may require multiple rolls; failure will cause the trap
to spring. Setting a trap deals 1d10 damage per round taken, with a
maximum d10 equal to the thief’s bonus with this trick.

Tumble (Graceful, Keen): the thief can tumble and roll away from
danger. If he springs a trap, he may use his tumble action in place of
his saving throw.
38
39

Mythic Abilities
Some characters choose to align themselves with one or more of the
mythic powers rather than advance in the core classes. This
alignment brings with it both power and peril.

The First Character Level: Beginning Bonus Talents

If a character allocates his 1st level rank to one of the four alignments
he gains a bonus talent representing his focus on and primal
agreement with that mythic force.

A 1st level character who takes a rank in chaos gains one chaos gift
and the bonus talent “changeling” which allows him to use his hero
point to cause another character to re-roll a roll. The target must
take the lower or higher of the two rolls depending on the
changeling’s whim.

A 1st level character who takes a rank in evil gains one evil gift and
the bonus talent “predator”. Predator gives the character +1 to any
action which targets an opponent he successfully affected with an
action at least once during this scene.

A 1st level character who takes a rank in good gains one good gift and
the bonus talent “virtue”. Virtue gives the character +1 to any saving
throw he may attempt. As the character’s action for the round he
may choose to share this bonus with the rest of his party.

A 1st level character who takes a rank in law gains one lawful gift and
the bonus talent “persistence”. Persistence gives the character a +1
bonus to any roll when he failed in that same action or saving throw
on the previous round.
40

Chaos: Growth and Disorder

The powers of chaos grant power to those who embrace spontaneity,
freedom, and choice. Each gift marks the character in some way.
These marks may be subtle like an unusual eye-color or hair which
changes shades with the sun or more flamboyant like a faintly
glimmering aura or the smell of roses.

The gifts of chaos include:

Bounty (Fey, Handy): the chaotic has a green thumb and can gather
1 ration from a wilderness environment per day without using an
action. Each additional time this ability is selected the chaotic
gains+1 ration.

Confusion (Fey, Tricky): the chaotic’s presence can confuse other

beings. The chaotic may select a number of targets equal to the
number of times he selected this ability and take the confuse action.
Those targets must attempt a saving throw (keen, wise) or lose their
next action.

Freedom (Fey, Sneaky): the chaotic may use freedom in place of any
saving throw. If this ability is selected multiple times the chaotic
gains+1 to the roll for each additional selection.

Glamour (Fey, Tricky): the chaotic’s words conjure images which

seem almost real to the listeners. The chaotic may select a number
of targets equal to the number of times he selected this ability and
take a glamour action. Those targets must attempt a saving throw
(brave, solid); those that fail see what the chaotic described rather
than what is really there.

Regrowth (Fey, Solid): the chaotic can channel the wild into himself
or another person with a touch. This surge of strength heals 1d10 hit
points of damage, +1d10 for every time after the first this ability is
selected.
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Prismatic Blade: the chaotic’s weapons blaze with many-colored

light. This light deals +1 damage to any being which has an alignment
that does not provide illumination. This ability may be selected
multiple times.

Wild Fire (Fey, Wise): the chaotic can call forth a burst of prismatic
flame which burns mythic beings. A target without an alignment
takes no damage. An aligned target takes 1d10 damage directly to
hit points, ignoring armor. If this ability is selected a second time, the
wildfire leaps from target to target, striking one new aligned target at
random each round until one makes a saving throw (keen, solid).
Each additional time after the second adds +1 target to the leaping
effect.
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Evil: Pleasure and Wealth at any Price

The forces of mythic evil focus very closely on material gains. They
have found, over millennium of watching, that mortals are easily lead
astray by such things.

Each time the character accepts an infernal gift he goes deeper into
debt. This debt may be called upon at any time, either by one of the
lords of evil or by another mortal to meet the conditions of his gift.

Grants which are taken more than once add their total rank to the
associated word.

