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By This Axe 7.30.2021
By This Axe 7.30.2021
By This Axe 7.30.2021
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Those early role-playing experiences relied almost entirely upon the participants’ sense of fair play and their willingness
to share the spotlight. Unfortunately, when questions of action and interaction occurred, there were few concrete rules in
place that could help solve disagreements. Therefore, extended character development and a sense of continuity were
nearly impossible to achieve.
While today’s role-playing games can inspire the same sense of joy we had as we played make-believe in our backyards,
they also provide clear guidelines for the development and play of characters in nearly infinite settings and situations.
Moreover, most of these games ensure that play is monitored, guided, and refereed by an impartial player—the Game
Master or GM. It is the responsibility of this individual to create a basic outline or skeleton for an adventure and then
engage the players in completing the objectives of that mission. In essence, the GM describes the setting, plays the parts
of all personas the players' characters encounter, adjudicates rules ambiguities, and generally works to ensure that all the
participants have fun. Players state their characters’ actions in relation to what the GM describes, roll any dice requested
by the GM, and try to act the part of the player characters they have created—in fact, many role-playing games reward
players for good acting. What follows is an example of what the “cops and robbers” encounter described previously
might look like when played out in a fantasy role-playing game, such as By This Axe:
GM: (Speaking to the two players) Okay, the two of you dismount from your horses and begin moving down the muddy
alleyway on foot. You have already told me that you have drawn your swords and are prepared for combat. Is there
anything else I need to know?
Player One: Bruk (Player One’s character) will stay close to the alley wall and scan the rooftops to either side.
Player Two: Ok, and I—I mean Acos (Player Two’s character)—will watch the corners up ahead for any sign of
movement.
GM: You are approximately 15 yards into the alleyway when (rolls dice and consults the characters’ Observation skill
levels) Acos hears sloshing footsteps from behind him.
Player Two: Acos spins around, sword raised, and simultaneously drops into a combat crouch! He shouts, “Hold there,
brigand!”
GM: There is a rumble of thunder and a brilliant lightning flash as Acos spins around; the momentary illumination reveals
a lone figure standing at the entrance to the alleyway. The man is holding what appears to be a drawn bow, and he
immediately fires the weapon; in fact, Acos barely gets to the words “Hold there” when there is a wicked “thwack” from
the bowstring. (The GM rolls dice…) Make a roll against Acos’s Dodge skill but remember to subtract two levels from
the rolled degree because you are trying to dodge an arrow.
GM: Hmmm. Not pleasant. The brigand hits Acos with a rolled degree of Superb, meaning your character takes +4 more
damage from the attack; therefore, Acos is struck squarely in the chest by the bolt and crumples to the ground. He is
incapacitated.
GM: I am glad you reminded me! Ok, the shirt adds +1 to his Defensive Damage Factor, so Acos is only Very Hurt.
Player Two: Whew! That beats being out of the fight. Can I charge the bowman?
GM: You cannot charge because you dodged, but you move as quickly as you can toward him. Your injury slows you a
bit, but you will be within two yards of him at the end of the combat round.
Player One: What about Bruk? Is it my turn? Does he see the bowman, too?
And so on…
Battlemat or Battleboard: A GM may choose to provide players with visual representations of the action taking place
during adventures. Such representations might take the form of quick sketches drawn on paper, or they might involve the
use of a detailed battlemat or battleboard—a mapping surface specifically designed for use in role-playing games. Most
of these boards and mats are marked with hexagons or squares of various sizes as an aid to spatial visualization, a
particularly helpful adjunct when miniatures are used. For purposes of this game, we assume each square or hex is two
yards across.
Campaign: A series of thematically connected adventures that generally involve the same group of characters. For
example, the campaign could focus upon restoring freedom to a conquered kingdom. The various adventures within the
campaign might include spying on the enemy, locating an ancient and powerful artifact that can aid the heroes, raising
an army, sneaking into the necromancer’s lair to recover the rightful heir to the throne, etc.
Death: Characters, both player and non-player, can be killed during a role-playing game. This death may or may not be
permanent, depending upon the genre of the game, available resources, and GM fiat. If a player’s character should die,
the player in question will usually have to generate a brand-new character to continue playing.
Die Roll or Dice Roll: Whenever there is a question as to the outcome of any action undertaken by a character or creature
in a role-playing game, one or more dice are rolled to determine the outcome. In By This Axe, four Fudge dice, henceforth
referred to as 4dF, are rolled and totaled to achieve this.
Experience: Role-playing games often gauge the success of characters’ actions through the awarding of experience points
that are used to improve a character’s attributes, skills, and other traits. By This Axe is no different in this regard; it uses
Advancement Points and Fudge Points to reward innovative and successful play.
Game Master: Also called a GM, this is the player who takes on the responsibilities of creating adventures and guiding
the other players in their efforts to accomplish the tasks set before their characters. The GM should be fair and impartial
and possess a solid knowledge of the game’s rules.
Non-Player Character: Also called an NPC, this is any make-believe persona created and played by the GM.
Player Character: Also called a PC, this is any make-believe persona created by a player and played over the course of
one or more adventures.
Run: This verb is used to describe the process of a GM conducting a role-playing session for his players. For example,
“Tonight Marcus is going to run us on an adventure.” Alternatively, the acronym GM can be used to describe much
the same activity. For example, “Tonight Marcus is going to GM an adventure for us.”
Traits: These are the various qualities possessed by any creature or character in a role-playing game. In By This Axe,
traits are further classified as attributes, skills, gifts, faults, and powers.
About Fudge
Fudge is a roleplaying game written by Steffan O’Sullivan, with extensive input from the Usenet community of
rec.games.design and other online forums. The core rules of Fudge are available free on the Internet at
http://www.fudgerpg.com and other sites. Fudge was designed to be customized, and it may be used with any gaming
genre. Fudge game masters and game designers are encouraged to modify Fudge to suit their needs, and to share their
modifications and additions with the Fudge community.
Product Identity
Any elements of the proprietary setting, including but not limited to capitalized names, organization names, characters,
historic events, and organizations; any and all stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, maps, documents within
the game worlds, quotes from characters or documents, and dialogue constitute product identity.
1.6 Dedication
This book is dedicated to the Games and Booze Crew—Brandon, Dimitri, Forrest, Gil, Grace, Griffin, Mason, Steve,
and Ted—for putting up with me and bringing much fun to our gaming table. It is also dedicated to Steffan O’Sullivan,
Ann and Paul Dupuis, and all the Fudge fans out there who know a great game system when they meet it. Finally, By
This Axe is dedicated to the greatest sword and sorcery author of all time—there is no substitute.
2.1 Traits
All characters, creatures, and objects are described in terms of one or more traits; essentially, a trait is anything that
describes the subject in some way. Traits are broken down into five different categories: Attributes, Skills, Gifts, Faults,
and Powers. All attributes and skills are further defined by quantitative adjectives and associated numerical values that
span a Nine-Point scale. That scale is presented below, along with illustrative examples.
Whenever the rules state that a trait’s level should be added to a die roll or to another value, the numerical value of the
trait is what is being indicated. If the rules require a bonus or penalty in levels to be applied to a trait, simply find that
trait on the Nine-Point Fudge Scale and move up or down the indicated number of levels.
Example: Brul swings his axe at a charging foe and hits. He must add his Might level to the weapon’s base damage.
With Might: Great, Brul adds +2 to the damage total. If Brul later drinks a magic potion that increases his Might by
one level, he will have Might: Superb for the duration of its effect.
Gifts, faults, and powers are not usually defined on the Nine-Point Fudge Scale because they are abilities that one either
possesses or does not. For example, a character either has Combat Reflexes or they do not. Of course, there are a few
exceptions that follow the Nine-Point Fudge Scale or some other numerical hierarchy, and these will be explained later.
2.2 Attributes
All living beings are defined by six attributes that each fall somewhere on the Nine-Point Fudge Scale: Mettle, Might,
Move, Senses, Smarts, and Spine. Each of these attributes begins at a default level of Fair. Note: Inanimate objects or
animated creatures may lack one or more of these traits, as indicated in their descriptions.
Mettle: This trait is an indicator of the stamina, general fitness, and overall constitution of the subject; it plays a large
role in determining how much damage they can endure and whether they resist illness, intoxication, and poisoning.
Might: A measurement of the raw physical force that the subject can exert, it plays a large role in the damage they can
cause in combat and determines how much they can lift and carry.
Move: This trait represents the coordination, dexterity, flexibility, speed, and accuracy of the subject’s movements.
Senses: This attribute defines the acuity of the subject’s five senses and ability to accurately interpret various stimuli.
Smarts: This trait serves as an indicator of the subject’s intellect, knowledge, education, memory, and common sense.
Spine: This attribute measures the subject’s determination, mental toughness, and animal magnetism. It is particularly
important for determining whether an individual can resist magical effects and mental hardships.
A few skills have No Default (marked ND), and these cannot be employed without at least minimal initial training. When
acquiring No Default skills, the first skill bump (during character generation) or Advancement Point spent (after play
begins) provides the character with a starting skill level equal to the normal default for that skill difficulty. Such skills
can then be improved normally from that point forward.
When a character attempts to perform a feat for which no skill applies, the GM should permit the player to roll against
an applicable attribute. For example, if Hrukk the Hirsute attempts to lift the heavy portcullis that bars the entrance to a
fortress, the GM should have the player roll against Hrukk’s Might attribute.
The following list of skill descriptions is not exhaustive; GMs should add, modify, or delete skills as they wish.
Acrobatics (Hard): A character with this skill can perform impressive balancing, tumbling, and aerobatic feats. If a player
desires, their character may use this skill in lieu of the Dodge skill.
Art (Default Varies)(Specify Type): Each Art skill enables a character to produce works of art in a specific medium or
style of performance, be it Acting (Average), Singing (Average), Painting (Hard), Drawing (Hard), Dancing (Average),
Sculpting (Hard), Writing Music (ND: Hard), Playing an Instrument (ND: Hard), Storytelling (Average), etc.
Athletics (Average): This is an “umbrella” skill covering basic physical activities, such as climbing, jumping, swimming,
throwing (non-weapons), etc.
Axe, One-Handed (Average): A character with this skill can capably wield one-handed axes and picks. This skill applies
to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Axe, Two-Handed (Average): A character with this skill can capably wield two-handed axes and picks. This skill applies
to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Bow (Average): This skill allows a character to employ all manner of hand-drawn bows. Note: A character’s Might
attribute does factor into the determination of their Offensive Damage Factor with a bow because a stronger character
likely uses a bow with a heavier pull.
Brawl (Easy): This skill permits a character to engage in old-fashioned street fighting, a combination of punching,
grappling, kicking, and other more vicious combat maneuvers. Furthermore, an individual with Brawling skill can use
impromptu weapons to increase the damage caused; a broken chair leg, a chain wrapped around a fist, a truncheon, a
broken bottle, a small knife, and many other items can be employed in this manner. This skill applies to both attack and
defense.
Con (Average): A character with this skill is adept at cheating others through sundry schemes, deceptions, lies, and fast
talk. Highly skilled conmen can live quite comfortably on the naiveté and kindness of others.
Conceal (Average): This is the ability to conceal objects or individuals by disguising them or placing them out of sight;
it can be equally useful in both urban and wilderness settings. Note: This skill requires much more time to employ than
Sneak, but it can also be more effective in thwarting efforts to discover what has been hidden.
Dagger (Average): A character with this skill can capably wield all manner of knives and daggers. This skill applies to
both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Disguise (Hard): A character with the disguise ability can alter a person’s appearance sufficiently to avoid detection.
Attempts to disguise an individual as a specific person will require a greater level of action difficulty (GM discretion).
Dodge (Average): Anyone can attempt to avoid large, slow objects and feeble blows, but a character with this skill has
made evasion an art form. A character may use Dodge skill against melee weapons or missile attacks, but device-launched
missiles (arrows, quarrels, sling stones, etc.) and attack spells incur a -2 penalty to avoid them. Furthermore, a character
cannot dodge blows they do not see coming. A character who employs the Dodge skill during a combat round can take
no other actions that round, but they can move up to their Pace.
Escape (Hard): A character with this skill knows various tricks, ploys, and maneuvers that can aid escape from all sorts
of restraints, be it chains, manacles, ropes, etc.
Evaluate Goods (Average): A character with the Evaluate Goods skill can recognize the worth of all manner of goods.
GMs should feel free to apply action modifiers when assessing common or rare items.
Evaluate Opponent (Average): A character with this skill can estimate the general capabilities, toughness, and fighting
style of a foe before engaging them in combat.
Fencing (Average): This skill permits a character to employ any type of lightweight, finesse blade—foil, rapier, epee,
etc. This skill applies to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
First Aid (Average): This is the ability to treat injuries in the manner of a battlefield medic. Treating a vastly different
species may require a separate skill or incur a penalty to the First Aid attempt. A character can attempt a single First Aid
skill roll for each separate wound they are treating; the difficulty level of each roll is based upon the severity of the wound
in question. If the First Aid roll is successful, then the wound being treated is reduced by one level in severity. No single
wound can ever be reduced in severity more than once by the application of First Aid.
Haggle (Average): A character with this skill can effectively negotiate over the prices of goods bought and sold; however,
they must also have knowledge of their actual value to avoid losing money in the exchange.
Intimidate (Average): This skill reflects the character’s ability to frighten others into compliance. This form of persuasion
always requires a threat of harm, be it physical or otherwise, and it is likely to leave its victims seeking revenge.
