Chapter – Gameboard
The game board is divided into octagonal fields called “paces”. Each of these paces represents an average human’s passing step, a pace.
On average, each lifeform commonly has a set amount of paces they can pass in one turn, representing passing steps they make during an action.
Each and every pace is octagonal, and it takes no action to turn any character an eighth of that octagon, but it takes an entire action to turn them any further to less than 180 degrees (turning to face backwards, that is).
Chapter – Actions, Turns and Initiative
Actions are things that a character can do within a turn.
Every turn universally consists of the time span it takes to commit four actions. This time span is set at roundabout three seconds.
Many actions can be combined to be done at the same time, thus taking less overall time to perform. A swing of a sword can be combined with taking a passing step in any direction forwards, sideways and backwards, as these are actions done by separate parts; arms, legs, head and torso. Any one such body part can act independently at the same time if the necessary skill required is present.
Initiative, or who gets to act first, is determined as much by personal attributes and skills as by circumstance. Regardless of skill and attributes, an actor that is unaware of another actor’s actions cannot react to that actor’s actions until they become aware of them (surprise and ambush). If both actors are aware of each other in combat, the longer weapon determines the initiative. If weapons are of the same length kind, the higher weapon skill determines who has the initiative. If those are the same, the sum of the physical attributes (physical sum) determines the initiative. If those are the same, a 2d6 morale check determines initiative. If two actors are not opposed to each other, the morale check will determine initiative after the weapon length is considered. If coordination is employed, actions of several actors can be taken simultaneously.
Passive actions are actions that a character constantly takes subconsciously. Processing all sensory input and maintaining the basic functions of a body are constantly being done subconsciously, though their focus may change.
Chapter – Attributes
Mental and physical attributes are statistics that determine how well an actor’s mind and body function. These attributes have influence on many checks and limit how far a skill can be developed.
Attributes are split into internal and external attributes.
Build is the internal physical attribute. This statistic displays how well built an actor is, how tough they are, how much raw muscle or sinew power they have available, their endurance and their ability to withstand taxing tasks, illness, injuries and adverse environmental conditions.
Agility is the external physical attribute. This statistic displays how precise, efficient and fast an actor can use their body, how well they handle complex physical movement patterns, and how well they shape physical objects to their needs.
Wit is the internal mental attribute. This statistic displays how exact, fast and vast an actor’s mind is, how well they can grasp varying degrees of complex correlations in the world or in things, and how well they gain and remember knowledge and experience.
Savvy is the external mental attribute. This statistic displays how well an actor recognizes and reproduces other people’s minds and feelings, how well they can convince and influence other people’s minds, how well they use observations and plan for the future.
In short, the internal statistic answers the question “What?” and the external statistic answers the question “How?”
The attributes of an actor increase along with the gaining of skills and can in the case of physical attributes be directly trained.
When a check calls for the sum of attributes, the internal and external mental or physical attribute are added up.
Chapter – Contests of Skill
Whenever a skill is measured against another skill, the two skills will result in a skill difference which will have an effect.
Generally, if the skill is under or equal to three, a d6 Fate roll is required to put the following modifier on the skill:
1-2 = -1
3-4 = 0
5-6 = +1
Skills above three will require a d6 Fate roll to put the following modifier on the skill:
1-3 = -1
4-6 = +1
Many modifiers exist due to existing traits, environmental circumstances and more.
A skill can also be contested against a person’s attributes as well as against the environment, an object, the creation of an object and more.
Chapter – 2d6 Center check and Edge Check
A 2d6 center check is done by rolling two six-sided dice and checking if the result is within so many numbers away from 7, the center. The check results possible are as follows:
| Value | / | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | / |
| Roll | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Boxcars are assured and complete failure. Snake Eyes is assured and complete success.
Example: If the 2d6 check requires a value of 3, then the actor must roll either a 5, a 6, a 7, an 8, a 9 or snake eyes to succeed.
And edge check uses the same table, but its value is added from the edges of the table rather than the center.
Example: If the 2d6 check requires a value of 1, then the actor must roll either a 3 or an 11 to pass.
Chapter – Basic Movement
During a turn, an actor can pace (alternatively called step) up to four times in any direction without the need to be facing in any particular direction. Thus, four paces is an actors movement range.
Humanoid or bipedal creatures can sidestep efficiently. This means it only takes one action for them to step to the paces at a right angle of the way they are facing.
A sprint is initiated by running a full four paces for one round. After doing so, for the following turns as long as the actor is sprinting, they can run for half again their normal pace count, but can only face an 1/8th of a turn every turn, otherwise have to run in the straight line they are facing. This also adds a quarter of their range to the distance they can jump. Enables the charge action, and adds half their range to the effect of a ram. Uses double the normal stamina points as long as they are sprinting.
A sprint can be left to run out within one turn, during which the actor will only run a full four paces. If the physical sum of an actor is less than half of their usual physical sum, they can only sprint at ONE extra pace of speed.
Can be hard stopped within two actions, within which the actor cannot take ANY other action.
If their physical sum is lower than half the possible physical sum for their kind, they can attempt it with a 2d6 center check on the physical sum, and will stumble and take maximum physical sum divided by 2 – physical sum divided by 2 disjointing damage to their feet. A hard stop can be combined with a turn in any direction for free.
An actor can jump two paces forward or at a 45 degree angle for one action, but cannot move their legs for one action afterwards if they don’t continue jumping. If they continue jumping, they reduce their weapon skill by the paces they will traverse if they combine their jump with an attack. They do not add a bonus to their weapon skill. This action inevitably uses a stamina point.
Climbing up an incline of less than 45 degrees will double all stamina usage if sprinting or if at less than half of the usual physical sum. Climbing more than 45 degrees doubles stamina usage, disables sprinting and requires at least two actions per pace. Climbing more than 80 degrees requires the climbing skill. Ladders remove this requirement and are treated like climbing a less than 80 degree incline.
Quadrupedal Movement
All quadrupedal creatures, generally, have double the movement range of bipedal creatures of the same kind of size, but still are subject to taking only 4 actions per turn. Furthermore, they generally cannot sidestep as easily as a humanoid, requiring two actions sidestep. Of course, this can be combined with other actions. If they wish to move less than the usual amount of paces they could, they may do so.
Generally, a quadrupedal creature that is 2 paces in size will have another double movement range added compared to bipedal creatures of humanoid size. Generally, a quadrupedal creature can only grapple with its front legs if their paws have evolved to do so (bears, Lions, tigers etc.). Hoofed creatures most often cannot grapple with their limbs at all.
This is not consistently so for creatures larger than 2 paces.
Example creatures (ranges are given in paces):
1 pace sized: INSERT GRAPHIC
Dog:
Range 8, Sprint 18
Cat:
Range 6, Sprint 18, launches sprints within 2 actions.
Ass:
Range 8, Sprint 12.
2 pace sized: INSERT GRAPHIC
Horse:
Range 12, Sprint 18
Camel:
Range 6, Sprint 12
Bear:
Range 12, Sprint 20
4 pace size: INSERT GRAPHIC
Elephant:
Range 4, Sprint 12
Flying movement
Chapter – Stamina
Taking all four actions in a turn uses a stamina point. The amount of stamina points an actor has is determined by the physical sum of the actor.
Every time only one action or no action or step is taken for one turn, a stamina point is regained up to the physical sum.
If more than one action or step but less than four actions or steps are taken, no stamina point is spent or regained.
Every time all stamina points are spent, the stamina level drops.
The stamina levels are as follows:
Fresh: No modifiers
Winded: -1 to all physical attributes. 3 turns for regaining stamina points.
Tired: -2 to all physical attributes, -1 to all mental attributes, -1 action per turn. 6 turns for regaining stamina points.
Exhausted: -3 to all physical attributes, -2 to all mental attributes, -2 actions per turn, furthermore, every time a stamina point is used, a 2d6 center check on the physical sum (including any applicable modifiers) is required or a player suffers circulatory collapse. 12 turns to regain stamina points.
Chapter – Traveling Stamina and Weight
Long term distance travel also induces a different kind of stamina loss.
Like actions on the normal game field, actors use action points to move around on the travel map. A pace on the travel map represents 5 miles, a quarter day of marching. From early morning to early evening, a maximum of 4 paces can be traveled on foot. Through the night, an extra 2 paces can be traveled.
The stamina points for travel equal the build attribute. When all the points are used, players drop to stamina levels that equal the ones in combat in effect, but only a full night’s sleep can remediate these levels per night. Traveling at night requires double the usual stamina points.
Weight severely increases stamina usage. Every point in the build attribute allows a limit of weight in pounds that can be carried without a penalty. Every 5 pounds above that limit causes the actor to use an extra stamina point at the end of their march. Weight can both be worn on the body (clothing, on belts, harnesses etc.) and carried (in backpacks, in bindles, baskets, in hand etc.). Both weight limits can be filled simultaneously without compounding penalties.
Weight limits are as follows:
| Build | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Weight that can be carried without penalty | 0 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 30 | 35 |
| Weight that can be worn without penalty | 10 | 15 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 |
Laborious tasks, like setting up a permanent camp, construction, earthworks, trapping, hunting and so on, are treated like a weighted march for stamina purposes.
Chapter – Mental Stamina
Mental stamina is used on complex mental tasks and challenges.
Mental stamina levels are lost on 2d6 center checks on the mental sum divided by 2. Levels are as follows:
Alert: No modifiers.
Foggy: -1 to all mental attributes
Drained: -2 to all mental attributes
Done: -3 to all mental attributes, -1 to all physical attributes
At weary, it takes a half hour of a relaxing activity to regain a mental stamina level. At drained, two hours. At done, it takes at least six hours of sleep to regain a mental stamina level.
Chapter – Combat and Combat actions
Combat is (most of the time) the violent resolution of a conflict between two or more parties. The parties attempt to position themselves in a way that will give them the advantage, then measure their weapon skills against each other or, in ranged combat, their ammunition’s quality and damage against the opponent, their armor and/or their cover. Opponents who do not have the initiative, generally, cannot attack, only defend.
Combat is generally resolved as a skill contest. The attacker wagers that their skill is greater than the defender’s, resulting in a positive difference. Positive differences result in a wound on the defender. Negative differences result in the defender being able to take the initiative. Nil differences result in a double.
A double causes an inevitable wound on a random body part of both parties at full weapon skill and/or damage.
In combat, the position one is in relative to their opponent gives a bonus to the difference resulting from the skill contest. Being on a pace that is 45 degrees to the side of where the opponent is facing, being on the side of where the opponent is facing and being anywhere behind where the opponent is facing each add a +1, +2 and +3 bonus to the difference.
INSERT GRAPHIC
When opponents are engaged, the attention of opponents is focused on a cone traveling out at 45 degree angles from the opponents, that is, the first three paces in front of them, traveling outwards in a cone. They will only passively listen and look for what is in that cone.
INSERT GRAPHIC
Combat actions are general actions most every actor can almost always take in combat. Combat actions include:
Face: It takes an action to face in any different direction, but this can be combined with almost any other action. If this is done to face an opponent that gained a position bonus, this does not negate their bonus for the duration of this action, only for the next one.
Advance: The actor shuffles towards its target. Takes two actions to reach the next pace, will not trigger stamina usage.
Step: The actor takes a passing step forward towards the next pace.
Sneak: Takes two actions per passing step, but reduces noise.
Stalk: The actor stays low to the ground and/or close to cover to reduce the chance of being seen and heard. Takes a full turn to reach the next pace. Two-legged actors will stay on two-legs.
Crawl: The actor goes full flat on the ground. This is the lowest visible profile they can cause in most cases, but also causes just as much noise as normal movement. Takes two actions per pace. Can sprint while crawling (effect of sprint is of course halved) but cannot jump or ram. Can be combined with stalking to reduce noise. Two-legged actors need to use their arms for moving like this as well as their legs.
Retreat: Takes a passing step backwards. Actor may stumble over obstacles if attention is focused elsewhere.
Evade: The actor attempts to evade an incoming attack by shifting their body out of the way. If combined with a sidestep, they can add a position bonus to this action if they can reach the next pace.
Get up: Takes two actions, can only be done if they have fallen or are crawling.
Aim: Maluses or bonuses to aim only apply to whether or not something has been hit. if it has been hit, the resulting damage is applied as if the malus was never applied.
Aiming at a body part that is on the opposite side of the beltline the weapon is usually at (ergo legs vs swords, kicks vs torso and so on) does full applicable damage if hit, but gives a -1 to aim, as well as taking an action to reready the weapon before it can defend. However, these attacks cannot be deflected.
Grab: A versatile action that allows many follow up actions. Can be used either based on unarmed or grappling skill or on physical sum divided by 2. Can be done with the mouth as well if, evolved to do so, with no penalty (humanoid mouths generally cannot grab any limbs securely). Additional limbs available to grab add ½ of the base value to the grab’s value. Claws add their cutting damage to the effectiveness of the grab and cause their cutting damage divided by 2 as piercing damage.
Gives +3 to aim for other appendages of the grabber not involved in the grab (Ex.: grabbing one arm of a swordfighter enables your own sword arm to hit specific targets more easily).
Any follow-up action based on grabbing gains a -1, -2, -4 and so on malus for every size category larger than the grabber (don’t grab elephants, anywhere). Appendages specifically evolved for grabbing will have their bonuses described in that kind of creature’s detailed description (crab claws, squid tentacles, trunks etc.)
Hold: Attempts to keep a grabbed body part in the same place. Based like grab. Value is halved for every grappling appendage that has NOT grabbed the opponent.
Bite: Causes material quality of rasping damage to a body part that is being grabbed or attacked by the mouth. If grabbing neck and actor is of same kind of size, one size smaller or any size larger, can be used to choke. Slipping the grip is a skill or physical sum /2 contest against the actor’s physical sum/2 or grappling skill. If grip is slipped, causes rasping damage of material quality of mouth.
If humanoid, can only be used against body parts that have grabbed the actor’s head or neck and takes three actions. Causes 4 cut damage to fingers. Causes 3 rasp damage to anything else. If the grip is slipped on the first action, causes 1 rasp damage. If grip is slipped on the second action, causes 2 rasp damage.
If possible, the opponent will jerk the body part that was bitten back to protect it. Morale check required to resist this instinct. A bite switches the focus of both fighters to the bite, 2 d6 center check on morale required to switch it to anything else and take any other action. Any attacks that come in on the bitten after a bite have a +1 bonus for one turn.
Snap: Like bite, but takes only one action. The actor does not cause any damage and lets go immediately after making painful contact with teeth. Opponent reacts the same way as they would to a real bite.
Shake: If the opponent grabbed by a mouth is of a smaller size category, the actor biting it can shake their neck, if they evolved to do so, in order to cause disjointing damage to the joint they have bitten down on. The check on both actor and opponent is physical sum divided by 2. Should they lose their grip, they cause rasping damage according to the material quality of their mouth.
Choke: Uses both hands or two body parts to cut off breathing of opponent. Effects described in section about wounds.
Blood choke: Uses two body parts to cut of blood circulation to brain. Effects described in section about wounds.
Push: Attempts to push the opponent a pace away from actor. Based alike to grab. Opponent must have been grabbed. Value is divided according to number of appendages not grabbing opponent (ex. half if one arm while having two arms, 1/5 if five of ten tentacles have grabbed and so on). If combined with moving forward, gains +1 bonus to the attempt for every pace moved. If value is above three, d6 > value skill chance of the pushed falling over.
Shove: Attempts to push the opponent as far away from the actor as possible by slamming all available appendages into them with force. Value based on physical sum/2. If combined with moving forward, gains +1 bonus to the attempt for every pace moved. If value is above three, d6 > value chance of the pushed falling over.
Pull: Attempts to pull the opponent backward or sideways a pace. Based like grab. Opponent must have been grabbed. Value is divided according to number of appendages not grabbing opponent (ex. half if one arm while having two arms, 1/5 if five of ten tentacles have grabbed and so on). if only one hand has grabbed the opponent. +1 bonus if sidestepping or retreating. If value is larger than 3, d6 > weapon or unarmed skill chance of the pulled falling over.
Toss: Uses all available appendages to heave the opponent and throw them like an object. Success based on 2d6 center check on the physical sum divided by 2, rounded down, -2 if tossing someone of the same size category, impossible to toss someone of a bigger size category if strength does not exceed normal limits.
Ram: The actor slams into the opponent with their entire body weight, trying to knock them over. A skill contest of the physical sum divided by 2 against the opponent’s weapon skill or unarmed combat skill (their choice) is required. The results are as follows:
Negative result: The ram backfires and does damage to the actor initiating the ram instead.
0: Both parties slam into each other and continue to grapple in their next action.
1: The rammed actor is pushed back within his pace, -1 to their next combat difference. They continue to grapple.
2: the rammed actor is pushed back a pace, a 2d6 center check akin to the check for a hard stop is required to see if they stumble. The actor will be unable to use their skills for 1 action.
3 and above: The actor is thrown back 2 paces +1 pace for every difference above 3. The actor will be thrown to the ground as in grappling. The actor receives one blunt and one disjointing damage to a random body part for every pace they travel after 2 paces. If a body part receives more than 4 damage, that damage is added to a random body part adjacent to that one until all damage is delivered. Horns will add piercing damage according to their quality to the chosen body part.