Balefire (Brave, Wise): the infernal calls up fire from the hells. On a
successful roll, he gains a number of d10 of damage equal to the total
number of times he selected this ability to allocate among all targets
in visual range. Balefire can provide illumination but deals 1 hit point
of damage to the character each round the character calls it for this
purpose.

Grant of Claims: the character gains the word, Envy, which can be
substituted or added to keen (giving +2 to keen actions if the
character has both). The infernal powers will send either a mortal
minion or an imp to assure the character of his rights and suggest
ways to secure them once per day.

Grant of Distraction: the character gains the word, Despair, which

can be substituted or added to wise (giving +2 to wise actions if the
character has both. The infernal powers will send either a mortal
minion or an imp to distract the character with diversions and
amusements once per day.

Grant of Fury: the character gains the word, Wrathful, which can be
substituted or added to brave (giving +2 to brave actions if the
character has both). The infernal powers will send a mortal minion (if
possible) or a minor demon to assist the character in battle no more
than once per day.
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Grant of Pleasure: the character gains the word, Lustful, which can
be substituted or added to friendly (giving +2 to friendly actions if the
character has both). The infernal powers will send a mortal minion
or succubus to engage with the character for no more than one hour
per day.

Grant of Plenty: the character gains the word, Glutton, which can be
substituted or added to kind (giving +2 to kind actions if the character
has both). The infernal powers will send either a mortal minion or a
minor demon with food and drink for the character (but not anyone
else) once per day.

Grant of Service: the character gains the word, Slothful, which can be
substituted or added to handy (giving +2 to handy actions if the
character has both). The infernal powers will send a mortal minion
or minor demon to perform a simple task on the character’s behalf
no more than once per day.

Grant of Wealth: the character gains the word, Greedy, which can be
substituted or added to educated (giving +2 to educated actions if
the character has both). The infernal powers will deliver 2d10 copper
pennies to the character every day via a mortal minion or an infernal
gift. Each time the character selects this gift he gains an additional
+1d10.

Hellforged Blade: the infernal’s weapons drip red, sooty hellfire.

This flame deals +1 damage to any being which has an alignment.
This ability may be selected multiple times. This fire does not provide
illumination.
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Good: Touched by the Light

The mythic forces of good focus on the “big picture”. That is another
way of saying that although they desire the individual good of all,
they are also willing to sacrifice themselves (but not others for the
good of all. This sacrifice serves as a reflection of the light which
illuminates all of creation.

The powers gained by aligning with the mythic good reflect this ethos
of self-sacrifice and individual service.

Abjure (Solid, Wise): the goodman can target one mythic being of a
type he can affect within visual range with this action. If the action is
successful, that target must make a saving throw (brave, solid) or flee
the area until he does so. The each time the goodman selects this
ability he may select one mythic alignment (chaotic, evil, or lawful).
Each time he selects this ability after the first, the goodman may
instead choose to add an additional target to his abjuration.

Bless (Friendly, Wise): the goodman gains the ability to bless a

number of targets equal to the number of times he selected this
ability. Each time he blesses a target the goodman gives it one of the
following descriptions until the end of the scene: brave, friendly,
gentle, keen, sharp, strong, or wise.

Holy Blade: the goodman’s weapons blaze with pure white fire. This
flame deals +1 damage to any being which has an alignment. This
ability may be selected multiple times and does not provide
illumination.

Lay on Hands (Kind, Wise): the goodman gains the ability to heal
others (but not himself) with a touch. On a successful roll this ability
heals 1d10 hit points, +3 for each time the ability is selected after the
first.
45

Reflected Light (Brave, Wise): the goodman’s spirit acts as a mirror

for heaven’s light. On a successful roll the goodman is a light source
for one round and deceptions/illusions (including glamours) must
make a saving throw or be destroyed.

Sacrifice (Gentle, Wise): the goodman may make a saving throw for
another character using this action. If he fails, he takes the effect he
was saving against onto himself.