Knowledge (ND: Varies)(Specify Type): Knowledge of an academic nature, be it Accounting (Hard), Area Knowledge
(Average), Heraldry (Hard), Tactics (Hard), Language (Varies), Literacy (Varies), Occult Lore (Average), History
(Average), Geography (Average), Navigation (Hard), etc.
Leadership (Average): This skill is the ability to give orders and have them obeyed. Those with particularly high
Leadership scores can inspire tremendous devotion in their followers.
Ride (Average): This is the ability to control and properly care for an
equine mount, be it horse, mule, donkey, or a related breed. It is
important to note that a character fighting from horseback can never
use a weapon at a skill level greater than their Ride. At the GM’s
discretion, this skill can be purchased separately for other types
of mounts.
Sling (Hard): This skill allows a character to employ any type of sling
as a missile weapon.
Staff (Average): This skill permits a character to use the quarter staff, battle
staff, and other similar weapons. This skill applies to both attack and
defense with weapons of this type.
Sneak (Average): This is the ability to move noiselessly and unseen if conditions exist to make such movement possible.
The GM will set the action difficulty level of any Sneak feat and may also provide bonuses or penalties to a character’s
skill level as need and circumstance dictate. For example, being dressed entirely in black while moving about in the
shadows might be worth a +1 bonus to Sneak skill.
Spear, One-Handed (Average): This skill permits a character to use all varieties of one-handed spears. This skill applies
to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Spear, Two-Handed (Average): This skill permits a character to use all varieties of two-handed spears and pikes. This
skill applies to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Survival (Easy or Average)(Specify Type): This skill permits a character to survive in one of many different
environments, be it jungle, polar, desert, mountains, forests, plains, or urban. A character with this skill will be able to
find sufficient resources to sustain their own life, but ongoing survival may be very difficult in particularly hostile
locations. Survival skill for the character’s home environment is Easy but all others are of Average difficulty.
Sword, One-Handed (Average): This skill permits a character to use any one-handed sword effectively. This skill applies
to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Sword, Two-Handed (Average): This skill permits a character to use any two-handed sword effectively. This skill applies
to both attack and defense with weapons of this type.
Throw Axe (Average): This skill permits a character to accurately throw all varieties of axes weighted specifically for
this purpose. This skill does not encompass the ability to attack and defend with such weapons in melee combat.
Throw Dagger (Average): This skill permits a character to accurately throw all varieties of daggers weighted specifically
for this purpose. This skill does not encompass the ability to attack and defend with such weapons in melee combat.
Throw Spear (Average): This skill permits a character to accurately throw all varieties of spears weighted specifically
for this purpose. This skill does not encompass the ability to attack and defend with such weapons in melee combat.
Track (Average): This skill permits a character to follow man or beast by the residual evidence of its passing. This is not
a superhuman ability; it requires reasonable circumstances to be successful.
Veterinarian (Average): This is the First Aid skill for animals. Particularly rare species or magical creatures will require
a separate skill or incur a penalty to the Veterinarian attempt.
Worship (ND: Average)(Specify Deity): This skill reflects a character’s knowledge of the rituals and prayers necessary
to please an immortal; it is also a measure of their relationship with that particular god.
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Ally: A character with an Ally has a loyal friend who will provide aid in times of need. Of course, logic must dictate how
and when the assistance can arrive. An ally should be roughly as competent as the character, but a group of less competent
individuals could also serve in this role.
Ambidexterity: This gift permits a character to use either hand with equal facility, a particularly helpful ability when they
have suffered a severe injury to a weapon arm or when they wish to employ two weapons simultaneously. A character
with this trait ignores the –2 penalty for using a skill with his off-hand.
Animal Empathy: This gift permits a character to determine the emotional state of non-sentient creatures. Natural animals
will react positively toward an empathic character unless provoked.
Attractive: A character with this gift is considered beautiful or handsome by members of their own species. This can
provide them with a +1 bonus (GM discretion) on a variety of die rolls, particularly those related to communication skills.
A +1 bonus can also be applied to situational rolls to determine others’ reaction to an attractive individual. This gift can
create problems for a character, especially if members of the opposite sex cannot take “no” for an answer.
Authority: This gift reflects an individual’s authority over others in some capacity: legal, military, religious, etc.
Authority permits a character to give orders to those of their Status and lower, and they may be permitted to mete out
justice when necessary. A player selecting this gift should work with the GM to determine what this Authority
encompasses and why the character has been so empowered. Some positions bearing Authority in By This Axe include
Road Warden, City Watchman, Lochagos (Hoplite Commander), Politeia, Chief Priest, Inquisitor, Magistrate, Headman,
Tax Collector, etc.
Beautiful Voice: A character with this gift has a particularly attractive voice that greatly enhances their verbal
communication skills. The GM may apply a +1 bonus on verbal communication skill rolls attempted by this character,
depending upon circumstance and audience. A +1 bonus can also be applied to die rolls to determine others’ reaction to
this individual, but only if they speak.
Combat Reflexes: An individual with this gift is never caught flat-footed in combat and reacts to danger much more
readily than most people. The GM may permit a bonus on relevant skill and attribute checks for this character.
Furthermore, when facing multiple opponents in melee, the character with Combat Reflexes takes -1 to their attack and
defense for every two additional enemies faced. Thus, when facing only two opponents, the character is not penalized!
Contacts (Specify Type): The character has one or more contacts in useful positions, and these individuals will generally
supply information or minor aid if asked. The nature of the contacts should be defined when this gift is selected and may
include city guardsmen, military personnel, craftsmen, or even members of the royal court.
Cool: A character with this gift never panics, overreacts, or loses their calm and collected outward appearance. At GM
discretion, this gift can provide up to a +1 bonus to a wide variety of Spine tests, including those required to resist spell
effects.
Danger Sense: This gift provides a character with an opportunity for a Senses action roll prior to encountering dangerous
situations. The difficulty of this action and the nature of the situations covered by this gift are left to the GM’s discretion.
This gift simply alerts a character to approaching danger—it does not identify its source.
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Direction Sense: A character with this gift has an unerring sense of direction and never becomes lost, even when
underground.
Empathy: A character with this gift has a natural affinity with sentient creatures and can sense their emotional state with
uncanny accuracy. This gift usually provides a +1 bonus to communication actions.
Famous: A character with this gift has attained fame and respect for their deeds, traits, or something else—the player
and GM should collaborate to determine the source. The character whose identity is known receives a +1 bonus to social
interactions.
Favors: One or more people owe favors to a character with this gift. The GM and the player should work together to
determine the origin and magnitude of each debt.
Flexible: A character with this gift is capable of incredible bodily contortions and gains a +1 bonus to all Escape die
rolls, Acrobatics rolls, and other actions dependent upon flexibility.
Green Thumb: A character with this gift has an incredible knack for planting, tending, and nurturing all manner of
flowers, trees, vines, grasses, crops, and other verdure. Plants under their care grow at the maximum natural rate and
become exquisite examples of their kind.
Heightened Senses: A character with this gift gains a +1 bonus to Observation rolls and other relevant trait tests at GM’s
discretion.
High Pain Threshold: A character with this gift does not suffer the same debilitating effects that ordinary people do
when injured. An individual with High Pain Threshold incurs no penalty to trait rolls when Hurt and only takes a -1
penalty when Very Hurt.
Lucky: Most characters begin their careers with five Fudge Points; however, a Lucky character begins with six.
Furthermore, they always begin each new session with at least one Fudge Point.
Magic Resistant (L): Each level of this gift provides a character with a +1 bonus to all die rolls made to avoid the effects
of magic; however, a character with this gift can consciously permit a spell to take hold.
Night Vision (L): A character with this gift can see in all but absolute darkness just as well as someone with normal
vision can see during the day. Certain creatures and various species have a more powerful form of night vision that
permits them to see in absolute darkness. Purchasing the Night Vision gift a second time will provide a character with
this enhanced ability.
Patron: This gift provides a character with a patron who provides reasonable resources and support in exchange for
service. A patron can take many forms, such as a mentor, an employer, a religious group, a government, a king, the
Thieves’ Guild, etc. GMs should feel free to use patrons as springboards to adventures or as plot complications. A
character can have more than one patron by selecting this gift repeatedly; however, this might create a conflict of interests.
Perfect Timing: A character with this gift has an internal clock that is as accurate as a modern watch. This provides a +1
bonus to various trait rolls when timing is especially important for determining the success.
Peripheral Vision: This gift permits a character to see into his periphery far better than most people, making it very
difficult for enemies to gain advantage by attacking from the flank. A character with this gift may act normally against
flanking foes, and they get no bonus to their attacks for advantageous position.
Pet (Specify): The character has a highly intelligent mundane creature—no dragons, griffons, etc.—that serves loyally in
any capacity such a creature is capable. If this pet is killed or otherwise lost, it can be replaced without the further
expenditure of APs, but the GM may require the character to seek out and train a new, suitable pet.
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Scale (L)(Specify Type): Scale is a useful numerical tool for comparing the mass and movement traits of different species.
It is usually defined as Mass Scale or Speed Scale, and human beings are considered the benchmark for both
measurements—meaning that they are Mass Scale: 0 and Speed Scale: 0. Nonhuman characters and exceptional humans
may have different mass and speed scales; and with the GM’s consent, a player may increase or decrease a character’s
mass and speed traits. Each level of mass scale increase costs six Advancement Points, and each level of decrease is
worth six Advancement Points. Each level of Speed scale increase costs three APs, and each level of decrease is worth
three APs.
If a creature is large but not particularly strong, the GM can provide it with a limited form of Mass Scale that does not
increase Might-related functions. Each level of this limited Scale increase would only cost only three APs each. If a
creature is much stronger than its mass would indicate, then the GM should simply increase its Might trait. Remember,
the GM is always the final arbiter on how much a creature or character’s scale scores can be modified.
A creature’s Mass Scale value modifies its Might score, Offensive Damage Factor (ODF), and Defensive Damage Factor
(DDF) because bigger combatants are stronger, hit harder, and absorb more damage. Mass Scale should never be added
to a creature’s Mettle for purposes of resisting disease, drowning, etc.
Example: Brom is a massive barbarian with Might: Great and Mass Scale: +1. Because he is Mass Scale: +1, his
Might is treated as though it were Superb (Great +1), his Broadsword damage increases from ODF: 5 to ODF: 6, and
his defense improves from DDF: 2 to DDF: 3.
A character’s Speed Scale is not usually applied as a modifier to their attribute or skill actions, but it is important for
determining their movement rate. Add Speed Scale to a character’s Move value and consult the Movement Table above
to determine that individual’s Pace and Run values. Movement is further explained in Chapter IV: Combat.
At GM discretion, a target’s scale can also modify an attacker’s weapon skill rolls when attacking with missile weapons.
The modification will normally be equal to one-half of the scale number, rounded to the value nearest zero.
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Although scale is most used to equate differences in mass and speed, GMs should feel free to apply it to other attributes.
Furthermore, GM’s may use various nomenclature rather than numerical values. For example, a dog may possess Smarts:
Terrible (Scale: -3) when compared to its human masters, but it might have Smarts: Fair when compared to other dogs.
In this case, a GM could indicate this with a denotation of Smarts: Fair (Canine), where the term “canine” indicates the
scale of measurement being used.
Status (L)(Specify Type): This gift indicates a character’s position in society, and it is measured on the Nine-Point Fudge
Scale. Normal characters automatically have a default Status of Fair, making them the equivalent of commoners. By
purchasing one or more levels of this gift, a player can improve their character’s social standing and relative influence.
Usually, this also improves their material wealth, as the two are not usually separate from one another. There are
exceptions to this rule, though, such as wealthy farmers, poor noblemen, destitute merchants, etc. A player can also take
Status as a fault by decreasing their character’s social position by one or more levels; each level of decrease counts as an
additional fault. It is important that GM’s remind players from time to time of the stratified nature of medieval society.
The ancient world is a place where birth and position can make all the difference in a character’s career, and those of
lower status should always be made to feel inferior by those of higher status. Movement upward through the social strata
is generally rare, but people sometimes find ways to improve their lives. The GM should feel free to apply a character’s
Status level as a modifier to relevant trait and situational rolls.
Sweep: This gift permits a character with a suitable, two-handed weapon to strike a second engaged target during a
combat round without penalty to attack or the weapon’s ODF.
Total Recall: This gift allows a character to recall instantly and precisely anything they have read, heard, or seen. This
gift usually provides a +1 bonus to any action that could benefit from a flawless memory. However, Magic Schools are
excluded from receiving this benefit due to their intuitive natures.
Tough: The character with this gift may add +1 to their Defensive Damage Factor (DDF). At GM discretion, certain
creatures and non-humans may be able to purchase additional levels of this gift, each adding another +1 to DDF.
Two-Fisted Fighter: The character with this gift is expert in the use of two weapons in combat. They fight using the
lower of the two weapons’ skills, but if the character attacks successfully, both weapons strike home. Remember, both
attack and defense still take a -2 penalty if the dual-wielding character does not have the Ambidexterity gift.
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If a power logically requires a skill to use it efficiently, that skill must be bought separately. For example, the superpower
Flight allows a character to fly, and usually no skill roll is needed. But the ability to make intricate maneuvers in close
combat without slamming into a wall requires a roll against a Flying skill. Of course, the GM may ignore this and simply
say that no roll is needed for any flying maneuver with a Flight power.
The following powers are those most common to By This Axe, but
this is not intended to be an exhaustive list. GMs are encouraged to
add additional powers to their games. Only NPCs may possess these
powers unless the GM decrees otherwise.