Charge: After initiating a sprint, if the actor can end their sprint within four paces of an opponent without a hard stop, they can add the speed increase they received from sprinting to their weapon skill (no more than 6). If they would have to end their charge in a hard stop, they can alternatively add a ram to their attack. If they are not successful, they will instead add the bonuses from the ram to the opponents attack.
Lunge: Adds one pace of range to the actor, takes one action to recover (two if weapon skill is under 4). +1 to all piercing damage. -2 to all defensive actions while recovering. Uses a stamina point.
Switch Weapons and items: Weapons and other items take one action to be switched between hands, if the hand being switched to is already occupied, two actions. If weapon skill is under 4, it takes a whole turn to draw a weapon, else two actions. It takes a whole turn to sheath a weapon or to stow an item. Dropping or letting go of an item or weapon takes no time.
Swing: A weapon is used in a swinging motion, variably called ‘strike’, ‘cut’, ‘swipe’, ‘slap’ and many other names. If it is a slashing weapon, this causes the weapon to cut. If a blunt weapon, the weapon causes blunt damage. Certain weapons may cause piercing and disjointing damage. Swings may be used against multiple targets at once. Gains a +1 bonus to hit chance (not damage) if aimed at hands or arms.
Thrust: The weapon is used in a forward stabbing motion, variably called ‘stab’, ‘punch’, ‘jolt’ and many other names . Most weapons cause piercing damage this way. May only be used at one target at a time, unless with very long polearms. Gains a malus of -1 on hit chance (not damage) against defensive actions. Gains a -1 malus of hit chance (not damage) if aimed against hands or arms.
Block: Puts the weapon, body part or object in the way of an opponent’s attack. The material quality absorbs the damage. Any damage left over will break through the item and hit the target. Body parts generally have no material quality of note against weapons other than other body parts (not claws, horns, teeth or other body parts that evolved to be weapons). In that case, the material qualityAim: Maluses or bonuses to aim only apply to whether or not something has been hit. if it has been hit, the resulting damage is applied as if the malus was never applied.
Aiming at a body part that is on the opposite side of the beltline the weapon is usually at (ergo legs vs swords, kicks vs torso and so on) does full applicable damage if hit, but gives a -1 to aim, as well as taking an action to reready the weapon before it can defend. is considered the same as the Build attribute. On a successful block, the initiative does not change.
Deflect: Deflections use the applicable weapon skill to deflect the incoming weapon with a weapon or object. Body parts receive the full damage the weapon can do, but can still deflect it. If the deflection attempt (a contest between the actor’s applicable weapon skill) difference is positive, the deflector gains the initiative. If not, the attacker causes damage equal to the negative difference. If the result is 0, it is treated like a successful block. Random targeting in melee does happen when a deflection has not been successful. If a weapon has not been successfully deflected, a 1-6 roll corresponding to the possible targets is rolled and that target is hit, unless these are naturally covered by a shield or other cover. This can not be done if no applicable skill exists or that skill is level 1.
Masterstrike: A masterstrike is a difficult move available from weapon skill 4 onward. They enable the user to not only deflect the opponents strike or thrust, but also strike with the full damage potential of the weapon at the same time, aimed at the same target the opponent was aiming at. A masterstrike does so successfully if the difference of the skill contest is positive. If not, treated like deflection.
Sweep: Weapons with two paces of reach, more than two paces of reach, or or that are two size kinds larger than all opponent’s weapons, can be swept in wide arcs to frighten and possibly hit opponents, keeping them at bay. It takes a moral check for an opponent to try and do anything but evade a sweep.
Chapter – Skills
Skills are the agglomerations of knowledge, experience and theory that enable an actor to do things. These enable actors to take special actions not available to someone with no experience in fulfilling a specific task or task complex.
Skills can be trained, taught and practiced in order to increase them, with practice being the fastest and training being the slowest way to learn (“practice” meaning that the skill is used in its intended environment and intended way, for example actual combat for combat skills, while training consists of repeating movements or elements of the skill on one’s own time, usually alone.)
Skills are generally divided into physical skills and mental skills. They are usually limited by the internal or external applicable attribute or their sum divided by 2.
Chapter – Not comprehensive List of common Skills
Skills that are easy to learn can be learned in half the usual amount of time.
Chapter – Close Combat skills, weapon class skills and their specific actions:
Generally, all moves from previous levels are available to all higher levels if not specifically mentioned otherwise.
All defensive moves against a larger weapon gain a -1 malus for every size category difference.
Skill – Unarmed combat
Unarmed combat (variably called ‘self-defense’, ‘Kampfringen’) is the skill of using the body as a weapon. If culturally applicable, unarmed combat may have to be split into striking arts and grappling (variably called ‘boxing’, ‘wrestling’ and others). If such split occurs, defensive actions can only be used at the skill’s level if the attack is made with the same skill, else no skill can be applied (ergo a grappler has no skilled defense against a boxer’s punches, and vice versa a boxer has no defense against a grappler’s grapples and throws). Being split up makes both skills easy to learn. Actions are as follows:
Attacks with a fist need an action to daw that fist back and making it ready to strike again.
Striking Arts:
(Boxing gloves add their material quality to damage on opponent and reduce blunt damage to own fists by their material quality.)
(The following arts do not require combat skill to perform, they come naturally, however they are different enough from standard actions to warrant their own mention.)
Swing: A swinging strike with the fist causing blunt damage to the target and blunt and disjointing damage of the same value to the actors hand. Can only hit one target at a time for every 6 Build levels.
Slap: A swinging strike causing -2 blunt damage to the target and to the actor’s hand but causing no disjointing damage to the actor’s hand. Can only hit one target at a time for every 6 Build levels.
Swipe: If hand or paw has claws, add the claw’s cutting damage to the normal blunt damage of a slap.
Kick: A swinging action with the leg. Receives a -2 penalty to the chance of hitting if aimed above the belt, but delivers full damage. May be used against joints for disjointing damage for a -1 penalty to aim. Kicks are generally not possible if engaged in a grapple, and must disengage to use them again.
Punch: A thrusting action with the fist. +1 to aiming and +1 blunt damage and disjointing damage to the actor’s hand.
Thrust kick: Pushes an opponent for as many as damage divided by 2 paces (if blocked, causes blunt damage). Has to be aimed at the torso. Kicks to anywhere but torso and legs receive a -3 penalty to aiming, but can be used to cause disjointing damage for no extra penalty for aim.
Stomp: Like kick, but +1 bonus to all. Can only be used on downed opponents, feet, or their equivalent, or on creatures at least two size kinds smaller than actor.
Level 1:
Grappling Arts
Grappling Range: When a an appendage or moth is occupied with a grab, the opponents are in grappling range.
Slip: Attempts to break out of a grab an opponent has on the actor. Can be combined with an attempt to grab deeper.
Grab deeper: Attempts to slip the grip to the body part next up the kinetic chain (ergo from hand to arm to neck or torso and so on).
Pull hair: Causes severe pain. Otherwise is like a grab to the head.
Level 2:
If striking and grappling arts are tought in a unified unarmed combat system, all punches can now grab, at no action cost, if missed. All slaps can also grab at no action cost if they hit. Must grab the body part they were aiming at for this to apply. Does not apply if the opponent evaded.
Striking Arts
Elbow: Enables swinging and punching with the elbow (arm) at grappling range.
Knee: Enables kicking and thrust kicking at grappling range with the knee (leg).
Joint strike: Frees from a grab by striking the joint of a grabbing body part. Only available if at least one arm or hand is free and the other could grab deeper. If opponent decides to try and resist, blunt damage is turned into disjointing damage to that body part. Can only be done from grappling range.
Grappling Arts
Gouge: Causes blunt damage to soft tissue organs. Piercing damage instead if clawed. Must be combined with a grab.
Lock: Grab a body part with two arms, or that body part and an adjacent body part, to arrest its movement via leverage or pain compliance. Opponent cannot grab deeper if they slip the grab, and need to use both arms or an arm and a step to do so. Can use arms or legs to lock as well if those body parts are adjacent to the target. Gives a +1 bonus to subsequent throws.
Break: After a lock is achieved, it can be intentionally used to disjoint that body part.
Throw: After having grabbed a person with two appendages, use a push and pull motion to throw the opponent on the ground. If successful, causes full blunt damage to the head and torso unless target is able to roll. If unsuccessful, adds a bonus of +2 to the next action of the opponent.
Reap: Uses a foot to aid in a throw. Add 1/2 of the damage of the throw as a bonus to its damage if successful. If unsuccessful, a reap as a response from the opponent will gain a +2 bonus for one action. Not available to quadrupeds. Not available to most bipedal species. Definitely available to humanoids in case you were wondering.
Roll: Reduces falling damage by skill/2. If unsuccessful, leftover damage is distributed to hand, arm and leg if thrown in grappling or to legs and upwards if falling. If falling with the head pointing downward, effectiveness is halved.
Level 3:
Striking Arts
Disarm: Attempts to strike the wrist so hard that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Grappling Arts
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by taking the weapon out of their hand.
Tackle: Can throw an opponent after a charge.
Slam: Adds ¼ of Build to damage of a throw, but only if opponent does not have two arms grabbing the actor.
Level 4:
Striking Arts
Masterstrike: A masterstrike is a difficult move available from skill level 4 onward. They enable the user to not only deflect the opponents strike or thrust, but also strike with the full damage potential of the weapon at the same time, aimed at the same target the opponent was aiming at. A masterstrike does so successfully if the difference of the skill contest is positive. If not, treated like deflection.
Gouge: Causes blunt damage to soft tissue organs. Piercing damage instead if clawed.
Livershot: A kick, thrust kick, punch or swing aimed at an opponent’s liver. Requires that the actor does not have the opponent to their left if facing them from the front or side. -2 to aim. If wound is deeper than 2, causes stun and severe pain. If deeper than 3, causes unconsciousness and debilitating pain after waking up. Ineffective if opponent has thick skin, thick fur, is armored or is two sizes larger.
Kidneyshot: A kick, thrust kick, punch or swing aimed at an opponent’s kidneys. -2 to aim. If wound is deeper than 3, causes stun and severe pain. Ineffective if opponent has thick skin, thick fur, is armored or is two sizes larger.
Grappling Arts
Dig: If opponent’s belly button is accesible, causes a deep (level 3) cut wound to the opponent’s belly. Requires both hands. Requires hands.
Mastermove: Turns a throw by the opponent around on the opponent.
Weapon Skills
Caution
Any unarmed combat skills are still available to any unarmed body parts of an actor.
Weapon skills are easy to learn up to the level of the highest weapon skill. Having a weapon skill of 4 makes every other weapon skill reach level 2.
Skill – Tiny Blades:
Tiny blades always act in grappling range.
Level 1:
Cut: Swing with the blade.
Stab: Thrust with the blade.
Fast stab: Can thrust with the weapon 2 times per action at -2 piercing damage.
Level 2:
Slice: Lays the blade on a body part and slices. +1 to cutting damage, -1 to skill contest.
Level 3:
Draw: Can be drawn and attack within one action.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a tiny blade gains an extra -3 malus.
Skill – Small Blades:
Small blades enter grappling range if the actor does not retreat in any way after the first action.
Level 1:
Cut: Swing the blade.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Fast Stab: Can thrust twice per action with this weapon at -2 piercing damage.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, lays the blade on a body part and slices. +1 to cut damage.
Reverse Grip: +1 to any grapple with the blade. +1 to piercing damage. Disables fast stab.
Draw: Can be drawn and attack within one action.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +1 bonus.
Level 3:
Reverse Grip Block: Can attempt to block an incoming weapon’s swing by bracing the small blade against the arm. Block is based on skill level, not material quality of blade.
Reverse Grip Deflect: Like Reverse Grip Block, but attempts to deflect any incoming attack. -1 malus to skill contest.
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a small blade gains an extra -2 malus.
Skill – Small Axes
Small axes enter grappling range if the actor does not retreat in any way after the first action.
Level 1:
Strike: If not broad-bladed, causes piercing instead of cutting damage.
Thrust: If not tipped, causes -2 blunt damage.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, lays the blade on a body part and slices. +1 to cut.
Strike: Strikes now add +1 to follow-up grapples.
Draw: Can be drawn and attack within one action.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +1 bonus.
Reverse strike: Turns the weapon around its vertical axis and strikes with the side opposite of the blade. If not beaked, does -2 blunt damage. Else, does piercing damage and adds +1 to follow up grapples. Can also be used as a follow-up after a normal strike.
Shield strike: Attempts to lodge the weapon into the opponent’s shield to move it out of defense for two actions. Works only against lower material quality shields. Requires to have a weapon of higher material quality than shield.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a small axe gains an extra -3 malus.
Skill – Small Blunt Weapons
Small blunt weapons enter grappling range if the actor does not retreat in any way after the first action.
Level 1:
Strike: Swing the weapon.
Thrust: If not tipped, causes -2 blunt damage.
Level 2:
Draw: Can be drawn and attack within one action.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat Any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +1 bonus.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand.
Reverse strike: Turns the weapon around its vertical axis and strikes with the side opposite of the blade. If not beaked, does -2 blunt damage. Else, does piercing damage and adds +1 to follow up grapples. Beaked weapons can shield strike like small axes when employing this trick. Can also be used as a follow-up after a normal strike.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a small blunt weapon gains an extra -3 malus.
Skill – Blades:
Blades enter grappling range voluntarily only.
Level 1:
Cut: Swing the blade.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Reverse Grip: -4 to all actions with the blade.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, lays the blade on a body part and slices. +1 to cut.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +1 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than blades.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Halfsword: Grabs the weapon by the middle of the blade and the hilt. Cannot cut. Range is now on category smaller. +1 to thrust, + 1 to deflecting and parrying, +1 to grappling with the weapon. -2 to Masterstrikes. Takes 1 action to employ, but can be employed along other actions (example: after a cut to the head, the next action can be done in halfsword). If actions with the sword are successful, forces the opponent into grappling range.
Pummel: Strike or thrust with the pommel of a blade or the butt-end of a hilt from grappling range. Causes blunt damage if the hilt has a pommel. If not, causes -2 blunt damage.
Murderstrike: Reverses the sword, grabbing it by the blade to strike with the hilt or crossguard. Turns cutting damage into blunt damage. Can be used to grab joints if it has a crossguard. If sword does not have a crossguard, -2 to blunt damage. If sword is wrenched, causes a slice to hands holding it. -2 to defensive actions.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a small blade gains an extra -1 malus.
Skill – Thrusting Weapons:
Thrusting weapons enter grappling range voluntarily only.
Level 1:
Swing: A strike with the haft. -2 blunt damage.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Level 2:
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Buttstrike: Choice between swinging and thrusting with the butt-end of the haft. -2 blunt damage. +1 to success chance if after a successful deflect.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a Thrusting Weapon gain an extra -3 malus.
Skill –Axes
Axes enter grappling range voluntarily only.
Level 1:
Strike: Swing the weapon. If not broad-bladed, causes piercing instead of cutting damage.
Thrust: If not tipped, causes -1 blunt damage.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, lays the blade on a body part and slices.
Strike: If not broad-bladed, causes piercing instead of cutting damage. Adds +2 to follow-up grapples at this skill level.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +1 bonus to skill contests.
Reverse strike: Turns the weapon around its vertical axis and strikes with the side opposite of the blade. If not beaked, does -2 blunt damage. Else, does piercing damage and adds +1 to follow up grapples. Can also be used as a follow-up after a normal strike.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than axe.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Buttstrike: Thrust with the lower end of the haft from grappling range. -2 blunt damage.
Shield strike: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with an axe gains an extra -2 malus.
Skill – Blunt Weapons
Blunt Weapons enter grappling range voluntarily only.
Level 1:
Strike: Swing the weapon. Causes blunt damage.
Thrust: If not tipped, causes -1 blunt damage.
Level 2:
Draw: Can be drawn and attack within one action.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat Any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +1 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than blunt weapons.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Reverse strike: Turns the weapon around its vertical axis and strikes with the side opposite of the blade. If not beaked, does -2 blunt damage. Else, does piercing damage and adds +1 to follow up grapples. Beaked weapons can shield strike like axes when emplyoing this trick. Can also be used as a follow-up after a normal strike.
Buttstrike: Thrust with the lower end of the haft. -2 blunt damage.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields. Must be spiked.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a blunt weapon gains an extra -2 malus.
Skill – Two-handed Blades
Two-handed blades enter grappling range voluntarily only. Can interact with the enemy’s weapon and the body parts holding that weapon from 1 pace away if enemy is armed with a weapon larger than tiny blades. If not, can attack and defend the entirety of the opponent from 1 pace away.
Level 1:
Cut: Swing the blade.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Reverse Grip: -4 to all actions with the blade.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, lays the blade on a body part and slices. +1 to cut.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +2 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than two-handed blade.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand.
Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Halfsword: Grabs the weapon by the middle of the blade and the hilt. Cannot cut, but can slice. Range is now one category smaller. +1 to thrust, + 1 to deflecting and parrying, +1 to grappling with the weapon. -2 to Masterstrikes. Takes 1 action to employ. If actions with the sword are successfull, forces the opponent into grappling range. +1 on defeating flexible armor.
