AN EXPANSION MODULE FOR KotR:A

Game Design & Editing

Claudio Serena

Art Direction & Layout

Claudio Serena e Claudio Pustorino

Core Playtester
Mariella Gallo, Andrea Cioni, Sara Berton e Marco Barison

Knights of the Round: Academy is published by

Fumble srls, Via Sarzana 40, 20159, Milano, MI, Italy
MS Edizioni / Magic Store srl, viale Gramsci 57, 47122, Forlì, FC, Italy

This manual is issued under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 IT.

Feel free to share it with your fellow players and get ideas from it.

If you have any questions after reading this manual, please write to us at
gamemaster@fumblegdr.it or visit the appropriate channel on our Discord server
http://bit.ly/FumbleDiscord

You can find free game materials on our website https://fumblegdr.it

First Edition: October 2022

Summary
Introduction 5

Themes 6

New Lineages 8

Orphan 10

Vessel 14

Wandering Soul 18

Ineluctable 22

Adapt your Core 28

New Jobs 29

Athtlete 30

Collector 36

ESPer 42

Henshin 48

Idol 54

Majokko 60

Playing a Tournament Arc 66

A3
Shonen Anime
Shonen, or “anime for boys”, are one of the main inspirations of
KotR:A, and have mainly influenced how Students can use Limit
Points and the idea of Overdrive.

KotR:A, however, is also a game about Mechas, and this reflects,

for example, in the Knight Techniques each Job has.

Knights of the Round: Shonen takes the focus away from the
Knights and puts it on the Students: this means that to create
a Student using both rules you will have to pay a little more
attention and make some choices regarding the Core, the Knight,
the Lineages and the Jobs.

KotR:S uses the term “Shonen” in a deliberately broad way,

touching on themes that also concern the so-called Shojo, or
“anime for girls”.

A 5
Themes
Shonen anime revolve around some themes that recur, more or less
constantly, in every work of the genre:

B Being the very best: the typical protagonist of a shonen wants to

excel in a specific field, whether it’s cooking, some martial art or
singing, doesn’t really matter

B Your true strength are your companions: although the protagonists

of a typical shonen are gifted with skills superior to those of anyone
else, they manage to defeat their opponents only thanks to the
friends they have met on their way

B Commitment is more important than winning: you don’t need to win

every fight, on the contrary, you can often learn something about
yourself only by losing against someone who can show you your
mistakes

B Every fight is an opportunity to grow: getting involved and trying

to overcome yourself every day is the only way to understand your
limits and overcome them

B Everyone can redeem themselves: the protagonist of a shonen will

always give their opponent an opportunity to prove that they have
repented, and will avoid killing unless strictly necessary

A 6
A
7
New Lineages
The Lineages in KotR:S do not represent the people you belong to, but are
more a representation of your origin story, of the spark that set you on the
path to trying to become your best self.

There are four of them, and they can be used in any setting, not just on
Brit’an; each of them still has the Half-Blood option available, so not only
can you make your own Orphan Student in a setting of your own invention,
you might also make, for example, an Avalonian Student who’s the Vessel
of a Spirit who proves to be an Unexpected Friend.

B Orphan: you don’t know who your parents are, or you grew up
without them anyway, perhaps hiding a bizarre secret

B Vessel: you are linked to a spiritual entity that is somehow a source

of great power

B Wandering Soul: you are not of this time or this place, but your life is
still here and now

B Ineluctable: your Destiny has been decided by someone else, it’s up

to you to decide whether to make it yours or oppose it

Each Lineage gives access to four different Legacies: physical, mental or

cultural abilities that you can access.

Students can choose one of these Legacies.

A 8
 Goruto
Name

Wandering
Soul
Lineage

LEGACY

E Immortal
When all three of your Heart Traits are Wounded, you die, with no way
of avoiding it, sometimes even in unbelievable ways. As soon as the
scene ends, you come back to life.

No matter how many times you knock me down, I will always get up,
because death is the final defeat, and I cannot accept any defeat!

A 9
LINEAGE

Orphan
Maybe they abandoned you when you were a baby, maybe you watched
your parents die years ago or maybe you were kept hidden from your own
family you because you were in danger: whatever the reason, you grew up
far from your biological family.

You have learned to fend for yourself, living on the street, or have been
trained to be ready when danger finds you. You may have powers that
would be extraordinary to anyone else and that you don’t even realize you
have.

But now it’s time to find out where you came from, to decide who you will
be in the future.

Themes to explore Suggested Traits

B
Family B Hidden powers
B Belonging B I can only count on myself

B Heritage B Urchin

Option: Half-blood
Even if the blood of these people flows in you, one of your parents (or who
raised you) belonged to another people: you can choose a Legacy from
another Lineage. Don’t explain how or why you have that Legacy - it will
definitely be the focus of a Flashback!

A 10
 LEGACY

E Amnesia
You don’t remember anything from your childhood, and whoever
raised you never goes into detail about what happened to your family.
However, you have an object that you wore when they found you or
that was with you in the crib and that holds great power. Once per
Scene you can play it as if it were an Item even after you have rolled
the Test dice.

Grandpa told me that my parents were great heroes and that they loved
me, and they left me this magical sphere as a memento!

LEGACY

E Marked by Destiny
A specially shaped birthmark or an artificial mark on your body
indicates that someone (the stars, your family or whoever created you
in the laboratory) has decided to entrust you with the power to save
the World. When you show your mark to someone you are facing, you
can treat your opponent as a Nemesis throughout the Scene, even
after having already rolled the Test dice.

This constellation-shaped scar on my chest is a sign that the hope of this

world has been entrusted to me.

A 12
 LEGACY

E Anomaly
Your body has something different from everyone else’s: it could be
a monkey tail, a small golden horn sticking out of your forehead, or
webbed hands and feet. Whatever it is, when you go into Overdrive,
it becomes very noticeable, but it also grants you a lot of power: once
per Scene, while you are in Overdrive, you can heal your Lineage for
free, if it has been Wounded.

What do you mean that it is not normal for a person to have a prehensile
tail? I have one, I thought everyone had it!

LEGACY

E Bizzarre appetite
Whether you eat for ten, or only feed on food that anyone else would
find inedible, your appetite always gets noticed. Whenever you have a
chance to satisfy your bizarre appetite by showing it to someone who
can still be amazed by it, you regain 1d6 Limit Points.

