Mistrunner - Core Rulebook

8/9/2019 Mistrunner - Core Rulebook

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1 | M i s t r u n n e r

To my dear Llandrath,

Your uncle informs me that you wish to travel beyond the watery confines of your homeland.Knowing myself to be the family's infamous traveler, he pressed me to impart someknowledge on the world at large. I believe he hopes it will frighten you into changing yourmind. I assure you, however ghastly any of my tales may become, that is not my intent. Imerely wish to impress upon you the danger that a damp, young Nekron might find himselfconfronted with.

The first unnatural phenomenon that you will undoubtedly encounter, are the Miststhemselves. Chances are, as you have been imbued with the wanderlust that so few of your


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relatives have been inflicted with, you have probably already taken your first tentativeexpeditions into it. I would not recommend ever doing so without some form of trained guide.

Your mother has fed you stories about the Faye races: babies stolen, family pets eaten,travelers driven to the brink of madness and beyond by the pranks of faerie-kind. All theseaccusations are true, to one extent or another. The Mists are home to the pure Faye. Youhave spoken with the Karanar traders that come through the area. That elf-like race holdsonly a shadow of their eldritch nature, tempered by a strong bit of old humanity. Do notexpect the true Elven Host to be as approachable. They are mysterious, savage, mystical,and civilized in ways that a terrestrial cannot understand in a lifetime of study.

Nearly as dangerous as the Faye are the myriad other creatures that call that eternaltwilight home. Prolonged exposure to the Mists will madden and warp any creatures not

born in it. Creatures that wander into the Mists and are not quickly killed often becomemonstrosities. In addition to the Mist-altered beings are those beasts that were born tothrive within the magical night. Mistdragons that dwarf their colossal terrestrial cousins,sinister Grimnoks made of the very Mists themselves, and a host of other creatures great

and small. . . (Though there is one blue furred species of jackrabbit that makes an excellentroast. )

Having said all this, the only way to travel between the True Realms is through the Mists.This has been accomplished since the first Mistrunners took those brave steps into anunknown world. Certain people are born with an aptitude for the Mists, much like some

people are born with a heightened ability for magical studies. These people are generally

apprenticed to the mother of all Guilds, the Mistrunners' Association. This Guild is theoldest and most powerful organization throughout the True Realms. Without their skilled


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practitioners, trade and travel would cease, and all the True Realms would collapse intochaos.

In addition to a certain attunement to the Mists that allow 'Runners to see farther throughthe everlasting gloom, and an uncanny ability to navigate through the sense-depriving soup,Guildmembers are taught how to pilot Mistbarges. These are the ensorcelled vessels that

glide through the Mists, driven by the whims of the Mistrunner.

A webbing of enchantment surrounds the hull of the Mistbarge, giving it buoyancy in theMists. Mistrunners guide the ship from a magical Helm. When piloting, 'Runnerssink their consciousness into the Helm, their senses extending throughout the magical weavesurrounding the barge, traveling for days at a time without rest or nourishment. The largestof vessels may even utilize several Helms, each piloted by an individual Mistrunner.

Mistbarges are usually built with some means to maneuver on terrestrial realms as well.They range from simple, flat-bottomed river cargo boats, to graceful Karanar cruisers, tothe enormous airships of the Mistrunners Alliance. Some of the largest barges never leavethe Mists, floating in the ether continuously as smaller ships ferry cargo to the port of call.

The Mistrunners guide the barges along shipping routes between the True Realms thatonly they sense. They navigate with ability similar to that of a homing pigeon or a spawningsalmon, instinctually knowing their destination and traveling towards it, deviating onlyaround whatever dangers lie in the path. I have been told there is a weather system of sorts inthe Mists, though it always appears the same featureless twilight every time I travel it.Mighty dragons leave warships in splinters in their wake, and even floating Realms can

wreak havoc on a craft not designed to traverse its terrain. Raiders of terrestrial and Faye varieties are rare, but not unheard of. The best of Runners will avoid all of these problems.


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If you do venture forth into the Mists, be certain to take passage on a craft bearing theGuild markings under a Guild Mistrunner. Rogues may seem cheaper, but the risks faroutweigh any short term benefits. You should be able to find passage here, to Wayfarers

Way. It is the metropolis at the hub of the known True Realms. This is a city of thewonderful and exotic. All of the Guilds and most of the Churches have representativeshere, and all manner of folk walk the streets. It is a stable force in an otherwise chaoticworld. I wile my own days away now at the vast libraries at Farson Academy.

Should your search for adventure take you through Wayfarers Way, please come to theUniversity and spend some time with me. In the middle of this bustle, there are precious

few times to sit and remember the days in the quiet wetlands of home.Sincerely yours,

Civvet


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Phelon Lyther


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What is a Role Playing Game?

A role playing game is part acting and part storytelling. The rules of the game provided a simple

skeleton, a framework, that the Players and Narrator give flesh and life to with the power of their

imaginations. Role playing games are different from your standard board game in that there is nodistinct winner at the end of a session. While your heroic Characters may win the day and collect the

treasure, there is always another battle to fight, another chest to plunder. The purpose of a role playing

game is not to win but to enjoy the immersive experience in a magical world. Even if this is your first


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time playing a pen and paper role playing game,

it isn’t the first time you’ve role played.

Growing up, we all played games that relied

upon our imaginations, we were cowboys,

princesses, soldiers, cops, and robbers.

Growing up is no excuse to stop playing.

In order to play Mistrunner, you will need at

least three people, and preferably no more than

six or seven. One of you will assume the role of

Narrator. The Narrator has a very important

job, as it is up to them to guide the story and

the Players. The Narrator sets each scene and

plays all the other participants in the story.

The Players will each take on the role of a

Character, an in game persona. The Players

decide how their Characters react to the story

presented by the Narrator. At times the Player

may need to roll dice to determine how well

their Character performs in a certain action.

Who Can I Be?

In Mistrunner, unlike many other role playinggames, you have a lot more options which allow

you to cater your Character to your own playing

style. There are no set classes, instead your

Character is defined by the skills and abilities

you chose and the personality you give them.

Want to play a sassy spell slinging rogue, or a

deft handed tinkerer, maybe a quick tongued

swashbuckler, or an inquisitive priest with a

dark past, all these are possible. It is all up to

you, you can wade into battle as a mightybarbarian that survives solely by the strength of

her arm and the edge of her axe, or perhaps

you prefer to let others do the heavy lifting,

using your wits and intelligence to get what you

want.

Your Character and what they are is all up to

you. How your Character interacts with the

game is up to both you as a Player, as well asthe Narrator. Sometimes, a Narrator may set

guidelines for the Character type best suited for

the game. It isn’t wise to play a mild mannered

librarian if the game is going to take on a

decidedly more brutal path, one where the

Characters are constantly pitted against savage

foes that have nothing in mind other than

tearing you apart. Same goes for a game

devoted to political intrigue and diplomatic

affairs, a savage warrior from the northernwastes would be quite out of place. This isn’t

to say you can’t play what you want, but it takes

a good deal of skill to make the most of your

Character when the situation forces them to be

a fish out of water, though embracing these

challenges can be exciting.

What Do I Need to Play?

To play Mistrunner you will need at least one of

each of the following dice, a four sided (d4), six

sided (d6), eight sided (d8), ten sided (d10), and

a twelve sided (d12). It is highly recommended

that you have a pair of each of the above

mentioned dice, as often you will need to roll

two dice at a time, adding the results together.

It is also a good idea to have some kind of

tokens or counters to keep track of your

Character’s spell points, or Essence Pool.

You should also have some scratch paper for

taking notes, writing implements (helps in the


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note taking), and a Character sheet which will

contain all of the information about your

Character and their skills, equipment, and the

like. Some folks may opt to use miniatures and

tabletop maps as well. Things that work for

some groups may only serve to bog down

others. Do what feels right for you.

What Does It All Mean?

Many of these terms will be familiar to those

that have played role playing games before,

though some things may be different from what

you are used to. For those that are new, this

should help you understand some of the terms

that will be used throughout the book.