Murderstrike: Reverses the sword, grabbing it by the blade to strike with the hilt or crossguard. Turns cutting damage into blunt damage. Can be used to grab joints if it has a crossguard. If sword does not have a crossguard, -2 to blunt damage. If sword is wrenched, causes a slice to hands holding it. -2 to defensive actions. Enables shield strike like two-handed axes.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: All masterstrikes with a two-handed blade gain no extra malus.
Skill – Two-Handed Axes
Two-handed Axes enter grappling range voluntarily only. Can interact with the enemy’s weapon and the body parts holding that weapon from 1 pace away if enemy is armed with a weapon larger than tiny blades. If not, can attack and defend the entirety of the opponent from 1 pace away.
Level 1:
Strike: If not broad-bladed, causes piercing instead of cutting damage.
Thrust: If not tipped, causes -1 blunt damage.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, lays the blade on a body part and slices.
Strike: If not broad-bladed, causes piercing instead of cutting damage. Adds +2 to follow-up grapples at this skill level.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +3 bonus.
Reverse strike: Turns the weapon around its vertical axis and strikes with the side opposite of the blade. If not beaked, does -1 blunt damage. Else, does piercing damage and adds +2 to follow up grapples. Can also be used as a follow-up after a normal strike.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than two-handed axe.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Shield Strike: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a two-handed axe gains an extra -2 malus.
Skill – Two-Handed Blunt Weapons
Two-handed Blunt Weapons enter grappling range voluntarily only. Can interact with the enemy’s weapon and the body parts holding that weapon from 1 pace away if enemy is armed with a weapon larger than tiny blades. If not, can attack and defend the entirety of the opponent from 1 pace away.
Level 1:
Strike: Swing the weapon. Causes blunt damage.
Thrust: If not tipped, causes -1 blunt damage.
Level 2:
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling but with a +2 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than two-handed blunt weapons.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Reverse strike: Turns the weapon around its vertical axis and strikes with the side opposite of the blade. If not beaked, does -2 blunt damage. Else, does piercing damage and adds +2 to follow up grapples. Can also be used as a follow-up after a normal strike.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of defense for two actions by thrusting into the shield. Works only against non-metal shields. Must be spiked.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a blunt weapon gains an extra -2 malus.
Skill – Two-handed Thrusting Weapons
Two-handed Thrusting Weapons enter grappling range voluntarily only. Can interact with the enemy’s weapon and the body parts holding that weapon from 1 pace away if enemy is armed with a weapon larger than tiny blades. If not, can attack and defend the entirety of the opponent from 1 pace away.
Level 1:
Swing: Strike with the haft. -1 blunt damage.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Level 2:
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Buttstrike: Thrust with the butt-end of the haft. -2 blunt damage. +1 piercing damage if spiked.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of defense for two actions by thrusting into the shield. Works only against non-metal shields. Must be spiked.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: Any masterstrike with a Thrusting Weapon gain an extra -2 malus.
Polearms:
Polearms can offend the entirety of the enemy from one pace away if they do not have a polearm themselves. If opponent successfully manages to step into that pace, the polearm cannot offend with its business end anymore, for a polearm, this is considered grappling range, that is, if the polearm is not being halfsworded.
Level 1:
Swing: Strike with the end of the polearm or the blade.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Level 2:
Slice: At grappling range, if bladed, lays the blade on a body part and slices. +1 to cut.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling with a +1 bonus. At full range, can be used to attempt to lock an opponent’s legs and throw them for 2 actions at no bonus. -2 to defending offensive actions of the opponent during this. Must be combined with 2 steps towards or past an opponent’s side.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons larger than polearms.
Buttstrike: At grappling range, strike the opponent with the butt-end of the weapon. -2 blunt damage. Enables locks and follow-up grapples.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Wrench: Attempts to disarm an opponent by wrenching a weapon out of their hand. Must be a follow-up to a grab or lock.
Halfsword: If bladed, grabs the weapon by the lower third of the blade with one hand and the hilt with the other. Cannot cut, but can slice. Range is now one category smaller. +1 to thrust, + 1 to deflecting and parrying, +1 to grappling with the weapon. -2 to Masterstrikes. Takes 1 action to employ. If actions with the sword are successfull, forces the opponent into grappling range.
Murderstrike: Reverses a bladed weapon, grabbing it by the blade to strike with the hilt or crossguard. Turns cutting damage into blunt damage. Can be used to grab joints if it has a crossguard. If sword does not have a crossguard, -2 to blunt damage. If sword is wrenched, causes a slice to hands holding it. -2 to defensive actions.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields.
Shield Strike: If axe-headed, attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: All masterstrikes with a polearm gain no extra malus.
Long Polearms:
Long Polearms can offend the entirety of the enemy from two paces away if they do not have a long polearm themselves. If opponent successfully manages to step a pace past the weapon tip, the long polearm cannot offend with its business end anymore, for a long polearm, this is considered grappling range.
Level 1:
Swing: Strike with the haft of the long polearm. -3 to blunt damage.
Thrust: Thrust with the tip.
Level 2:
Buttstrike: At grappling range, strike the opponent with the butt-end of the weapon. -2 blunt damage. Enables locks and follow-up grapples.
Lock: At grappling range, can be used to lock the opponent’s limb that was attacked last with the weapon. Treat any follow up actions like in grappling. At full range, can be used to attempt to lock an opponent’s legs and throw them for 2 actions at no bonus. Must be combined with two step towards the side of the opponent. -2 to defending offensive actions of the opponent during this.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Does not work on weapons smaller than long polearms.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Shield thrust: Attempts to move the opponent’s shield out of place, so it can’t defend for two actions, by thrusting into the shield. Works only against lower material quality shields.
Level 4:
Masterstrike: All masterstrikes with a polearm gain no extra malus.
Skill – Rope
Skill – Flexible weapon
Skill – Two Weapon fighting
If weapon requires less than two hands, a second weapon of that kind or another one-handed kind can be used in the off-hand (non-dominant hand). Both weapons can act simultaneously within an action and apply the actions for their specific weapon skill. Unarmed fighting skills are not available to the off-hand anymore until the weapon leaves the hand.
The off-hand weapon generally receives a malus to its weapon skill according to the level of the two weapon fighting skill. Small weapons gain a bonus to defensive actions of +1.
Level 1: -4 to off-hand actions.
Level 2: -1 to off-hand actions.
Level 3: -2 to off-hand actions.
Level 4: -3 to off-hand actions.
Level 5: No modifiers.
Shield Skills
Skill – Small Shields
Shields are considered a mostly defensive weapon used in the off-hand. Restrictions on not using two-handed weapons with shields apply. The difficulty in shields is striking in concert and around the line they defend, which this skill simulates.
Small shields are always center-gripped. They naturally block any attack at the off-hand and the on-hand if it hasn’t been or is being used to attack.
Level 1:
Block: Shield blocks the enemy’s attack with material quality.
Strike: Swings with the edge of the shield. Delivers blunt damage. Limited by the material quality of the shield.
Punch: Thrusts the boss or flat side of the shield into the enemy. Delivers blunt damage if not otherwise specified.
Edge Punch: Thrusts the shield’s edge into the opponent. Delivers blunt damage. Limited by the material quality of the shield.
Level 2:
Deflect: Deflect an opponent’s attack as usual but with a +1 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Only works on weapons smaller than two-handed.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Masterstrike in concert: Enables the on-hand weapon to perform masterstrikes by acting in concert with the shield.
Skill – Shields
Shields may be center-gripped or strapped. They naturally block any attack at the off-arm and the on-arm if it hasn’t been or is being used to attack.
Level 1:
Block: Shield blocks the enemy’s attack with material quality.
Strike: Swings the edge of the shield. Delivers blunt damage. Limited by the material quality of the shield.
Punch: Thrusts the boss or flat side of the shield into the enemy. Delivers blunt damage if not otherwise specified.
Edge Punch: Thrusts the shield’s edge into the opponent. Delivers blunt damage. Limited by the material quality of the shield.
Cover: Covers the head and torso as well as the arms against attacks. Blinds the actor’s frontal vision.
Duck: Cowers behind the shield, covering the entire body. Two seperate actions in one, cover and hunkering down.
Level 2:
Deflect: Deflect an opponent’s attack as usual but with a +1 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Only works on weapons smaller than two-handed.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Masterstrike in concert: Enables the on-hand weapon to perform masterstrikes by acting in concert with the shield.
Skill – Large Shields
Large shields may be center-gripped or strapped. They naturally block any attack at the arms, torso and legs, with the on-arm only being threatened if it has been used to attack.
Level 1:
Block: Shield blocks the enemy’s attack with material quality.
Strike: Swings the edge of the shield. Delivers blunt damage. Limited by the material quality of the shield.
Punch: Thrusts the boss or flat side of the shield into the enemy. Delivers blunt damage if not otherwise specified.
Edge Punch: Thrusts the shield’s edge into the opponent. Delivers blunt damage. Limited by the material quality of the shield.
Level 2:
Deflect: Deflect an opponent’s attack as usual but with a +1 bonus.
Streichen: Beat away the opponent’s weapon. If successful, opponent must recover that weapon for an action and is open for attack. Only works on weapons smaller than two-handed.
Level 3:
Disarm: Attempts to strike or thrust the wrist or hand so that the weapon in that hand is dropped. -2 to aim.
Masterstrike in concert: Enables the on-hand weapon to perform masterstrikes by acting in concert with the shield.
Skill – Anti-armor fighting
Teaches the player how to fight against someone in armor with their given weapon. It is easy to learn up to the level of any other melee combat skill. Anti-armor fighting can be used against any target covered by solid armor and has two basic skillsets:
Grappling in armor and aiming for gaps.
Aiming for gaps in armor is done by thrusting or swinging into the gaps, adding the anti-armor fighting skill to the weapon skill and dviding both by 2.
Grappling in armor is done in the same way, but with the applicable grappling skill.
Skill – Mounted Combat
Generally, mounted combat adds the mount’s speed to the rider’s weapon damage. It allows the rider to move at the mount’s range and sprinting speed. However, changes in direction as well as beginning any movements takes a proportionate amount of actions according to the rider’s skill. Both mount and rider require the mounted combat skill, the lower of the two is the limit for skill contests. If morale checks scare the mount, the rider must make a riding skill check to keep the mount under control.
Further skill checks will be used to determine if the rider can regain control of the mount or is even able to stay on it. Every subsequent check gives a -1 malus to the rider’s score.
Targets right in front of the mount cannot be reached without a weapon that has an extra pace of reach (polearms and long-range polearms), not without also hitting the mount. Certain mounts may require even more reach. Likewise, opponents right in front of the mount also cannot reach the rider without hitting the mount. Weapons shorter than the two-handed category cannot reach targets in front of the mount at all.
Certain skills will gain actions only available on mounts.
Mounts can also be trained to take fighting actions instinctively or on command, using actions unique to their kind.
Mounts will generally always continue moving as previously instructed in combat. They can cause charge damage with their speed as the damage bonus, Every subsequent check gives a -1 malus to the rider’s score. If the target is the same size, they cause charging damage to themselves as well. If the charged are of a larger size, they cause half charging damage for every size category above them to the charged. Charging damage of the horse is added to any weapon used in the charge. However, the charging damage is multiplied by 2 for every positioning advantage above 1. If the target is running away from the charger, the targets speed is subtracted from the charging bonus.
In general, every speed at least double of what a human can do adds +1 to the severity of wounds. Every 4 times that speed adds a -1 malus to the defensive actions of slower opponents. As in ranged combat, predicted defense can be used against mounted opponents.
Couching a polearm or half-spearing a polearm adds the mounts speed to the damage of the weapon. If the mount, however, charges directly into the target, and the rider tries to attack the target at the same time, they will hit their own mount with the full force of their swing or trip it with their thrust.
Hitting a target at speed leaves them at a risk of d6 > mounted combat skill to lose their weapon. A rider receiving couched damage over 3 also unhorses the rider. This also happens if they are hit by a static target while charging.
Saddles, bridles, spurs, stirups and riding crops/sticks can all be used in aiding to make a mount follow orders (succeeding morale checks). Saddleless mounting is possible, but increases risk of chafing when traveling ( d6 > riding skill = 1 rasping damage to both legs, once a day).
Mounts and their specific actions
Horses
Spanish Riding School
Donkeys
Camels
Elephants
Skills – Ranged Combat and its actions
Ranged weapons generally cause damage that is specific to the weapon and ammunition. Most ranged weapons can be used as makeshift weapons if not otherwise specified.
Each skill for a specific weapon from a category (thrown, slings, bows, crossbows and firearms) enables the actor to use all of the weapons in that category at a -2 malus if they don’t have a skill for that specific weapon. Example: An actor skilled in Heavy Javelins can throw rocks at a skill equaling his Heavy Javelin skill -2.
Whether a ranged weapon hits or not is mainly a factor of the actor’s ranged weapon skill, called accuracy. Accuracy is a 2d6 center check on the actor’s skill. So, at level 1, a center check of 1 is required, at 3, a center check of 3 and so on.
All ranged weapons have an effective range, usually the range at which a skilled user will make their weapon reach their opponent within one action. The effective range is determined by the weapon type. Every skill level before 3 will halve the effective range. Every full effective range beyond the effective range, accuracy gains a -1 malus. Weapons that directly rely on muscle power (mostly the thrown weapons) have a maximum range that is a weapon speceffective rangeific multiple of the physical sum. This is limited to a physical sum of 12, the effects of physical sums above 12 are halved.
Ex.: Physical sum is 22. Everything > 12 is halved. Range therefore is 18 x weapon specific modifier.
Weapons that do not directly rely on muscle power (notably bows, crossbows, firearms, and, though they are thrown, powders) to be accelerated do not gain range from the physical sum. In this case, the maximum range is a multiple of the effective range specific to the weapon type.
Aiming at body parts other than torso gives a -1 malus to accuracy.
If an accuracy check fails, the difference by which it fails is the amount of paces the weapon misses by. If there is another opponent in that pace, another accuracy check with a malus of that difference applied may be made. The target may be freely chosen by the shooter amongst all who stand at that exact distance from the target.
Ex.: The accuracy value is 1. The actor rolls an 11. The difference by which they missed is 4. That means that anyone standing 4 paces away from the target (no further, no closer) may be hit. Of course, accuracy value also takes a malus of -4, -1 for every pace. So nothing can be hit.
If a hit is confirmed, the weapon causes material quality damage minus -1 for any two effective ranges above effective range, or multiples of the physical sum if it is a thrown weapon. If target has cover at least the size of a shield, it will strike the shield. If the shield is strapped, any damage that may make it through the material quality of the cover will have a 50/50 chance of hitting the arm. If the target has no such cover, it will hit the torso unless it was aimed elsewhere. If a hit is confirmed within effective range, the target will not have time to predictively defend against it, and the weapon will hit the target if cover does not naturally cover the target. That is, unless the target was aware of a preparatory action the actor took.
Predictive Defense
Predictive defense against ranged weapon attacks can be done if the target has perceived the aim action of the shooter at the very least. If they also perceived the ready action or a similar action, they can spend an action preparing for a + 1 bonus on their defensive action. Making ready for new actions takes an action.
The target can duck behind cover, blocking their vision of the actor.
The target can try to evade the hit with the weapon or shield skill check against the multiples of effective range the projectile could still travel at impact.
The target can block the projectile with cover they are wearing or carrying. If within effective range, the target must assume that the shooter was aiming for the torso.
The target can also try to deflect the incoming projectile with a weapon with a general -1 malus to their weapon or shield skill, checking like in block.
The target can also try to catch the projectile with their applicable unarmed or applicable sports skill. These checks gain a -1 malus against thrown weapons and a -3 malus against shooting weapons, and cannot be done with occupied hands.
Every single step of loading a ranged weapon with ammunition can be fumbled 50/50 if the ground is moving unless the corresponding skill is 6. This can happen on a wagon, a ship or during an earthquake or more.
Ranged Skill – Thrown Weapons and their specific actions
Throwing weapons skills are easy to learn up to the level of any learned other throwing weapon skill. A skill of 4 in throwing weapons raises all other throwing weapons skills to 2.
Almost all thrown weapons include the following actions:
Unpack: 1 turn. The Weapon is taken from a container or from being held in a bundle on another hand.
Ready: 2 actions
Aim: 2 actions
Throw: 1 turn or 2 actions depending on weapon.
Aim can be skipped for an extra -1 malus on accuracy for every multiple of effective range.
Level 2:
Running throw: As a weapon is thrown, the thrower jumps forward for an extra effective range.
Sprinting throw: From sprint, the thrower gains two extra effective ranges. Does not have to stop sprinting in order to do so.
Level 3:
Aim and Ready can be combined.
With some thrown weapons, multiple weapons can be thrown at a time. This will generally apply a -2 malus to accuracy for each weapon thrown simultaneously. More maluses for specific weapons may apply.
Some thrown weapons are spun instead of thrown straight., which means a 50:50 chance of them doing no damage. If skill is 4 or above, a ¼ chance of doing no damage.
