It has been five years since Queen Behrith received the
Kingdom of Weidany from her sister Godrun the Red. Both she
and her sister were put on the throne by the Cult of Neya
the Oathkeeper, just as all previous Queens before them
have been. It was the same cult that, 200 years ago,
fortold disaster for the Kingdom if ever a man sat on the
throne again. In that time, the royal line of the House of
Aethlfryth has remained strong, and the Kingdom has grown
in strength and size. The nobility of the other Houses may
plot and scheme to weaken the power of the Daughters of
Neya and their chosen Queens, but without a disaster to
break the popularity of the Queen, they can do little.
When they first came to this land, ten centuries ago, the
People of Rorn were fleeing the death of their god.
Betrayed by his own brother, the moon god was slain and
his killer took his place as first amongst the gods.
The Five Kingdoms fell into ruin and despair, and the
Wizard King of Bealurwic marched his dark armies across
their ruins.
Fleeing destruction, the People of Rorn came to the land
named Weidany, where another people already dwelt under
the cruel grip of the Druids. So the People liberated,
conquered, raped, pillaged and finally built new Kingdoms
out of the ashes which they could call their own.
Barbarians came, which they fought off. Blood thirsty
cults of the Goddess of War arose, which were put down.
The Druids tried to reclaim what was once theirs, but
they were defeated. For now. All of this is recorded in
the history of the People, which is known as the
Habisfern Scrolls.
But through it all, there lurks one enemy that cannot be
defeated. One foe whose breath is felt every Winter from a
time which predates the Five Kingdoms and the Old World
before that. It is the Northern Enemy, the Ice, and all it
seeks is the extinction of all life.
The Kingdom of Weidany, also known as the Kingdom of
the People of Rorn, is a large fertile region in the
northwest of the island called Euressa. It is a large
isle, almost 600 leagues from end to end, and most of
it is unknown and unexplored as far as the people of
the Kingdom are concerned.
The Kingdom considers itself to be the most civilised
nation, and views its neighbours as barbarians which
need to be tamed. This viewpoint isn't completely
wrong, but in reality is overly simplified.
What they know of is their neighbours. Further north
and west are the barbarian kingdoms of Bryteland, who
send raiding ships down the coast every autumn. They
are a proud and warlike country, constantly threatened
by the followers of inhuman gods on their own borders.
Bryteland is not a single kingdom, but five, and
there is constant friction between them. To them,
kin is more important then King, a fact which has
made the lands difficult to unify. To fight bravely
in battle, to give generously of your goods and to
fulfill your obligations to your kin are the
important morals of Brytish society. Most other
things are optional.
Until recently, Cadwold was controlled by the Druids,
but an invasion by Weidany drove out the Druids and
brought the land their under the control of the
Kingdom. Since then, Cadwold has rebelled, and is
now claiming independence. A war is still being
fought over who has control over the country.
Nailand is a vast grassland inhabited by a
barbarian culture known as the short folk. It
stretches east and south of Weidany, and few have
much experience of its reaches. Constant border
wars are an attempt to tame the barbarians, and
to claim more land for the Kingdom.
Before designing a character for play in the world of
Habisfern, you will need to decide the type of
character you want to play. Habisfern consists
almost entirely of humans, though there are a number
of different cultures to choose from.
Work in Progress
This is undergoing major re-write to bring in
line with the no points based system. The old
package based system is being ripped out, so
some of it may not make sense.
Your choice of profession can range from a vagabound or
outlaw to a noble lord or lady, plus bards, religious
cultists or other members of society. How you define your
character is completely up to you.
Apart from personality and background which are not
represented within the rules of the game, a character is
described by their attributes, skills and
advantages. The latter can only be chosen at
character generation, and cannot be gained during play,
so they act to differentiate the character throughout
their life. Attributes and skills can be improved within
play, so their long term usefulness does not need to
be considered so much.
There are eight primary attributes which are used
to define a character (and indeed, every creature
within the game). These attributes are:
Strength, Health, Agility,
Dexterity, Perception,
Intelligence, Empathy and
Will.
These attributes default to 3 unless you buy them
up (or down) during character generation. They can
be improved during the game, though improvement is
slow. Each attribute represents the character's
natural ability in each area, and can range from
2 to 5 during character generation.
An attribute of 2 indicates that you are
significantly worse than the average in that
attribute. Conversely, an attribute of 4 represents
noticeably above average ability, and 5 exceptional
ability.
With a high strength you are able to carry more,
move faster and hit harder than other people.
Strength is useful for warriors.
With a high health you are able to continue
going for longer, shrug off the effects of
poison or fatigue, and stay alive after being
badly wounded.
A high agility allows you to react quicker and
move faster than other people. You are also
better at dodging, wrestling and brawling, as
well as being a good climber and jumper.
Agility is also used when sneaking.
High dexterity provides you with natural ability
at filching and lock picking, but also with the
use of swords and other melee weapons. Dexterity
is useful for both warriors and thieves.
Perception is a measure of your ability to
notice the world around you. A high perception
means you are more likely to spot ambushes,
notice a pick pocket or find a place to hide.
A high intelligence provides you with wits,
memory and reasoning ability. Since you have a
better memory, you can make better use of
knowledge you have read or been taught. You are
quicker at learning, and less likely to be
confused by people.
A high empathy allows you to understand the
emotions and motivations of other people. If
you so wish, you may use this to get on with
them better. Fast talking, seduction and
oratory all use empathy.
A high will enables you to keep control of your
mind in times of stress. You are less likely to
be tempted or fooled, and are able to keep cool
in times of stress.
Skills represent training and experience. There are
eight basic skills (called talents) which every
character has, plus a multitude of other skills
which characters will not have unless they are
bought specifically.
When a skill check is made, you roll your attribute
multiplied by your skill, + 1d20. This is compared
against a target number, and if you equal or exceed
the target, then you succeed. A moderate task is
one which a professional would have a good chance
of succeeding at, but still find challenging. Such
a task has a target of 20.