I would like 10 servings of ramen, 6 of takoyaki, 8 of okonomiyaki, 13

mochi, and all the steamed rice you have. Oh, and if you can I would also
like some steak, 3 bowls of soup and a portion of fries. Only one, I don’t
want to overdo it.

A 13
LINEAGE

Vessel
Your soul and your body are linked to an Entity, which now lives in
symbiosis with you.

Your relationship with this Entity can be more or less peaceful, and the
Entity itself could be more or less powerful, but one thing has certainly
crossed your thoughts at least once: what would your life be like without
this Entity?

What Entity is linked to you? Why? What secret knowledge can it offer
you? And how much do you depend on its power?

Themes to explore Suggested Traits

B
Am I just a shell? B Living oxymoron
B Angel or demon? B I want to be stronger

B Can I control my power? B I can make it without your help

Option: Half-blood
Even if the blood of these people flows in you, one of your parents (or who
raised you) belonged to another people: you can choose a Legacy from
another Lineage. Don’t explain how or why you have that Legacy - it will
definitely be the focus of a Flashback!

A 14
 LEGACY

E Losing control
When your Lineage is Wounded, you can choose to lose control over
the Entity that lives within you. If you do, you immediately recover
1d6 limit points, but you will never be able to go below the Overdrive
threshold until the end of the Scene. Act using only the Traits that you
share with the Entity that occupies your body.

Puny mortal, if you keep it up you’ll get us both killed! I better take care of
it from here on out!

LEGACY

E Manifest the Power

The Entity that harbors in your body responds to your every command
and is ready to give you its power when you need it: you can Wound
your Lineage to recover 3d4 Limit Points, but you cannot heal it until
the end of the Scene.

Burn, my Core, burn to the limit of all that is known, shine light on what we
do not yet know and give me the strength to defeat my enemy!

A 16
 LEGACY

E Yielding control
You have found a certain balance with the Entity that dwells within
you and you know you can yield control for your body to it for a short
time without risking anything: While you are in Overdrive, when you
spend Limit equal to the Power of the Threat (minimum 1), instead of
gaining 1d12, you may instead gain a +1 bonus, as if you were using
Items. The total bonus (including from other sources) may not exceed
the normal maximum of +6.

I cannot go beyond this point without your help: my body is your body, your
soul is my soul, we are one, so I ask for your help now.

LEGACY

E Unexpected Friend
Mark one of your Affinity slots with the name of the Entity that lives
within you and assign 4 points to that Affinity. The Entity is a constant
part of your life and your relationship is not that of master and
servant, you are simply two souls in the same body. Your relationship
may grow or deteriorate based on your actions, but it definitely can’t
be ignored. You can’t clear that Affinity slot.

Hey! Listen! It seems to me that today we can skip school and have fun in
the park just you and me, like we used to. What do you say?

A 17
LINEAGE

Wandering Soul
Your soul is inhabiting a new body: perhaps you died in another world
and now you are here, perhaps you are stuck in an infinite cycle of
reincarnations which you do not know how to end, perhaps you are only
destined to once more find the person you love.

But if you don’t belong to this world or this age, can you really influence
what surrounds you? Will you be able to return to the world you left
behind, or will you at least find peace here and now?

Themes to explore Suggested Traits

B
Am I really me? B Immortal
B Someone else’s sins B Memories of anoter life

B I don’t belong to this world B Second chance

Option: Half-blood
Even if the blood of these people flows in you, one of your parents (or who
raised you) belonged to another people: you can choose a Legacy from
another Lineage. Don’t explain how or why you have that Legacy - it will
definitely be the focus of a Flashback!

A 18
 LEGACY

E Fish out of water

Your reincarnation in this world happened by mistake and you don’t
know anything about the habits and customs of the people around
you: you can use your Lineage as an additional Flaw and, if you do, you
regain 2d4 Limit Points instead of the normal 1d6.

I was walking down the street, then I heard the sound of a car braking and
now I’m a Student in a wizarding school, in another world? This is terrible!

LEGACY

E Red thread of Destiny

Even in this new reincarnation of yours, your Destiny is linked to
someone who was close to you in the past, for example someone you
loved, or with whom you have made a friendship that goes beyond
time and space. This person has reincarnated with you: mark their
name in an Affinity slot and assign 4 points to that Affinity. Your
relationship may grow or deteriorate based on your actions, but you
will surely find yourself sooner or later.

Wherever you are I will find you and we will be together forever, even in
this world...

A 20
 LEGACY

E Immortal
When all three of your Heart Traits are Wounded, you die, with no way
of avoiding it, sometimes even in unbelievable ways. As soon as the
scene ends, you come back to life.

If something forces you to change your Lineage you immediately lose

this Legacy and you will not be able to choose it again in the future.

No matter how many times you knock me down, I will always get up,
because death is the final defeat, and I cannot accept any defeat!

LEGACY

E Obsession
You have studied this world to exhaustion and know everything
there is to know about famous places, creatures and people: every
time a place is revealed or you meet a creature, ask the Storyteller a
question: only you will know that information, which will always be
accurate.

WOW! I had read in the KotR:A’s manga that the Round went really deep
underground, but I never imagined that deep! If this is the 98th floor
underground, that door must be the one to Merlin’s secret laboratory!

A 21
LINEAGE

Ineluctable
Your Destiny has been decided by someone else, whether it is the scientist
who created you in the laboratory to be a living weapon or whether it is
the stars that shine in the sky. Perhaps you yourself have decided what
your Destiny should be.

Your life is still dedicated to facing this Destiny, one way or another. It is up
to you to decide if you want to surrender to the Destiny someone else has
chosen for you, or if you want to mold it with your own hands.

Themes to explore Suggested Traits

B
Guilt B Hero by chance, not by choice
B I’m not alone B Never give up

B Made for destruction B One soul, two worlds

Option: Half-blood
Even if the blood of these people flows in you, one of your parents (or who
raised you) belonged to another people: you can choose a Legacy from
another Lineage. Don’t explain how or why you have that Legacy - it will
definitely be the focus of a Flashback!