If an Akontion, amentum or atlatl is used, making the weapon ready takes two more actions.
Ranged Skills – Shooting weapons
These are general actions and requirements affecting most every weapon of the category. More specific descriptions are available for the different weapon kinds in their description.
Shooting weapons skills of the same kind (bows, firearms, crossbows) are easy to learn up to the level of any already learned shooting weapon skill.
Gaining a shooting weapon skill of 4 raises the skill of all other shooting weapons to 2, except for bows. Every level above 4 for a larger weapon category also increases the weapon skill for smaller categories by 1.
Ranged skill – Slings
Sling bullets cannot be evaded or deflected. They can be blocked. Slings can be used like ropes in melee. Staff slings can be used as blunt weapons. Generally, slings apply -1 to accuracy. The base for the sling is Agility only.
Actions:
Load: 2 actions.
Spin (Ready): 2 actions.
Loose: 1 action.
Can decide to keep spinning pretty much indefinitely (the Gamemaster may stop the player from spinning for no reason), requires to finish that spin action before loosing the missile.
If skill is 1, 50/50 chance to fumble the load action, dropping the projectile.
Skill – Bows
Actions:
Unpack/Unsheath: 1 action
Nock: Skill dependent.
Level 1: 3 actions.
Level 2: 2 actions.
Level 3: 1 action.
Span&Aim: Bow dependent, doubled if skill is 1 or 2.
Aim: Optional, every action spent at full span reduces accuracy by bow dependent modifier.
Loose: 1 action.
If skill is 1, 50/50 chance to fumble the nock, needing to repeat it, and a 50/50 chance to fumble the Span&Aim action, losing the projectile and causing 1 cut damage on the wrist.
At level 2, ¼ chance to repeat the nock step.
Skill – Crossbows
Some actions are unique for the weapon kind. Such actions are marked with an asterisk*. Generally, all actions (except Unpack/Unsheath) take 2x as long at level 1 and have a 50/50 fumble check for dropping the ammunition or repeating the step as applicable, but for aim. At level 2, there is a ¼ fumble check on the same actions. At level 5, actions that take 2 actions take 1 action instead.
The skill is easy to learn for the first three levels.
Unpack/Unsheath: 1 action.
Step In*: 1 action.
Attach Belt*: 2 actions.
Attach Lever*: 2 actions.
Attach Windlass*: 1 turn.
Load Magazine*: 2 actions per bolt.
Set down*: 2 actions.
Span: Depends on weapon.
Detach Lever*: 2 actions.
Detach Belt*: 2 actions.
Detach Windlass*: 2 turns.
Step out*: 1 action.
Nock: 2 actions.
Ready: 1 action
Aim: 2 actions.
Loose: 1 action.
Aim can be held pretty much indefinitely for the scope of this game (the Gamemaster may stop the player from aiming for no reason). If aim is done twice, accuracy +1.
Skill – Firearms
Skill is easy to learn for the first three levels.
Some actions are unique for the weapon kind. Such actions are marked with an asterisk*.
If skill level is 1, actions take 2x longer than normal to do every action. If skill level is 1, 50/50 chance to fumble. Dangers from fumbles are described in detail by the step. Weapon kind specific actions marked with an asterisk*. At level 5, actions that take 2 actions take one action instead. If a firearm is fired with a barrel obstruction, it will explode, treating the weapon like a grenade.
Light fuze*: 3 turns if done with flint & steel. 2 actions if done with an existing fire source. Goes out after 20 turns. If done without moving fuze first, 50/50 chance of igniting the gunpowder. At skill level 2, no chance of fumble out of combat. If fumbled, must be repeated. At 3, -1 turn on loading powder. At 4, -1 turn or -2 actions, dependent on weapon, to ram home bullet.
Move fuze*: 2 actions. If fumbled, skip step. Boxcars chance on every step after priming the pan to ignite the powder pan.
Unpack powder charge*/horn*/cartridge: 2 actions.
Bite Cratridge*: 2 actions.
Load powder: Dependent on weapon. If fumbled, takes ½ times longer. Fumbling means that there may be a squib load, leaving the bullet stuck in the barrel. This needs a bullet removal tool and a 4 turn action of bullet removal with a d6 < 3 chance of success.
Unpack and wad bullet*: 1 turn. If fumbled, drop bullet. Repeat. If same bullet is used, ¼ chance of barrel obstruction.
Ram Bullet Home*: Weapon dependent. If fumbled, ¼ chance of bullet stuck when firing.
Prime Pan/Powder Hole*: 1 turn. If fumbled, repeat.
Move fuze back*: 2 actions. Can be fumbled. If fumbled, ignite pan.
Blow on fuze: 2 actions. If fumbled, 50/50 chance of the actor forgetting skipping this step. If step is skipped, 50/50 chance of misfire.
Reload*: 1 turn.
Cock*: Weapon dependent.
Rotate Magazine: 2 actions.
Ready: Weapon dependent.
Aim*: Weapon dependent.
Give fire: 2 actions.
Trapping
Traps either cause a grab#Grabbing action, holding the victim immobile, or an attack action, sometimes both. The people in control of the battlefield for enough time to set up traps tell the Gamemaster where exactly they will place the traps in secret. If the Gamemaster plays the opponents, the players will agree amongst each other and note down the co-ordinates of the traps upon a note that is revealed when appropriate.
Traps can be recognized by a check of the mental sum /2 -1 against the trapping skill of the trapper, or by trapping skill. Disarming the trap is done by a skill check of trapping vs trapping.
Skills of Peace
Creation Skills
Creation skills include any skills that are about creating objects in the world. The main influence the skill level has is how high the material quality of the object created can be.
General stamina cost for crafting items are:
| Level | Description | Time spent |
| 1 | 4 points | 1/4 day |
| 2 | 8 points | 1/2 day |
| 3 | 1 level | 3/4 day |
| 4 | 2 levels, 1 mental stamina level | 1 day |
| 5 | 2 levels, 4 points, 1 mental stamina level | 3 days |
| 6 | 2 levels, 2 mental stamina levels | 1 week |
For every 2 levels above the required difficulty, halve the cost of stamina and time. Small items take 1/2 the time and stamina.
Material quality is capped by material quality of the raw material.
Decoration can make an item appear more high quality than it actually is.
Repairing is generally a check to re-craft an item according to the crafters skill.
Tool sets include everything portable to enable a skill to craft. Some skills need stationary tools. Their quality limits the the material quality of the crafted item as well.
Apothecary
Base: Wit
Knowledge of how to brew potions and make drugs (dried herbs) and salves for healing purposes. Generally, these reduce the cycle time of wounds and illnesses by 1/2 day per level of skill. Certain such items have special effects.
This skill is divided into a realistic and semi-magical category. Semi-magical means that pre-modern ingredients may achieve modern day results. Further categories may be dependent on the scenario. Maximum skill is era dependent. It is a skill often, but not necessarily, learned alongside herb-lore. Drugs include, but are not limited to:
| Skill level | Realistic | Semi-Magical |
| Cough remedies, breathe-easys, strengthening agents, fever-drivers, stomach remedies, laxatives, ingestable poisons | ||
| 2 | Vascular stimulants, sleep-aids, healing salves, pain soothers, unsafe Erectile dysfunction drugs, unsafe Aphrodisiacs, fever-reducers | Scar-reducer |
| 3 | Nerve calmer, Vascular depressant | Effective healing salves, nerve-stimulant |
| 4 | eye-widener, pain-reliever | safe ED drugs, safe aphrodisiacs |
| 5 | Poppy-milk, syphilis-treatment | |
| 6 | Valium |
Drugs usually work within an hour. Fast acting drugs increase the difficulty of creation by 1. Drugs usually last for 12 hours or take full effect in that time. A second apothecary 2d6 center check needs to be made to see if the potion creation was successful and no hidden side effects or unknown botches happened.
Botches per negative differences:
1: no effects
2: Opposite effect
3: Immediate sickness
4: Poison
5: internal burns
6: deadly poisons
Drugs that are meant to cause harm run on the following table:
1: halved effect
2: no effect
3: increased effect by half
4: double increased effect
5: opposite effect by half
6: opposite effect
Foraging and Herbology
Base: Wit
Accuracy and skill in identifying medicinal, edible, inedible and poisonous plants and mushrooms. This skill determines amount, quality and kind of herbs and mushrooms or supplies found when foraging, and whether a presented herb or mushroom is correctly identified. Herbs and mushrooms are rarely described, rather categorized by what they can be used for.
The skill check is:
D6 of 1-6 capped by herbology level = enough herbs foraged for roll amount of drugs. Foraging generally takes an hour. Certain environments add negative or positive modifiers on the roll value. The skill level needed for an herb corresponds to the difficulty level of the drug for the apothecary skill.
If looking for supplies, an abundance roll is made for amount of supplies found.
??? Botch mechanic? ???
Blacksmithing
Simple d6 check for smithying any tool or weapon from available metal. Quality of materials are:
| Level | Description |
| 1 | Scrap Metal, Aluminium |
| 2 | Copper |
| 3 | Bronze, Wrought Iron |
| 4 | Mild Steel |
| 5 | Carbon Steel |
| 6 | Modern steels |
Certain raw materials can add qualities to weapons, such as:
Blackening –> rust-proofing
Armorsmithing
Like blacksmithing, but for metal armor. Flexible metal armor is generally capped at material quality 3. Flexible armors require 2x the time to create, 3x for mail. x2 Stamina cost
| Level | Description |
| 1 | Scrap Metal, Aluminium |
| 2 | Copper |
| 3 | Bronze, Wrought Iron |
| 4 | Mild Steel |
| 5 | Carbon Steel |
| 6 | Modern steels |
Leatherworking
Base: Agility
Making items, tools and armor out of pre-made pieces of leather.
Tailoring
Cutting pre-made pieces of fabric into shapes that make them clothing.
| Level | Description |
| 1 | Repairs, Improvised clothing |
| 2 | Tunics, skirts, padded jacks |
| 3 | Pants, Hose, tailored padded jacks |
| 4 | Padded Hose |
| 5 | |
| 6 |
Lumber Construcion
This skills enables the actor to measure, shape, join and raise structures made of wood.
| Level | Description |
| 1 | Lean-to, shelters, wattle and daub, palisades |
| 2 | Round huts, earth huts |
| 3 | Log Cabins |
| 4 | Half-timbered Houses |
| 5 | |
| 6 |
Time used is 1 + level x (8 – 1 per skill level above difficulty). Reduce by 1/4 for every helper. x2 for every size increase (1 size can house 1 family in comfort). Costs one stamina level a day. Hurried construction is like ???forced marching(check link)???.
Earthworks
Base: Build
Simple earthworks require no skill. Time and effort like Lumber construction. Size is calculated by how many 1 family houses could be encircled by resulting earthworks.
Masonry
Not an adventurer skill.
Trapping
Base: Agility
The ability to create effective and hidden traps to bait, catch or kill life-forms
| Level | Description |
| 1 | Pit-traps (from punji traps to wolf-pits), drop-traps (stone falls on head), noise-trap (string with rattling bones) |
| 2 | Gravity-Traps (caught-dangling-on-a-rope-trap) |
| 3 | Spring-Traps (“Deer-Killer”), |
| 4 | Snag-traps (fox-trap) |
| 5 | |
| 6 |
Tracking
Base: Savvy
Ability to find and interpret traces left by the target to gain information.
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills are skills that influence, direct and handle people and entities outside of the actor. Most often these are used against a target’s mental attributes or corresponding skills.
Trade
Base: Savvy
Negotiating prices, terms, compromises and deals of honour. If skill is not present, the attribute is used in its place at a -1 malus. Each attempt to haggle using this skill gives a temporary -1 malus to the skill value.
Sway
Base: Savvy
Convincing other actors to accept the Swayers point of view or doing something they would be not otherwise.
Speak
Seduce
Base: Savvy
Convince
Base: Savvy
Argue
Base: Wit
To convince the public or other groups through argumentative or emotional reasoning.
Base: Savvy
Preach
Base: Savvy
Frighten
Base: Savvy
Scare
Intimidating another being through sheer, status, existence or power. Can be countered by Savvy based skills or Wit. The opponent’s skill is based on the attribute that the actors scare skill is based on. Unsuccessful intimidation attempts lead to humiliation.
Mental skills
Deduct
Base: Wit
To come to correct conclusions given a set of facts.
Maintenance Skills
Maintenance skills are about keeping up the integrity of objects or entities.
Sharpening
Repairing
Repairing is object category specific. Someone who knows how to repair a blanket won’t necessarily know how to repair a sword’s hilt.
Medical Skills
Treatment
Uses tools like tinctures, salves, bandages and other methods like strengthening meals and cold compresses to support the body’s natural healing processes and to soothe suffering. The skill provides the value of a 2d6 center check against the wound’s or illnesse’s effects. If no treatment is known, a 2d6 edge check on the skill value divided by the illnesse’s severity can be used to devise a treatment once a day. Whether this treatment will work is unknown. A d6 check on the treatment skill determines the value of the 2d6 center check. Cultural context decides ultimately what treatments are previously known.
If the check fails, the treatment is botched. Generally, it will either cause an extra attack on stamina to happen or cause a complication. Generally, complications make up one eye of a d6 roll, with the rest of the eyes filled by extra stamina attacks or an increase in the wound’s severity.
Level 1:
Bandaging wounds:
Reduces bleeding by a level. Reduces chance of infection. Needs to be done daily, quarter daily if treating severe bleeding or open tissue.
Botch:
Too tight – Cut of blood supply to limb from the wound on.
Too loose – Infection risk stays the same.
Dirty bandage – Increases infection risk.
Soothe:
Removes most pain, like headaches. The underlying conditions aren’t removed. Does not affect stronger pains.
Botch:
Pain intensifies to the next level.
Treated get sick.
Wound cleaning:
Washes out the wound to reduce infection risk.
Botch:
Ineffective – Nothing happens.
Introduce dirt – Raises infection risk.
Strengthen:
Restores stamina with strengthening, easily digestible food. Stamina restored equals treatment value. Can be done once a quarter day.
Botch:
No effect.
Burn ointment
Soothes the pain of burns by one level. Cannot be botched.
Level 2:
Fever:
How to lower, elevate and induce fever by one level.
Botch:
Elevates fever by two levels.
Wound Poultice:
Reduces infection risk of wounds and may speed healing depending on ingredients, can reduce bleeding of piercing wounds (unlike bandages).
Botch:
Doubles infection risk.
Splinting:
Arrests broken or disjointed limbs so they cannot get worse.
Botch:
Increase severity of disjoint or blunt wound.
Enemas:
Removes end-intestinal blockages.
Botch:
Internal bleeding.
Bed care:
Patient avoids rasping wounds from lying down for too long.
Botch:
Treatment has no effect. Rasping wound risk remains.
Tourniquet:
Stops bleeding. Does 1 burn damage every quarter day to everything downstream of the tourniquet.
Botch:
Limb is maimed even if it survives.
Remove Poison:
Weakens a poison’s severity by a quarter.
Botch:
Subject loses a stamina level.
Level 3:
Reduce:
How to rejoin disjointed joints.
Botch;
Maim, paraplegia if spinal disjoint.
Set Bone:
How to realign broken bones for optimal healing.
Botch: Maim, paraplegia, increased severity of blunt wound.
Revive:
Attempt to revive people who died of reversible conditions, like breathing blockage.
Botch:
Attempt is unsuccessful.
Wake:
How to wake deeply unconscious patients.
Botch:
Attempt is unsuccessful.
Treat Pain:
Can reduce pain by 2 levels.
Botch:
Unconsciousness, increased pain levels.
Level 4:
Etherize:
Cause unconsciousness that only has a boxcars chance of Koma.
Antidote:
Cancels poisons and venoms.
Anti-allergenics:
Reduces an allergy’s severity by up to a quarter.
Wound Ointments:
Increases healing speed of wounds. Healing time reduced by ointment specific time.
Level 5:
Internal anitibiotics:
Weakens a sickness’s severity by a quarter.
Immunization:
Increases immunity in onset stage.
Sterility
Eliminates risk of infection.
Botch:
Risk of infection remains.
Level 6:
Internal antibiotics:
Weakens a sickness’s severity by three quarters.
Surgery
Mechanically repairs tissue damage with tools. This is a d6 skill check against the depth of the wound. Surgery skill can be limited by culture and technology available.
Level 1:
Bandaging wounds:
Reduces bleeding by a level. Reduces chance of infection. Needs to be done daily, quarter daily if treating severe bleeding or open tissue.
Botch:
Too tight – Cut of blood supply to limb from the wound on.
Too loose – Infection risk stays the same.
Dirty bandage – Increases infection risk.
Wound cleaning:
Washes out the wound to reduce infection risk.
Botch:
Ineffective – Nothing happens.
Introduce dirt – Raises infection risk.
Burn ointment
Soothes the pain of burns by one level. Cannot be botched.
Restraining and Redirecting
Restraining and holding patients. Physical sum check against patients physical sum. If failed, repeated surgery botch check.
Splinting:
Arrests broken or disjointed limbs so they cannot get worse.