The first step in character generation is to choose
how to prioritise your character's features. You have
five things to decide upon - Race, Status
Attributes, Experience and Advantages.
Each must be given a priority from A to E, with A being
the highest (best) priority, and E being the lowest
(worst) priority.
| Category | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|
| Race | Fey | Half | Human | Human | Human |
| Status | High | Noble | Free | Free | Serf |
| Attributes | +6/6 | +3/5 | +1/4 | 0/4 | 0/3 |
| Experience | 60/6 | 50/5 | 40/4 | 30/4 | 20/4 |
| Advantages | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Most of the time Race can be
set to be lowest (E) and Status to be second
lowest (D), with the other three being arrange as
desired.
Most people in the campaign world are humans,
born of mortal parents with very little that
is strange about them. This doesn't prevent
them going off and performing heroic deeds or
anything. If you want to be human, then
simple put Race as priority E.
If you wish to be non-human - a Fey, born of
the realms of magic - then you must take
Race as priority A. This can provide
certain benefits, but does mean that you can't
choose the best options in other areas.
If you take Race as B, then you are
half-fey - one of your parents was mortal.
You have some of the abilities (and looks) of
the Fey, but you are not a pure blood.
Social Status is a measure of where you
are in society. Indirectly, it is also a
measure of wealth. In Habisfern, only
the nobility are truly wealthy. Anyone who
comes into wealth who is not a noble, will
either have their wealth taken away, or be made
into a noble.
It is assumed that most PCs will begin the game
as a free man, with a priority of D. If you wish
to be a low ranking noble, then you need to take
this as priority B.
Advantages provide your character with an
edge over others. Most affect what your character
can do what they look like, for example
Large or Beautiful. Since advantages
cannot be purchased after character generation,
they are a way to make your character unique.
Some advantages affect your character's background,
such as providing wealth or powerful friends. There
is nothing preventing your character obtaining
these during the game, but not by spending points.
Likewise, there's nothing preventing your character
loosing these either once the game begins.
Amongst the list of advantages are those which
enable you to take above average attributes. If
you do not purchase any of these, then all your
attributes will default to 3 - the human average.
Attributes can be improved during the game.
You may also purchase Traits at this point. Each
trait is a measure of part of your character's
personality, and they can provide bonuses when
making certain checks to avoid fear or temptation.
One special trait is Luck, which has the
most useful benefit of enabling you to re-roll
dice and cheat death.
Traits can change during the game.
Most of your character's skills will be obtained
from the package you chose initially. However, you
have the option of customising your character by
adding further skills. Extra skills can be obtained
by starting your character older than the default
age (normally 16 for most packages).
Each extra year of age gives you 2 experience
points to spend on buying extra skills.
The last part of character generation is to
finish off your character's background and
personality (most of this may have come out
of previous selections), and finally to choose
a name for your character.
Examples of names are provided in the Habisfern
Encyclopedia, though any Saxon (or Saxon sounding)
name will do.
Every character is begun by choosing one of the many
character packages available. Each package provides the
character with a social class, broad background and a set
of skills. The idea of a package is to determine what the
character has been doing up until this point. After
character generation, the chosen package has no further
direct relevance.
Not all packages are equal, especially if the total number
of skills provided by each is taken as a guide. Not all
skills are equal however, and some of the better packages
have restrictions in other ways - the character may have
obligations, responsibilities and an image to maintain.
Standard packages are available to pretty much anyone.
Also available are packages unique to a particular culture.
The GM will determine where in the campaign your characters
will be based, and this may restrict which cultures are
available to you.
Most packages assume that character is male.
Habisfern is a male dominated society, and
women are expected to look after the home and
raise the children. However, there is a Queen on the
throne of Weidany, and one of the most powerful
religions is female only, which means things can be
different for strong willed women. Most women will
not be questioned if they take a stronger role,
though it is not the norm, and there will always
be some who object.
Most packages also assume that the character is not
a landowner, but may be the first child of a landowner
or noble. If desired, you may make your character the
principle landowner, but this brings with it
responsibilities which may restrict what your character
can do. Likewise, packages which come with property
and responsibilities can be modified the opposite way.
Freemen include all those who are not considered
nobles, but who are also not indebted to another.
Collectively, freemen are known as ceorls,
though this social rank is subdivided into
gebur (barely free), kotsetla
(mostly free) and geneat (completely free).
Player characters are assumed to be geneat
unless they choose otherwise. The distinction is
mostly one of wealth - gebur (and to a lesser
extent kotsetla) do not own enough land to support
themselves and their family, so must work their
lord's land to make up the difference. This doesn't
leave them much time to do the interesting things
player characters tend to want to do.
Here, freemen also includes those outside of the
normal social structure - bandits, rogues and
others who support themselves via independent
means.
Bandit
Human,
age 16
Outlaws, thieves and thugs who make a living stealing
from travellers.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-3;
Bra-3;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-3;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak own-4;
Combat: Bow-3;
Single weapon-2;
Tactics-2;
Other: Intimidation-3;
Survival-2;
Techniques
Ambush
[Stealth]
Advantages
Good attribute (Agility), Poor attribute (Will)
Background
You are an outlaw, considered to live outside of the
laws of society. You are not constrained by them, but
neither are you protected by them. For the most part
you survive off the land, hunting and foraging where
possible. When the opportunity arises however, you are
not above stealing or robbing food and goods from those
weaker than yourself.
You are not a warrior, a fact you are well aware of.
Your best weapons are surprise and fear, attacking
those who are either unable to defend themselves, or
when you have a numerical advantage, in the hope that
your victims surrender without a fight. You do not
seek to fight for what you take, since fighting is
risky, and generally not worth it.