Sanctuary (Gentle, Wise): the goodman’s presence stills savagery

and strife. Everyone within close range of the goodman when he
succeeds at using this ability must make a saving throw (brave, sharp)
to initiate a combat action. Once the save is made the character may
take his action; an attacked character does not have to make a save
to reply in kind.

Smite (Brave, Wise): the goodman can channel holy fire to strike his
foes. On a successful roll, the goodman’s target takes 1d10 damage
for each time the goodman selected this ability. Infernal targets take
½ (rounded down) of this damage directly to hit points, bypassing
armor.
46

Law: Authority and Responsibility

The mythic powers of order care nothing for compassion, mercy,
greed, or wrath. They care only that things proceed along their
appointed course, in compliance with the laws laid down long ago.

Those who align themselves with Order must abstain from breaking
these ancient laws or find themselves outcast. Each rank the
character gains in Law, he takes on a new geas or taboo, an action or
thing which he either is obligated to perform or must avoid at all
costs. Failure to comply with his restrictions causes the character to
lose access to his lawful abilities for until dawn the next day.

The abilities of law may be selected multiple times. Each time after
the first the orderly chooses this ability he may increase the number
of targets he can affect by +1 or give himself a +1 to the action’s roll.

Command (Educated, Sharp): the orderly’s authority over the seen

and unseen allows him to issue a one-word command which, if he is
successful, the target must obey. The target obeys the command
until he makes his saving throw (fey, solid, wise).

Geas (Educated, Wise): the orderly can lay a geas or taboo on

someone. The geas cannot be more than ten words long. Any time
the target breaks the geas, he must make a saving throw (fey, wise)
or suffer a -1 penalty to all rolls until dawn the next day. The geas
lasts until the orderly removes it or the target makes a number of
saving throws equal to the total number of ranks the character has
allocated to this talent.

Forbid (Educated, Keen): the orderly can forbid an action from

taking place at any time in the initiative order. If he succeeds at this
action, the targeted character must make a saving throw (fey, tricky,
wise) or his action automatically fails. This action may be used a
number of times per round equal to the number of targets the
47

orderly can affect, but it takes the place of the orderly’s normal
action.

Rebuke (Educated, Sharp): the orderly’s sharp words for

lawbreakers send them reeling. On a successful roll, this ability
inflicts one of bleeding (1d4 damage per round), cripple (-1 to all
rolls), or stun (lose the next action) on one target unless the target
makes a saving throw (fey, solid, wise).

Patterned Blade: the orderly’s weapons dance with geometric

shapes cut from blue light. This light deals +1 damage to any being
which has an alignment. This ability may be selected multiple times
and does not provide illumination.
48

Magic: Betwixt and Between

The art of bringing the mythic into the mundane world. Magic-users
specialize in bringing forth spells by either casting or enacting rituals.
Both approaches consume reagents, raw materials the magic-user
manipulates to cause his effects.

Spells are organized into circles representing levels of difficulty.

Circle 1 spells are easily mastered even by apprentice wizards. Circle
2 and 3 spells are more difficult but not outside the bounds of
possibility. Higher circle spells exist but are outside the scope of this
supplement.

A magic user can cast one spell per round at the base cost of 1
reagent and making a d10 roll. Rituals take a number of rounds equal
to the spell’s circle and consume an equal amount of reagents but do
not require a d10 roll to succeed. A ritual spell takes effect in the
round after the magic-user completes it.

Reagents: Investing in Spells and Rituals

Magic users invoke magical spells in one of two ways: casting and
ritual. As mentioned above, casting requires a base of 1 reagent and
a ritual requires a base equal to the circle of the spell.

Additionally many spells allow the magic-user to “invest” additional

reagents to increase the spell’s effects or duration. Reagent
investment is made before any roll required by the casting type and
they are consumed whether the spell is successful or not.

