Godbound Deluxe Version Beta 1.

8
This is the deluxe version of the Godbound core rules. If you're a backer, you should keep this to yourself, it being what your pledge earned
you. You're welcome to pass around the free version still, and I'll be updating the free version in the old backer folder with the new edits as
the deluxe version gets polished.
Art currently in the beta is done by Tan Ho Sim, Aaron Lee, Joyce Maureira, and Maxime Plasse.

Godbound Deluxe Beta 1.8 Changes

Squared and cleaned the Bestiary, Running the World and Systems chapters, adding material to the first two.
Edits and typo fixes.

Godbound Deluxe Beta 1.7 Changes

Tweaks and edits to many gifts, including Corona of Fury, and to the Strifes of the Hunting Beast, Dying Hour and Bitter Rival
More art, including work by Jeff Brown and Aaron Lee
Nerfed heroic mortal attacks per round in the deluxe character creation section
Assigned art to proper PDF layer
Edits and typo fixes

Godbound Deluxe Beta 1.6 Changes

Added Leila the Bladewife under the Protean themed Godbound entry as an example of a PC who's used as a physical weapon
Tweaked Exemplars who take Skill Words, letting them pick three intrinsic benefits from the usual Words; stat boosts, immunities, etc.
Tweaked "Sand Falling Free" in the Strife of the Dying Hour, among other gifts
Armor gifts no longer benefit from shield use.
Added cover by Jeff Brown
Tweaked appropriate opposition advice on page 144 and sidebarred a short comment on straight damage on 145

Godbound Deluxe Beta 1.5 Changes

Added the deluxe content at the end of the book- another 50 pages of material. It's set loosely, as I expect it to shift somewhat based on
playtesting and reader feedback.
Did a basic spellcheck of the document for the first time. That was fun.

Godbound Beta 1.4 Changes

More gift and Word tweaks
Expanded the Combat section of the Systems chapter to cover a few common cases

Godbound Beta 1.3 Changes

Added a Shapeshifter section in the bestiary with expanded guidelines for shapeshifting PCs and transforming mortals.
Tweaked the Beast Word's shapeshifting to match the above.
Added a Spirit page to the bestiary that needs filling.
Added a Smite keyword to gifts to clarify what types of gifts you can't use two rounds in a row
Tweaked more gifts, including altering Knowledge's Supernal Scholar to Excision of Understanding
Changed Endurance; it now provides defenses only against physical harm and spells, not mental damage or mind control
Changed Earth, taking away Shaper of Earthen Bones and putting in Rebellion of the Soil
Changed Time, swapping in Withering Hour
Changed Fire's Searing Blade gift
Mob rules for Blood Like Water ability changed in bestiary
Changed low magic instant and prepared spellcasting- now takes a full round, goes off at the start of the next if not interrupted

Godbound Beta 1.2 Changes

Clarified and tweaked a number of gifts. You may want to recheck your Words and gifts accordingly.
Reworked the Apotheosis Word and the gifts of burgeoning divinity.
Tweaked the Beast Word intrinsic power and swapped Leader of the Pack for an animal familiar gift
Typo edits, though the book still needs a spellcheck pass and edit scrub.

