Swords & Sorcery

As a swords & sorcery player, expect a somewhat rawer "low fantasy" feel to the game. You and your fellow PCs are probably some variety of warrior, and magic ("sorcery") is usually a corrupting force generally in the hands of NPCs, especially sinister villains—it's more of a threat than a reliable tool for heroes. If you do choose to explore magic, you can expect it to take longer to pull off and for its effects to be less overt.

You'll face the aforementioned evil sorcerers and dark cults made up mostly of other humans, but with the occasional monstrous creature and sorcery-summoned demon thrown in. In a swords & sorcery adventure, you may have to rely more on yourself than on the good will of gods (who are mostly immoral, with little regard for humans). Rewards can include treasures like those found in dungeon fantasy games, but often include the simple satisfaction of saving the day and perhaps the adoration of those you liberated.

If you've read or watched Conan novels or movies or are familiar with Elric of Melnibone, you have a sense of the swords & sorcery genre. Skills: Refer to the Fantasy Skills table for a list of skills you can choose from when creating and advancing your character. Your choice of background skill, and possibly the extra skill you might getif you also choose a meaningfulinability, also come from the same list of genre skills. CharacterSpecies:Swords&sorcerysettingsusuallyfeaturemostlyHumansintheroleofheroes. Foci: The list of suggested swords & sorcery foci is more restricted than the larger list of dungeon

fantasy foci given that “low fantasy” settings are oneswhere magicis typically less pervasive. Perhaps other foci are also available in your game, but possibly only after your character has somehow proven themselves or unlocked amore overtlymagical possibilitythrough gameplay.

Suggested Foci for a Swords & Sorcery Game

Controls Beasts Doesn’t Do Much Entertains Explores FightsDirty Fights Unarmed Fights With Panache Howls at the Moon Hunts

Infiltrates Leads Masters Weaponry MovesLike the Wind Never Says Die Performs Feats of Strength Sneaks Through the Shadows Tends to the Wounded

Equipment: Refer to your type's suggested equipment bundle or theFantasy Equipment table for equipment you can choose from when creating yourcharacter and for options that might be available to your character when you have morecurrency to spend. Manifest Cyphers: These cyphers are usually in the form of herbs, charms, and tattoos. Wound Treatment: Treatment to remove a wound in a swords & sorcery setting takesone minute for a minor wound, ten minutes for a moderate wound, and one hour for a major wound.

Currency: The currency underlying price categories in a swords & sorcery setting usually features coinages minted from various valuable metals, including silver, copper, and gold. Background Options: Each type includes suggestions for your character’s background. Choose one or create your own. Genre Abilities for Your Fantasy Character: At tier 3, your fantasy character gains a mid-tier ability fromthelistofFantasyGenreAbilitiesattheendofthischapter,andattier6yougainahigh-tier ability from the same list. In addition, at tier 6, you can replace one of your mid-tier genre abilities with a

different mid-tier ability. See that section for additional stipulations that might affect your fantasy genre ability choice.

Swords & Sorcery Types

Archer Axe Fighter Barbarian (from dungeon fantasy) Knife Fighter Priest Sorcerer Sword Fighter Thief Two-WeaponFighter Witch

Creating Swords & Sorcery Characters

Beforechoosingatype,createyourcorecharacter,which(asaquickreminder)grantsthefollowing.

• 8 Might / 8 Speed / 8 Intellect
• 6 additional points to allocatein Might, Speed, and/or Intellect
• Capacity to take three minor / three moderate / threemajor wounds
• Effort: 1
• Cypher limit: 2
• Freely use light weapons
• Cannot freely use any armor
• Two genre skills
• One additional genre skill in exchange for an inability ina genreskill
• Starting equipment

Archer

You’re a War Arrow, a Hawkeye, a Death Whisper—or, as they sometimes callthose like you, an Archer. You down your foes from afar with whistling bolts, one shot after another, before they have a chance to close. Even when foes bite, hew, and curse you in turn, your steady hand and long experience wielding a bow in combat allow your aim to remain true. You excel at ranged support for your allies, or sometimes downing foes from afar before hostilities have a chance to truly begin. You’re also adept at watching over an area for your next target, protecting others in your band with the threat of your nocked arrow.

