CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Features Of The Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3What You’ll Need To Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4What This Book Contains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4An Example Of Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chapter 2 Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Generating A Character Step 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Generating A Character Step 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Generating A Character Step 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Generating A Character Step 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Generating A Character Step 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Character Generation Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Chapter 3 Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13The Basic Skill Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Difficulty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14When To Apply Difficulty Modifiers. . . . . . . . . . 14Opposed Skill Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Very High Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Skill Descriptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Chapter 4 Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22In-game Economics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Close Combat Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Ranged Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Armour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25General Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Animals & Transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Chapter 5 Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Summary Of Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Movement Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Standard Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Close Combat Attacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Reactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Two Weapon Use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Close Combat Skills Greater Than 100%. . . . . . . 32Ranged Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Damage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Major Wounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Mounted Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Unarmed Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Grappling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Chapter 6 Innate Magic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Magic Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Learning Innate Magic Casting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Learning Innate Magic Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Casting Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Spell Traits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Innate Magic Spell List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chapter 7 Sorcery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Learning Sorcery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Casting Sorcery Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Corruption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Spell Traits & Descriptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Sorcery Spell List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Chapter 8 Adventures & Quests. . . . . . . . 52A Typical Game Part 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52A Typical Game Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52A Typical Game Part 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Improvement Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Fate Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Opportunities For Further Adventures. . . . . . . . . 54Campaigns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Improving Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Improving Outside Of Adventures. . . . . . . . . . . . 55Situational Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Illumination & Darkness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Fatigue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Exposure, Starvation, and Thirst. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Healing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Encumbrance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Falling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Suffocation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Fire & Heat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Poison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Disease. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Inanimate Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Chapter 9 Creatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Using The Monster List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61The Horde Rule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Treasure & Magic Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62The Monster List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Beastlings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Demons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Dire Beasts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Dragons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Fellgrim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Giant Spiders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Great Eagles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Orcs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Sorcerers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Spirits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Trolls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Vampires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Walking Dead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Werewolves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Wildlings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72The Animal List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Open Game Licence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Author: Kristian RichardsCover Art: Kristian Richards

Interior Art: Kristian RichardsThe Age Of Shadow - Version 1.01 - August 2011

All artwork copyright © Kristian Richards 2011

Note that The Age Of Shadow uses the OpenQuestDevelopers Kit by D101 games (which in turn usesMongoose Publishing’s RuneQuest System ResourceDocument).In addition the entire text portion of this book is releasedunder the Open Gaming Licence (OGL).

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CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION

Welcome to a world of adventure!“Beastlings!” Garron spat the word out as

though it pained him to do so. He could seethem more clearly now, perhaps half a dozenof the vile creatures, gathered close togetheraround a small fire pit at the centre of theclearing. Amongst them stood a large brutishfigure with a broad back and long sinewyarms that hung down past its knees. In the dimlight of the fire its face took on an almostdemonic form as it barked out orders to someof the shorter, bowlegged figures.

“I have never known them venture so farsouth,” whispered Elinell, his sister, from alittle way behind. “Perhaps it would be wiserto turn back?”

Anthar stood nearby, silently shaking hishead in disagreement. Unlike his travellingcompanions, he was no elf, and the men of hishousehold had already suffered much at thehands of the enemy. Even from here the foulstench of the beastly creatures was vaguelyperceptible, and the thought of themjourneying freely in these lands pained himgrievously.

…so what happens next?If this were a novel we would be reading

what the author intends to happen next to ourgroup of heroes. Perhaps Anthar and his twoelven companions charged into the camp withweapons drawn and slew the creatures withlittle effort; or maybe the elves persuadedAnthar that now was not the best time for himto seek his revenge, and the trio went on tofind an alternate route to their destination (andto whatever peril may await them there). Butyou are not passively reading this in a book -you are sat around a table with some of yourfriends, each of whom has taken on the role ofGarron, Elinell, and Anthar, while anotherfriend (who is the appointed Game Master) hasbeen describing the creatures and their camp toyou all.

…so what do I do now?Whatever happens next is for you to decide.

If Anthar is your character (i.e. your alter egowithin the game) then maybe you decide todraw your sword and charge the largest brutewith little regard for your own safety, ormaybe you and the other players decide to fitarrows to your bows and fire a volley at thesmaller creatures first. It’s entirely up to you.You can tell the Game Master whatever youwant based upon what you know aboutAnthar’s abilities and personality, and thenyou and the Game Master narrate the result ofyour decision - often making a dice roll todetermine how successful your actions are(this is explained later). Play then continues,with more decisions, rewards and risks, untilthe adventure comes to its natural conclusion.

…what is this game about?It is worth noting that The Age Of Shadow

is a roleplaying game based upon theOpenQuest system by Newt Newport(available from www.d101games.co.uk). Assuch, The Age Of Shadow is a game of fantasyadventure - a game that takes place in theimagination of its players, in a world wheremonsters exist and magic is quite real. Theplayers can take on the roles of brave warriors,crafty thieves, noble elves, or any other type offantasy character.

As mentioned above, the game requires anumber of players to take on the role of thestory’s protagonists (called Player Charactersor PCs for short), and one player to act as akind of impartial referee to play out the rolesof the other characters and monsters that thePCs interact with (called the Game Master orGM for short).

These roles are explained in a little moredetail below:

Players: The game will usually consist ofaround 5 players, four of whom will take onthe role of a single character known as aPlayer Character. This character becomes thatplayer’s alter ego within the fantasy world andhas a set of numbers that describe theirabilities (which are written down on acharacter sheet). Otherwise they exist only inthe imagination of the player and come to life

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during the game (though you may find somekind of counter or miniature to represent yourcharacter useful at times - but it is notabsolutely necessary).

Game Master: The Game Master is the playerwho is in charge of running the fantasy worldand the Non-Player Characters (NPCs) that theplayers encounter during their adventures.Typically the GM describes the scene that thePCs find themselves in - including details ofthe location, the non-player characters, andanything else that is relevant. The players thentake turns in describing their character’sactions (making any relevant dice rolls that theGM deems necessary) and the GM informsthem of the results of their actions (see theexample at the end of this chapter to see howthe game plays).

Features Of The RulesThe Setting

For the most part this book concentrates onthe rules aspect of fantasy roleplaying anddoes not concern itself much with the settingin which the player characters find themselves(though a small map can be found at the end ofthe book to help get you started). However, thedefault rules do assume a few common fantasyarchetypes, such as the existence of a DarkLord (or lords), and the presence of elves,men, fantastical creatures, and so on.

Flexible Character Creation& Advancement

In this game you decide what your characterwill be like and choose the skills, weapons andmagic that they are proficient in. As thecharacter grows during play the player chooseswhich areas the character should advance in.At no point does the character get tied down toa set path determined by the boundaries of apredefined character type or class.

Percentile RollsThe core game mechanic is the percentile

roll. The character’s chance to succeed at anygiven task is expressed as a percentage. Forexample Anthar’s chance to hit with his Sword

is 55%. This is then rolled on a ‘d100’: two tensided dice of different colours thrown togetherwith one acting as the ‘tens’ value and theother as the ‘units.’ The dice determinewhether the character succeeds in combat andeither hits an opponent or not.

SimplicityWhile other d100 roleplaying games modify

the chance of success by adding a 10% hereand taking a 5% away there, The Age OfShadow avoids some of this complexity. If aroll is modified then it is by adding ameaningful modifier, such as 25% or even50%. Not only does this remove the amount offiddly additions and subtractions players haveto do, but it means that when modifiers areapplied to dice rolls they have a meaningfuland significant effect on play.

Other d100 roleplaying games may also aska player to roll not once but twice to attemptsome tasks. As far as possible The Age OfShadow tries to keep dice rolling down to abare minimum, so that the system stays in thebackground and the players and Game Mastercan enjoy their roleplaying.

Risky And Dangerous CombatWeapon and armour rules are kept to a

minimum to preserve the game’s goal ofkeeping things simple. The game models aworld where combat is always a risk andcharacters face grievous (and sometimespermanent) damage if they take the violentoption.

Two Approaches To MagicIn The Age Of Shadow there are two magic

systems - innate magic and sorcery.

Innate Magic: This is the most basic type ofmagic, and the ability to wield it is derivedfrom the inherent power contained within theindividual. As far as player characters go, onlyelves (or those of elven lineage) are able toobtain spells of this kind.

Sorcery: Sorcery on the other hand, is themagic which draws upon the very fabric of theworld itself. However, the default settingassumes that the entire world has been taintedin some fashion by the dark powers (to

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varying degrees), as much of their own powerwas put forth into it - so that no corner hasgone unmarred. Therefore, sorcery spells arepotentially the most powerful and the mostflexible form of magic, but dabbling in the artis both perilous and time consuming -demanding extensive study and understanding.

What You’ll Need To PlayA set of polyhedral dice: These can be

obtained from online suppliers or your localgame store. As well as the familiar six sideddice that come with most board games, youwill need dice with four, eight, ten, twelve,and twenty sides. Dice are referred to as d(x)in the rules, where (x) is the number of sidesof the dice. For example d10 refers to a tensided dice.

The most commonly used dice in game ared100s. These are not actually one hundredsided dice, but two d10s that are rolledtogether. Therefore, before the dice are rolledyou must state which will be the ‘tens’ die andwhich will be ‘units’ (note that some dice arealready numbered in this manner).

For example, if you are using a blue d10 forthe ‘tens’ and a red d10 for the ‘units’ and thengo on to roll a result of a two on the blue dieand a five on the red die, your d100 resultwould be 25.

d20 d12 d10 d10 d8 d6 d4(tens) (units)

Paper: You’ll need paper for note taking,drawing maps, and any other quickexplanatory pictures or diagrams that eitherthe players or the Game Master want to drawto help describe what is going on during thegame. You can also find a character sheet atthe back of the book that you will need to printout for each player character.

Time: Game play usually happens in‘sessions’ of three to four hours. Sessions cantake more or less time usually determined bysuch factors as the players concentration and

enjoyment, coming to a natural end of theadventure, or reaching a climactic cliff hangerwhere play can be picked up again quicklyafter a short recap at the next session.

Some friends: Roleplaying games areinherently social, so you need at least twoplayers; one to play the heroes of the story andthe other to be the Game Master. More playerscan be added, and the usual number is four tosix players and one Game Master. Any morethan six players and it becomes difficult forthe Game Master to get round the table to findout what each player wants to do.

Imagination: The Age Of Shadow takesplace in the imagination of the players andGame Master. Although miniatures andbattlemats (available online and at gamesstores) can be used to help the playersvisualise the action (which may be especiallyuseful during combat situations), at the end ofthe day the game stands or falls on how muchthe players and Game Master use the power oftheir imagination to fuel the story they areco-creating.

What This Book ContainsIn addition to this introduction the book

contains the following chapters.

Characters: This chapter gives rules andadvice on how to create your character, whichis your alter ego in the fantasy world.

Skills: This chapter details the skills that yourcharacter will use to perform tasks and actions.It gives rules on how skills are used in varioustypes of situations.

Equipment: The tools of your character’strade. All the weapons, armour, and otherpieces of equipment your character will needare found here.

Combat: Hand-to-hand, missile, and unarmedcombat are the meat of this chapter.

Innate Magic: This chapter details the basicrules as to how innate magic works within thegame. It also lists all the available spells fromthat system.

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Sorcery: This chapter deals with an advancedtype of magic known as sorcery.

Adventures And Quests: This chaptercontains a number of ‘situational rules’ thatcover most of the hazards that a character mayencounter during their adventures - such aspoison, disease, falling, fatigue, andencumbrance. Also practical advice for playerson what to expect on an adventure, how toimprove their characters, and what theircharacters can do in-between adventures.

Creatures: A selection of some of thecommon creatures and monsters that inhabitthe fantasy world. This chapter is for the GM’seyes only and concludes with a listing ofcreatures, with full game rules and statistics.

An Example Of PlayThe following example shows how a game

might develop if applied to the opening text inthis chapter. You’ll get to see how the gameprogresses as a conversation between theplayers and the Game Master (with theoccasional dice roll thrown in where the actionis less than clear). Don’t worry how thenumbers are worked out at this stage (or howthe rules actually work), as all that will beexplained later in this book.

For now, all that’s important is that John isthe GM and three of his friends are eachplaying as one of the PCs. Gary is playingGarron (a young Elf), Emily is playing Elinell(Garron’s elder sister), and Andrew is playingAnthar (a reckless human warrior).

John: OK, so at the end of the last session youwere journeying through a dark wooded areawhen you came upon a band of beastlings thathad made their camp in a small clearing. Whatwould you like to do?Andrew: Anthar draws his sword and lookseager for battle.Emily: Elinell fits an arrow to her bow andwhispers “I still think it would be wiser to tryand find another way around them.”Gary: Garron unslings his shield and readieshis sword. Then he whispers “I agree withAnthar …we cannot allow these foul creaturesto roam at will through these lands.”

Emily: Since it looks like Elinell is outvoted 2to 1, I guess we’ll be attacking the monsters.OK then, Elinell will nod to her brother andthen target the largest creature and be ready tofire as soon as Anthar and Garron make theirmove.John: OK, what are Garron and Antharactually doing at this moment in time?Andrew: Anthar will try to sneak toward theedge of the clearing - just as far as the edge ofthe trees.Gary: So will Garron.John: OK, both of you need to make adeception roll to avoid being spotted.Andrew: I rolled a 56 and I only have a scoreof 30 …so I failed. It looks like Anthar stepson an old branch and it makes a loud crackingnoise as he approaches.Gary: I rolled a 23 and I have a score of 44, soI make it.John: Not necessarily, let me make aperception roll for the beastlings. Well, I got a93 for the smaller ones, so they are completelyoblivious to both of you, but I rolled a 13 fortheir large captain, which is easily a pass forhim.Gary: But I rolled higher …so he didn’tnotice me right?John: That’s right …Garron’s approach goesunnoticed, but the bestial-looking captain doeshear the loud ‘crack’ when Anthar steps on thebranch, and looking up he easily spots Antharas he darts between the trees. Andrew: Well there goes the element ofsurprise.John: Right then. As soon as the thing seesyou it lets out a bloodcurdling roar and beginsto bark out orders to its comrades as it reachesdown to pick up its huge axe.Emily: OK, I’ll assume that things aren’t quitegoing according to plan, so Elinell will cursequietly under her breath and fire her arrow atthe brute.John: OK, make your roll…

Of course, this is just a brief example ofhow a combat situation might arise during thecourse of the game (and judging by thisexample, our ‘heroes’ may have bitten off alittle more than they can chew).

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CHAPTER 2CHARACTERS

What Is A Player Character?A character is your representation in the

game - your eyes, ears, touch, taste, and smellin the imaginary world that you and yourfellow players create.

On the one hand the character is acollection of numbers which describe his orher characteristics, skills, and magic spells -all of which are written down on a charactersheet. This chapter will explain how youcreate these numbers in a process known as‘Character Generation.’

But that’s only half of what a character is.The other half exists mainly in the imaginationof the player, with perhaps some quick noteson the character sheet. This half is thepersonality of the character and otherintangibles such as goals and past history.These are the things that you can’t express incold hard numbers, which really bring thecharacter to life and give the player guidelineson how the character acts and thinks.

Character GenerationThe process of creating a character is

known as ‘Character Generation.’ In The AgeOf Shadow character generation is a simplefive step process - and at each step the playermakes decisions about what their character isgoing to be like at the beginning of the game(which is usually while they are still a youngadult, or maybe at a particular turning point intheir lives).

Generating A Character Step 1- Characteristics -

These are the primary building blocks ofthe character. All characters and creatureshave seven characteristics which give the basicinformation about the character’s physical,mental, and spiritual capabilities. As well asbeing useful indicators of how to roleplay thecharacter (see below) they are the scores thatskills are initially based upon.

The seven characteristics are:

Strength (STR): Strength is a measure of acharacter’s brute force. It affects the amount ofdamage he deals, what weapons he can wieldeffectively, how much he can lift, and so on.

Constitution (CON): This is a measure of thecharacter’s health. Constitution affects howmuch damage he can sustain in combat, aswell as his general resistance to disease andother illnesses.

Dexterity (DEX): Dexterity represents acharacter’s agility, co-ordination, and speed ofreaction. It aids him in many physical actions,including combat.

Size (SIZ): This is an indication of thecharacter’s mass and (like Strength &Constitution) can affect the amount of damagea character can deal, and also how well he canabsorb damage.

Intelligence (INT): This is a character’sability to think around problems, analyseinformation, and memorise instructions.Intelligence is a very useful characteristic forcharacters interested in becomingaccomplished spellcasters.

Power (POW): Perhaps the most abstractcharacteristic, Power is a measure of thecharacter’s life force and the strength of hiswillpower.

Charisma (CHA): This quantifies acharacter’s attractiveness and leadershipqualities.

Generating CharacteristicsIn The Age Of Shadow most PCs will start

with characteristics that fall within the rangeof 6-18. Each of these characteristics isgenerated randomly by rolling a number ofsix-sided dice (d6s) and totalling the result. Insome cases this total is also modified byadding a further +6 or +3 to the result (seetable 2.1). In addition to this, it is also worthnoting that players are always allowed tore-roll any dice that give a result of 1.

But before any rolls are made you will firstneed to decide upon the race of your character,as this will affect the amount of dice you willbe required to roll.

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In line with OpenQuest’s stance on keepingthings simple (OpenQuest being the rulesetthat The Age Of Shadow is based upon) theplayers may choose to play either a human, anelf, or a dwarf (i.e. no attempt has been madeto divide these three races into furthersubtypes or different cultures with regard totheir starting characteristics). However, it maybe beneficial for new players, or players notfamiliar with the setting in which they will beplaying, to begin their first few games withhuman characters.

Once you have decided which race youwould like to play, you should then consulttable 2.1 (shown below) to obtain the numberof dice you need to roll for each of yourcharacteristics (as well as any modificationsyou might need to make to the totals).

Note that all dice rolls of 1 are re-rolled.2d6+32d6+63d6CHA

3d62d6+63d6POW2d6+62d6+62d6+6INT1d6+62d6+62d6+6SIZ2d6+32d6+63d6DEX3d6+62d6+63d6CON2d6+63d63d6STRDwarfElfHuman

Table 2.1 Characteristics

These totals should then be added to yourcharacter sheet.

Using Characteristics In RoleplayingAs well as being numbers that are used to

calculate the skills and attributes that influencethe dice rolls during the game, characteristicscan also be used to give rough ideas as to whatthe character is like. For example, the averagehuman PC will have scores of around 13, so acharacter with a Strength of 17 will be ofabove average strength and posses a tonedphysique. A character with a Charisma of 7 onthe other hand is well below average - perhapsbeing shy or obnoxious and socially inept.

Characters with a few low characteristicsmay at first glance look undesirable, onaccount of how base skills are affected, butactually they present good opportunities forroleplaying the flaws of the character, and maymake the character more interesting as a result.

However, if any players are genuinelyunhappy with the characteristics they haverolled, then they should be allowed to re-rollthe entire batch again (so long as the GMagrees).

Generating A Character Step 2- Attributes -

Attributes are a set of secondary scores thatdefine the character’s potential to do and takephysical damage, and the amount of magicalenergy available to the character. Attributesare determined from the character’scharacteristic scores.

Damage Modifier (DM): The damagemodifier applies whenever the character uses amelee or thrown weapon. It is calculated byadding the character’s Strength and Sizetogether (since bigger, stronger, charactersdeal out more damage than smaller, weakercharacters). The damage modifier is calculatedby consulting table 2.2 below.

+1d6Every additional 15+4d676-90+3d661-75+2d646-60+1d631-45+1d426-30

+016-25-1d411-15-1d61-10

Damage ModifierTotal of STR & SIZTable 2.2 Damage Modifier Table

Hit Points (HP): These determine how muchdamage the character can sustain beforereaching unconsciousness or death. Hit pointsequal Size plus Constitution divided by 2(rounded up).

Major Wound Level: When the charactertakes this amount of damage in one go, theysuffer a major wound. Major wounds areinjuries (such as a severed limb, brokenribcage, or broken skull) which may render thecharacter unconscious immediately and leavepermanent affects if not healed by powerfulmagic. Major wound level is equal to total hitpoints divided by two (rounded up).

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Magic Points (MP): These are used toactivate any spells the character knows. Thecharacter’s starting magic points will be equalto the character’s POW.

Corruption Level: This is a measure of howmuch the character has been affected bysorcerous spells and items (corruption iscovered in the sorcery section). All charactersbegin the game with a corruption level of zero.

Movement Rate: This is the amount in metresthat a character can move in a five secondcombat round. Human and elf characters havea movement rate of 14 metres. Dwarves have amovement rate of 10 metres.

Generating A Character Step 3- Skills -

Skills are things that the character can do.They represent very specific areas of expertise,and when they are used in play the player rollsd100 and compares the result to their skill. Aroll equal to or less than the skill percentageusually indicates that the skill has been usedsuccessfully. For example, Garron has aDodge skill of 54%, which means that incombat he has to roll 54 or under on d100 toavoid the incoming blows of his opponent.

What The Numbers MeanTable 2.3 (below) translates the skill

percentage into a ‘real world’ description ofthe level of expertise.

The acknowledged best inthat skill, and regularlyperforms the seeminglyimpossible in extremelydifficult conditions.

Master100%+

A local expert in the skill,who can perform it undermost conditions with easeand elegance.

Expert76-99%

Someone who regularlyuses the skill as part oftheir everyday life.

Veteran51-75%

Someone who is learningthe skill.Apprentice26-50%

Someone with virtually noexperience with the skill.Novice0-25%

DescriptionExpertiseSkillTable 2.3 Skill Levels

Looking at the above table you can see thatGarron, with his Dodge of 54%, is quiteproficient in the skill, having an expertise levelof veteran (probably learned from his previousexperiences on the battlefield).

Skill ListsThe following tables list all the skills that

every character possesses and the character-istics used to determine the skill’s base score.The tables also give each skill a briefdescription of what the skill does, but a moredetailed description is given in the skillschapter.

Skills are grouped into the followingcategories for easy reference:

Practical Skills: These skills measure thecharacter’s ability to perform a variety ofeveryday and specialist tasks.

Knowledge Skills: These skills measure theintellectual skills of the character.

Resistances: These are skills that get thecharacter out of harm’s way.

Combat Skills: These skills measure thecharacter’s skills in physical violence.

Magic Skills: These skills cover either castingmagic or knowledge of magical practices.

Note that some skills, such as Lore (Type),Language (Other), etc. have a descriptor inbrackets after the main skill name. Thisdenotes that at the time of points allocation theplayer must decide what ‘type’ or ‘other’ is.For example Language (Other) could beLanguage (Elvish).

Practical SkillsThese skills allow the character to do things

in the game - with Athletics, Influence, andPerception being called upon reasonablyfrequently. Also, if your character’s concept isthat of a rogue then Deception, Mechanisms,and Streetwise deserve some points. If you seeyour character as a dwarven craftsman thenCraft and Engineering are skills to increase. Ifyour character has a background ofentertaining people, Performance is a skill topick. If your character concept is any form ofmerchant then Trade is a must buy.

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This skill is used bymerchants / traders tovalue and sell goods.

INT+10Trade

How well thecharacter operates ina city environment.Finding informationand navigating thecity streets arecovered by this skill.

POW+CHAStreetwise

This skill covers theuse of ships andboats.

DEX+INTSailing

Used when tryingtricky manoeuvreswhen riding animalssuch as horses,camels, and evenmore fantastic beastssuch as giant eagles.

DEX+POWRiding

Acting, playinginstruments, dancing,and singing are allcovered by this skill.

CHA+10Performance

Used to spot hiddenobjects and smalldetails in the PCsenvironment.

INT+POWPerception

Locks and anythingwith complex movingparts are covered bythis skill.

DEX+INTMechanisms

This is used when thecharacter wants topersuade another todo something againsttheir normal interests.

CHA+10Influence

Healing wounds andtreating disease usingfirst aid and surgery.

INT+10Healing

Large constructionsand siege engines arecovered by this skill.

INT+10Engineering

This skill coversvehicles such as cartsand wagons.

DEX+INTDriving

Stealth, hiding, andpicking pockets areall handled here.

DEX+INTDeception

This skill allows youto make things suchas pots, weapons, andbuildings.

INT+10Craft(Type)

Measures the PCsability at running,lifting, jumping, andclimbing.

STR+DEXAthletics

DescriptionBaseSkillTable 2.4 Practical Skills Knowledge Skills

Knowledge skills are good for charactersthat are sages or scholars (i.e. those who maketheir living from obscure information thatother people do not have the time to learn).Culture (Other) and Language (Other) are alsouseful to characters whose abilities revolvearound communications.

A note on the default languagesElvish - the noble speech of the Elves and thus thecommon speech of the civilised world (note allcharacters gain an additional +20% bonus to thislanguage).High Elvish - the ancient tongue of the Elves(remembered now only as a language of lore).Dwarvish - the secret language of the Dwarves.Mannish - the language spoken in the houses of men.Bestial - the harsh sounding speech of the Enemy(not usually known by the free peoples). Bestial hasno written form.

Other types ofspecialist knowledgeskills, such as Lore(Herbalist) or Lore(Heraldry), that arenot covered by any ofthe above.

INTLore(Type)

Recognising / caringfor animals andplants, predicting theweather, geology, orsurvival in the naturalworld.