Tourniquet:
Stops bleeding. Does 1 burn damage every quarter day to everything downstream of the tourniquet.
Wound Poultice:
Reduces infection risk of wounds and may speed healing depending on ingredients, can reduce bleeding of piercing wounds (unlike bandages).
Trepanation:
Requires a drill. Relieves pressure from wounds to head.
Bloodletting: Restores the balance of humours in the body. Requires scalpel. Causes lightheadedness and euphoria in patient. Causes severe bleeding.
Leeching:
Increases healing speed of skin around leeches. Causes bleeding. Effects like bloodletting.
Level 2:
Reduce:
How to rejoin disjointed joints.
Botch;
Maim, paraplegia if spinal disjoint.
Set Bone:
How to realign broken bones for optimal healing.
Botch: Maim, paraplegia, increased severity of blunt wound.
Soothe:
Removes most pain, like headaches. The underlying conditions aren’t removed. Does not affect stronger pains.
Extract tooth:
Requires tongs, small chisel and a hammer.
Stitch:
Stitches open wounds closed. Requires surgical grade needle and thread. Deep wounds require fibulas as well. Normal needles and thread can be used, but increase difficulty and scarring by +1.
Level 3:
Amputate
Requires scalpel and bone saw. Every tool lacking increases difficulty by +1. Causes large, open wounds and deadly bleeding that need to be addressed.
Extract missile:
Requires scalpel. Missiles can either be pushed through or backed out. Pushing through isn’t possible if it struck bone or it damaged a major artery. Removal will unclog damaged arteries.
Arterial Ligature:
Stops deadly bleeding and severe bleeding until removed. Requires hemostat and suture.
Level 4:
Remove complex missile:
Removes missiles designed to be difficult to be removed (like barbed arrowheads). Requires an arrow borer or a removal spoon.
Reduce organ spill:
Returns spilled organ to their correct place. Botching damages the organ. When damaging the organ, 50/50 chance of causing organ necrosis.
Excision:
Removes destroyed or necrotic tissue or organs safely.
Tooth prosthetics:
Removed teeth can be replaced with horse teeth as rudimentary bridges (or other suitable material like ivory, gold and certain woods).
De-scarring:
Reduces severity of scars by one level.
Tracheal incision:
Removes breathing blockage if blockage is above clavicle.
C-section:
Completes an unsuccessful birth. Causes a deep cut wound on the patient’s stomach.
Level 5:
Arterial Repair:
Repairs major arteries. Limbs that suffer from cut arteries may not have to be amputated. Needs special catgut thread.
Tooth repair;
Repairs and/or resets teet instead of removing them. Requires tiny drill. Requires jaw retainer. Causes debilitating pain.
Skin grafting:
Can use skin grafts to reduce scarring and speed healing processes by a quarter. Medical leeches grant a reroll if graft fails.
Blood Transfusion:
Staves off the effects of any kind of bleeding by 1 1/2 times. d6 < 4 chance of death.
Bone Repair:
Repairs shattered bone or complex fractures completely.
Sinew repair:
Repairs torn ligaments and tendons. Requires special catgut thread.
Sterility:
Removes chance of infection unless caused by complication.
Level 6:
Nerve repair:
Requires special catgut thread. Repairs damaged nerve. d6 < 4 risk of complications.
Organ Transplant:
Transplants an organ from one living or recently deceased patient to the other. d6 < 4 risk of complications. d6 < 5 risk of rejection, requiring removal of organ or necrosis will set in. Requires special catgut thread.
Reattaching limbs:
Reattaches lost limbs. Requires several arterial and nerve repair operations. d6 < 4 risk of complications. Another d6 < 5 risk of maim of maximum severity.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis enables a healer to correctly identify ailments and injuries and their proper treatment or repair. This is not necessary for obvious conditions like surface level wounds, but necessary for invisible conditions. A 2d6 Center Check based on both the diagnosis skill and the appropriate healing skill is performed. If the check is failed, the illness or wound may not be properly identified, but a treatment or repair may still be attempted with a malus of the miss value. In this case, the condition may be diagnosed again after an attempt was made with a bonus to the diagnosis skill of +1.
Soulcare
The mental treatment skill can assist in coping, d6 < soulcare results in a cost free coping.
Resloution of the trauma is achieved through story events or soulcare. Resolution of latent trauma is easiest and leads to the least extreme outcomes. This is a soulcare d6 test against the amount of latent traumas of the same category. At the cost of a mental stamina level of the traumatized and 4 mental stamina points of the caregiver, a trauma is resolved if the check is greater than the amount of latent traumas. If the treatment check is lower, the treatment is botched and all trauma has to be coped with once again.
Manifest trauma is much more difficult to resolve. A 2d6 edge check of Soulcare minus trauma minus applicable mental attribute of the patient needs to be done. If the check is succesful, one of the traumas causing the manifestation is resolved. Furthermore, traits or habits gained from these traumas need to be retrained. This is done by the same check as resolving manifest trauma. These checks cost a mental stamina level instead of points. If botched, the patient takes a 2d6 edge check on the applicable mental attribute or gain the treatment resistance train, which is its own trauma that for every time soulcare is attempted. It doubles the cost of mental treatments.
Breaks cannot be resolved, only coped with until mental stamina levels are fully replenished. The actor will return to manifest trauma levels. Broken actors are also automatically treatment resistant.
Skill Progression
Baseline
Mastery takes between 5000h – 15000h of training.
It takes 10h of low quality training to gain a progress marker. It takes the following amount of progress markers to progress in most skills:
Level 1: 6 Level 4: 500
Level 2: 40 Level 5: 600
Level 3: 300 Level 6: Special story events required
Progress markers are divided into bronze, silver and gold tiers. These are worth 1, 10 and 100 progress markers respecitvely. For successes in the story the DM can hand out progress markers. Highest quality of training adds 2 bronze progress markers instead of one, and gives a d6 < Skill chance of an extra progress marker.
Trainers can only give knowledge of specialties like Master-strikes if they know them themselves.
Health Matters – Wounds
Wounds are negative changes to bodily integrity. 4 general kinds of wounds exist and correspond to the check differences in combat and out of combat.
1: Surface wound. Integrity hardly compromised, but visible effect, possible to cause severe effects in certain body parts.
2: Shallow wound. Definitely got through the entirety of whatever constitutes skin in the wounded. Probably got into soft tissue beneath skin.
3: Deep wound. Got through the soft tissue beneath skin, possibly into or through skeletal tissue. Did not exit the other side of body.
4: Through wound. Exited the other side of the body. Most likely devastating.
General Effects of damage types
These effects always apply for each wound of the damage type. More severe wounds still cause the previous effects if not more so.
Cut&Rasp:
Rasps are difficult to mend.
1, Surface: No great effect. Cause pain if out of combat.
2, Shallow: Cause bleeding.
3, Deep: Cause severe pain. Severe bleeding if rasp.
4, Through: Cause shock, severe bleeding, dismember.
Pierce:
1, Surface: No great effect.
2, Shallow: No great effect.
3, Deep: Cause shock, bleeding, Internal Damage
4, Through: d6 < 2, internal bleeding.
Blunt:
1, Surface: No great effect.
2, Shallow: No great effect.
3, Deep: Causes broken bone, severe pain. d6 = 1, internal bleeding.
4, Through: Causes shattered bone. d6 < 3, internal bleeding.
Disjointing:
1, Surface: No great effect.
2, Shallow: Causes Short-term impairment, severe pain.
3, Deep: Cause long-term impairment, debilitating pain.
4, Through: Dislocation.
Disjointments greater than 5 are treated as dismember. Disjointments can be caused by physical differences, skill is not necessary, but they can always be defended against with skill.
Burn:
Difficult to mend. Can also be caused by caustic, acidic substances and frost.
1, Surface: 1st-degree burn over large area. Severe pain.
2, Shallow: 2nd-degree burn over large area. d6 < 2, shock.
3, Deep: 3rd-degree burn over large area, shock. Does not cause pain. d6 < 3, blood poisoning.
4, Through: Affected body part is dead. If limb, must be dismembered to save the wounded. If any other body part, death will ensue.
Electric:
Electric damage flows from the source through the wounded into ground. Ground is whatever object takes the electron flow in the end, usually the floor.
1, Surface: Causes pain.
2, Shallow: d6 < 1, heart attack.
3, Deep: d6 < 3, heart attack. Causes burns on affected path.
4, Through: Death.
Necrotic:
The affected body parts are deprived of nutrition and maintenance from the body. Tissue starts dying in mass collapse of the local system.
Specific effects of wounds on Body parts
If a random target is required, refer to the following list for a d6 dice roll:
1. Head 4. Arms
2. Neck 5. Hands
3. Torso 6. Legs
Head:
Generally, a d6 roll is required to determine sub-target. 1 = Jaw, 2 = Nose, 3 = Eyes, 4-6 = Skull.
Cut:
Shallow on skull will cause d6 = 1, death. Shallow ONLY.
Through causes death. Shallow on other targets will destroy those organs. Surface on nose causes 50:50 chance of dismembering nose.
Piercing:
Surface piercing on eyes will destroy the organ. If skull, -2 to piercing damage. Deep may cause: d6 = 1 is death. d6 < 2 causes brain damage. Through causes death.
Blunt:
-1 to damage. Shallow causes 50/50 chance of drowsy, causes lump, pain. Deep causes unconsciousness and a d6 = 1 brain damage. Through causes death.
If the attack hits the jaw, shallow causes d6 = 1 loss of tooth. Deep causes loss of d6 < 3 amount of teeth.
Disjointing:
Only affects the jaw. Deep: d6 < 2 to dislocate, Through: dislocate.
Electric:
Shallow causes limp. Deep causes unconscioussness and a d6 < 2 of brain damage. Through causes death.
Neck:
Cut&Rasp:
Surface cuts d6 < 2 severe bleeding, shallow causes, 50/50, deadly bleeding or breathing blockage. Deep causes both.
Piercing:
Shallow d6 < 1 severe bleeding, deep like shallow cut, through adds boxcars (2d6 = 12) chance of laming.
Blunt:
Deep d6 < 1 paraplegia. Through causes laming. 50/50 chance of unconsciousness or immediate death.
Disjointing:
-1 to damage. Deep causes unconsciousness, d6 < 2 of paraplegia. Through causes death.
Torso:
Cut&Rasp:
Deep, d6 = 1, gut spill, d6 = 2, stomach leak. Through = death
Piercing:
Deep, d6 = 1, death, d6 = 3 stomach leak, d6 , d6 = 4-6, sucking wound. Through, same, but additionally d6 = 2, laming.
Blunt:
Deep, d6 1= broken collarbone, d6 = 2-3, broken shoulder, d6 = 4-6 broken rib. Through, same as deep, but shattered instead of broken. If hit from behind, presumed to hit the spine, effects like disjointing.
Disjointing:
-1 to damage. Deep, d6 < 3 laming, through, d6 = 1 death, else laming.
Arms:
Cut&Rasp: D6 < 3 to maim
Piercing: Deep&Through d6 = 1 to maim
Disjointing: Deep d6 < 2, maim. Through, d6 < 4 maim.
Hands:
Cut: +1 to damage. Surface: 2d6 = 12, maim. Shallow, d6 < 2, maim. Deep, maim.
Rasp: +1 to damage. Surface: 2d6 = 12, maim. Shallow, d6 < 3, maim. Deep, maim.
Piercing: +1 to damage. Surface, d6 = 1, maim. Shallow, d6 < 2, maim. Through < 3, maim.
Disjointing: +1 to damage. Shallow, d6 < 3, maim. Deep, d6 < 5, 5, maim. Through, maim.
Burn: Surface to deep apply restrictive scarring levels.
Legs:
Like arms, but all deep wounds also reduce movement range by 1.
Cuts&Rasp: Shallow, 2d6 = 12, deadly bleeding. Deep, d6 = 1, deadly bleeding. Through, deadly bleeding.
Especially vulnerable organs:
Targeting especially vulnerable organs causes -2 aim. Generally, surface wounds on these organs cause severe pain, while shallow wounds cause debilitating pain. The organs are (not extensive): Eyes, reproductive organs, mammary glands, teeth (pain is instead caused on shallow and deep wounds on these), entryways into bodies (extra -1 on aim, these are anus, urethra, vulva, mouth, nasal passages, ear canal).
Specific Wound Effects
Drowsy: Through shock, drugs, alcohol, herbs, sleepiness, bleeding or injuries (and more), the subject has become discoordinated and clumsy. -2 to all skill checks. The subject will continue to act as it has been acting before the drowsyness (example: If the patient has been striking an opponent and becomes drowsy, they must continue striking the opponent). To change what they are doing, they must make a mental sum/2 center check. They can also be convinced, ordered (if they are used to being ordered around culturally), or intimidated into acting differently. They must continue that type of action from then on. Can be treated by rest.
Unconsciousness: The subject faints and can aught but breath and continue vegetating. 2d6 = 12, breathing blockage. After 6 – Build turns, reduces to drowsy. Can be treated by rest. Can be treated by medical skills. If caused by deep or through wounds or shock, reduces to drowsy on a d6 = 1 chance every quarter day. If lasting longer than 3 days, worsens into Coma.
Shock: For 6 – build rounds, must roll for succumbing to the shock by rolling a 2 d6 center check on mental or physical sum divided by 2. If succumbed, becomes unconscious. If not, becomes drowsy for a quarter day. Will not feel any pain while rolling for checks.
Bleeding: Can be treated or surgeoned, will cause impairment after a day if untreated. Has a 50:50 chance of stopping on its own every quarter day.
Severe Bleeding: Must be treated or surgeoned, will cause impairment within a quarter day. Causes drowsy within build x2 rounds. Has a 50:50 chance of causing unconsciousness every quarter day, afterwards 50:50 chance of causing death. Has a 50:50 chance of reducing to bleeding on its own once a day.
Deadly Bleeding: Will die within Build x2 rounds, must be surgeoned. Use first-aid to lengthen time to Build x16 rounds.
Internal Bleeding: If the source of bleeding is not accesible directly from outside, needs surgery to treat. This includes most organ damage, and most piercing wounds.
Breathing Impaired: All physical and mental skills are halved. May need treatment and/or surgery dependent on cause.
Breathing Blockage: Cannot breath. Is debilitated after build turns, will fall unconscious within build x2 rounds, , will receive brain damage after build x3 rounds. Death after build x4 rounds. May need to be treated or surgeoned to be resolved.
Sucking wound: Causes severe bleeding. Causes internal bleeding. Causes breathing impaired. Two result in a breathing blockage.
Broken Bone: A deep blunt wound that causes long-term impairment of an affected limb.
Shattered Bone: If no x-ray technology is available, limb must become maimed. Shattered ribs cause d6 < 4 sucking wound. Shattered spines cause laming. Shattered skulls cause death.
Pain: -1 to every skill check. Can be treated. Will subside as condition causing it subsides (as does all pain).
Severe Pain: -3 to every skill check. Can be treated. Can be reduced to pain temporarily by force of will (2d6 Center Check of Mental Sum).
Debilitating Pain: Patient can do aught but writhe in pain. Can be treated.
Blind: May be temporary or permanent. Subject cannot see. Depending on reason, causes debilitating Pain or severe Pain.
Long-term effects
Short-term impairment: Affected limbs or organs are inflamed (i.e. a pulled muscle) and need time to heal. Treatment speeds up healing. Malus to skill checks and speed depending on affected limb or organ according to depth of wound causing condition. Can turn to long-term impairment if used, 2d6 = 12 chance, plus one for every use (2d6 = 11, 2 d6 = 10 and so on). Has a boxcars chance to heal after two days, every day, +1 for each day. Causes constant pain.
Long-term Impairment: Affected limbs or organs are severely damaged (i.e. a torn ligament). Causes debilitating pain on first day and severe pain on following days. May maim (chance like short-term impairment) and cause debilitating pain if used. Malus to skill checks and speed depending on affected limb or organ according to depth of wound causing condition (every level of depth causes a -1 malus).
Maim: The affected limb or organ is impaired permanently. Surgery or treatment may be attempted to reduce the severity of impact. Malus to skill checks and speed depending on affected limb or organ according to depth of wound causing condition (every level of depth causes a -1 malus).
Limb loss: Removed limbs or organs may not be used at all, and cannot be treated or surgeoned (generally, no medical techniques capable of doing so existed until VERY recently). Removal of especially vulnerable organs (aside from kidneys and liver) and removal of small limbs (fingers and toes) causes severe bleeding. Any other removals cause deadly bleeding. Removal of eyes causes bleeding. In general, limb loss starts at the outermost joint (example: A through cut on the arm causes the wrist to be severed). On hands, a random finger is removed entirely.
Infection: Any shallow cut and deeper, any piercing wound, any deep blunt wound and deeper, and any burn have a chance of getting infected at least. This leads to fever and can, if unsucessfully or not treated at all, lead to gangrene. Any such wound has never a lower chance than boxcars to be infected. The check whether a wound is infected happens at the end of the day after the day the wound was received.
Wounds – Complications
When an attempt to diagnose a wound is begun, a 2d6 center check on random wound complications must be done. Botching a treatment or surgery also makes a roll for complications a requirement.