Background Options

• You bow-hunted as a child to feed your family when your single parent was hurt by raiders— raiders who later burned your family’s home to the ground, killing all but you.
• You won an archery contest a month ago despite allegations of cheating.
• You were stranded in aforlorn desert keep for years until rescued two months ago.
• You poached game from the royal forest to feed the starving (including yourself) until you were caught and served years in the dungeon. Recently, you escaped.
• You were part of an expedition to retrieve a sacred artifact that went missing here a year ago.
• A barbarian host saved your homeland from adragon about six months earlier.
• Every year a famed archery contest is held. One day you hope to enter and win it.
• You found a weird arrow in a swamp-choked ruin a couple of weeks ago.

Archer Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to taketwo more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+4 to Speed Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use light and medium weapons Freely use light armor Gainoneweaponofyourchoice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Expert Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such asswords, axes, orbows;orinabroadercategoryofattackssuchaslightbashingweapons,lightbladedweapons,light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on. At tier 2, you can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally. At tier 6, you can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in),but you must gain the skill normally. Enabler.

Overwatch (2 Speed): You use a ranged weapontotarget a limited area (such as a doorway, a hallway, or the eastern side of the clearing you’re in); as soon as a viable target entersthe area, you can attack them. This works like delaying, but you also negate any benefit the target would have from cover, position, surprise, range, illumination, or visibility. Your attack inflicts +1 damage. You can remain on overwatch as long as you wish, within reason. Alternatively, you canusethis ability against a target already in the limited area on your turn. Action.

Quick Draw (2 Speed): If you take down a foe with your medium or heavy ranged attack, you can immediately make another attack on thatsame turn against anew foe within short range as an extra action on your turn. Enabler.

[STARTBOX]

Archer EquipmentBundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A bow and quiver of24 arrows, appropriate clothing, a bag of light tools (which include tools for fletching arrows and extra bowstrings), a backpack, a bedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, a tent, a hand mirror, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Axe Fighter

When combat calls, your chosen weapon is a sturdy axe—maybe a handaxe, a battleaxe, or even a greataxe. Thus, they name you Deathhew, Axe Reaver, or maybe just what you are:an Axe Fighter. You’ve split many skulls with your axe, and if the gods continue to watchover you, many more will fall before you in the years ahead. Like others in your band, you’re ready for combat. You don’t mind if an ally gets in the first blow against cursed creatures you often face, because you knowyou’re more than capable of finishing the job withafinal,sunderingswingofyourblade.

Background Options

• Raised in a forest-boundvillage, you took up your axe to fight encroaching dire wolves.

• Six monthsago in a miasmatic jungle, you acquired a jade pommel for your axe.

• Last week you returned to a merchant’s home for payment but found them dead.

• Aclanwarrior,youwereexiledfromyourmountainoushomelandatage16forkilling(orat least being accused of killing) your best friend.

• A shrine to ancient, prehuman evils was discovered under your village a month ago.

• Your axe is scratched from countlessskirmishes during your years as a mercenary, but now you wish to pursue a new goal. You’re just not quite sure what.

• The monstrous troll head you mounted as a trophy disappeared last week.

• Your mother, who taught you the ways of the axe, went blind mysteriously a year ago.

Axe Fighter Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to takethree more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+4 to Might Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use all axes Freely use all armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Axe Hook (1 Might): This is an axe attack that relies on your axe’s “beard” (the portion of the blade directly below the axe’s cutting edge) to hook a target’s weapon or shield. A successful attack deals 2 less damage than normal but causes them to drop one or the other. To retrieve their weapon or shield, thetargetmustuseanaction. Alternatively, you can hook a limb to pull your target off balance. This attack deals 1 less damage

than normal but hinders your target’s tasks untilyour next turn. Action. Expert Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such asswords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on. At tier 2, you can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally. At tier 6, you can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in),but you must gain the skill normally. Enabler.

Split Skull (1 Might): You attack with an axe in a way that has a greater risk of making an errorbut gains an additionalbenefit. Your GM intrusion rangefor this attack increases by 2 (from 1 on a d20 to 1– 3 on a d20), but if you hit you can choose one of the following additionaleffects: Brute Force:The foe takes +2 damage. Head Trauma: The attack inflicts 1 less damage, but the foe’s actions are hindered until they use an action to recover. Action.