A 22
 LEGACY

E Living weapon
Your existence is dedicated to one thing only, whether you want to
or not: extinguish life. Once per Scene, when you go into Overdrive,
you can inflict a Wound on each Threat on the Scene, but all other
Students will suffer a Wound as well.
If a Student was already Wounded, they are also considered in Mortal
Danger.

Run! I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t know how long I can hold all this
energy!

LEGACY

E Resolve
Nothing can bring you down and you will always find a way to prevail,
in the end: when all your Heart Traits are Wounded you do not Leave
the Scene, but you are in Mortal Danger. Techniques that should
Wound you always force you to spend 5 Limit Points. A Disaster, on
the other hand, could be fatal to you.

Tsk! This is just a flesh wound, I can go on for as long as I need to...

A 24
 LEGACY

E On the verge of extinction

Your Lineage ends with you: you are the last living specimen of your
bloodline. As sad as this revelation is, it gives you incredible willpower:
when you are in Overdrive you can heal your Wounds (but only yours)
by spending 3 Limit Points instead of 5 Limit Points.

Being the last one of your kind is a strange feeling: on the one hand I
feel incredibly alone, but on the other I know I am incredibly unique and
important.

LEGACY

E Rival
You have a Rival that you have sworn to beat to prove once and for
all that you are the best one. Mark their name in an Affinity slot.
Whenever you challenge them to a duel, regardless of who wins or
loses, you can add 1 Affinity Point.
At 10 Affinity Points you also get a new option: instead of bringing
your Rival back to life, you can convince them to come over to your
side. From that moment on they will be a faithful ally.

I have decided: I will continue to challenge you until I can make you see the
world through my eyes!

A 25
A
26
Adapta your Core
In KotR:A, the Core represents the element to which a Student and their
Knight are linked.

In KotR:S, however, not all Students are tied to a specific element.

Depending on the Lineage you have chosen and the Job you intend to
take on, you may decide that being able to manipulate an element is not
suitable, for example if you are not playing on Brit’an or if you are playing
an Orphan Idol.

In that case the Core should represent the spark that gives you the
strength to overcome the obstacles in front of you, to face every opponent
in your way.

It could be a specific goal (Collect a specimen of each animal species, Win

the Martial Arts Tournament, Show the village that they can trust me) or
an ideal that moves your actions (Justice, Vengeance, Truth).

You can still use the Core for otherwise unattainable results, as if you were
using a normal Core.

Goruto
Name

Wandering
Justice Soul
Core Lineage

A 28
New Jobs
The Jobs you willl find in KotR:S are compatible with Jobs from the
Corebook, and you can create any combination you like.

Each Job in KotR:S offers an alternative to Knights, but it’s up to you to

decide whether you want to those or a Knight: you just have to decide
which Job is the main one (even if you choose only Jobs from this manual
you will have to make this choice) and use the option you prefer.

You will still have access to the Special Techniques, which will still be
available under the conditions indicated in the Techniques themselves.
You may therefore be an Athlete / Cadet using a Knight or you may prefer
to focus your attention on the Sport of your choice, perhaps Knightball!
Likewise you may be a Collector / Esper more interested in developing
a solid relationship with your Mon rather than developing your psychic
Powers.

However, the choice is not final and like any other Trait in KotR:A you can
decide to change your mind whenever you want, especially when you
change a Job or take a new one.

Collector
Job

A 29
JOB SYSTEM

Athlete
A true Athlete is someone who works hard to become the best at
something: martial arts, baseball, Knightball, acrobatic cooking...

Whatever discipline they have chosen, surely they will not spare
themselves until they have made theirs every secret technique and
defeated every opponent who questioned their skill.

And if they lose, no problem: they will just get up and start training again!

A defeat is just one more reason to keep training, for me!

Themes to explore Nemesi

B
Becoming stronger B Rival team
B Accepting defeat B Rules of the game

B Never surrender B Tournament winner

Suggested Traits

B
Commit! B My father’s technique
B Reverse pivot B One versus one

B Once more from the top! B Team play

A 30
Choose your Sport
Instead of your Knight’s Name, mark which Sport you have decided to
dedicate your life to.

You decide what this Sport actually is, together with the rest of the
Students: it could be a really existing game (Volleyball, Basketball, Curling),
it could be a slightly different version of a real discipline (Extreme Curling,
Hover Snowboard) or something completely fictional (Knightball).

You could also define the Sport in a more generic way, as a category under
which different disciplines actually fall (Martial Arts), or you could also
define a competitive activity that does not exactly fall within the canonical
definition of a Sport (Cuisine).

Whatever Sport you choose, talk to the Storyteller, so they can integrate it
into the story you are telling together.

K nightball:
B the most famous mecha game in all of Brit’an

V olleyball:
B a popular team sport ofnEarth

H Snowboard: descent on the snow with floating boards

B over

C uisine:
B creating dishes capable of stirring the emotions of those who eat them

M Arts: the ultimate contact sport

B artial

A 32
Choose your Role
Instead of your Knight’s Frame, choose your Role.

Your Role is very important when you face opponents in your own
discipline, but it goes beyond that: a Captain will be able to lead the other
Students at any time, just as a Defender could still find the courage and
determination to put his own life in danger to prevent enemies to advance
even they find themselves aboard a Knight on a battle field.

If you have chosen a Sport that is not played in a team, your Role should
represent your specialty, for example if you have chosen Martial Arts you
could put Judo as a specialty, or if you have chosen Cuisine it could be
Discount Kitchen.

Your Role can change when you deem it necessary, but never during a
Scene in which you have already used it.

G oalkeeper:
B Specialized in blocking the snitch and defending one’s position

D ribbler:
B a fundamental support role for the whole team

F reestyle:
B an acrobatic discipline with complicated aerial maneuvers

D iscount Food:
B make chef’s dishes on a low budget

J : using the strength of your opponents to your advantage

B udo

A 33
 BASIC TECHNIQUE
A Montage
When you have time to train for a challenge you know you will have
to face, briefly tell how you decide to prepare and recover 1d4 Limit
Points.

Students who decide to train with you earn 1 Limit Point, but they will
have to find the time to help you.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
D Slow Motion

Your senses are so refined that the world seems to stop before your
eyes just before you make a choice: can you use this time to save the
day?