Magical Aptitude: Those with the ability to harness and channel magical energies are often referred to as wizards, magi,
conjurers, sorcerers, or witches. To become one of these rare and mighty individuals, a character must possess the Magical
Aptitude superpower. While the Magical Aptitude power does permit a character to gather and focus magical energy, the
would-be spell caster must attain knowledge of one or more magical schools if they are to perform magical feats.
Shapeshift (Specify Type): Certain individuals can transform themselves into animals at will. These are natural animal
forms, not the quasi-bestial shapes taken on by were creatures. Moreover, a character in this shifted state gains the
animal’s inherent abilities while retaining their own sentience. The Shapeshift power grants the ability to change into one
animal type, specified at time of purchase; however, this power can be purchased repeatedly for the ability to change into
various other animal types. Bears, wolves, and eagles are some of the most common animal forms that shapeshifters
adopt.
16
Players will often try to avoid the negative consequences of their characters’ faults, especially those that result in mental
impairment. In such cases, the GM can permit a player to attempt an uncontested Spine roll for the character against an
action difficulty level left to the GM’s discretion. If the character fails the Spine test to overcome a fault, the player must
role-play that fault to the hilt until the GM or circumstances dictate otherwise. Remember, faults should make life more
challenging.
Example: Palacus is investigating a maze of tunnels beneath an ancient Babylonian temple. Before long, the intrepid
warrior comes to the edge of a small pit filled with writhing serpents. Normally, jumping across a pit such as this
would not be difficult, but Palacus has the fault Phobia: Snakes. His player states that Palacus will simply close his
eyes as he jumps, but the GM decrees that no jump can be attempted unless he first succeeds at a Great Spine roll.
The following list of faults is not exhaustive, and GMs should feel free to create new ones or modify those found here.
Absent-Minded: This fault causes a character to be rather scatter-brained when it comes to keeping appointments, finding
equipment, and remembering seemingly minor details. A GM may require a player to make Spine checks to ensure that
the absent-minded character has brought all needed supplies, remembered to make necessary contacts, turned off the
stove before leaving on vacation, etc.
Addiction (Specify Type): A character with this fault is addicted to some ingested substance that is illegal, harmful, or
prohibitively expensive. The effects of ingesting the substance are up to the GM, but a Spine test (GM sets difficulty)
should be required each day to forgo indulgence.
Ambitious: An ambitious character is obsessed with ascending to the highest levels of power and is easily tempted to do
unsavory things to get there. A GM may require Spine tests in appropriate situations to determine whether a character
succumbs to temptation.
Berserker: A berserker experiences battle rage when wounded in combat. Sustaining a wound level of Hurt or a Very
Hurt causes the character to make all-out attacks (+2 Attack, +1 ODF, and No Defense) until all enemies are slain. Once
the opposition is dead, the berserker must make a Smarts roll at Good or better to recognize any friends present. Failure
means the berserker attacks them during each subsequent round until the Smarts roll succeeds.
Big Mouth: A character with this fault talks too much, and this distracts the big mouth and any others in earshot. It may
even endanger the character and their companions when silence is necessary for survival.
Bloodlust: A character with the Bloodlust fault loves to cause injury, pain, and suffering to those who stand in their way.
Such a character sees killing as an acceptable way to end disputes and seeks out conflict at every opportunity.
Blunt and Tactless: A character with this fault tends to say exactly what comes to mind and in the most obnoxious way
possible. This fault should cause the character to take a -1 or greater penalty to various communication skill attempts.
“Gee, for a fat guy, you sure don’t sweat much!”
Bully: A bully loves to intimidate, insult, and pummel the weak into submission. This predator thrives on the fear of
others and usually mistakes it for respect. Many bullies are cowards at heart, but there are exceptions—dangerous ones.
Code of Ethics (Specify): A character with a code of ethics has adopted a specific set of strict guidelines by which they
live. Chivalry is one example, but there are many others, such as Self Defense Pacifist, Serve the Greater Good, Social
Justice Warrior, and Truth Above All.
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Cowardly: A coward avoids danger at every opportunity and is probably devious or covert when doing so. Ultimately, a
cowardly character must flee from battle, unless they are certain of victory or fear that something more terrifying will
happen should they run.
Curious: A character with this trait must make Spine rolls (the difficulty to be determined by the GM) to avoid looking
into the unknown, be it an abandoned cellar, a closed legal case, or an ancient tome sitting on the necromancer’s podium.
Dependent: This fault indicates that a friend, relative, employee, or some other person is dependent upon the character.
The dependent is usually much less competent than the player’s character and often finds themself in dangerous situations
from which they must be rescued.
Duty (Specify Type): This trait provides a character with a responsibility to some individual or group, and the
responsibility can take many forms. A character might have a duty to guard the city walls, or they might have a duty to
serve the temple of Anu as a rural priest. There are countless forms of this fault, but each should restrict the character’s
actions and freedoms to some degree.
Easily Distracted: The easily distracted character takes a –1 penalty to die rolls for protracted activities unless they make
a suitable Spine roll. The GM has final say in the difficulty of this check to remain focused.
Enemy (Specify Type): A character with this fault has a capable and dangerous enemy who wants to see them laid low.
This enemy may attempt to injure the character physically, emotionally, or socially and usually turns up at the worst
possible times. A character who kills or otherwise eliminates an enemy must pay the APs to remove this fault, or another
enemy soon arrives as a replacement.
Fanatic Patriot: A fanatic patriot serves a specific country in any way possible, even if it means committing acts of
terrorism and murder. The patriot does not tolerate disrespect for that nation and quickly challenges anyone who sullies
its honor.
Finicky: A finicky character is picky in the extreme—clothing, food, living accommodations, weapons, etc. must all be
just so. Worse still, a finicky character tends to complain endlessly when they do not get things their way.
Getting Old: A character with this fault is beginning to experience the myriad problems associated with aging. Creaking
joints, low back pain, and slow recovery from exertion and wounds are just some of the ways it manifests. The GM has
discretion to assign penalties; these should be relatively minor but frequent enough to constantly remind the character
that getting old stinks.
Glutton: A glutton eats and drinks to excess and is likely overweight as a result. A GM should require a glutton to succeed
at Spine rolls to resist dainties and overindulgence.
Gossip: This fault makes for an individual who loves to spread rumors and talk about others behind their backs. Gossips
are seldom trusted by those who realize what they are, and they often find themselves in trouble when it is determined
that they are the sources of malicious rumors. Known gossips take penalties to communication skill rolls at the GM’s
discretion.
Greedy: A greedy character desires material wealth to the exclusion of nearly everything else and may engage in illegal
activities to acquire it.
Gullible: Although not necessarily stupid, a gullible character accepts whatever they are told. This makes them a favorite
mark of conmen and a popular target for practical jokes.
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Humanitarian: A humanitarian character is a bleeding-heart for every imaginable cause. They give money to beggars
and organize relief for starving peasants. Their need to be altruistic can quickly chafe the local nobility and create a
variety of problems.
Indecisive: Indecision plagues many of us, but it is especially dangerous for heroes standing in the jaws of danger. An
indecisive character has difficulty with even simple decision-making tasks, such as which fork to use, what cloak to wear,
and which limb to strike.
Intolerant (Specify): An intolerant character has a strong bias against another ethnic, cultural, or racial group and makes
life difficult for its members. This is an ugly, villainous fault that should usually be limited to the GM’s characters.
Jealous: A character with this trait has a very difficult time when others receive more attention or praise, have greater
wealth, or possess superior attributes. As a result, jealous characters go to great lengths to denigrate their competition and
prove themselves superior.
Lazy: A lazy character hates to do much of anything except relax and enjoy life. When forced to do otherwise, this slug
usually complains or cuts corners. Not surprisingly, lazy people are often unkempt and unwanted in the eyes of more
productive members of society.
Loyal: A loyal character places the safety and well-being of friends and comrades above all else. Such an individual
never leaves allies in combat and never fails to rush to their aid in times of need. Enemies who know of this fault may
exploit it by capturing the character’s friends and loved ones.
Lustful: A lustful character is obsessed with sex, cares little for the feelings and needs of others, and views every sexual
conquest as an indicator of success. Jealous spouses and angry siblings can make such a character’s life very interesting.
Macho: A character with this fault never misses an opportunity to aggressively demonstrate their masculinity. This
foolish behavior can result in significant danger for the macho character and any companions. Macho characters are often
chauvinistic toward women.
Manic Depressive: A manic depressive character goes from one extreme of feeling bigger, better, and brighter than
everyone else to the other extreme of feeling weak, inept, and stupid. A GM may ask a player to roll 4dF at any time, but
usually during periods of duress, to determine the character’s current state of mind. Generally, this state of mind continues
until some event, perhaps even a good night’s sleep, causes it to change.
Melancholy: This fault makes your character morose and depressing; others may pick up on this and actively avoid
contact thereafter. The GM should assign penalties to communication skills, as logic dictates.
Multiple Personalities: A character with multiple personalities shifts personas during times of extreme duress. Often
there are one or more dominant personalities and one or more passive personalities. It is up to the GM and the player to
determine how many individual personalities there are and under what circumstances they manifest themselves.
Nosy: A nosy character cannot resist getting involved in others’ business by asking too many questions—most of them
personal—listening at doors, and even stalking those who have juicy secrets. In essence, this is a more narrowly focused
form of the curiosity fault.
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Obsession (Specify Type): An obsessive character has a focus to which they devote far too much time and energy. They
may even perform irrational and illegal acts to be more closely involved with the subject of this compulsion. A GM is
well within their rights to force a player to attempt an uncontested Spine test when the character must resist the temptation
to indulge in the obsession.
Overconfident: An overconfident character is convinced they are impervious to most forms of danger and gladly goes
where angels fear to tread. Headlong charges and defiance in the face of overwhelming odds are their forte.
Owes Favors (Specify Type): A character with this fault is indebted to one or more people. Unfortunately, these debts
are not the kind easily or thoughtlessly repaid. This fault could place the character in a moral dilemma or grave danger,
depending upon the nature of the situation.
Petty: This fault is but one annoying symptom of a character’s lack of self-esteem and need to be in control. A petty
individual argues and debates until blue in the face and enjoys nothing better than a pointless argument over semantics.
This character always insists upon having the last word, even if it means shouting over others or whispering a final
rejoinder.
Phobia (Specify Type): A character with a phobia has an irrational fear of a relatively common creature, situation, or
object. This fear can only be overcome at GM discretion and through a successful Spine roll.
Practical Joker: A practical joker loves to catch others off-guard with immature, embarrassing, and sometimes dangerous
pranks; in fact, this individual finds it almost impossible to pass up a good gag. This can quickly result in others becoming
angry and physically violent.
Quick-Tempered: This fault causes a character to “fly off the handle” for the most minor offenses. Although this anger
need not turn physical, a quick-tempered character readily demonstrates displeasure by screaming and yelling, breaking
objects, and/or ridiculing others.
Quixotic: A Quixotic character is idealistic in a romantic and impractical way. This noble but entirely irrational individual
may champion imaginary causes or fight for the liberation of those who are already free.
Reckless Bravery: This fault is similar in some respects to the Macho fault, but it stems less from a need to be perceived
as being tough and more from an addiction to adrenaline. A recklessly brave character takes unnecessary risks in the face
of nearly impossible odds and often acts rashly unless kept in check.
Secret (Specify): This individual has a one or more skeletons in their closet and works hard to keep them concealed. The
nature of the secret determines the consequences of its discovery, but it should be something that could be very damaging
or dangerous to the character.
Socially Awkward: A socially awkward character has difficulty conducting themself in social situations with all but close
friends. The character’s behavior in social gatherings can take a variety of unseemly forms that earn plenty of negative
attention. Such a character should receive a -1 or greater penalty to most communication attempts in public settings.
Social Stigma (Specify): A character with a social stigma is a member of a group determined to be highly undesirable in
mainstream society. Often, social stigma is the result of the subject being a member of another culture, ethnicity, or
species that is disliked or distrusted. However, it can also occur as the result of one’s job, religion, affiliations, etc. A
character with a social stigma should take a -1 or greater penalty to communication and reaction rolls, at GM’s discretion.
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Taciturn: A taciturn
character is grossly
uncommunicative and
seldom bothers with speech.
Such an individual can seem
downright anti-social and, therefore,
receives penalties to many reaction and
communication actions.
21
1 Fault = 1 Gift
1 Fault = 2 Attribute Levels
1 Fault = 6 Skill Levels
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Rolled Degree: This is the actual level of success or failure achieved when attempting an action. Consult the Nine-Point
Fudge table and find the adjective of the trait being tested. Then move up or down the number of levels indicated by the
action die roll. For example, if a character has Sword: Good and the die roll to use his skill results in a total of +1, then
the character has achieved a rolled degree of Great.
Relative Degree: The relative degree is a measurement of how well a character performs a contested or an uncontested
action. Unlike rolled degree, relative degree is expressed as the number of levels of difference between the skill roll and
the action difficulty level (uncontested actions) or the differential between two opponents’ skill rolls (contested
actions). Simply count the number of levels of difference between the two values.
Example: Grimm slashes at a kobalos with his broadsword and gets a rolled degree of Superb. The kobalos attempts
to defend with its spear and shield and receives a rolled degree of Fair. Thus, the relative degree is +3 in favor of
Grimm because Superb is three levels higher than Fair.