Narrator: The Narrator runs the game, telling

the story that the Players will interact with.

Mistrunner challenges the Narrator to take a

very decisive role in the game. Rather than rely

upon pages and pages of charts and graphs, the

Narrator will decide much of what happens in

the game.

Player Character (PC): This is the in game

persona of the Player.

Non-Player Character (NPC): These are all the

people and creatures that the Players do not

control. The Narrator assumes the role of

every NPC.

D4: The use of the letter D before a number

indicates a die type to be used to determine the

results of an action, you will see D4, D6, D8,

D10, and D12, referring to 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12

sided dice. If there is ever a number before the

D, such as 2D10, that indicates a number of the

specific dice to be rolled. 2D10 would require

the Player roll two 10 sided dice.

Attributes: Attributes are a numericalrepresentation of a Characters mental and

physical makeup. Every Character has the

following attributes, Strength (ST), Intelligence

(IN), Constitution (CN), and Essence (ES).

Skills: This represents the natural abilities,

talents, and skills known by the Character.

Each skill is ranked by a die type, such as D8.

There are major skill groups, and within each

major group are a number of specializations.

Mists: The Mists are the physical manifestation

of magic in the world, a world covering fog.

They are strange and mysterious, and often

have unexpected results on those that are

unfamiliar with it.

Armor Value (AV): This number represents the

protection the Character receives against

damage. The AV is subtracted from any

damage dealt, thus lowering how much damagethe Character receives.

Steps: Steps are the measurement of time

during combat. Every action takes a number of

Steps to complete, more complex actions take

more Steps than simple ones.

Adavancement Points (AP): Advancement

Points are earned when your character

completes objectives in an adventure. These

are used at a later time to improve your

characters Skills and Attributes.


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Endo Shieldrake


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Chapter One: How It Came to Pass

The Pulse 2044 AD

We all huddled around the fire, trying desperately to keep warm as winter slowly began to take hold

over the land. It didn’t used to be like this. We used to all be safe, warm, and secure in luxurious

homes. We wanted for nothing. The hum of electric heaters lulled us to sleep every night in comfort.

Then came the Pulse. No one knows what caused it or even where it originated, but everyone knew

what it did. I was just a child when it happened, but the memories of it are forever burned into my

brain, the day everything changed. The Pulse covered the globe, destroying everything electrical in its

path. Nothing was spared, computers, cars, cell phones, they all just ceased to function. At first it wasbelieved to have been some freak EMP, electro magnetic pulse, originating deep in space. But, if that

had been the case, eventually we would have been able to get things working again. Years passed and

still our machines still lay silent. The world fell into chaos and decay. Nations that had been incredible


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powers spanning the entire globe now

struggled simply to hold society together, to

keep some semblance of peace and authority in

a world gone mad. Without technology this

was an impossible task. Mankind had grown

too lazy and much too reliant upon his

wonderful gadgets, he had no means of coping

without them. Society fell. Despite all this,

there arose men and women that began to

bring order to the chaos, light to a darkened

world. Mankind began to recover, to reclaim,

and to rebuild. For the first time in years there

was a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the only thing looming

just out of sight. Whatever hope there was, it

was shattered with the appearance of the first

demons.

Dawn of the Demons 2053 AD

I don’t know what happened to my husband.

We had managed to pull ourselves back from

the edge of the abyss, bringing a bit of order

back to the world around us. His compassion

for others drove him to help. Then he changed.

He grew cold, distant, always angry. He wasn’t

the same man I had married, the same man I

loved. Everything we had built, this new

community, all that we had cobbled together,

he destroyed.

No one knew it was him, at first. He was

clever, calculating, knowing just what he could

get away with. Each time he would push it a

little further. He started small, tools would go

missing, then the mill broke down. Soon

animals were found dead and crops began to

fail. Then he was caught, poisoning the well.

It

was too late though, our one source of clean,

fresh water was destroyed. Worse, when we

tried to confront him, he flew into an unearthly

rage. He killed over thirty people that night

with nothing but his bare hands. He seemed to

possess an unnatural strength, and though we

cut and stabbed him dozens of times he would

not relent. It wasn’t until one of the farmers

severed his head that he fell silent.

We tried to pick up the pieces, but the home we

had made for ourselves was gone. We

gathered what we could salvage and moved on,

to seek out others that had managed to rebuild.

Everywhere we went we heard stories similar to

our own. Good, honest folk that had gonehorribly bad, men and women that fought as if

possessed by the devil himself. We didn’t

know how close to the truth that was.

The Demon Wars 2053-2167 AD

Dublin had been under siege for over ten years

now, tomorrow we strike at the Demons and

their army. Even if we succeed in lifting the

siege, what hope remains for us? We’ve been

at war since before I was born. It didn’t seem

to matter how hard we fought, the Demons

always returned. If you cut down a host body,

the demons spirit would simply regain its

strength and eventually seek out a new host.

How can we win against an enemy that won’t

die?

There has been no word from the mainland inyears, even England has gone silent. Are we

alone in the world now, just a handful of

Irishmen against all the hordes of hell? We


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boundaries of those two dimensions. Two

worlds became one.

I haven’t left this place, the epicenter of my

folly. I fear what I will find outside these

crumbling walls. I watched as my companionswere torn from existence, I can only imagine

that the same happened beyond this tattered

place. All that we had been through as a race,

wars, famine, disease, the Demons, none of it

compared to what I have wrought. There is no

redemption for me, and I fear, no future for

man nor Faye.

The Retribution War 54-63 AR

Can’t say I blame them. After the survivors

crawled from the debris and saw the world they

now faced, it was only a matter of time. The

Faye had never truly known death to this

degree before. Sure, Faye can die, but never

have they lost so many of their kind, and it was

our fault. Man had taken the gift of magic and

used it to destroy on a scale never imagined.

It took time, but eventually the Faye placed the

blame where it belonged, right at our feet.

They didn’t ask for an explanation, they simply

sought out retribution. It was a slaughter.

This new world resembled that of the Faye

much more than our own, and they used that to

their full advantage.

Man went into hiding. We were almost wiped

out. I can’t really say what stopped them,another few years and we would have been

gone, a fate we rightly deserved. But right at

the end, as the last sword stroke fell, they

stopped. Many of us remained in our hiding

spots, even after it became quite clear that the

war was over. Once again Man had been given

another chance. I only hope that we finally get

it right.

The New Race of Man 897 AR

It has been a long road, trying to adapt to this

new world. Man is no longer what he once

was, only the Bragun have truly retained any of

the lost humanity. The other races that have

arisen from the ashes of the old world, they

may be descended from man, but there is

nothing human about them.

Despite their obvious inferiority to the Bragun,

we still remain close allies with the other

children of men. We have no choice. Even

after hundreds of years our place in this world is

still tenuous.

Small pockets of the earth our ancestors knew

still remain, but surrounding us are the

accursed Mists. This constant fog plays trickson the minds of men, and navigating through it

appears to be an impossibility for anyone

lacking true Faye blood. There are a handful

among the new races that can venture a short

ways out, the Karanar, elvish half breeds, for

one.

Still, we are isolated from each other, relying

upon the whims of a charitable Faye to guide us

between these pockets. The Faye do takesome umbrage at our naming of old earth as

the True Realms, but that is what they are to us,

our only true home in this strange world.


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Mistrunners 969 AR

We needed to spread out, we needed room to

expand, ways to travel and trade. Having to

rely upon the Faye for all of our travel between

the Mists could never be a long term solution, it

has already grown to be more of a burden than

a blessing.

It was once believed that only the Faye

possessed the ability to travel through the

Mists, an inborn gift of their magical nature. To

some extent that has proven to be true, but it

isn’t the only way. Much like any school of

magic, travel through the Mists can be learned.

Old man may be gone, but as his descendantswe have maintained his prowess at adapting,

that stubborn attitude to overcome any and all

obstacles.