Your experiences have taught you a mixture of combat,
stealth and wilderness skills, though you are well
aware that you do not excel at any. Most people like
you live in a band of a dozen or so, though sometimes
you work alone. Either way, there is little loyalty
between bandits, and groups split up and form into
other ones on a regular basis.
Equipment
3d in coins;
Standard clothes;
Spear;
Scramasax;
Short bow;
Ceorl
Human,
age 16
Ceorls are freemen, often farmers or craftsmen.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-2;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak own-4;
Profession: Farming-4;
Other rural-2;
Trade-2;
Other: Game (any)-2;
Longshaft weapon-3;
Ride-1;
Survival-1;
Weapon and shield-3;
Techniques
Shield wall
[Weapon and shield]
(2)
Advantages
Good attribute (Health), Poor attribute (Intelligence)
Background
You were raised as a farmer in a free household. As a
boy you trained with the local militia, in case you
were ever called up to fight in the fyrd in defence of
your home. However, your desire is to start a household
of your own one day, not to find glory in battle.
It is assumed that you are living with your parents, or
possibly have just settled down with a wife to start a
family. The latter means you have land of your own, but
also have responsibilites. As the child of a freeman
you could get yourself a better start by proving
yourself in some way before you settle down. Maybe you
will need to find glory after all.
Equipment
10d in coins;
Standard clothes;
Spear;
Scramasax;
Leather armour;
Cunning folk
Cunning folk are repositories of knowledge
about the natural and supernatural world.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-3;
Bra-2;
Cha-3;
Gui-4;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Astrology-2;
Faerie lore-2;
First aid-3;
Herb lore-4;
Legend lore-2;
Speak own-4;
Other: Intimidation-2;
Survival-2;
Advantages
Good attribute (Intelligence), Poor attribute (Strength), Second sight
(5)
Background
You are a young woman who has been granted the gift
of sight, able to see the strangeness of the
Other World. Since many consider you to be unlucky,
you have been given to the local witch for training
in the arts of healing, magic and folk lore. You are
supported by the donations of villagers who seek
medicine and advice.
The most important thing you have learnt is to always
appear to know more than those who come seeking aid.
Know what they will ask before they do, but never give
more information than you need to.
Free woman
Female Human,
age 16
A free woman, either single or married.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-3;
Bra-2;
Cha-4;
Gui-3;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak own-4;
Profession: Administration-2;
Farming-2;
Handicraft-3;
Trade-3;
Other: Etiquette-1;
First aid-2;
Herb lore-1;
Advantages
Good attribute (Intelligence), Poor attribute (Strength), Literate
(3)
Background
You are a free woman who has been brought up with the
expectation of being able to manage your, or your
husband's, household. You are expected to be able to
look after financies and administer the business side
of things, whilst still having time to raise children.
Though most women will manage things for their husband,
some do set up on their own - at least for a while -
even if only to put themselves in a better position
when negotiating a marriage.
Equipment
10d in coins;
Standard clothes;
Man-at-arms
Human,
age 16
The man-at-arms is a foot soldier in the employ of his lord.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-3;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-3;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak Rornic-4;
Profession: Farming-2;
Combat: Second melee skill-3;
Tactics-1;
Weapon and shield-4;
Techniques
Combat reflexes
[Melee]
(2)
, Shield wall
[Weapon and shield]
(2)
Advantages
Good attribute (Strength), Poor attribute (Empathy)
Background
You are a freeman who has given up a life of farming
to spend it instead fighting full time for your lord.
You have been provided with basic weapons and armour,
and are expected to be available for the defence of
your lord's land at any time.
When times are quiet, you may help out in the fields,
or even sell your skill at arms to others, though you
do not consider yourself a full time mercenary.
Working as a caravan guard for local freemen, guard
duty and patrol are the most excitement you normally
see.
Equipment
5d in coins;
Standard clothes;
Mail shirt;
Broadsword;
Spear;
Soft leather armour;
Metal helm;
Merchant
Human,
age 16
The merchant is a freeman who makes his living moving goods
from one place to another.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-2;
Cha-3;
Gui-4;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak Own-4;
Profession: Teamster-3;
Trade-4;
Other: Administration-1;
Etiquette-2;
Ride-2;
Single weapon-2;
Advantages
Good attribute (Intelligence), Poor attribute (Agility)
Background
You are a travelling merchant, making money by moving
goods from where they are cheap to where they are
expensive. You do not particularly care about the type
of goods, only that they bring a profit.
You have a wagon and horse, and though you have some
training with a sword, you prefer to hire guards if you
think there may be trouble. Your success relies on
you having good contacts, and knowing the markets.
Equipment
30d in coins;
Good clothes;
Wagon;
Draft horse;
Short sword;
Rogue
Human,
age 16
A conman and thief.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-2;
Cha-3;
Gui-4;
Sle-3;
Ste-3;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak Own-4;
Rogue: Etiquette-1;
Gambling-4;
Streetwise-3;
Other: Trade-2;
Techniques
Disguise
[Guile]
Advantages
Good attribute (Intelligence), Poor attribute (Health)
Background
You make your living by being smarter than everyone
else. Wit and charm are the tools of your trade,
cheating people out of their money so that you can
live as you please. It's their fault for being stupid
enough to believe your lies.
If the opportunity presents itself, then you're not
above a bit of burglarly or robbery either. Basically
anything which enables you to make a profit and get
away before anyone notices without you having to do
too much work.
You try to look and act respectable, either posing as
a travelling merchant, priest or noble. When the time
calls for it however, you can just as easily be a
vagabound or simpleton, the sort other people will try
to cheat, and in so doing, open themselves up to being
cheated themselves.