2
 New Gods Awaken
Heaven has fallen. The world is broken. The Throne is empty. celestial engines and stolen artifacts from the house of God. Unimag-
More than a thousand years ago the Former Empires ruled in glory. inable power was poured into these hollow shells. Holy exemplars
Wonders beyond imagining littered the nations of that ancient age, of their nations' ideals were enlisted to embody this force or fuel the
even the least of men and women living with the luxury of a Bright golem-gods they created, and in time these Made Gods strode forth.
Republic oligarch. Hunger, sickness, ignorance, pain all the blights The destruction they wrought was incalculable. God after god
to which mortal bodies are heir were banished by the marvels of the stormed the halls of Heaven, searching for more power in its crum-
Former Empires. bling engines and broken wonders. They fought each other on earth,
The agent of this mercy was the might of theurgy, the terrible High churning up nations, and battled each other in Heaven's gardens,
Magic uncovered by restless scholars of the old realms. With the breaking loose shards of the celestial city. As they scavenged the ce-
secrets of theurgy at their disposal, sages were able to lay impious lestial engines, the world began to crack beneath them, the Former
hands on the very levers of creation, manipulating cosmic powers far Empires splintering into scattered realms that drifted away from
beyond the birthright of mortal humanity. The deep powers of the each other in the darkness of Uncreated Night. A few reckless Made
Creator were at their disposal at last, ready to glorify their kindred Gods even attempted to seize the Throne itself, but their sacrilege left
and exalt their causes. only their bones. They were not prepared to usurp the place of God.
And they had many causes. Bereft of material want, the Former There was no last battle. There was no ultimate struggle that marked
Empires found other reasons to struggle. It was no longer enough to the end of the Last War. There was only a slow winding-down over
have a full belly and healthy children. The newfound might of theurgy centuries as the Made Gods died. Some perished from the perils of
would help them bring righteousness to neighboring realms that Heaven, slain by vengeful angels or destroyed by powers they did not
disputed the wisdom of their ways or the justice of their laws. Evil understand. Others were killed in battle, slaughtered by rival Made
and corruption would be purged at last, and all the grieving sorrow Gods or undone by the energies of mighty mortal weapons. A few sim-
of their misguided or malevolent neighbors would be healed by the ply became lost, trapped or hidden away in a shard of broken Heaven,
light of their glorious truth. far away from their home and their people. The Made Gods are gone.
Of course, every one of the Former Empires had its own truth to Now there are only the heritor nations, the crumbled fragments
uphold. Their people wanted for nothing, but their material wealth of the Former Empires eking out a meager existence in the far-scat-
simply left then to crave more intangible things. It was not enough tered realms. The wonders of the former age no longer function, and
that a neighbor was willing to keep the peace; the neighbor had to the theurgy that once shook Heaven is now a brittle, capricious art
agree with them, had to submit to their laws and their ideals. And wounded by the very destruction it caused. Kings and commoners
if this submission made their former neighbors into new subjects of alike must live in a world that no longer welcomes them.
their rulers, was it not a fair reward for a valiant pursuit of justice? Every year, things grow a little harder. The celestial engines among
No one knows how long the wars tore open the nations of the old the shards of Heaven are often broken and always ill-kept, now that
world. Some say they lasted centuries, others think it was only a few the angels have fled. Seasons grow uncertain and nature grows whim-
years before the ancient theurges sought to end matters. There would sical or malicious. Sickness comes at strange times and monsters are
be no more fighting. The theurges would use their arts to ascend to birthed in hidden places. Sometimes the skin of the realm puckers and
Heaven, and there put their causes before the One. God alone would splits, a Night Road erupting into the realm from some fathomless
determine the true way that humanity was to live. depth of Uncreated Night. Creation unwinds slowly, but without halt.
The angels fought desperately to keep back the invading theurges, But there is a new thing in the realms. Ordinary men and women
but they were too few to withstand the human sorceries. A hun- are being touched by ancient power. The lost Words of Creation
dred-odd armies marched at the theurges' sides, great engines and are igniting within the flesh of common humans, imbuing them in
terrible war-beasts grinding the celestial legions before them. Count- a stroke with the power that once required a Made God's shell to
less mortals perished, but the angels were driven back at last, forced contain. It started only a few short years ago, but these "Godbound"
to flee from Heaven and seek refuge in the fires of Hell below. are said to be the blessed by the descending fire of the fallen Made
The triumphant theurges approached the holy heart of Heaven, the Gods. Their holy workings and celestial bindings are falling free from
Throne of God where the creator of all would answer at last. And their dead husks, and descending to the earth to catch on mortal souls.
yet when the great doors were opened, when the thousand Names Heretics of the Unitary Church whisper that it was a plan of God
were spoken, when the burning wings of angels no longer veiled the that it should be so, that these Godbound will redeem the sins of
sanctum, the Throne stood empty before them. God was not there. their ancestors and restore the world that was broken. Others say that
The theurges scattered in confusion and wrath. Some were bitter, they are merely cursed ones, damned to relive the terrible Last War
and swore that the Creator was never there at all, and that the One that destroyed the Made Gods before them. Yet in the present hour
was merely a trick of angels. Others wept in terror, crying out that they are only men and women who have been given something more.
their impiety had led to God's abandonment of them. Most, however, You are Godbound. You have inherited the holy fire. Whatever your
saw not an emptiness, but a possibility. If God was no longer on the past life, however meager a soul you may have been, the light of the
Throne, was there not room for another? Words has found you. Your world is slowly fading and the beasts of
The Last War below did not cease, but it changed. Throughout its twilight hour are rising up from the dust. Your people cannot hope
the Former Empires, theurges and theotechnicians labored to forge to stand against them.
new gods, Made Gods, fabricating them from shards of plundered Will you be their savior, or will you be their epitaph?