Thus the Mistrunners came to be. Mistrunners

are those that can traverse the dangers of the

Mists in relative safety. There was a steep

learning curve, and many met their fate at the

cruel whims of the Mists, but we learned from

our mistakes. There are also those among the

Faye that are just as greedy in their hearts as

men can be. Gold can always buy information

from someone. What we couldn’t teach

ourselves we bought from those that could.

No longer reliant upon the Faye, we could now

travel between any of the True Realms as we

desired. Of course there is still a hierarchy,

those of us that can make travel possible

needed to protect our own interests. The

Mistrunners Alliance is made up of those of us

that truly understand the importance of what

we do. We have trained and honed our art.

You could risk travel with those outside the

guild, but I wouldn’t recommend it, most would

rob and kill you just as easily as look at you.

Pirates, smugglers, brigands, and cutthroats

they be.

A Kingdom is Born 1014 AR

It was only a matter of time. With trade and

travel unrestricted the True Realms were ripe

for the picking. The Bragun jumped at the

chance to expand beyond their own meager

borders. One by one the other True Realms fell

under the banner of Bragun Dor.

The Bragun are not kind masters, and those that

are not of “pure” blood, meaning those that are

not Bragun, are looked down upon and treated

as second class citizens. They have names for

us, half breeds, bastards, scars, and those are

the most polite. It doesn’t help that the

Mistrunners Alliance is run almost entirely by

Bragun. Travel and trade have become

restricted to those without official vouchers,

and those are rarely granted to anyone not of

Bragun blood.

It sadly seems that we have inherited that

overwhelming desire for power and control

from our ancestors. Power is a dangerous

thing, the more you have the more you end up

wanting. It is a thirst that can never be

quenched, once you have it, you will never be

rid of it. The Bragun will never be satisfied as

long as there is more land to conquer, more

people to subjugate. There aren’t many free

True Realms left, which means they only have

one other place to turn for conquest.


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Second Retribution War 1375 AR

We Faye need to learn not to ignore the

activities of man, even in his newer

incarnations. More and more we hid ourselves

away, deep in the Mists. Whether it was

because we believed ourselves to be invincible

in our homelands, or just a sense of desired

isolation, it did not matter. The Bragun armies

marched upon us nonetheless.

In the early days of the war they enjoyed victory

after victory. Their troops fought with fervor,

spurred on by tales and legends of the First

Retribution War. They held nothing back,

slaughtering all in their path. Where theBragun subjugated the other mortal races, they

offered no such luxury for the Faye. Anyone of

pure Faye blood was put to the sword. Not

since the Reckoning have so many of our

numbers been lost to oblivion.

Regardless of how the war began, and no

matter the number of early victories they piled

under their belts, the Bragun had begun a war

they could not win. They severely

underestimated two things. One was the size

of the domains the Faye called home. The

other was that by taking arms against all the

Faye they managed to do what a hundred

centuries could not. They united all the Faye,

Seelie and Unseelie under a single banner.

The war had its toll in their homelands as well.

Taxes could not be sustained at the levels

needed to fund the war. Crops were diverted

to feed troops, able bodied men were taken

from the fields and the factories and sent off to

war. Morale on the home front diminished by

the hour. One cannot fight a prolonged war far

from home and leave enough troops to garrison

all the conquered lands behind them. The

other races of man soon joined with the Faye,

though more indirectly. The True Realms,

loathe as I am to use the phrase, began to rebel.

Without troops to put down the rebellions, the

revolution grew.

Now the Bragun faced a war on multiple fronts.

We Faye had begun to organize and strike back.

Little by little we pushed them back. The

revolution that had been slow to start grew

larger and more organized. One by one True

Realms cast off the rule of the Bragun.

The Purge 1404 AR

The Bragun had suffered defeat after defeat in

the final years of the war. Soon they had been

pushed back to a single True Realm. They

pulled back behind the mighty walls of their

fortresses in Mikon. They licked their wounds

and waited for the inevitable assault. They

trusted to highly in the strength of their castles

and keeps.

I commanded the armies of the free men of the

True Realms. Tens of thousands of men and

women stood under my authority, and we were

but a speck beside the combined might of the

Faye. Sidhe, elves, dwarves, giants, dragons,

and goblins measured beyond counting.

When the siege began the Bragun fell like

wheat before a scythe. The powerful mages ofthe Faye reduced castle walls to dust. None

were spared. Mortal and Faye alike cut down

every Bragun they found, man, woman, and

child. The Bragun had hoped that their


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fortresses would keep them safe long enough

for their enemies to grow weary with the war.

They were sorely mistaken.

The Bragun were utterly crushed. Every Bragun

was cut down, not a stone of their empire wasleft standing. The day had been won, but the

war was still far from over.

The Hunt 1404-1478 AR

We had won. My people were free from the

tyranny of the Bragun. The mortal armies

returned to their homes, confident in leading

new lives, free to do as they wished. In our

eyes, there was nothing left to do.

The Faye saw things differently. Voices called

out for the complete annihilation of the Bragun

that had managed to escape the battle at

Mikon. Thus began the Hunt. The Faye

scoured the True Realms and the Mists alike,

killing the last remnants of the once proud

Bragun race. It was genocide.

Though many of us took up arms alongside the

Faye, they did not view us as allies. They saw

the potential of a new Bragun Dor in all of us.

If we had suffered under the rule of the Bragun,

it was but a warm up for the darker days that

lay ahead.

The Days of Shadow 1480-1790 AR

We were not about to let the descendants of

man cause us harm ever again. There were

those among my kind that called for all of them

to be eliminated, dealt with just as harshly as

we had with the Bragun. While we had joined

the Faye together for the war, it was an alliance

that could never last. I was among those that

argued for clemency, mercy for those that had

suffered under the Bragun, and had even

helped in their removal.

The Unseelie Faye, never one for compassion or

leniency wanted all out war, but they lacked the

power of their cousins, the Seelie. Once again

the two courts went their separate ways.

Without the influence of the Unseelie, myself

and those like me managed to grant a stay of

execution for the mortals. But, we would not

leave ourselves so exposed ever again.

This lead to yet another mistake. It started off

simple enough, we had garrisons of our Alfar

warriors in every True Realm. At first they

were their to simply remind the mortals that

the Faye were not to be trifled with. So long as

they minded their own affairs, we would not

interfere. There were those, even amongst the

Seelie, that sought out ways to take advantage

of the situation. Things began to go intodecline. Once again the mortal races that had

been relegated to second class citizenry were

being crushed under the heel of tyranny. Many

Faye began to migrate into the True Realms.

They saw opportunity. They used their status

as Faye to do whatever they wished. They

cheated, stole, lied, and bullied.

How could we have been so blind? Eventually

someone would push to far and then the

mortals would push back. I only hope we can

find a way around war. There has been too

much bloodshed.


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The Third Retribution War 1790 AR

For over three centuries we toiled under the

rule of the Bragun, finally casting off the yoke of

oppression. Then we were forced to wear a

collar from a new master, the Faye. How long

did they think we would cower before them?

When we began to first began to hint at

rebellion there were those that feared reprisals

from the Faye. Traitors to our cause led to the

arrest and subsequent execution of many of our

supporters, and more than a few innocents.

That was the push many needed. Where we

had once met in shadows and spoke with

whispers, now we became a throng, bellowing

for freedom in the light of day.

Many called it a war, though in my eye it hardly

qualifies. The Faye seemed to understand the

position they had put us into. The first of the

skirmishes between revolutionaries and the

Alfar garrisons were brief, neither side truly

wanting to engage the other. The Faye quickly

sued for peace, a shock to all. They withdrew

their troops and once again retreated to the

seclusion of the Mists. With little blood spilt,

we were free once more. I pray that this time,

it is a freedom that endures. I don’t want to

think that my children may fall under the same

yoke that I did.

Wayfarers Way 1821 AR

Soon after the Faye retired from the True

Realms, a young revolutionary named Baerd

had a dream. He took a garrison of his most

faithful followers and founded Wayfarers Way.

It was situated on a magnificent pillar of rock in

the midst of the sea. Far removed from most

of the other True Realms, and yet still outside

the domains of the Faye, it served its intended

purpose perfectly.