Equipment
5d in coins;
Good clothes;
Set of dice;
Knife;
Vagabond
Human,
age 16
A traveller without a proper home.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-3;
Bra-3;
Cha-2;
Gui-3;
Sle-4;
Ste-3;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak Own-4;
Rogue: Gambling-3;
Streetwise-2;
Other: Longshaft weapon-2;
Survival-3;
Advantages
Good attribute (Perception), Poor attribute (Health)
Background
Once, either you or your family was considered to be a
free farmer, with land and responsibilities. Things
became hard however, and you lost everything. Rather
than giving up your freedom, you left to wander the
land, begging, stealing or even working for food.
Whether you live by crime or not, many other vagabounds
do, and so you will be mistrusted and disliked. However,
where you can be used as cheap labor, you will be
welcomed - at least until the time when you ask for
payment.
You are not quite an outlaw, though in practise your
position in society is very similar. Few will care if
you turn up dead, and nobody will avenge you. You will
be treated worse than a slave, but at the end of the
day you have your freedom.
Equipment
1d in coins;
Poor clothes;
Quarterstaff;
Woodsman
Human,
age 16
A woodsman looks after their lord's hunting lands
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-2;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-3;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Speak Own-4;
Profession: Copicing-4;
Farming-1;
Hunting-2;
Other: Bow-4;
Single weapon-2;
Survival-3;
Advantages
Good attribute (Perception), Poor attribute (Empathy)
Background
You have been appointed to take care of your lord's
hunting lands and orchards. It is your job to manage
the production of timber, ensure people do not hunt
game without permission, and keep a look out for
outlaws and banditry.
Many woodsmen will live in the woods, enjoying the
solitude and freedom it brings. Because of your skills
at woodcraft you may be called in to serve in the
fyrd as a scout or skirmisher in times of battle.
Equipment
5d in coins;
Standard outdoor clothes;
Short bow;
Spear;
Knife;
Trapping gear;
The nobility given here are the lowest ranks of
those who would consider themselves noble. Nobility
does not guarantee wealth, but it does guarantee
responsibility - at least in theory, if not
practise. A noble either owns a significant amount
of land, or is part of a family that does. That
land requires someone to look after it, and if the
PC is unable to do so (because troll hunting is
considered to be more fun), then they may loose it.
These noble ranks are not heraditory, and if
ownership of the land is lost, then so is the
title of noble.
Courtier
A typical noble's son who has no wish to
take up warfare but seeks a more relaxed
life.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-2;
Cha-3;
Gui-3;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Heraldry-3;
Speak own-4;
Other: Administration-3;
Etiquette-4;
Politics-4;
Ride-2;
Single weapon-2;
Advantages
Good attribute (Empathy), Poor attribute (Agility), Literate
Background
You are a courtier, a noble who spends their time
involving themselves in politics, law or running an
estate. You have little interest in martial things,
preferring to leave that to others. You seek a
life of riches and comfort, though that is never
guaranteed.
Equipment
15d in coins;
Good clothes;
Dagger;
Lady
A Lady is the wife or daughter of a nobleman.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-3;
Bra-2;
Cha-4;
Gui-3;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Heraldry-2;
Law-1;
Speak own-4;
Profession: Administration-3;
Handicraft-3;
Other: Etiquette-4;
Perform-2;
Politics-2;
Ride-2;
Advantages
Good attribute (Intelligence), Good attribute (Empathy), Poor attribute (Strength), Poor attribute (Agility)
Background
You are a lady of noble family, either running your
own manor or being closely related (daughter, sister or
wife) to someone who does. As a woman, even if you are
not the lord yourself, you are expected to be able to
run his estates when he is away, entertain guests and
ensure the smooth running of the household. Most women
manage the financial side of the house.
If you are head of the household yourself, then you are
not the only woman to take on such a task, though there
are few of you. You will be expected to take a husband
at some point and provide children, however a competent
woman will rarely be pressured into this. Inheritence
of land is generally to the most suitable, not to the
descendents of the current landowner.
As a noble lady, you have been trained at intrigue and
politics, social etiquette, commerce and administration.
Mercenary
A warrior working for money rather than loyalty.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-4;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-3;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Heraldry-1;
Speak own-4;
Other: Etiquette-1;
Ride-2;
Survival-2;
Combat: Bow-2;
Great weapon-2;
Longshaft weapon-2;
Single weapon-2;
Tactics-2;
Weapon and shield-4;
Advantages
Good attribute (Dexterity), Poor attribute (Will), Valorous
Background
You sell your sword for payment. In good times this
may be silver and gold, in bad times it may just be
a roof over your head and food in your belly. You
may have been the child of a noble who would
rather fight for pay than glory, or maybe you were
a freeman or vagabound who taught himself to fight,
and got a lucky break.
Equipment
5d in coins;
Broadsword;
Mail hauberk;
Soft leather trousers;
Soft leather jacket;
Metal helm;
Riding horse;
Thegn
Human,
age 21
A ruler of a manorial village.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-2;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-2;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Law-2;
Speak own-4;
Profession: Administration-2;
Etiquette-2;
Politics-2;
Other: Hunting-2;
Ride-2;
Second melee skill-4;
Tactics-2;
Weapon and shield-4;
Techniques
Combat reflexes
[Melee]
(2)
, Shield wall
[Weapon and shield]
(2)
Advantages
Good attribute (Strength, Poor attribute (Perception), Valorous
Background
You are the lord of a small village, or at least
the son destined to inherit your father's estate.
Your status provides you with many benefits, but
you are expected to have knowledge of both
warcraft and statecraft. By far the majority of
thegns are male, but legally there is nothing
preventing a woman from taking the title.
As a child of a thegn, you have far more freedom,
though less power. As an actual thegn, you have
more power, but also greater responsibility,
and leaving your estate for great lengths of
time may cause it to be taken from you.
Equipment
40d in coins;
Broadsword;
Mail hauberk;
Soft leather trousers;
Soft leather jacket;
Metal helm;
Riding horse;
Warrior
A noble warrior dedicated to the art of war.