3
 A World of Glory and Blood
Godbound is a game of demigod heroes facing the sorrows of a broken How Does Godbound Play?
world. You and your Godbound companions work together to achieve Godbound is based on an "Old School Renaissance" rules chassis
your shared ambitions, whether those ambitions are for seas of shin- strongly inspired by the classic gaming books of Gary Gygax, Dave
ing golden coins or dreams of a world redeemed from its slow decay. Arneson, Tom Moldvay and Zeb Cook. There are a lot of contem-
There are countless troubles and terrors in the scattered realms of the porary systems in currency, and many of these systems are great fun
former world, but you and your allies have the power to defy them all. at the table, but the classic OSR framework is one understood and
readily playable for millions of players worldwide.
What Do You Do in Godbound? This is crucial, because Godbound is a game meant to be played.
A Godbound hero faces the world in the company of their pantheon, a Godbound supports a "sandbox gaming" style of campaign from the
group of fellow divinities bound by chance or fate to be together. You very start. In a sandbox game, the Game Master, or "GM" sets up
may not always like your pantheon-mates, but together they provide an interesting world for the player characters or "PCs" to encounter,
strength and a breadth of power that no single demigod can match. and then lets them encounter it in whatever way they choose. The
They will be your allies against the myriad dangers of the fallen world. book you're holding provides the example realm of Arcem to serve
Godbound drive back the creatures of night. They defeat monsters as a template, but your GM can easily choose to brew up their own
and renegade gods that no mortal could hope to overcome. They dare with the guidelines and tools in this book, or pluck a favorite fictional
the terrible Night Roads to reach the broken shards of Heaven or setting from other media to use for your game.
the seething flames of Hell, there to mend the damaged engines that As a Godbound hero, your job is to dig into that world and start
support their home realm or plunder its riches out from under the working your will on it. There will be threats aimed at you, it's true.
shadow of angelic wings. Especially as you start interfering with the plans of powerful entities
Godbound are defenders of their people. However humble the vil- and thwarting the will of other demi-divine powers, you'll find them
lage or hard-pressed the nation, a single Godbound hero can spell the striking back with all the resources at their command. But at the
difference between glorious prosperity and utter destruction. Many game's heart, it's a game about your hero and the changes they choose
Godbound have innate powers that can make the most wretched to impress on the world. For good or ill, there is no judgment and
mud-hut hamlet into a thriving hub of peace and prosperity, if only there is no judge. There is only you, your pantheon-allies, and the
they and their allies can hold back the forces that would want to dreams you have for your own world.
devour such a tempting morsel. Great works are not accomplished lightly, of course. To achieve
Godbound forge agreements between warring nations or spark mighty ends, you'll need to delve into forgotten ruins to accumulate
crusades of righteousness against dark powers. They speak with the the resources and celestial artifacts you need to enact major changes
fire and force of divine will, and mortal warlords and emperors fear in the world. You'll need to fight back parasite gods, theurgic Eldritch,
their anger. Even when a Godbound's own gifts cannot solve the Uncreated monstrosities, mortal legions, and other nameless enemies
problem at the heart of a conflict, their strength can force a resolution. that seek to thwart your ambitions. You'll need to find ways to solve
Godbound build wonders. The decaying celestial engines have problems with something less than a blaze of divine fury, because a
spoiled many old marvels, robbing them of the reliable natural law more direct solution would smash the very structure you're trying to
they required to function. Godbound can renew these old miracles, preserve. To be a god is a difficult thing.
building incredible edifices, magnificent vehicles, or wondrous weap- As your hero grows in experience and familiarity with their powers,
ons of a former age. A Godbound of the Word of Artifice can provide they will open new vistas. A novice Godbound still has cause to be
crackling electrical service, hot running water, and spirit-driven brass wary around mobs of angry mortals, but a veteran wielder of the
labor automata to his humble farming village, if only given enough Words can sweep away armies with their wrath. More importantly,
time and divine Dominion. you'll be able to dare the perils of fallen Heaven and risk raids on
Godbound rule nations. When pacts and promises are not enough, the flames of Hell, dueling fallen angels to snatch back the souls of
when the people cry out for a glorious divine ruler to protect and the unjustly condemned or claim celestial salvage from the broken
sustain them, the Godbound can rise to the call. Perhaps these new engines of long-vanished realms. Perhaps you will even summon up
demi-deities are not always so wise as they may hope, and perhaps enough power to forge your own Paradise, a refuge-realm where the
not all are given to noble use of their powers, but a god-emperor can souls of your faithful can find safety against the constant downward
do much without fear of reproach. How many can stand aside when draw of Hell.
a suffering people beg them for their leadership? The world can be as you would make it, if you are willing to pay the
Ultimately, your Godbound hero does whatever you want. Even price. Not all Godbound will want to leave such a mark on creation,
as novice Godbound, even as a hero new to your powers, you can of course. Some simply have no desire to mold the world in their
stand against the mightiest mortal heroes of your realm. You can image, loving only a life of excitement, adventure, and fearsome foes
work miracles by your raw will, or mold the natural laws around you worthy of their divine fists. Others have doubts about their own
in obedience to your divine Words. There is no greater authority to righteousness, and are reluctant to impress their will on a world that
command you. There is no God on the Throne to tell you what is right might not welcome their idea of perfection.
and what is wrong. There is only your will, and your choice, and the You'll make these choices in the course of your adventures. With a
world you wish to make. Together with your allies you will shape a GM to provide the backdrop and challenges for your heroes, and the
realm fit to your desires, or you will be destroyed by the unnumbered players to provide the drive of ambition and grand plans, the game
legions that rise up to thwart your holy will. will provide you all with an excellent evening's fun.