Baerd found Wayfarers Way as a safe haven for

both mortals and Faye to work out their

differences. A place where all were welcome.

Baerd seemed to have friends in high places

amongst the Seelie, and he was viewed as a

hero to the mortals that knew him.

Soon many flocked to Wayfarers Way. What

had started as a tiny settlement was growing

into a town, and then a city. It turned out that

Baerd had chosen the location of his outpost

with more than just negotiations in mind. It

provided the perfect hub for trade between the

Faye and the mortals. It was secure, high

above the waves of the sea, safely away from

the greedy hands of raiders and pirates. It

flourished.

While the mortals vastly outnumber the Faye,

there is still peace. A goblin can walk down the

streets without incident. Alfar warriors drink

side by side with mortals in one of the many

pubs. The world seems to have finally entered

a new age of peace and prosperity.

Nothing beautiful can last though. As the city

grew and prospered, it attracted less scrupulous

folk. Many grew rich off the vast opportunities

the city had to offer, but it came at the expense

of others. Hundreds and thousands flocked to

Wayfarers Way, looking for a better life, but

many were relegated to the slums, barely

scraping by. The city grew crowded and dark.


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For nearly a hundred years Baerd oversaw the

well being of Wayfarers Way. As it grew it

became more evident that he could not do the

job alone. A council was created to govern the

city, freely elected by the people. Laws were

made, and enforced by both the city militia as

well as by the Arbitrators, a freely formed

militia intent on keeping the peace.

The city continued to grow, and while many

strive to make the city as good as it can be,

there are still those that exploit every loophole.

Age of Steam 2311 AR

For over two millennia, the mortals have

existed without the technologies of their

ancestors, magic having replaced much of what

technology once accomplished. There are

those that harbor different beliefs though, and

they have worked hard to bring all mortals into

a more advanced world.

While steam power is not new to the world, the

dwarves have used it since before theReckoning, it has not been seen or used by

mortals since the days of old man. Once again

man has sought out the comforting embrace of

mechanical arms. Great steam generators have

begun provided power for the factories in

Wayfarers Way. Even some of the Mistbarges

now use steam engines to propel themselves

through the Mists.

Many are wary of this return to a technological

age, partially inspired by stories of how it wastechnology itself that caused the end of the old

world. Getting past these superstitious

prejudices is slow, but the movement towards

steam power is gaining momentum.

What Lies Ahead 2316 AR

The world is still far from a perfect place, but

there is hope. While the mortals and the Faye

still have their disputes, it really never amounts

to anything other than the rattling of sabers and

strong words.

The mortals have grown in numbers and have

established themselves in every True Realm.

Old mankind is a thing of legend, few of his

descendants resemble him at all, but the spirit

lives on.

There are limitless possibilities and

opportunities for those that have the will to

pursue their dreams and desires. A new age is

dawning, and it will be shaped by those that

seize the moment.


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Jasper Dodge


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Chapter Two: People of the True Realms

The Mortal Races

There are a myriad abundance of denizens that inhabit the True Realms, many more than will be listed

here. Those that follow are the most dominant races, both in sheer numbers as well as influence.

Every race is different and each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Aslonians may be

recognized for their incredible strength, but they are not generally known to be great conversationalists.

Likewise, Chareks are quick and nimble minded, but they aren’t going to be winning any arm wrestling

competitions. Find the race that best suits the type of Character you hope to play. However, some

may view it as more of a challenge to play a race that seems out of the ordinary, a scholarly Fereg or a

brutish and savage Karanar. Don’t let the basic guidelines of a race fence you in. In the end, your

Character is what you make it. Each race will be described in the following pages. You will get a glimpseof how the different races tend to behave, what they look like, and any special abilities they may

possess. Each race will also have starting racial scores for attributes, as well as any starting skill

bonuses.


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nduran


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Andurans are an avian race quite closely resembling humans of the Old World. What truly sets them

apart are the large wings that every Anduran sports. While the wings do not bestow the ability of

sustained flight, it does allow an Anduran to glide down from lofty heights as well as jump higher and

further than other races. As it is with many other winged beings and creatures, Andurans have light

weight bones, and even though most average nearly 6 foot in height they rarely weigh more than 120-

140 pounds.

Andurans are also always female. There has never been a male Anduran in all of recorded history.

Andurans seem to have the ability to mate with nearly any other humanoid race, and the result of said

pairings is always an Anduran. Andurans always seem to be rather pale in complexion, though the

coloring of both hair and wings ranges from lighter shades of blonde and red to pure black.

Andurans prefer to live in forested and mountainous areas, building their homes above ground level.

They tend to despise enclosed locations, and many suffer from claustrophobia when confined. The vast

majority of Andurans call Andurania home, the gigantic Yggdrasil trees of the forest realm provide them

with a perfect habitat. Andurans live in small groups called flocks. Flocks are almost always made up

of close family, though occasionally there will be some non-Andurans living amongst them, most often

mating partners. Of all the mortal races, Andurans prefer the company of Karanar and Nekrons the

most, and few can tolerate the Feregs and the Druga.

Andurans are very leery of males in general, even those they take as a mate. Many Andurans will mate

with multiple partners over their lifetimes, and few ever truly commit to a non-Anduran for life. They

strongly believe in the superiority of not only Andurans as a race, but also of females in general. Some

Andurans will have nothing to do with males at all, even foregoing breeding because of their utter

contempt for the other gender.

Andurans have incredible eyesight, both during the day as well as at night, able to make out even themost minute of details from great distances. Andurans start with a D6 in Perception and a D4 in Spot.

Their wings also grant them the Gliding skill at D4.

Staring Racial Attributes

ST 2

CN 3

IN 2

ES 3


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nuir


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slonian


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Aslonians are simply huge compared to nearly every other mortal race. These bear folk can stand over

10 feet tall and weigh up to 1000 pounds. Their bodies are covered with a thick hide and dense fur,

ranging in color from pure white to brown and black. Many go without clothing, though those living in

cities may wear bits just to appear more civilized. Aslonians also possess sharp teeth and long

retractable claws.

Most Aslonians are loners. It is rare to find them gathered in groups, and even then it is a rarity to

encounter more than four or five at a time. In many ways they are much like the bears they resemble,

each Aslonian roaming a specific range, challenging any that enter their domain. It isn’t too uncommon

for a male to have several female mates, though even the females will roam alone more often than not.

Those Aslonians that have left their frigid homelands in Alfheim and the Blood Glacier are much

different than their wilder brethren. Aslonians are inquisitive by nature, and those that dwell amongst

other races are more so. Though their curiosity may reach nuisance level quite easily for some, they

generally mean no harm. Despite their rather fearsome appearance, Aslonians are generally peaceful

and easy tempered. While they are slow to anger, when riled they are a devastating force of

destruction. Because of both their physical stature as well as their calm demeanor, many find work in

law enforcement, such as among the Arbitrators and Inquisitors.

Aslonians have a very acute sense of smell, starting with a D4 in Smell. Their thick hide and fur also

provide comfort in hostile conditions and harsh weather, conferring a D6 in Survival. Their hide also

gives them some degree of protection from physical assault (AV2). Their sharp claws mean that an

Aslonian is never truly unarmed, bestowing an additional D6 damage in unarmed combat.

Staring Racial Attributes

ST 5

CN 3

IN 1

ES 1


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Charek are a feline race. Most commonly they are lithe and graceful, though more than a few have a

gluttonous streak. They normally stand about 4 feet tall and weigh about 70 pounds. Their entire body

is covered with a fine, short coat of hair, though some males have been known to sport long manes

about their neck and shoulders. Coloration varies greatly, blacks, browns, whites, yellows, golds, reds,

and more. Charek also possess sharp, retractable claws in both their hands and feet. It is very

common for Chareks to polish and decorate their claws as a symbol of status.