Skills
Talents: Ath-2;
Awa-2;
Bra-3;
Cha-2;
Gui-2;
Sle-2;
Ste-2;
Thr-4;
Knowledges: Area lore-4;
Heraldry-2;
Speak own-4;
Other: Ride-2;
Combat: Second weapon skill-3;
Tactics-2;
Third weapon skill-2;
Weapon and shield-4;
Techniques
Combat reflexes
[Melee]
(2)
, Shield wall
[Weapon and shield]
(2)
Advantages
Good attribute (Strength), Poor attribute (Will), Valorous
Background
As a warrior you are of a similar social class as
to a thegn, however you do not have the
burdens of responsibility which come with running
a manor. You have dedicated yourself to learning
the arts of combat, and serve as a warrior for
your lord.
Equipment
10d in coins;
Primary weapon;
Mail hauberk;
Soft leather trousers;
Soft leather jacket;
Metal helm;
Riding horse;
A character may be fleshed out with special abilities
known as advantages. They may also take
disadvantages which are detrimental to the
character. Only a certain number of points can be spent
on advantages, some of which may already have been spent
on raising attributes.
A typical character will have 10 points to spend.
It is suggested that a character not have more than 10
points of disadvantages. Disadvantages count as negative
points and offset advantages, attributes and skills that
have been bought.
If the GM wishes, characters may begin with access to
a greater or fewer number of advantages than the
suggested default. For more heroic characters, it may
be desired to start with more advantages for free.
These free advantages can be spent without needing to
purchase matching disadvantages.
The following table gives some guidelines, showing the
number of free advantages, and the maximum number of
disadvantages that can be bought. A Hero for example
gets 5 free advantages, plus can get another 10 by
taking 10 disadvantages.
| |
|---|
| Commoner.
Most people will be fairly average, so will have
few advantages or disadvantages.
| 0/5 |
| Adventurer.
The suggested average for PCs, you will be able to
choose more options in order to be more interesting,
though you don't get any free advantages.
| 0/10 |
| Hero.
As a Hero, you get 5 free advantages to spend. A
common use of this is to raise the good attribute
you get as part of your package to be exceptional.
| 5/10 |
| Legend.
You can be considerably above average without
having to take any disadvantages. It's probably
more interesting to take the disadvantages and
extra advantages that go with them however in
order to be truly exceptional.
| 10/10 |
Traits are a measure of a character's
personality or mental well being. They are all
considered to be zero unless they are bought with
advantages or disadvantages. All traits range in
value from zero to five.
Traits may come into play during times of stress,
when the actions of a character are dictated by
the roll of a die rather than the wishes of the
player. The player may wish their character to
stand fast against a charging ogre, however a
fear check may result in the character turning
and running instead.
Traits which help a player keep control of their
character in such situations are considered to be
advantages. Those which cause the character to act
on their instincts instead are considered
disadvantages. However, society in Habisfern considers
the suppression of emotion to be a bad thing,
especially when taken to the extreme. Those that
refuse to act through logic rather than out of
passion are considered tools of the Ice, which is
the enemy of passion and lust.
Valour is a measure of how brave and heroic
a person is, whilst Cowardice represents
a fearful, timid person who flees from danger.
When a fear, horror or morale check is called for,
then Valour adds to the character's Will,
and Cowardice subtracts from it.
A valorous character will gain a reputation of
being brave, heroic and possibly foolhardy. A
cowardly character will be known to run at the
first sign of trouble.
| Valour | Attitude |
|---|
| 1 |
You are braver than then average person, and
though you won't actively seek out danger, you
will take the leed when no-one else is willing.
|
| 2 |
You are used to danger, and though you are
still careful you don't often show fear. Only
serious danger will make you think twice.
|
| 3 |
You are heedless of danger.
|
A character with a high Lust enjoys, and is
tempted by, the pleasures of the flesh. The gods
of chaos look on Lust as a good thing, holding it
in high regard, for it is the enemy of the Ice.
A character Chastity has little interest
in sexual pleasure, and is able to resist
temptation with relative ease.
Those with Lust suffer a penalty to their
Will when resisting such temptation equal to the
level of their trait, and those with
Chastity gain a bonus to Will.
A person with the Ferocity trait is
easily angered, and prone to use violence to
solve problems. Someone who has Restraint
will tend to ignore insults, and when violence i
used it will be in a measured and controlled way.
A person with a trait of Indulgence enjoys
indulging in food and alcohol, often to excess.
A person with Temperance on the other
hand, has little fondness of such things and
finds such temptations easy to resist.
Lucky characters have a Luck trait which
is rarely used for Will checks, however the GM
may sometimes make a luck roll for the character
or group, in which any Luck traits will play
a part.
A Cursed character has been abandoned by
Fate. Chance will rarely favour the character,
and whenever a luck roll is made, then their
Cursed trait acts as a penalty.
Ego is a measure of a character's sense of
personal importance. A character with a high
Ego is strong willed and difficult to sway
with talk or magic. Their trait adds to their Will
when resisting both magical and non-magical
attempts at persuasion or mind control.
However, Ego does make a character hard to get on
with.
Allies
(+3):
You are allied with a small group of people who will
sometimes aid you when asked. The smaller the group,
the more likely they are to aid you. Aid may be in
the form of information, or direct physical
involvement.
Ambidexterity
(+1):
You suffer no penalty for performing actions with your
off hand.
Animal empathy
(+1):
You have a natural ability to get on well with
animals. All animals react well to you, and have
their reaction shifted to one better category.
Charisma
(+3):
You are good at getting on with people, and gain a +1 bonus
to Empathy when trying to befriend or persuade a
person.
Contacts
(+1):
You have friends in powerful places, who may do you
favours on occasion. They will rarely intercede
directly on your behalf, but they may provide
information, or introductions.
Choose a group of people to have the contacts in.
It may be the underworld, a noble house, a city,
a profession.
Divination
(+5):
You have the ability to fortell the future. By comparing
the outcome of some random event (often the casting of
runes, or the flight of birds), you can determine whether
some action will lead to good or ill. A prediction takes
about an hour to organise, carry out and interpret.