INT+10NatureLore

How fluent acharacter is atspeaking a foreignlanguage.

INTLanguage(Other)

How fluent a PC is atspeaking their ownlanguage. A score of80 or more is neededto have the ability toread and write.

INT+40Language(Own)

What a characterknows about thehistory, politics, andgeography of aforeign land.

INTCulture(Other)

What a PC knowsabout the history,politics, geography,etc. of their own landand society.

INT+10Culture(Own)

DescriptionBaseSkillTable 2.5 Knowledge Skills

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ResistancesIt’s worth putting the majority of your

points into Dodge if you are going down theroute of the warrior with your character. If youare thinking more of a magic using characterPersistence is probably more appropriate.Resilience is good for hardy characters thatcan shrug off disease and stay conscious whenthey take damage.

This is a measure of acharacter’s healthand their ability tosurvive exposure,hunger, and thirst. Itis also their chance toresist the effects ofdiseases.

CON+POWResilience

This is a measure of acharacter’s willpowerand resistance againsthostile magic. It isalso rolled to resistattempts to influencethe character againsttheir will.

POW+10Persistence

Gets you out of theway of physicalthreats, such as anincoming axe ordragon breath.

DEX+10Dodge

DescriptionBaseSkillTable 2.6 Resistances

Combat SkillsIt goes without saying that all these skills

are appropriate for characters who want to bewarriors. A few points however in either Closeor Unarmed Combat are useful even fornon-combative characters since these skillscan be used for self-defence.

A character’s skillwith natural weaponssuch as bite, fist,kick, and grapple.

STR+DEXUnarmedCombat

A character’s skillwith missile andthrown weapons, e.g.spears and bows.

DEX+INTRangedCombat

A character’s skillwith melee weapons,such as swords, axes,spears, and shields.

STR+DEXCloseCombat

DescriptionBaseSkillTable 2.7 Combat Skills

Magic SkillsMagic is explained later in this book, but

for now all you need note is that that there aretwo magic skills that relate to the two differenttypes of magic.

Used with Sorcery.This skill is used tocast and manipulatesorcery spells. Forthe non-magician it isyour chance to usetalismans, scrolls, orother sorcery items.

INTSorceryCasting

Used with innatemagic. This skillallows you to usebasic personal magic.

POW X 3InnateCasting

DescriptionBaseSkillTable 2.8 Magic Skills

Calculating SkillsFor each skill calculate the starting value

(i.e. the base score) from the calculationprovided (e.g. when calculating your CloseCombat skill add your STR and DEX scorestogether). Then write this value down on thecharacter sheet next to the relevant skill.

Once that is completed you may thendistribute additional points between theseskills (see below), with a limit of no more than30 points to be allocated to any one skill.

During character generation the player getsa pool of points to spend on each group ofskills. These are as follows:

Practical Skills: 75 points.

Knowledge Skills: 50 points.

Resistances: 50 points.

Combat Skills: 50 points.

Magic Skills: None.

Note that, for ease of use, these additionalpoints are also shown on the character sheet(in the top left corner of each category).

Optional RuleGM’s may allow players to trade some of their skillpoints for extra background points. The firstbackground point gained this way will cost thecharacter 10 skill points, the second will cost 20points, the third 30 points, and so on (so 3 extrabackground points will cost a total of 60 skill points).

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Generating A Character Step 4- Additional Points & Abilities -

Starting characters also begin play with anumber of background points, fate points, andspecial abilities - the number of which isdependant on their race. Each of theseadditional points and abilities are explained inmore detail below.

Background PointsBackground points work in a similar

fashion to improvement points (improvementpoints are explained later in this book), exceptthat players are allowed to use these pointsduring character creation to further customisetheir characters. The number of backgroundpoints available to your character will dependupon his or her race, as shown below:

Humans: The race of men receive 3 back-ground points.

Elves: Elvish folk each receive 1 backgroundpoint.

Dwarves: All dwarves receive 2 backgroundpoints.

The manner in which these points may bespent is shown in table 2.9 below.

*Note that players that choose these options areallowed to choose a single spell from those listed inthe magic chapters of this book. More details on howmagic works will be discussed in those particularchapters, but for now it is worth noting that acharacter will be required to make a casting testwhenever they attempt to cast such a spell (i.e. ad100 roll made against their relevant skill), and thateach spell will require the caster to spend a numberof their magic points in order for it to take effect(note that this cost is doubled for elvish-bloodedhumans casting innate magic spells).

An extra 500 BV worth of equipment(humans only)2 points

An extra 500 BV worth of equipment(elves and dwarves only)1 point

Learn a sorcerous spell*2 points

Learn an innate spell* (elves orhumans with elven lineage only)

1 point /magnitude

Elven lineage (humans only)2 points+1 to any characteristic3 points+1d4% to any two skills1 point+2d4% to any one skill1 point

ImprovementCostTable 2.9 Background Points

Special AbilitiesThe character’s race may also bestow the

character with a few minor special abilities asdetailed below:

Humans: The race of men have no specialabilities.

Elves: Elvish folk have night sight*, areimmune to non-magical diseases, and gain a+25% bonus to Persistence tests made againstthe fear† effect of Fearsome I creatures.

Dwarves: All dwarves have night sight*, theyalso gain a +25% bonus to fatigue‡ tests, andignore overloading‡ penalties.

*This ability allows the character to treatpartial darkness as illuminated, and darknessas only partial darkness. More information onillumination can be found on page 56.

† See page 63‡ See pages 56-58

Fate PointsEvery starting character (except for elves -

see below) begins play with two fate points.These fate points are what distinguishes theplayer characters from the normal ‘stay-at-home’ type folk. They allow a player to:

Re-roll any failed dice roll (note that elvesand humans with elven lineage may insteadopt to make the GM re-roll if they wish).Downgrade a major wound to a normalwound. The character still takes the fulldamage they would normally to their hitpoints, but they do not suffer the messyeffects of a major wound.Avoid character death. If the character’s hitpoints are reduced to zero or less, instead ofdying the character is merely unconscious.The character remains in such a state untilthe combat is over at which point theyawaken with one hit point.

Once fate points are spent they are gone.The Game Master awards fate points at theend of the game session for moments ofoutstanding heroic play.

However, elves (due to their fate being tiedto that of the world) begin the game with asingle fate point. In addition, they may neverhave more than one fate point at any time.

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Generating A Character Step 5- Finishing Off The Character -

By this stage all the hard decisions onmaking your character are over. All thatremains is to note down a few numbers on thecharacter sheet and ponder about thecharacter’s background and motives.

AgeHuman characters start out at any age

between 18 and 28. To randomly determinethis, roll 2d6 and add 16. For dwarvencharacters this number should be doubled(resulting in an age between 36 and 56), andelves should multiply the result by 10 (givingan age range of 180 to 280).

EquipmentEach character typically starts off with

some valuables and the tools of their trade.These include:

Leather armourDaggerBackpackTwo weeks worth of travelling provisionsFlint and tinderWaterskinEither a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon and a shield or a rangedweapon (including ammunition)6d6 x 10 BV* of additional goods

*Each item of equipment in this game hasbeen allocated a particular Barter Value (BV).The figure generated here represents the max.BV worth of additional goods that the playermay begin the game with. More on bartervalues can be found in the equipment chapter.

Background, Appearance, and PersonalityA background is useful not only to give the

character a history before the game starts butalso as a way of noting all the ‘intangible’elements of the character’s personality.

Even if you don’t create a fully written upbackground it is worth making a mental noteof what the character is like as a person androughly what their background is previous toplay, as well as visualising what they actuallylook like.

Character Generation SummaryChoose a race and roll characteristics.Note your character’s damage modifier.Calculate hit points, major wound level,and magic points.Note your character’s corruption level andmovement rate.Total the starting value (i.e. base score) ofeach of your character’s skills.Spend the relevant amount of points oneach group of skills.Check how many background points yourcharacter has, and spend them accordingly.Note any special abilities.Note the number of fate points that yourcharacter receives.Work out your character’s age.Give your character a name and detail asmuch (or as little) of his or her backgroundas you wish.Work out your character’s startingequipment.

36-56180-28018-28Age

212FatePoints

213B’groundPoints

Night-sight

+25 to fat-igue tests

Ignore alloverloadingpenalties

Night-sight

Immune toall naturaldiseases

+25 to Fear-some I tests

N/ASpecialAbilities

10m14m14mMovementRate

- MISCELLANEOUS -+1d631-45+1d426-30

+016-25Damage ModifierTotal of STR & SIZ

- TYPICAL DAMAGE MODIFIERS -Note that all rolls of 1 are re-rolled

2d6+32d6+63d6CHA3d62d6+63d6POW

2d6+62d6+62d6+6INT1d6+62d6+62d6+6SIZ2d6+32d6+63d6DEX3d6+62d6+63d6CON2d6+63d63d6STR

DwarvesElvesHumans- CHARACTERISTICS -

Character Creation Summary

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CHAPTER 3SKILLS

Characters use skills to get things done inthe game. When the outcome of an action is indoubt the Game Master will ask the player tomake a skill test against the relevant skill tosee if his character is successful.

For example:

John: Anthar comes to a large and very deepravine. Far below he can hear water rushingalong the bottom of the ravine, and in front ofhim is the remains of a rope bridge that hasbeen deliberately broken.

Andrew: How far across is it?

John: About four metres.

Andrew: OK, Anthar is going to take arunning jump across the ravine.

John: Give me an Athletics skill test, sincethat covers jumping. You do realise that ifAnthar fails he’s facing a very nasty fall?

Andrew: Yeah, Anthar works that out, butdecides to worry about that when and if ithappens. Anthar’s Athletics is 50%.

Andrew then rolls a d100 and his blue die(tens) comes up 3 and his red die (units) comesup 4.

Andrew: 34. A success! Anthar takes arunning jump across the ravine and is now onthe other side! What’s there?

This chapter describes when and how tomake skill tests, how to modify skillsdepending on the conditions the test is madeunder, and how to judge tests where twocharacters are competing against each other.

This is followed by a list of all the skillsthat are used in the game.

Characters that are considered masters intheir fields of expertise can have skills above100%. How The Age Of Shadow managesthese very high skills is explained later in thischapter.

The Basic Skill TestTo make a skill test the player first

describes what his character is doing. Thenthey roll a d100 and compare this to therelevant skill’s score. If the dice roll is equal toor less than the skill’s score, the attempt issuccessful. If the total is greater than theskill’s score, then it has failed. The GameMaster then describes the result of thecharacter’s success or failure.

Under normal conditions a skill test isasked for when the character is placed on thespot and has to make a successful action underpressure.

However, if the character has lots of time,has the tools of his trade, and is in asufficiently relaxed environment and state ofmind, he completes the task to the best of hisability.

For example, an apprentice potter (Craft30%) will, day in day out, produce a couple ofpots of passable quality while working at hismaster’s workshop. Of course work beyondthe skill of this character is still out of theirreach, unless the player decides to take thechance with the dice and ask for a skill test. Toillustrate this, let us assume that the samecharacter would like to make an artistic pieceof pottery for a grand celebration that is beingheld later in the month. Knowing full well thathis normal work will definitely not be up toscratch, the player decides to roll the dice inthe hope that he can produce something of thestandard that he desires.

Critical SuccessesIf the dice roll on a skill test is equal to or

less than 10% of the modified skill, then acritical success is achieved.

A critical success has an outcome that farexceeds the expectation of the player when theoriginal skill test was made. It’s the bestpossible result based upon the player’s originalstatement of intent.

The actual result of a critical success duringa skill test is largely up to the Game Master -though in most cases it will achieve one of thefollowing results:

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The task is completed sooner.

The task is completed to a higher degree ofexpertise than normal.

The task is completed with élan and style,generally impressing witnesses.

The character gains additional informationor insight into the task thanks to theirbrilliance.

For example, when Anthar is jumping thechasm, his Athletics skill is 50%, and thereforehis chance of getting a critical is 5. If Andrewrolls a 5 or less, then Anthar has jumped with acritical success and the Game Master rules thatAnthar easily jumps the chasm with grace thatallows him to carry on running without havingto pause to catch his breath.

FumblesWhenever a skill test results in a roll of 00,

i.e. the two d10s both come up 0, then theplayer has rolled 100 rather than zero. Thecharacter has fumbled the roll.

A fumble is the worst imaginable outcomeof the skill test based upon the player’soriginal description of what their characterwas planning to do when the skill test wascalled for.

The actual result of a fumble is largely upto the Game Master to decide. It normallyresults in one of the following mishaps:

The task takes twice as long to finish and isstill a failure.

The task produces a useless result thatactually makes further actions moredifficult.

The task fails spectacularly, opening thecharacter up to derision and scorn fromwitnesses.

The character becomes impeded or evenharmed by his failure.

Conversely if Andrew rolls 00, Anthar notonly fails to make the jump over the chasm butgoes plunging down the ravine head first.

There are specific critical success andfumble results for weapon skill tests in combatand magical casting skill tests, which aredescribed in the relevant chapters.

DifficultyDifficulty modifiers (shown in table 3.1

below) are temporarily applied to the skill forthe duration of the test only. A penalty willmake the test harder while a bonus makes iteasier. Modifiers are applied before the diceare rolled.

The character suffers aserious set back that maymake success beyondtheir reach.

-50%Hard

The PC is significantlyhindered in their chanceof success.

-25%Difficult

The skill is unmodifiedsince normal conditionsapply.

+0%Normal

The task is simpler thanusual and, while successis still by no meanscertain, the character hasa boost to their chance ofsuccess as a result.

+25%Simple

The task is much easierthan usual and thecharacter should have analmost certain chance ofsuccess.

+50%Easy

What the modifiermeans

SkillModifierDifficulty

Table 3.1 Difficulty Modifiers

Impossible Success & Automatic FailureAny skill which is modified to 0 or less will

automatically fail when tested. Roll diceanyway, since the character can still fumble.

Any skill which is modified to 100% orgreater will automatically succeed whentested. Roll the dice anyway since thecharacter can still critical (10% of themodified skill) or fumble if the player rolls a00.

When To ApplyDifficulty Modifiers

Modifiers should only be applied when theyhave a significant effect on the character’schance of success. They should not be doledout for every skill test, since this cheapenstheir dramatic effect. Only apply a modifier

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when it is important and brings something tothe story. Resist the urge to hand out +10%here and take -5% there. These little modifiersdon’t add much to the player’s chance ofsuccess and bring needless fiddly addition andsubtraction into play - breaking the player’simmersion in the game.

Broadly speaking there are three areaswhere the Game Master should modify theplayer’s skill before a skill test. The GameMaster should consider all three areas anddecide which of them provides the decidingfactor, and only apply the modifier based onthat. For example if the player has roleplayedhis character to the hilt, while influencing aguardsman in the pouring rain, it is theroleplaying for which the Game Masterawards a +50% bonus and not the rain, whichwould have dampened the enthusiasm of theguardsman by -25%. So only the +50% appliesto the player’s roll. The three areas are:

As a result of the task being intrinsicallyeasy or difficult.

As a result of planning.

As a result of good roleplaying.

As A Result Of The Task BeingIntrinsically Easy Or Difficult

Some things are just naturally easier orharder to do than others. For example,climbing a steep cliff with natural hand holdsand with the proper equipment (e.g. ropes andiron spikes) is an unmodified task. Doing thesame climb in the pouring rain, makes itdifficult (-25% to the skill) and if the characterhas also forgotten his ropes and spikes thenthis makes it hard (-50% to the skill).

In comparison, climbing a cliff where thereare numerous ledges, and where the charactercan rest and actually ‘walk’ up the cliff inplaces, becomes an easy (+50%) skill test.

As A Result Of PlanningThe players have outlined how their

character prepares to perform a task well inadvance. If their plan is a sound and good oneyou should make the skill test easy.Conversely, if the players have given nothought as to how their characters approach a

complex task which really does requirepreparation and planning, then make theresulting skill test hard.

For example, let us assume that severalgroups are preparing to head out into aparticular part of the wilderness where foodand water are hard to come by. The GameMaster has decided in advance to ask theplayers to make Nature Lore skill tests, to seehow their characters fare in this unforgivingenvironment.

The first group spend an extra couple ofdays planning and preparing for the trip. Theyacquire more than adequate supplies andequipment, along with the extra beasts ofburden to carry them. They also manage totrack down an old guide (a survivor from aprevious foray into the area). The GameMaster awards them a +50% (easy) modifier totheir survival roll.

The second group makes the traditionalpreparations for the journey. They ensure theyhave enough supplies, but no back up mountsor proper travelling clothing. In this case theGame Master does not modify their survivalroll on account of their preparation.

The third and final group decide to simplyride out on the horses they arrived on, withoutreplenishing supplies. The Game Mastermakes their survival roll appropriately hard(-50%) as a result of their rashness.

As A Result Of Good RoleplayingThis usually happens for skills that involve

some form of communication - like Influence.When the player describes the action of theircharacter then the exchange between theircharacter and the non-player character(s) beinginfluenced may be roleplayed out. If the playerwas entertaining, kept in character, and addedto the fun of the game, the Game Master mayaward them a +25 or +50% bonus.

In exceptional circumstances, where theplayer was outstanding in their portrayal oftheir character (or maybe even took the time toprepare a few elvish phrases before the gamefor just such an occasion) the Game Mastermay decide to waive the necessity for the skilltest completely.

Remember good storytelling always comesbefore any dice rolling!

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Opposed Skill TestsOpposed skill tests are made by characters

who are in direct competition with each other.Both characters make the skill tests as normal,rolling 1d100 and attempting to roll equal to orunder their skill.

One Character SucceedsIf one character succeeds their skill test and

the other fails, then the successful characterhas won the opposed skill test.

Both Characters SucceedIf both characters succeed then whoever

rolled the highest in their skill test wins theopposed test. However, if one character rolls acritical, while the other rolls an ordinarysuccess, then the character that rolled thecritical (which is regarded as a higher level ofsuccess) wins.

Both Characters FailWhoever rolled the lowest in their skill test

wins the opposed test.

For example, let us assume that Elinell ismaking her way along a wide mountain passwhen she comes upon a small group ofcarousing wildlings. As of yet, the wildlingsseem to be completely unaware of the elf asshe watches them from the cover of a largeboulder. Elinell, knowing full well that shewould be no match for them on her own,decides to try and sneak past them, using thecover of a small line of trees that grow uponone side of the valley.

The Game Master calls for a Deception skilltest from Elinell, since this skill deals withsneaking (note Elinell’s Deception skill is

39%). Simultaneously, the Game Mastermakes a Perception skill test for the wildlings(these particular wildlings have a Perceptionof 45%). Fortunately for Emily (Elinell’splayer), the Game Master decides that due totheir condition (they have been carousing forsome time after all), it will be difficult forthem to spot anything (-25%), which meanstheir Perception is now 20% for the purpose ofthis test.

Once the rolls are made, both Emily and theGM compare their results …some examples ofwhich are shown below:

If Emily rolls a 3 she gets a critical successand Elinell manages to slip past them,regardless of whether they succeed or not.The only way the wildlings could possiblynotice her is if they rolled a critical too.

If Emily rolls a success (but not a critical)and the wildlings fail their roll, then Elinellsucceeds again.

If Emily rolls a failure and the wildlings rolla success, then they spot a shape moving inthe trees and head over to investigate.

If Emily rolls a 15 and succeeds, and so dothe wildlings who roll a 9, then since Elinellboth succeeded and made the highest rollshe wins (and once again goes unnoticed).Perhaps one of the wildlings thought heheard something for a brief moment, but hethinks little of it.

However, if Emily rolls a 65 and thewildlings roll a 75, then even though bothfail, Elinell wins again because she rolledthe lower of the two. In this instance maybeElinell caught her foot on an old tree rootand stumbled into view for a brief second -but the wildlings are so lost in their ownbusiness that they are completely oblivious.

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Both FumbleOpponent WinsOpponent WinsOpponent WinsFumblePlayer WinsLowest Roll WinsOpponent WinsOpponent WinsFailurePlayer WinsPlayer WinsHighest Roll WinsOpponent WinsSuccessPlayer WinsPlayer WinsPlayer WinsHighest Roll WinsCritical

FumbleFailureSuccessCriticalPlayer / OpponentTable 3.2 Opposed Skill Test Results

Very High SkillsCharacters with skills over 100% are

considered masters in their fields, and undernormal circumstances do not fail (and quiteoften perform tasks that are consideredimpossible by normal people).

Very High Skills and Opposed TestsIn opposed skill tests characters with skills

over 100% are already considered to havesucceeded. Therefore, to be beaten hisopponent needs to score a critical success. Ofcourse the master may also roll a critical, inwhich case the highest roll wins.

For example, Rorgan is a master archerwith a Ranged Combat skill of 120%. IfGarron (who has a Ranged Combat skill of40%) foolishly decided to challenge him to anarchery contest, then Garron willautomatically lose unless he himself rolls acritical success (4% or lower).

AssistanceCharacters will often have the opportunity

to help each other during various skill tests. Ifone or more characters can assist and make asignificant contribution then the skill test isone level easier. On rare occasions theassistance will make the skill test two levelseasier (GM’s discretion). The assistingcharacter or characters must have theappropriate helping skill at a suitable leveldetermined by the Game Master. How highthis needs to be is usually dependent on the‘difficulty’ of the test. In most cases as long asthe assisting character has a skill of at least‘apprentice’ level (i.e. more than 25%) thenthey can help.

For example, let us assume that Anthar istrying to force open an old door. If Garronwith an Athletics of 50% decides to help him,Andrew would then add +25% to Anthar’sAthletics skill for the purpose of this test.

Skill DescriptionsWhat follows is a full list of all the skills in

alphabetical order.

Athletics (DEX+STR)This broad skill covers a range of athletic

activities useful to adventuring characters -including climbing, jumping, and swimming.

Acrobatics: This allows a character toperform a variety of gymnastic and balancingtasks such as tumbling, walking a tightrope, orkeeping balance on a narrow or unstable ledge.The character can move at half his normalspeed across an unstable surface withoutpenalty. To move at a normal rate requires anacrobatics test. A successful acrobatics testwill also halve the damage suffered fromfalling.

Brute Force: Brute force is a particularapplication of Athletics that relies purely onpower, with no finesse involved. Brute forcebasically involves pushing, lifting, ordragging.

Climbing: Given enough hand and footholds,a character can climb any surface givenenough time without the need for a test. Undernormal circumstances a character can climb ordescend one quarter of their movement percombat round (see chapter 5 for more details).A character can double the rate of his climb ordescent by making a hard Athletics test.

Jumping: In general, a successful Athleticstest allows a character to jump up to twice hisown height horizontally, or up to half his ownheight vertically - so long as he has at leastfour metres to run first. If he is making astanding jump these distances are halved.Penalties for jumping Athletics tests can beaccrued by trying to jump further. Acumulative -25% penalty is bestowed forevery extra metre the character is trying tojump. If this penalty reduces the skill below0% the jump is impossible - even on a critical.

Swimming: Characters normally swim at halftheir usual movement. Athletics tests are onlyrequired when conditions are less than ideal -swimming while heavily encumbered or instrong currents for example.

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Close Combat (DEX+STR)This skill deals with the art of hitting things

and defending yourself with melee weaponssuch as swords, clubs, spears, polearms, andshields.

Craft (INT+10)The Craft skill is actually several separate

skills grouped under a single heading. Itmeasures the character’s ability to make andrepair items. The following list is by no meansexhaustive:

Armourer, baker, basket weaver,blacksmith, bowyer, brewer, butcher, candlemaker, carpenter, cartographer, cobbler,cooper, fletcher, joiner, leatherworker, mason,painter, potter, sculptor, smith, tailor, weaponsmith, weaver.

As a very rough guide it takes one day per50 BV to produce an item. The base BV of theitem in materials needed is 50% of the listedfinished BV.

Culture (Own) (INT+10) / (Other) (INT)Each Culture skill is used to provide

information about the common world view ofthat group of people (or creatures). Thisincludes history, politics, weather cycles,geography, superstitions, and popularmythology.

Culture (Own) is the world view of thepeople that the character is born into. All otherforeign or alien cultures are Culture (Other).

Deception (DEX +INT)Deception tests are opposed by the

Perception skill and are modified according tothe situation. Deception covers the arts of:

Disguise: used to change a character’sappearance and adopt a different outwardpersona.

Sleight: used to hide or take objects, withoutdrawing undue attention.

Stealth: used whenever a character attempts topersonally evade detection by anothercharacter. This usually happens when acharacter either tries to move quietly past anenemy, hide from one, or performs acombination of both.

Dodge (DEX+10)The Dodge skill is used to avoid incoming

objects that are swung or thrown at thecharacter. The Dodge skill is normally usedwhen a character attempts to dodge anincoming blow in combat or a physical hazardthat can be avoided - such as falling masonry.

Driving (DEX+INT)If a character is driving a wagon, chariot, or

similar vehicle at not more than walking paceacross flat terrain, a Driving skill test willnever be required. Skill tests are requiredwhen a character wants to do something out ofthe ordinary with a vehicle - such as traversetreacherous terrain, jump obstacles, and so on.

Engineering (INT+10)This skill is used to design, build, activate,

repair, sabotage, or disassemble largemechanisms or constructions such as siegemachines, city gates/drawbridges, mine-shafts,sailing ships, and so forth.