Though they originally roamed the wilds, Chareks have migrated almost exclusively to city life. This isn’t

to say that they build cities. They don’t. Chareks are known to disdain physical labor, preferring to let

others do the heavy lifting. In general, Chareks come across as lazy and carefree, and truthfully, many

of them are exactly that. But, it is also well known that when a Charek puts their mind to something

they can become rather obsessive about it, putting aside nearly everything else to accomplish their goal.

Chareks are incredibly social, preferring to be around others, and they get along with just about

everybody. Hospitality is very important to Chareks and they love to throw parties.

Chareks are also rather greedy, indulgent, and scheming. Wealth, status, and power are very important

to Chareks. This leads many of them to seek out places in government and higher ranking positions in

the various guilds. Many others turn to acts of theft, their nimble bodies making them excellent

burglars.

Chareks have superior night vision, able to see almost as clearly as they can during the day. They are

very agile and quick, their natural dexterity affords them a D6 in Athletics and a D4 in Acrobatics. Their

sharp claws make formidable weapons when threatened, granting an additional D4 damage in unarmed

combat.

Starting Racial Attributes

ST 1

CN 3

IN 3

ES 3


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Dracon


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Dracons, commonly called dragonkin, are a reptilian race. They are much smaller than their mighty

namesake, standing a mere 3-4 feet in height. Despite their small size they can easily weigh up to 100

pounds. Much of this is due to their bodies being covered by a series of overlapping scales. They have

little variety in coloration, almost always tending towards brown and green. They have a mouthful of

sinister teeth and razor like claws, which are always dark black in color. Roughly half of all Dracons have

small leathery wings, giving them the ability to glide much as Andurans do, though with much less grace

and requiring a great deal more practice.

Dracons tend to be shunned by many of the other mortal races, except for Feregs which they share an

outcast stigma with. They prefer to live either underground in dark caverns or in the fetid depths of a

swamp. In places like Wayfarers Way they tend to gather in the sewers and basements. Dracons are

nocturnal by nature, preferring the dark of night to the exposing rays of the sun. The sun tends to dry

out their skin, which is why they prefer dark, damper places.

Dracons are one of the most numerous of the mortal races, often gathering in tribes numbering in the

hundreds. Despite their great numbers, they are rather rare in more civilized areas. They are

distrustful and paranoid, no doubt from years of persecution from others. Many tribes make their living

as raiders and bandits, and it isn’t entirely unheard of for Dracons to eat other mortals.

Dracons can see in the infra-red spectrum, well suited for moving about in the dark. What they lack in

size and strength they make up for with their robust health and ability to survive on little to no food for

long periods of time. Their scaled bodies offer very good protection (AV3). Many Dracons rely heavily

upon their claws and teeth as weapons, granting an additional D4 damage in unarmed combat.

Centuries of persecution and distrust has given them an edge and Dracons begin with a D6 in Deception

and a D4 in one either Move Silently or Hide.


ST 1

CN 4

IN 1

ES 4


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The Druga are one of the oldest mortal races to have descended from ancient man. These half breed

dwarves are a robust and rugged race. They stand about 3 feet tall but can easily weigh up to 150

pounds or more. Most males have dense facial hair, which they often weave into intricate patterns.

Their skin tends to be weathered and leathery, shading leaning towards paler colors as most Druga

prefer to live underground. Many of their features are oversized for their short bodies, especially facial

features.

Druga thrive underground just as their Dwarvish cousins. They love to build exquisite subterranean

homes. Despite this, they also have adapted very well to city life. Druga are master craftsmen, and

their goods are highly sought all over the True Realms, and even amongst some of the Faye. Work and

skill are very important aspects of the Druga lifestyle, an individual takes great honor in hard work.

They especially excel in working with metals of all kinds.

Druga are a very proud race, sometimes to the point of seeming absurdity. Loyalty and honor to ones

clan stands above all else. The Druga hold many other races in disdain, and they really only seem to

respect the Anuir who also hold themselves to strict honor codes. The find Karanar to be aloof, Chareks

lazy, and everyone else must obviously be up to no good.

Druga can see in the infra-red spectrum, allowing them the freedom to move about with relative ease

even in the darkest of caverns. Due to their incredibly sturdy constitutions they worry little about

illness and disease, and even drugs have a limited effect on them. Their endurance is legendary, and

they are known for pushing their bodies beyond normal limits for long stretches of time. Druga only

need to sleep a few hours every four or five days, and it is not uncommon for them to go a week or

longer with no rest. Work is essential to a Druga, and they start with a D6 in Craft and a D4 in any one

Craft specialization.


ST 2

CN 5

IN 2

ES 1


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Karanar


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Karanar are the oldest mortal race, the spawn of old man and true elves. They have long, slender

frames and very fine, almost sculpted features. Standing roughly 6 feet tall they weigh a mere 130

pounds, which many perceive as a frailty. They are very graceful and elegant, and their beauty is both a

source of fascination as well as resentment amongst other races. Their skin is almost always pale, often

almost white, in color. They are completely devoid of body hair except for on their heads, which they

grow to great lengths.

For centuries the Karanar lived among their Elvish brothers and sisters. Then the Reckoning happened

and most Karanar found themselves cast out because of their human “taint”. Many Karanar wandered

the Mists, many are naturally adept at navigating the otherworldly ether. Eventually the Karanar found

new homes in the True Realms, and though there is a constant longing for their home with the Faye,

most have adapted well to their new lives.

Karanar pride themselves on being civilized and educated. Knowledge, the arts, philosophy, these are

the things that the Karanar hold dear. Many other races view them as arrogant, and they are often

quite right. This does not prevent Karanar art from being highly sought after, even among the Faye. In

truth, the Karanar have the strongest ties to the Seelie Court of any of the mortal races, and it is their

diplomatic prowess that has helped keep hostilities to a minimum between the mortals and the Faye.

Karanar also generally prefer to keep to their own kind, though of they must mix it is most often with

Andurans. They tend to look down upon most of the other races, especially the Feregs and Dracons.

They view Druga with a sense of confused fascination, though the half dwarves have some stronger

feelings.

Karanar can see perfectly in the Mists. Karanar never need sleep, but they do often enter a meditative

state when necessary to heal the body. Art in any form is crucial to a Karanar and they begin with a D6

in Performance. Their natural affinity to the Mists grants them a +1 bonus to any Skill Rolls forMistrunning.


ST 1

CN 1

IN 4

ES 4


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Kral’Kuru


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The Kral’Kuru are one of the created races of trolls. Often called rock trolls, Kral”Kuru are made entirely

of living stone. They are immense in size, standing roughly 7 feet tall and weighing an incredible 1500

pounds. Their features are rough and chiseled, and they often sport large protrusions of calcium and

other mineral deposits. Coloration is that of just about any rock formation one can imagine, and some

even have veins of precious metals streaked throughout their bodies.

Kral”Kuru tend to be solitary in nature. Once they numbered in tens of thousands, but unable to

procreate on their own, and with the magical knowledge of their creation lost, their numbers dwindle

every year. Kral’Kuru prefer remote areas, away from other mortal races, but there are some rare

individuals that live in more populated areas.

Slow and ponderous thinkers, Kral’Kuru posses a seemingly unlimited patience. Many are sought out

for their bits of wisdom and insight. Some Kral’Kuru have been known to sit and ponder for years on

end, as they need neither food nor water to survive. Most of those that seek out their wisdom seldom

have the patience required for a Kral’Kuru to deliver an answer. Kral’Kuru believe anything worth

saying is worth taking your time saying it.

Kral’Kuru are not ones for normal social interactions, and they can often seem rude and brusque. It is

because of their bluntness that they are often sought after for their advice. Never openly violent,

Kral’Kuru will react if threatened though, with often deadly results.

Kral’Kuru, like all trolls, can see in any spectrum of light. Only the Mists seem to hinder their vision at

all. Being made of stone, they are very resistant to damage (AV6). Weather extremes have no effect

on them, and they never need to eat, drink, or sleep. Kral’Kuru also gain a +1 bonus to any skills

pertaining to Earth magic. Kral’Kuru are incredibly slow though, and any actions involving physical

movement costs an additional Step when in combat. Kral’Kuru also gain an additional 1d4 damage

when fighting unarmed.