[!example]

Axe Fighter Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A greataxe and a handaxe, appropriate clothing, chainmail armor, a backpack, a bedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, a signal horn, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Barbarian (Swords & Sorcery)

The stats for a swords &sorcery Barbarian are the same as those for a dungeon fantasy Barbarian.

Knife Fighter

Adversaries(especiallythosewhoareswordtrained)oftenunderestimatesomeonearmedonlywith daggers. If they challengeyou, they learn their error when you flick a knife into their eye before they can

even draw their oversized weapons. Maybe you prefer to be called aQuicksteel or a Shank, like some of your fellow students of the dagger, but in the end, Knife Fighter describes whatyou areas expeditiously as a knifethrust. You’re probably one more combatant in your group, though your ability to be among the first in a conflict to draw blood gives your comrades cover as they make their own attacks. It’s especiallyuseful if you can pin a foe to the wall or floor for a moment, because that could signal your allies whothey shouldattacknext.

Background Options

• You first picked up a knife as a street urchin in a sprawlingcity. You learned to be motivated by simple survival.
• You were muscle on a job to con a wealthy merchant two weeks ago but never got paid.
• A horrific extradimensional entity started whispering to you a year ago, but youmostly ignore it.
• When your parents’ caravan was overrun, you spent years wandering treacherous wildlands with only a pet bear as your companion, until a hunter killed it.
• You and your sister joined a bandit gang; after she was killed a year ago, you left the life behind.
• Recently, the priest who took you in when you were orphaned diedof a mysterious illness.
• Yourecoveredaninlaidmetalchestfromtheoldruinsweeksagobutstillcan’tgetitopen.
• You were trained as an enforcer for a cutthroatgangand now want to retire from violence. However, the world leaves you no choice but to use your knife to survive.

Knife Fighter Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Abletotakethreemoreminorwoundsandonemoremoderatewound Add+4 to Speed Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use all knives Freely use light armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Expert Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such asswords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on. At tier 2, you can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally. At tier 6, you can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in),but you must gain the skill normally. Enabler.

Gut Ripper (1 Speed): You attack with a knife in a way that has a greater risk of making an error but gains an additionalbenefit. Your GM intrusion rangefor this attack increases by 2 (from 1 on a d20 to 1– 3onad20),butifyouhityoucanchooseoneofthefollowingadditionaleffects: Deep Slice: The foe takes +2 damage.

Let Them Bleed: The wound bleeds; on your next turn, the foe takes 2 damage that ignores Armor. Action.

Hindering Throw (3 Speed): Your successful ranged knife attack sticks in the target,catching in their clothing, their flesh, the floor, or another adjacent surface in a way that deals normal damage and hinders their tasks on their next turn. Action.

[!example]

Knife Fighter Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. Fivedaggers, appropriate clothing, a backpack, a bedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, a knife belt, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Priest

You propitiate the dark ones, ancient entities, or possibly a very real and present god who will punish youifyoufailtocontinuesingingtheirpraisesandofferingsacrifices.Butinreturnforyourworshipand idolatry, you can call upon their antediluvian aid, allowing you to manifest inexplicable powers to heal, enhance, cleanse, or punish. Your allies count on you to interpret strange dreams, identify lost gods and their works, heal and ward them against malign influences, and, when it matters most, stepinto a fight with your magic or weapon. You’ve journeyed long and far enough to know that the capacity to strike a foe downwith an axe or sword is just as much a blessing as magic, as long as thanks are given afterward.

Background Options

• Your natural carving talent wasso advanced that the gods noticedyou even as a child.
• A year ago another priest predicted you would soon die in a bloody, surprising manner.
• An idol you gave to a barbarian warlord was returned to you recently, bloodstained and hewn.
• A message from your father arrived a few weeks ago, demanding that you return to your homeland.
• Missionaries in an obscure faith raised you.Now you hope to spread the good word as far and wide as possible to grow your faith’s reach.
• You woke in a tomb this morning. You gotout but don’t remember how you got there.
• Last month you cast out a demon that was possessing a bandit. Their promised reward is still pending.
• You believe the gods keep claiming credit for your innate magical abilities.One day you hope tocutthemoutentirely,butuntilthen,yourepeattheirdogmastothegullible.