4
 INTROHEAD

Using This Book

To play Godbound you'll need someone willing to be the GM and If You're Reading This as a PDF File
two to four other people who want to play Godbound heroes. The If you're reading this book as a PDF, there are some tricks you can
game can work well with more players, but the GM will have to be do to change its appearance, either to make it easier to print out on
ready for the group to take on substantially bigger challenges with a home printer or to make it better suit your reading preferences.
their wider array of powers and available might. If you're reading the file on Adobe Acrobat Reader, you should find
You'll need a set of special gaming dice, preferably one for each a "Layers" tab to the left. You can click on that to activate or deactivate
person at the table. Role-playing game dice come as oddly-shaped display layers on this PDF. By turning off "Corner Pieces", you can
dice; for Godbound, you'll need one 20-sided die, one 12-sided die, eliminate the decorations at the corners of the pages. Turning off
two 10-sided dice, one 8-sided die, four 6-sided dice, and one 4-sided "Art" will eliminate the page backgrounds and any illustrations in the
die. You can get by with just one of each, but you may want more of book, making it more economical to print it out on a home printer.
a type if your powers use them a lot. If you've got a smartphone, you The "Maps" layer controls the maps in the Gazetteer section of the
can also download apps that provide digital dice. book. They're put on a separate layer, as you might not want most
At many places in the book, you'll see notations like "2d10+2". This of the art in the book when printing it out, but still have need of the
simply means "Roll two 10-sided dice, add them together, and add map illustrations.
two to the sum". If you see "d100", that just means to roll two 10-sided Some PDF readers don't recognize layers, or don't allow you to
dice and read them as a two-digit number, counting "00" as 100. manually control them. This seems to show up particularly often
You'll need pencils and notebook paper for recording details and on tablet readers. If you want to sidestep this, load the PDF up in
taking notes. You can copy or print the character sheets from this Adobe Acrobat Reader, deactivate the layers you want removed, and
book, and you'll need one for every player. then "Print" the file to a new PDF. The resulting PDF will have only
You'll want a supply of tokens for keeping track of Effort committed the layers you want to keep.
by your heroes. A stack of pennies works if you have them to hand, Wherever you got this file, you should also have found a set of .mobi
as do poker chips, beads, or anything else that can be plopped down and .epub file versions that are formatted as plain single-column text.
on a sheet of paper to track your power's current disposition. While not as aesthetically pleasing as the PDF file, these files can be
much friendlier to an e-reader or to reader software often used by
the vision-impaired.