When you use a Memory to re-roll the dice, your mind finds its own
peace and you can recover 1d4 extra limit points.

A 34
 SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
B Feint

When you show off your athletic skills in the Sport of your choice,
once per Scene you can perform the same Test twice and keep the
result you prefer.

You cannot mix the results of the two Tests.

OVERDRIVE TECHNIQUE
C Muscle memory

When you are in Overdrive you can transform as many d6s as you like
into d4s, and add 1d12 for each d6 transformed this way by spending
a number of Limit Points equal to only half the Power, rounded down
(minimum 1).

A 35
JOB SYSTEM

Collector
Whether they are spirits, wild animals, creatures from elsewhere or very
rare plants, there are many things out there to discover and learn about.

Collectors dedicates their lives to travel the world in search of the most
interesting creatures, not to enslave them, but to get to know them and
become their companion.

Some of these creatures will decide to follow them, others will remain
legends, but the thing to matter is to have met them.

I had never seen such a friendly specimen of Zebra Mushroom! I have to pin it in
my Mon-base!

Themes to explore Nemesi

B
See the world B Unscrupulous collector
B Catch’em all B Slaver

B Is it right to catch them? B Unbeatable Mon

Suggested Traits

B
Rigorous training B Botanist expert
B Wanderer B Camping

B Mon Ball B Mon database

A 36
Choosse your Mon’s Name
Mon is a term that is used by Collectors to identify creatures with whom
they form a special relationship, and it could actually identify many
different types of creatures, from funny little animals that can evolve
unexpectedly, to giant stone golems, as well as prankster ghosts, little
sentient robots, or digital constructs.

Whatever type of Mon you choose to bond with, you will need to give it
a Name, both to call it when you need it, and to differentiate it from any
other Mon you may encounter.

Even if you are deeply connected, and surely your Mon will do everything
to help you when he gets the chance, you must not think of your Mon as
a simple object that you possess: Mons are living creatures, and as such
they can suffer, get sick, and in some cases even die.

Don’t mistreat your Mon.

G is the last specimen of its own species, once widespread on

B latisanthia

Brit’an, and has a robust, Breath-resistant carapace

D B is an Atlantean spirit who decided to follow me because he

B eep lue

sensed in me the blood of the ancient rulers of the Sunken Kingdom

Q is a cute giant rodent capable of turning into stone. Being very

B uokkachu

lazy, it usually does it when he doesn’t want to move, so it becomes very

heavy

A 38
Choose your Mon’s Type
Each Mon has its own specialty, which makes it suitable for dealing with
specific situations: some Mon can change shape, others can recall a
natural element, others are digital constructs capable of interfacing with
different machines.

There are no limits to what your Mon’s Type can be, but if you have a hard
time figuring out what it might be, you can use the same guidelines you
use to define a Student’s Soul: the Type is a Trait that defines something
of the more intrinsic nature of your Mon.

It could be its physical characteristic, its peculiar behavior or the material it

is made of. Whatever it is is something iconic and that can be brought into
play as a Trait.

S hapeshifter:
B a creature that can change shape at will

A tlantidean:
B a Mon linked to water and the Sunken Kingdom

E Core: this creature has a Core and can use its power
B arth

W andering spirit:
B a soul that has not found peace and has remained in this world

A ndroid:
B a Mon doesn’t have to be organic to be cute

A 39
 BASIC TECHNIQUE
A Elemental rock, paper and scissors
Choose an element towards which your Core is more powerful: when
your opponent makes use of that element you can add 1d12 to the
Test for free.

Also choose an element towards which your Core is weaker: when

your opponent makes use of that element you must transform 1d6
into 1d4 during the Test.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
D Evolution

Your favorite Mon changes and grows with you, determined to help
you and stay faithful to the end.
You can use a Memory to heal your Mon: mark it as if you had used it
to re-roll the dice for a Test.

A 40
 SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
B I choose you!

When you call your favorite Mon, shout his name: you recover 1d6
limit points and, if he was Injured in the last fight, you can heal one of
his Wounds.

You can only recall it once per Scene.

OVERDRIVE TECHNIQUE
C Bring it on!

When you are in Overdrive, once per Scene, you can choose a Threat
in the Scene: for you, and only for you, the Power of that Threat is one
point lower than it should (minimum 1).

A 41
JOB SYSTEM

ESPer
An ESPer is able to use their mind 100% to do things that a normal person
could not do.

Their psychic powers allow them to read people’s minds, move objects
with the power of thought and see the past of an object even just by
touching it, but all this power is difficult to control: an ESPer needs strict
discipline in order not to get lost in the illusion of being better than the
people around them.

Spirit, matter... You still think there is a difference between the two, but I know
that mind and body act in the same way. That’s why I can lift you off the
ground just by thinking about it.

Themes to explore Nemesi

B
New evolutionary stage B Military scientist
B The mind is stronger B ESPer Killer

B Is it right to read people’s B He who creeps in darkness

minds?

Suggested Traits

B
Precognition B Visions of another world
B Technopath B The mind is stronger

B Aura B Transmigration

A 42
Choose the Source of your
Power
Each ESPer has a different story about the Source of their Powers: some
received their gift from a dying alien being, others inherited it through
carefully selected bloodlines, while still others came into contact with an
artifact they unlocked their potential.

The Source of your Power also represents the way in which you can
concentrate your Power to manifest it: if it is a hereditary Power, you will
probably have to rely on your blood; if, on the other hand, your Power
comes from an artifact, such as a tarot deck, you will have to actively use
the cards in the deck to tap into your Power.

When you use your Power you are using its Source to manifest it:
remember that it could be damaged or depleted!

T K that I found in the ruins of an ancient temple in the mountains

B he atana

has granted me the powers of all the people who have previously
wielded it

T B M has allowed me to inherit the powers that my

B he lood of the usashi

family has been handed down for generations

T in the Round laboratories awakened something in me, but

B he accident

who knows if it was really an accident ...

A 44
Choose the Type of your
Power
Each ESPer’s Power manifests differently, and each ESPer typically
specializes in a specific Type of Power, even though they might able to do
several things using only their own mind.

Some Types of Power are easier to master than others, so also decide how
much your power needs training, to help the storyteller create challenges
that highlight your commitment or talent.