Priest Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to taketwo more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+3 to Intellect Pool Add+1 to Might Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use light and medium weapons Freely use light and medium armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Cypher Use: You can bear one additional cypher at a time. Enabler. Idol (3+ Intellect): At the conclusion of a ten-minute ritual, you createan idol that persists until its magic is exhausted. The idol could be asymbol etched in stone, a figurine woven from twigs, a small carving, or something similar.The idol must be set on a solidsurface with a nod towardbeing protected from the elements, such as being set in a tree hollow, at the base of a wall, or inside a structure. Effort: You can carry the idol with you. The idol’s holy connection to the ineffable provides yourchoice of one of the following fixed benefits. Whoever prays to the idol as their action gains this benefit whether you are present or not. The idolhasadepletionof1–2in1d6;rolleachtimeitgrantsitsbenefittosomeone.

BestialFury: The supplicant is infused with a latent spirit of bestial fury. The fury activates when the supplicant loses their temper or they choose to rouse it as an extra action on their turn.

When the fury emerges, the character visibly changes into a swollen, rage-filled version of themselves.Whilefurious,theycan’tspendIntellectpointsforanyreasonotherthantotrytoregain their composure. They attack any and every livingcreature within short range, rolling twice for each attack and taking the better result. The fury lasts until they use a ten-minute or longer recoveryor they use an action to succeed on a difficulty 2 Intellect task. When the supplicant reverts to normal, the physical toll of the change deals two moderate wounds. (A furious NPC supplicant is effectively one level higher andtakes 6 damage when the fury ends.) Healing: The severity of one of the supplicant’s wounds is reduced by one step. Spiritual Cleanse: The supplicant is freed from one curse, demonic possession,or similar spiritual affliction of level 5 or less. Ten minutes to initiate.

Retribution (1 Intellect): You call forth the powers of a deity to assail a foe within short range that you can see. If your Intellect attack hits, the target takes 3 damage; they are also marked with an obvious sign relating to that deity until you make a ten-minute or longer recovery. For example, if you call for the retribution of Thesk the Serpent Lord, the attack looks like ephemeral snakes twining around and biting your foe, and they are marked on their foreheador another obvious location with glowing fangsora snake’s head. At tier 3, the retribution increases to 5 damage. Lastaction.

[!example]

PriestEquipmentBundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own

starting equipment. A battleaxe, appropriate clothing, chainmail armor, a shield, a backpack, abedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, a book of prayers, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox,and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Sorcerer

You’re one of the rare few. You have the aptitude, inborn talent, and capacity to conferwith dark entities without losing your mind, allowing you to unlock and command magic. Most people gaze upon you with fear when they realize your abilities are not mere pageantry, butinstead the secrets of a forgotten age reborn in you. Whenyou open your inner eye, your mind expands, allowing you to see the unseen, bend others to your will, and lash their minds directly. Your magic is useful in a fight, especially since you don’t need to physically strike your foes to harm or sway them; however,you lean on others in your group to provide physical security lest you be overrun by mere force before you have a chance to shine. Outside a conflict, your deeper knowledge of ancient,sorcerousloremayspellthedifferencebetweenasuccessfulforayandanearlygrave.

Background Options

• When you woke from a ten-year coma as a young adult, you had your abilities but no memories of your past. Now you hope to recover them if possible.

• Rumors suggest the small kingdom where you were born fell to shadows a year ago.

• Youchangedyournameandlooksixmonthsagoafterbeingaccusedofnecromancy.

• The thieves’ guild sometimes contracts your servicesduring interrogations.

• Your grandmother had the sight too, until assassins ofthe crown killed her. So you try to keep your abilities hidden, biding your time until you can claim your revenge.

• You sometimes dream of a “smiling man” whosewhispers threaten madness.

• A monstrous alien species kidnapped you and performed strange tests on you, and when they released you, you had your abilities. You’re afraid they also may have changedyou inother ways that are still not apparent.

• You had a child who grew to adulthood, joined a war, and died three years ago.