Healing (INT+10)Using this skill without access to a first aid

kit incurs a -50% penalty. Each use of theHealing skill generally takes a few minutes toperform. Both characters must remainstationary and may not use standard actions orreactions while this occurs or they will lose thebenefits of the healing.

The use of Healing requires suitablemedical equipment such as bandages or salvesor appropriate improvised alternatives. Typicaltypes of injuries or ailments that may betreated are listed below:

Unconsciousness: A successful Healing testcan revive a character from unconsciousness,though drugged patients may inflict a penaltyon the Healing test.

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Minor Injury: A successful Healing test on aminor injury will heal 1d6 hit points.

Stabilise Major Wound: A successfulHealing test on a major wound will not restorethe lost hit points. This Healing merelystabilises the patient enough so that they willnot die of blood loss.

Curing Diseases: A successful Healing testallows a diseased patient to add a bonus to hisnext opposed ‘Resilience versus diseasePotency’ test to resist the disease. The bonus isequal to the healer’s Healing skill divided by10 (i.e. the critical success range).

Curing Poisons: A successful Healing testallows a poisoned patient to attempt a secondopposed ‘Resilience versus poison Potency’test. The patient gains a bonus to hisResilience skill equal to the healer’s Healingskill divided by 10 (i.e. the critical successrange).

Surgery: Other than magical healing,successful surgery is the only way that acharacter can recover from a major wound.Once a successful Healing test has been madeto quench the bleeding of a major wound, afurther Healing test can attempt to set brokenbones, stitch together rent flesh, and restorethe wound location so that it is on the road torecovery. As long as the Healing test is asuccess, the stricken character gains one hitpoint and will begin to heal as normal.

Influence (CHA+10)

This is the art of verbally persuadinganother character to do what you want.Characters can use both logical and/oremotional arguments. If successful in anopposed skill test, the character’s audience istemporarily swayed in favour of thecharacter’s argument. In time they mayunderstand that they were fast talked,bamboozled, or hoodwinked and theirjudgement clouded, but in the short term theygo along with what the character suggests.Influence can never be used to get a characterto act against their instinct for self-preservation.

Influence skill tests are normally opposedby the Perception, Persistence, or Influence

skill. They are further modified by how mucha character is trying to change an opponent’smind. Influence skill tests are often modifiedby how well the player roleplays the exchange(see When To Apply Difficulty Modifiers onp14).

Influence tests are either applied toindividuals - where each character rollsindividually against the influencer, or againstcrowds - where one roll is made based uponthe average Persistence for the entire crowd.

Innate Casting (POW X 3)This skill represents the character’s ability

to cast innate magic spells. It also representstheir knowledge about innate magic and therough ability to recognise magic items.

Language (Own) (INT+40) / (Other) (INT)

The Language skill is actually severalseparate skills grouped under a single heading.Language (Elvish), Language (Dwarvish), andLanguage (Bestial), for example, are allindividual skills.

Every character with a Language skill of50% or more is fluent in that language,although they are likely to have an accent if itis not their native tongue. A score in aLanguage skill of 80% or more will mean thecharacter can also read and write in thatlanguage.

The default languages are as follows:

Elvish: The language of the Elves. Elvish isthe common speech of the civilised world, andas such every character gains an additional+20% bonus to this skill (even if it is their ownlanguage).

High Elvish: This is the ancient tongue of theElves. It is rarely used nowadays and remainsonly as a language of lore.

Dwarvish: This is the secret language of theDwarves. As such few non-dwarves have evermastered it.

Mannish: The language of Men.

Bestial: Being the language of the Enemy, fewof the free peoples have ever learned it. It is acrude and guttural tongue with no writtenform.

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Lore (INT)The Lore skill is actually an umbrella term

for several different skills, each of which mustbe improved separately.

Each Lore skill defines an area ofknowledge for the character, and skill tests aremade whenever a player wants to see if hischaracter knows something about the subjectat hand.

The range of possible Lores is only limitedby a player’s imagination. A list of potentialstudy areas of Lore is provided here:

Alchemy, art, astronomy, gambling,geography, heraldry, law, logistics, militarytactics, philosophy, poisons.

Mechanisms (DEX+INT)Usually, a character will simply make a

Mechanisms test in order to succeed atassembling or disassembling a device (withappropriate bonuses or penalties decided bythe Game Master). If a device has beendesigned to specifically resist attempts atdisassembly, the Mechanisms test becomesopposed by the Mechanisms skill of thecharacter that created it.

Mechanisms is also used for picking a lockor disassembling a trap. This usually takes atleast one minute (12 combat rounds) toperform, whereas larger or particularlycomplex devices will take longer.

Nature Lore (INT+10)Broadly speaking this Lore deals with the

character’s knowledge of the natural world. Itcan be broken into five specialist areas:

Animal: This covers the ability to recognisean animal, know its feeding habits, breedingcycle, habitats, and so on. A character with askill of at least 50% may try to domesticate awild animal, making a skill test after every fullweek of training. If the character also has aRiding skill of at least 50% and the animal iscapable of being ridden, he may train theanimal to ride during this period. Thecharacter may later train the animal not topanic in battle and to strike at his enemies.This takes a further period of training, with thecharacter making a skill test at the end of eachweek to succeed.

Plant: A character can identify plants in thewild, discover good places to grow crops,decide which plants are edible, and whatunusual properties they may possess.

Mineral: This skill allows the character toidentify precious metals and stones, detectfault lines, and other dangerous features in therock.

Survival: One Survival test will be requiredevery day that a character lacks either food,water, or a safe place to sleep. Successindicates the character manages to findwhatever he is lacking - failure means he willgo without - which, over several days, couldresult in very serious consequences. Survivaltests are not used when the character is in avillage or town. Survival also covers trackingin the wilderness. With this skill a charactercan locate the tracks of a specific creature andfollow them. A test must be made to locate thetrail and then again every ten minutes they arebeing followed.

Weather: The character can predict changesin the weather.

Perception (INT+POW)The Perception skill is used to represent the

five senses of the character when detectingobjects or other characters. For example, acommon use of the Perception skill is as astraight skill test to detect hidden objects in aroom, or as an opposed test to detect a hiddencharacter.

Performance (CHA+10)A successful test with this skill will result

in the audience or partner being pleased by thecharacter’s performance. This skill coversacting, composing poetry, dancing, singing,readings, and playing an instrument.

Persistence (POW+10)This skill represents a character’s mental

willpower. Persistence is used to resist theeffects of magic, and often against anothercharacter’s attempt to use the Influence skillagainst them.

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Ranged Combat (DEX+INT)This skill covers the use of missile weapons

- such as bows, thrown spears, and throwndaggers. It is covered in more detail in thecombat chapter.

Resilience (CON+POW)This is a measure of how physically tough a

character is. The higher a character’sResilience, the more likely he is to handleadverse physical conditions - such asweathering a vicious sandstorm, surviving in adrought, or overcoming the effects of poisonor disease.

Riding (DEX+POW)If a character is riding a creature with the

help of saddle and stirrups at not more than awalking pace across flat terrain, then a Ridingtest will never be required. Tests are requiredwhen a character wants to do something out ofthe ordinary with a mount - such as traversetreacherous terrain, jump obstacles, ridebareback, and so on.

Sailing (DEX+INT)This covers small waterborne craft propell-

ed manually by oars or paddles (commonlyknown as boats), and larger craft powered bysail or rows of oars. Travelling across calmwater does not usually require a skill test, butadverse conditions (such as strong currentsand bad weather) can bestow penalties.

Sorcery Casting (INT)This skill covers not only the successful

casting of sorcery spells which the casterknows, but also the ability to manipulate theeffects, range, and duration of those spells.This skill also allows the use of magic itemswith stored spells (commonly called matrices)and scrolls with sorcery spells written onthem. It can also be used to represent thecharacter’s knowledge of sorcery and itsworks.

Streetwise (CHA+POW)Streetwise allows a character to find fences

for stolen goods, black markets, and generalinformation. Such uses of Streetwise normallyrequire a minimum of 1d4 hours. Streetwisealso covers following people down crowdedcity streets without them noticing you.

Trade (INT+10)This skill is primarily used when characters

trade, barter, or otherwise negotiate over thesale of goods. In such transactions a successfulopposed test using the Trade of the buyerversus the Trade of the seller is needed for thebuyer to get the best deal. If the buyer winsthey get a discount (-10% for a success, -25%for a critical). If the seller wins the BV thatthey can trade the item for increases by +10%for a success and +25% for a critical. If theopponent fumbles their roll double theincrease or decrease.

The Trade skill also enables the character todetermine the value placed on something byothers (i.e. to estimate its market value).Particularly common or obscure objects mightgive a bonus or penalty to the skill test.Success will allow a character to guess theaverage barter value of the object, normallyguessing accurately to within 10% of its actualvalue.

Unarmed Combat (DEX+STR)This skill covers the use of natural attacks.

For humans this is punching, kicking, andgrappling. Non-human characters may alsohave bite, horns, claw, and tail attacks.

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CHAPTER 4EQUIPMENT

Fantasy roleplaying games can be thoughtof as a form of co-operative improvisedtheatre. You could think of the players as theactors and the Game Master as the director andproduction team providing the stage andscenery, a huge big budget supporting cast,and every prop that the actors could possiblyneed. This chapter deals with the props - theequipment that the player characters will beusing.

In-game EconomicsThese rules do not give detailed rules for

trading and fantasy world economics.Although dry economic markets are unlikelyto feature heavily in adventure stories, theexploits of daring and wily merchantadventurers may arise. The following sectionoutlines how to approach such stories usingThe Age Of Shadow.

Opportunities For Merchant Based GamesSome players will feel inclined to create

colourful and flamboyant merchant charactersand weave stories around their previous trademissions, creating drama and tension on theirtrade negotiations and deals. This is great andis to be encouraged. Opposed Trade tests canbe used to handle the outcome of such actionswhere it is less than clear cut, and the ebb andflow of the character’s finances acts as anindicator of success (see the Trade skilldescription on p21). The more martially andmagically inclined characters can providesupport and have their moments in thespotlight too on these mercantile adventures,taking on bands of wildling raiders whoattempt to disrupt the trafficking of dwarvengoods into the elven lands for example.

Merchant characters also make greatinformation gatherers, since they tend to havegood social skills. Often this goes on under thecover of trading in the market, gatheringgossip from the locals, or sorting out a new

trade deal with a noble family (which is alegitimate way of finding information aboutsuch people).

Availability Of GoodsThe equipment lists serve as ‘game tools’ to

allow players to quickly and easily gainequipment for their characters. Generallyspeaking, the complete range of goods listed atthe quoted ‘barter values’ is only going to beavailable in larger settlements with organisedmarkets and the like. In less prosperoussettlements there might be a smaller rangeavailable, sometimes at higher costs. In ruralareas only local produce and a small amount oflocally crafted goods will be available fortrade.

Barter ValueBartering, in one form or another, is the

main method of exchanging goods in The AgeOf Shadow. However, in the spirit of keepingthings simple (and also to give the GM abaseline to work from) each item of equipmentin this chapter has been allocated a particular‘Barter Value’ as an indication of its worth (ina similar way that most other roleplayinggames would assign them a monetary cost).Therefore, we can see that something like abroadsword (BV 150) could be traded for fivesheep (BV 30 each) without much trouble.

However, during their adventures it isunlikely that the player characters will wish tobe accompanied by livestock and other bulkytrade goods, so it is entirely plausible for themto be carrying around a certain amount ofsmall (yet desirable) items in the form ofgolden trinkets, precious gems, jewellery, etc.,to be used in a similar fashion to hard cash. Itis not necessary to note all these individualitems on the player’s character sheet, as asimple note of the total BV worth of such‘trinkets’ will suffice.

ConsequencesThe main thing to remember is that with

any item of equipment there are consequencesto its use as well as benefits. The most obviousconsequence is encumbrance. A heavilyarmoured and equipped character will be

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slowed, unable to use skills as effectively, andwill become fatigued more easily.

A less obvious effect is that an obviouslywealthy character might become the target forboth minor and major theft (from theopportunistic thief to the more organisedbandit group). In addition, a character’sobvious wealth (or lack thereof) might havesocial consequences.

The Equipment ListsThe remainder of this chapter is given over

to the equipment lists. These provide the bartervalue of each item and detail any game effects.Where appropriate, they also give an encumbr-ance value (ENC) for the item in question.This is a value which rates both the weight andhow physically unwieldy an item is.

Close Combat WeaponsAll close combat weapons use the Close

Combat skill. Each close combat weapon ischaracterised by the following qualities:

Damage Dice: The damage the weapon dealson a successful attack.

Type: This shows whether the weapon isone-handed, two-handed, or whether anyspecial rules apply (see notes below).

STR/DEX: The minimum STR and DEXscores needed to easily wield this weapon. Ifeither of the characteristics are below theseminimums, a -25% penalty is applied to acharacter’s skill when attacking and parryingwith this weapon.

ENC: The weapon’s encumbrance. Theweight and bulk of the weapon.

Size: Normal weapons are rated in thefollowing size categories: Light, Medium, andHeavy. Weapons need to be of the samecategory or larger to block all damage. If thedefending weapon is one category less theyblock half damage. If two categories less theycannot block the damage.

BV: The item’s barter value. This is howmuch the item is worth in relation to othertradable goods.

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*Note that when a character fights with no weapons he uses his Unarmed skill.120Medium29/91d81HWar Hammer

----/-1d3-Unarmed*100Medium15/51d61HShortsword20Medium25/51d6Set / Flex / RangeShortspear

150Heavy29/-1d6-Shield (large)50Medium1-/-1d4-Shield (small)

150Medium29/91d81HScimitar20Medium25/91d82HQuarterstaff

200Heavy39/91d8LSPolearm200Heavy413/52d82HMilitary Flail120Medium29/91d8FlexMace250Medium213/91d8FlexLongsword30Medium29/51d8Set / FlexLongspear

150Heavy311/91d10Set / FlexLance20Light15/91d61H / RangeHatchet

300Heavy413/92d82HGreatsword200Heavy413/52d82HGreat Hammer200Heavy413/52d82HGreat Axe20Light--/-1d41H / RangeDagger20Light15/91d6FlexClub

150Medium29/91d81HBroadsword120Medium29/91d81HBattle-axe120Medium29/91d81HBall & Chain

BVSizeENCSTR/DEXDamageDiceTypeWeapon

Table 4.1 Close Combat Weapons

Notes On Close Combat Weapon TypesSet: This weapon may be set against a charge.

Range: This weapon suffers no penalty whenthrown.

LS: This weapon may be used as a longspear.If used as a longspear it may be set againstcharges. However, the wielder must state atthe start of combat how it is being wielded andmust take a ‘change stance’ action to alter itsusage.

Flex: This weapon can be used two-handed.When used in two hands it gains +1 damageand can be used by someone with a Strength 2less than that listed.

1H: This weapon must be used one-handed.

2H: This weapon must be used two-handed.

Note that improvised and primitive weapons,such as a stone hatchet, stone spear, or aconvenient log picked up and used as a club,do the same damage as the base weapon –1.

Ranged WeaponsEach ranged weapon is characterised by the

following properties: Type: This shows whether the weapon isone-handed, two-handed, or whether anyspecial rules apply (see notes opposite).

Damage Dice: The damage the weapon dealson a successful attack.

Range: This is the effective range of theweapon. A target within the weapon’s range

may be attacked without penalty. A targetwithin double the weapon’s range may beattacked, but the attacker’s effective Rangedskill is halved (before other modifiers areapplied). Attacks against targets beyonddouble the weapon’s range will automaticallyfail.

Load: This shows how many actions arerequired to either load or reload the weapon inquestion.

STR/DEX: The minimum STR and DEXscores needed to easily wield this weapon. Ifeither of the Characteristics are below theseminimums, a -25% penalty is applied to acharacter’s skill when attacking and parryingwith this weapon.

ENC: The weapon’s encumbrance. Theweight and bulk of the weapon.

BV: The item’s barter value. This is howmuch the item is worth in relation to othertradable goods.

Notes On Ranged Weapon Types1H: This weapon is a one-handed weapon.

2H: This weapon must have two hands free tobe used effectively unless otherwise specified.A buckler can be strapped to the forearm butcannot be used whilst wielding or shooting thisweapon.

Close: This weapon suffers no penalty whenused in close combat.

Thrown: A character can use his/her damagemodifier with this weapon.

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If you are using a battlemat it is recommended that you use a scale of 2m per square/hex.Note that on a battlemat with squares you should count diagonal distances as 3m.

50--/5-5m1d3CloseWhip5--/9150m1d61HSling

2025/9-STR x 2m1d6Close / ThrownShortspear7519/9175m1d82HShortbow

150113/91150m1d102HLongbow2015/9-STR x 2m1d6ThrownJavelin-15/5-STR x m1d4ThrownImprovised

201-/9-STR x m1d6Close / ThrownHatchet15--/9-STR x m1d4ThrownDart20--/9-STR x m1d4Close / ThrownDagger

BVENCSTR/DEXLoadRangeDamageDiceTypeWeapon

Table 4.2 Ranged Weapons

Using Ranged Weapons In Close CombatIf a ranged weapon is used in close combat

it is treated as an improvised weapon - doingdamage equal to its closest hand-to-handequivalent if that is less than its rangedweapon damage.

ArmourEach type of armour is characterised by the

following qualities:

AP: How many armour points this type ofarmour provides.

ENC: The armour’s encumbrance (i.e. theweight and bulk of the armour).

500+2+1Upgrades3,00075Mail Hauberk1,50074Scale Armour1,00053Ring Armour50032LeatherBVENCAPArmour

Table 4.3 Armour Types

Armour DescriptionsLeather: Either padded leather, boiled andstiffened leather, or linen armour.

Ring Armour: Metal rings sown onto apadded leather shirt.

Scale Armour: Metal scales sown onto apadded leather shirt.

Mail Hauberk: A shirt of linked chain rings.

Upgrades: Helms, greaves, gauntlets, etc.

Effects Of SIZ On ArmourArmour made for creatures of SIZ 1 to 5

will have its BV and ENC halved from thatshown. Similarly, creatures of SIZ 21 orhigher will double the BV and ENC.

General ItemsWhat follows is a fairly comprehensive list

of miscellaneous adventuring items and theirbarter value.

451Writing kit½1Waterskin5-Trail rations, 1 day½-Torch251Spade½-Sling bullets (10)½1Slingbag302Scythe ¼-Sack, small½1Sack, large102Rope, 10m2-Quiver 11Pole, 3m½-Papyrus, sheet11Oil, flask

702Musical instrument351Mining pick75-Lock picks101Lantern 24Ladder, 3m1-Hammer5-Grappling hook2-Food & drink, superior (1 day)½-Food & drink, average (1 day)¼-Food & drink, poor (1 day)½-Flint & tinder 151Fishing kit2-Fish hook

25-First aid kit251Crowbar752Craft tools601Codex251Climbing kit402Chain, 2 metres¼-Candle, 1 hour2-Bottle, glass

151Block & tackle11Bedroll51Backpack1-Arrows (10)

BVENCItemTable 4.4 General Items

Backpack: It can hold 20 ENC of equipment.

Block & Tackle: Adds +25% to Mechanismstests to make or disarm large traps and makesEngineering tests possible in somecircumstances. It requires at least 10m of ropeto function.

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Candle: A candle illuminates a one metreradius and burns for one hour. Any windstronger than a slight breeze will extinguish it.

Climbing Kit: A climbing kit provides abonus of +25% to any Athletics skill testsmade to climb.

Crowbar: Adds +25% to brute force Athleticstests. If used as a weapon, it is considered aclub (wielded with a -25% penalty).

First Aid Kit: A first aid kit is good for fiveuses (whether the skill test succeeds or fails).

Fish Hook: This item allows a character touse his Nature Lore skill to catch a fishwithout suffering a penalty on the test.

Fishing Kit: The fishing kit grants a charactera +25% bonus to his Nature Lore test to catchfish.

Flint & Tinder: A character with flint andtinder can build a fire in one minute undernormal conditions without having to roll hisNature Lore skill.

Grappling Hook: It will support the weight of50 ENC, or 50 SIZ, or any combinationthereof.

Hammer: If used as a weapon, it is treated asa club (wielded with a -25% penalty).Hammers may be used on inanimate objectswithout being destroyed.

Lantern: A lantern provides clear illuminationout to a three metre radius. It will burn for twohours on a flask of oil.

Mining Pick: If used as a weapon, it isconsidered a club (wielded with a -25%penalty). Mining picks may be used oninanimate objects without being destroyed.

Oil: A flask of oil is enough to fuel a lanternfor two hours or (if broken on the ground andignited), enough to sustain a small fire for oneminute.

Quiver: Quivers can hold up to 30 arrows.

Rope: A standard 10 metre long rope that cansupport the weight of 50 ENC, or 50 SIZ, orany combination thereof.

Sack (large): Able to hold 10 ENC ofequipment.

Sack (small): A small sack can hold 5 ENC ofequipment.

Scythe: If used as a weapon, it is considered apolearm (wielded with a -25% penalty).

Slingbag: It can carry 15 ENC of equipment.

Spade: If used as a weapon, it is considered aclub (wielded with a -25% penalty).

Torch: A torch will burn for one hour andilluminate a three metre radius. If used as aweapon it is considered a club (wielded with a-25% penalty), except that it does not inflictnormal damage - instead, it inflicts 1d4 firedamage (though a fumble or critical hit willalso extinguish the brand.

Waterskin: A waterskin can hold enoughwater to sustain an adventurer for two days.

Animals & Transportation

300Wagon5 / kmTravel (by wagon)1 / kmTravel (by ship)2 / kmTravel (by post-horse)

30Sheep75Saddle & bridle50Pig

200Ox125Mule500Horse, combat trained 350Horse, riding400Horse, draft 400Hawk50Goat1Fowl

25Dog, hunting 2Dog, domestic

150Cow600Chariot

2Cat75Cart

250Bull200Bison BVAnimal

Table 4.5 Animals & Transportation

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CHAPTER 5COMBAT

The Age Of Shadow is a game whereswords will be drawn during epic quests withthe aim of spilling blood. Be it for glory,honour, riches, or revenge, when all else failsviolence is a means of achieving thesegoals. However, it should be remembered thatThe Age Of Shadow is not a game purely aboutcombat, and it would not be unusual for awhole session to pass without any physicalviolence. However, in time, characters will nodoubt find themselves involved in dangerouslife threatening fights.

Therefore, this chapter provides you with astraightforward and direct system for playingout action packed and deadly combat.

What To Expect During CombatCharacters that have combat skills less than

100% are at the whim of the dice to determinewhether or not they land a blow in combat.Anything you do to increase your character’schances to hit (or hit first) will stand in yourfavour and make the outcome more certain.

Once you are hit in combat things startgetting messy. Your character has a relativelylow number of hit points, and in a couple ofblows (or one lucky blow) these hit points caneasily be reduced to zero (which indicates thatthe character has died). So make sure yourcharacter can dodge, parry, or maybe even bemagically protected. You should also be awarethat the major wound system places yourcharacter at risk of grievous and permanentharm every time you decide to use violence tosolve a problem.

If you are facing off against multipleopponents (even weak and unskilled ones) youare quickly going to run out of attacks andreactions. In practical terms this means thatyour character may, at best, reduce the numberof attackers by one per round, while onlybeing able to protect themselves against one ofseveral incoming attacks.

Be aware that even masters who have 100%or more in their weapon skills can be broughtdown by a lucky critical hit or by an opponent

who has lured them into an ambush andstacked the odds against them through surpriseand careful planning.

These harsh realities mean that playerswould do well to avoid combats where they donot have a very good chance to win. Instead ofwading into masses of weaker opponents,hoping that lucky dice rolls will see themthrough, they would do better to carefully planambushes where they have the benefit ofterrain and possibly even supporting soldiersthat will allow them to wipe out the majorityof the enemy before the first proper round ofcombat. They might even be able to call upontheir own innate magic to boost their damage,chances to hit, and armour - and if things arereally tough, invoke powerful sorcery spells toboost their chances of survival.

Life InsuranceSince combat in The Age Of Shadow can be

deadly there are a number of ways that youcan avoid your character dying if things gobadly wrong.

Realise that some foes are best left alone.There’s always going to be someone orsomething more powerful than your characterin the game world, and since The Age OfShadow is also a game of exploration andinteraction, you might get to meet these peopleand creatures early on in your adventurer’scareer as part of an adventure or quest. Somefoes may even be beyond the capacity of theplayer characters to harm directly. In suchinstances it would be wisest to move alongquickly and quietly.

Live to fight another day. Use magic or fastfeet to move out of combat. Heal, regroup, andmake a better plan of attack if you absolutelyneed to best a foe. Otherwise learn your lessonand avoid the opponent in the future.

Surrender! Before things really get messy,throw down your weapons and hope for thebest (some creatures might just take youprisoner rather than slaughtering you outright).Maybe some of your friends or allies can comeback and mount a rescue attempt at a laterdate.

Spend fate points. These are your ultimateinsurance policy against death. If you havethem, use them.

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Summary Of CombatWork out encounter distance: The GMdetermines how far away the hostile group isto the characters, either at Range or Close.