You can invent any kind of Power you want, for example you could invent a
power called Psychic Manifestation, with which you physically manifest a
spirit that fights for you.

P yrokinesis:
B manipulating flames

E mpowerment:
B making your body stronger

P recognition:
B foreseeing the future

P sychometrics:
B seeing the past of an object

T elekinesis:
B manipulating objects

T elepathy:
B mind reading

A 45
 BASIC TECHNIQUE
A Aura perception
By spending 1 Limit Point you can perceive the Aura of every creature
you know, or those you do not know but who have threatening intent
towards you, in your vicinity.

The more powerful a creature is, the farther away you can feel its
Aura.

Some creatures may be able to hide their Aura: the Storyteller may
ask you to take a Test in case you are actively looking for a creature
with this peculiarity.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
D Telepathic bond

Your mind is not bound to your body and can reach any distance, even
when your body is exhausted.

When you are not in the Scene, because you are in another place or
because something has made you leave the Scene, as long as you
have Limit Points to spend, you can help the other Students, giving
them part of your power or encouraging them to work hard!

A 46
 SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
B Psychic barrier

Once per Scene, when you manifest your ESP powers, you can
subtract from the highest Positive Die as many points as you like,
to be distributed on the Negative Dice, as you wish. You could for
example subtract 3 points from a die with a Triumph and add the
same amount of points to 3 different Negative Dice, to get a Full
Success or to ignore a Disaster.

OVERDRIVE TECHNIQUE
C Fighting spirit

When you got into Overdrive, your Aura becomes visible to anyone in
the Scene. Your body becomes visibly full of power and the air around
you becomes heavy: you have 3d12 to distribute in the next Tests, as
you prefer.

Each time you go back into Overdrive in the same Scene, you have
1d12 less to distribute in subsequent Tests.

A 47
JOB SYSTEM

Henshin
When a Henshin gives the command to transform, the light envelops
them, and their costume appears almost out of nowhere, to protect them
and give them the strength to protect the weak.

Only when they put on their costume and assume their second identity,
Henshins can use their true strength, which they will put at the service of
good.

A Henshin is ready to sacrifice themself to save someone’s life, sometimes

even their enemies, if it will help them come to their senses.

Justice! Honesty! Transform!

Themes to explore Nemesi

B
Team effort B Alien invaders
B Being a good leader B Lost civilizations

B Personal Sacrifice B A friend lost to the Dark Side

Suggested Traits

B
Synchronized wrestling B We are a team!
B Parkour B The dress makes the hero

B Change! B Defend the weak

A 48
Choose your Costume
Henshin literally means “Transformation”, and when shouted the Henshin
dons their costume and transforms into a superhero, obtaining powers
that an ordinary mortal can only dream of.

The Costume is the Henshin’s source of power, it defends it from enemy

attacks and gives it the strength to face gigantic monsters, very powerful
mechas and even ancient gods.

The Costume could be a jumpsuit, armor, mask, or any other item of

clothing, and is generally an iconic color that no other henshin can have.

The Costume is also what gives a Henshin their battle name: choose it
well.

H is an armor gifted to mortals by a dying star, and the wearer

B okuto

acquires the strength of 1000 Suns shining in the Cosmos

S S is the costume of the prince of Sol, the kingdom hidden within

B oldier un

the Sun, whose heart burns with justice

M -M is a nanomachine prototype developed by the Round, able

B an achine

to fuse with its host on a molecular level to give them unparalleled

power.

A 50
Choose your Weapon
A Henshin’s Weapon could literally be that, some kind of instrument for
fighting, such as a sword, pistol or spear, or it could be a particular martial
technique or energy shot that the Henshin is capable of releasing, whose
name is usually shouted by the Henshin when they use it, to more easily
concentrate their strength in the blow.

A Henshin’s Weapon is an incredibly important tool, but it’s not the source
of its power and strength, so a Henshin can continue to fight evil even if
they were to remain unarmed, or if their strike became predictable and
easy to parry.

Remember to shout the name of your Weapon when you use it: it
would work even without it, but this is more fun and above all you could
intimidate your opponents!

K N S : the Henshin’s feet are covered in the light of 1000 Suns

B ick of the orth tar

and allow them to move very quickly

D - : this ancient find from the kingdom of Sol allows Henshin to recall
B agger flute

the flames of the Sun itself

M F : nanomachines can access the Round databases and shape every

B aster orce

weapon that the Henshin can imagine

A 51
 BASIC TECHNIQUE
A It won’t work a second time
Active Threat Techniques cannot be used twice on you, in the same
Scene.

If you face the same Threat with the same Technique in another
Scene, roll 1d12: if you get 6 or more, its Technique will still not work
on you.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
D Finisher Move

The more powerful your opponent, the more powerful your hits. The
more your life is in danger, the more your will is steadfast.

Once per Session while you are facing a Threat, when something
knocks you out of the Scene, you can shout the name of your Finisher
Move and roll 1d8 + 1d6, as if it were a Test. If you get a Full Success
you do not leave the Scene and lower the Power of the Threat. If
you get a Success with Consequence you don’t leave the Scene, but
you can’t hurt the Threat. In case of Failure you will leave the Scene.
Triumphs and Disasters must be spent in addition to this effect.

A 52
 SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
B Change!

When wearing your Costume, your body and your spirit exceed the
limits of mere mortals: once per Scene, when you transform, you can
recover 1 Wound without having to make a Test, or you can recover
1d6 Limit Points.

Nothing and no one can attack and hurt you as you transform.

OVERDRIVE TECHNIQUE
C Burn you Limit!

Once per Scene, when you are in Overdrive and inflict a Wound on
a Threat or another Student, you can decide to suffer 2 Wounds to
inflict the same number on the same opponent.

You can’t avoid taking these Wounds, but you can use any Affinity or
Techniques that grant extra Wounds.

A 53
JOB SYSTEM

Idol
Many Students think that physical strength and personal sacrifice are the
only ways to change the world, others think that it is magic or technology
that can leave a real mark on their life.

An Idol knows that instead there is nothing more powerful than touching a
person’s heart through art.

Idols seek beauty in everything, they know how to move crowds and they
know how to take center stage to give anyone who follows them the
strength to continue even when the light seems lost forever.