Starting Racial Abilities

ST 3

CN 2

IN 3

ES 2


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Nekron


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Nekrons are a lizard-like race, covered in a smooth, scaled hide. They stand anywhere from 4-6 feet in

height and can weigh anywhere from 100 to 300 pounds. They possess an extra pair of arms, which

most can use with great efficiency. They also have a strong, powerful tail. Their skin often has a blue

or greenish hue. They need to keep their skin moist as it dries out rather quickly.

Nekrons thrive in both forests and swamps, and they are never found far from a source of water. Theyare excellent swimmers, and though they breathe like other mortal races, they also have gills to breathe

underwater. Despite their proclivity to the damper places of the world, many have come to enjoy city

life. There are those that have seized upon this by opening numerous bath houses to accommodate the

daily need of Nekrons to soak in the soothing waters their skin so desperately needs.

Nekrons are quite social and seek out interactions with other races frequently. They constantly seek

out new information and are extremely knowledgeable. They will spend much of their time deep in

research, pouring over old tomes or engaged in scientific and philosophical debates. Many Nekrons

find work as scholars, teachers, and sages.

Many Nekrons have an affinity for the sea as well. There are more Nekron sailors than any other mortal

race, having an edge due to both their ambidexterity and their ease of survival in the water. Most feel

that having at least one Nekron on the crew is good luck.

Nekrons are almost always ambidextrous, and some can even use all four arms with relative ease. They

are excellent swimmers, gaining a automatic D4 in Swimming. Also, there constant yearning for

knowledge grants them a D6 in Education. Because of their additional arms when a Nekron utilizes an

extra weapon in combat they may make an additional attack one Step quicker than the weapon would

normally allow.

Starting Racial Abilities

ST 2

CN 2

IN 3

ES 3


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The Rygar, or moss trolls, are another of the magically created species that call the True Realms home.

They stand about 7 feet in height and weigh about 400 pounds. Their bodies are made entirely of living

organic plant matter, and many have sprouts and other growths about their bodies.

Rygar prefer to live amongst living things, home in the forests and jungles of the world. Few enjoy life

in the cold, confines of a city. They are an exceptionally stubborn race, and are slow to adapt to newthings. They get along quite well with the other trollkin, especially the Kral’Kuru. Other races are often

viewed with both distrust and disdain. Rygar tend to dislike anyone that lacks respect for nature.

Rygar have a natural affinity for plants as well as animals. They view species that must eat other

organic life as inferior. They view all life as precious and something worth protecting. It is not

uncommon for natural places to have a Rygar protector, and woe to the unwitting fool that fells a tree in

the wrong forest.

The Rygar do get on well enough with some of the other mortals, particularly the Karanar and the

Nekrons. They view Dracons, Feregs, and Anuir as savages and brutes, while the Druga and their need

to dig and create more and bigger mechanical contraptions, abhorrent.

There are some among the Rygar that have forsaken all other races and have taken to rooting

themselves deep in the wilds, becoming at one with nature.

Rygar are able to regenerate almost any injury they sustain if given access to sunlight, able to even

regain lost limbs. They can commune with all plant life, and even some animals, nature holds no secrets

from a Rygar. Rygar have extensive knowledge of all living things, gaining a D4 in Life Sciences. Their

natural affinity for animals also grants them a D4 in Animal Handling. The dense vegetation that makes

up their bodies also confers a meager AV1 bonus as well.


ST 3

CN 3

IN 1

ES 3


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Essence (ES): This is the total sum of the

Characters will. Essence is the basis for a

Character’s magical abilities. Essence is used to

not only channel magical energies when casting

spells, but also as a defensive ability against

magical and mental assaults.

Derived Attributes

Some attributes are derived from your Core

Attributes values. Where you put points in

your Core Attributes will determine the score

for your Derived Attributes.

Damage Thresholds

Every Character reacts to damage differently.

There are two different Damage Thresholds,

Minor and Critical. Whenever your Character

takes damage, the amount of damage is

compared to the Damage Thresholds to

determine what effect the damage has on the

Character. Your Minor Threshold is equal tohalf your CN score, rounded up. Your Critical

Threshold is equal to 5+ your ST.

Stamina

Stamina is your Character’s endurance and

ability to take minor damage, bruises, scrapes,

bumps, and the like. Stamina is twice your CN

Attribute.

Wounds

Wounds determine how much major damage

the body can absorb. Unlike Stamina, Wounds

occur when the body is seriously injured,

broken bones, deep cuts, and other such

potentially lethal injuries. Wounds are equal to

twice your ST Attribute.

Speed

There will arise occasions where it will be

important to know how quickly your character

can move. Your Speed determines how many

feet your character can move in a single Combat

Step. Your Speed Attribute is determined by

averaging your ST and CN Attributes, rounding

up.

Damage Bonus

The higher the ST of your character, the moredamage they can dish out in combat. Below

are the Damage Bonus levels.

ST 4-5 +1

ST 6-7 +2

ST 8-9 +3

ST 10-11 +4

The bonuses continue increasing at +1 for every

2 points of ST.

Improving Attributes

It is possible to improve your four core

Attributes as your Character progresses in the

game. This costs Advancement Points (AP),

and it can rather expensive. To increase an

Attribute it costs twice as many AP as the next

level. Example, to go from a 7 ST to an 8 ST

would cost 16 AP.


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Gwendolyn Jarred


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Chapter Four: Skills and Abilities

Where your Attributes are the rough framework of your Character, your Skills and Abilities are what

truly begin to flesh out your Character. Some of these will be innate traits that come with your chosen

race, while others are learned. Regardless of how you got them they can all be improved over time

through experience and training. It is these Skills and Abilities that will truly begin to define what your

Character can do. Can they fell a tree with a single swing of their axe? Can they shoot the eye out of a

fly’s head at a hundred feet? Can they track a fish in the ocean? You can mix and match these skills

however you like, but remember, balance is important. While it may be great to be the finest

swordsman around, that won’t do you any good when trying to haggle with a local merchant or if you

need to climb a sheer cliff. There will most likely be Skills that you want to take but can’t afford rightnow, but don’t fret, you will be able to learn new Skills later on.


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All Skills and Abilities are represented by a die

type (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12). The higher the die

type, the higher the expertise.

D4 Poor

D6 Average

D8 Good

D10 Great

D12 Exceptional

D12+2 Unnatural

There are 12 General Abilities which represent a

broad field of skills. Every General Ability also

has a number of associated Skill Specializations.

These Specializations take the General Ability a

step further, showcasing where the Character

has developed beyond the General Ability itself.

To be a true master, one must excel in both the

General Ability as well as a field of

specialization.

The 12 General Abilities are; Melee, Marksman,

Perception, Influence, Athletics, Deception,

Education, Technology, Style, Craft,

Performance, and Survival. All Characters start

with a D4 skill level in each of the 12 General

Abilities. Each of these General Abilities also

contain a number of Skill Specializations,

thereby taking the basic General Ability further.

A Specialization can advance to a maximum of

one die type higher than the correspondingGeneral Ability. For example, a Character with

a General Ability score in Melee of d8 can only

have a Specialization in Shield of up to a D10.

Below are the 12 General Abilities and their

corresponding Skill Specializations. These

should by no means limit your campaign. If

there are Specializations that you wish to add to

game, by all means, do so. The 12 General

Abilities and their corresponding Skill

Specializations are listed below.

Melee

This is your ability to engage in hand to hand

combat, both with and without weapons. A

high ability means both having good agility as

well as skill and coordination. There is much

more to swinging a sword than just having a

strong arm.

A) One Handed: Smaller weapons that are

primarily used with one hand, such as daggers,

clubs, and short swords.

B) Two Handed: Fighting with larger, heavier

weapons requiring two hands, such as long

swords and axes.

C) Unarmed: Fighting with nothing but your

hands and feet.

D) Polearms/Spears: Halbards, pikes pole-axes,

spears, staves and the like.

E) Shield: The use of a shield for blocking

incoming attacks.