Drop into combat time: Combat is dividedinto rounds. A single round has a duration offive seconds of time, giving 12 rounds in everyminute. During a round every character canperform one or more actions. Combat roundscycle through the following steps:

1. Determine Order: At the start of everycombat, check each character’s DEX (orINT if they are spell casting). This willdetermine the order in which everycharacter involved acts for the round.

2. Characters Take Actions & Reactions: Ina combat round each character may performone movement action, one standard action,and one reaction. Movement and standardactions (such as attacks) take place in DEXorder (i.e. the character with the highestDEX will act first, followed by thecharacter with the second-highest DEX, andso on). Reactions (such as parries ordodges) on the other hand, may be calledupon at any time during this process.Characters casting spells act on their INT.

3. End Of Combat Round: Once all eligiblecharacters have acted in the combat round,it is over. If there are characters stillengaged in combat with enemies, anothercombat round begins.

For example, Elinell (INT 18) is casting aspell, while a bandit (DEX 14) is attacking herwith a sword, and Anthar (DEX 12) isattacking the bandit. The order of action isElinell first, then the bandit, and finallyAnthar.

Encounter Distance AndEngaging In Combat

Not all combats start with the two sides (theplayers and their opponents) directly facingeach other within swords’ reach. At thebeginning of a combat, or potential combat,the Game Master must determine which of thetwo distances the encounter starts at.

Close: Close is a range of two metres or lessand is the distance at which a character canengage in either Close or Unarmed combat.

Ranged: The distance which the character canengage in ranged combat is generally beyondtwo metres and up to double the range of themissile weapon a character is holding. Rangedcombat typically happens out in the opencountryside where groups of combatants cansee each other coming over the horizon oremerging in the distance from old ruinedbuildings.

Movement ActionsA single movement action may be taken

either before or after the character performs astandard action. The actions available to acharacter when it is his/her turn to act aredetailed here, along with any restrictions thatmay accompany them.

Change Stance: The character may stand upfrom prone, or vice versa.

Move: The character may move a distance upto his/her movement score.

Miscellaneous Action: The GM may decidethat certain simple tasks (such as opening orclosing an unlocked door, picking up an item,retrieving an item from a backpack, drinking apotion, etc.) require a movement action tocomplete.

Ready Weapon: Drawing a sword from itssheath, unhooking an axe from one’s belt,nocking an arrow to one’s bow - all theseactions take one movement action to perform.A single ready weapon action can also includedropping a weapon currently held to the floor

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and then drawing a new one. Sheathing oneweapon and drawing another takes twoactions, as does readying two weapons.Ranged weapons can be reloaded with thisaction - this takes as many movement actionsas noted in the weapon’s description.

Sprint: The character may move a distance upto three times his/her movement score,forsaking all other actions and reactions thatturn (except for a single dodge reaction).

Standard ActionsA character may perform a single standard

action either before or after a movementaction. The actions available to a characterwhen it is his/her turn to act are detailed here,along with any restrictions that mayaccompany them.

Movement ActionsInstead of taking a standard action a

character may instead opt to convert his/herstandard action into another movement action.

Close Combat ActionsCharge: If a character can move a minimumof four metres towards his opponent, then hecan make a charge. He may move a distanceup to his movement rate (which must be in astraight line), and he must end up adjacent toan enemy. When the move is complete, a closecombat attack may be made against the enemy.If the attack is successful, the character gains abonus of +1d6 damage. When making a chargeaction the character loses his reaction for theround that he charges on. Characters may notcharge uphill and gain the damage bonus.

Close Combat Attack: The character canmake a single close combat attack. As well asa normal attack there are the following specialattacks:

All Out Attack: The attacker gives up theirreaction for the round but gains a secondattack, which happens straight after the firstattack. Both attacks are at -25% due to theloss of skill during this frenzied attack. Thistype of attack cannot be combined with agreat attack or a disarming attack.

Disarming Attack: Attacker attacks at-25% to his weapon skill with the aim ofdisarming their opponent either of theirweapon or shield. If the attack is successfuland the opponent fails to parry or dodge,the weapon or shield is thrown 1d6 metresaway from the owner.

Great Attack: This attack may beattempted with a two-handed weapon, butonly if the attacker has sufficient room towind up for a really forceful blow. Theattacker gains a +25% to attack, doesmaximum damage modifier damage, butloses his reaction for that combat round.

Set Weapon: A character can spend an actionsetting the shaft of a long, thrusting weapon inthe ground in anticipation of a charge from anopponent. When the charge actually comes thecharacter automatically gets an attack at +25%before the charging character gets their attack.If the character makes any other action orreaction before the charge, the weaponbecomes ‘unset.’

Ranged Combat ActionsRanged Combat Attack: The character canmake a single ranged combat attack. As wellas a normal attack, there is also the followingspecial attack.

Aim: Every round spent aiming adds a+25% bonus to the character’s RangedCombat skill (up to a max. of +50%). Thisbonus only applies to the first attack thecharacter makes with the weapon, whichmust be fired at the target being aimed at. Acharacter can take no other action whileaiming without losing the aim bonus.

Throwing Close Combat WeaponsIf a close combat weapon that isn’t

designed to be thrown is hurled at an enemythen it has a range of 8m and suffers a penaltyto the attack equal to its ENC x 10. RangedCombat skill is used.

Other ActionsCast Spell: No other action may be takenwhilst casting a spell, though the charactermay walk up to half their movement rate.

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Delay: A character may pause to assess thetactical situation around him. If a delayingcharacter merely wishes to act after a specificcharacter has acted, they wait until thatcharacter has finished their action. If adelaying character wishes to interrupt aspecific character’s action as it occurs, thecharacter must make a test appropriate to hisinterrupting action (a Close Combat skill test ifthe character wishes to attack, for instance).Whoever wins the test acts first.

Intimidate/Persuade: The character tries toget the other side to surrender or flee. This caneither be targeted at a single enemy or a group.

Do an opposed roll using the character’sInfluence vs. the enemies’ Persistence,modified as listed below. Groups roll onceusing the Persistence of the group leader. If thegroup leader’s Influence skill is higher than hisPersistence, then they may use that skillinstead. Apply the following modifiers to theenemy’s skill depending on the state of theenemy:

+50% if the enemy is still at full strength,but has taken some minor wounds.

+25% if the enemy outnumbers the player’sside, but have had at least 25% losses eitherin numbers or hit points.

-25% if the enemy is fewer than theplayer’s side and has taken some wounds.

-50% if the enemy has taken more than halfhit points in wounds and/or has seen halfhis group incapacitated by the players.

Note: these modifiers are not cumulative.Apply the one that best describes the situation.

If the enemy is at full strength and/or outnumbers the players then only a critical roll forInfluence vs. a failed Persistence roll willmake them surrender. A fumbled Persistenceroll will see the enemy suddenly rout.

The player attempting the roll must declarewhether they are targeting the whole group orsingling out an individual before any dice arerolled.

For example, Anthar is fighting a group offour small beastlings, one of whom he hasalready badly wounded while the other threeare still at full hit points.

If he decides to single out the woundedcreature, then its Persistence roll to resistAnthar’s taunting (and the resultant urge toflee) will be at -25%. If he decides to target thewhole group, which as a whole is undamagedand outnumbers him, then the beastlings willbe at +25% to their Persistence.

The character need not speak the samelanguage as the opponent they are trying toinfluence, but they must be capable of somesort of sign, gesture, or body language that theopponent is capable of understanding.

Skill Use: The character performs one actionwhich requires the use of a skill (e.g. forcing alocked door with an Athletics test).

Close Combat Attacks1. Making the Attack: A normal attack is

made by simply rolling d100 andcomparing it to the character’s relevantcombat skill. If a character rolls equal to orlower than his skill, he has hit his target. Ifa character rolls greater than his skill, hehas missed his target.

2. Target Reaction: The target may eitherattempt to dodge or parry the attack, as theychoose. However, only one reaction can bemade to a successful attack per round. If theenemy has already reacted this round, orchooses not to react against this attack, thenthis attack is unopposed (move straight onto damage resolution). If the attack isopposed, the defender makes a Dodge orParry (see p31).

3. Damage Resolution: If the attack issuccessful, damage is rolled. Each weaponhas its own damage score, to which isadded the attacker’s damage modifier inorder to determine the total damage beingdealt. If the defender is armoured then thearmour will absorb some of this damage.Reduce the attack’s damage by the armourpoints (AP) of the defender’s armour.

4. Damage Application: Apply any remain-ing damage to the defender’s hit points.

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-50%Fighting in darkness.-25%Fighting in partial darkness.

-25%Defending while on lower ground oragainst a mounted foe.

-50%Attacking or defending whileunderwater.

-25%Attacking or defending while onunstable ground.

-25%Attacking or defending while prone.

+25%Attacking or defending while onhigher ground or on a mount.

+25%Target is prone or attacked frombehind.

AutomaticCriticalTarget is helpless.

SkillModifierSituation

Table 5.1 Close CombatSituational Modifiers

Critical HitsEvery attack skill a character possesses has

a critical score. A critical score is the attackskill’s score, divided by ten, and rounded up tothe nearest whole number. It represents alucky and effective hit in an unprotected areaof an opponent.

If the d100 attack roll is not only lower thanthe attack skill, but also equal to or lower thanthe character’s critical score with that skill,then the attack is considered a critical hit.

A critical hit automatically causesmaximum damage for the weapon andmaximum damage modifiers. If the characterhas a negative damage modifier (i.e. -1d4 or-1d6) it is not rolled for a critical hit. Criticalhits also ignore armour.

For example, Anthar with his 55% CloseCombat skill, rolls a 05, which is a critical! Heis wielding a broadsword with a damage of1d8 and has a damage modifier of 1d6. He isfighting a beastling who is wearing mailarmour (5AP). However, this armour iscompletely ignored as Anthar’s sword slidesthrough a gap in the armour doing adevastating 14 points of damage (8 from thesword and another 6 from the damagemodifier).

A critical hit is made into a normal hit by acritical parry or critical dodge (i.e. damage isrolled by the attacker as normal and thedefender’s armour counts).

ReactionsA character can make one reaction in a

combat round. Unlike actions, reactions aremade in response to the successful hits ofenemies. There are two types of reaction -dodge and parry.

Parries can be made against close combatattacks. Shields can also parry hand-thrownmissile weapons. A large shield (i.e. sizecategory ‘heavy’) provides a -25% covermodifier to the ranged attack of the attackeragainst arrows and sling shot.

Dodges can only be made against closecombat attacks and hand-thrown missileweapons providing the target is aware of theattack. Dodge can also be used as a reaction, ifstill available, to avoid the damage of spellswhich are projected at the defender (see theappropriate spell descriptions in the magicchapters for more detail).

Reactions are declared after a successfulattack has occurred but before its effects areapplied.

DodgeWhen an attacker successfully hits, the

defender may choose to dodge as his reaction(in an attempt to avoid the blow). Thedefender rolls against his Dodge skill.

If the defender succeeds then they havesuccessfully avoided the attack.

If dodging against a critical hit, then if thedefender rolls a critical on their dodge theyreduce the attacker’s critical to a normalsuccess. If the defender fails his dodge againsta critical hit, the attacker does maximumdamage and ignores the defender’s armour.

ParryWhen an attacker successfully hits, the

defender may choose to parry with a shield orweapon as his reaction (in an attempt to turnthe blow aside). The defender rolls againsttheir Close Combat skill.

If the defender succeeds then, depending onthe relative weapons used, they may be able toreduce or remove all of the rolled damage.Weapons are rated in the following sizecategories: Light, Medium, and Heavy.Weapons need to be of the same category or

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larger to block all damage. If the defendingweapon is one category less they block halfdamage. If two categories less they cannotblock the damage at all.

A critical parry against a normal successdeflects all the damage regardless of sizecategory. If parrying against a critical hit andthe defender rolls a critical on their CloseCombat skill roll, then they reduce theattacker’s critical to a normal success.

So what’s the difference between parry anddodge? …it is mainly down to a matter ofcombat style. Parrying has the advantage ofbeing based off the same skill that you use toattack with - but it is only effective againstsimilar sized weapons as your own. Asuccessful dodge on the other hand, will getyou out of harm’s way no matter what.

Two Weapon UseA character wielding two weapons or a

weapon and a shield may use the offhand itemto either:

Parry one additional attack per combatround (over and above the normal reactionallowance).

Gain a single bonus close combat attackaction. This bonus attack is at -25% andoccurs at half the character’s DEX in orderof combat. Also this may only be a normalclose combat attack, not an all out attack,disarming attack or a great attack.

For example, a warrior armed with a swordand shield, can attack with the sword normallyand then follow this up with a shield bash at-25% to that attack later in the same round.

Close Combat SkillsGreater Than 100%

A character with over 100% may, if hechooses, split his skill to perform multipleattacks and parries or dodges.

In such cases the number of attacks and theallocated % of each one must be declared atthe start of the combat round. Any allocationof split is allowed. For example, a character

with a Close Combat skill of 120% can split it90% / 30% or make four attacks at fouropponents in range at 30% each.

Divide the character’s DEX by the numberof attacks to find when attacks occur in theDEX sequence. The first attack is at normalDEX and then subsequent attacks are atintervals of DEX divided by the number ofattacks. In the above example let us assumethat the character has a DEX of 10, and splitshis attack 60% / 60%. His first attack wouldoccur at DEX 10 and the second at DEX 5.

Parries and dodges do not need to bedeclared at the start of a combat round butcareful track must be kept of how many havealready been used. For example, the abovecharacter might parry one of his attackers with75% of his skill and still have 45% left toparry another foe in the same round.

Ranged WeaponsAll ranged attacks are handled in the same

manner as close combat attacks with thefollowing exceptions:

Charge: Ranged attacks may not be used aspart of a charge.

Loading Ranged Weapons. Most rangedweapons only take a single movement actionto ready. Others can take longer to reload. Seethe weapon description in the equipmentchapter.

Range A target within the weapon’s rangemay be attacked without penalty. A targetwithin double the weapon’s range may beattacked, but the attacker’s Ranged skill ishalved before other modifiers are applied.Attacks cannot be made at a distance beyondtwice/double the weapon’s range.

Dodging And Parrying. The target mayattempt to parry or dodge a hand-thrownranged attack but may not normally dodge orparry ranged missile weapons (such as bows).A character must have a shield in order toattempt to parry hand-thrown missile weapon,and must also be aware of the attack. The samecharacter might also modify the attacker’s skillfor missile attacks as described on the previouspage.

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Disarming. A character may not attempt todisarm targets with ranged attacks, nor may heattempt to strike a target’s weapon or shield.

Firing Into A Crowd: When firing into acrowd the Game Master will determine howmuch cover the defender has from the rangedattack. The ranged attack is then resolved asnormal for a target behind cover. If the attackfails to hit the defender and succeeds againstthe unmodified attack skill, the firer has hitone of the individuals adjacent to the target.The accidental target may dodge this attack ifit is hand-thrown, as normal.

* Modifiers within these sections are not cumulative.However, modifiers from different sections arecumulative. Therefore, shooting at a target in themist who has moved more than 10m since theattacker’s last action, imparts a -50% penalty.

† Attacker condition modifiers are cumulative.

‡ Only thrown weapons may be used underwater.Bows and other projectile weapons willautomatically miss if fired underwater.

-50%Attacker is blinded.-25%Attacker is on unstable ground.-25%Attacker is underwater ‡-50%Attacker is prone.

Attacker Condition †-25%Target prone.

+25%Target is helpless.Target Condition*

+25%Target is above SIZ 20.

-50%Target obscured by thick smoke, fog,or is in darkness.

-25%Target obscured by smoke, mist, or isin partial darkness.

Target Visibility*

-50%Target has moved 30m or more sincelast combat round.

-25%Target has moved 10m or more sinceattacker’s last action.

Target Movement*

AutomaticFailureHurricane.

-50%Fierce wind.-25%High wind.

Wind*

SkillModifierSituation

Table 5.2 Ranged AttackSituational Modifiers

CoverCover affects both ranged and close combat

attacks. For missile attacks the defenderbenefits from any modifiers in table 5.2opposite and the cover modifier below.

Partial Cover -25%: For example, a low wallthat leaves only the head and torso exposed.

Very Good Cover -50%: For example, adefender on a castle wall, firing from protectedbattlements.

Virtually Total Cover -75%: For example,castle wall with arrow slits for defenders toshoot through.

DamageWhen a character successfully scores

damage against a target it must be deductedfrom the target’s hit points. Every weapon hasa damage rating, which is listed in its entry inthe relevant weapon table in the equipmentchapter. This rating is the amount of dicerolled when the weapon successfully hits atarget. The attacker’s damage modifier isusually added to this.

One hit point: When hit points are reduced tothe final one the character falls prone and mustmake an immediate Resilience test divided byten (rounded up) to stay conscious.

Hit points equal zero: The character is dead.In the grim and gritty world of The Age OfShadow there is no chance to make farewellspeeches. You can spend fate points however!

Beyond the pale: This is when the character’shit points are in the negative to a value equalto the original total value. The character is notonly dead but his/her body is utterly destroyedor horribly mangled.

For example, if a character with ten hitpoints is blasted by a Dragon’s fiery breath for30 points of damage, then his body is mostlikely reduced to ash.

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Major WoundsIf a character suffers damage equal to half

or more of their original HP in a single strike,they suffer a major wound. This representsbadly mangled limbs, shattered bones, andseverely damaged internal organs. Roll on thetable 5.3 below to see what type of wound thecharacter has suffered. They must immediatelymake a Resilience roll, with a -50% modifier,or fall unconscious. If the roll is made then thecharacter’s DEX is immediately halved andthe character may only fight on for as manycombat rounds as their remaining hit pointsbefore falling unconscious (in addition to anyeffects described below). Note that the halvedDEX is regained once the character starts toheal, since it only represents the shock andtrauma of the initial wound.

Right arm badly broken and becomesuseless permanently. Automatically dropany held items.

10

Left arm badly broken and becomes uselesspermanently. Automatically drop any helditems.

9

Spine broken - character permanentlyparalysed below the neck (odd result ondice) or the torso (even result on dice). HalfDEX permanently.

8

Heart stops in shock! Lose consciousnessfor the next 1d10 combat rounds. Fall proneand can not move. Lose 2 points of CONpermanently.

7

Slashed stomach. Lose one extra hit pointper round from blood loss. Lose 3 points ofCON permanently.

6

Broken ribs. -50% to all skills due to severepain.5

Left Leg muscles badly cut/mangled or legbone shattered and becomes useless. Fallprone & can only crawl at 2m / round. Lose2 points of DEX and 2 STR permanently.

4

Right Leg muscles badly cut/mangled or legbone shattered and becomes useless. Fallprone & can only crawl at 2m / round. Lose2 points of DEX and 2 STR permanently.

3

Cracked skull & brain damage. Lose 4points of INT. -25% to all skills involvingmental processes, permanently. Thisincludes Perception, Persistence, and allLore, Culture, Religion and Craft skills.

2

Lose an eye. -50% to all Perception rolls.Lose 4 points of DEX and 1 point of CHApermanently.

1

Major Woundd10Table 5.3 Major Wound Table

Fatal WoundsIf a character takes damage equal to, or in

excess of, his original HP in one strike he iskilled outright. This represents hacked offlimbs, decapitation, and blows that stab theheart or other vital organs directly.

Mounted CombatA mounted warrior gains a +25% bonus to

his attacks and parries made against adjacentopponents on foot, and a character on footsuffers a -25% penalty to his reaction skillwhen defending against a mounted attacker.These modifiers do not apply if the target onfoot is as tall as the mounted character is whilemounted. A mounted character uses hismount’s movement score when moving ratherthan his own.

Untrained MountsThe rider of a mount that is unused to

combat must make a Riding skill test at thestart of each combat round. Failing this testwill cause the horse to automatically flee (usethe sprint action) at every opportunity for theremainder of the combat round.

Succeeding this test allows the horse to betreated as a trained mount for the remainder ofthe combat round. Also note that a mountedadventurer can use no weapon at a skill levelgreater than his Riding skill score.

Unarmed CombatIf an unarmed attack is parried by a crafted

or natural weapon, then the attacker willimmediately suffer the rolled damage of theparrying weapon (with no damage modifier) tothe limb he is using. This is in addition to thenormal effect of the parry.

Natural WeaponsNatural weapons such as the teeth and

claws of monsters are counted as weapons andnot unarmed attacks. The damage they deal islisted in the monster’s description. They mayparry other natural weapons or unarmedattacks, but not crafted weapons.

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GrapplingA grapple attack is made in the same way

as a normal unarmed or natural weapon attackbut must be declared as such before any diceare rolled. Should the attacker hit with hisgrapple attack, no damage is initially caused -instead the combatants are now considered tobe ‘grappling’ and the attacker mayimmediately follow up on this success byattempting to throw, inflict pain, or immobilisehis target (see below/opposite).

Grappling Combatants

Grappling combatants will remain lockedtogether until one combatant breaks free or isthrown out of the grapple. Grapplingcombatants suffer a -25% penalty to any teststhat do not target or directly respond to theirgrapple partner. Grappling combatants maynot use reactions.

Both grappling combatants are restricted tothe following special actions:

Break Free: To break out of a grapple thecharacter makes an opposed grapple attempt(both characters may only use the Unarmedskill in this case). If the character succeeds athis roll while his opponent fails (or choosesnot to oppose) then he has succeeded inbreaking free and the combatants are no longergrappling - though they will be adjacent.

Immobilise: To immobilise an opponent thecharacter makes an opposed grapple test (bothcharacters may only use the Unarmed skill inthis case). If successful the immobilisedenemy is considered helpless. Once per roundthe defender may still attempt to break free asdetailed above.

Inflict Pain: To inflict pain upon an opponentthe character makes an opposed grapple test(using the Unarmed skill). If successful thecharacter inflicts 1d4 damage plus damagemodifiers (and armour is ignored). Once perround the defender may attempt to break freeor may attempt to turn the tables on theirattacker by counter grappling on their turn.

Throw: To throw an opponent the charactermakes an opposed grapple test (bothcharacters may only use the Unarmed skill inthis case). If successful the opponent is thrown2 metres and suffers 1d4 damage (ignoringarmour).

Attacker hits, defendertakes damage rolledminus armour points.

CriticalCritical

Attacker does maximumdamage and ignoresdefender’s armour.

SuccessCritical

Attacker does maximumdamage and ignoresdefender’s armour.

FailureCritical

Attacker does maximumdamage and ignores thearmour of the defender.Defender fumbles.

FumbleCritical

Defender avoids attackand takes no damage. Ifparrying the weapon sizepenalty does not comeinto it.

CriticalSuccess

When dodging, defenderavoids the attack. Whenparrying, then if theattacker’s weapon issmaller or equal in sizeto the defender’s weaponall damage is avoided. Ifparrying weapon is arank smaller, halve thedamage taken. If tworanks smaller then nodamage can be avoided.

SuccessSuccess

Attacker hits, defendertakes damage rolledminus armour points.

FailureSuccess

Attacker hits, defendertakes damage rolledminus armour points andfumbles.

FumbleSuccess

Attacker fails to hitdefender.N/AFailure

Attacker fumbles.N/AFumbleResultDefenderAttacker

Table 5.4 Combat Results

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CHAPTER 6INNATE MAGIC

Of the two approaches to magic, innatemagic is the most commonly available type.

During the course of the game the mostfrequently encountered spells (and as suchthose making up the majority of the spell list)are those that relate to combat situations.However, it is also worth noting that not allthe spells in this group are directly applicableto physical combat, as there are a fair few thatwill aid the wily charmer and golden tonguedmanipulator.

Magic PointsAll characters start play with magic points

equal to their POW characteristic score. Acharacter’s POW score also acts as amaximum limit to the amount of magic pointsa character can store at any one time.

Some characters might also have access toadditional pools of magic points via magicitems that act as magic point stores (see CreateMagic Point Store spell). However, thesepools regenerate, if at all, independently of thecharacter’s natural rate (see below).Experienced magic users might even haveseveral magic point stores at their disposal,which allows them to cast many of their spellswithout using their own precious pool ofmagic points.

However, a character who is reduced tozero magic points falls unconscious until hehas regained one magic point.

Regaining Magic PointsUsing magic points is a draining and

exhausting activity that requires a major effortfrom which the body needs to recover. Magicpoints regenerate once the character fully rests,either by sitting down and taking it very easyor by having a good night’s sleep.

For every two hour period that a characterrests they regain magic points equal to aquarter of their POW total.

For example, if a character with a POW of8 takes two hours of rest, he will regain twomagic points. For four hours of rest he willregain four magic points; six hours will allowhim to regain six magic points and eight hoursto allow him to regain the full eight magicpoints.

Basically if the character has a comfortableuninterrupted sleep of eight hours they willregain their full magic points. However,characters may never exceed their originalmagic point total by resting.

Learning Innate Magic CastingInnate magic casting is treated as a skill.

The base chance for Innate Casting is POWx3. Spells are learnt separately, but the InnateCasting skill determines the success forcasting all innate magic spells. Under thedefault rules only elvish player characters (orhumans with elvish ancestry) have the optionof starting play with one of these spells.