Sorcerer Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to taketwo more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+4 to Intellect Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use light and medium weapons Freely use light armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Cypher Use: You can bear one additional cypher at a time. Enabler. OpenInnerEye(2+Intellectplus1minorwound):Afteraten-minuteritualthatconcludesbyyou or an ally puncturing your forehead with a blade (inflicting a minor wound), you can peer into the

spiritual realm until you use a ten-hour recovery. While yourinner eye is open, your perception tasks in physical reality are hindered, but you gain additional abilities. At tier 3, the time you need to activate the ritual is reduced to one minute and your perception tasks in the real world are no longer hindered. While your inner eye is open, you can useany ofthe following abilities, paying the Pool point cost for each use. Detect Spirit (2+ Intellect): Makean Intellect roll to scan for mental presences of living creatures and undead spirits within short range. You detect any such creature whose level is equal to or less than the level of your result. Barriers of higher level than the level of your result block this sense. Effort: Until your next turn you can pinpoint those presences in physical space. Action. Mindslice (1 Intellect): You mentally attack a target youcansee within short range, focusing your mind to blast their thoughts for 2 damage (ignores Armor). Creatures without minds (such as relatively mindless undead) might be immune. Action. Psychic Suggestion (2 Intellect): If you succeed on an Intellect attack against a creature with a mind, on their next turn they attempt one of the following actions that you specify: identify themself, say why they are present, close oropen a door or container, drop something or pick something up, move an immediate distance, pass something they’re holding to you, or just stand quietly and do nothing. Action. Ten minutes to activate (one minute to activate at tier 3 and higher).

[!example]

Sorcerer Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own startingequipment. A dagger, appropriate clothing, a book of lore, a backpack, a bedroll, incense (ten sticks), matchsticks (ten), a magnifying glass, three torches, two flasks of oil, rations and water for three days, and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Sword Fighter

In some lands, you’re known as a Swordsworn, a Steelhand, or a Blade Master. You don’t care about a showy name—you justprefer to fight with a sword. You’ve fought with your sword for thousands of hours while training, in war, on expeditions, and during desperate battles in forgotten placesof the world. Maybe you fight as a mercenary, for yourself,oraspart of a group of adventurers. As long as you’ve got your sword, nothing can withstand you. You are upfor a fight anytime, even when startled directly from sleep. Sword held high, you’re ready to protect your allies, even if that means drawing your foes’ attention. So be it; they’ll meet you at your sword’s edge.

Background Options

• Yougrewtoadulthoodasapitfighterwholivedbyyoursworduntilyouescaped,butyour former “employers” still hunt for you.

• Someweeks backyou rescued an ally from asorcerer’s enchanted tower.

• You racked up a considerable gambling debt a few months ago, still unpaid.

• Born into a royal house, you were disowned after too many reckless duels, but you hope to return oneday and seize your birthright.

• Your sibling was on a ship that disappeared on a journey across the misted sea last year.

• You fled the war, not because you were afraid to fight, but because you were press-ganged into service by the enemy force when you were young.

• The one who hired youtorecover an artifact died last month before the mission started.

• A cult of rat worshipers tried to kidnap your family last year, but you burned out their den.

Sword Fighter Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to takethree more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+2 to Might Pool Add+2 to Speed Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use all weapons Freely use all armor Gain one weapon of your choice Attier3andtier6,chooseanabilityfromtheFantasyGenreAbilitieslist

Combat Prowess: You add +1 damage to one type of weapon attack of your choice: melee weapon attacks or ranged weapon attacks. Enabler.

Expert Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such asswords, axes, orbows;orinabroadercategoryofattackssuchaslightbashingweapons,lightbladedweapons,light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on. At tier 2, you can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally. At tier 6, you can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in),but you must gain the skill normally. Enabler.

Swing Through (1 Speed): You attack with a sword in a way that has a greater risk of making an error but gainsan additional benefit. Your GM intrusion range for this attack increases by 2 (from 1 on a d20 to 1–3on a d20), but if you hit youcan choose oneof the following additional effects: Eat Steel: The foetakes +2 damage. Slice and Step: You reposition your foe or yourself an immediate distance away, easing your attack on your next turn (whether against that foe or a different one). Action.

[!example]

Sword Fighter Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A sword, appropriate clothing, chainmail armor, ashield, a backpack, a bedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, a crowbar, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.

Thief

You’ll cop to Thief, but you’realso a finagler, a swindler, and someone able to perform tricks that go beyond mere sleight of hand (or so you tell everyone). More importantly, you’re deadly with a blade when your tricks go wrong, but especially if you gain the drop on someone. You’re no hulking warrior— rather, your feline graceallows you to slip into and out of danger with nary a scratch. The same can’tbe saidofyourfoes. You prefer to let others in your band jump headlong into a fight, allowing you to bypass thethreat altogether, or perhaps deliver a decisive blow frombehind. You’re a natural when it comes to checking out new areas, disarming traps, and cracking open secure containers.