Uncontested Action: This is any action not directly opposed by another individual or creature. Climbing a wall, searching
a room, and forging a sword are all examples of uncontested actions. Uncontested actions require the acting player to roll
4dF plus any modifiers, and the total generated is used to modify the trait being tested in the action. The GM sets the
difficulty level for any uncontested action attempted by a character, and the player must achieve a rolled degree equal to
or greater than that action’s difficulty level to succeed.
Example: Grimm wants to jump across a pit to escape the kobaloi that are chasing him, but he is carrying a large bag
of loot, so the GM assigns a difficulty level of Great to the required Might roll. Grimm’s player throws 4dF for a total
of -1, giving him a rolled degree of Great. Grimm just barely makes the leap and keeps running.
Contested Action: This is any action a character attempts which is directly opposed by another force or entity. Examples
include fighting, haggling, arm wrestling, debating, tug-of-war, etc. Contested actions require each participant to roll 4dF
and add any relevant modifiers; the resulting total is then used to modify the trait being tested in the contest. The GM
does not usually set the difficulty level in a contested action; instead, a character must exceed the rolled degree of the
opposition to win the contest. A tie results in a stalemate or a status-quo situation. Note: The traits being tested in a
contested action need not be the same for each participant. For example, one contestant might use Axe skill to attack
while the other uses Shield skill to defend.
Example: Horsa and Hengist are fighting over the last haunch of mutton left on the platter. Horsa attacks and gets a
rolled degree of Fair with his Brawling skill, and Hengist receives a rolled degree of Fair. Because they tied in their
rolled degrees for this contested action, the GM rules that they roll around on the floor and struggle for advantage, but
there is no appreciable effect. Next, Hengist gets a rolled degree of Great on his Brawling roll, and Horsa earns a
rolled degree of Mediocre. This is a relative degree of +3 in Hengist’s favor (Great is three levels higher than Mediocre
on the Fudge Nine-Point Scale), and the GM rules that Hengist clobbers Horsa with an uppercut and reaches the
mutton without further difficulty.
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Example: The players want to know if anyone can help their characters find a safe inn for the evening. The GM makes
a situational roll resulting in +1 (Good) and decides that a passerby is willing to direct them.
Critical Failures and Critical Successes: Whenever the 4dF trait die roll for any action results in four minuses, the
character in question has achieved a Critical Failure. In this case, the GM should decide upon an additional negative
consequence for failing the action. Conversely, if the 4dF trait die roll for an action results in four plusses, then the
character attempting the action has achieved a Critical Success, and the GM should apply some form of bonus to the
outcome.
Example: Jill’s character Rhiannon is searching her missing patron’s home for clues to his whereabouts. The GM asks
her to attempt an Observation skill roll for Rhiannon at a difficulty level of Fair. Jill rolls 4dF and receives four
plusses. Not only does this give her a rolled degree of Legendary and a successful attempt, but the GM also decides
that her critical success results in Rhiannon finding hidden coins in addition to her employer’s journal.
Beyond Legendary and Abysmal: A die roll can carry the rolled degree to a level above Legendary or below Abysmal.
Additional levels are assumed to extend beyond those listed in the Nine-Point Fudge Scale and are referred to by adding
numerical designations. Thus, levels beyond Legendary are indicated as Legendary +1, Legendary +2, etc.; likewise, the
levels below Abysmal are referred to as Abysmal –1, Abysmal -2, and so forth.
Example: Grimm has Sword: Superb and attempts to cleave a rabid wolf. His 4dF result in +1, 0, 0, and +1. Adding
the die roll total of +2 to his sword skill results in a rolled degree of Legendary +1, an impressive blow.
Example: Grimm has Riding: Fair and wishes to take a leisurely jaunt through the countryside. This action requires
no die roll because even a novice rider should be able to perform this feat. Should the horse rear and bolt for some
reason—not a mundane occurrence—the GM might then determine that Grimm must succeed at a Riding roll to stay
in the saddle.
For each action a character wishes to perform, the GM must determine which trait is being tested—usually a skill or an
attribute. If the character does not know a skill necessary for performing an action, that skill must be employed at its
default level—if there is one—which is usually Poor. If there is no logical skill that can be applied to an action, then the
GM selects a suitable attribute instead.
Example #1: Grimm wishes to open a locked chest by picking it up and smashing it against a nearby boulder. There
is no skill to cover this feat, so the GM decides that Grimm must attempt an uncontested Might check with an action
difficulty of Good. Grimm’s player rolls 4dF and adds the total to his Might score. He receives a rolled degree of
Good, so Grimm succeeds in cracking the chest open.
Example #2: Danu wishes to climb a cliff blocking her route to the Necromancer’s Tomb. Unfortunately, she does not
possess the Athletics skill, so she must use its default skill value of Poor.
To have a character attempt any action based upon a trait, simply roll 4dF and total the dice—add all the plusses, subtract
all the minuses, and ignore all the zeroes to determine the die roll total. (Remember, the roll of 4dF will produce a result
ranging from –4 to +4, with 0 being the most likely outcome.) If there are other modifiers to the attempted action, add
them to the dice total now. The final value of this roll plus modifiers is the number of levels added to or subtracted from
24
If the action to be performed is uncontested, the GM determines its action difficulty level—usually Fair (easier or more
difficult feats may require lower or higher difficulty levels). If the acting character’s rolled degree is equal to or greater
than the action’s assigned difficulty level, then the character has succeeded. Again, when setting the action difficulty
level of any action, the GM should keep in mind that most skills have a default level of Poor for the average untrained
person; thus, using a Poor skill most often results in a Poor rolled degree of success.
If the action attempted is a contested action, then the GM does not set an action difficulty level; instead, the opposing
participants make their respective trait die rolls, and the individual with the highest rolled degree is the winner. In the
event of a tie, the contest is a stalemate. Note: The trait each contestant rolls against is dictated by circumstances and
need not be the same; in fact, depending upon the actions described, the opposing traits can be very different.
In some cases, particularly in combat, the players and GM need to know the margin of success by which an action has
been accomplished. This margin of success is called the relative degree, and it is calculated by finding the numerical
difference in levels between the character’s rolled degree for the action and the difficulty level required for success. For
uncontested actions, simply compare the acting character’s rolled degree to the action’s difficulty level; for contested
actions, compare the winning character’s rolled degree to the loser’s rolled degree.
The Nine-Point Fudge Scale is printed below and on all By This Axe character sheets to facilitate the determination of
characters’ action results.
Example #1: Ted must roll a Dodge skill test (uncontested action) with a GM determined difficulty of Good to have
his character Grimm throw himself out of the way of a rampaging giga that has smashed through the taverna door.
Ted rolls 4d6 with results of 6, 5, 2, and 3, which equates to +, +, -, and 0. He totals the dice and adds the resulting +1
modifier to his Dodge: Fair skill; therefore, his rolled degree for the test is Good (Fair +1). Grimm barely leaps out
of the giga’s path.
Example #2: Grimm avoided being smashed under the door and the giga’s mass, but now he is face-to-face with the
angry brute. Ted decides that Grimm will use his Quick Draw: Sword skill (an uncontested action) to avoid spending
a full combat round to ready his weapon. Grimm’s skill level is Mediocre, and the GM sets the difficulty level for the
action at Fair. Ted rolls his 4dF and gets +1, -1, -1, and 0 for a grand total of -1. Checking the Nine-Point Fudge Scale,
Ted determines that Grimm has earned a rolled degree of Poor (Mediocre -1); therefore, the frustrated barbarian
spends the entire combat round fumbling with his weapon.
Example #3: Demetria is attempting to use her Con: Good skill on a city guardsman (a contested action) to gain access
to the city jail. Demetria rolls 4dF and adds the resulting +1 to her Con skill level. The guardsman rolls 4dF and adds
the resulting +2 to his Smarts: Mediocre. Demetria’s rolled degree of Great (Good +1) is better than the guardsman’s
rolled degree of Good (Mediocre +2); therefore, she succeeds in convincing the fool to let her in.
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Note: The GM should roll certain actions for players without their knowledge, especially when failing the action attempt
could provide them with information they should not have. For example, if the PCs are about to be ambushed and the
GM asks the players to attempt for Observation rolls, this simple request informs them that something unusual is
happening and gives them reason for undue caution, even if their Observation attempts failed. Smart players could then
use this information to mitigate the outcome for failing the action attempt. For example, if the PCs failed the Observation
check mentioned above, their players might suddenly decide that their characters are drawing weapons and readying
shields.
Example: Grimm tries to move stealthily down the central corridor of Black Turloch’s castle. The mighty barbarian
is wearing noisy metal armor that causes a –2 modifier to his skill, and he is Hurt, resulting in an additional –1.
Grimm’s Sneak: Good is temporarily reduced by three levels to Sneak: Poor for this action.
At the GM’s discretion, a bonus of +1 may be granted to a die roll if the character possesses a secondary trait that could
significantly aid in completing the action, but only if that secondary trait is Great or better.
Example: Grimm tries to use his Intimidate skill to convince a group of Etruscan peasants to throw down their
weapons. The GM notices that Grimm possesses the skill Etruscan Culture: Great and decrees that the fearsome
warrior gains a +1 bonus to his skill for this action. Grimm’s player makes a contested roll of his character’s Intimidate
skill against the average peasant’s Spine score (reflecting their mob mentality). Grimm receives a rolled degree of
Good for his attempt, including his previously mentioned +1 bonus, and the GM gets a rolled degree of Good for the
peasants. This indicates a stalemate, so the GM decrees that the peasants are wary but not particularly intimidated.
Example: Grimm is facing a knife-wielding assailant in a darkened alleyway. The aggressor attacks with a rolled
degree of Superb, and Grimm dodges back with a rolled degree of Good. The relative degree is +2 in favor of the
mysterious attacker and results in two more points of ODF caused by the blow.
Relative degree might also need to be determined for an uncontested action, especially in a combat situation. For example,
when an archer fires an arrow at a non-defending target, the relative degree must be calculated because it can modify the
actual damage caused. To calculate the relative degree of an uncontested action, simply determine the number of levels
of difference between the acting character’s rolled degree and the action’s difficulty level.
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Combat Round: This is a period of roughly five seconds in duration. During a single combat round, a character can
usually move a distance up to their Pace score and still engage in combat—either melee or missile. Alternatively, a
character can move a distance up to their Run score, but they lose all opportunities to attack and defend (see Charge).
Most action in a combat round occurs simultaneously, but when it becomes important to know whether one combatant
can act before another, compare the levels of the traits being used. The highest trait goes first, then the next highest, and
so on. In the event of a tie, the actions are truly simultaneous.
Melee Combat: This is normally a contested action requiring the roll of 4dF plus any applicable modifiers, and this total
is added to the attacker’s weapon skill. If the rolled degree of a melee attack is at least Poor and better than the defender’s
rolled degree, then that attack is successful. Should a melee attack be uncontested—the target cannot or does not defend
itself—then the attacker simply needs to equal or exceed a difficulty level of Poor to hit. Whether or not an attack is
contested, the relative degree is always calculated and added to the attacker’s ODF total.
Ranged Combat: This is an attack with any form of projectile or thrown weapon. It may be an uncontested action or a
contested action. If the rolled degree of a ranged weapon attack is equal to or greater than the targeting action’s difficulty
level—based upon range and other modifiers—and better than the defender’s rolled degree, then the ranged attack is
successful. To hit with an uncontested ranged weapon attack—the target cannot or does not defend itself—the attacker
needs to equal or exceed the ranged weapon’s range difficulty level. Whether or not an attack is contested, the relative
degree is always calculated and added to the attacker’s ODF total.
Damage Factor: This is the amount of damage done to the target. The DF
is figured by subtracting the target’s total DDF from the attacker’s
total ODF; if the result is a positive number, then the target has been
wounded. Consult the wound track to determine the severity of a
wound.
Hold Action: A character may choose to delay their action during a combat round until a later point in the same round or
until any point in a later round; they may preempt anyone acting after them. For example, a character might choose to
hold off on attacking an opponent until that opponent has attempted to raise the alarm.
Offensive Damage Factor (ODF): This number is the potential damage that can be caused by a successful attack. The
ODF = base weapon damage + attacker’s Might value (if applicable) + attacker’s Mass Scale + the relative degree of the
attack roll + applicable modifiers.
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Combat Sequence
1. Players state their characters’ general intentions for the round and simultaneously reveal their choice of combat
stance if engaging in melee combat.
2. All participating characters move and act simultaneously. However, if it becomes important to know whether
one combatant can act before another, compare the levels of the traits being used. The highest trait level goes
first, then the next highest, and so on. In the event of a tie, the actions are truly simultaneous.
3. The results of all actions are determined immediately. A character may choose from one of the following options
each combat round:
• Move up to Pace and engage in melee combat
• Charge up to Run distance into melee combat (+2 to hit, +1 ODF, and no defense)
• Move up to Pace and make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon
• Move up to one space and make a ranged attack with a projectile weapon (no defense permitted)
• Move up to Pace and use the Dodge skill to defend
• Move up to one space and cast a spell (no defense permitted)
• Use a non-combat skill (movement may or may not be possible at GM discretion)
• Move up to Run distance (no other actions or defense permitted)
• Move up to Pace Distance and Hold Action
• Move up to Pace distance and ready a melee weapon, shield, or ranged weapon
• Take any other action at GM’s discretion
4. Take care of any required bookkeeping: changes in wound level, skill modifications, eliminated combatants,
etc.
5. Repeat steps 1-3 until the combat has concluded.
Example #1: Einar is engaged in melee combat against a Roman brigand armed with a gladius and medium shield.