Learning Innate Magic SpellsIt is possible that elvish characters

(including humans with elvish ancestry) maylearn how to manipulate their own innatemagic from other characters who know othersuch spells. It costs one improvement point permagnitude to learn an innate magic spell (notethat improvement points are covered inChapter 8). If a character knows a spell at alower magnitude, they only have to pay thedifference in improvement points to gain thespell at a higher magnitude. For example, if acharacter already knows a spell at magnitude2, he only needs to spend one improvementpoint to gain the spell at magnitude 3.

Of both the approaches to magic, innatemagic is the least powerful, but it is the easiestto obtain (assuming of course your characterhas elvish blood).

Innate magic can also be obtained from anumber of other sources if the GM sees fit(from weeks of inner reflection, to hereditarypowers manifesting themselves, or even theresult of a particular deed or quest), though thefinal word will always be that of the GM.

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Casting SpellsA character must be able to move his hands

to make gestures and be able to chant in orderto cast a spell, as well as being able to see histarget.

When the character is casting a spell underduress, such as in the midst of combat, theymust pass an Innate Casting test tosuccessfully cast the spell. In this regard innatemagic is like any other skill. If the character isrelaxed and has all the time in the world thenno casting test is needed, and the spell isautomatically cast.

If the Innate Casting test succeeds, anumber of magic points are deducted from thespellcaster’s total, equal to the magnitude ofthe spell. The spell then takes effect.

If the Innate Casting test fails, the spelldoes not take effect and the character loses onemagic point.

Critical SuccessA critical success on an Innate Casting test

means that the caster has been able to controlthe flow of the magic particularly effectively.The character loses one magic point instead ofthe normal cost of the spell.

FumbleA fumble on an Innate Casting test means

that the caster has been unable to control theflow of his own innate magic. Rather thanlosing a single magic point for failing to castthe spell, the caster loses a number of magicpoints equal to its magnitude.

Casting TimeNo other action may be taken whilst casting

a spell, though the character may slowly walkup to half their movement while spell casting.

All spells take one combat round to cast.Casting begins at the start of the combat roundand a spell’s effect happens on the caster’sINT, instead of DEX.

Distractions, or attacks on the caster as hecasts, may ruin the spell unless the casterpasses a Persistence test to maintain his con-centration. The difficulty of this test is largelyleft to the GMs discretion (for example, takingany damage might be a hard -50% test).

Dismissing SpellsIn a single combat round, a caster can

dismiss any permanent spell (or spells) he hascast as a free action. Ceasing to cast aconcentration spell is immediate and not anaction.

Spell TraitsUnless noted otherwise all innate spells

have the following traits.

They have variable magnitude. This meansthat the magnitude of the spell starts fromthe stated magnitude and then can be cast ata higher magnitude (assuming the casterknows it), giving an increase in the effect ofthe spell. The maximum magnitude that acaster can learn is equal to their POWdivided by 3.

Base magnitude is one.

Range is equal to the caster’s POWx3 inmetres.

All spells, unless noted otherwise, have aduration of ten minutes.

Other traits used by spells are detailedbelow:

Area (X): The spell affects all targets within aradius specified in metres.

Concentration: The spell’s effects willremain in place so long as the charactercontinues to concentrate on it. Concentratingon a spell is functionally identical to castingthe spell, requiring the caster to continue tochant and ignore distractions.

Instant: The spell’s effects take placeinstantly. The spell itself then disappears.

Magnitude (X): The strength and power ofthe spell. Also the minimum number of magicpoints required to cast it (note that the magicpoint cost is doubled for human characters).

Non-Variable: The spell may only be cast atthe stated magnitude.

Permanent: The spell’s effects remain inplace until they are dispelled or dismissed.

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Resist (Dodge/Persistence/Resilience): Thespell’s intended effects do not succeedautomatically. The target may make a Dodge,Persistence, or Resilience test (as specified bythe spell) in order to avoid the effect of thespell entirely. Note that Resist (Dodge) spellsrequire the target to be able to use reactions inorder to dodge. In the case of area spells, theResist (Dodge) trait requires the target to divein order to mitigate the spell’s effect.

Touch: Touch spells require the character toactually touch his target for the spell to takeeffect, using an Unarmed skill test to makecontact. The caster must remain in physicalcontact with the target for the entire casting.

Trigger: The spell will lie dormant until anevent stated in the description takes place. Thespell then takes effect and is expended.

Innate Magic Spell ListBefuddle: Magnitude 2, Non-Variable, Resist(Persistence).

The affected target may not cast spells andmay only take non-offensive actions. Thetarget may run if it so chooses and may dodgeand parry normally in combat, though it maynot make any attacks unless it is attacked first.

This spell is effective against humanoidsand natural creatures. Other creatures (such asspirits or magical beasts like dragons) are notaffected by this spell.

Clear Path: Touch.This spell allows the caster to move through

even the most tangled, thorny brush as if hewere on an open road. For each additionalpoint of magnitude, he may bring one personwith him.

Co-ordination: Touch. For every point of magnitude of this spell,

the target’s combat order increases by +2(whether casting spells or fighting), and adds10% per magnitude to dodge or DEX-basedAthletics tests. The characteristic can beincreased above normal racial maximum forthe duration of the spell.

Countermagic: Instant.Countermagic is only ever used as a

reaction, and only when another spell is castwithin Countermagic’s range that the characterwishes to counter. A successful Countermagicdisrupts the other spell and nullifies it - solong as Countermagic’s magnitude equals orexceeds that of the target spell.

Create Charms: Permanent, Casting Time(Special).

A charm is a physical item that stores oneor more magic spells. A charm could be anecklace that holds a Befuddle spell, a swordetched with runes that holds a WeaponEnhance 2 spell, or even a sheet of paper witha poem written on it that, when held againstthe skin, provides a Protection 1 spell.

To create a charm a character must possessboth the spell they wish to store and CreateCharm at the same magnitude.The item into which the charm is to be castmust be prepared and in contact with thecaster for the length of the casting.If the caster spends one improvement pointat the time of creation, the spell within thecharm is reusable. Otherwise, the itemmust be re-enchanted after a single use.A spell stored in a charm is used like anyother spell that the possessor knows. Ituses the wielder’s Innate Casting skill andis powered by the wielder’s own magicpoints.The time taken to create a single-usecharm is one hour per point of magnitudeof the spell being stored. Reusable charmstake three hours per point of magnitude tocreate.

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Charms are mundane items in their ownright and if the item is broken the Charm isdispelled.

Create Magic Point Store: Permanent.This spell allows the caster to create an

item which has magic point storingcapabilities. These allow the owner to have apool of magic points in addition to their own.

Typically crystals mounted atop staves areused due to their physical toughness (in gameterms treat these crystals as unbreakable). Thisalso applies to charms, such as a sword withWeapon Enhancement 2 stored in it, to providea pool of magic points to cast the spell from.

Magic point stores take one hour per magicpoint stored in them to create. The caster mustfill the item with their own magic points aspart of the spell. The amount of magic pointsput into the item at the time of castingbecomes the maximum that can be put into theitem and cannot be increased after the spell iscast. Unless one improvement point is spentwhen they are created they are non-reusable(i.e. once the magic points are used the itemloses its ability to store magic points). If theimprovement point is paid the item thenbecomes reusable and once all the magicpoints are used, the item can be refilledinstantly from the user’s own magic points.

If the item is destroyed the magic points arereleased harmlessly into the surrounding area.

Create Potion: Permanent.Potions are liquids that store one or more

magic spells. The magnitude of the CreatePotion spell needs to equal or exceed thehighest magnitude of the spell being storedinto the potion.

All potions are one use. They must bedrunk in one swift gulp to work. The potion automatically works and doesn’tincur a cost in magic points to the personwho is drinking the potion. The potion costs the enchanter magicpoints. They must know the spell at themagnitude they are enchanting it at, withthe magic points of the spell being put intothe potion.There is an associated cost of 50 BV (iningredients etc.) per magnitude.

To make the potion, the enchanter must rollsuccessfully against their Innate Castingskill for each spell being placed in thepotion and against Lore (Potion Making). Ifthey fail the potion is ruined and they losethe cost of the ingredients.Potions take one hour per point of magni-

tude of spell(s) stored to create. It must bestored in an airtight container or it evaporateslosing one point of magnitude per week.

Darkwall: Area 5, Magnitude 2, Non-Variable.

Light sources within a Darkwall area shedno light and normal sight ceases to function.Other senses, such as a bat’s sonar or nightvision, function normally.

The caster may move the Darkwall 15metres per combat round. If this option ischosen, the spell gains the concentration trait.

Demoralise: Magnitude 2, Resist (Persis-tence), Non-Variable.

This spell creates doubt and uncertainty inthe very heart and soul of the target. The targetof this spell has all combat skills halved andmay not cast offensive spells. If this spell takeseffect before combat begins, the target will tryto avoid fighting and will either flee orsurrender. The effects of this spell areautomatically cancelled by the Fanaticismspell and vice versa.

Detect (x): Magnitude 1, Concentration, Non-Variable.

This covers a family of spells that alloperate in a similar fashion, allowing thecaster to locate the closest target of the spellwithin its range. This effect is stopped by athick substance such as metal, earth, or stonethat is at least one metre thick. It is alsoblocked by Countermagic, though the casterwill know the target is somewhere withinrange (though not its precise location) and thatit is being protected by Countermagic. Theseparate Detect spells are listed below andmust be learned separately.

Detect Enemy: Gives the location of thenearest creatures that intend to harm thecaster. The maximum number of creaturesis equal to the magnitude of the spell.

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Detect Magic: Gives the location of thenearest magic item, magical creature, oractive spell.Detect Species: Each Detect Species spellwill give the location of the nearest creatureof the specified species. Examples of thisspell include Detect Demon, Detect Elf, etc.Detect Substance: Each Detect Substancespell will give the location of the nearestsubstance of the specified type. Examplesof this spell include Detect Coal, DetectGold, and Detect Wood.

Dispel Magic: Instant.This spell will attack and eliminate other

spells. Dispel Magic will eliminate a combinedmagnitude of spells equal to its ownmagnitude, starting with the most powerfulaffecting the target. If it fails to eliminate anyspell (because the spell’s magnitude is toohigh), then its effects immediately end and nomore spells will be eliminated. A spell cannotbe partially eliminated, so a target under theeffects of a spell whose magnitude is higherthan that of Dispel Magic will not have anyspells currently affecting it eliminated.

Disruption: Instant, Resist (Resilience).Disruption literally pulls a target’s body

apart. The target will suffer 1d4 points ofdamage, ignoring any armour points.

Dull Weapon:This spell can be cast on any weapon. For

every point of magnitude it reduces thedamage dealt by the target weapon by one.

Enhance Skill (x):Like Detect (x), this is a number of

different spells, each of which affects adifferent skill. For each point of magnitude ofthe spell, the recipient gains +10% to any skilltest using the skill enhanced. Alternatively, foreach additional point of magnitude of thespell, the caster can affect one more target.

The bonuses and targets can be split asnecessary providing each bonus is in multiplesof 10%, and that the total bonuses equal thespell’s magnitude x 10%. For example, acharacter may have Enhance Skill (Deception)5. He could cast it all on himself to give awhopping +50% to his Deception, or could

cast it on himself and an ally, giving himself+30% and his ally +20%. If in a larger group,he could even cast it on 5 allies, each of whichwould gain +10% to their Deception skill.

Some example spells of this type are asfollows:

Enhance Skill (Deception), which is usefulto stealthy types.Enhance Skill (Trade), which is useful toaid merchants.Enhance Skill (Resilience), which may beuseful for martial types.Enhance Skill (Persistence), which is veryuseful for magic types.

Extinguish: Instant.This spell instantly puts out fires. At

magnitude 1 it can extinguish a flame,magnitude 2 a small fire, magnitude 3 a largefire, and magnitude 4 will put out an inferno.

Fanaticism: Magnitude 2, Non-Variable.The target of this spell will have close

combat skills increased by +25% but may notattempt to parry, dodge, or cast spells. Also forthe duration of the spell the target has a +50%bonus to any Persistence test related to morale.The effects of this spell are automatically can-celled by the Demoralise spell and vice versa.

Fire Arrow: Magnitude 2, Touch, Trigger,Non-Variable.

Casting this spell on a missile weapon willcause it to burst into flame when it isfired/thrown and strikes a target. When it hits atarget, the missile will deal +1d6 points ofmagical fire damage in addition to its normaldamage. Since Fire Arrow does magicaldamage, it affects creatures that are immune tonormal damage. A missile under the effects ofFire Arrow cannot benefit from Speed Dart.

Fire Blade: Magnitude 4, Touch, Non-Variable.

For the duration of the spell, this meleeweapon will deal +1d6 points of magical firedamage in addition to its normal damage. Aweapon under the effects of Fire Blade cannotbenefit from Weapon Enhance.

Since Fire Blade does magical damage, itdamages creatures immune to normal damage.

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Heal: Instant, Touch.For every point of magnitude of this spell,

the caster can repair one hit point of damageon either himself or another target. In addition,a Heal spell of any magnitude will stabilise acharacter suffering from a major wound,and/or revive a character who is unconscious.

A magnitude 3 or higher Heal spell willalso cure any single poison or disease affectingthe target (this effect may also be achieved bycasting two consecutive Heal II spells).

A magnitude 5 or higher Heal spell willalso repair the effects of a single major wound(this effect may also be achieved by castingtwo consecutive Heal IV spells).

Hinder Skill (x): Duration 5, Ranged, Resist(Persistence).

Like Enhance Skill (x), this is a number ofdifferent spells, each of which affects adifferent skill. For each point of magnitude ofthe spell, the target gains a -10% penalty toany skill test using the affected skill.

Alternatively, for each additional point ofmagnitude of the spell, the caster can affectone more target. The penalties and targets canbe split as necessary providing each penalty isa multiple of 10%, and that the total penaltiesequal the spell’s magnitude x 10%. If used inthis way, each target is affected separately, i.e.if one target succeeds on resisting the spell,other targets may fail and be affected.

Some common spells of this type areHinder Skill (Perception) which is often usedwhen stealth is an issue, or Hinder Skill(Persistence) which is useful to cast on othermagic users prior to casting spells upon them.

Ignite: Instant.Ignite will set fire to anything flammable

within range, creating a flame. Skin or fleshcannot be ignited and if the target is attachedto a living being (such as fur or clothes) thenthe spell gains the Resist (Resilience) trait.

Light: Area 9.Cast on a physical object (including living

material), this spell causes the object to shedlight across the area of effect. Note that onlythe specified area is illuminated - everythingoutside the area of effect is not. This spellcreates raw light, not a flame.

Mind Speech: This spell can affect one target for every

point of magnitude. It allows telepathybetween the caster and any target, thoughtargets will not have telepathy with oneanother. The words transmitted by telepathymust be whispered and will be heard directlyin the head of the recipient in the samelanguage in which it was spoken.

Mobility:For every point of magnitude of this spell,

the target’s movement rate will be increasedby 2m.

Pierce: Touch.This spell can be cast on any weapon with a

blade or point. For every point of magnitude, itignores one armour point when it strikesarmour. Pierce can bypass magical armour aseasily as normal armour.

Protection: For every point of magnitude of this spell,

one armour point is added to the armour of thetarget. This stacks with any existing armourand is treated in the same way.

Second Sight: Magnitude 3, Non-Variable.Second Sight allows the caster to gauge the

POW of every creature within range. The spellis blocked by anything that blocks normalvision. The caster will know if each aura isless than his own POW, within three points ofhis own POW, or greater than his own POW(note that any enchanted items will also benoticeable as such).

Additionally, Second Sight provides a+25% bonus on Perception tests to noticehidden magical items or hiding people/creatures. Second Sight will also revealinvisible entities - though only a hazy imagewill show (treat such targets as partiallyobscured).

Slow: Resist (Resilience).For every point of magnitude of this spell,

the target’s current movement rate will bereduced by 2m. A target’s movement may notbe reduced to below two metres through theuse of this spell.

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Speed Dart: Magnitude 2, Non-Variable,Touch, Trigger.

Cast on a missile weapon, this spell istriggered when it is fired. It gives a +25% toRanged Combat and +3 damage while usingthe missile. A missile under the effects ofSpeed Dart cannot benefit from Fire Arrow.

Spirit Shield:This spell forms a magical barrier that

protects the caster from magic point loss as theresult of a successful incorporeal attack (suchas those made by evil spirits). Each point ofmagnitude reduces the damage done by anattacking spirit by one point.

Strength: Touch.For every point of magnitude of this spell,

the target’s damage modifier increases by onestep and strength based athletics tests are+10% per magnitude. Note that the damageincrease is not treated as magical damage.

Vigour: Touch.For every point of magnitude of this spell,

the target’s hit points score increases by +2. Atarget cannot have its hit points increased inthis way to more than twice its original score.Damage is taken from the ‘magical’ hit pointsfirst, so when the spell dissipates the damagethat was inflicted on the magical hit pointsdisappear too. Note that this will also alter thetarget’s major wound level while the spell is ineffect.

Weapon Enhance: Touch.This spell can be cast on any close combat

weapon or unarmed attack. For every point ofmagnitude, it increases the chance to hit withthe weapon by +10% and deals one point ofextra damage. This extra damage is magicaland will affect creatures that can only be hurtby magic. The weapon’s base damage remainsnon-magical. A weapon under the effects ofthis spell cannot benefit from Fire Blade.

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+25% to all close combat skills, but may not parry or cast spells.Magnitude 2Non-VariableFanaticism

Puts out fires.InstantExtinguish

Adds +10% per magnitude to a particular skill.Enhance Skill (x)

Reduces a weapon’s damage by one point per magnitude.Dull weapon

Causes 1d4 damage per magnitude.InstantResist (Resilience)Disruption

Dispels spells of magnitude equal or lower to it.InstantDispel Magic

Where ‘X’ is a substance or a group of living beings.ConcentrationNon-VariableDetect (x)

If cast before combat begins, target loses will to fight. If cast duringcombat, weapons skills are halved and may not cast offensive spells.

Magnitude 2Resist (Persistence)

Non-VariableDemoralise

Creates a moveable solid wall of darkness.Area 5

Magnitude 2Non-Variable

Darkwall

Creates potions with stored innate magic spells.PermanentCreate Potion

Creates a magic point store which can later be used instead of thecaster’s own magic points.PermanentCreate Magic

Point Store

Creates magic items with innate magic spells.PermanentCreate Charms

Used as a reaction, this spell automatically dispels any magic cast withinrange whose magnitude is lower or equal to its own.InstantCountermagic

+2 per magnitude to combat order, +10% per magnitude to Dodge andAthletics.TouchCo-ordination

Clears the way through dense undergrowth.Touch.Clear Path

Confuses the target so they cannot attack.Magnitude 2Non-Variable

Resist (Persistence)Befuddle

EffectTraitsSpellTable 6.1 Innate Magic Spells Summary

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+10% to hit and +1 damage to close combat weapon/unarmed attack.The additional damage caused by this spell is considered magical.TouchWeapon Enhance

+2 Hit points per point of Magnitude for the duration of the spell.TouchVigor

+10% to any strength based Athletics test per point of magnitude. +1step for damage modifier per magnitude.TouchStrength

Repulses evil spirits.Spirit Shield

+3 damage, +25% to Ranged Combat skill.

Magnitude 2Non-Variable

TouchTrigger

Speed Dart

-2m to movement rate per magnitude.Resist (Resilience)Slow

Allows the caster to judge how many magic points a target has.Magnitude 3Non-VariableSecond Sight

+1 AP per magnitude.Protection

-1 AP per magnitude.TouchPierce

+2m to movement rate per magnitude.Mobility

Allows mental communication with one target per point of magnitude.Mind Speech

A magical light that illuminates its area.Area 9LightStarts fires.InstantIgnite

-10% to a target’s given skill per point of magnitude.Duration 5

RangedResist (Persistence)

Hinder

+1 Hit point per point of magnitude.InstantTouchHeal

+1d6 magical flame damage to affected sword.Magnitude 4

TouchNon-Variable

Fire Blade

+1d6 magical flame damage to affected arrow.

Magnitude 2TouchTrigger

Non-Variable

Fire Arrow

EffectTraitsSpell

CHAPTER 7SORCERY

Sorcery is an approach to magic that drawsupon the very essence of the world itself.However, the dark powers put forth a greatdeal of their own power into the word,misshaping things from their very beginning ifthey thought it may serve them in somefashion, or corrupting them out of spite.

As such it is impossible for any type ofsorcery, whether it be used for good or evil, tonot be touched by this ‘dark/evil element’ insome manner.

Also, unlike innate magic, it is possible forany character (given the right circumstances)to learn sorcery - though it should be notedthat unlike many other fantasy roleplayinggames (where wizards and the like arecommonplace), the availability of such magicto the player characters should be kept to anabsolute minimum in The Age Of Shadow.

Learning SorceryIn order for a character to be able to cast

any sorcerous spells he must first attain asuitable mastery of the skill itself (see table 7.1opposite for more details).

To gain the ability to cast a particular spellthe character must have access to the spell hewishes to research (i.e. the caster must possessthe spell in written form, be taught it by ateacher, etc.), and also spend two improvementpoints to learn it.

Each sorcery spell is governed by theSorcery Casting magical skill. This skill isautomatically acquired at its basic score (INT)when the character is first created. This skillmay be improved normally through the use ofimprovement points, and even non-sorcerershave this skill at its base - as it is used to givethem a chance to use magic items that storesorcery spells.

In addition, the character’s Sorcery Castingskill will also limit the number of sorceryspells the character may learn (also shown intable 7.1 opposite).

11Magus100%+7Adept76-99%4Journeyman51-75%2Apprentice26-50%1Novice0-25%

Max. NumberOf SpellsExpertiseSorcery Skill

Table 7.1 Sorcery Spells Known

Note that the character may forfeit oldspells in order to make room for new ones.

Casting Sorcery SpellsA character must be able to gesture with his

hands and be able to chant in order to cast aspell. Whenever a spell is cast using sorcery,there will always be a sight and sound thatnearby creatures can detect, be it a flash oflight, a crack of thunder, or a shimmering inthe air. The exact effects are up to the GameMaster and player to decide for any givenspell, but it will automatically be detected byany creatures within ten times the Magnitudeof the spell in metres.

Casting a sorcery spell requires a successfulskill test using the Sorcery Casting skill. Ifsuccessful, the spell takes effect. If the castingtest fails, the spell does not take effect.

Magic PointsAll sorcery spells cost a base of one magic

point to cast. If a manipulation effect isapplied to a spell, each effect costs one magicpoint to apply.

Casting Critical SuccessesIf a Sorcery Casting test results in a critical

success then any attempts to resist or counterthe spell suffer a -25% penalty and the magicpoint cost for applying any manipulation effectis negated.

Casting Fumbles If a Sorcery Casting test results in a fumble

then the spell fails and the sorcerer loses 1d6magic points in addition to the magic pointloss for any manipulation effects. Thecharacter also adds one point to his corruptionvalue (corruption is discussed in more detaillater in this chapter).

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Casting TimeNo other action may be taken while casting

a spell, though the character may slowly walkup to half their movement.

A spell takes effect at the end of its casting,which starts at the beginning of the combatround and ends on the INT of the caster in thecombat order. Note that while spellcasting acharacter will draw possible attacks fromenemies they are adjacent to during a combatround.

Distractions, or attacks on the caster as hecasts, may ruin the spell unless the casterpasses a Persistence test to maintainconcentration on the spell. The difficulty ofthis test is largely left to the GMs discretion(for example, being suddenly blinded might bea normal test, whereas suffering a majorwound would probably be impossible).

Manipulation Of Sorcery SpellsSorcery spells have three basic effects

which can be manipulated by the caster:magnitude, duration, and range.

Each effect has a default value which thespell can be cast at - costing one magic point.The default value for the spell effects are listedin the manipulation table opposite.

The ‘tens’ value of the caster’s SorceryCasting skill determines the maximum numberof additional magic points that can be spent oneach of the manipulation types. For example, acharacter with a Sorcery Casting skill of 87%can spend an additional 8 magic points onmanipulating each of the spell’s effects, inmagnitude, duration, and range. That’s amanipulation of up to 8 levels for each effect,not 8 levels in total across all three effects.

The decision of which effects to manipulateand how many extra magic points are to bespent is made before the spell is cast.

For example, let us assume that Elinellcasts Damage Boosting on Anthar’s sword,and wants it to be at a magnitude of 4 for anhour. She has a Sorcery Casting skill of 60%,which means she can spend an additional sixmagic points on manipulating any spell’seffects. Looking at the manipulation table(opposite), Elinell can comfortably manage amagnitude of 4, for three additional magic

points, and can also manage a duration of anhour for another three points.

Elinell’s player rolls the dice and comparesthe result against Elinell’s casting skill of 60%to see whether she successfully casts the spellor not.

In fact Elinell could have spent a maximumof six points on a range of 640m, another sixon a duration of 12 hours, and another 6 on amagnitude of 7 - which is a total of 19 MagicPoints (18 for the manipulations and 1 for thespell itself).

10000km10 Years20+195000km5 Years19+182000km2 Years18+171000km1 Year17+16500km2 Seasons16+15200km1 Season15+14100km2 months14+1350km1 month13+1220km2 weeks12+1110km1 week11+105km5 days10+92km2 days9+81km1 day8+7

640m12 hours7+6320m4 hours6+5160m2 hours5+480m1 hour4+340m30 minutes3+220m15 minutes2+110m5 minutes11 (Default)

RangeDurationMagnitudeMagicPoint Cost

Table 7.2 Spell Manipulation Cost

As you can probably work out from theexample above, it is possible for a sorcerer tocast a spell which needs more magic points inits manipulated form than a sorcerer willnormally have. Sorcerers can get round this bycarrying magic point stores (see innate magicspell Create Magic Point Store).