If a ritual is “spoiled” by the magic-user taking damage during the

casting, all reagents (circle requirement + invested) are lost.

Some magic-user talents (Conservative Casting, Ritualist) allow the

magic-user to retain some or all of his invested reagents in the event
of a failed casting.
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Enchanted Items: Rings, Rods, Runestones, Staves, and

Wands
Magic-users seem to be endlessly fascinated with enchanted baubles
and trinkets. This fascination stems from a very practical source;
properly enchanted devices can take the place of reagents and even
spell knowledge. These “baubles” may be useless to non-magicians
but are vital to those who know how to use them.

Rings allow a magic-user or mundane to cast a spell which he does

not otherwise know. This spell does not take a reagent but the ring
may only be used a specific number of times per day (usually 3 to 5).

Rods serve as ritual reagents which are not consumed for spells of a
particular school. For example, an arcane rod can act as a ritual
reagent for all arcane school spells but not for elemental or
summoning spells.

Runestones are inscribed with mythic symbols which empower a

specific spell. A runestone takes the place of the reagent for a
specific spell when the magic-user casts it. If the magic-user rolls a 1
when casting the spell, the runestone is destroyed.

Staves serve as focuses for the tremendous mythic powers the

magic-user calls to his command. A staff adds +1 to any spell the
wizard attempts to cast from a specific school and may have slots for
1d4 runestones as well.

Wands contain both spell and reagent but are consumed when used.
A magic-user can use a wand to cast the spell within the wand. Each
time he does so, the wand reduces by 1 “charge”. Wands are
typically found with between 2 and 20 (2d10) charges and cannot be
recharged.

One of these items count as 1 carried item for encumbrance

purposes.
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Schools of Magic
All magic-users start with access to the Arcane school, the basis of
magical theory and practice. Other schools are available via talents
learned as the magic-user increases his class rank and include:

Abjuration: binds magical forces into protective wards. These spells

protect from harm and deflect the mythic powers wielded by many
supernatural creatures. The primary word for abjuration is solid.

Celestial: calls down the light of the stars to provide aid and support
to the magic-user and his companions. These spells provide a variety
of subtle effects and are commonly associated with elfin magic-users.
The primary word for celestial magic is fey.

Evocation: calling upon the powers of nature to strike foes. These

spells summon fire, wind, and lightning to deal direct and spectacular
damage. The primary word for evocation is brave.

Necromancy: manipulating the forces of death and decay to gain

knowledge or power. These spells animate the dead, inflict curses,
and channel dark powers onto those who oppose the magic-user.
The primary word for necromancy is wise.

Summoning: draws forth creatures from the far fields to do the

magic-user’s bidding. These creatures resent being summoned and
may do mischief (or worse) before they return to their own realms.
The primary word for summoning is charming.

More information about advanced schools will be placed in a

forthcoming supplement.
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Arcane School: Spell List

The following spells are available to all magic-users in the
borderlands. Other or more advanced spells may be available to
those with knowledge of a specific schools or special talents.

1st Circle (1 reagent to cast, 1 round/reagent as ritual)

Comprehend (Educated, Sharp): on a successful cast, the magic-user
can understand the words he hears even if they are in a language he
does not know for 1 turn + 1 turn per reagent invested.

Detect Magic (Educated, Keen): on a successful cast, the magic-user

automatically detects (as a search action) one (1) magical effect +1
per reagent invested in the immediate area.

Light (Educated, Handy): on a successful cast, the magic-user creates

light enough to see by for 1 turn + 1 turn per reagent invested.

Magic Missile (Educated, Keen): on a successful cast, the magic-user

does 1d10 physical damage to one target +1 target per reagent
invested within visual range.

Protection from (Mythic) (Educated, Wise): on a successful cast, the

magic-user or one target he touches gains +2 to saving throws to
resist effects from one of the four mythic powers (chaos, evil, good,
law) and +2 natural armor vs. their effects. The mythic power is
selected when the spell is cast. Protection from (mythic) lasts for one
(1) round +1 per reagent invested.