A basic Intelligence check is made. On a roll of
20+, you can have an idea as to whether some adventure is
to be good, bad or neutral. On a 30+, you can get a rough
feel as to why.
There are a number of skills which allow you to make use
of this advantage to a greater degree of accuracy.
Dreaming
(+3):
The character has dreams of their future. When a major
branch point in the character's life is coming close,
the character may start having dreams about it, showing
one or more possible futures.
The character has little control over what is dreamt
about. The dreams give hints about the future, but the
future shown can always be changed, though it may not
be clear whether the witnessed future is one which will
happen if the character does nothing, or the one that
will happen if they try to change things.
Ego
(+1,
+3,
+5):
Some people may consider you arrogant, but you know that
it's only because they are jealous of your importance.
You have a very strong sense of your own identity, and
sometimes others find it hard to get along with you.
This makes it difficult for others to change your mind,
either through argument or magic.
You gain an Ego trait equal to +1 (1 point), +2 (3 points)
or +3 (5 points), which adds to your will whenever
resisting mind affecting magic, or persuasion attempts
by others. You may sometimes suffer a penalty to empathy
when you need to pretend that someone else is more
important than you.
Eidetic memory
(+3):
You are very good at remembering things. The target
difficulty for trying to remember something you have seen
or heard is halved.
Experienced
(+3):
You have led an eventful life up until this point, and
have more experience than others your age. You may start
with an extra 10 experience points which may be spent
on skills and techniques. You may only
take this advantage once.
Favoured by Fate
(+3):
Cannot take: Unlucky.
Sometimes, when luck seems to turn against you Fate will
intervene and possibly save you. Once per game session
you may re-roll a single roll that you make. You may take
whichever of the results you wish.
Fit
(+1):
Cannot take: Unfit.
You have one more fatigue level than you would normally
have from your Health.
Good looking
(+1):
Cannot take: Ugly.
You are exceptionally beautiful, and gain a +1 bonus to
your Empathy when trying to charm or persuade
somebody who may be sexually attracted to you. Being
beautiful also makes you easier to recognise.
Graceful
(+1):
Cannot take: Clumsy.
You are graceful in your movements. Whenever you are trying
to impress people with athletic feats, then upon a success
you gain an extra level of success that goes towards making
you look good. This covers dancing, gymnastics or even
sword play. This has no effect on the practical outcome.
Heavily built
(+1):
Prerequisites: Strength 4.
Cannot take: Small.
You are heavily built, being tougher and broader than
normal. You get one extra level of stun,
plus a +1 bonus to Strength for purposes of
resisting knockdown, or being tripped.
Iron constitution
(+1):
You have a particularly hardy consitition, and gain +2
to your Health to resist all forms of poison,
disease and other forms of illness.
Keen hearing
(+1):
Cannot take: Poor hearing.
You have exceptional hearing, and gain a +2 bonus to
your Perception when making hearing checks.
When fighting in total darkness in close combat,
your Perception has a minimum of 1.
Keen vision
(+1):
Cannot take: Poor vision, Missing eye.
You have exceptional vision, and gain a +2 bonus to
your Perception when making vision checks.
It does not grant a bonus for ranged attacks.
Large
(+1):
Prerequisites: Strength 4.
Cannot take: Small.
You are very large, being both tall and heavily built. You
have a bonus of +1 to your Size (raising it to 6 for
humans), which provides you with an extra level of wounds
and stuns. You also have extra reach, and any reach 0
melee attacks are instead considered reach 1. You may not
have a Strength below 4.
Linguist
(+1):
You have knowledge of other languages. You may
start with another language at 4. You may take
this advantage as many times as you want, each
time with a different language.
Literate
(+1):
You may read and write any language you begin with. You
may take a scribe skill in a language equal to your
speak for that language for free. Languages gained
during play are not affected. At the GM's option, this
may not apply to some languages (especially those which
have no known written form).
In a campaign where literacy is common, this advantage
is had by everyone for free, unless illiterate
is taken.
Luck
(+1,
+3,
+5):
You are lucky.
Musical talent
(+1):
Cannot take: Can't sing.
You have a natural talent with music, and gain a +2 bonus
to Empathy or Intelligence when playing a
musical instrument, or composing for one.
Need little sleep
(+1):
Cannot take: Heavy sleeper.
You don't need as much sleep as other people. You
recover fatigue twice as quickly when sleeping, and
only need 4 hours sleep to count as having a full
night's rest.
Night vision
(+1):
You have particularly good night vision. Except in total
darkness, any penalties to your Perception are
halved (round down) when either making vision checks, or
when your Perception is used to cap other
attributes.
Owed a favour
(+1):
You are owed a favour by a powerful and influential
person. They will not be willing to risk their life
and reputation for you, but they will provide aid
and influence - once.
Reflexes
(+1):
You have a +1 bonus to Agility for purposes of
initiative. See the combat rules for a description of
how initiative works.
Reserves of strength
(+1):
Cannot take: Poor attribute (Strength).
You may tap into reserves of strength at any time, allowing
to to perform feats not normally possible. At any time,
you may have +1 or +2 to your Strength for a single
roll, though you gain one point of fatigue per point of
bonus for doing so.
Rich
(+5):
Cannot take: Poor, Wealthy, Very rich.
You are rich, to the point that you could comfortably
live the rest of your life without needing any income,
though you'd probably have to live carefully. You
have very good property, excellent clothes and
equipment and plenty of savings.
In a modern setting, your total net worth is several
tens of millions of pounds, and you will have a
reasonable income from investments.
In a low technology setting, you will have a large
estate, many servants, horses and fine and exotic
equipment and furnishings. You probably support a
few warriors as well.