F) Chains/Whips: Linked or coiled weapons

such as whips, ropes, and flails.


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Marksmanship

This represents the ability to hit a target with a

ranged weapon or thrown object, signifying

hand eye coordination and the ability to judge

distances.

A) Bow: The use of normal short and long

bows.

B) Crossbow: Mechanical bows and bolt

throwers.

C) Thrown: Any weapon that is thrown.

javelins, throwing knives and axes, and even

stones.

D) Powders: Weapons that rely upon

gunpowder, such as rifles, flintlocks, and

sluggers.

Influence

This governs your ability to interact with others

and affect their attitude and even affect their

actions.

A) Seduction: Using one’s sexuality to influence

another.

B) Barter: Governs the ability to trade and

haggle for goods and services.

C) Intimidation: The act of being threatening to

get what one wants.

D) Interrogation: Governs the extraction ofinformation from unwilling subjects.

E) Persuasion: Use one’s charm and wit to

influence the opinions of others.

Perception

This governs your ability to notice things around

you and how well you will react to them.

A) Listen: The ability to focus your hearing andfilter out the background noise.

B) Smell: The ability to identify scents.

C) Search: Knowing how and where to look for

information or objects.

D) Spot: A keen eye is important when trying to

notice details.

Athletics

This governs one’s level of physical fitness,

flexibility, and dexterity.

A) Acrobatics: Tumbling, falling, jumping, and

balance.

B) Climbing: The ability to move up and down

vertical objects.

C) Gliding: Available only to Andurans and

Dracons, governs the ability of limited flight.

D) Swim: Governs the ability to not only stay

afloat, but to move about freely in water.

E) Running: Governs the ability to pace oneself

and run long distance.

F) Feats of Strength: Governs the ability to give

that little extra push when needed.

G) Riding: The ability to use mounts.


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Deception

This governs the ability to commit acts of

subterfuge.

A) Disguise: Hiding one’s personal identity toappear as someone else.

B) Forgery: Altering documents and official

papers.

C) Hide: Keep oneself out of sight as well as

keeping items safe from roving hands.

D) Move Silently: Governs the ability to move

undetected.

E) Sleight of Hand: The ability to manipulate

objects without being noticed.

Education

This governs the sum of learned things and

book knowledge.

A) History: Knowledge of the mortal races.

B) Law: Understanding legal codes.

C) Life Sciences: The study of biological forms.

D) Engineering: The study of physical laws and

mathematics used for design and construction.

E) Tactics: The study of military techniques.

F) Alchemy: The manufacture of potions,

elixirs, and other chemical experimentation.

G) Arcane Lore: The study of the magical arts.

H) Faye Lore: The study of the Faye and their

history, as well as the Mists.

Style

This governs the ability to manipulate others

through your conversational skills, wardrobe,

and appearance.

A) Carousing: Knowing how to have fun and

still maintain control.

B) Etiquette: Knowing how to act in a variety of

different situations.

C) Fashion/Grooming: Knowing how to attire

oneself in the latest trends.

D) Wit: Having a sharp tongue can be more

valuable than a sword.

Craft

This governs the skills used to manufacture and

create goods.

A) Blacksmith: The construction and care of

metal forged goods.

B) Leather: The construction and care of

leather goods.

C) Carpenter: The construction and care of

wood goods.

D) Masonry: The construction and care of

stonework.

E) Cooking: The ability to prepare food and

drink.

F) Sewing: The construction and care of fabric

goods.


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For example, a Veteran has a Skill Point

Modifier of 7 x IN. If they have an IN score of 6,

they would then have 42 Skill Points to

purchase skills, 7 x6 =42.

The Heroism level modifiers are:

Novice: 5 x IN

Veteran: 7 x IN

Epic: 9 x IN

It costs two Skill Points to purchase a new

Specialization Skill at a level of D4. It then costs

one point for every die type you wish to

increase the skill. There are maximum startingSkill Level limits based upon your Heroism level,

Novice caps at D8, Veteran at D10, and Epic at

D12.

Example: A Novice wishes to have a Skill Level

of D8 in Faye Lore. It costs a total of 4 Skill

Points, 2 for purchasing the skill at D4, and then

1 point to go from D4 to D6 and 1 point to go

from D6 to D8.

Improving any of the 12 General Abilities costs 2

Skill Points per die type because of the broader

range they cover.

Example: To raise your Craft from its starting

point of a D4 to a D8 would cost 4 Skill Points, 2

to raise it to a D6 and then 2 more to go from

D6 to D8.

Also remember that your starting Heroism level

limits your maximum starting Skill Level.Unless the Narrator states otherwise, it is not

possible to go above these maximums.

The Heroism level maximums are:

Novice: D8

Veteran: D10

Epic: D12

Using Skills

A Skill Roll is required whenever your Character

wishes to do something where the outcome is

not obvious or trivial. To make a Skill Roll, the

Player will roll one or two dice, depending on

the relevant skills. One die represents the

General Ability, a second if the Character has a

Specialization Skill. The dice are added

together and the result is compared to a Target

Number based upon the difficulty of the task at

hand. Below is a list of difficulties and their

respective Target Numbers.

Difficulty Target Number

Easy 4

Moderate 8

Hard 12

Challenging 16

Nearly Impossible 20

Miraculous 24

These are not the only possible Target Numbers

that can be assigned to the difficulty of a Skill

Roll. It is the Narrator’s job to decide how

difficult a Skill Roll is and assign what they feel is

an appropriate target Number.


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Rule of One

If the results of all the dice rolled are ones, then

it is an automatic failure. The Player must then

roll the dice a second time. If the result of the

second roll also results in all ones then there is

a critical failure. The results of a critical failure

are left up to the whims of the Narrator. It

could something as simple as dropping your

weapon or losing your footing, or more drastic

like accidentally wounding a comrade or casting

the wrong spell. As can be seen, attempting a

Skill Roll when one does not have the

appropriate Skill Specialization has a greater

chance of a critical failure as only one die is

being rolled each time.

Exploding Dice

Whenever a die is rolled and the result is the

maximum for that die type (ie a result of a 6 on

a d6), this is called an exploding die. The die is

rolled again with a -1 modifier and that is added

to the first die roll. A die can only ever explode

once. This allows Characters to achieve greater

results than normal. Lower level skills are more

likely to explode, but even still the results will

often be less than those of a higher skill level.

Example: Philo has an Education of D10 and

History of D8. He rolls both dice, getting

results of 4 on the D10 and an 8 on the D8. He

rolls the D8 once more and gets a 7. His total

for the roll is 4+8+6 (the second roll of 7-1)=20.

Exploding dice only apply to Skill Rolls. Any

other die rolls, such as rolls for determining

damage do not explode.

Opposed Skill Rolls

There will be times when your Character will

attempt to do something that will force an

Opposed Skill Roll. An Opposed Skill Roll occurs

when the skill being used can be resisted or

countered in some way. In these cases there is

no specific Target Number, you will simply try to

roll better than your opponent.

Example: Rikard is attempting to Barter for a

better price on a suit of armor. He rolls his

Influence of D8 plus his Barter of D6, getting a 6

and a 3 for a total of 9. The merchant then

rolls his Influence of D8 plus his Barter of D10,

getting a 4 and a 7, a total of 11. Rikard’sattempt fails because he rolled less than the

merchant.

Improving Skills and Abilities

As your character moves through their life they

will be able to improve upon their existing

Abilities and Skills and even add new ones. It

costs Advancement Points (AP) to improve Skills

and Abilities.

Raising Skill Levels and adding new Skills costs

much more at this stage than it does during

character creation. The higher the current Skill

or Ability is, the more it costs.

The cost for adding a new Skill Specialization at

a level of D4 is 4 AP. In order to improve an

existing Skill Specialization it costs AP equal to

the half next die type. For example, to go from

a Forgery of D6 to a D8 would cost 4AP. Once

again, no Skill Specializations can be taken until

the corresponding General Ability is at least a


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D6 or higher. To improve a General Ability is a

bit more costly than increasing a Skill

Specialization. It costs AP equal to the next die

type. For example, to advance your

Influence from a D8 to a D10 would cost 10 AP.