Complications can also be caused by story events. A man having received a deep cut wound and then falling in a dung heap will for sure have a filthy wound.
Standard Complication Table:
| Wound Type Cut | Complication, minimum depth | Effect |
| 2 | no complication, 1 | |
| 3 | filthy wound, 1 | Infection |
| 4 | chipped bone (only applies with wounds of 2) | +2 to difficulty |
| 5 | Sinew damage, 2 | Long-Term Impairment |
| 6 | irregular shape, 1 | +1 to difficulty |
| 7 | dirty wound, 1 | d6 < 4 chance of infection |
| 8 | contused, 1 | +1 difficulty of surgery |
| 9 | contused, 1 | +1 to diffuclty of surgery |
| 10 | nerve damage, 2 | +1 maim if unsuccessful healing |
| 11 | Major blood vessel damaged, 2 | Internal bleeding |
| 12 | extra complication, 1 | Every extra complication must be rolled for. |
| Wound Type: Pierce | Complication, minimum depth | Effect |
| 2 | no complication, 1 | |
| 3 | Extremely dirty wound, 1 | Infection |
| 4 | chipped bone, 2 | +2 to difficulty |
| 5 | Sinew damage, 2 | Long-Term Impairment |
| 6 | irregular shape, 1 | +1 to difficulty |
| 7 | dirty wound, 1 | d6 < 4 chance of infection |
| 8 | Internal Damage, 2 | d6 = 1 chance of infection, 2 x healing time, needs to introduce an extra cut wound to surgeon |
| 9 | Internal Damage, 2 | d6 = 1 chance of infection, 2 x healing time, needs to introduce an extra cut wound to surgeon |
| 10 | nerve damage, 2 | +1 maim if unsuccessful healing |
| 11 | Major blood vessel damaged, 2 | Internal bleeding |
| 12 | extra complication, 1 | Every extra complication must be rolled for. |
| Wound Type: Blunt | Complication, minimum depth | Effect |
| 2 | no complication, 1 | |
| 3 | Organ Rupture, 2 | Internal bleeding |
| 4 | Irregular fracture, 3 | d6 1-3 +1 difficulty d6 4-6 +2 difficulty |
| 5 | Irregular fracture, 3 | d6 1-3 +1 difficulty d6 4-6 +2 difficulty |
| 6 | sinew damage, 3 | Long-Term Impairment |
| 7 | Infection, 3 | Infection |
| 8 | sinew damage, 3 | Long-Term Impairment |
| 9 | Irregular fracture, 3 | d6 1-3 +1 difficulty d6 4-6 +2 difficulty |
| 10 | Irregular fracture, 3 | d6 1-3 +1 difficulty d6 4-6 +2 difficulty |
| 11 | Organ Rupture, 2 | Internal bleeding |
| 12 | Complex Fracture, depth = 3 only | + d6 difficulty |
People
Wound Healing
Wounds can take a LONG time to heal.
The stages of wound healing are: Fresh, mended, closed, weak and complete.
Fresh:
The wound is still fresh. It is taking its full effects on the body.
Mended:
Effects of the wound are halved if applicable. Any effort at all can cause it to open again, returning it to the fresh stage. This is treated like a new complication.
Closed:
The wound has closed. No new chances of infection can occur. Light, sporadic efforts can be undertaken without risk.
Weak:
The wound is healed up, but the scare tissue is still tender and weak. Any ill effects on this tissue (such as a new wound) are worsened by 1. This stage takes 3x the time to complete.
Complete:
The wound is completely healed. Any permanent effects from the wound remain, however.
Each stage takes 1 week to complete. Certain kinds of beings may have slower or faster healing. If untreated, at least boxcars chance of infection occurs every day, even more according to complications. Succesful treatment or surgery of wounds of a depth of 1 or 2 or surgery of wounds of a depth of 3 or 4 moves the wound to the mended stage. If treated successfulyy, a chance of infection occurs only once per fresh and mended stage. For all intents and purposes, the wound moves back to the fresh stage for all intents and purposes.
Successfully healed wounds leave behind scars. The scar’s severity is based on the wound’s severity (1-4) and any successful scar treatments. Burn wound scars are +1 more severe. Any visible scar has effects on other people.
Scarring Levels:
1 = Visible
Scar is visible. In cultures appreciating martiality, +1 to influencing skill checks.
2 = Obvious
The scar can’t be overlooked. +1 to intimidation checks in addition to the bonus of martial cultures.
3 = Ugly
Scar is disfiguring. -1 to influencing skill checks except intimidation.
4 = Hideous
The scar is terrifiyingly hideous. -2 to influencing skill checks, including intimidation. Humans will instinctively avoid contact.
Scars take about 3 months of regular contact for people to get used to them and lose their effect.
Illnesses and other phsyical effects
Illnesses are usually an attack on a person’s stamina. The frequency and severity of these attacks is dependent on the illness. Generally, the stamina considered is the traveling stamina. The frequency of the attacks is the cycle time. Certain disease may take build checks to see if any stamina CAN be regenerated.
Severity is the strength of the attacks on stamina the illness reaches at its climax. If stamina runs out, the person enters the phase death’s door.
At death’s door, the illness cycle time is halved. Each cycle, the ill get a bonus to their stamina equal to their build. If the illness does not move the stamina into the negative within a day, the patient survives and enters the regression phase. If it does, death occurs. The patient will fall unconscious the whole time.
The patient can develop immunity against the illness. Each cycle, a d6 check equal to build divided by the severity factor of the stage of the illness (ex. In Onset, build divided by 4) occurs. Each successfull check reduces the severity of the illness by one.
Illnesses progress in 5 stages:
Onset
¼ of severity.
Established
½ severity.
When the illness reaches this stage, it cannot be prevented and all stages need to be progressed through to beat it.
Climax
Full severity.
Regression
¾ severity. Diseases will regress back to Climax in this stage if the patient cannot regenerate their stamina above the lowest possible level.
End
¼ severity. Illnesses can not regress.
Effects of illnesses
Fever:
Strong Fever:
Severe Fever:
Specific illnesses and their effects
Flu:
Severity: 6
Cycle: Quarter day
Causes Fever when established. Causes strong fever on climax. Causes breathing impairment.
Gangrene
Severity: 12
Cycle time: Daily
Causes Fever when established. Causes severe fever at climax. Causes strong fever in regression.
Poisons
Poison and venom are just two words for the same thing.
These can be slow-acting and fast-acting.
Slow-acting poisons are treated like normal illnesses.
Fast-acting poisons take effect within down to 1 turn of time.
Mental Health
Stressful events that an actor was not able to counteract in any way lead to mental traumata. These are divided into internal and external mental traumata. It can have both psychological and physiological effects. Trauma can be coped with, resolved or closed.
The normal way of dealing with mental trauma is through coping. Coping mechanisms need to be used every time the trauma is remembered or brought to mind. ??? Every time the same coping mechanism is used, an extra stamina point is used. ??? Coping mechanisms can be anything the actor wants, but includes:
Worship, thought suppression, distraction, meditation, drugs, rituals, tics, talking.
Coping with manifested trauma costs 2 mental stamina points as well as 1 physical stamina point. Coping with mental breaks costs 4 mental stamina points.
Internal mental traumata are things done to the mind of the actor, like terror, loss and torture.
External mental trauma are permanent injuries to the way an actor thinks they are perceived, their standing with society and friends and family. Examples are shame, shunning, insults and humiliation.
When a trauma has been lived through, by that night, it will enter the first phase of traumatisation and become a latent trauma. A latent trauma marker is received for every latent trauma. Internal traumata break down in the following way:
| Trauma | Description |
| Fear | Laming fear was induced in the actor, an attack of panic that left them unable to act. |
| Rage | Rage led the character to damage something precious to them without wanting to. |
| Grief | A profound loss to this character was caused, a loss they previously didn’t think possible. |
| Horror | The actor watched something viscerally horrific and cannot fathom why this would have happened. |
| Self-Betrayal | The actor was forced by circumstance, conflicting traits or other people to act against their deeply held beliefs and/or values. |
| Violation | The actor’s bodily or mental integrity was violated against their will, through violence or other means. |
| Letdown | The actor did not succeed in their goals. |
External Traumata break down in the following way:
| Trauma | Description |
| Humiliation | Another actor or an event injured the actor’s social position and now they lost recognition as a full and valued member. |
| Subjugation | An actor was subdued and has now become a lesser member of society, community or group, subservient to the subduer. |
| Abuse | The character was used for the joy of others or an other against their willd. |
| Shunning | The actor was ostracized from the group for whatever reason, just or unjust, and unwillingly experienced isolation. |
| Group-Torture | The actor was violated by someone or everyone in their society, physically or mentally, as a scape goat or lightning rod for negative emotions or aspects of that society. |
| Treason | The actors trust in others was broken. |
| Disappointment | The actor failed to live up to vital social expectations. |
?These traumaus cannot be resolved through mental retraining. Resolution comes in the following ways.?
Internal Trauma:
| Trauma | Description |
| Fear | The frightening aspect of the trauma is lessened through greater understanding. |
| Rage | Control over the rage is gained. |
| Grief | Grief is a void that needs to be filled with new relations, things or attachments, like for like. |
| Horror | Horror can be resolved through accepting the limitations of an actor to affect them. |
| Self-Betrayal | Can be resolved through proving to the actor that they can still uphold their values or beliefs or through re-evaluation of beliefs and ethics. |
| Violation | Can be resolved through forgiveness. |
| Letdown | Can be resolved through success. |
External Trauma:
| Trauma | Description |
| Humiliation | Justice is done and/or the recognistion is restored in assurety. |
| Subjugation | The bonds of subjugation are lifted and forgiven, justice is done, or a position of respect is earned through servitude. |
| Abuse | The abuser seeks forgiveness for the transgression and it is granted, or justice is done. |
| Shunning | The social environment re-accepts the actor in their fold or a new one is found. |
| Group-Torture | Justice is served and reintegration into society is done over a long time. |
| Treason | The betrayal is forgiven or avenged. |
| Disappointment | Can be resolved through success. |
When latent trauma is not resolved, it must be coped with. Every night of the first week and every time the situation arises again or is reminded of, a d6 edge check is done on the appropriate mental attribute. If result is d6 > mental attribute means the trauma is succesfully coped with. Every latent trauma marker costs a mental stamina point. Every used mental stamina level gives a malus to the result of -1. After the first week, the Trauma must be coped with 2x a week, after 2 months weekly. After a year, monthly. ithout new instances of the same kind of traum, it cannot be resolved anymore. After ten years, the trauma is constantly coped with, but the trauma marker and thus the stamina cost remains.
Coping strategies add a bonus to the coping attempts. These include emotional suppression, drug usage, religious practise, ???.
If coping is unsuccessful at the lowest stamina level, the actor cannot cope and trauma manifests. It causes traits that include:
NOTE: ??? How do I make the symptoms complex enough to be real without it being One cause -> one symptom but at the same time gameable? ???
| Trauma | Description |
| Fear | Phobia: Develops a phobia of the specific thing or circumstance and avoids it as best they can. Morale tests required to overcome the fear gain a -2 malus. |
| Rage | Choleric: The actor now needs to make morale tests to ignore taunts and insults or perceived mental injuries, and to not insult or taunt or mentally injure whoever insulted or taunted them. When enraged, -1 to all fighting skills, and +2 (at most +1 above natural attribute limit) to build. -1 to all pain levels and the actor won’t show any signs of exhaustion until they used two levels of stamina. |
| Grief | Avoidant: The actor perceives loss and sadness everywhere and begins avoiding emotional attachments. -2 to savvy. |
| Horror | Cynic: -2 to external mental skills. Figures, eh? |
| Self-Betrayal | Self-doubt: The character starts to doubt who they are and whether they can do anything. Learning skill takes 2x longer. |
| Violation | Submissiveness: To avoid further violations, the actor tends to bow to the whims of others. -2 to wit tests. |
| Letdown | Sick on Sadness: The actor feels hopeless and unconfident. -1 to all checks. |
| Trauma | Description |
| Humiliation | If the actor is able to avenge the humiliation, gains choleric. If not, they become sick on sadness. |
| Subjugation | Causes submissiveness. If savvy is above 3, the character becomes rebellious. The actor must try to sabotage and hinder their subjugator or face morale tests in order to not do so. |
| Abuse | Causes self-doubt. |
| Shunning | Causes self-doubt. |
| Group-Torture | Causes self-doubt, a phobia of the torturer/-s and sick on sadness. |
| Treason | Causes mistrust. -2 on savvy tests. The actor has trouble trusting others. |
| Disappointment | ??? |
If an actor cannot cope again, they break. When an actor breaks, their manifest trauma gain mental sickness symptoms. Facing the trauma will now ever result in breaking. All breaks cost 1 extra mental stamina point for each cope. All breaks still feature all traits of their previous mental sickness unless otherwise stated.
| Caused by Sickness: | Conclusion |
| Phobia | Panic Attack: The actor is lamed by panic for every day until they manage a 2d6 edge check against their wit. It takes a morale test to perform basic functions like eating and drinking. |
| Rage | Berserksgangr: The actor attacks and destroys anything in the way of their aim until they run out of physical stamina or they achieve their aim. They will not show any of the exhausting effects (except for fainting) and all pain is reduced by two levels. |
| Grief | Struck: The character spends their days crying and grieving until they manage a 2d6 edge test against their mental sum divided by 2. |
| Horror | Cold: The actor is dissociating from what is happening, retreating into the inner recesses of his mind. The person seems ever distand and shows little to no emotions. |
| Self-Betrayal | Depression: Everything seems point – and hopeless to this actor. Nothing makes sense to them or is worthwhile. Positive interactions with other people use a mental stamina point, each. |
| Violation | Paranoia. The actor expects attacks or violations everywhere. They will spend their days fawning over what makes them feel secure and avoiding what does not. -2 to savvy based skills. |
| Letdown | ??? |
If mental stamina is depleted during a mental break, the following can only be prevented by a 2 d6 edge check against the appropriate mental attribute:
| Caused by Break: | Description |
| Panic Attack | Heart attack: Heart stops beating. Causes death. |
| Berserksgangr | Aneurysm: A random organ is disables by a burst blood vessel. In effect, 3 piercing damage is caused, and damaged blood vessel complication. |
| Struck | Self-murder: The actor attempts to kill themselves unless they manage a 2d6 edge check against their mental sum divided by 2. |
| Cold | Catatonic: The actor is in a waking coma and cannot be reached anymore. Practically dead. |
| Paranoia | Catatonic. |
Mental Resolve
Traits are awarded for successfully resolving manifest trauma. These are:
| Trauma | Conclusion |
| Phobia | Healthy Skepticism: +1 towards succeeding terror based morale tests. +1 on all tests against developing new fear based traumas. |
| Choleric | Calm: +1 against rage inducing tests. Minor insults and injuries cannot bother the actor anymore. |
| Cynicism | Empathy: +1 to savvy tests. +1 to Soulcare checks. |
| Self-doubt | Self-Aware: Can re-roll on all progress marker tests. |
| Submissivness | Steadfast: +2 against intimidation tests. +1 towards any checks that would maintain the actor’s freedom of will. |
| Sick on Sadness | Realistic: +1 to wit based tests. |
| Rebellious | Diplomatic: +1 to savvy based skill checks. |
| Mistrust | Discernment: +1 on checks against all deceptions. |
| Avoidant | Accepting: +1 to savvy based skill checks. Minor strangeness will never bother the actor. |
Morale
Morale tests are 2d6 center checks caused by things that cause terror against the morale value.
Influences on the morale value include:
- Material quality of food, > 4 gives positive morale, < 3 gives negative morale.
- Motivators (can differ by culture),such as: immediate survival (+6), need to protect their own directly (+4), greed (+3), glory (+3), fear (intimidation roll), religious zeal (+3), vengeance (+3), faith (+2), justice (+2), volunteering (+1), societal norms (varies), trust in leaders (leadership)
- Demotivators, such as: coercion (-4), injustice (such as the party being unfair to members or unacceptably unequal or behaving in unjust ways, -3), infamy (how a certain action might be negatively viewed by others who matter) (-3), religious doom (-3), lost motivator (- value of original motivator)
- Actions, such as: Feasting (leadership roll + food quality, /2), rousing speeches (leadership roll), inspiring actions (i.e. being first in a charge) (influencing roll), victory over terrors (defeating a terrifying opponent or beating the odds in a natural catastrophe) (reverts value of terror into the positive)
- Traits, such as: Brave (halves terror values), Cold (negates terrors),
Terror is the measure of disincentives from commiting to risky actions. Terror is caused by obstacle’s quality AND quantity. These are influenced by, including:
- Traits, such as: uncanny (+1), frightful (+2), terrifiying (+3)
- Attribute multiples of actors multiplying terror
- Obstacle count multiples of actors multiplying terror
- Actions, such as: Frightful noises and intimidating actions (intimidation roll), losses (+1, +1 for every relationship level)
- General changes, such as: Disarmament (+2), exhaustion (+2), fire suppression (+2)
- Intimidating weapons (depends on weapon)
If morale test fails (2d6 terror check is failed by the actor), a certain type of action is forced on the actor for as many turns as the check difference. This is the panic response.