5
 Character Creation

The first step towards greatness is to create your Godbound hero. nation. Your hero is a demigod, and almost any feat is something
This section will explain the rules for fashioning your newly-forged they're capable of achieving with enough time, effort, and allied aid.
demigod and point out some matters to keep in mind when develop- It's fine to make a hero who's just all-around awesome, but that awe-
ing your character. Your hero is a budding demigod and possessed of someness needs to have a direction.
incredible powers, but even they need to work well with the others in This is crucial because most Godbound campaigns are sandbox
their pantheon if they're to prosper in this perilous world. campaigns. The GM has built a setting with a great many conflicts,
When building your hero, you'll want to talk to the GM and your villains, heroes, sympathetic bystanders, long-standing afflictions, and
fellow players to make sure everyone's on the same page about the fabulous rewards to be seized. They've brewed up a starting session to
game. The GM can provide details of the campaign setting that you'll thrust the pantheon into a crisis situation to help you all warm up to
be using, either the example realm of Arcem provided in this book, a the game and the setting. Beyond that, however, the game's progress
homebrew world of their own devising, or an existing fantastic setting is your responsibility. Your goals and your choices are going to be the
plucked from the wider gaming world. These details will help you things driving the game, and while the world will doubtless react to
round out the background of your hero and choose the goals that fit your decisions and have its own share of ambitious actors, the heart
your idea of fun. of the game is about the new world your hero is making.
At the same time, you'll want to work with your fellow players to Every part of a realm is subject to a Godbound hero's influence
make a hero that fits in well with the rest of the player characters. and decisions. It may not be easy to change something. It may take
While it's possible to play a one-on-one campaign of Godbound with heroic exertions and terrible sacrifices to accumulate the power and
just a single player and a GM, games that involve a full pantheon resources necessary to enact some tremendous change. But even so,
need to have demigods that at least tolerate each other. Their goals your hero and their comrades are the judges of last resort. There is
might not be in perfect alignment and their personal talents and no ultimate power above you to decree how the world must be made.
niches might not be free of overlap, but the heroes need a reason to There is no pantheon of greater divinities to punish you for a refusal
be willing to work with one another. to accept the world as it is.
The pantheon forms much of that reason. While Godbound have This can make for its own kind of conflict. Your heroes will have
only started manifesting within the past few years in most realms, it's enough to keep them busy in fighting rival Godbound, casting down
not uncommon for small groups of them to find themselves thrown parasite gods, struggling with human monarchs, and trying to main-
together by chance or destiny. These cells of demi-divinities are drawn tain your integrity in the face of so many choices and temptations. Do
together by the powers they have and the opportunities that present they really want to add custodianship of the world to their duties?
themselves to a unified pantheon, as together they can work wonders Are their ideas for the world really an improvement over what chance
that any single Godbound would be sorely taxed to achieve. You and and mortal choice has wrought?
your fellow players are part of the same pantheon, and you should be There will be disagreements about that, no doubt, even within your
able to work together with no more than a mutually-enjoyable degree own pantheon. Different Godbound will have different ideas about
of internal tension in the group. what kind of world awaits their coming, and these disputes will have
One thing to be careful about when making your hero is the risk to be settled one way or another. Yet even after the work is done, even
of divine apathy. It's crucial that your hero should have goals and after the malevolent angels are banished and the seasons put aright
ambitions in the world, whether those goals are a simple hunger for and the starving fed from fields of divine abundance, are all things
fabulous mortal luxuries, a higher ambition to redeem their conquered truly as they should be? The world was shattered once by the warring
homeland, or a dream of ending a centuries-old war that's torn their dreams of those who would be God. Will it be broken again?