With my song I will bring hope back into the hearts of these people!

Themes to explore Nemesi

B
The weight of fame B Crazy fan
B Affections or career B Rival band

B Alter ego B The fame

Suggested Traits

B
Voice of an angel B Disarming beauty
B Dedication B Deep emotions

B Move the crowds B Form and content

A 54
Choose your Stage Name
Your Stage Name is as important as your Name, if not more. It is the name
by which your fans will know you, with which you will go down in history
and with which you will sign your most important works.

Like your Name, the choice of your Stage Name is an important moment,
because it is a Trait that says a lot about you and the kind of art you will
do: deciding to be called The Fool will immediately make evident the
subversive nature of what you do, while choosing Hecate as a Stage Name
is a surefire way to communicate a dark side that is best not to instigate if
you don’t want to get hurt.

W M uses her singing skills to empower other Students to face

B aning oon

even the most terrible threats

P P.K knows how to manipulate colors like no other, and with a few
B ablo az

brush strokes he could unleash a revolution if he wanted to

T F knows how to manipulate colors like no other, and with a few

B he ool

brush strokes he could unleash a revolution if he wanted to

A 56
Choose your Art
Art is the way you will leave the crowds stunned and your opponents
speechless. You will move their hearts, leading them to recognize their
feelings and accept their faults.

Art is something in which you have an incredible talent, capable to reach

anyone’s heart. The best known are Painting, Sculpture, Literature, Music,
Dance, Theater and Architecture, but there are other things that can be
considered Art: Illusionism, Cuisine, Fashion…

There are endless ways to connect with someone’s feelings, you just have
to choose your path.

S P
B inging
B restidigitation

P P
B ainting
B rogramming

T K
B heater
B itchen

C S
B omedy
B kating

D C
B ance
B inema

A 57
 BASIC TECHNIQUE
A Fandom
You can use an Affinity slot to represent your relationship with your
fans: you gain 1 Affinity Point every time you perform in public, every
time you save an innocent in a blatant fashion, and you gain 3 if you
defeat your Nemesis.

At 10 points, the love of your fans can bring you back to life, but only
if you die to save someone else.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
D Improvise

You have made Art your own to the point that you can create
something so incredible that it changes reality itself.

You can mark a Memory of yours and have another Student use it as if
it was theirs, if they have no Memory available on their own.

A 58
 SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
B Muse

When you show off your Art, the other Students remain completely
ecstatic: if during a Trial you recover some Limit Points with a
Triumph, choose another Student who immediately recovers half of
the Points you have recovered, rounded down (if you recover 1 Point
Limit, the other Student will not recover any Point).

OVERDRIVE TECHNIQUE
C Masterpiece

Once per Scene, when you go into Overdrive, you can show off your
Art in such a dramatic way that a Student of your choice, including
yourself, quickly recovers a Wound.

Describe how your Art moves the heart of the Student.

A 59
JOB SYSTEM

Majokko
Maybe you didn’t ask for this power, maybe you made the wrong wish
or maybe you just met a strange creature that just fell from the sky, but
in any case you can now transform yourself into someone else and use
Magic to learn to understand who you really are, and maybe also to do
good to those close to you.

This new Alter-ego of yours allows you to do things that you could not
do otherwise, to know and make friends with those who would normally
ignore you, but everything has an end: sooner or later these powers will
disappear.

True magic is becoming the person you were always meant to be.

Themes to explore Nemesi

B
I just want to be normal B A witch
B Growing up B Science

B Secret identities and feelings B Possessed innocent

Suggested Traits

B
Idealism B Pure heart
B Behind the mask B Magic crystal

B Straight to the heart B Flawless dress

A 60
Choose your Focus
Every Majokko has an object that serves to concentrate one’s Magic, and
which makes it possible to transform into one’s alter-ego. This object is
the Focus, and it is impossible to use Magic without it.

Any object could be a Focus: a wand, a make-up mirror, a microphone, or

a fork. Although apparently a common object, in the hands of those tied
to Magic a Focus turns out to be an object with almost unlimited power,
so much so that some Focuses are said to be able to grant the wishes of
those with a pure heart.

The Focus is given to those who are able to use it by a spirit, who chooses
who will be able to use the Magic, generally for a well-defined period, or
to help the recipient to obtain something, for example to become the most
famous sorceress in the world.

AW is certainly the easiest focus to imagine, and typically is very

B and

flashy and could even turn into a common object when not in use

AM can be worn as a brooch, ring or necklace, it is easy for no

B agic crystal

one to notice it because it might look like an ordinary crystal

AM may not only be Majokko’s focus, but also something

B usical instrument

the Student is passionate about in her normal life

A 62
Choose your Magic
For each Majokko, Magic works differently: there are those who choose
Illusionism, those who are interested in a more classic elementalism and
those who prefer to talk to the spirits of the dead.

The nature of the Magic of a Majokko also reflects the character of the
Student themselves, most of the time in a literal sense: the Magic is
related to the Alter-ego of a Majokko, which is generally a more adult
version of the Student that somehow represents the overcoming of the
defects of those chosen by the Focus.

A very shy Student could turn into someone incredibly confident, using
Magic to get noticed as much as possible, while a Student bullied by
everyone could use Magic to show wrongdoers what awaits them if they
do not repent.

I llusionism:
B making people’s wishes come true, even if only for a few moments

M agimusic:
B music can change people’s hearts

M agitek:
B Magic is a complex programming code of reality

T arots:
B the right card at the perfect time

T S Kingdom: the rulers of the past are summoned to help the

B he

Majokko
trength of the

A 63
 BASIC TECHNIQUE
A Magical Mascotte
Whatever the origin of your Magic, there is a creature that is linked to
you, at least as long as you will use this Magic.

Give it a name and mark it as a Trait linked to your Job: when you put it
into play you can re-roll 1d8 for free.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
D Guardian Angel

Someone has always kept an eye on you, acting in secret to protect

you in the most difficult moments.

Once in the Campaign, when you are in Mortal Danger, this person will
appear on the Scene, no matter where you are or how plausible it may
seem, they will find a way to reach you and save you at the very last
second, bringing you to safety, away from the Scene.