Background Options

• Yourparentssoldyoutothethieves’guildtopayoffdebts,butyouhopetofindthemone day and get the story from them.
• You’ve beenliving under a false identity for a year since a disastrous night of thievery.
• Twomonths ago you stole a fabulous jewelbut have since discovered it’s too hot to fence.
• Pursued by vengefulcultists sixmonths ago, you discovered a strange ruin in the forest.
• You came from a distant land and, unable to speak the language at first, learned to steal to live. You’re in a better place now but have some scores to settle.
• You killed a vile sorcerer two years ago, but now their child seeks vengeance.
• Your patron has an amazing, uplifting plan, but it requires alarge fortune to get off the ground, and thieving ishow you’vebeen helping to contribute.
• Lured by the promise of riches, you were lost in a labyrinth for months, only recently escaping.

Thief Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to taketwo more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+3 to Speed Pool Add+1 to Intellect Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use light and medium weapons Freely use light armor Gainoneweaponofyourchoice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Detect Traps (2+ Speed or Intellect): When you roll to find a trap and your roll is less than a 9, treat the roll as a 9. (This means you don’t get a GM intrusion if you roll a 1.) You retain your increased trap sensitivity until you use a ten-minute or longer recovery. Effort: Increase the minimum number rolled for this ability by 3. At tier 3, the minimum number rolledfor this ability increases to 12. Action.

Ferocious When Cornered: While you have at least three minor wounds, at leasttwo moderate wounds, or at least one major wound, you gain one free level of Effort you can apply to oneof your attacks each round. At tier 3, the benefit increases to two free levels of Effort. Enabler.

Sneak Attack (1 Speed):If you use a light weapontoattacka foe underone of the following conditions, your attack inflicts +5 damage. (This ability doesn’t work with medium or heavy weapons.)

• You attack with surprise.
• Anallyusestheiractiontoeaseyourattack.
• Your foe’s defenses are hindered due to some other ongoing direct distraction.
• Your foe is unable to take their next turn due to some disabling attack or situation. First action.

[!example]

ThiefEquipmentBundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A rapier, appropriate clothing, a bag of light tools (including lockpicks), a backpack, a bedroll,50 feet (16 m) of rope, an oilcan for quieting squeaky hinges, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currencyto buy a moderately priced item.

Two-Weapon Fighter

In some lands theycall you a Twin Fang; in others, a Blade Dancer. These and other names illustrate your fighting style. A weapon clutched in each hand, you crash into your foes, attacking as if two people in one body. You deal out death to monsters of the wild lands and dark places, enemies, and whoever choosestomatch themselvesagainst you. So far, you’ve been thevictor. Your weaponplay is among the most conspicuous in your group, so foes may be drawn to you over the otherwarriors in your band. That’s how you like it. You’re a bit more specialized than theyare, but that sacrifice in versatility means you’re doubly armed and ready to meet whatever the fates throw your way.

Background Options

• You learned your deadly skills guarding a ruthless crime lord.When they were slain anyway, their lover put a price on your head that you’re still running from.
• You were hired to steal a fabled jewel a year agobut never found a map to its crypt.
• Chained against your will on a trader’s galley, you escaped, reaching land a month ago.
• Your clan taught you the dance oftwo weapons, but they expect you to return one day to teach it to another aspirant.
• A year ago afrost giant killed your band of adventurers, leaving you the only survivor.
• You rescued the prince frombandits a month ago, and people now recognize you in the street.
• You were raised as an indentured miner until you and your gang fought your way to freedom. You’re still hunting down remnants of your former “employers” as you can.
• Almost a year ago you learned that one of your parents, a general, was part of a secret conspiracy.

Two-Weapon Fighter Abilities

You gain all of the following benefits: Able to takethree more minor wounds and one more moderate wound Add+2 to Might Pool Add+2 to Speed Pool Add+1EdgeinPoolofyourchoice Freely use light and medium weapons Freely use light and medium armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

DualWield:Youcanusetwolightmeleeweaponsatthesametimeoronelightmeleeweaponand one medium melee weapon at the same time. You can make an attack with eitherone as your action, then attack with the other weaponasan extra action on your turn. At tier 3, you can choose to use two medium melee weapons at the same time. Enabler.