Einar takes a highly aggressive stance for +2 to attack and -2 to defense. Einar’s player rolls 4dF and gets +1, +1, -1,
and 0. He adds that resulting +1, the +2 for his combat stance, and the -1 for his opponent’s shield to his 2H Axe:
Good skill, giving him a final rolled degree of Superb for his attack. However, the -2 penalty for his combat stance
leaves his rolled degree for defense at Mediocre. The Roman is no fool and selects a balanced combat stance that
provides neither bonuses nor penalties. The GM rolls 4dF and gets a result of -1, 0, 0, and +1; adding this net +0 to
the brigand’s 1H Sword: Good skill results in a rolled degree of Good for both attack and defense. Einar has hit the
Roman with a relative degree of +2 (Einar’s Superb attack vs. the Roman’s Good defense); however, the Roman has
also hit Einar with a relative degree of +2 (The Roman’s Good attack vs. Einar’s Mediocre defense).
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Charge
A character may both Run and engage in melee combat during a combat round only if using a melee weapon and they
“charge” an opponent with whom they are not already engaged. The charge attack is made with a +2 to the weapon skill
roll and +1 to ODF, but the charging character has no defense until the start of next combat round.
Combat Stance
A character engaging in melee combat must declare their combat stance each round: Charge, Highly Aggressive,
Aggressive, Balanced, Defensive, or Highly Defensive. The combatant holds that stance for the remainder of the current
round and is subject to its bonuses and penalties throughout that entire period.
Dodging
A character may use their Dodge skill to defend against melee or ranged attacks; however, this takes up their action and
does not permit them to attack or otherwise act. The dodging character may still move up to their Pace.
Dual Wielding
A character wielding two melee weapons may opt to strike with both during a given combat round, and both attacks are
considered to occur simultaneously. A character attacking in this manner takes a –2 penalty to their attack and defense
unless they have the Ambidexterity gift. The player rolls dice for the lower of the two weapons’ skills used. The second
weapon attack takes an additional -2 penalty to hit. The Two-Fisted Fighter gift negates this penalty.
Moving
To determine how far a character can move during a single combat round, add their Move attribute value to their Speed
Scale and consult the Movement Table below. A character can move up to their Pace value in two-yard squares or hexes
and still attack and defend during a combat round. This movement may occur before their attack or after, but not both
before and after. Alternatively, a character can move up to their Run value in two-yard spaces but cannot perform other
actions during the combat round, unless they charge. The Movement Table below lists movement rates for unencumbered
characters. GMs should reduce encumbered movement.
Movement Table
Move + Speed Pace Run Move + Speed Pace Run
Scale (Squares/Hexes) (Squares/Hexes) Scale (Squares/Hexes) (Squares/Hexes)
-11 0.8 1.6 5 15 30
-10 1 2 6 17.5 35
-9 1.2 2.4 7 20 40
-8 1.4 2.8 8 25 50
-7 1.5 3 9 30 60
-6 2 4 10 37.5 75
-5 2.5 5 11 45 90
-4 3 6 12 55 110
-3 3.5 7 13 65 130
-2 4 8 14 75 150
-1 5 10 15 90 180
0 6 12 16 110 220
1 7 14 17 135 270
2 9 18 18 160 320
3 10 20 19 190 380
4 12.5 25 20 230 460
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Alternatively, a well-armored fighter facing weak opponents can simply concentrate on one foe and let the others try to
get through their armor—that is, not defend themself at all against the other attackers. In this case, the lone fighter takes
no penalty to their attack and defense against the chosen foe but has no defense against the other ignored foes. This is
historically accurate for heavily armored knights wading through peasant levies, for example.
There is a limit to the number of foes that can simultaneously attack a single opponent. Six is about the maximum under
ideal conditions (such as wolves or spearmen), while only three or four can attack if using weapons or martial arts that
require a lot of maneuvering space. If the lone fighter is in a doorway, only one or two opponents can reach that character.
When multiple NPCs beset a lone PC, the GM can save time by treating combat as an uncontested action—simply assume
each NPC always gets a result equal to their trait level. Thus, the PC must tie the NPC’s trait level to have a stand-off
round or beat the NPC’s trait level to inflict damage. This option stresses the player characters’ abilities by disallowing
fluke rolls for the NPCs.
Example: Three Suebi pirates are foolishly attacking the PC hero Cormac Redhand. The pirates—Wulf, Olaf, and
Gunnar—are respectively Fair, Good, and Mediocre, at their combat skills. Cormac is a Superb swordsman, but he
suffers a –2 penalty for facing two extra fighters simultaneously. The GM decides to forgo rolling for the pirates and
lets their combat traits serve as their rolled degrees. If Cormac scores a Great or better result, he can hit the pirate of
his choice and remain untouched. On a Good result, Cormac remains untouched and can land a blow on Wulf or
Gunnar. On a Fair result, Cormac does not hit anyone, but Olaf lands a blow. If Cormac rolls a Mediocre result, both
Wulf and Olaf hit him. If Cormac manages to roll a Poor result, all three pirates strike true.
Ranged Combat
A ranged weapon attack can be made against any target within range and line of sight. The attack roll is always 4dF +
weapon skill + applicable modifiers. To hit a non-defending target (an uncontested action), the attacker need only achieve
a rolled degree equal to or better than the difficulty level of the shot, as determined by the Ranged Weapon Table. To hit
a defending target (a contested action), the attacker must achieve a rolled degree that is higher than the defender’s rolled
degree and at least equal to the difficulty level of the shot. The relative degree for a successful missile attack should be
added to the attacker’s Offensive Damage Factor to determine wound severity. Note: A character aiming or making a
ranged attack during a combat round cannot defend while doing so.
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Spellcasting in Combat
A spell caster may invoke a single miracle or cast a single spell during a combat round. The caster makes a roll of their
skill in the Magic School or Worship skill vs. the difficulty level of the action (uncontested) or the target’s defensive trait
roll (contested), whichever is higher. Casting a spell denies the caster a defense in combat and limits movement to a
single space during that combat round.
Sweep Attacks
A character with a suitable, two-handed weapon can strike a second engaged target during a combat round. The second
attack takes an additional -2 penalty to hit and a -2 penalty DF for momentum loss. The Sweep gift negates these penalties.
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Most weapons have base damage values based upon their size and whether they are edged. Of course, modifiers for
magic, weapon quality, level of care, and numerous other factors can also play a part in determining a weapon’s base
damage value. Calculate weapons’ base ODF values using the following base numbers:
If the DF (ODF – DDF = DF) is a positive number, then the target has been wounded. Locate the DF caused on the
wound track below and determine the severity of the injury.
Wound Track
O O O O O O O
DF: 1, 2 DF: 3, 4 DF: 5, 6 DF: 7, 8 DF: 9+
Scratch Hurt (-1) Very Hurt (-2) Incapacitated Near Death
Examples: Shallow Examples: Bad sprain Examples: Deep Examples: Dangerous Examples: Severed
laceration, deep or small fracture, puncture or laceration, skull fracture, severed limb, massive head
bruise, lesser sprain, broken jaw or nose, compound fracture, tendons and muscle, trauma, destroyed
broken tooth, creased moderate lacerations, badly broken ribs, shattered limb, internal organ(s),
scalp, gashed cracked ribs, minor collapsed lung, major massive tissue loss, broken neck or back,
knuckles, etc. concussion tissue damage internal organ trauma severed major artery
If the DF is 11+, the GM may rule the victim has been slain instantly!
Mark a bubble in the corresponding wound category. If all a wound level’s bubbles have already been filled, mark the
next highest available wound bubble. The number in parenthesis is the penalty applied to all the wounded character’s
skill and attribute rolls until the injury has been healed. It also serves as a penalty to Move for determining the character’s
Pace and Run rates. Wound penalties are not cumulative; only the greatest applies.
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Alternatively, the GM may simply decide that a successful blow to the head of Good or better rolled degree knocks
someone out automatically. In an opposed action, the Good blow would also have to win the combat, of course.
A player may always choose to have their character do reduced damage with any given attack. This is known as “pulling
your punch.” This most commonly occurs in duels of honor where it is only necessary to draw “first blood” to win and
killing an opponent can get the character charged with murder. Even a Scratch wins a duel to the first blood; it is not
necessary to Hurt someone.
To pull their punch, the player or GM simply announces the maximum wound level they will cause if the attack is
successful. For example, a player declares that their character is going for a Scratch. Therefore, even if the PC wins the
opposed action by a relative degree of +8 and then adds in +2 for their rapier, the maximum damage the blade causes is
a Scratch. However, the Scratch is probably in the shape of the letter “Z” with such a fantastic result!
4.7 Fatigue
Lack of sleep, extended physical exertion, and a variety of other factors can cause fatigue, and there may be times when
the GM feels it is appropriate to simulate the effects of fatigue upon a creature or character. GMs should address this
mechanically through temporary penalties to the victim’s Mettle score. If fatiguing factors reduce a character’s Mettle
score below Fair, the negative level value should serve as a penalty to the character’s trait rolls, DDF, and Movement
until that PC rests sufficiently to return to Mettle: Fair or better. Should fatigue reduce their Mettle score to Abysmal, the
character falls unconscious until they have recovered sufficient fatigue that Mettle is restored to Terrible or better.
Fatigue recovers only with rest. If fatigue did not reduce the character’s Mettle below Fair, the lost Mettle levels are
recovered at the rate of one per 10 minutes of rest. If fatigue reduced the character’s Mettle below Fair, each level below
Fair recovers in a number of hours equal to its absolute value on the Nine-Point Fudge Scale.
Example: Tantavorus the Mage was knocked unconscious by fatigue that reduced his Mettle from Good to Abysmal.
Recovering from Abysmal to Terrible requires 4 hours, Terrible to Poor takes 3 hours, Poor to Mediocre requires 2
hours, and Mediocre to Fair is one more hour, for a grand total of 10 hours spent resting. Recovering from Fair to
Good takes only ten more minutes.
Note: If fatigue is lost to disease or poison, the recovery time is much longer. The lost Mettle levels are recovered at the
rate of one per day of rest. If fatigue due to disease or poison reduced the character’s Mettle below Fair, each level below
Fair recovers in a number of days equal to its absolute value on the Nine-Point Fudge Scale.
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Burning: A character who is burned will take damage as though he had been hit by a weapon, and the ODF of the injury
will be left to GM discretion. Armor DDF, Mass Scale, and the Tough gift will only reduce the damage taken until the
DDF total has been exceeded. From that point onward, the character will take full damage from the flames, modified
only by his Mettle score.
Example: Old Gertie is thrown into a huge bonfire by angry peasants. The GM rules that the fire is ODF: 5 and that it
will take Gertie two rounds to get out of the flames. The first combat round, the witch receives a DF: 5 wound that
leaves her Very Hurt. In the next combat round, Gertie takes another Very Hurt wound; however, this becomes an
Incapacitated result because her Very Hurt wound box has already been checked.
Disease: There are countless maladies out there to menace a character; some are only an annoyance, while others are
deadly. A character must succeed at an uncontested Mettle roll against the difficulty level of the disease or contract it. A
character who successfully resists will take either half or no effect, at GM discretion. Here are three sample Sword and
Sorcery diseases and their effects; GMs are encouraged to create others:
The Aches
Difficulty: Fair
Symptoms: The victim suffers fever and aching joints.
Effect: The disease causes one level of fatigue and imparts a -1 penalty to all physical trait rolls for the first
week. At the end of that time, the character must attempt a second Mettle roll with a difficulty of Good. If this
fails, the fatigue penalty increases to two levels and the penalty to physical trait rolls increases to -2.
Duration: One to two weeks
Black Plague
Difficulty: Good
Symptoms: Patients develop sudden onset of fever, headache, chills, and weakness and one or more swollen,
tender, and painful lymph nodes (called buboes). The bacteria multiply in the lymph node closest to where the
bacteria entered the human body and soon spread from there. This form of the disease is usually the result of an
infected flea bite.
Effect: Mettle x 2 days after being infected (a minimum of one full day), victims begin losing one fatigue level
every 12 hours unless they succeed on a Mettle roll with a difficulty of Good. Infected individuals must attempt
this roll every 12 hours until five full days have passed (ten total rolls), and they cannot regain any lost fatigue
during this time. If they survive beyond the five days of infection, they can begin to recover fatigue normally.
Duration: If not cured, the disease runs its course five days after symptoms begin, and it kills any character
whose Mettle falls below Abysmal.
Skull Rot
Difficulty: Great
Symptoms: The character experiences a low-grade fever, general malaise, and agitation.
Effect: The disease permanently destroys a victim’s memories at the rate of one year per week. To reflect this,
the one infected loses two skill levels each week. The GM and player should work together to determine which
skills must be reduced. Skills learned most recently are usually the first to be lost.
Duration: If not cured, this disease kills the victim when there are no remaining skill levels to reduce.
Drowning: A character begins drowning when they have run out of breath. Assuming the victim had a chance to catch a
breath before being submerged, they may hold it for six combat rounds (30 seconds). Add six rounds (30 seconds) to this
duration for each level of Mettle above Fair and subtract one round for each level of Mettle below Fair. After their
oxygen has been used up, the victim loses one level of Mettle for each additional combat round they are denied air. When
their Mettle attribute falls below Abysmal, the character expires. If they are rescued prior to drowning, a character’s lost
Mettle regenerates at the rate of one level per day.