A 64
 SPECIAL TECHNIQUE
B Alter-ego

When you transform into your alter-ego to harness your Magic,

you can use this Technique as if it were an extra Memory, which
represents your Magic Name.

You do not receive any extra Limit Points from this name, but you can
use it as a Trait and to re-roll any Dice you like (once per Session, as
with any other Memory).

OVERDRIVE TECHNIQUE
C The power of feelings

When you go into Overdrive, your feelings are so powerful that they
fill the hearts of other Students, who may decide to recover 1d6 limit
points.

A Student can only recover Points in this way once per Scene.

A 65
Playing a Tournament Arc
by Emanuele Galletto

Just like in the school stories that inspired it, in KotR:A it is not
at all uncommon for Students to find themselves competing
in tournaments, contests and similar competitions (it could
be a knightly tournament using mechas as well as a fierce
competition between bands during the Music Week held every
spring in your own version of the Round).

While it is perfectly possible to handle these situations without

the use of additional rules, this section offers insights and
options for those groups who want to make a Tournament Arc
the focal point of a few Sessions (or even an entire Season!),
Giving it special attention and rules.

An important note: in the next few pages we will use the term
Team as a generic term to indicate each “participating unit” in
the Tournament, be it an actual team or a single individual.

A 67
Define the specifics of the
Tournament
The first thing to do when creating a Tournament is to define its
fundamental aspects:

B How many people is each team made up of?

If it is a team tournament, it may be a good idea to simplify things
by making sure that all Students are part of the same Team. If it is
individual, each participant will instead be considered a separate
Team

B How many Teams participate?

The Teams involved should be 8 (for an exciting tournament that
lasts more than one Session) or 4 (for a short tournament suitable for
a single play)

B How do you compete, and how do you win?

Will it be a First Blood Duel between Knights, a driving simulation in
zero gravity, or maybe a cooking competition? Is there a referee who
decides who wins each individual match, or is there a jury who votes?

B Who can win, and what is up for grabs?

Are only those who finish in first place rewarded, or are there also
prizes for those who rank in other positions? What can be won?

A 68
Since several Students in the group are part of school music clubs, it was
decided that in the second part of the Season there would be a Tournament
of music bands: this is an opportunity to get in tune with the Cores of their
classmates, which they will need to do for playing as a group, and which help
them find a way to cooperate during their missions, in the future.

This Tournament is called Core Symphonia and will have competing eight
Teams made up of about four people; all Students will be part of the same
Team, the punk rock band Power Chord.

They compete taking turns performing, and there is a jury that decrees the
winning band. The jury will take into account each participant’s technique,
style and charisma shown on stage, but an emotion detector will also be used
to collect data on audience response.

The band that takes first place in the Tournament receives a commendation
and a special travel permit from the Student Council; the second-placed band
nevertheless receives a commendation in turn.

A 69
Factions, Nemesis and
Affinities
If the Tournament is so important to your story that you want to use these
rules, it means that victory is certainly tempting to different Factions (it
could be Factions within the Round, or even rival academies).

It is not necessary to establish right away exactly which Factions are

involved and what interests they have, but it is advisable to link at least
two of them so as to generate a good initial tension.

Similarly, in the Tournament Nemesis and Kindred Spirits of the Students

should appear (even better if the same rival Team includes both one and
the other, so as to put the player in front of difficult choices).

It is not necessary for the storyteller to establish the exact composition

of all the Teams at the beginning of the Tournament: it will be sufficient to
take note of which Teams include Freshmen, Nemesis or Kindred Spirits,
and indicate which Teams have the support of certain Factions (it being
understood that with the events these alliances may change and new and
unexpected ones will likely emerge).

This year’s Core Symphonia is different than usual: as part of a cultural

exchange program, a band from the Colonies, Machina Metrica, will also
participate. Needless to say, the Colonies have an interest in their band
winning, in order to give a strong signal and perhaps influence the lifestyle
of the Round. On the other hand, the Student Council takes for granted the
victory of Starburst, the pop band Aglovar Pelinore belongs to. Aglovar is the
head of the music club and therefore a member of the Student Council, as well
as a Kindred Spirit of one of the Students, the Sidhe Percy. Finally, another
Kindred Spirit is involved in the Tournament: Meliant, the lead singer of the
heavy metal group Carrion Core.

A 70
Playing the Scenes
Only those matches that include one or more of the following elements
should be played out during the Tournament:

B A Student

B A Nemesis

B A Kindred Spirit
The other matches should preferably take place “off stage”, their results
announced on the screens of the Round or communicated by a Secondary
Character while congratulating on the victory of a Student or comforting
them after they have lost a match and have been excluded from the
competition.

Obviously, and as in any self-respecting Tournament Arc, let some

time pass between one Group and another: play Scenes in which the
Students catch their breath from the match just ended, interact with
future opponents, comfort defeated friends or influence the fate of the
Tournament in an... unconventional way.

A 71
Grit
During Tournaments, Teams that do not include Students have a new
resource available: Grit. This represents the greater narrative importance
of some teams, which shifts the needle of fate in their favor and makes
them formidable rivals.

At the beginning of each Group...

B Each Team that includes among its members or is connected to one

or more Nemesis receives 1 Grit Point

B Each Team that includes one or more Kindred Spirits among its
members receives 1 Grit Point

Therefore, rival Teams can have from 0 to 2 Grit Points at the beginning of
each Group; in any case, a Team can never have more than 3 Grit Points,
and a Team that includes Students can never have any Grit Points. In any
case, all Grit is lost at the conclusion of each Round.

A Team’s Grit can be noted next to its name in the Pool Chart.

The involvement of the Student Council obviously implies that its President,
Bertilak the Green Knight, will play an important role in the tournament while
not participating directly: she will certainly try to influence the jury in favor of
the Starburst.

Since Bertilak is the Nemesis of Gwenki, guitarist of the band, the Starburst
will benefit from 2 automatic Grit Points at the beginning of each Group:
one because Aglovar is a Kindred Spirit, and the other because the Team is
connected to a Nemesis. They are truly formidable opponents.

A 72
Inspiring Grit
As we said in the previous page, a Team can never have more than 3 Grit
Points. This is because it is possible that some situations inspire Grit.