6
Chargen chapter splash

7
 Creating Your Hero
You can follow the steps here to create a newly-forged demigod. Less 6. Record the special abilities your bound Words grant you. Ev-
experienced players can read more about each step in the following ery Word gives a special power to the Godbound who binds it.
pages, while those familiar with the process can just go down the list. Some of these are magical abilities, while others let you boost
The character sheet reproduced to the right is numbered to show you certain attribute scores. Don't forget to change your attribute
where each entry goes. You'll find a blank sheet on page XX, with modifiers and checks if you need to, or reshuffle stats if needed.
the page background removed to make for easier printing or copying.
7. Spend six points picking divine gifts. You can pick gifts from
1. Roll or assign your hero's attribute scores to determine their your bound Words by spending one point on mastering a lesser
innate strengths and weaknesses. If you want to roll them, roll gift and two points on mastering a greater one. You can master
4d6 six times, dropping the lowest die each time and adding lesser gifts from outside your bound Words by spending two
the other three together. The higher the roll, the stronger the points apiece if you can explain how your own existing Words
hero in that quality. Assign these six scores to the attributes in could create that effect. You'll find the gifts listed in the Divine
this section in any order desired. If you'd rather just assign an Powers chapter, but don't forget to glance at page XX for those
array, put these numbers in any order: 16, 14, 13, 13, 10, and 8. gifts that every Word offers. Optionally, you can spend three
points to bond yet another Word. You'll learn how to bind more
2. Record your hero's attribute modifiers. Usually, you don't apply Words and gifts with time and experience.
your whole score to a relevant die roll. Instead, you just apply
a bonus or penalty. If your attribute score is 3, your modifier 8. Record your saving throws here. For your Hardiness saving
for the attribute is -3. For scores of 45, its -2, for 68 it's -1, throw, measuring your resistance to exhaustion, poison, and
for 912 it's +0, for 1315 it's +1, for 1617 it's +2, and for a bodily transformation, subtract the higher of your Strength or
mighty score of 18, it's +3. Constitution modifiers from 15. For your Evasion saving throw
to dodge explosions, death rays, and other incoming hazards,
3. Note down your hero's attribute checks. For each attribute, sub- subtract the higher of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifiers
tract it from 21 to find that attribute's check score. Whenever from 15. For your Spirit saving throw to resist mind control,
your character tries to accomplish something that would tax curses, and magical sendings, subtract the higher of your Wis-
even the prowess of a legendary hero, you need to roll 1d20 and dom or Charisma modifiers from 15. Note that if both of your
roll equal or higher than this check number. Particularly difficult modifiers are penalties, your saving throws might actually be
tasks might apply a penalty, while a relevant background might higher than 15.
grant you a bonus, or even make the effort an automatic success. When the GM tells you to make a saving throw, roll 1d20 and
try to roll equal or higher than your saving throw score in that
4. Decide three Facts about your hero and record them here. A category. As a Godbound, you can always automatically succeed
Fact is an important truth about your hero, one that shapes their on an otherwise-failed saving throw if you have enough divine
past and abilities. One Fact should be about where they came energy left to save yourself.
from, one Fact should be about how they acquired the skills
they used to survive before awakening to their divine power, and 9. Choose your weapons from page XX, assuming you want to
one Fact should be about some sort of important relationship carry any. Weapons have a damage die and a relevant attribute,
or organization they're involved with. usually Strength for melee weapons and Dexterity for ranged
Each Fact doesn't need to be more than a sentence or two ones. If a weapon is listed with two attributes, you can choose
long. Facts help you when you make relevant attribute checks. whichever is higher. Note down the weapons here. For the "+
Whenever you're making an attribute check to do something hit" entry, mark down the relevant attribute bonus plus one. For
your Facts would make you good at, you gain a +4 bonus to the damage die, write down the weapon's damage plus your at-
the attribute check roll. In some cases, you might not need to tribute modifier. Thus, if you had a Strength modifier of +2 and
make a check at all where a less pertinently-experienced hero decided your hero carried a heavy two-handed hammer, you'd
would need to roll. write down "+3" for the hit bonus and "1d10+2" for the damage.
If you're playing a campaign in the realm of Arcem, check Also note down your Fray die, which is 1d8 for most heroes.
page XX for a quick description of the nations of that place Your Fray die is rolled each round to damage lesser foes, and
and some ideas for your hero's background. If you're playing you can usually count on taking out one or two ordinary human
in some other setting, talk with the GM and choose a concept. enemies each round even without an explicit attack action. Ma-
jor enemies are immune to your Fray die's damage, however, so
5. Pick three Words from those described in the Divine Powers you'll need to deal with them in a more direct fashion.
chapter. These Words describe your hero's divine powers and
Godbound might. They should express something meaningful 10. Pick a type of armor from page XX if your hero is the sort to
about the character's personality and favorite approach toward wear it. Armor lowers your armor class, making it harder to hurt
dealing with problems. Ultimately, though, a Godbound's your hero. Unarmored humans of no special nimbleness have
Words are emanations of their nature. Your hero controls their an AC of 9, while better armor lowers the score, as do certain
Words and decides how they manifest their powers. divine gifts that grant a better base armor class.