CorruptionUnlike innate magic, those that dabble in

sorcery do so at their own peril, and theconsequences for tapping into the marredessence of the world comes with substantialrisk. Therefore, whenever a player characterfumbles a Sorcery Casting test (regardless of

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whether it is for casting a spell or using amagic item) they also add one point to theircorruption level.

This represents the character’s innerconflict with the underlying malice of the darkpowers - an evil that pervades all thingsthroughout the world.

So long as the character’s corruption levelremains below the value of their POWcharacteristic, the character will have littlecause for concern. However, once thecorruption level is equal to their POWcharacteristic, the character may begin to showoutward signs of their struggle (an immortalelf may look more like one of the agedamongst men for example).

In the unfortunate case of a playercharacter’s corruption level exceeding theirPOW characteristic, the character becomessubject to the will of the dark powers. In suchinstances the character effectively ceases to becontrolled by the player and becomes a NPCcontrolled by the Game Master. Such are theperils of sorcery.

Spell Traits & DescriptionsThe traits used by Sorcery spells are

detailed below.

Concentration: The spell’s effects willremain in place as long as the characterconcentrates on it. Concentrating on a spell isfunctionally identical to casting the spell,requiring the spell caster to continue to gesturewith both arms, chant, and ignore distractions.This trait overrides the normal sorcery spelldefault duration.

Instant: The spell’s effects take placeinstantly. The spell itself then disappears. Thistrait overrides the normal sorcery spell defaultduration.

Permanent: The spell’s effects remain inplace until they are dispelled or dismissed.This trait overrides the normal sorcery spelldefault duration.

Resist (Dodge/Persistence/Resilience): Thespell’s effects do not take effect automatically.The target may make a Dodge, Persistence, orResilience test (as specified by the spell) in

order to avoid the effect of the spell entirely.Note that Resist (Dodge) spells require thetarget to be able to use reactions in order tododge. In the case of area spells, the Resist(Dodge) trait requires the target to dive inorder to mitigate the spell’s effect.

Touch: Touch spells require the character toactually touch his target for the spell to takeeffect. The spell caster must remain inphysical contact with the target for the entirecasting. This trait overrides the normal sorceryspell default range.

Trigger: The spell will lie dormant until anevent stated in the description takes place. Thespell then takes effect and is expended.

DefaultsSorcery spells tend to have far fewer traits

than innate spells. This is because mostsorcery spells share the same basic qualities: Aduration equal to 5 minutes, a magnitude of 1,a range equal to 10 metres, and the defaultsorcery spell will only affect one target.

Sorcery Spell ListAnimate (Substance): Concentration.

This spell allows the sorcerer to animate thesubstance indicated, up to one SIZ point forevery point of magnitude. The sorcerer cancause it to move about and interact clumsily(movement of 2m per three points ofmagnitude).

The sorcerer’s chance to have the animatedobject perform any physical skill successfullyis equal to his own chance to perform thataction halved (before any modifiers). If theappropriate Form/Set spell is cast immediatelyafter this spell, the caster can perform muchfiner manipulation of the object. In this case,the animated object will use the caster’s fullskill scores for physical activities.

This spell can only be used on inanimatematter.

Cast Back:This protective spell shields the caster from

hostile magic and has a chance of sending itback to the attacking spell caster.

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Cast Back only affects spells that target theuser specifically and have the resist trait. Suchspells may affect the protected characternormally, but if it is resisted, the spell islaunched back at the person who cast it, aslong as its magnitude is not greater than theCast Back’s magnitude.

Create Scrolls: Permanent.These are written items which store sorcery

spells. All scrolls have an attached cost of 50BV (per magnitude of the spell) in ingredientsfor special inks, parchments, etc.

The resulting scroll is a one use item which,upon a successful Sorcery Casting test, is cast(with any manipulations) at the magnitude thatwas cast on the scroll. Alternatively, upon asuccessful Sorcery Casting test, the reader ofthe scroll can instead learn the spell.

Either way, upon a successful use of thescroll the spell fades from the scroll. If thecasting roll merely fails the spell remains, butthe reader cannot attempt to use the scroll untiltheir Sorcery Casting skill increases. If thecasting roll is fumbled the spell fades from thescroll, without any benefit to the reader.

Create Spell Matrix: Permanent.This spell creates items that store sorcery

spells. All spell matrices have an attached costof 500 BV per spell in special materials, andthe enchanter must pay 1 improvement pointper spell stored in the matrix.

The wielder can cast and manipulate thespell at the skill of the original enchanter,using their own magic points to fuel it. Spellmatrices are also reusable.

Spell matrices are mundane items in theirown right and if the item is broken then thespell is dispelled. However, at the time ofenchantment the enchanter can spend anotherimprovement point to magically strengthen theitem - effectively doubling its hit points.

Damage Boosting: Touch.This spell can be cast upon any weapon up

to five ENC. Each point of magnitude addsone point to the weapon’s damage (the basicspell will increase a hatchet from 1d6 damageto 1d6+1 damage, for instance).

Damage Resistance: Touch.This spell protects the body of the recipient.

Any incoming attack dealing damage equal toor less than the magnitude of the spell isignored. Any incoming attack dealing moredamage than the magnitude of DamageResistance is unaffected and will deal its fulldamage as normal.

Damage Resistance may be combined withthe innate magic spell Protection. In suchinstances, incoming damage is compared tothe Damage Resistance spell first and onlyencounters the Protection spell if the DamageResistance is bypassed.

Diminish (Characteristic): Resist (Persist-ence/Resilience), Touch.

There are actually seven Diminish spells,one for each characteristic. The spell willtemporarily apply a penalty to the specifiedcharacteristic equal to the magnitude of thespell. The penalty applied by this spell maynot reduce a characteristic below one, and acreature must have the characteristic inquestion to be affected by this spell.

Diminish (STR, DEX, CON, and SIZ) areresisted with Resilience. Diminish (INT,POW, and CHA) are resisted with Persistence.

Applying a penalty to POW does not reducethe character’s magic points, nor does it affecta character’s corruption status.

Dominate (Species): Resist (Persistence).This spell allows the caster to gain control

over a creature belonging to a specific species.If the target fails to resist the spell, it mustobey the commands of the caster for theduration of the spell.

The controlled creature shares a telepathiclink with the sorcerer by which it can receiveits orders. If the sorcerer and the creaturedominated do not share a common language,the sorcerer can order it about by forming amental image of the actions he wishes thedominated creature to perform.

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However, the dominated creature will notnormally perform any action that wouldobviously cause itself physical harm - notunless the result of the Persistence test is afumble.

Enhance (Characteristic): Touch.There are actually seven Enhance spells,

one for each characteristic. Essentially thereverse of the Diminish spell, Enhance allowsthe sorcerer to temporarily apply a bonus tothe specified characteristic equal to themagnitude of the spell. A creature must havethe characteristic in question to be affected bythis spell.

Applying a bonus to POW does notincrease the character’s magic points, nor doesit affect a character’s corruption status.

Form/Set (Substance): Instant.There are an unlimited number of Form/Set

spells in existence, one for every substanceimaginable, from steel to smoke to water.

Each point of magnitude allows the casterto shape one ENC of a substance. The castermust be familiar with the shape he is forming.

When the caster has finished the formingprocess the substance retains its shape. Rigidsubstances like steel will hold the form theyhad at the end of the spell, while more mutablesubstances like water will immediately losetheir shape.

This spell can be used to mend damagedone to an object. To do so, the sorcerer mustForm the entire object and must succeed at anappropriate Craft test. If successful, he willrestore the item to its original condition.

This spell can only be used on inanimatesubstances.

Glow: This spell causes a glowing point of light to

appear on a solid substance. At its base, thespell creates an area of light one metre inradius, giving off the same illumination as acandle. Each additional point of magnitudeincreases the radius of effect by one metre. Atmagnitude 3, the brightness of the spellincreases to that of a flaming brand at itscentre. At magnitude 5 it increases to that of acampfire, and at magnitude 9 to that of abonfire.

This spell can be cast on an opponent’seyes. If cast on a living being the spell alsogains the Resist (Dodge) trait. If the target failsto resist it, he will suffer a penalty to all attack,parry, and dodge tests (as well as any skillsrelying upon vision) equal to five times thespell’s magnitude, until the spell ends or isdispelled.

Haste: Each point of magnitude of Haste adds 2m

to the movement rate of the recipient. Inaddition, every two points of magnitude alsoadds +1 to the recipient’s Dexterity orIntelligence for the purposes of determiningorder in combat.

Hinder: Resist (Resilience).Each point of magnitude of Hinder

subtracts 2m from the movement rate of thetarget. Every two points of magnitude alsosubtracts 1 from the recipient’s Dexterity orIntelligence for the purposes of determiningorder in combat.

Hold Fast: Touch.This spell causes two adjacent ten

centimetre by ten centimetre surfaces (roughlythe size of a man’s palm) to commingle intoone. Each additional point of magnitude willeither increase the strength of the bond ordouble the area affected. Any creatureattempting to break the bond suffers a -10%penalty to their Athletics skill for each point ofmagnitude.

This spell can affect organic and inorganicsubstances. If the caster is attempting to bonda living being with this spell, the spell gainsthe Resist (Resilience) trait.

Mirage:This spell creates an illusion based on all

five senses. The illusion will seem real andsolid unless the person looking at it succeedsin a Perception test - which is subject to amodifier based on the magnitude of the spell.If the viewer succeeds in a Perception test andthe illusion could usually cause damage ifbelieved in, it can no longer cause damage tothat character. As soon as a viewer disbelievesthe illusion it becomes insubstantial andghostlike to him.

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The size of the illusion is also governed bythe magnitude. A magnitude 1 illusion canquite happily create small household items,say a fake table and chair, but would not beable to create an illusion of a fire breathingdragon.

+10 SIZ per Magnitude-50%+1

Indistinguishable fromthe real thing, capableof motion and damage.Limit of SIZ 40.

-50 %5

Capable of motion andcausing damage. Limitof SIZ 30.

-25 %4

Capable of motion andcausing damage. Limitof SIZ 20.

03

Some minor discrep-ancies. Capable ofmotion, but not ofdamage. Limit of SIZ15.

+25 %2

Not capable of motionor causing damage.Slightly fuzzy andunreal around theedges. Limit of SIZ 10.

+50 %1

Type Of IllusionPerceptionModifierMagnitude

Table 7.3 Mirages

Mystic Vision: Concentration.This spell allows the recipient to literally

see magic. By augmenting the recipient’snatural vision, the spell allows him to see acreature’s magic points, as well as enchanteditems with their own magic points or spells.The recipient must be able to actually see thecreature or object for this spell to work. MysticVision also allows the recipient to see into thespirit world - thus revealing any invisibleentities.

On a normal success the recipient of thespell will only know roughly how many magicpoints an object or creature has (1–10, 11–20,21–30 and so forth). On a critical they willknow exactly. On a fumble the Game Mastershould give the player a misleading total.

By looking at a spell effect, a recipient ofMystic Vision will automatically be aware ofits magical origin (i.e. innate magic orsorcery). By increasing the magnitude ofMystic Vision, the caster can learn more aboutwhat he is seeing. Compare the magnitude of

Mystic Vision to the magnitude of any spellthat the target is either casting or under theinfluence of. As long as Mystic Vision’smagnitude exceeds that of the other spell, thecaster will be able to precisely determine theeffects of the perceived spell, and a mentalimage of who cast the spell (if it is notobvious).

By looking at an enchanted item, a recipientof Mystic Vision will automatically be awareof its gross magical effects (such as the typesof enchantment currently on the item). Eachadditional point of magnitude of MysticVision will also determine either the power(i.e. magnitude) of one of those enchantments,or a particular condition laid upon theenchantment itself (the Game Master’schoice).

Neutralise Magic: Instant.This spell allows a caster to neutralise other

spells. Neutralise Magic will eliminate acombined magnitude of spells equal to its ownmagnitude, starting with the most powerfulaffecting the target. If it fails to eliminate themost powerful spell then it will instead targetthe second-most powerful spell. As soon asNeutralise Magic can no longer dismiss atarget’s spells (because all the remainingspell’s magnitudes are too high), its effectsimmediately end.

Note that a spell cannot be partiallyeliminated, so a target under the effects of aspell whose magnitude is higher than that ofNeutralise Magic will not have that particularspell altered in any way.

Neutralise Magic can be cast as a reaction,but only when another spell is cast withinNeutralise Magic’s range that the characterwishes to counter. A successful NeutraliseMagic disrupts the other spell and nullifies itso long as Neutralise Magic’s magnitudeequals or exceeds the target spell’s magnitude.

Palsy: Resist (Resilience).If the caster is able to overcome his target

with this spell, he can turn the victim’s ownnervous system against him. The spell willparalyse the target, provided the spell’smagnitude is greater than a quarter of thetarget’s current hit points.

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Protective Sphere:When completed, the Protective Sphere will

create a sphere-shaped area of protection witha radius in metres equal to the spell’smagnitude. If this spell is cast on the ground(or other immovable place) it cannot bemoved. If cast on a vehicle (such as the bed ofa wagon) or a person, it will move with thetarget. After the sphere has been completedany (or all) of the following spells can beadded to provide the defensive capacities ofthe sphere: Damage Resistance, SpellResistance, and/or Spirit Resistance (note thatthe sphere on its own provides no protection -that is down to the resistance spells).

The Protective Sphere’s perimeter containsthe benefits of its combined resistance spells.The Protective Sphere only inhibits spells orattacks entering the circle from the outside -attacks or spells originating within the circleare unaffected. Thus a Protective Sphereagainst spirits would block out outside spiritsbut have no effect on those already inside itsperimeter. Similarly, a Protective Sphereagainst damage or spells would block outincoming attacks/spells, but have no effect onthose made within the sphere (includingattacks targeting those outside the sphere).

Sense (Substance): Concentration.Eminently useful for finding valuables from

afar, this spell has a variation for everysubstance imaginable. Sense (Substance) willcause all sources of the substance within rangeof the spell to glow an appropriate colourvisible only to the caster - diamonds willgleam like ice, amber will shine like a campfire, and so on. Each point of this spell’smagnitude allows it to penetrate one metre ofrock, wood, or dirt. If the source is concealedbehind such a material, the surface nearest thecaster will glow for a moment. The spellcannot penetrate refined metal, though it canpenetrate ore.

Spell Resistance:This spell compares its magnitude against

the magnitude of any incoming spell. If SpellResistance’s magnitude is greater than theincoming spell’s, then the incoming spell hasno effect. If the incoming spell’s magnitude isequal to or greater than the magnitude of Spell

Resistance, then the spell affects the targetnormally.

Unlike many protective spells, SpellResistance remains in place for the entirety ofits duration - spells that successfully breachthe spell do not dispel it. However, it does notdiscriminate between incoming spells (i.e. acomrade attempting to magically heal therecipient of Spell Resistance must stillovercome it in order to successfully use ahealing spell).

Spirit Resistance:This spell compares its magnitude against

the POW of any spirit that comes into contactwith the recipient. If the recipient of the spell’scombined POW + Spirit Resistance’smagnitude is greater than the spirit’s POW, thespirit cannot touch the recipient.

A spirit unable to touch a recipient will notbe able to personally attack or harm him,including through ranged attacks. A spell castby a spirit at the recipient is blocked unless itsmagnitude exceeds the Spirit Resistance’smagnitude.

Tap (Characteristic): Concentration, Resist(Persistence), Touch.

There are actually seven Tap spells, one foreach characteristic. These devastating spellsallow the caster to permanently strip a targetof characteristic points, transforming them intomagic points for his own use.

The caster must make physical contact withthe target in order to tap it - therefore the spellcannot be used on incorporeal creatures, suchas spirits. Tap will only work if its magnitudeis equal to or greater than the target’s specifiedcharacteristic. Thus a magnitude 6 TapStrength spell would only work on targets witha STR of 6 or lower. The number of pointstapped by the spell are equal to 1d6 percombat round.

Characteristic points lost to Tap are lostpermanently, though the victim can raise themagain through normal means of increasing acharacteristic. Characteristics may be tappedto 0 which usually involves the death of thevictim. The exception being Charisma.

For each characteristic point the sorcerertaps, he will gain one magic point. Thesorcerer is limited in the number of magic

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points he can gain through Tap; the spell canonly increase his magic points to double hisnormal limit. A sorcerer may simply tap atarget and dissipate any gained magic points.

If the sorcerer gains more magic pointsthrough Tap than his normal maximum, theywill disappear at the rate of one magic pointper minute once the spell finishes.

Treat Wounds: Instant, Touch.This spell must be cast upon a wounded

character. Once cast it dramatically acceleratesthe natural healing rate of the target. For everypoint of magnitude of this spell, the caster canrepair two hit points. Treat Wounds cannotreattach or re-grow a severed limb and will notwork on any major wound.

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For every point of magnitude of this spell, the caster can repair twohit points of damage.Treat Wounds

Allows the caster to convert a target’s characteristic points intomagic points.

Concentration / TouchResist (Persistence)

Tap(Characteristic)

If the recipient of the spell’s combined POW + Spirit Resistance’smagnitude is greater than the spirit’s POW, the spirit cannot touchthe recipient.

SpiritResistance

If Spell Resistance’s magnitude is greater than the incoming spell’s,then the incoming spell has no effect.Spell Resistance

Will cause all sources of the substance within range of the spell toglow an appropriate colour visible only to the caster.ConcentrationSense

(Substance)

When completed, the Protective Sphere will create a sphere-shapedarea of protection with a radius equal to the spell’s magnitude.

ProtectiveSphere

The spell will paralyse the target, provided the spell’s magnitude isgreater than the target’s hit points/4.Resist (Resilience)Palsy

Eliminates a combined magnitude of spells equal to its ownmagnitude, starting with the most powerful affecting the target.InstantNeutralise

Magic

This spell allows the recipient to literally see magic.ConcentrationMystic VisionThis spell creates an illusion based on all five senses.MirageBinds two surfaces together.TouchHold FastThe reverse of the above.Resist (Resilience)Hinder

+2m to movement rate per point of magnitude. +1 to DEX or INT(for combat order only) per two points of magnitude.Haste

This spell causes a glowing point of light to appear on a solidsubstance.Glow

Manipulate the form of a given substance.InstantForm/Set(Substance)

Increases a specified characteristic by an amount equal to themagnitude of the spell.TouchEnhance

(Characteristic)

This spell allows the caster to gain control over a creature belongingto a specific species.Resist (Persistence)Dominate

(Species)

Reduces a specified characteristic by an amount equal to themagnitude of the spell.

Resist(Persistence/Resilience)

Touch

Diminish(Characteristic)

Any incoming attack dealing damage equal to or less than themagnitude of the spell is ignored.TouchDamage

Resistance

Each magnitude of this spell cast on a weapon adds one point ofdamage.TouchDamage

Boosting

Creates scrolls that store spells.PermanentCreate Scroll

This spell creates items that store sorcery spells.PermanentCreate SpellMatrix

This protective spell shields the caster from hostile magic and has achance of sending it back to the attacking spell caster.Cast Back

Each point of magnitude animates one point of SIZ of an inanimatesubstance.

Animate(Substance)

DescriptionTraitsSpellTable 7.4 Sorcery Spells Summary

CHAPTER 8ADVENTURESAND QUESTS

An adventure or quest is an epic story thatinvolves the player characters as the mainprotagonists. There is a chance of reward orfailure, of encountering foul monsters,dangerous magics, and hidden traps. Like anystory it has a beginning, middle, and an end. Itmay last one or more game sessions. Whatevermight happen, it will be a memorable event inthe character’s lives that leaves them altered,for good or for bad, forever.

Adventures are at the centre of play in TheAge Of Shadow and they will often be themain focus of the player character’s life. Theymay have some sort of normal life that theyreturn to between quests, but it is during theiradventures that they drastically change. Forthe players, adventures and quests are wherethe fun happens, where their creations areplaced centre stage.

A Note On GM PreparationSome Game Masters are perfectly at home

with just a rough idea of some of the eventsthat may transpire during the course of anadventure, and can quite easily improvise theirway towards its eventual conclusion. Whereasother GM’s might be more comfortable if theyhave prepared extensive notes prior to thegame that they can then make reference toduring play (including maps and descriptionsof locales the PCs might visit, the names andstatistics for various NPCs and monsters,numerous encounters for the players toovercome along the way, a detailed backstoryfor the group’s main adversary, and so on).Neither of these two approaches are right orwrong, and there are of course Game Mastersthat will fall somewhere in the middle of thesetwo extremes. All that matters is that the GameMaster prepares for the game by whatevermethod suits him/her best (though a few notesto get things started, such as details regardingthe characters’ starting locale, might not be abad idea).

It is also worth noting that once the playersare more familiar with the game they may startto define reasons for participating in advent-ures themselves (maybe there is a villain froma previous adventure that they want to huntdown, or maybe there’s a particular area of thegame world that they wish to explore).

A Typical Game Part 1- The Beginning -

This is the part of the game where theGame Master and the players set up theintroduction to the adventure. To begin withthis will largely fall upon the shoulders of theGame Master - especially if this is the firstadventure that the group is undertaking. Forexample, the GM may describe some kind ofmajor event that has happened in the playercharacters’ locale, and as such it is obviousthat they must all work together if they are tohave any chance of survival (a raid on theirhome town for example).

Alternatively the Game Master might beginplay by summarising any important events thattranspired in previous games, and might evenhave some kind of ‘Player Introduction’prepared to get things underway.

A Typical Game Part 2- The Middle -

This part of the game should be the mainfocus of the adventure. The middle is where allthe dice rolling and action happens (and alsowhere most of the story is told). Since eachstory is different, with its own characters,hazards, and settings (and, of course, theunique actions of the players), the middle ofthe adventure can vary greatly for eachadventure. There are however a few commonfeatures to all adventures.

PreparationBefore the adventure starts in earnest the

PCs may have the opportunity to make somebasic preparations. This may include makingsure that they are suitably equipped for a longjourney, trying to find out about any perilsthey might face along the way, and so on.

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The Adventure ItselfHazards and dangers are part and parcel of

the adventure itself, as without risk therewards have little worth. Some of the thingsthat the player characters may meet on theiradventures include fearsome monsters,cunning traps, and mysterious magics.

The backdrop to the adventure might alsobring its own challenges. A ruined tower maybe littered with unstable masonry as well asthe occasional trap laid by the creatures whohave made it their lair. Once away from thecomforts of their home, the wilderness on theedge of civilisation has many dangers. Scarcityof food and water, adverse weather conditions,and the danger of getting lost in difficultterrain, are all things the player characters willhave to deal with.

Through investigation the player characterswill find out more about what is going on intheir immediate surroundings and maybe someof the deeper mysteries of the adventure. Thiswill bring them into contact with non-playercharacters, who they will need to influence toprise out information. There will also be cluesin the locations they find themselves in. Muchof this will be roleplayed out, with both theplayers and Game Master being in-character.Sometimes the Game Master may call for skilltests using Influence (if questioningnon-player characters) or Perception (ifsearching for hidden clues). Like all skill teststhe Game Master should be wary aboutmaking the players roll dice every time in aninvestigation. Some clues are readily apparentif the players ask or look in the right place inthe right way, especially if they combine thiswith good roleplaying. In these cases theGame Master should simply give the playersthe information. Part of a good mysteryanyway is down to how the players interpretthe clues and how they act based upon whatthey know. They might jump to conclusionswhen only knowing part of the picture.

In addition, most people (and even somemonstrous creatures) that the player charactersmeet upon their adventures will have their ownmotives. Sometimes these motives will runcounter to their own (often leading to conflictor even combat), and other times (assumingthe player characters stop to talk and work out

what the person/creature is doing) they haveaims and objectives similar to their own. Somecreatures of course will be neutral, perhapsmerely interested in defending their ownterritory and easily avoidable if the playercharacters stay away from their lair.

A Typical Game Part 3- The End -

Every story has an end. If it’s a good storyit will have an exciting climax which leavesthe reader satisfied at the end of it. Both theplayers and the Game Master should be awarethat this is the aim of playing The Age OfShadow and should gently steer the actiontowards such a satisfying conclusion.

After the adventure has ended the GameMaster should hand out any improvements thatthe players have earned for their characters.

Improvement PointsThese are a measure of how the character

grows with experience. Generally speaking,the more experiences that a character hasduring the course of his adventures, the moreimprovement points he will have earned alongthe way. Improvement points are spent byplayers to increase and add new skills andspells (see Improving Characters).

1 improvement point is awarded for eachadventure that the character played in.1 improvement point is awarded for beingthe person who pushes forward the plot at acrucial point in the story.1 improvement point is awarded for beingthe player who helped everyone have themost fun. This is determined by a voteamongst the players and Game Master.

Fate PointsIn an average adventure each PC should

also receive a fate point or two. This can bemodified if the character performed particul-arly poorly or heroically (giving a range ofzero to four); though it should be noted thatelves may never accrue more than 1 fate point.