B When a Student generates a Triumph, they can spend it to earn

another Team 1 Grit Point (remember: only Teams without Students
can have Grit Points).
For Students, this is a great way to protect and support their Kindred
Spirits involved in the Tournament, or to influence which opponents
the Students will face.

B When a Student generates a Disaster, the storyteller can spend it

to earn 1 Grit Point for a rival Team, whose determination suddenly
grows stronger (or whose supporters turn out to have some
diabolical plan in place)

B Some powerful opponents may have Techniques that influence Grit

Points

Storyteller: Against all odds, the Red Knight’s Knight bends his legs and slumps
backwards, pushed with tremendous force by the spear of your Caliburn. Technically
you even had two remaining Triumphs, what do you want to do with them?

Angela: I want to spend both of them to inspire Grit in Bedivere. She seemed terribly
insecure and we trained together, so I hope my victory gives her some self-confidence!

Storyteller: Great idea! Also, Bedivere is Lucain’s Kindred Spirit, so she already had one
Grit Point. She now she has three!

A 73
The Groups
These rules require the Tournament to be single elimination: that is,
if a Team loses a match they must immediately withdraw from the
competition.

If you wish, you can take a cue from these rules to create Tournaments
that involve matches between defeated Teams or rematches: however,
this introduces a level of complexity that can significantly slow the pace of
the story.

Once the fundamental aspects of the Tournament and who will participate
in it have been defined, arrange the Teams in the first column to the left
of the Group Diagram (calibrated for Tournaments with 8 Teams; for
Tournaments with 4 Teams, simply ignore the first column and start from
the second one).

The most common method is to randomly determine the pairs that will
face each other during each Group, but obviously it is possible that some
opponents (or even the Students themselves!) will interfere with this
process to make sure they will face exactly who they want. Or you can
decide at the table which pairings would be most interesting, causing
certain characters to end up facing each other.

A 74
Returning to the example of the Core Symphonia, the teams involved are the following:

B
Power Chord, our four Students.

B
Machina Metrica, a rap group made up of traveling students and supported by
the Colonies.

B
Starburst, supported by the Student Council and by the Nemesis Bertilak, which
include the Kindred Spirit Aglovar (2 Grit Points at the beginning of the Group).

B
Carrion Core, which include the Kindred Spirit Meliant (1 Grit Point at the start of
the Group).

B
Sax’on Country, with their relaxing and nostalgic rhythms.

B
Deep Fry Tunes, representing the Cooking Club (minus the Student Lotte, who
won’t be forgiven easily).

B
Wyvernforce, the previous band in which Student Gwenki played.

B
BeatByBytes, an Andruid band that creates music using mathematical formulas.

A 75
Resolving matches
Different methods are used to determine the outcome of a match
depending on which teams are competing. These rules are the same
regardless of the tournament type.

B If a Team that includes Students challenges a Team without any

Student, play the scene normally. The opposing Team is a Threat, and
during this Round they can ignore 1 Wound for each point of Tenacity
they have.

B If a Team that includes Students challenges a Team that includes

other Students, play the scene and determine who wins with the
Player vs. Player rules.

B If a Team without Students challenges a Team without Students,

narrate this encounter through a scene only if at least one of the two
Teams has 1 or more Grit; otherwise solve it “behind the scenes”.
If one of the Teams involved includes Nemesis and / or Kindred
Spirits and the other does not, the first Team automatically wins
unless the second Team has more Grit Points.

B If there is no automatic victory, roll 1d4 for each Team and add its
Grit: the Team that gets the highest total wins. In the event of a
tie, Teams that include Nemesis and / or Kindred Spirits win over
those that have none; otherwise, repeat the roll until a winner is
determined.

A 76
Storyteller: It’s up to BeatByBytes against Carrion Core!

Marco (playing Percy): Hold on! Meliant is in the Carrions, so they have 1 Grit Point,
right?

Storyteller: And the Bytes have two, caused by the Disasters pulled a little while ago
by Gwenki. This, among other things, allows them to avoid automatic defeat, since
there are no Nemesis or Kindred Spirits in their Team.

BeatByBytes roll 1d4 + 2 and get 4;

Carrion Cores roll 1d4 + 1 and get 4 themselves.

Since Bytes do not include Nemesis or Kindred Spirits, they lose on a tie!

The performance of the Bytes is impressive and one of a kind, but it seems that the
genuine energy of the Carrions left the jury speechless! Meliant is in tears and hugs the
rest of the group, and Bytes still seem to have taken it well. Certainly their very special
style got them fans!

A 77
Ideas and suggestions
If Tournaments are a recurring element of your story, or if the Tournament
is the focus of an entire game Season, you may want to “add some spice”.

Corrupt Referees: The referee or jury of a match could prove to be corrupt

or otherwise not impartial (as an obstacle introduced by the storyteller
or as a consequence of a Disaster). In this case, the Threat of that match
will no longer be the rival Team, but the referee / jury (it is an excellent
opportunity to show how a match between Teams that “play fair” can be
ruined by shady deals).

The Demonic Judge: In a jury Tournament, one of the judges could have
a terrifying reputation and play the role of Threat during one or more
matches (the enemy Team is not the biggest problem!). To make matters
worse, this judge may even have enough influence to take out both Teams
if they let him down.

Strength in Memories: You could decide to play a Flashback in the interval

between one Group and the next, showing how the Student under
pressure grows and finds within themselves new strength with which to
face the opponent.

A 78
Emma (playing Gwenki): Perfect, in the next Group we are against Deep Fry Tunes. It
shouldn’t be that bad, they cook divinely but music is not their forte.

Roberta (playing Lotte): Um... I’m a little sorry to play against them, who knows how
they’ll take it...

Narratore: Actually, the real problem is something else. Judge Camlayn did not feel
well tonight, and she will be replaced by Professor Orbeck.

Roberta: Oh no! They say no one has ever seen him smile!

Emma: Uh… surely he still won’t be mad about that time I spilled my spicy soup on his
personal register… will he?

A 79
 Game materials
You can find all game materials (Curriculum, Threat sheets, Location
sheets, Campaign sheets, etc.) on our website:

https://fumblegdr.it

Distributed in Italy by MS Edizioni / Magic Store s.r.l.

https://msedizioni.it/

Digital KotR:A Shonen ISBN: 978-88-32117-32-5

A 80