Landscape mini-character sheet reproduction goes here, with sec-

tions numbered to match the character creation steps.

Armor does hinder the wearer, though, and the heavier the 14. You also start the game with 0 Experience and Dominion points.
armor, the worse the hindrance. If you wear medium armor, pick Your Experience total increases as your Godbound overcomes
one saving throw category: Hardiness, Evasion, or Spirit. You worthy challenges and works meaningful changes in the world.
suffer a -4 penalty on that type of saving throw roll as the armor Once you get enough experience, your hero will gain new powers
tires you out, slows you down, or attracts negative spiritual pow- and hardihood. Dominion measures the Godbound's available
ers. If you wear heavy armor, pick two saving throw categories divine authority over creation and their power to create large-
to penalize. Light armor and shields don't apply a penalty. scale changes and wonders in the world. You'll earn this through
Once you've chosen your armor, if any, subtract your Dex- overcoming challenges, and spend it enacting your will.
terity modifier from your armor class. Even a Dexterity penalty
can't make it worse than AC 9, however. 15. Your Godbound starts with 2 Influence points, unless you've tak-
en gifts that increase this total. Influence measures your hero's
11. Write down your hero's hit points here. Hit points are a measure capacity to sustain projects and changes with their own personal
of a Godbound's nearness to defeat. If you run out of hit points, attention. You can use Influence in place of Dominion to make
your hero is gravely wounded or incapacitated by their foes, and a change, but as soon as you take back your Influence points to
can no longer act. If you're hurt again while at zero hit points, do something else, the situation falls back to its normal baseline.
your hero will perish.
A new Godbound has eight hit points, modified by their 16. Write in your hero's name here and decide what they look and
Constitution modifier. You can recover lost hit points by resting. act like. Take a moment to think about how it looks when they're
A full night's sleep will restore any you've lost. using their divine powers, and how they might act toward their
pantheon-mates, the masses of ordinary people, or their own
12. Note down your hero's Effort score, which is 2 unless you've eventual worshipers. Avoid making heroes who are loners or
taken gifts that increase it. Effort is the measure of your God- troublemakers toward their own comrades. While a little in-
bound's available divine energy. You commit it to use certain gifts tra-group tension can be an interesting spice, the best campaigns
or succeed on failed saving throws, and you get it back when usually involve making an enormous amount of trouble for
the gifts are no longer needed or you have some time to rest. people who are not your fellow heroes.
Effort is the fuel of a Godbound's divine powers. If all your Lastly, write down your Godbound's current goal right here.
Effort has been committed, your hero is at their limit. They might want to use their new abilities to avenge themselves
on a formerly-untouchable tormentor, or do some great work to
13. You start the game with 0 Wealth. Your Godbound usually has benefit their people, or simply want to accumulate impractically
the money or abilities to get whatever minor goods and services large amounts of gold and companions of negotiable virtue.
they wish, but if you want to buy real estate, own ships, throw You can change your goal whenever it makes sense to you, but
huge parties, or otherwise spend lavishly, you're going to need you should always have at least one of them to help direct your
to find properly gleaming mounds of Wealth. demigod's legendary deeds.