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Opportunities ForFurther Adventures

If you are playing in a series of linkedadventures, then not all the plot threads needbe closed at the end of the adventure. Enemiesmight escape to fight another day, side linemysteries and dilemmas may remain unsolved,and a successful resolution may still pose asmany questions as it answers. All these givethe players and Game Master more ideas forfuture quests and adventures.

CampaignsIn heroic literature, we often follow the

exploits of a hero (or band of heroes) over anumber of stories which build up to a suitableclimax. In The Age Of Shadow a series ofinterconnected adventures are known as acampaign. What interconnects theseadventures are the prize, themes, andreoccurring characters.

The prize is the overall goal of thecampaign. It is only obtainable over manygruelling adventures, with each adventure orquest seeing the player characters a little bitcloser to obtaining it. For example, in the storyof Jason and the Argonauts the crew of theArgos, led by the hero Jason, is engaged in asearch for the fabulous Golden Fleece.

Themes are less obvious at first. They arethe subtle ideas that set the tone of theadventures that the players will encounterduring the campaign. An example theme thatcould be explored might be as simple as ‘doespower corrupt?’

Reoccurring Characters include the playercharacters themselves, their close andpowerful allies, and nemeses. One of the bigattractions of running a campaign is watchinghow the player characters develop as they gofrom adventure to adventure. Indeed, in somecampaigns this will be the main reason whythe players are playing. Even if the GameMaster has elaborate themes and prizes inmind, he must make sure that he providesopportunities in the campaign for the playersto develop their characters in the directionthey want. Of course it doesn’t mean that theGame Master should hand player desired

improvements on a plate. Risk and dangershould still pave the way to rewards, but thedirection in which the player wants to developtheir character gives the Game Master a poolof ideas for further quests and adventures.

During a campaign the players will developand meet powerful allies. Initially, these alliesmay be little more than people who offeradvice or steer the players toward their earlyadventures, but later on these allies couldbecome impressed with our heroes’noteworthy deeds and decide that their owncause is aligned with that of the playercharacters. Of course such allies may notnecessarily be good at heart and theirallegiances to the player characters maychange with the wind. Allies could becomeenemies if they suffer slights, real or imagined,at the hands of the player characters.

Nemeses on the other hand are enemieswho, adventure after adventure, oppose theefforts of the PCs. They may be people that theplayers are ideologically opposed to, or morelikely, an evil servant of the Enemy.

Unlike an individual adventure’s resolution,the finality of the campaign’s climax must beabsolute, with all plot threads resolved. Whena campaign finally climaxes, it is at the end ofseveral sessions of play. Although the playercharacters may live on and adventure with oneanother afterwards, this is the last time thatthey will all be questing together in thisparticular story. As such the players expectand deserve an even bigger pay off than at theend of a standalone adventure.

Improving CharactersWhen an adventure comes to a close each

player will typically be awarded a number ofimprovement points. These points may then bespent to improve certain aspects of theircharacter as follows.

Improving SkillsA player can choose to spend one

improvement point to increase one skill by+2d4%, or two skills by +1d4% each. Notethat there is no limit to the score a skill canreach.

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Improving CharacteristicsA player can choose to spend three

improvement points to increase any character-istic (except SIZ) by one. The maximum anycharacteristic can reach is equal to themaximum possible starting score for thecharacteristic in question plus three (forexample, a human character’s maximum valuefor each characteristic would be 21). Note thatimproving a characteristic also increases allassociated skills.

Learning & Improving SpellsA player can choose to spend one

improvement point to increase the magnitudeof an existing innate spell by one.

A player may also be able to learn newspells at a cost of one point per magnitude foran innate spell, and two points for a sorceryspell - so long as the character has had theproper in-game opportunity to do so (and if theGame Master allows). Note that certainparameters must be met before characters canlearn sorcery spells (see p44 for more details).

Learn a sorcery spell.2 improvementpoints

Learn an innate magic spell.1 improvementpoint per magnitude

+1 to any characteristic exceptSIZ.

3 improvementpoints

+1d4% to any two skills1 improvement point+2d4% to any one skill1 improvement point

ImprovementCostTable 8.1 Summary Of Improvements

Improving Outside OfAdventures

Practice & Research The player characters may often experience

long stretches of ‘downtime’ betweenadventures. This is quite normal. Groupmembers may need to heal from woundssuffered during the last adventure, the playersmay engage in some activity that takes time, orlife may simply return to normal until the nextdanger to face the player characters appears.During such downtime the players mayimprove their characters. The players mightactually request downtime between adventures

to learn new skills and it is up to the GameMaster to determine if this is appropriate. Foreach three month period of practice or researcha character may gain 1 improvement point.

Situational RulesThe following rules and guidelines are

designed to deal with individual situations thatmay crop up during the game.

TravelThe rates given in the table below are based

on average movement rates. If you need toprecisely determine which of two groupsreached a destination first, use an opposedAthletics (for walking) or Riding test.

*This distance may be doubled if unaccompanied bywagons etc., though both mount and rider will berequired to make a fatigue test at the end of the day.

Moving at a steady walk,possibly accompanied bypack animals andwagons.

Mount’sMovement

Rate*Riding

Marching in organisedgroups for ten hours,ready to fight at the endof the day. No need for afatigue test at the end ofthe march.

MovementRate x 2Marching

Ten hours of steadywalking on a road orpath with no wagons oranimals. Need to makefatigue test at the end ofthe hike to avoidbecoming fatigued.

MovementRate x 3.5Hiking

NotesRate / Day(km)Type

Table 8.2 Daily Travel Rates

The above rates should also be modified bythe type of terrain being crossed.

50% of normal rateHeavy woodland70% of normal rateRolling hills

70% of normal rateMedium scrub /Light woods

80% of normal rateLight brush100 % of normal rateRoad / Path

Effect on movement rateTerrainTable 8.3 Terrain Modifiers

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Illumination & DarknessTable 8.4 (above) gives examples of several

different levels of illumination and darkness,and the effects/penalties that it may have onthe characters.

Dark SightThis allows the character to treat pitch

black conditions as if dark. Normallypossessed by subterranean creatures.

Night SightThis ability allows the character to treat

partial darkness as illuminated and darkness asonly partial darkness. It is normally possessedby nocturnal creatures, or those races thatawoke during the first great darkness of theworld.

Illuminating Items

Note that whenusing a battlemat,the recommendedscale is that of twometres per hex, asthis allows for theradius to fill wholehexagons as shownin the diagramopposite.

9m (see spell description)Light Spell9mBonfire5mCampfire3mTorch / Lantern1mCandle / Embers

RadiusExampleTable 8.5 Illuminating Items

FatigueProlonged combat, sprinting, climbing, and

swimming against a strong current, are allexamples of activities that can fatigue and tirea character.

If the Game Master thinks that a characterhas been engaged in an activity that may havedrained him of physical energy, then they maycall for a Resilience roll. If the character failsthe roll they suffer the effects of fatigue (seebelow). For example, Anthar has just been in along, ten round, combat against a group ofbandits. Although he has emerged victorious,the Game Master rules that Anthar’s playermust successfully roll against Anthar’sResilience of 30% or become fatigued.

This roll is usually made after the activityhas been completed, unless the activity is longand drawn out and there is a real danger thatfatigue will stop the task being completedsuccessfully. For example, on a long, hardmarch the characters are pressing on ahead sothat they can reach a fort before an enemyarmy arrives there. In this case, there is a realdanger that the player characters will arrivenot only too late, but tired and worn down.

The Effects Of FatigueIf a character fails the Resilience test then

they become fatigued. All skill tests are at-25%, and movement rate drops by a quarter.The character also becomes sluggish - so thatDEX and INT are each reduced by three pointsfor the purposes of determining combat order.

If the fatigued character insists on engagingin heavy activity, such as combat, heavylabour, or running, then another Resilience roll

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Perception tests reliant on vision becomenear impossible, as are ranged attacks.Close combat attacks are at -75%.Movement rate a quarter of normal.

Sealed room with stone walls, cavernmany miles underground, mountaintopwhiteout.

Pitch Black

-50% to vision-based Perception tests.Movement rate halved.

Large cavern illuminated only by embers,foggy day, within 5 x radius ofilluminating item.

Dark

-25% to vision-based Perception tests.Cavern mouth, misty day, within 3 xradius of illuminating item (see below).Partial Darkness

None.Heavily candlelit room, overcast day,within radius of illuminating item.Illuminated

None.Blazing summer day.Brightly Illuminated EffectsExampleEnvironment

Table 8.4 Illumination & Darkness

is made at -25%. If the character fails thissecond skill test they become heavily fatiguedand all the above penalties are doubled.

If a character fumbles any of theirResilience rolls, then they immediately fallunconscious for 3d6 minutes, and uponwaking are still fatigued.

Recovering From FatigueA character who completely rests for 20

minus CON hours will remove the effects ofany fatigue. A Vigour spell (see innate magic)will also remove the effects of fatigue.

Exposure, Starvation,and Thirst

A character can normally survive for anumber of hours equal to his CON beforesuffering from exposure. A character cansurvive for a number of days equal to his CONbefore becoming starved, though after threedays they will begin to suffer a -10% penaltyto fatigue tests. A character can survive for anumber of hours equal to his CON x 2 beforebecoming chronically thirsty, thoughparticularly arid environments may reduce thisto CON x 1 or even CON x ½.

Whenever a character is suffering fromexposure, starvation, or thirst, the fatigue testpenalty immediately doubles to -20%. Inaddition, the character will automaticallysuffer 1d6 points of damage every day, forevery condition he is experiencing. Natural ormagical healing will not heal this damage -only sufficient shelter, food, or water canremedy the problem and allow natural ormagical healing to take place.

HealingHealing can be performed in one of three

ways - using the Healing skill, a magical spell,or through natural healing (i.e. resting whilethe injuries heal themselves).

Natural HealingA character’s minor injuries regain CON/4

(round up) hit points per 24 hours, as long as

the character does not engage in anythingmore than light activity.

A major wound, on the other hand, requirestreatment with a successful healing test ormagical healing. Once this is done, majorwounds heal at a rate of one hit point per day,as long as the injured character does notengage in anything more than light activity,and the character succeeds at a daily resiliencetest.

Magical HealingHowever magical healing is achieved,

whether from a spell or potion, it has aninstantaneous effect.

In addition to the restoration of hit points,any character suffering a major wound thatreceives even a single hit point of restorationthrough magical healing will immediately stopbleeding and is healed sufficiently to benefitfrom natural healing.

If a character has been knockedunconscious due to a major wound, therestoration of a single hit point to the woundthat caused the unconsciousness will revivethe character.

Unless specifically stated, magical healingcannot reattach severed limbs or revive thedead.

EncumbranceEvery piece of equipment in the equipment

chapter has an encumbrance (ENC) score,apart from those items that are too small orlight. Characters can usually ignore the effectson encumbrance that these light items haveuntil they start to carry a lot of them (assumethat an average of 20 such items will equal 1ENC, on the basis that the character has asuitable means of carrying them, such as asack or backpack).

A character can carry equipment whosetotal ENC is less than or equal to his STR+SIZwithout penalty.

Note that encumbrance is a measure of notonly weight but also the bulk of the item,reflecting the awkwardness of handling theitem. Roughly 1 ENC is equal to ¼ of a SIZpoint.

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OverloadingA character carrying a total ENC greater

than his STR+SIZ is overloaded. Overloaded characters suffer a -25%

penalty to all tests that require physicalactions, including combat skill tests and mosttests that have DEX or STR as a characteristic.Overloaded characters also have theirmovement halved and suffer a -25% penalty toall fatigue tests.

A character cannot carry more than twicehis STR+SIZ in ENC.

FallingA character that takes damage from a fall

ends up prone. Armour points do not reducefalling damage.

A character takes 1d6 damage per 2m fallenafter the first two metres. As long as thecharacter was not surprised, they may attemptan Athletics test to mitigate falling damage. Asuccessful test allows the character to treat thefall as if it were two metres shorter than itactually is. In addition, as long as this test is asuccess, and the character is not reduced to 0hit points due to the fall, the character landssafely and is not prone. If the roll is a criticalthen miraculously no damage is taken. If theroll is a fumble then the maximum possibledamage is taken.

Characters falling onto soft surfaces mayhave the distance they fall effectively halvedfor the purposes of damage.

SuffocationWhile underwater or moving through a

poison gas cloud, a character can hold hisbreath for a number of combat rounds equal tohis CON.

Once a character has surpassed the time forwhich he can hold his breath, he must thenmake a Resilience test every round with acumulative -10% penalty. If he fails, heautomatically starts inhaling the suffocatingsubstance.

Armour points do not reduce suffocationdamage and the damage will only cease oncethe character can draw breathable air once

more. Even then, the character will require aResilience test to be able to do anything otherthan wretch or gasp for breath for 1d4 combatrounds.

Character is exposed to thepoison. If the gas is also athick smoke, then 1d6 damageis incurred in addition to thepoison’s effect.

Poison Gas

1d6Thick Smoke2d6Vacuum2d6Water

Damage TakenSubstance InhaledTable 8.6 Suffocating Substance

Fire & HeatThe amount of damage per combat round

suffered from fire or heat will depend on itsintensity, as shown on the Fire & Heat tablebelow. Metal armour, such as mail, does notsubtract from the rolled damage.

3d6 pointsLava, inside a blastfurnace.Inferno

2d6 pointsScolding steam, largebonfires, a burningroom.

Large Fire

1d6 pointsCamp fire, cookingfire.Small Fire

1d4 pointsFlaming brand.Large Flame1 point Candle.Flame

DamagePer RoundExampleDamage

Source

Table 8.7 Fire & Heat

PoisonSome plants and creatures have developed

poisons as a method of protecting themselvesagainst predators. They are also used byassassins and wrongdoers of all kinds tomurder their victims.

Every type of poison has the followinginformation detailed:

Name: The poison’s name. Also, if the poisonis magical in nature, it will be mentioned here.

Type: Lists whether the poison is ingested,smeared on a weapon, or inhaled.

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Delay: The time between the poison’sintroduction to a character, to the time itseffect takes hold.

Potency: This is a number between 10 and100 that measures the strength of a poison.Some magical poisons have even higherpotencies. A character must make an opposedResilience test versus the poison’s Potency testin order to avoid or mitigate the damage of thepoison.

Effect: Usually hit point damage, though thisis not universal. Some poisons cause acharacter to sleep for a period of time. Moreexotic poisons may cause hallucinogeniceffects, paralysis, or a combination of effects.These take place after the delay noted above.

Duration: How long the poison (if effective)will affect the victim. The effects of the poisoncannot be removed or healed until the poisonitself has been neutralised or has dissipated inthe victim’s system. Hit point damage causedby poison will not automatically heal - it mustbe healed through magical or natural healing.

Poison Succeeds, Character FailsIf the poison succeeds its Potency test and

the character fails his Resilience test, thepoison has its full effect.

Character Succeeds, Poison FailsIf the character succeeds his Resilience test

and the poison fails its Potency test, the poisonhas no effect.

Both Poison And Character SucceedWhoever rolled the highest in their test

wins.

Both Poison And Character FailWhoever rolled the lowest in their test

wins.

Example PoisonWhat follows is an example poison, one

that is commonly applied to missile weapons:

1d4 hours.Duration:.

1d3 points of damage and -1d3penalty to victim’s CON.

Full Effect:50Potency:1d3 combat roundsDelay:Ingested or smearedType:Dart poisonName:

DiseaseDisease is always a source of threat, either

from commonplace diseases or those causedby more fantastical means.

Every type of disease has the followinginformation detailed:

Name: The disease’s name. Also, if thedisease is magical in nature, it will bementioned here.

Type: Lists whether the disease is spreadthrough contamination, touch, or is airborne.

Delay: The time between the disease’sintroduction to a character, to the time itseffect takes hold. It is also the time followingthe disease contraction that a victim will beforced to make follow-up opposed diseasetests.

Potency: This is a number between 10 and100 that measures the strength of a disease.Some magical diseases have even higherpotencies. A character must make an opposedResilience test versus the disease’s Potencytest in order to avoid or mitigate the damage ofthe disease.

Effect: Usually hit point damage, though thisis not universal. Many diseases will apply apenalty to characteristics or skills. More exoticdiseases may cause hallucinogenic effects,paralysis, or a combination of effects. Thesetake place after the delay noted above. Theeffects of the disease cannot be removed orhealed until the disease itself has beenneutralised or has dissipated in the victim’ssystem. Hit point damage caused by diseasewill not automatically heal - it must be healedthrough magical or natural healing.

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Disease Succeeds, Character FailsIf the disease succeeds its Potency test and

the character fails his Resilience test, thedisease has its full effect.

Character Succeeds, Disease FailsIf the character succeeds his Resilience test

and the disease fails its Potency test, thedisease has no effect.

Both Disease And Character SucceedWhoever rolled the highest in their test

wins.

Both Disease And Character FailWhoever rolled the lowest in their test

wins.

Additional Information On DiseasesUnlike a poison, diseases will progress if a

character does not resist their effects. Once thefirst opposed test is failed by the victim, theywill have to make an additional opposed testafter an amount of time determined by thedisease’s delay statistic.

If the victim succeeds this second opposedtest, he has overcome the worst of the diseaseand will no longer suffer its effects (other thanremaining hit point damage) after a while. Usethe disease’s delay statistic to determine howlong this takes.

If the victim fails this second opposed test,he falls deeper into the disease. Apply all ofthe disease’s effects again to the character.Once the delay period has elapsed once more,the victim will have to make a third opposeddisease test, and so on.

Example DiseaseWhat follows is an example mundane

(though possibly fatal) disease:

This flu-like disease renders itsvictims in a cold and constantlyshaking state, during which DEXis halved. For each day that thevictim suffers from the diseasethey will take 1 point of damage.

Effect:50Potency:1d3 daysDelay:TouchType:The shakesName:

Inanimate ObjectsAll inanimate objects have armour points

and hit points. Except in the most unusual ofcircumstances, attacks on inanimate objectswill automatically hit - characters simply needto work out how much damage they deal.

The object’s armour points will be deductedfrom any damage dealt as normal, with theremainder being applied to its hit points. Oncean object’s hit points have been reduced tozero, it is smashed and useless.

252Wooden door(normal)

62Wooden chair 754Iron door

152Hut wall(2m section)

2505Castle wall(2m section)

1204Castle gate404Boulder

Hit PointsArmour PointsObjectTable 8.8 Inanimate Objects

Also note that using an inappropriate toolor weapon on an inanimate object (such ashitting a boulder with a longsword) will causeas much damage to the tool/weapon as it doesto the object being struck. In such cases treatthe weapon as having as many hit points as itsdamage dice (for example, a broadsword willhave 8 hit points, a greatsword will have 16).

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CHAPTER 9CREATURES

In The Age Of Shadow, monsters can be asrichly detailed as the characters themselves.As well as characteristics they have skills,weapons, and possibly even magical spells.They often have their own motives that bringthem into conflict with the player characters,and are not mere cannon fodder to be killedand looted.

This chapter is split into two lists. The firstis the Monster List which contains creaturessuch as dragons and beastlings. The second isthe Animal List, a smaller list which detailsmore mundane creatures which the charactersmay encounter or commonly use as mountsand beasts of burden.

Using The Monster ListThe characteristics, attributes, skills, and

special rules for each of the creatures listed inthis section are collectively known as a ‘statblock.’ Each stat block features three possiblecreatures from that particular race or breed - alesser creature, a common creature, and agreater creature. Generally speaking, the lesserversion will be a smaller, lither, version of themonster in question, whereas the greaterversion will be tougher, larger, and stronger.

To create your own individual monsters andadversaries (perhaps a reoccurring orc captainfor example), simply refer to the relevant statblock to obtain the number of dice you need toroll for their characteristics, and then generatethe monster as you would a player character(perhaps giving the monster anywhere

between 5 and 20 improvement pointsdepending on its experience). Alternatively,you could just improve on the existingexamples with the addition of a similar amountof improvement points.

The Horde Rule- Optional -

It is worth noting here that it is not alwayswise to throw an ever increasing number ofadversaries at the player characters for them tobattle against. This is because combat in TheAge Of Shadow works best when there are asimilar amount of monsters or creatures asthere are player characters in an encounter.

However, in some cases the GM may find itnecessary to have the characters face offagainst a whole host of foes - perhaps for aparticularly dramatic encounter or a climaticbattle scene. In such instances the GM may optto use the horde rule.

The horde rule is a simple rule whereby thevast majority of the monsters or creatures in anencounter are considered to be of little worth -and as such are restricted to one standardaction or one reaction per round - but not both(note that they may still make a movementaction as normal). In addition to this, they willalso be slain if they suffer any damage at all(or perhaps fall unconscious, flee, or suffer amajor wound - the actual outcome is left to theGM’s discretion).

For example, if we were to apply the horderule to the example of play on page 5, then theGM may opt to have the large Beastling leaderact as a normal creature (using the commonBeastling stat block), while all six of itssmaller subordinates would use the horde rule(and the lesser Beastling stat block) - makingthe encounter a little easier for our threeheroes (though no less daunting).

Obviously the players themselves shouldnot be made aware of which creatures areusing the horde rule (except perhaps thoughdescriptive hints), and it should only be usedwith creatures such as orcs, beastlings,wildlings, etc., and usually the lesser variety ofeach (i.e. creatures such as demons anddragons should never be treated as hordecreatures).

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Treasure & Magic ItemsIn The Age Of Shadow the needs of the

story will usually dictate what (if any) trinketsand treasures any particular monster, or groupof monsters, will possess. However, GameMasters should be aware that The Age OfShadow is not really a game of ‘killing thingsand taking their stuff’ (unless of course theplayers are playing a group of bandits), andcaution should be taken to avoid it becomingsuch.

Magic Items

Magic items belonging to monsters willusually be of the type used by the creature(though it is possible that they could beoblivious to the nature of something they haverecently looted, or something that is keptbecause of its perceived value or beauty).

It is also worth noting that the followingspells can be used in the creation of magicitems (refer to the relevant magic chapters forfurther details):

Create Charms (innate magic)Create Magic Point Store (innate magic)Create Potion (innate magic)Create Scroll (sorcery)Create Spell Matrix (sorcery)

Magic Items FormatMagical or enchanted items will usually

have the following format. This is to give aconcise description of the item and somebackground information which prevents theitem from being bland and colourless.

Name: If the item has a particular name (ornames) it will be noted here.

Background: Details of who created it andwhy, and any significant owners and events inits history.

Description: This is a physical description ofthe item.

Creation: How the item was created. Usuallythis section details the spells that were usedand any special rituals that the creatorsperformed.

Magic Powers: This section lists the relevantspells stored in the item. Also, if the item actsas a magic point store, or has any specialmagic powers unique to the item, then that toois recorded here.

Notes: This section lists any additionalinformation that is relevant to the item thatdoes not fit into any of the above sections.This might be any individuals or groups whowould like to see the item destroyed, or aparticular race who might be fearful of it.

Value: If listed this is the approximate bartervalue of the item. As a rough guide an item isworth an additional 250 BV per magnitude ofspell stored in it. Very rarely will a magic itembe available on the open market as there are nosuch things as ‘Ye Olde Magic Shope’ in TheAge Of Shadow.

An Example Magic Item

Name: Elathan.

Background: Created in thesmithies of the Elves, thissword (and many others likeit) was forged for use in theirunceasing war with the darkpowers.

Description: A razor-sharpbroadsword, with a largecrystal in its hilt which glowswith a soft inner light when ithas magic points in it. Whenactivated, the blade of thesword also glows with a palelight if any enemy is nearby.

Creation: This item wascreated using the CreateCharm and Create MagicStore innate magic spells.

Magic Powers: WeaponEnhancement 4 and Detect(enemy). The hilt of thesword is a magic point storewhich holds six magic points,which may be regenerated bythe user transferring theirown into it.

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Notes: Like all similar elvish weapons, theforces of the Enemy both fear and hate thesword (though not enough for this to beexpressed in any game terms).

The Monster ListEach of the monsters that follow are

described in the following format:

Characteristics (stat block)These are the characteristics that the

monster possesses. If a monster is missing acharacteristic for any reason the effect of thisis noted beneath the stat block. As mentionedpreviously, three different scores are given foreach characteristic (to represent common,lesser, and greater variations of the creature inquestion), as well as the dice range that youcan roll to randomly determine an individual’scharacteristics (note that if you randomly rollcharacteristics you will have to adjust the restof the skills and other characteristic dependantscores accordingly).

A creature with a randomly determined INTscore is considered sentient (i.e. it is a rationalbeing capable of logical thought andself-determination), whereas a creature with afixed INT is not sentient. Fixed INT creaturesoperate solely on instinct rather than logic orintuition.

Attributes (stat block)This includes the Hit Points, Major Wound

Level, Damage Modifier, and Magic Points ofthe creature. Again, these are based upon thecharacteristic scores of the three variationsnoted above. Movement Rate is also notedhere (along with any special movement rates,such as its flying speed), as well as thecreature’s Damage Modifier, and the typicaltype of armour worn (including Armour Pointswhere applicable).

Skills (stat block)Monsters have skills just like player

characters. This section breaks the skills downinto the five main categories, and details thesignificant skills that the average members ofthis species will possess.