There is a bonus for Character’s that have a

higher IN Attribute. AP costs for improving

skills is reduced by 1 for Characters with a IN

score of 6 or higher. Those with an IN score of

8 or higher can reduce the cost by 2 AP.


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Jude MacSubine


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Chapter Five: The Arcane

Magic is an integral part of everyday life in the world of Mistrunner. The Mists that surround the True

Realms are comprised entirely of magic energy, and it is that energy that fuels most spells. Everyone is

capable of at least a little magic, but those that wish to truly sling spells like a master must study and

practice for many, many years, and even then there is no mortal that can truly master magic as the Faye

have.


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Magic is broken down into seven schools, each

representing a specific type of focus. Each

school is treated as its own Magic Skill.

Earth: Earth magic deals with powers

pertaining to elemental earth. Shaping Stone,Pass Wall, and Stone Skin are examples of Earth

magic.

Air: Air magic pertains to the powers of

elemental air. Levitation, Invisibility, and

Lightning Bolt are some examples of Air magic.

Fire: Fire magic pertains to the powers of

elemental fire. Fireball, Heat Metal, and

Burning Blade are examples of Fire Magic.

Water: Water magic pertains to the powers of

elemental water. Purify water, Ice Arrow, and

Water Walk are examples of Water magic.

Life: Life magic pertains to the power of living

things, plant and animal. Neutralize Poison,

Heal Wounds, and Polymorph are examples of

Life magic.

Mental: Mental magic pertains to the powers

of anything relating to the mind. Telepathy,

Charm, and Paralyze are examples of Mental

Magic.

Mists: Mist magic pertains to anything related

to the magical properties of the Mists and the

skills used by Mistrunners. Mists and Mist

Magic is covered in the next chapter.

Aside from the school of magic, there are two

skill specializations for controlling ones magicalpowers. Every Mage must devote at least a D4

to each of these two skills.

Conjuration: This covers the initial casting of

magical spells.

Control: This covers controlling a spell that has

already been cast.

Purchasing Magic SkillsMuch like normal skills, Magic skills need to be

chosen during Character creation. It is possible

to study more than one school of magic, though

most chose to focus in one area of study. The

number of Skill Points available when choosing

Magic skills is based upon the Character’s IN

and ES scores. A Character has Magic Skill

Points equal to their IN and ES combined.

Veterans get an additional +2, and Epic Heroes

get an additional +4 Magic Skill Points.

It costs a little more to buy new Magic Skills and

upgrade compared with normal skills. For the

chosen school of magic it costs 3 points to

purchase a skill at D4 for , and then 2 Magic Skill

Points for every die type above a D4. The same

Skill Level limits apply depending upon the

Heroism level as well. Unlike with General

Abilities, no Character starts with D4 in any

Magic School or Specialization Skill. All Magic

Skills are bought from a starting point of zero.

The two magic Specializations cost the same as

normal Skill Specializations, 2 to purchase a D4

and then 1 point for each step up in die type.

Because of the complexities of Magic skills, if

one decides to purchase skill in an additional

school of magic, the initial cost is 4 points for a

skill level of D4 as opposed to the normal 3

points. If a third skill is chosen, the cost is 5points for a skill level of D4.


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Essence Pool

Every Character has an Essence Pool with which

to cast spells. Your Essence Pool is determined

by your Essence Attribute. You receive points

equal to each level of your Essence Attribute.

An Essence of 1 gives you a pool of 1, an

Essence of 2 gives you a pool of 3 (1 for level 1 +

2 for level 2). So, a Character’s Essence pool

would normally range from 1 to 55 (for an

Essence Attribute of 10).

Essence Score Total Essence Pool

1 1

2 33 6

4 10

5 15

6 21

7 28

8 36

9 45

10 55

Focus Objects

For many magical spells, success can depend

upon having a Focus Object. A Focus Object is

something to use as a base source for the

magical energy, for example, having a lit torch

as a Focus Object for Fire Magic. Whenever

there is a Focus Object present when a spell is

being cast, it bestows a +1 bonus to the skill die

roll.

When an object is used in this way it is partially

or completely consumed by the magical forces

it helps create. Obviously if a lake is used as a

Focus object to cast an Ice Bolt spell it would

not consume the entire lake, but a campfire

would be consumed completely for a Fireball.

A Focus Object must be something that thecaster can actually touch and have physical

contact with.

Fetishes

Fetishes are items that have been either

temporarily or permanently enchanted with

raw magic. These fetishes can be one of many

different things, a staff, ring, or broach are quite

common examples. The making of a fetish is

not easy, especially when trying to construct a

permanent fetish.

A temporary fetish can be made with much less

preparation than a permanent one, though the

effects are short lived. Temporary fetishes will

fade quickly, losing their magical properties

after only one or two uses. Permanent fetishes

take weeks to prepare and only those withgreat magical skill can accomplish such a thing.

In addition to being temporary or permanent

fetishes, each fetish has one of two powers,

either enhancing magical prowess, and or those

that contain specific spells.

Fetishes that enhance one’s own magical skills

will grant a +1 or higher bonus to magical Skill

Rolls. The total bonus depends upon the

fetishes own construction.

Fetishes can also be used as a conduit for

specific spells, for example a wand that can

purify water on command. When a caster is


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attempting the specific spell that the fetish was

made for it bestows a +4 bonus to the magical

Skill Roll.

To create a fetish it takes time and energy. A

temporary Fetish that enhances magicalprowess can be made within an hour generally.

It costs 20 Essence to create a Fetish of +1. For

every 10 extra Essence spent the bonus can be

improved by +1. It takes a full hour to

replenish each point of Essence spent in this

fashion. A temporary Fetish will also lose

power as time goes by. Every day after its

construction the magic will fade, losing a +1

bonus per day until the Fetish is drained.

A temporary Fetish that enhances a specific

spell takes about 4 hours to create. The cost in

Essence is 20 plus the casting cost of the initial

spell. Regardless of the amount of Essence

spent the bonus will always be +4. The magic

fades the same as any other temporary Fetish,

draining away +1 every day.

A permanent Fetish is much more difficult to

create, the process taking up to a full day or

longer to complete. It costs 50 Essence to

create a permanent Fetish that enhances

magical prowess, and an additional 20 for every

point of bonus above +1. It takes much longer

to recover from the creation of a permanent

Fetish as well, taking 2 hours to regain a single

point of Essence. Because of the high Essence

cost in creating a permanent Fetish, it is often

done as a joint project with several casters

contributing to the work. Despite their name, a

permanent Fetish will start to lose its power

over time. Every year that passes will drain +1

from the Fetish.

A permanent Fetish that enhances a single spell

takes several days to complete. The cost is 60

Essence points plus the cost of the initial spell.

It will fade much the same as any other

permanent Fetish. The bonus for this type of

fetish is always +4, until time begins to wear

away the bonus.

Fetishes can be dangerous though too, as these

items were never truly meant to house magical

energies. If the caster ever suffers a critical

failure while casting a spell with a fetish, there

is 10% chance that the fetish will destruct,

dealing 1D6 damage for every +1 the fetish

stored. This is direct magical damage that is

unhindered by armor of all kinds, even thosebestowed by the character’s race. The

explosion will also completely drain a casters

Essence Pool and they will not regain lost

Essence for a full day.

Casting a Spell

The world of Mistrunner uses a very open magic

system. While you can choose from a list of

specific spells to cast, you are not limited to just

those in your spellbook. You can attempt to

cast any kind of spell that fits within your school

of magic.

There is an advantage to casting a spell from a

scroll or spellbook though. Whenever a

Character casts a spell directly from a written

source, they enjoy a +1 bonus to their dice rolls,

though it takes twice as long to cast. Free form

casting does not enjoy this bonus, but it gives

the Character many more options with their

magic.


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Casting spells is handled a lot like any other skill

check. When casting a

Documents

Mistrunner - Core Rulebook