Expert Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such asswords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on. At tier 2, you can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally. At tier 6, you can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in),but you must gain the skill normally. Enabler.

Weapon Switch: As an extra action on your turn, you change up which weapons you’re holding in each hand. This might entail swapping your left and right weapons, sheathing them and drawing new ones,flippingandcatchingoneorbothofthem,droppingonetoswitchtoatwo-handedgrip,or something similar. This maneuver is so startling, unexpected, and impressive that your next attack is

eased by two steps. Once you use this ability, you can’tuseit again until after your next recovery. Enabler.

[!example]

Two-Weapon Fighter Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A sword, a saber, a dagger, appropriate clothing, chainmail armor, a backpack, a bedroll, 50 feet (16 m) of rope, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox, and enough extra currency to buy a moderatelypriced item.

Witch

You are a master of potions, using herbs, minerals, and even bits and pieces such as frog eyes and dragon scales as your metaphorical canvas and paint. When you work with these materials to brew potions,youimagineandcreatenewsubstancesimbuedwithwondrousandmagicaleffects.Butyour magical talents extend beyond potioncraft—youcan call down curses on your foes with very real effects and, depending on your choices as you continue to study and explore, eventually learn all manner of other spells.

You are one of the most versatile members of your group, given that you can brew a potion for almostanyneed—healing,hiding,empowering,orstraight-upblasting.Whenfacingconflict,youprefer to let others take the brunt, but you’re not inexperienced when it comes to weapons, and can give as good as you get if the need arises.

Background Options

• You suffered demonic possession for years but finally cast them out, and now you do what you can to fix all theharms you wrought.
• A reclusive crone raised you, claiming she found you alone in the woods as a babe, though you’ve always been suspicious that there was more to the story.
• Weird glyphs appeared etched onthe cliffs last week; you’ve seen them before in your dreams.
• When enemiesoverran your homeland, you swore dark oaths to obtain your witchcraft. Eventually, however, the soul debt youowe will come due.
• You cursed a noble aftertheir carriage splashed you last week, and now they’redead.
• Creatures from a distantstar seeped down and destroyed a nearby village three months ago.
• Raised by healers, you’ve always tried to further your parents’ craft, though sometimes what you can do surprises even you.
• Unexpectedly, a potion you brewed last week transformed into an albino bat and flew away.

Witch Abilities

Yougainallofthefollowingbenefits: Able to taketwo more minor wounds and one more moderate wound

Add+3 to Intellect Pool Add+1 to Speed Pool Add+1 Edge in Pool of your choice Freely use light and medium weapons Freely use light armor Gain one weapon of your choice At tier 3and tier 6, choose anability fromthe Fantasy Genre Abilities list

Brew Potion: You brew a potion. You can choose its effect from the low-power manifest cypher table. Your brewed potion cypher counts toward your cypher limit (or to anyone yougive the potion to), plus the allowance granted by Potion Cyphers. If you arealready at your cypher limit, your choice of one of your current cyphers loses its magic so you can have the new potion cypher. At tier 3, you can choose a low or medium-power manifest cypher as your brewedpotion. At tier 6, you can choose a low, medium-, or advanced-power manifest cypher as your brewed potion. Ten minutes to brew.

Evil Eye (1+ Intellect): You make thesign of the evil eye, targeting a creature within short range with your Intellect attack. On a success, they are afflicted bya spirit of misfortune for about a day. During this

period, the GM afflicts them by introducing (or intruding, if against a PC) inconvenient events such as tripping,losinganitem,missinganappointment,andsoon. Effort: Increase the misfortune duration so it lasts until you use a ten-hour recovery. Inflict 2 Intellect damage per level of Effort on a successful attack (in addition to the misfortune aspect of the ability). At tier 3, you can use twolevels of Effort to make the misfortune permanent; it is a level 4curse for the purpose of abilities that remove afflictions. Lastaction. PotionCyphers: You can bear two additional cyphers at a time as long as they are cyphersyou created with Brew Potion. Enabler.

[!example]

Witch Equipment Bundle

Choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment. A quarterstaff, a dagger, appropriate clothing, a bag of light tools (including basic potion ingredients and brewing tools), a backpack, a bedroll, a book of lore, three torches, rations and water for three days, a tinderbox,and enough extra currency to buy a moderately priced item.