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Falling: A character suffers a wound with an ODF of 4dF + 1 per five feet fallen. This ODF is reduced only by the
victim’s Tough gift, Mass Scale, etc.—armor worn does not reduce this damage. If a falling character succeeds at an
uncontested Acrobatics skill roll of Mediocre or better, the fall’s ODF is reduced by the relative degree attained.
Example: Gil is running along a ledge at the top of a three-story building. He loses his balance and falls to the street
30’ below. The fall causes a wound of ODF: 6 (30’/5’) + 4dF. The 4dF roll results in a net value of -1, so now the
total is ODF: 5. Gil’s player then rolls against Gil’s Acrobatics: Fair in an effort to reduce the damage taken. He
achieves a rolled degree of Good, which is a relative degree of +2 (Good is two levels higher than Mediocre), and this
reduces the fall to ODF: 3. Gil’s DDF; 0 does nothing for him, so when all is said and done, he takes a DF: 3 wound
(ODF: 3 - DDF: 0 = DF 3) and is Hurt.
Poisoning: A poisoned character must succeed at an uncontested Mettle roll against the difficulty level of the poison or
suffer its full effect. A character who successfully resists takes either half or no effect, at GM discretion. A few sample
poisons are included below, and the information for each assumes a deadly dose has been ingested or introduced.
Example: Gil is captured and brought in for interrogation. Captain Ghebrana decides to employ a truth powder to
loosen the rogue’s tongue. The powder has a difficulty level of Great to resist, and Gil’s Mettle is Poor after his recent
dip in the river. Gil fails his Mettle roll and begins to tell all.
Hemlock (Ingested)
Difficulty: Good
Symptoms: Trembling, burning in the digestive tract, increased salivation, dilated pupils, muscle weakness or
paralysis, tachycardia followed by bradycardia, loss of speech, convulsions, coma, and death.
Effect: Success means the character suffers a Very Hurt that can only be cured by magic or time. Failure means
the character falls into a coma 30 minutes after ingesting the poison and dies shortly thereafter.
4.9 Healing
Scratches sustained by a character are considered healed after a few minutes rest. More severe wounds each heal at the
rate of one level per week if the wounded individual rests and focuses upon recuperating. Physical exertion during
recovery causes a character to heal at a reduced rate left to the GM’s discretion. A character usually heals naturally, even
without the benefit of First Aid or magic, unless brought to a Near Death state. Any character wounded this badly
eventually dies unless medical aid is received.
Example: Valeria the Amazon has suffered three wounds in combat: a Scratch, a Hurt, and a Very Hurt. A few minutes
after the battle, she can catch her breath; therefore, the GM rules that she no longer suffers from her Scratch. After a
week of rest back at her village, Valaria’s Hurt becomes a Scratch and is then removed, and the Very Hurt result she
suffered is reduced to a Hurt. The Amazon warrior wisely decides to rest for a second week, and at the end of that
time her Hurt becomes a Scratch and is removed.
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Example: Chione is a devout priestess of Horus who possesses the Divine Favor: Horus superpower and the Worship:
Horus skill. A band of drunken sailors have cornered her in an alley in Alexandria. Realizing she is in grave danger,
Chione asks for her god’s protection from the thugs. The GM rules that this is an action of Fair difficulty, but states
that a higher rolled degree will influence the amount of aid provided. Chione’s Worship: Horus die roll results in a
rolled degree of Great; therefore, the GM rules that the immortal provides the priestess with a +4 bonus to her DDF
for the duration of the combat.
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Like melee and ranged attacks, any spell that causes direct damage to a target gains a bonus to its ODF equal to the
relative degree of success achieved. In this case, relative degree is calculated as the numerical difference between the
caster’s rolled degree and the casting action difficulty level OR the defender’s rolled degree, whichever is greater.
Example: Mastakos casts Mystic Bolt (a Kineticism spell of difficulty of Good and ODF: 2) at a brigand. The target
sees the bolt and attempts to dodge, making this a contested action. Mastakos’s player rolls 4dF and gets +2 for a
rolled degree of Great with his Kineticism skill. The brigand has Dodge: Good and rolls 4dF and gets +1. However,
avoiding a spell incurs a -2 penalty to the defensive skill roll, so the man only achieves a rolled degree of Fair. The
relative degree is +1 because we compare the rolled degree of the spell to the defensive skill’s rolled degree OR the
action difficulty of the spell, whichever is higher. Therefore, the magical bolt strikes the brigand for ODF: 3.
The final difficulty level for casting a spell is the greatest of its base difficulty level (see the table for the appropriate
magic school) and its highest modification difficulty level for target area, number of targets, range, and spell duration.
Example: Firehawk is a Scythian conjurer who wishes to replace his wagon’s broken wheel. The GM rules that this
requires a Conjuration skill roll of Fair difficulty. However, this wheel would only remain for one combat round. If
Firehawk needs the wheel for the day, he must increase the spell’s casting difficulty to Great.
To successfully cast an uncontested spell, the rolled degree of the casting attempt must equal or exceed the highest
difficulty level of the magical effect being attempted—base spell difficulty, number of targets or area, range, or duration.
To successfully cast a contested spell, the rolled degree must equal or exceed the highest difficulty level of the magical
effect being attempted—base spell difficulty, target size, target number, spell range, or spell duration—and it must exceed
the rolled degree of the target’s defense roll. Casting a spell is never an action of less than Mediocre difficulty.
Not all spell modifications are relevant to all spells or even all magical schools. For example, Healing spells generally
have no spell duration—their effects are instantaneous and permanent. Of course, a healer could cast a charm against
poisons that would provide protection over time. Players and GM’s must use common sense in this regard.
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If the GM permits player characters to use magic, then casting spells is a dangerous activity that can cause injuries or
even death to the PC mage. The cost must be paid, whether the spell is successful or not, and ranges from a Scratch to
the death of the caster, but the caster may be able to modify the final injury result, as shown in the table above. The cost
is applied for the base spell difficulty level AND each manipulation of the spell beyond the basic parameters described
previously. If the total injury cost is reduced below a Scratch, there is
no damage to the spell caster.
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Once all the ingredients have been gathered and the appropriate tools prepared, the enchanter’s player attempts an
uncontested Profession skill roll to create the object that will contain a spell, a process that could take weeks or months
and tremendous sums of cash. The actual crafting must be performed by the enchanter, and the rolled degree of success
achieved on the crafting test determines the maximum spell difficulty level that can be imbued into the item. Once an
item that can store a spell has been created, the enchanter must then successfully cast the desired spell—including all
injury costs for target size, target number, range, and duration—into that object. If this casting roll is a success, the
enchanter may then attempt an uncontested roll of their Enchantment skill versus the difficulty level of the spell just cast
into the would-be artifact. If the enchanter succeeds, the object now stores the spell in question; mages and non-mages
alike can activate it.
Example: Kyrios gathers a roc feather, sweet water from a drus spring, a bit of arrowroot, various common herbs, a
mortar and pestle, and a silver lined bowl—all the things the GM decided are necessary for creating a Potion of Flying.
The test difficulty to cast such a spell is Kineticism: Great; therefore, Kyrios can create a suitable potion base by
making an Alchemy skill roll of Great or better. He is successful and creates a suitable medium for storing his flying
spell. Now he must cast his flying spell into the mixture. Kyrios barely succeeds with a rolled degree of Great against
his Kineticism skill. Finally, the mage must succeed at an uncontested Enchantment skill roll at a test difficulty level
of Great—the Flying spell’s difficulty level. He earns a roll degree of Superb and creates a one-use Potion of Flying.
Example: Hasdrubal the Smith is creating a magic sword for his mercenary companion Gisco. The enchanter gathers
steel forged from meteoric iron ore, drakon hide, and special fuels for his forge. He begins by constructing the sword
itself and rolls a Superb result after six weeks of hard forging. He can now imbue magic into the blade with a final
spell difficulty level of up to Superb. Next Hasdrubal begins the ritual to imbue the blade with +6 ODF, a Superb
Kineticism feat. He decides to modify the spell’s duration to an hour (difficulty Good). Hasdrubal barely succeeds at
his casting roll with a rolled degree of Superb. Finally, he must complete the artifact by succeeding at a test of his
Enchantment skill at a difficulty level of Superb—remember, the test difficulty level of the Enchantment skill roll is
always equal to the test difficulty level of the spell imbued. He succeeds once again; therefore, Hasdrubal has a created
a broadsword that adds +6 to its ODF for one hour and can be activated by Gisco or any other wielder!
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Conjuration: Those who study this school can summon objects and creatures for a variety of purposes. It is not known
from whence the summoned forms come or why they are selected from those settings and not others; consequently,
conjurers cannot summon specific items or individuals away from their current locations. Summoned creatures are
seldom friendly or helpful to the conjurer, and additional means of persuasion or control are likely necessary. Note:
Conjuration effects are strictly of a temporary nature and are subject to spell duration modifications.
Conjuration
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effect
Mediocre Conjure a hazy image of an object
Fair Conjure a simple, solid, and common inanimate object (axe, ham, sword, cask, etc.)
Conjure a complex or uncommon inanimate object (silver coins, a dwarven toy) or a common
Good
lesser life form (insect, spider, etc.)
Conjure a non-magical beast (wolf, bear, etc.) or a rare inanimate object (a ruby, a gold crown,
Great
the royal coach, etc.)
Conjure a non-magical sentient being (human, kobalos, centaur, etc.) or a lesser magical object
Superb
(potion of flying)
Legendary Conjure a magical beast (unicorn, cockatrice, dragon) or a permanent magical object
Elementalism: The control of the four elements—earth, wind, fire, and water—and their manipulation are the dual foci
of elementalists. Note: Knowledge of the Elementalism school does not provide a mage with the ability to summon the
four elements; therefore, elementalists always needs at least a small amount of the relevant element before their spells
can take effect.
Elementalism
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Cause a fire to burn brighter; Increase the range that noises carry; Make cold water warm, or
Mediocre
vice versa
Cause a flame to brighten or travel; Breathe water; Firewalk; Soften soil; Water to ice; Whisper
Fair
on the wind; Attack with ODF: 1
Walk through earth; Move malleable elements (part waters, dig ditch, etc.); Winds of flight;
Good
Attack with an element for ODF: 2; Create a DDF: 2 elemental shield
Attack with ODF: 4; Sculpt element (create walls of stone, armor of fire, etc.); Cause a
Great
thunderstorm, a landslide, large waves; Create a DDF: 4 elemental shield
Attack with an element for ODF: 6; Cause an earthquake, tornado, tidal wave, in the immediate
Superb
area; Create a DDF: 6 elemental shield
Change one element to another; Attack with an element for ODF: 8; Create a DDF: 8 elemental
Legendary
shield
Example: An elementalist casts Flame Tongue—an ODF: 4 attack with an action difficulty of Great—at a lunging
wolf. The mage’s rolled degree with the Elementalism skill is Superb, and the wolf fails to dodge with a rolled degree
of Good. Therefore, the beast is struck with ODF: 5—ODF: 4 plus the relative degree between the spell difficulty and
the caster’s rolled degree.
Extra-Sensory Perception: The province of prophets, oracles, mystics, and seers, this school teaches the mage to perceive
objects, people, events, and thoughts that could not normally be perceived using the five mundane senses. Not
surprisingly, charlatans claiming to possess Extra-Sensory Perception are common to many regions, and some of these
hucksters are quite convincing. Justice is usually swift in dealing with such individuals.
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Healing: This school of magic provides the mage with the ability to repair damage to all forms of living creatures,
whether that damage takes the form of torn tissue, broken bones, disease, or poison. Extremely powerful healers are said
to be able to restore life to the deceased! Healing spells do not require a duration aspect, as their effects are usually
instantaneous and permanent.
Healing
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Mediocre Eliminate all pain; Heal all Scratches; Cure intoxication; Calm a patient; Sterilize wound
Fair Heal a Hurt; Cure a non-lethal disease; Detoxify non-lethal poison
Heal a Very Hurt; Cure a potentially deadly disease; Detoxify a potentially deadly poison;
Good
Cure mild disorders
Heal an Incapacitated; Cure highly lethal diseases; Detoxify a highly lethal poison; Cure
Great
diminished senses
Heal a Near Death; Cure a deadly magical disease; Detoxify a lethal magical poison;
Superb
Regenerate or reattach a limb; Cure blindness
Legendary Raise the recently dead!
Kineticism: This magical school concerns itself with the creation, control, and manipulation of kinetic energies. Even a
small pebble becomes a deadly weapon in the hands of a kineticist because it can be propelled at tremendous speeds.
Interestingly, many of the spells created by kineticists are loud and flashy, but this is usually a matter of choice rather
than necessity. The spell duration modification does not usually apply to kinetic missile spells—these are strictly
instantaneous effects.