Second sight
(+3):
The character can see the Otherworld, or at least those
parts of it which are close to the middle world. Spirits,
hauntings and echos of the past are more readily visible
to characters with second sight. However, the
power is not controllable, and the character will not
always know whether what they see is real, or part of
something unreal.
Characters with such abilities were probably marked out
from an early age as being different, either for
good or ill. They will undoubtably have a reputation of
some sort, and will have had greater than normal contact
with those also considered strange - wizards and priests.
Sexy
(+3):
As well as being good looking, the way in which you
walk, talk and dress comes across as very sexy to anyone
who would be sexually attracted to you. Others will tend
to flirt with you given a chance, and you may gain +2
to Empathy in such situations.
Valorous
(+1,
+3,
+5):
Cannot take: Cowardice.
You are exceptionally brave and heroic, or possibly just
foolhardy. At any rate, you start with the Valour
trait at a level of 1 (for 1 point), 2 (3 points) or
3 (5 points). This trait adds to your Will when making
a fear, horror or morale check. It may also give a
bonus when trying to inspire heroism in others.
You may not take the Cowardice disadvantage if
you have taken Valorous.
Very rich
(+10):
Cannot take: Poor, Wealthy, Rich.
You are very rich, one of the richest people in the
land. In a modern setting, you have a net worth in
the low billions and probably have many complex
business interests, several mansions, yachts
and plenty of friends in high places.
Voice
(+3):
You have a clear and pleasant voice, and gain a +1 bonus
to Empathy when singing, orating or otherwise
entertaining with the sound of your voice. This does
not stack with Beautiful.
Wealthy
(+3):
Cannot take: Poor, Rich, Very rich.
You are wealthy, and obviously so. What you own is of
good quality, and you have significantly more starting
money available to you (about five to ten times). You
probably also own good property, and have no debts.
You cannot afford to just go out and buy anything, and
you need an income to support your lifestyle. In a
modern setting, you have a total worth of around
a million pounds (including house, cars and savings).
In a medieval setting, you will own a prosperous
farm with healthy animals and a few servants and
family members who help you manage the farm.
Wyrd
(+3):
At birth, an omen was seen, or a prophecy made about the
character which will lead them into darkness, and cause
pain and suffering for those around the character.
This is an advantage however, since fate will try and
ensure that the prophecy does come to pass. It is not
guaranteed, but if something should happen to the
character that would otherwise cut their life short,
fate will try and arrange things otherwise, though often
in a way the character would not like.
Bloodlust
(-1,
-3,
-5):
You have an uncontrolled temper. You have a Ferocity
of +1, +2 or +3 depending on the level of this disadvantage.
Cowardice
(-1,
-3,
-5):
Cannot take: Valorous.
You are a craven coward who runs at the first sign of
trouble. You may consider yourself to be pragmatic, though
your friends probably think otherwise when you desert them.
You have a trait of Cowardice, at a level of 1
(for 1 point), 2 (3 points) or 3 (5 points). Whenever you
make a fear, horror or morale check, your will is
reduced by the level of your trait.
You may not take the Valorous advantage if you
have taken Cowardice.
Criminal
(-1,
-3):
You have performed criminal acts in the past, and have
been caught and punished for it. Depending on the
setting, you have a reputation, criminal record or
disfigurment resulting from this. People who recognise
you for what you are will probably react badly to you.
The lower cost of this disdavantage is for petty crimes,
such as small time theft. The higher cost disadvantage may
include murder or other crimes.
Dark secret
(-1):
You have a secret in your past which would cause serious
problems for you if it were found out. It may be a crime
that you have committed, or a secret of your ancestry
which you do not want others to know. Revealing the
secret to the public would make your life very
difficult.
Enemy
(-1):
You have made (or inherited) enemies in the past, and
they still have a grudge against you. Choose a single
group or organisation as a long term enemy. The larger
and more powerful the group, the less likely they are
to send someone after you.
Favours
(-1):
You owe favours to a single person who will call them in
at some point. Repaying the favours should not be a
great hardship, but will create you an enemy (and maybe
give you a bad reputation) if you fail to honour your
debt.
Major vow
(-3):
Everybody makes a vow of some sort, a few people will
take a vow before the gods and dedicate their to keeping
to it. You are one of these people. Choose a vow and a
god, as well as a reason for having made the vow. If you
ever break it, then you will suffer bad luck in your
future endeavours (-5 to all luck checks) until you seek
amends.
A major vow will either affect you much of the time,
or is a great inconvenience. A vow to always offer to spare
a foe (and to honour it), to never sleep under the same
roof twice, to always honour an agreement.
Minor vow
(-1):
Everybody makes a vow of some sort, a few people will
take a vow before the gods and dedicate their to keeping
to it. You are one of these people. Choose a vow and a
god, as well as a reason for having made the vow. If you
ever break it, then you will suffer bad luck in your
future endeavours (-5 to all luck checks) until you seek
amends.
A minor vow does not come up that often, or is not
a great inconvenience (for the player, rather than the
character). It includes such things as a vow of chastity,
a vow to always share your meal, or never to wear red.
Poor
(-3):
Cannot take: Wealthy, Rich, Very rich.
You start the game poor. What you own will be of low
quality, worn and probably second hand. You will have
little or no spare cash initially, and in a modern
setting you will probably be seriously in debt.
Brytish
Brytish characters may choose from the following
advantages at the start of the game. These
advantages cannot be obtained later.
Berserker
(5):
You are a Berserker, one of an elite
few in Brytish society who has been touched
by the madness of the god Voltan. Your life
may be short, but many long stories will
undoubtably be told about it. Berserkers are
born, not made, so this advantage cannot be
taken after character creation.
When in combat, you may choose to go berserk.
This is automatic, and no roll is required.
Whilst berserk, you may only ever use the
aggressive stance, and may only make a
single defence. You must also only attack
your nearest foe, unless there is a clear
route to a hero or leader worthy of your
bloodlust.