Morale Test
d6 < 3 -> Freeze: The actor freezes, standing stockstill and not moving. May turn into screaming fit and/or fainting if the actor can’t free themselves, surrender or beg for mercy.
d6 = 4, 5 -> Flee: The actor panics and cannot but move away as far as possible directly from the threat, no matter who or what is in the way. If no path is available, they will hide or duck behind cover and stay there. If friends or family are in the way, they will get a chance to free themselves. If they fail, the panic remains and they will deal with them as obstacles.
d6 = 6 -> Fight: The actor lets all care fly and performs the polar opposite of fleeing. The actor moves as best they can towards the opponent and try to do the simplest, fastest damage possible. Brave actors or actors with intimidation skill <4 may try to frighten the terror back if it is sentient. If this fails, their morale breaks again and they cannot have the fight result again.
When a panic response has been determined, the actor acts under the influence of it for the full check difference of turns. After, the actor may attempt to free themselves from it. This is a d6 check of the build or wit attribute. If d6 < build or wit, they succeed in freeing themselves from the panic. Other actors can also free them from panic responses by using leadership, intimidation and seduction skills, and they can free them during the required panic response turn, gaining a malus on the skill check of -1 for every remaining turn.
Morale checks also occur on whether the actor or group will even attempt a venture, such as difficult marches, dangeros challenges or deadly battles. This is a morale check of the perceived difficulty against the morale value. As well, actions that are unpalatable to characters ethics or standards require passing a morale check. If morale value happens to be negative, the morale check is about whether the group or actor revolts and acts against the suggester/demander of the action instead of remaining inactive or passive.
Weapons
Weapon Kinds
Size categories refer to humans only. Creatures that can use weapons and are a multitple of paces of a human in size will apply those multitples to their weapon category as they use them. In effect, they will be a multiple of those weapons in size when calculating its effects on smaller creatures. I.e. a humanoid small blade would be a blade for a halfling, and a giant that is 2 paces in size would use a humanoid greatsword like a two-hander, but will still engage a human at a range and with the difficulties that the humans would have to face when facing a human wielding a greatsword.
Bladed Weapons
Bladed weapons are defined as consisting mostly of a blade instead of a haft.
Tiny Blades
Tiny Blades range in size from finger-long to hand-long.
All tiny blades receive -3 to all damage, but only -2 to piercing damage. They cannot deflect or block. All tiny blades can be drawn and used within one action.
Switchblade:
Normally takes an action to open. Has a boxcars chance of collapsing on every thrust, causing an indefensible slice action on the user’s hand. If it can open without an action, the chance of collapsing is 1d6 = 1.
Eating Knife:
Nothing special.
Small Blades
Small Blades range in size from being hand-long to fingertip-to-elbow long.
All small blades receive -2 to cutting and -1 to piercing damage. Successful locks with small blades and larger blades cannot be slipped.
Kitchen Knife:
– 2 to blunt damage.
-2 to piercing damage.
Rondel daggers, bayonets:
No cutting damage.
+ 1 to piercing, +2 to thrusts against armor.
Bayonets: -1 to blunt damage.
Hunting Knife:
Nothing special.
Kukri:
-1 to piercing damage.
+2 to cut damage.
Gladius:
+1 to piercing damage.
Blades
Bladed weapons between lower arm to arm in length in most cases, but in any case designed to be used with ONE hand.
Can halfsword. Can murderstrike.
Spatha:
Nothing special.
Jian:
Nothing special.
Falx:
-2 to thrust damage, +2 to cut damage.
Arming Sword:
+1 to deflections protecting the hand.
Sidesword:
+2 to deflections protecting the hand.
Langes Messer:
+1 to deflections protecting hands and arms.
If succesfully deflected, +1 to cut damage against arms and hands for a follow-up action.
Katana:
+1 to cut damage.
-1 to thrust.
Saber:
+2 to deflections protecting hands, +1 to deflections protecting arms.
If succesfully deflected, +1 to cut damage against arms and hands.
Broadsword:
Deflects all cuts from hand. +1 to deflections protecting arms. +2 to deflections protecting from thrusts against hands.
Rapier:
-2 to cut damage.
+1 to thrust damage.
Deflects all cuts from hand. +2 to deflections against thrusts to the hand. +2 to deflections protecting arms. Does not apply to grapples. Needs specialized training to take effect.
-2 to deflections against swings that come from non-rapiers, if those do not aim at the hand.
Cup-Hilted Rapier:
-2 to cut damage.
+1 to thrust damage.
Deflects all cuts and thrusts from hand. +2 to deflections protecting arms. Does not apply to grapples. Needs specialized training to take effect.
-2 to deflections against swings that come from non-rapiers, if those do not aim at the hand or arm.
Hook Swords:
+1 to deflections protecting hands and arms.
If succesfully deflected, +1 to cut damage against arms and hands.
Can be used to lock and throw legs at full range unless opponent steps into range or defends that. -2 to success chance of such attempts.
Two-handed Blades
+1 to cut damage.
Can halfsword. Can murderstrike.
Between arm and foot-to-sternum in length. Designed to be used with two hands. -2 to all actions if wielded with only ONE hand.
Rhomphaia:
-2 to thrust.
+2 to cut damage.
Changdao:
+1 to cut damage.
Tashi:
+1 to cut damage.
Longsword:
+1 to deflections.
Polearms
Range in size from foot-to-sternum to an arm-above-head. If wielded one-handed, -3 to all unless otherwise specified. Cannot be blocked or deflected by anything smaller than blades. Has a reach of 2 paces. Can sweep.
Generally +2 to any damage type. Butts that have spikes do piercing damage instead of blunt damage.
Staff:
Causes only blunt damage.
Spear:
-3 to cuts. +2 to defeating flexible armor when thrusting. If wielded one-handed, -2 to swings and sweeps, and only +1 to thrusts and +1 to defeating flexible armor.
Glaive:
-2 to thrusts, +1 to cutting damage. +1 to defeating flexible armor.
Halberd:
+1 to cuts, +2 to defeating flexible armor. +1 to defeating solid armor. Can be used to lock and throw legs at full range unless opponent steps into close range or defends that.
Greatsword:
+1 to defeating flexible armor.
Ji:
Like halberd.
Long Polearms
Sized longer than arm above head length. +2 to thrust, -1 to all other attacks. If wielded one-handed, -5 to all, -3 to thrust.
Reaches 3 paces.
Pike:
A very long spear and unwieldy. Nothing special.
Axes
Successful locks with Axes cannot be slipped.
Small Axes
Like small blades in size. All Small Axes receive -1 to cutting and -2 to piercing damage if even possible. If not possible, -2 blunt damage is caused.-2 to all locking attempts.
Tomahawk:
A typical small axe. No piercing damage, thrusts will cause blunt damage.
Bronze Axe:
A typical bronze age axe. Causes piercing damage instead of cutting when swung.
Small Knight’s Axe:
Can cause piercing damage. +1 to piercing damage. +1 to locking. Can cause alternative -1 piercing damage on swing.
Axe
Like blades in size. +1 to cutting and -2 to piercing damage if possible. If not possible, -2 blunt damage is caused. Successful locks with Axes and larger axes cannot be slipped. -2 to all locking attempts.
Viking Axe:
A typical axe. No piercing damage, thrusts will cause blunt damage.
Knight’s Axe:
Can cause piercing damage. +1 to locking. Can cause alternative piercing damage on swing.
Long Axes
Like two-handed blades in size. +1 to cutting and -2 to piercing damage if possible. If not possible, -2 blunt damage is caused. Successful locks with Long Axes and larger axes cannot be slipped. -2 to all locking attempts. Designed to be used with two hands. -2 to all actions if wielded with only ONE hand.
Dane Axe:
A typical Long Axe.
Sharp Poleaxe:
A short halberd in effect. +2 to piercing, +1 to defeating flexible armor. Can be used to lock and throw legs at full range unless opponent steps into range or defends that.
Blunt Weapons
Small Blunt Weapons
Like small blades in size. All Small Blunt Weapons receive -1 to blunt and -2 to piercing damage if possible. If not possible, -2 blunt damage is caused. Successful locks with Small Blunt Weapons and larger cannot be slipped. -2 to all locking attempts.
Stick:
-2 to blunt damage. Needs to make a material quality check whenever it interacts with any metal weapon aside from shields.
Club:
-1 to blunt damage.
Small Knight’s Hammer:
Can cause piercing damage. +1 to locking. Can cause alternative -1 piercing damage on swing.
Blunt Weapons
Like blades in size. -2 to all locking attempts. All Blunt Weapons receive -1 to piercing damage if possible. If not possible, -1 blunt damage is caused. Successful locks with Blunt Weapons and larger cannot be slipped. -2 to all locking attempts.
Hammer:
+1 to blunt damage. -1 to deflections and parries.
Mallet:
A very heavy hammer. +2 to blunt damage. -3 to deflections and parries. This is an unwieldy weapon.
Knight’s Hammer:
Can cause piercing damage with thrusts. +1 to locking. Can cause alternative piercing damage on swing.
Mace:
Like club. Any time damage is caused, equivalent rasping damage of up to 2 is added. +1 to defeating armor.
Long Hammers
Like two-handed blades in size. +1 to blunt and -2 to piercing damage if possible. Successful locks with Long Hammers and larger axes cannot be slipped. -2 to all locking attempts. Designed to be used with two hands. -2 to all actions if wielded with only ONE hand.
Cudgel:
A normal, long stick with a thicker end.
Blunt Poleaxe:
A short halberd with a hammerhead instead of an axehead. +2 to piercing, +1 to defeating flexible armor. +1 to defeating armor. Can be used to lock and throw legs at full range unless opponent steps into range or defends that.
Shields
Small Shields
Small shields are always center-gripped. They naturally block any attack at the off-hand and the on-hand if it hasn’t been or is not being used to attack, in which case they only block attacks to the hand holding the shield.
Buckler:
Usually made of metal. Material quality usually 3-5. May be spiked, causing half of its usual blunt damage as piercing damage instead when thrusted. May be caged instead, giving +1 to locking attempts against weapons.
Shields
Shields may be center-gripped or strapped. They naturally block any attack at the off-arm and the on-arm if it hasn’t been or is not being used to attack, in which case they only block attacks to the arm holding the shield.
Bronze Plate Shield
Usually made of bronze.
Targe:
Usually made of wood and Leather. Material quality usually 2-4. May be spiked, causing half of its usual blunt damage as piercing damage instead when thrusted.
Viking round shield:
Usually made of Wood and Hide. Material quality usually 1-3. Usually has a boss, making material quality the equivalent metal if striking hands. May have metal rim, making the edge of the shield’s material quality the equivalent metal.
Aspis:
Usually made of Wood and Leather. Material quality usually 1-3. This shield is strapped. May be covered in metal sheeting, giving -1 to all actions with the shield but making material quality the equivalent metal’s.
Heater:
Usually made of Wood and Hide. Material quality usually 1-4. This shield is strapped.
Skill – Large Shields
Large shields may be center-gripped or strapped. They naturally block any attack at the arms, torso and legs, with the on-arm only being threatened if it hasn’t been or is not being used to attack, in which case they only block attacks to the arm holding the shield.
Thureos:
Usually made of Wood and Hide. Material quality usually 1-3. Usually has a boss, making material quality the equivalent metal if striking hands. May have metal rim, making the edge of the shield’s material quality the equivalent metal.
Scutum:
Usually made of Wood and Hide. Material quality usually 1-4. Usually has a boss, making material quality the equivalent metal if striking hands. May have metal rim, making the edge of the shield’s material quality the equivalent metal.
Kite Shield:
Usually made of Wood and Hide. Material quality usually 1-4. This shield is strapped. Usually has a boss, making material quality the equivalent metal if striking hands. May have metal rim, making the edge of the shield’s material quality the equivalent metal.
Ranged Weapons
Thrown Items
General for all thrown items and Weapons:
If thrown downwards (at an opponent lower in elevation) +1/2 to effective and max range. Reverse if upward.
Abbreviations:
Effective Range = Eff. Range
Maximum Range = Max. Range
Accuracy – Acc.
Random thrown item:
A household item that is not designed for throwing. -1 damage for every multiple of effective range. Accuracy -1.
Tiny:
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x2
Damage – Material quality/4, rounded down.
Examples: Tweezers, marbles, instruments,
Small:
Fit 2 per hand.
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x2
Damage – Material quality/2, rounded down.
Examples: Hairbrushes, spoons, forks, combs, mirror, candles, keys, scales, instruments, spindles,
Normal:
Fit 1 per hand.
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x2
Damage – Material quality /2, rounded down.
Examples: Books, chamber pots, Jars, instruments, trenchers, boards, pails, buckets, bottles
Large:
Fits one in two hands.
Eff. Range – 3
Max. Range – x2
Damage – Material quality +1
Example: Chairs, tomes, chests, jars, amphorae, bottles, shovels, spades,
Furniture:
So large that it takes a turn to pick up and a physical sum equivalent to the material quality. If the difference between physical sum and the material quality is negative,
Eff. Range – 2
Max. Range – x 1 1/2
Damage – Material quality, rounded down.
Examples – Tables, barrels, beds, sofas, amphorae, chests, bottles
Thrown Items – Rocks
Small Rock
Fits up to 3 per hand.
Eff. Range – 12
Max. Range – x5
Damage – Material Quality = 2 Blunt
Medium Rock:
Fits one in hand.
Eff. Range – 3
Max. Range – x2
Damage – Material Quality = 3 Blunt
If thrown with two hands:
Eff. Range – 4
Max. Range – x3
Damage – Material Quality +1 Blunt
Large Rock:
Fits one in two hands.
Eff. Range – 4
Max. Range – x 1
Damage – Material Quality = 4 Blunt
Thrown Items – Unsolid Substances
Powder:
Attempt to blind an enemy by throwing a powdery substance in their face.
Eff. Range – 1
Max. Range – 1 (not influenced by physical sum)
Damage – Blindness for 1 turn plus d6 actions. Morale check required to not rub eyes.
Sand:
Attempt to blind an enemy by throwing a grainy substance in their face.
Eff. Range – 2
Max. Range – 2 (not influenced by physical sum)
Damage – Blindness for 1 turn plus d6 actions. Morale check required to not rub eyes. Rubbing eyes has d6=1 chance of causing a surface rasping Wound to the eye.
Liquids:
Eff. Range – 2
Max. Range – 3 (not influenced by physical sum)
Damage – Blindness for d6 actions. Morale check required to not rub eyes.
Hot Stuff:
Hot or caustic substances will cause burning damage in addition to blindness. Damage is generally caused every ten turns until substance is removed, usually by running water. Sticky substances need to be removed with oil. Eyes will usually wash out substances that are not sticky within 5 minutes (100 turns). Damage is stopped by armor. Solid armors are not damaged by hot substances. Every time damage exceeds the material quality of flexible armor by 1, the armor loses a material quality value in that area.
Examples:
Boiling Water
Damage: 2 burning, once
Boiling Oil:
Damage: 3 burning, once
Hot Tar:
Damage: 3 burning, once
Damage: 1 burning every 6 turns for 32 turns.
Sticky.
Caustic Lime:
Damage: 2 burning, once
Damage: 1 Burning every 6 turns for 32 turns.
Sticky.
Hot Sand:
Damage: 2 burning, once.
Damage: 2 burning every 6 turns for 48 turns.
Molten Metal:
Damage: 3 burning
Damage: 1 burning every turn for 48 turns.
Can be scraped off.
Thrown Weapons
Shafted thrown weapons may be fletched or not. Fletchings increase a weapon’s range and thus accuracy.
An akontion or amentum is a thong that increases the lever of the arm and adds a spin to the weapon, making it fly farther and more accurate. An atlatl or launcher is a sort of wooden spoon that the butt end of the weapon rests in and increases the lever of the throwing arm, but does not spin the weapon. If these can be used, they will be mentioned in the weapon description.
Small Darts:
No larger than handspan. No smaller than palm. Fit up to 6 per hand.
Eff. Range – 6 Acc. – -1
Max. Range – x4
Damage – material quality /3, rounded down, piercing
If fletched:
Eff. Range – 12 Acc. – Normal
Max. Range – x7
Damage – material quality /3, rounded down, piercing.
Darts:
Javelins no longer than elbow to wrist, but larger than handspan. Fit up to 4 per hand.
Eff. Range – 6 Acc. – -1
Max. Range – x4
Damage – material quality /2, rounded down, piercing
If fletched,
Eff. Range – 12 Acc. – normal
Max. Range – x7
Damage – material quality /2, piercing
Javelins:
No shorter than elbow-wrist, no longer than foot to crown. Fits 3 per hand. Can only throw one at a time.
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x2
Damage – material quality, piercing
If fletched,
Eff. range +2
Max. range +1.
If akontion or atlatl is used, eff. range +2, max. range +1.
An Angon is a javelin that has a barbed tip, which will cause extra complications on extraction if the correct tools aren’t available.