Kineticism
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Mediocre Shatter glass; Cause minor discomfort; Open unlocked doors; Poltergeist
Destroy wood; Telekinesis; Levitate or cling to walls like a spider; Attack for ODF: 1; Add
Fair
+1 ODF to a weapon or +1 DDF to armor
Shatter stone; Create a DDF 2 force-field; Add +2 ODF to a weapon or +2 DDF to armor;
Good
Attack for ODF: 2
Shatter steel; Create a DDF: 4 force-field; Add +4 ODF to a physical weapon or +4 DDF to
Great
armor; Attack for ODF: 4; Fly; Walk through walls
Shatter magical materials; Create a DDF: 6 force-field against all attacks; Add +6 ODF to a
Superb
weapon or +6 DDF to armor; Attack for ODF: 6; Teleport
Move across the dimensional boundaries; Create a DDF: 8 force-field against all attacks; Add
Legendary
+8 ODF to a weapon or +8 DDF to armor; Attack for ODF: 8
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Mesmerism
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Make a target sneeze or itch; Create a minor, illusory effect that slightly modifies one minor
Mediocre
quality, such as color or taste; Distract
Make a target do something it is already inclined to do; Create a simple, stationary auditory or
Fair
visual illusion (a dead body); Basic hypnosis; Basic sleight of hand
Make a target do something it mildly opposes; Create a complex, mobile, believable illusion
Good that affects one or two of the five senses (a highwayman calling to your carriage from the road
ahead)
Make a target do something it strongly opposes; Create a complex, mobile, realistic illusion
Great
affecting all five senses and harming those who fail to resist it (a demon killing bystanders)
Make a target do something unthinkable; Create a fantastic illusion that can harm those who
Superb
fail to resist it (a demon biting you)
Replace the target’s memories and thereby possibly alter its personality and behaviors related
Legendary
to those memories
Necromancy: This is a “dark art” that is generally shunned or forbidden in most lawful societies; however, secret
practitioners of “death magic” can be found nearly everywhere. Necromancy focuses upon the processes of death and
the continued existence of unbound souls in the afterlife. Necromancers have widely varying views on the nature of their
chosen course of study: Some view the deceased as mere tools for gaining power and knowledge; other practitioners are
respectful or even reverent in their interactions with the dead. In either case, necromancers are almost universally feared
for their dire powers, unspeakable practices, and the terrifying physical changes they seem to undergo as their careers
progress. In fact, many necromancers look much like cadavers, having unnatural skin pallor, wide unblinking eyes, gaunt
facial features, rictus grins, etc. Due to the inherently evil nature of this school of magic, GMs may wish to restrict
knowledge of this arcane art to truly villainous NPCs. Note: The duration of any Necromantic spell involving the creation
of undead—Create Revenant, Create Skeleton, etc.—can be extended at the creator’s whim.
Necromancy
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Mediocre See spirits and ghosts; Feign death; Cause unease
Contact and communicate with spirits and ghosts in general vicinity; Cause fear; Drain the life
Fair force from a living target for ODF: 1 (the wounds you cause repair your own wounds);
Preserve corpse
Bind a spirit to a specially prepared object; Exorcise a spirit or ghost; Drain the life force from
Good a living target for ODF: 2 (the wounds you cause repair your own wounds); Summon spirit;
Death vision; Putrefy corpse; Cause a non-lethal disease
Create and control zombies or skeletons; Drain the life force from a living target for ODF: 4
Great (the wounds you cause repair your own wounds); Deactivate undead; Death pact; Cause a
potentially lethal disease; Transfer a soul to an object; Inspire terror
Create a shade; Drain the life force from a living target for ODF: 6 (the wounds you cause
Superb repair your own wounds); Summon spirits of retribution; Cause a deadly plague; Summon a
Soul Eater
Sever Spirit; Transfer a soul from one body to another; Drain the life force from a living target
Legendary
for ODF: 8 (the wounds you cause repair your own wounds)
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Sorcery
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Summon minor demonic influence (imp); Communicate with demons and other infernals;
Mediocre
Track infernal
Summon lesser servitor demon with Fair combat abilities or magical powers—caster specifies
Fair
type; Create a Circle of Holding
Summon lesser demon with Good combat abilities and/or magical powers—caster specifies
Good
type; Charm minor demon; Bind lesser servitor demon
Summon greater servitor demon or a lesser demon with Great combat abilities and/or magical
Great
powers—caster specifies type; Charm lesser demon
Summon lesser demon with Superb combat abilities and/or magical powers—caster specifies
Superb
type; Contact a demon prince; Bind greater servitor demon
Legendary Summon a demon prince!
Transmutation: This school of magic functions on the premise that energy and matter are never destroyed or lost, they
simply change form. Understanding the magical laws of Transmutation provides a mage with the ability to convert matter
and energy for nearly any purpose. Such a character should be feared for the ability to change enemies into countless
ignoble forms. Moreover, a particularly powerful mage can create entirely new forms that never previously existed. A
GM must often determine the long-range consequences of certain transmutations on the fly. Note: Unlike the restructuring
of elements that can be accomplished through Elementalism, Transmutation effects are strictly of a temporary nature
and are subject to spell duration modifications.
Transmutation
Base Difficulty Sample Spell Effects
Mediocre Make a person look different in some way; make an ugly person attractive
Fair Make one person look like another; change the shape of something
Change a human into a minotaur (same class and similar species); Change an oak into a maple;
Good
Modify an attribute or skill by one level
Change a man into a pig (same class and different species); Turn water into wine; Transform
Great
lead into gold; Modify an attribute or skill by two levels
Turn a man into a spider (different class and species); Transform blood into gold; Modify an
Superb
attribute or skill by three levels
Turn a man into living bronze (not even remotely related); Modify an attribute or skill by four
Legendary
levels; Transform fire into water
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Conjuration School
Summon Weapon
Base Difficulty Level: Fair
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: 1 Minute
Cost: Scratch x2
Notes: This spell summons a serviceable, mundane melee weapon of the type desired—sword, axe, etc.
Elementalism School
Water Breathing
Difficulty Level: Good
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: One Hour
Cost: Hurt
Notes: This spell permits the recipient to breathe water as though it were air.
Mindlink
Difficulty Level: Good
Area/Targets: 1
Range: One Mile
Duration: One Hour
Cost: Hurt x3
Notes: This spell permits the mage to communicate telepathically—verbally or non-verbally—with another being.
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Cure Plague
Difficulty Level: Great
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: N/A (Permanent)
Cost: Very Hurt
Notes: If the spell is successful, it immediately cures a victim of the Black Plague.
Kineticism School
Smite
Difficulty Level: Good
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: One Minute
Cost: Hurt, Scratch
Notes: This spell magically increases the impact of a weapon by adding +2 ODF. The implement enchanted by this spell
acquires a strange radiance.
Shower of Stones
Difficulty Level: Great
Area/Targets: 5
Range: 20 yards
Duration: One Round
Cost: Very Hurt, Hurt
Notes: This spell launches stones or other throwable objects within range at up to 5 targets for ODF 4 each. There must
be potential projectiles for this spell to work.
Mesmerism School
Foul Flavor
Difficulty Level: Mediocre
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: One Round
Cost: None
Notes: If the spell is successful whatever the victim is eating or drinking suddenly tastes nasty. The intensity of the flavor
is roughly as strong as biting into a bar of soap.
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Mass Panic
Difficulty Level: Great
Area/Targets: 20
Range: 20 yards
Duration: One Minute
Cost: Very Hurt, Scratch x 2
Notes: If the spell is successful up to 20 targets within range are stricken with fear and flee. Those affected will fight only
if confronted and they cannot otherwise escape.
Sorcery School
Infernal Tongues
Difficulty Level: Fair
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: 1 Minute
Cost: Scratch
Notes: This spell provides the recipient with the ability to communicate with any demon.
Transmutation School
Your Better Side
Difficulty Level: Good
Area/Targets: 1
Range: 20 yards
Duration: 1 Hour
Cost: Hurt
Notes: This spell improves the recipient’s physical appearance and provides the Attractive gift for its duration. The
individual is still recognizable, just better looking.
Swine Herd
Difficulty Level: Great
Area/Targets: 5
Range: 20 yards
Duration: 1 Hour
Cost: Very Hurt, Hurt, Hurt
Notes: This spell transforms up to five people into pigs—nasty, stinking squealing pigs. Victims retain their human
Smarts, Spine, and Senses, but they take on all the other attributes of large hogs.
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First, a god almost never attacks the worshippers of another god, at least not directly. This means no thunderbolts from
the heavens, no Mjolnir to the forehead, etc. For our purposes, a worshipper is defined as any character with Worship
(Name of God), a Vow or Duty related to the worship of one or more gods, or some other indicator of a relationship
with the divine. Nearly all common folk are tied to one or more gods in this manner and are, therefore, unlikely to be
the targets of a direct attack by an immortal.
Second, a god CAN indirectly attack the worshippers of another immortal through “natural” causes such as
earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, etc. In such cases, the strife created between the immortals usually results
in more suffering for their worshippers on both sides of the conflict—wars, pestilence, plague, etc. Therefore, mortals
devastated by such events usually make great sacrifices to these gods to appease them and stay their wrath.
Third, worship and appropriate sacrifice to one or more gods can make a difference to a character’s chances of success
in an endeavor, as long as the god being petitioned is not opposed to the action. In this case, the character should
provide an appropriate sacrifice to the god and attempt a Worship (God) test with a difficulty to be determined by the
GM. If the character is successful, they gain 1 Fudge Point that can be used to complete the task. If the test is a critical
success, the character gains 2 Fudge Points. If the test is a critical failure, the god angrily rejects the request and works
to stop the character from achieving the task. This might result in enemies showing up at inopportune times, a weapon
breaking in the heat of battle, etc.
Karakrates the Bold plans to visit the Island of Keos to slay the Nesaean Boar. Before setting off on his journey, the
wise warrior visits the temple to Apollo to seek his god’s help on the mission. Apollo accepts Karakrates sacrifice
of a prized bull and provides the warrior with divine guidance in the form of a bonus Fudge Point that can be used
during the quest.
Fourth, a character cannot obtain the Divine Favor superpower without significant expectations from the immortal
who has granted that favor. Therefore, GMs should task such a character frequently and send them on various errands
and quests. GMs should also create excellent roleplaying opportunities for them by pitting the desires of their patron
deity against their own desires, morals, and relationships.
Finally, players of characters with the Divine Favor power may be tempted to constantly pester their god for favors
and little bonuses to the most mundane tasks. Deny these! Furthermore, have the immortal become angry about the
requests and penalize or punish the character. The gods do not want to be bothered, and characters abusing their ability
to get an immortal’s attention can quickly infuriate them. Divine Favor should only be employed to save the character’s
life, benefit them while undertaking a quest on behalf of the god, etc.
Atreus, a favored priest of Zeus, is traveling a merchant route along the northern coast of Libya to a site where he
plans to build a great temple to his god. He and the caravan with which he is traveling are attacked by Numidian
bandits who outnumber the guards 10 to 1. Atreus prays to Zeus and makes a successful Worship (Zeus) test.
Weather falls under the god’s areas of influence, so a great wind suddenly kicks up across the space between the
caravan and the would-be raiders, blinding any who dare to enter the sandstorm. Atreus and the caravan push
onward and eventually lose sight of the storm and their enemies.
Later that evening, Atreus is throwing dice with some of the caravan guards and losing badly. He mumbles a prayer
to Zeus to let him regain his losses with his next throw. Zeus cannot be bothered with this stupidity and ignores the
request completely—this time. If Atreus continues with this nonsense, Zeus might punish him in some way that
does not interfere with the construction of his temple.
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First, I warn every player with the desire to create a magic-using character that such characters may be killed without
hesitation if discovered. Magic is powerful, dangerous, and not understood by most—their response to magic when
discovered may be violent. The greater the power demonstrated, the more hostile the reaction is likely to be.
Second, I treat most magicians as having the Notorious or Social Stigma fault at the very least, and player characters
should take one of these faults if known to use magic. Those who seem benign, such as the local wise woman who
uses charms, herbs, and a few incantations to heal others, may be able to escape this. However,
even this poor old woman might be killed outright if bad, supernatural omens begin to appear.
Third, although some cultures accept or even promote the presence of shamans, witches, and
other practitioners of magic, their roles come with very clear expectations and limitations.
Scythian shamans, or Enarees, for example are expected to perform specific magical processes
and functions, but they would be suspect or condemned if discovered to
be performing others. Using divination to aid the community or
speaking to spirits on their behalf is one thing, but raising an army
of rotting dead is another entirely.
~Herodotus
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At the GM’s discretion, a character can earn one or more Fudge Points during an adventure by doing something
extraordinarily clever or entertaining or by realistically role-playing a particular scene. Alternatively, players may
purchase Fudge points for their characters at the cost of one Advancement Point each.
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Light Shield: A small shield such as the Greek pelte or Celtic targe
Medium Shield: A medium shield such as the Macedonian Phalangite or Suebi round
Heavy Shield: A large shield such as the Greek Hoplon or Dipylon, Roman Clipeus, or Celtic oval,
Very Heavy Shield: A very large shield such as the tower shield or Roman Scutum
Light Armor: Leather, furs, hides, quilted linen, or some other material that can be fashioned like clothing; a leather or quilted cap
Medium Armor: Linothrax, boiled leather, or light ring mail; a helm of boiled or reinforced leather
Heavy Armor: Scale, chain, or heavy ring mail; a metal helm with cheek and neck protection, such as a Roman or Celtic helm
Very Heavy Armor: Segmented or solid plate armor; a fully encasing helm, such as the Corinthian
Wearing armor effectively requires Might equal to the armor’s DDF -2. For example, wearing a full suit of very heavy armor (DDF: 4) requires that
a character have Might: Great to avoid suffering a penalty to their Move attribute and physical skills. The penalty is normally -1 per level of Might
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weapon attacker, and the second number is the penalty applied against a ranged weapon attacker.
3
Tower shields do not add a bonus to the target’s Defense but instead provide a penalty to the foe’s attack. The first number is the penalty applied to
a melee weapon attack under optimal conditions, such as when used in a phalanx or shield wall; the second number is the penalty applied against a
ranged weapon attack; and the third number is applied against a melee weapon attack in open terrain where the foe can easily maneuver around the
shield.