You gain a bonus to certain rolls and checks
equal to your Brawl score. What this
bonus applies to depends on the total of
your Valour and Ferocity traits, plus the
lowest of Lust and Gluttony. All bonuses are
cumulative.
| Total | Bonus to... |
|---|
| 3 or less | No bonuses. |
| 4-5 | Fear and health checks.
Reduce all wound, stun and fatigue
penalties by one level.
|
| 6-7 | Initiative and attack.
Reduce penalties by three levels.
|
| 8-9 | Damage rolls.
Ignore all wound, stun and fatigue
penalties.
|
| 10+ | All skill checks.
Ignore unconsciousness results.
|
In order to leave the berserk state, a
will check is required (modified by ferocity)
at the following difficulties.
| Target | Circumstances |
|---|
| 10 | No one in sight. |
| 15 | No enemies. |
| 20 | Good reason.
The battle is almost over, and there is
a very good reason to leave the fight
(such as needing to save someone
important, or an important mission to
accomplish).
|
| 25 | Moderate reason.
Either the battle is almost over or
there is a good reason.
|
| 30 | |
Fearless
(1):
You are a fearless, descended from the ancient
warriors of old. You gain +1 to your Valorous
trait (or gain it at 1, if you don't already
have it). May not be combined with Cowardice.
It stacks with Valorous.
Hatred (shapechangers)
(-3):
All Brytish have a strong dislike of
shapechangers, especially those who follow
the Animal Powers. You have a particularly
strong hatred which drives them into a fury
against their foe.
When knowingly encountering a shapechanger,
you must make a trait check against restraint
at a target of 20. Failure means your actions
are clouded by hate and a desire for violence.
House of Aeddan
Death sight
(3):
Prerequisites: House of Aeddan.
Those of the House of Aeddan sometimes have
the ability to fortell the death of others.
It is not always accurate, and can be
avoided. When someone is met who is fated to
die, then you may get a vision of their fate.
House of Aeddan
(1):
You are of the bloodline of the
House of Aeddan, one of the (minor)
noble houses of the Kingdom of Weidany. As
such, you can expect to be treated with
respect, and to have access to friends and
family who are willing to help you out when
things get tricky. Of course, they may also
call on you for aid when they require it.
The House of Aeddan was once one of the most
powerful of the noble houses, but it has
since fallen into decline. It is associated
with magic and mystery.
Strong at magic
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Aeddan.
The House of Aeddan is noted for its members
exceptional ability with magic. Those who take this
advantage gain +1 to intelligence when trying to
learn a new Rune.
House of Caewlin
Blackmail
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Caewlin.
You have knowledge of information
that another noble would not want to be made
public knowledge. This gives the character
some leverage when requiring favours.
If the noble is pushed too much however, then
they may consider it easier to kill you.
House of Caewlin
(3):
The character is a member of the House of
Caewlin, one of the most powerful of the noble
Houses of the Kingdom.
Master of Intrigue
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Caewlin.
The character has been brought up amongst
political intrigue of the highest calibre, and
such is second nature to them. Gain +1 to
empathy or intelligence when performing
guile (intrigue) or politics checks.
Proud Parents
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Caewlin.
The character's parents have always spoken
well of him, to the extent that his reputation
(deserved or otherwise) will proceed him.
Reactions from other nobles who have heard
of him will be of one level better than
normal.
Quality equipment
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Caewlin.
The character's starting equipment is of high
quality. It isn't actually any better in a
practical sense, but it looks (and is) more
expensive, is well decorated, clean and new.
This may give a reaction bonus as others
assume the character is more important than
they actually are.
House of Cenic
House of Cenic
(1):
You belongs to the House of Cenic.
This is a minor noble house, but nevertheless
affords the character some respect and status.
House of Eanwulf
House of Eanwulf
(3):
You are a member of the House of Eanwulf,
one of the major noble Houses of the
Kingdom of Weidany.
House of Erwin
Access to Wealth
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Erwin.
The character has access to money beyond
what she herself actually owns, probably
from generous relations. The character's
wealth level is increased by one, though
the extra funds have to be asked for.
Aura of Reason
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Erwin.
The character comes across as reasonable
and balanced. Whenever they are trying to
calm a situation or point forward a
reasonable point of view, they gain +1 to
their empathy.
House of Erwin
(3):
The character is a member of the great
noble house of Erwin. The House is rich
and powerful, and the character will have
some access to this wealth.
Political Sense
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Erwin.
The character has been instilled with lots
of common sense regarding politics. Any
time the player chooses to do something
that may be 'disruptive', the GM should
warn them and give them a chance to
rethink. This House breeds conformity.
House of Gwern
House of Gwern
(1):
Character is a member of the House of
Gwern.
House of Hrulgar
House of Hrulgar
(1):
The character is a member of the House of
Hrulgar.
House of Merin
House of Merin
(1):
The character is a member of the House of
Merin, which is known for its conservative
politics. Members of the House try to be
friends with everyone.
House of Oswald
House of Oswald
(1):
The character is a member of the great
noble House of Oswald. The House is known
for its skill at magic, but also its love
of wealth and comfort.
Strong at magic
(1):
Prerequisites: House of Oswald.
The House of Oswald is noted for its members
exceptional ability with magic. Those who take this
advantage gain +1 to intelligence when trying to
learn a new Rune.
House of Peada
House of Peada
(1):
The character is a member of the House of
Peada. This is a minor House, but the
character can still expect to be treated
with respect and honour by other nobles in
the Kingdom.
House of Wihtgar
House of Wihtgar
(1):
The character is a member of the minor
noble House of Wihtgar.
If a character is a member of a cult, they may have
access to some techniques. Techniques are purchased
like advantages, however they are linked to a skill,
and the skill must be at a given level before the
technique can be learnt.
Some techniques also have prerequisites in that other
techniques must be learnt first.
Rituals of Asabeth
The rituals of Asabeth represent her aspects