Heavy Javelin:
No shorter than foot-to-clavicle and no longer than foot to underarm above crown. On average twice weight of standard javelins. Fits one per hand.
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x2
Damage – material quality +1, piercing
A pilum is a type of heavy javelin that has a shaft that bends after impact. If it strikes through the material quality of a shield, it will get stuck in it. All checks with that shield receive a -3 malus.
Small spun blade:
A bladed object of the size of a small dart. May be thrown like a small dart at a -1 penalty on all checks. Usually spin thrown. Fits up to 4 per hand.
Eff. Range – 3
Max. Range – x2
Damage – material quality /3, piercing
Normal Axes and Blunt weapons
Axes and Blunt weapons must be spin thrown.
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x2
Damage – Material quality, /2 if bounced
Running throw: max. Range +1
Long Axes, Blunt Weapons and Two-Handed Swords
If spiked, may be thrown like Javelin. In that case, treated like Heavy Javelin. Else, must be spin thrown.
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – x1
Damage – Material quality, /2 if bounced
Firepot
If using greek fire or similiar chemical compounds, treat like an equivalent stone being thrown depending on size of pot. Small firepots have only an effect if they directly hit a target. Firepots have an effect on the target pace and the two paces behind them. Large Firepots also on the three paces behind those, going out in a cone. Firepots can be slung, increasing effective range by a pace and maximum range multiplier +1. A light fuze step must be taken as for a firearm. Every turn the fuze is lit, boxcars chance of premature explosion. Firepots can also use noxious chemicals, causing an irritating gas cloud that has an effect on the usual paces of the pot or an effect on the entirety of an enclosed room, growing outward 1 pace per turn in all directions. These effects are similiar to caustic weapons, and obstruct vision in the cloud, or only obstructing vision in the cloud if they are a smoke bomb.
Grenades
Grenades are black powder charges, improvised or professionally made. Treat like an equivalent stone being thrown depending on size of grenade. Small grenades have an effect on the pace they land in, grenades on three paces around them, and large grenades on 6 paces around them. Light cover is enough to provide protection from the effects of the shrapnel from more than 1 pace away. The effect of a grenade and up are explosion within the first pace and shrapnel within the entire range. Explosion is a 6 rasping damage to all body parts available, shrapnel causes 3 x (maximum range – range of target) piercing wounds of 6 – range of target damage on every body part available. These are not armor piercing. A light fuze step must be taken as for a firearm. Every turn the fuze is lit, boxcars chance of premature explosion.
Shooting Weapons
Sling:
Slings rocks or bullets. Can be loaded with rocks, fired clay balls or metal bullets, usually lead.
Rocks:
Eff. Range – 30
Max. Range – 120
Damage – 3, blunt
Clay Ball:
Eff. Range – 20
Max. Range – 120
Damage – 2, Blunt
Bullet:
Eff. Range – 36
Max. Range – 180
Damage – 4, half piercing, half blunt
Large Sling:
Slings large rocks and bullets that fit in a hand. Compared to sling, Accuracy -1, damage +1. Range and effective Range are halved. Load action takes 1 more action.
Staff sling
A sling that is attached to a staff for more leverage. Slings large rocks or bullets that fit in a hand. Load actions take 1 more action.
Eff. Range – 12
Max. Range – 80
Damage – 4, blunt
Kestrosphendone
Slings darts.
Eff. Range – 20
Max. Range – 140
Damage – Like darts, +1.
Bows:
Arrows shot with a bow heavier than its intended bow suffer a 1/4 chance of being destroyed for every size category above. Shooting heavier arrows halves range and reduces damage by 1 for every category.
Damage type is determined by ammunition. If blunt, reduces typical damage by 2 to a minimum of 1.
Arrows may be barbed for difficulties in extraction.
Bodkin arrows have a +1 bonus agains flexible armor and +2 against flexible, textile armor.
Mary-Rose type bodkins have a +1 bonus against solid metal armor.
Oversized arrowheads (like horse-arrows) and arrows with a payload (fire-arrows) reduce range by a quarter and might do no standard damage.
Horse Arrows are arrows with an oversized, barbed head. Standard damage against humanoid and smaller targets. +1 damage against quadrupeds larger than humanoids.
Fire arrows may be designed for three purposes. They can be designed to ignite structures, in which case they do 1 piercing and 1 burning damage to living targets. They can be designed to inflict burning wounds, in which case they cause 2 burning damage per turn to whatever they are stuck in. They may also be designed with noxiousness in mind, causing anyone in a closed room with the arrow to be blinded and coughing.
Light Bow:
A bow of up to 50 lbs of draw weight. Takes 1 turn to string up. Span takes 1 action and can be combined with loose.
Speedshooting is possible. This is: Up to 3 arrows can be held in the off-hand, making it possible to combine the unpack and nock actions. Requires a bow skill of 4.
Eff. Range – 30
Max. Range – 70
Damage – 2, piercing
Every shot costs a stamina point.
Bow:
A bow of 50-100 lbs of draw weight. Takes 2 turns to string up. Span takes 2 actions.
Eff. Range – 40
Max. Range – 150
Damage – 3, piercing
Every shot costs 2 stamina points.
Heavy Bow:
A bow of over 100 lbs of draw weight. Takes 4 turns to string up. Span takes a turn. Every action spent maintaining aim reduces accuracy by 2. May be a longbow, and thus unusable on most mounts.
Eff. Range – 50
Max. Range – 300
Damage – 4, piercing
Every shot costs 4 stamina points.
Crossbows
Arrow rules for bows also apply to crossbow bolts.
Crossbow:
Can be used mounted.
Steps:
Span: 1 turn
Nock: 2 actions
Ready: 1 action
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 Action
Eff. Range – 20
Max. Range – 70
Damage – 2, piercing
Goatsfoot Crossbow:
Can be used mounted.
Steps:
Attach lever: 2 actions
Span: 2 actions
Detach lever: 2 actions
Nock: 2 actions
Ready: 1 action
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 25
Max. Range – 80
Damage – 2, piercing
Foot span crossbow:
Steps:
Step in: 1 Action
Span: 1 turn
Step out: 1 action
Nock: 2 actions
Ready: 1 action
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 25
Max. Range – 80
Damage – 2, piercing
Belt Span Crossbow:
Steps:
Attach belt: 2 actions
Step in: 1 action
Span: 1 turn
Step out: 2 actions
Detach belt: 2 actions
Nock: 2 actions
Ready: 1 action
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 35
Max. Range – 100
Damage – 3, piercing
Windlass Crossbow:
Steps:
Attach belt: 1 turn
Set down: 1 action
Wind up: 2 turns
detach windlass: 1 turn
Nock: 2 actions
Ready: 1 action
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 50
Max. Range – 180
Damage – 4, piercing
Magazined Crossbow:
Steps:
Load magazine: 6 turns
Span: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
This crossbow cannot be aimed, only shot from the hip. Acc -2.
Eff. Range – 15
Max. Range – 60
Damage – 1, piercing
Firearms
Early firearms may use rocks and clay balls as ammuniton. Compared to bullets, they will do no piercing damage to armor, only blunt. Gonnes may use rocket arrows, and they will be treated as fired from a heavy bow with a -4 malus to accuracy.
Fired ammunition will generally cause piercing damage through armor, even if it is solid metal. Every multiple of effective range reduces damage to armored targets. If half of the maximum range is reached, damage against unarmored targets reduces as well.
Gonne:
Can fire rocket arrows. Can only be shot from the hip. An extra boxcars chance the gun explodes if firing bullets from a gonne of material quality < 4, sending a rain of shrapnel in all directions, causing 3 piercing damage, -1 damage for every pace traveled. Accuracy: -4. If the gonne is supported, accuracy: -3.
Steps:
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Bullet: 1 turn
Ram bullet home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on and ready fuze: 1 turn
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 12
Max. Range – 160
Damage – 3, piercing
Arquebus:
An arquebus is usually a heavy firearm that is aimed with a support stick because of its weight. The first true firearm as modern day people know it. Accuracy -2. For every turn aim is held with no stick, -1 accuracy.
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Bullet: 1 turn
Ram bullet home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on fuze: 2 actions
Aim: 1 turn
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 20
Max. Range – 250
Damage – 4, piercing
Early Musket:
A smaller firearm that is able to be used without a support stick. Can also be used as a blunt polearm at a -2 malus to all actions. Accuracy: -2
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Bullet: 1 turn
Ram bullet home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on and ready fuze: 1 turn
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 24
Max. Range – 250
Damage – 4, piercing
Musket:
A long firearm that is able to be used without a support stick. Can also be used as a two-handed blunt weapon at a -1 malus to all actions. Accuracy: -1
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Bullet: 1 turn
Ram bullet home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on fuze: 1 turn
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 30
Max. Range – 260
Damage – 5, piercing
Pistol:
A small firearm to be used with one arm.
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Bullet: 1 turn
Ram bullet home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on fuze: 1 turn
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 3
Max. Range – 80
Damage – 3, piercing
Carbine
A short musket that can be used while mounted.
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Bullet: 1 turn
Ram bullet home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on fuze: 1 turn
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 24
Max. Range – 200
Damage – 4, piercing
Blunderbuss
A carbine that has a flared end and fires shot or shrapnel. This does not defeat any solid armor.
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Shot: 1 turn
Ram Shot home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on fuze: 1 turn
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 6
Max. Range – 80
Damage – 3, piercing,
Blunderbuss Pistol
A small firearm to be used with one arm with a flared end. Fires shot.
Light fuze: 3 turns if flint&steel, 2 actions if from an active flame.
Move fuze: 1 action
Load powder: 6 turns
Wad Shot: 1 turn
Ram Shot home: 6 turns
Prime powder pan: 1 turn
Blow on fuze: 1 turn
Aim: 2 actions
Shoot: 1 action
Eff. Range – 3
Max. Range – 40
Damage – 2, piercing
Firearm Features
Firearms can be equipped with certain technological upgrades that change handling, ammunition capacity or other effects. These usually come with an increased risk of firearm failures unless certain technological milestones are reached, unless they are made by highly skilled craftsmen. These features can be freely combined unless otherwise specified.
Powder Pan
A feature so common that it is usually only not found on a gonne. Every time a gun with a powder pan is fired, there is a 2d6 = 12/11 chance of a flash in a pan, making repriming the pan necessary, and no shot fired.
Revolving Magazine
Firearm can load up to 6 shots in a pistol and 8 in a other guns. After every shot, requires 2 actions to spin the magazine before re-cocking or re-readying the match. If it is an open magazine, requires a full loading cycle of steps for every chamber before it can be used. If so, there is a boxcars chance of a magazine fire every shot, which leads to all shots firing at once in random directions in front of the gun and the magazine exploding. If it is latched, an action needs to be taken to open the magazine latch or to hinge drum in order to reload the revolver. This eliminates the risk of a magazine fire.
Wheel-Lock
Wheel-Locks remove any step concerning fuzes or matches. Instead, a 1 turn span step is used. Boxcars chance of misfire. If firearm skill is under 2, boxcars chance to drop the key, needing to pick it up for an action.
Flint Lock
Flint locks remove any step concerning fuzes or matches. Instead, a 2 action span step is used.
Cartridge
Paper cartridges halve the time for load powder steps and skip the wad bullet step. Before loading, the step bite cartridge for two actions needs to be taken.
Powder Charge
Pre-measured powder charges reduce the time of the load powder step by half.
Rifling
Metallurgy equivalent to making muskets necessary. Effective range of rifled weapon x3. Acc. +1. Time for ram bullet home step x3.
Breech
Replaces ram bullet home step with 1 turn reload step, unless no cartridges are available, instead making the user able to circumvent rifling while loading, and enabling them to load the gun with a bayonet attached. Breeches reduce the effective range by a quarter and maximum range multiplier by 1.
Barrel-bayonet
Muskets and contemporary firearms can be equipped with a barrel-bayonet, disabling the loading of the gun (and the firing), and making it usable as a spear. This blade cannot cut. The musket is treated like a polearm with its usual malus, except the malus for a thrust is -1.
Bayonet
Muskets and contemporary firearms can be equipped with a bayonet, disabling the loading of the gun (not the firing), and making it usable as a spear. This blade cannot cut. The musket is treated like a polearm with its usual malus, except the malus for a thrust is -1.
Shot
When shot is fired, it hits the target as shrapnel from an explosion. Instead of piercing, they cause rasping damage, and have a +1 to accuracy within effective range, but their damage and accuracy beyond effective range drops 2x as fast as normal bullets.
Material Quality and Interactions
Armor Qualities
Generally, the material quality of armor or cover reduces the damage that would result from an unhindered impact. Armor may also have special qualities that render it immune to certain things. This quality may be due to construction, elemental qualities or sheer material thickness. Certain material thicknesses would be inadvisable to normal humanoids.
Flexible armor is generally never immune to piercing damage, but needs little tailoring to avoid hindering movement and can thus cover the insides of joints. Flexible armor however generally has a -1 malus to resisting piercing damage.
Solid armor is generally immune to cuts and piercing damage and gives an extra +1 protection against blunt damage.
Armor can also be bullet-proof, in which case it is immune to firearms outside of their effective range.
Armor can also be pistol-proof, making it immune to pistol fire and shot.
Armor also has a fit trait. For every person, a fit from 1-6 is given. Armor with a fit under 3 hinders movements and makes every limb being used covered by it cost 1 extra stamina point no matter what. A fit above 3 for metal or stiff armor reduces its effective weight by a ¼. Wearing ill fitting metal or stiff armor will cause sores on a 2d6 center check with a value of 4 – fit.
Fit can be improved by a relevant craftsman by their skill level / 2.
Certain kinds of armor cannot be made to fit, especially ones designed for different species.
If the weather is any kind of weather that is defined as hot, flexible and solid armor add +1 to stamina usage.
Solid armor, unless the weapon is armor piercing, deflects all strikes from opponent’s weapons as long as material quality is high enough. If the weapon is armor piercing, it only blocks damage.
Solid armor can never cover the inside of any joints unless specified, these can be covered by flexible armor. Such weak points include armpits, elbow pit, palm, wrist (unless hourglass gauntlets which may make them impervious to swings, but not thrusts, and give a +1 bonus to attempted grappling maneuvers on them (?move to hourglass gauntlet specific description?), groin, loins, eyes, and back of knee.
If solid armor covers the entire head except the face, thrusts to the face are unimpeded if positioning advantage is < 2. Every armor is usually at least weaker by 1 material quality (never less than 1) on the back of a character. A visor adds +1 to stamina usage for each turn if deployed and reduces the chance of thrusting the face to a 2d6 edge check equal in value to the opponent’s anti-armor fighting skill.
Common humanoid armor falls under these quality levels:
1: Fabric armor. This armor is often worn under other armors. This armor generally adds a +1 protection against to blunt damage if so. Immune to cuts from tiny and small blades.
2: Half-tanned or hardened leather (Extra -1 to piercing damage), thick fabric armor (cannot be worn under other armor), lamerllar bone armor and horn armor.
3: Mail
– Immune to cuts if the negative difference is < 3.
Scale, lamellar
Cannot cover inside of joints, but is comfortable to wear like flexible armor.
Bronze plate
Immune to cuts. Solid armor.
Brigandine
Immune to cuts. Solid armor.
4: Mild steel plate
Immune to cuts and piercing if not facing armor-piercing weapons.
5: Carbon-Steel Plate
Immune to cuts and piercing.
6: Magical material
Weapon Qualities
Generally, unless there are armor immunities, weapon qualities can cut through armor of lower quality and pierce armor of the same quality. If so, if it blocks a weapon, armor absorbs the damage that the weapon caused and passes any leftover damage down to the next armor layer or the body. If the armor is higher quality than the weapon, the weapon will have to roll for being damaged. Generally, when interacting with humanoid bodies, the material quality does not influence the damage at all, skill is the main determining factor.
Armor piercing is a trait certain weapons have that allow them to apply piercing damage to armor that would otherwise be immune to being damaged by them.
Examples:
1: Wood tipped spears, wicker shields.
2: Hide covered shields, flint or obsidian tipped spears, certain hardwood weapons.
3: Bronze or iron tipped spears, swords of same material, bronze plated or bronze shields.
4: Mild steel weapons, Rotella.
5.: Carbon steel weapons.
6.: Magical material.
Weapon Damage
When striking an armor or object higher quality levels than the weapon, the weapon has to roll on the weapon breaking table:
!Weapon breaking table: WIP!!!!!
Inventory
Inventory is mostly weight-based. Certain items can take up an extraordinary amount of space at little weight, but most of the time size and weight are closely correlated.
The base unit of weight is the equivalent of a bottle of water in a common volume unit equaling a common volume unit (unless otherwise specified), usually a pound of water is about 16 ounces in volume. Pounds and their like were far more commonly used in medieval times than kilograms and thus will be the main focus of this system.
In general, a standard set of medieval clothing for cold weather is 5 lb. Leather pouches can be hung from the belt. A lot of stuff was created ad hoc with carried or worn tools rather than carried wholesale.
These items provide inventory grids.
There will be an inventory grid depicting a character’s armor.
Armor receives half of its weight as an extra if it is not worn, but carried.
Supplies are usually measured in enough food to sustain a human for one day.