4
Includes rucksack, sack, water skin, 100’ rope, peasant clothes, hatchet, mallet, stakes, fishhooks, twine, cheap knife, bandages, cooking gear, and a
hide blanket.
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Mettle: Good
Might: Good
Move: Fair
Senses: Good (Animal)
Smarts: Fair (Animal)
Spine: Poor
8.2 Centaur
Centaurs have the lower bodies and legs of horses, but where the neck would normally extend upward on a horse, they
instead have the upper bodies of men. While not as large or as fast as horses, they are bigger and faster than humans.
Centaurs are often barbarous and violent, and many make their
homes in caves and other natural enclosures, but it is a mistake to
think they are stupid. Their culture has an impressive oral
tradition, and they love poetry and music, both vocal and
instrumental. Many centaurs learn to play an instrument.
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Gifts: Tough 2, Mass Scale: +2, Speed Scale: +3, Heightened Sense of Smell, Night Vision
Faults: Fearless, Bloodlust, Constantly Ravenous
Skills: Combat: Great, Dodge: Good, Ambush: Great, Sneak: Good, Track by Scent: Good
8.4 Dog
Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and colors; and they may be wild or domesticated. In the wild, dogs are pack hunters that
live in small groups numbering from 10-20 members. Dog packs can employ coordinated attacks to bring down large
game; and, like wolves, they are also skilled at "cutting out” the sickly and weaker members from a herd of prey animals.
The following example is a large dog, such a Labrador, Rottweiler, or Doberman Pincher.
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Gifts: Mass Scale: +8, Tough 3, Fire Breath (ODF: 10; Range: 5/15/25/35/45/60), Flight, Speed Scale: +6
Faults: Greedy, Vain, Vengeful
Skills: Combat: Great, Mesmerism: Great*
*A drakon may engage a single target each round with its ability to mesmerize with its eyes, but it may make no other
attacks while doing so and may not defend itself. To mesmerize a victim, the dragon makes an opposed roll of its
Mesmerism skill against the target's Spine. If successful, the target does anything the dragon commands for up to one
hour. This power can only be employed against a victim who can see the drakon's eyes, but drakoi are very clever when
it comes to convincing victims to do exactly that.
Equipment: The Drus Bow is a magical weapon created only by the drui. It provides +4 ODF and has 50% greater range
than a composite bow. It never provides these capabilities to non-drui and instead functions like a short bow.
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Gifts: Flight (Speed Scale: +1), Longevity (300+ Years), Magical Aptitude (Power), Tough
Faults: Mass Scale: –8, Impulsive, Violent, Vengeful
Skills: Combat: Good, Sneak: Great, Dodge: Great, One Magic School: Good, Observation: Great, Aerial Acrobatics:
Great, Sleight of Hand: Great
Note: Most fae make use of armor and equipment crafted from their natural surroundings, and few ever use fire.
8.8 Ghoul
Terrible necromantic energies created the undead creatures called
ghouls, and the process twisted their humanity into something
malevolent. Ghouls have little recollection of anything prior to their
transformation, but any memories that remain are always cause for
sorrow and suffering. These ravenous cannibals can only sustain
themselves by devouring the flesh of sentient beings, and they are
constantly on the hunt for fresh meat. Should a sentient humanoid be
slain by a ghoul and not devoured, it will rise as a ghoul 24 hours later.
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Gifts: Bite Injects Paralytic Poison (Great—six-hour duration), Mass Scale +3, Web*
Faults: Colorblind
Skills: Combat: Good, Throw Web: Good, Sneak: Good
*A giant spider’s web attack has ranges of 2/4/8/12/16/20 and entangles any creature it hits, until the victim is cut free or
succeeds at a Might: Superb roll.
Some claim these creatures are the stunted children of the titans, but
if this is true, gigas certainly lack the intellect and culture of their
forebears. They are aggressive, unpredictable, and primitive—most
are technologically no better than late Stone Age.
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8.12 Gorgon
The Gorgons were monsters produced by Gaea to aid her sons against the
gods, and there are possibly dozens of these creatures still living solitary
lives in haunted wastelands throughout the world. Each is a large, female
humanoid with writhing snakes for hair; a hideous, flat-nosed face; and a
serpent-like tongue lolling out over its large, sharp teeth. The most
terrifying aspect of a gorgon, however, is its ability to turn to stone any
who meet its dreadful gaze. The home of a gorgon is usually decorated
with the stone remains of would-be hunters.
8.13 Griffin
This mythological creature has the head, wings, and
forelegs of an eagle and the body, hindquarters, and tail of
a lion. These predators live in small prides of 3-10
members and make their homes in rugged, high-altitude
regions. They are strictly carnivorous and hunt a variety of
prey animals, including men, but they favor horseflesh
above all others. Griffin females lay eggs in burrows in the
ground; no one knows why, but these burrows often
contain gold nuggets. Griffins are rare but dwell in greater
numbers in the hills and mountains bordering the Black
Sea.
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Weaponry: Shortsword or Spear Armor: Light and Medium Shield (-1/-1 to Foe)
ODF: +2 or +3 DDF: +1
Experienced Guard
This is a sergeant of the city watch, a tough bodyguard, or some other individual expected to deal with moderate trouble
very effectively. This individual is an experienced and dangerous opponent who does not fight to the death unless there
is no other choice.
Weaponry: Shortsword or Spear Armor: Medium and Medium Shield (-1/-1 to Foe)
ODF: +3 or +4 DDF: +4
Gifts: Tough
Faults: Duty
Skills: Combat: Good, Dodge: Good, Intimidate: Fair, Persuade: Fair, Survival—Urban: Fair
8.15 Harpy
Harpies are hateful creatures with the forms of birds but the breasts and faces of vengeful female humans. They live in
nests of 10-50 individuals and appear to be hermaphroditic, as they both lay and fertilize their own eggs. The gods
sometimes use harpies as agents of punishment, and legends tell of harpies sent by Hades to abduct people and torture
them on their way to the underworld. Harpies defecate on anything they do not want touched or used, and the stench of
their feces is so vile that only the most desperate risk contact with it. A character must roll Spine: Great or better to touch
any object contaminated in this manner.
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8.17 Hydra
Said to be the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, these amphibious monsters have the body of a reptile and six, snake-
like heads on long, flexible necks. Hydras have incredible powers of regeneration, and their bites deliver a powerful toxin
that can disable or kill a man-sized creature. Hydras are solitary creatures that live in temperate to tropical regions, but
they prefer swamps and other wastes.
Gifts: Mass Scale: +5, Tough, Poison (Great—Incapacitated), Multiple Attacks (one per head), Regenerate (one injury
level per combat round unless the wound is sealed with fire)
Faults: Susceptible to Cold
Skills: Combat: Good, Sneak: Great; Dodge: Fair
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Werewolf
Mettle: Good Senses: Good (Animal)
Might: Great Smarts: Good (Animal)
Move: Good Spine: Poor
Gifts: Fur; Harmed Only by Silver or Magic; Mass Scale: +1; Shapeshift (Power); Speed Scale +3
Faults: Ravenous, Bloodlust, Secret
Skills: Combat: Good, Dodge: Good, Sneak: Good, Track: Great
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Mettle: Great
Might: Good
Move: Good
Senses: Good
Smarts: Poor
Spine: Mediocre
Gifts: Mass Scale: +3, Flight, Speed Scale: +3 (Fly), Poisonous Sting*
Faults: Bloodthirsty, Stupid
Skills: Combat: Good
*Roll Mettle: Great or be poisoned and Incapacitated. If poisoned, roll Mettle: Great again after 10 minutes or die.
8.21 Minotaur
A minotaur has the body of a man and the head, horns, and tail of a bull. It
is much stronger and larger than a man, but it is stupid, primitive, and prone
to fits of rage. Some say the first of its kind was the result of an unnatural
union between the wife of King Minos of Crete and a prized bull belonging
to Poseidon. Others believe that each minotaur is the son of the child-eating
Phoenician god Baal-Moloch, who is usually depicted as a bull or a
minotaur. Regardless of its origins, a minotaur is always male and can
procreate with humans or bovines; should such a union result in offspring, it
is always a minotaur or a bull of great size and strength.
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8.23 Pygmy
Pygmies are a diminutive, normally proportioned people who stand roughly two-and-a-half feet in height. Their
complexion, hair, and eye colors are like those of humans, and pygmy males can grow facial hair. Pygmy cultures range
from Stone Age to Iron Age, but most are on par with local human cultures. Pygmies often ride goats or large dogs.
Weaponry: Short Spear or Sling Armor: Linothrax and Medium Shield (-1/-1 to Foe)
Total ODF: -1 or -2 (Includes Scale -4) Total DDF: 0 (Includes Scale -4)
Gifts: Immune to Pain, Stench (Foes must pass Spine: Great or take a –1 penalty to all trait tests)
Faults: Enslaved, Hideous Appearance
Skills: Combat: Mediocre, Terrify Opponent: Good, Rot: Superb
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Mettle: Good
Might: Good
Move: Good
Senses: Great
Smarts: Fair (Animal)
Spine: Fair
Gifts: Mass Scale: +6, Flight at Speed Scale +10, Keen Vision
Faults: Hollow Bones (-1 DDF)
Skills: Combat: Great, Aerial Acrobatics: Good, Observation: Great
8.26 Shade
A shade is a form of undead created when a malevolent
soul refuses to part from its body upon death. Through
sheer will or necromantic rites, the creature reanimates
its own corpse and remains, at least partly, in the
material world. It must then feed upon sentient life
energy at least once each week or be drawn into the
underworld where it will be punished by the gods for its
transgressions. A shade can only be harmed by magical
or sanctified weapons.
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8.28 Soldier
This is a Greek or Roman soldier or its Carthaginian or Persian equivalent. The first stats presented are those of a skilled
peltast or light skirmisher, and the second represent a skilled hoplite with a spear and a tower shield. Soldiers, regardless
of skill and experience, are unlikely to throw their lives away on a fool’s errand. However, they generally have better
morale than the common militia.
Peltast
Mettle: Good Senses: Fair
Might: Fair Smarts: Fair
Move: Good Spine: Fair
Hoplite
Mettle: Good Senses: Fair
Might: Good Smarts: Fair
Move: Fair Spine: Fair
Weaponry: Spear or Shortsword Armor: Very Heavy and Tower Shield (-3/-2/-1 to Foe)
ODF: +4 or +3 DDF: +5
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Gifts: Can Only Be Harmed by Magic, Flight (Speed Scale 5), Shock and Awe* (Power), Mass Scale: +5
Faults: Poor Senses (-3), Violent
Skills: Combat: Great
*Shock and Awe: The victim must succeed with a Mettle roll of Great or better to avoid becoming Very Stunned.
8.30 Troglodyte
These primitive cavemen preceded homo sapiens, and some even interbred with their brighter descendants. Troglodytes
are larger and pack greater dense muscle than modern humans, and their primitive cultures are bound by savagery and
violence. Many worship the Earth Mother, who is represented in their crude art as the Venus of Willendorf.
Weaponry: Large Stone Axe Armor: Light and Medium Shield (-1/-1 to Foe)
ODF: +5 (Includes Scale +1) DDF: +4 (Includes Scale +1)
8.31 Troll
Trolls are humanoid giants that stand about 9’ tall and weigh
approximately 500 pounds. They have tough, rubbery green
skin and slimy black tendrils for hair. Their chins jut
defiantly from beneath large noses, and their lips cannot
conceal the shark-like teeth that frame their mouths. Trolls’
fingers and toes end in thick, sharp nails they use for tearing
at prey. They cannot survive exposure to direct sunlight,
even for a moment, without turning to stone. Trolls live in
desolate wastes, impassable swamps, and dank caverns.
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*Any mammal within 20 yards of the Venus Man Trap must succeed at a Spine: Good test or be drawn toward the plant
in fascination. Once attacked or the attraction has been physically disrupted, the character can act.
It seems greater wolves do not much care for the taste of kobaloi, who
are known to raise these monstrous canines from pups to serve as
battle companions and mounts. This gives kobaloi warriors a
significant ally in battle, but the relationship with the wolves is always
tenuous at best and sometimes ends in disaster.
Mettle: Good
Might: Great
Move: Good
Senses: Good (Animal)
Smarts: Good (Animal)
Spine: Mediocre
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A lengthy treatise on this setting is unnecessary because there are already many wonderful sources of information on this
period. Just throw in some magic and a bunch of real gods and have fun! However, the following brief introductions to
nine cultures in this setting may be helpful. GMs should expand upon these and add others as interest and need dictate.
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that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
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15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Fudge 10th Anniversary Edition Copyright 2005, Grey Ghost Press, Inc.; Authors Steffan O'Sullivan and Ann
Dupuis, with additional material by Jonathan Benn, Peter Bonney, Deird'Re Brooks, Reimer Behrends, Don Bisdorf,
Carl Cravens, Shawn Garbett, Steven Hammond, Ed Heil, Bernard Hsiung, J.M. "Thijs" Krijger, Sedge Lewis,
Shawn Lockard, Gordon McCormick, Kent Matthewson, Peter Mikelsons, Robb Neumann, Anthony Roberson,
Andy Skinner, William Stoddard, Stephan Szabo, John Ughrin, Alex Weldon, Duke York, Dmitri Zagidulin
Any elements of the proprietary setting, including but not limited to capitalized names, organization names,
characters, historic events, and organizations; any and all stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, maps,
documents within the game worlds, quotes from characters or documents, and dialogue constitute product identity.
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