Read Script (Educated, Sharp): on a successful cast, the magic-user

can read one unknown script for (one) 1 turn +1 turn per reagent
invested.

Shield (Educated, Solid): on a successful cast, the magic-user takes

1d less damage from one attack of his choosing each round. This
spell lasts for 1 round + 1 round per reagent invested.
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Sleep (Educated, Tricky): on a successful cast, 1d4 targets + 1d4 per

reagent invested must make a saving throw (fey, solid, wise) or fall
into slumber. They may continue to make saving throws until they
awaken or someone strikes them, causing them to awaken without
losing their action.

2nd Circle (1 reagent to cast, 2 round/reagent as ritual)

Continual Light (Educated, Handy): on a successful cast, creates an
immobile light source which lasts for 1 phase + 1 phase per reagent
invested in the spell at the time of casting.

Darkness (Educated, Handy): on a successful cast, creates a globe of

darkness which extinguishes all light within it. Elves and some other
creatures can see normally in the gloom. Darkness be countered
with a continual light spell. Lasts for 1 phase + 1 phase per reagent
invested in the spell at the time of casting unless countered.

Detect Evil (Educated, Keen): on a successful cast, instantly sense

mythic evil beings or objects aligned with mythic evil for one (1)
round plus 1 round per reagent invested. Each round the spell is
maintained, the magic-user makes one (1) progress towards
searching out an evil target in discovery conflicts.

Floating Disk (Educated, Solid): on a successful cast, this spell

creates an invisible disk about the size of a large shield. The shield
lasts for 1 turn + 1 turn per reagent spent and can carry 5 items.

Invisibility (Educated, Sneaky): on a successful cast, instantly

become invisible. So long as the magic-user does not move he
cannot be seen (automatic success at avoiding detection) but can still
be sensed by other means. Invisibility lasts until the magic-user
moves and no more than 1 turn +1 turn per reagent expended.

Knock (Educated, Handy): on a successful cast, open a simple lock (1

progress required) or begin to open a more complex one.
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Mirror Image (Educated, Tricky): on a successful cast the magic-user

is surrounded by 1d4 images. For a number of rounds equal to 1 +1
per additional reagent invested in the spell during its casting, the
magic-user user rolls a d4 every time he is successful attacked. On a
roll of 4, he takes damage – otherwise a duplicate takes the blow and
vanishes.

Wizard Lock (Educated, Tricky): on a successful cast, locks a door or

container with a 2 difficulty lock. The lock lasts for 1 phase + 1 phase
per additional reagent invested in the spell at the time of casting.

3rd Circle (1 reagent to cast, 3 round/reagent as ritual)

Dispel Magic (Educated, Wise): on a successful cast, this spell causes
a magical effect to make a saving throw or consume 1 unit (+1 unit
per reagent invested in the dispel magic during its casting) of the
target’s remaining duration.

Fly (Educated, Graceful): on a successful cast the magic-user or one

companion of his choice gains the ability to fly. This ability remains in
effect for 1 round + 1 round per reagent invested in the spell during
its casting.

Hold Person (Educated, Solid): on a successful cast one target must

attempt a saving throw (big, strong) or be paralyzed for no longer
than 1 round + 1 round per reagent invested in this spell at the time
of its casting.

Protection from (Mythic) 15 ft. radius (Educated, Wise): on a

successful cast, the magic-user or one target he touches and all allies
within 15ft gain a +2 to saving throws to resist effects from one of
the four mythic powers (chaos, evil, good, law). The mythic power is
selected when the spell is cast. Protection from (mythic) lasts for a
number of rounds equal to the magic-user’s rank.

Tongues (Educated, Sharp): on a successful cast the magic-user

gains the ability to understand and speak one mundane language of
54

his choice. This ability lasts for 1 turn + 1 turn per reagent invested in
the spell at the time of its casting.