Additional InformationBeneath the stat block you will find the

details of any weapons (including naturalweaponry) that the creature uses, spells thecreature is capable of casting, and any otherspecial rules or items that are applicable.

Note that unless it is stated otherwise, acreature with multiple attack forms will onlyget to use one of these as its combat attack.

In addition, some creatures are so terrible tobehold that they are considered to be fearsomecreatures. Therefore, when a characterencounters such a creature they will berequired to make a Persistence test andcompare their result to table 9.1 below.

The victim is notaffected and can-not be affectedby the same typeof creature for anumber of min-utes equal to itsown POW.

As above exceptthat the victiminspires its alliesto such an extentthat they gain a+25% bonus totheir own Persis-tence skill testthis round.

Critical

Victim is shakenand suffers a-25% penalty toall skill tests fora number ofrounds equal to20 minus its ownPOW (min. 1).

The victim is notaffected and can-not be affectedby the same typeof creature everagain.

Pass

Victim turns andflees in terror fora number ofcombat roundsequal to 20minus its ownPOW (min. 1).

Victim is shakenand suffers a-25% penalty toall skill tests fora number ofrounds equal to20 minus its ownPOW (min. 1).

Fail

Victim is soovercome that itpasses out for anumber ofminutes equal to20 minus its ownPOW (min. 1).

Victim turns andflees in terror fora number ofcombat roundsequal to 20minus its ownPOW (min. 1).

Fumble

Fearsome IICreatures

Fearsome ICreatures

Victim’sPersistence

Table 9.1 Fearsome Creatures

Note that if a monster is considered to be afearsome creature it will be noted as eitherFearsome I or Fearsome II in the special rulessection of its entry.

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BeastlingsBeastlings are bipedal creatures that take

the form of hideous human/animal hybrids.They are the foot soldiers of the Enemy - andwhether they were created by the dark arts orby vile experimentation, none truly know.

505050Nature Lore303030Language (man)505050Language (own)

Knowledge Skills454545Perception384654Deception534945Athletics

Practical Skills453831Resilience403530Persistence284154Dodge

Resistances433935Unarmed283644Ranged434445Close

Combat SkillsLeather Armour (2AP)Armour

14mMovement10Magic Points

+1d6+1d4+0Damage Mod.876Major Wound

161411Hit pointsAttributes

7772d6CHA1010102d6+3POW1010102d6+3INT1714113d6+3SIZ811143d6DEX

1513112d6+6CON1513112d6+6STR

GreaterBeastling

CommonBeastling

LesserBeastlingCharacteristics

Combat: Beastlings carry a wide variety ofweapons, though the most commonly used areshortbows (1d8) and battle-axes (1d8).

Primal Rage: If a beastling has been reducedto half of its total hit points or less in a singlecombat round and is not suffering the effectsof a major wound, it has a POWx3 chance ofentering a primal rage on its following turn.This has the exact same effect as theFanaticism spell and is a free action.

Special Rules: All beastlings have night sightand are considered to be Fearsome I creatures.

DemonsDemons are human-like creatures, though

greater in stature, with the ability to shroudthemselves in fire and shadow. They are,without doubt, terrible creatures to behold, andthe most trusted lieutenants of the Enemy.

747168Perception888174Influence626058Deception958677Athletics

Practical Skills907662Resilience837567Persistence212427Dodge

Resistances756657Unarmed475053Ranged908172Close

Combat SkillsArmoured Hide (4AP)Armour

18mMovement232017Magic Points

+4d6+3d6+2d6Damage Mod.13118Major Wound262116Hit points

Attributes1816142d6+9CHA2320173d6+9POW2121216d6INT2420164d6+6SIZ1114173d6+3DEX2721156d6CON54423012d6STR

GreaterDemon

CommonDemon

LesserDemonCharacteristics

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897561Innate Casting Magic Skills

868686Language (own)616161Culture (own)

Knowledge Skills

GreaterDemon

CommonDemon

LesserDemon

DemonsContd.

Combat: Demonblade (1d8).

Magic: All Demons know the following innatespells; Countermagic, Darkwall, Demoralise,Dispel Magic, Ignite, Fire Blade, and WeaponEnhance.

Where appropriate, the magnitude of thespells known will be the maximum availableto the creature (i.e. its POW divided by 3,rounded down). So a common Demon wouldknow Countermagic 6 for example.

Special Rules: All demons have night sightand are considered to be Fearsome IIcreatures.

Magic ItemsName: Demonblade (longsword).

Background: Created in the subterraneanforges of the Enemy, these are evil weaponsindeed.

Description: Dark and cruelly shapedweapons that glow with a fiery light when theyhave magic points stored in them.

Creation: These items were created using theCreate Charm and Create Magic Store innatemagic spells.

Magic Powers: Pierce 4. The hilt of the swordis also a magic point store which holds eightmagic points, which may be regenerated bythe user transferring their own into it.

Dire BeastsDire beasts are creatures that have been

corrupted and deformed by the dark arts -often appearing as larger, fiercer, and moredespicable versions of their lesser cousins.Due to the fell spirit within them, they alsopossess a cunning intellect.

474747Nature Lore474747Language (own)

Knowledge Skills444444Perception434649Deception616161Athletics

Practical Skills504132Resilience373737Persistence364452Dodge

Resistances616161Unarmed

Combat Skills(3AP)(2AP)(1AP)

Tough HideArmour

14m16m18mMovement7Magic Points

+1d6+1d6+1d4Damage Mod.1086Major Wound191612Hit points

Attributes7772d6CHA7772d6POW7772d6INT

2017143d6+6SIZ1114173d6+3DEX1814104d6CON2017143d6+6STR

GreaterDire

CommonDire

LesserDireCharacteristics

Combat: Bite (1d8), or claw (1d6). Direbeasts may make either a single bite or twoclaw attacks per combat round.

Options: Due to the variety of creaturescovered by this entry, the GM may give a direbeast a special form of movement if thecreature in question warrants it (a fly speed forwinged creatures for example), or any of theabilities listed below.

The creature is so terrible to beholdthat it is considered Fearsome I.

FrightfulAppearance

As the beastling ability on page 63,except that it is a POW x 5 chance.Primal Rage

This assumes the creature uses someform of echo location (or similar) thatfunctions instead of normal sight.

Dark Sight

Potency: POW x 5Delay: 1 combat roundFull Effect: 1 hit point per roundDuration: 1 round per 2 POW

PoisonousBite

DescriptionAbility

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Special Rules: All dire beasts have nightsight, and may act as mounts to creatureswhose Size is no more than half of their own.

DragonsThese mighty reptilian creatures rank

amongst the most feared of the servants of thedark powers. Unlike some of the later dragons,those of The Age Of Shadow are winglesscreatures that go on all fours. They aresometimes referred to as ‘fire-drakes’ due tothe fiery nature of their breath.

817671Sorcery Casting988470Innate Casting

Magic Skills616161Nature Lore818181Language (own)565656Culture (own)

Knowledge Skills777471Perception

1019283Influence1039077Athletics

Practical Skills998670Resilience968880Persistence212427Dodge

Resistances11310087Unarmed

Combat Skills12AP10AP8AP

Scaly HideArmour

14mMovement262320Magic Points

+8d6+6d6+4d6Damage Mod.262218Major Wound514335Hit points

Attributes2117134d6+3CHA2623203d6+12POW2121216d6INT6658508d6+30SIZ1114173d6+3DEX3628208d6CON72564016d6STR

GreaterDragon

CommonDragon

LesserDragonCharacteristics

Combat: Bite (1d10), Claw (1d8), Tail (1d12).A dragon can make either a single tail attack,or two claw attacks, or one bite attack in acombat round.

Magic: Dragons know the following spells;Befuddle (I), Countermagic (I), Demoralise(I), Dispel Magic (I), Dominate (S), MindSpeech (I), and Palsy (S).

Where appropriate, the magnitude of thespells known will be the maximum availableto the creature (i.e. its POW divided by 3,rounded down). So a common Dragon wouldknow Countermagic 7 for example.

Breathe Flame: The Dragon may breatheflame over an area as a standard action. Theflame will cover a cone in front of the Dragon,which stretches for its POW in metres. At itsfurthest extent, the cone is equal to thecreature’s POW in width.

Any creature caught in the flame suffers4d6 fire damage, though on a successfulDodge roll a character may dive for cover tohalve this damage and AP counts as normal.

A Dragon may only breathe flame once perhour. Further attempts to breathe flame withinthis time period require the creature to make aResilience test, with a cumulative -25%penalty for every attempt.

Special Rules: All Dragons have night sightand are considered to be Fearsome IIcreatures.

FellgrimFellgrim is a term used to describe those

beastlings that posses a giant-like stature, orindeed those that retain some other bestialfeature that sets them apart from otherbeastlings (a humanoid torso atop aquadrupedal lower form for example).

1010102d6+3CHA1010102d6+3POW1010102d6+3INT2420164d6+6SIZ811143d6DEX

1714113d6+3CON2420164d6+6STR

GreaterFellgrim

CommonFellgrim

LesserFellgrimCharacteristics

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404040Nature Lore404040Language (man)505050Language (own)

Knowledge Skills404040Perception353535Influence283134Deception626160Athletics

Practical Skills524431Resilience353535Persistence283644Dodge

Resistances524640Unarmed183144Ranged625650Close

Combat SkillsTough Hide (2AP)Armour

18mMovement10Magic Points

+2d6+1d6+1d6Damage Mod.1197Major Wound211714Hit points

Attributes

GreaterFellgrim

CommonFellgrim

LesserFellgrim

FellgrimContd.

Combat: Fellgrim favour weapons of the twohanded variety - such as great axes (2d8) orgreatswords (2d8).

Because of their large size (or due to aparticular feature of their bestial form) mostfellgrim will usually posses some kind ofnatural attack (1d6) in addition to their normalattack. This may be in the form of a bite (in thecase of large mawed creatures), a gore (forhorned creatures), a kick (for four-leggedcreatures), and so on. However, they may onlyever make one weapon attack or one naturalattack in a single combat round (not both).

Special Rules: All fellgrim have night sightand are considered to be Fearsome I creatures.The GM may also give the creature a specialform of movement if the creature warrants it (afly speed for a winged creature for example).

Giant SpidersThese monstrous arachnids infest deep

vales and mountainous regions - making themplaces of terror and dread. They are, on thewhole, pale-fleshed and venomous creatures,with many eyes and evil intent.

424242Nature LoreKnowledge Skills

343434Perception313947Deception494541Athletics

Practical Skills373533Resilience323232Persistence444750Dodge

Resistances595551Unarmed414957Ranged

Combat Skills4AP3AP2AP

CarapaceArmour

18mMovement777Magic Points

+1d4+0+0Damage Mod.865Major Wound

151210Hit pointsAttributes

4441d6CHA7772d6POW7772d6INT

141183d6SIZ1417203d6+6DEX1513112d6+6CON1513112d6+6STR

GreaterSpider

CommonSpider

LesserSpiderCharacteristics

Combat: Bite (1d6 + venom), Web (special).A giant spider can either bite or project its webin a combat round.

Project Webbing: A giant spider may projectits webbing once every ten combat rounds.This is treated as a thrown weapon with arange equal to that of the spider’s Strength inmetres.

Any creature hit by the web will then berequired to make a successful grapple test(versus the spider’s attack roll) in order tobreak free - otherwise they are consideredhelpless. An ally may attempt to cut a‘webbed’ creature free using a sharpimplement, but the web itself will have hitpoints equal to that of the STR of the spider.

Spider Venom: Whenever anyone takesdamage from the bite of a giant spider, theywill be required to make an opposedResilience test or suffer the effects of thespider’s venom as detailed below:

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- 67 -

Potency: Spider’s SIZ x 4Delay: 1d3 combat roundsFull Effect: Paralysis.Duration: 6d6 minutes

Special Rules: Giant spiders have dark sightand are considered to be Fearsome I creatures.

Great EaglesAlike to normal eagles but far greater in

stature, the Great Eagles are the noblest of allbirds. Friends of elves and men, these giantcreatures often lend their aid in the war againstthe dark powers.

545454Nature Lore545454Language (elf)545454Language (own)

Knowledge Skills

* gain a +25 bonus to thisskill for vision based tests

57*57*57*Perception394245Deception868176Athletics

Practical Skills575349Resilience636363Persistence353841Dodge

Resistances868176Unarmed

Combat SkillsThick Feathers (2AP)Armour10m walk / 30m flyMovement

131313Magic Points+3d6+2d6+1d6Damage Mod.

141210Major Wound272319Hit points

Attributes1513112d6+9CHA1313132d6+6POW1414144d6INT3026224d6+12SIZ2023263d6+12DEX2420164d6+6CON3628208d6STR

GreaterEagle

CommonEagle

LesserEagleCharacteristics

Combat: Bite (1d8), Talon (1d6). GreatEagles can make either a single bite attack, ortwo talon attacks in a combat round.

Special Rules: Great eagles are considered tobe Fearsome I creatures to their enemies.

OrcsOrcs are the latest abomination contrived

by the dark arts of the Enemy. Seeminglyendless in number, they are typically swarthy,squat, bowlegged creatures with long arms andevil faces. They make no beautiful things andsmile not.

314151Nature Lore716661Language (own)413631Culture (own)

Knowledge Skills464646Perception424956Deception554943Athletics

Practical Skills393633Resilience353535Persistence414345Dodge

Resistances353433Unarmed324456Ranged554433Close

Combat Skills

Scale(AP4)

Ring(AP3)

Leather(AP2)Armour

14mMovement10Magic Points

+1d400Damage Mod.764Major Wound

13118Hit pointsAttributes

7772d6CHA1010102d6+3POW1111113d6INT121082d6+3SIZ1113152d6+6DEX141183d6CON141183d6STR

GreaterOrc

CommonOrc

LesserOrcCharacteristics

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Combat: Scimitar (1d8), Small Shield (1d4),Shortbow (1d8). Note that orcs use a widevariety of weapons, but those given here arefairly typical.

Special Rules: All orcs have dark sight andare considered Fearsome I creatures.

SorcerersSorcerers are (or at least once were)

humans that have given themselves over to thepower of the dark arts. Though few in number,and rarely seen, they are said to live far longerthan what is usual for mortal folk - oftenappearing as wizened old men with anunnatural vigour for one of such an age.

531Spells Known474645Sorcery Casting

Magic Skills424140Lore (alchemy)272625Nature Lore878685Language (own)

Knowledge Skills474441Perception414141Influence434241Deception212121Athletics

Practical Skills252321Resilience555351Persistence414141Dodge

Resistances313131Unarmed383736Ranged313131Close

Combat SkillsNoneArmour14mMovement

151311Magic Points+0+0+0Damage Mod.666Major Wound

111111Hit pointsAttributes

1111113d6CHA1513112d6+6POW1716151d6+12INT1111112d6+6SIZ1111113d6DEX1010102d6+3CON1010102d6+3STR

GreaterSorcerer

CommonSorcerer

LesserSorcererCharacteristics

Combat: Sorcerers tend to not carry large orcumbersome weapons, and will instead relyupon such weapons as daggers (1d4) whenneeds must.

Magic: Sorcerers commonly choose (but arenot restricted to) spells such as DamageResistance, Dominate, Mirage, and Palsy.

Unlike player characters, Sorcerers maylearn a number of spells equal to their POWscore minus ten.

SpiritsThese evil beings are known by a number

of different names. Phantoms they are to some,wraiths or ghosts they are to others.

646158Sorcery CastingMagic Skills

848178Language (own)Knowledge Skills

544539Perception494643Influence444138Deception

Practical SkillsN/AN/AN/AResilience303030Persistence303030Dodge

Resistances756963Incorporeal

Combat SkillsNoneArmour20mMovement

151311Magic PointsN/AN/AN/ADamage Mod.N/AN/AN/AMajor WoundN/AN/AN/AHit points

Attributes141183d6CHA1513112d6+6POW141183d6INT----SIZ----DEX----CON----STR

GreaterSpirit

CommonSpirit

LesserSpiritCharacteristics

Combat: Spirits are immune to normaldamage, and if any attack is to harm them, itmust be magical in nature. This magicaldamage is deducted from the spirit’s magicpoints, and once its magic points reach zero

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the spirit is destroyed. Spirits also observe thefollowing rules during combat:

Spirits use INT to determine their combatorder.

A spirit’s attack is an opposed test using itsIncorporeal combat skill versus the target’sPersistence.

If the attack succeeds, the target looses 1d4magic points.

Magic: Spirits know the following sorceryspells; Diminish (Constitution), Palsy, and Tap(Constitution). Spirits may also becomeinvisible at will, though they must remainvisible in order to cast spells or to attack.

Special Rules: All spirits have dark sight andare considered to be Fearsome I creatures.However, because different spirits manifestthemselves in different ways, PCs who passtheir Persistence test may thereafter onlyignore the fear effect of that particular spirit(i.e. they will still be required to makePersistence tests for other spirits theyencounter).

TrollsTrolls are a primitive race of humanoids

with great strength and a poor intellect.Standing roughly twice the height of anaverage man, these lumbering brutes possessan extremely tough hide - making themfearsome opponents indeed.

Thick Hide(3AP)Armour

16mMovement11Magic Points

+2d6+2d6+1d6Damage Mod.12109Major Wound232017Hit points

Attributes7772d6CHA

1111113d6POW7772d6INT

2623203d6+12SIZ5792d6DEX

2017143d6+6CON2623203d6+12STR

GreaterTroll

CommonTroll

LesserTrollCharacteristics

323232Nature Lore525252Language (own)222222Culture (own)

Knowledge Skills

282828Perception222426Deception616059Athletics

Practical Skills615855Resilience414141Persistence151719Dodge

Resistances505049Unarmed222428Ranged515049Close

Combat Skills

GreaterTroll

CommonTroll

LesserTroll

TrollsContd.

Combat: Heavy club (2d6), Boulder (1d6).Trolls may throw boulders a distance equal totheir STR characteristic in metres.

Special Rules: All trolls have dark sight andare considered to be Fearsome I creatures.

VampiresVampires are large bat-like creatures in the

service of the Enemy. Often used as messen-gers or spies, these hideous iron-clawedmonstrosities are fell creatures one and all.

1111113d6CHA1513112d6+6POW1313132d6+6INT1513112d6+6SIZ1417203d6+6DEX2119172d6+12CON2017143d6+6STR

GreaterVampire

CommonVampire

LesserVampireCharacteristics

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434343Nature Lore535353Language (own)535353Culture (own)

Knowledge Skills

585654Perception576063Deception494949Athletics

Practical Skills565248Resilience605856Persistence343740Dodge

Resistances545454Unarmed

Combat SkillsLeathery Hide (1AP)Armour14m walk / 30m flyMovement

151311Magic Points+1d6+1d4+0Damage Mod.

987Major Wound181614Hit points

Attributes

GreaterVampire

CommonVampire

LesserVampire

VampiresContd.

Combat: Talon (1d6), Bite (1d4).

Poison: Whenever a vampire attacks with itsbite it may decide to attempt to poison itsvictim by spending magic points (i.e. thenumber of points used equals the poison’smagnitude exactly as if it were a spell). If thetarget goes on to take damage from the attackhe/she will be required to make an opposedResilience test or suffer the effects of thepoison as detailed below:

Potency: Magnitude x 5Delay: 1 combat roundFull Effect: 1 point of damage per roundDuration: 1 combat round per magnitude

Special Rules: All vampires have night sightand are considered to be Fearsome I creatures.

Walking DeadThe walking dead (sometimes known as

deadlings) are corpses that retain a semblanceof life due to some wicked curse or foul magic.In truth they are nothing more than mockeriesof the living, and their appearance can varygreatly - from that of a recently fallen warriorto the skeletal remains of a long dead foe.

252525Perception535149Athletics

Practical Skills100100100Resilience100100100Persistence

000DodgeResistances

535149Unarmed579Ranged

535149CloseCombat Skills

Tattered Armour(1AP)Armour

10mMovementNoneMagic Points

+1d6+0+0Damage Mod.543Major Wound

1086Hit pointsAttributes

0000CHA0000POW0000INT

141183d6SIZ5792d6DEX5431d6CON

1814104d6STR

GreaterDeadling

CommonDeadling

LesserDeadlingCharacteristics

Combat: The walking dead carry whateverweapon they possessed in life (if any), thoughthose most commonly used would be ashortsword (1d6), and occasionally a smallshield (1d4).

The walking dead are only ever allowed tomake one standard action or one move actionper round (not both), and do not suffer theeffects of major wounds like other creatures -instead they are simply destroyed.

Special Rules: Since the walking dead haveno INT, POW, or CHA score, they have nointelligence, personality, or will of their own.As such they are immune to fatigue, disease,poisons, and any kind of mind control. Inaddition, all of the walking dead have nightsight and are considered to be Fearsome Icreatures.

WerewolvesThese terrible servants of the Enemy are

inhabited by dreadful spirits and are, inappearance, alike to great lupine beasts.

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- 71 -

626058Nature Lore525048Language (own)

Knowledge Skills514641Perception434955Deception615651Athletics

Practical Skills514539Resilience444138Persistence414447Dodge

Resistances616161Unarmed

Combat SkillsLeathery Hide (1AP)Armour

22mMovement14118Magic Points

+1d6+1d6+1d4Damage Mod.1087Major Wound191613Hit points

Attributes121082d6+3CHA141183d6POW121082d6+3INT2017143d6+6SIZ1114173d6+3DEX1714113d6+3CON2017143d6+6STR

GreaterWerewolf

CommonWerewolf

LesserWerewolfCharacteristics

Combat: Bite (1d8).

Venom: Whenever a werewolf attacks it maydecide to attempt to poison its victim byspending magic points (i.e. the number ofpoints used equals the venom’s magnitudeexactly as if it were a spell). If the target goeson to take damage from the attack he/she willbe required to make an opposed Resilience testor suffer the effects of the venom as detailedbelow:

Potency: Magnitude x 5Delay: 1d4 combat roundsFull Effect: 1d4 + damage modifier hit

points. If this figure surpassesthe victim’s major wound levelthe victim will also fallunconscious.

Duration: 1 hour per magnitude

Special Rules: All werewolves have nightsight and are considered to be Fearsome Icreatures.

WildlingsWildlings are barbaric humans in the

service of the evil powers.

404040Nature Lore606060Language (own)404040Culture (own)

Knowledge Skills393735Riding364146Perception334149Deception474237Athletics

Practical Skills453729Resilience413631Persistence284154Dodge

Resistances423732Unarmed233649Ranged474237Close

Combat SkillsNone or Crude Armour (2AP)Armour

14mMovement11Magic Points

+1d4+0+0Damage Mod.865Major Wound

151210Hit pointsAttributes

1111113d6CHA1111113d6POW1010102d6+3INT1513112d6+6SIZ811143d6DEX

141183d6CON141183d6STR

GreaterWildling

CommonWildling

LesserWildlingCharacteristics

Combat: Wildlings carry a wide variety ofweapons, though the most commonly used areslings (1d6) and shortspears (1d8).

Berserker Fury: As a standard action awildling may attempt to enter a ‘berserk’ stateso long as he is not already fatigued. Thechance of success is POWx3, and the effectlasts 10 minutes or the remainder of thecombat (whichever is shortest) - at the end ofwhich he immediately becomes fatigued. Inthe berserk state he is so overcome withbloodlust that he automatically succeeds anyResilience test, and doubles the percentage ofhis Close Combat skills. However he may notparry, dodge, or cast spells while in this state.

- CREATURES -

- 72 -

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- 73 -

- CREATURES -

OPEN GAME LICENSE

VERSION 1.0aThe following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (‘Wizards’). All RightsReserved.1. Definitions: (a) ‘Contributors’ means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) ‘DerivativeMaterial’ means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation,modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work maybe recast, transformed or adapted; (c) ‘Distribute’ means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit orotherwise distribute; (d) ‘Open Game Content’ means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines tothe extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearlyidentified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivativeworks under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) ‘Product Identity’ means product and product line names, logosand identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents,language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual oraudio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and specialabilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphicdesigns; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, andwhich specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) ‘Trademark’ means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by aContributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) ‘Use’,‘Used’ or ‘Using’ means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open GameContent. (h) ‘You’ or ‘Your’ means the licensee in terms of this agreement.2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only beUsed under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added toor subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open GameContent distributed using this License.3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide,royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that YourContributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of theCOPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyrightdate, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expresslylicensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibilityor co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except asexpressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any ProductIdentity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identityused in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing areOpen Game Content.9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorisedversion of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute. 11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless Youhave written permission from the Contributor to do so.12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the OpenGame Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License. 14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessaryto make it enforceable.15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, CharlesRyan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes,Andy Collins and JD Wiker.System Reference Document Copyright 2000–2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richbaker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.RuneQuest System Reference Document Copyright 2006, Mongoose Publishing; Author Matthew Sprange, based on original material byGreg Stafford. RuneQuest Companion System Reference Document Copyright 2006, Mongoose Publishing; Author Greg Lynch et al., based on originalmaterial by Greg Stafford.RuneQuest Monster System Reference Document Copyright 2006, Mongoose Publishing; Author Greg Lynch et al., based on originalmaterial by Greg Stafford.OpenQuest Copyright 2009, D101 Games; Author Newt Newport.The Age Of Shadow Copyright 2011; Author Kristian Richards.

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