9
 Rolling Attributes
To begin creating your PC, you start by determining your divine- Score Attribute Modifier
ly-gifted heros attribute scores. These are six scores ranging from 3 3 -3
to 18 that represent your PCs natural aptitudes. A score of 3 is very
45 -2
low, and like a crippled-legged god or recklessly foolish divinity you
might have that inability echoed in your Godbounds future legend. 68 -1
A score of 18 is as high as a Godbound or human can reach under 9 12 No Modifier
ordinary circumstances, though special gifts might imbue your PC 13 15 +1
with truly superhuman capabilities.
16 17 +2
Strength measures your PCs powers of physical brawn. 18 +3
Strength improves your heros ability in melee combat and allows
them to exert force without the aid of their supernatural powers. Attribute Modifiers
Your Strength modifier affects melee hit rolls and damage rolls. Once youve rolled your attributes, you need to note the attribute
modifier that goes with each. This modifier is added as a bonus, or
Dexterity is your PCs agility and precision of motion. It im- subtracted if a penalty, to certain rolls and scores. If your attribute
proves your heros ability with ranged combat, their talent for changes later on in play, you should change the modifier as well.
acrobatic maneuvers, and their aptitude at dodging dangers. Your
Dexterity modifier affects your armor class and the rolls made for Attribute Checks
ranged and light-weapon attacks and damage dice. When your Godbound tries to accomplish something that would tax
even their heroic capacity, they must make an attribute check. The
Constitution is the raw hardihood of your Godbound and their check number for each attribute is equal to 21 minus the attribute
ability to keep functioning when hurt or exhausted. It influences score. To succeed in an attribute check, the player must roll equal or
a heros hit points, which determine how much punishment they higher to the check on a roll of 1d20. A natural roll of 1 will always
can take before they collapse. Constitution modifiers are applied result in failure or some unfortunate complication, while a natural
to your maximum hit points. roll of 20 is always a success.
An attribute check may be modified by bonuses or penalties. If your
Wisdom is both the perceptiveness and judgment of a hero, hero has a Fact relevant to their effort, they can add +4 to their roll,
aiding them in noticing details, discerning truths, and making while feats that push human limits might suffer a -4 penalty, with
sound appraisals of a situation. Your Wisdom modifier is used truly heroic challenges applying as much as -8 to the die.
only rarely, for certain divine powers or your Spirit saving throw.
Saving Throws
Intelligence reflects the heros raw intellectual capacity and As a last step in rolling your heros attributes, you need to note down
their gifts of memory and logic. Many tasks of education or mental your saving throws. When your Godbound is faced with some dire
aptitude tax a Godbounds intelligence. Intelligence modifiers are peril that requires their hardiness, determination, or swiftness, they
also relatively rarely used, but might apply to your Evasion saving might be asked to make a saving throw to resist the worst of it.
throw or powers that rely on your heros sagacity. To make a saving throw, you roll 1d20 and try to roll equal or over
the requisite saving throws score. A roll of 20 always succeeds on the
Charisma is the raw force of personality exuded by the hero save and a roll of 1 always fails.
and their ability to instinctively command the obedience and Your Hardiness saving throw is equal to 15 minus the better of
reverence of others. Those with low Charisma might be ugly or your Strength or Constitution modifiers. You roll a Hardiness save
easily ignored, while those with high Charisma seem to be natural against sorcerous poisons, damnable plagues, hideous transformations,
leaders and worthy of respect. Your Charisma modifier is applied superhuman rigors of exertion, and similar physical trials.
to the reaction rolls made to determine how strangers respond to Your Evasion saving throw is equal to 15 minus the better of your
your hero, and might also be applied to the attack and damage Dexterity or Intelligence modifiers. You roll an Evasion save when
rolls of powers based on your presence or force of will. leaping away from a crashing idol, ducking a fan of hurled knives, or
diving behind cover to avoid a tremendous explosion.
To generate these scores, you have a choice of two methods. For the Your Spirit saving throw is equal to 15 minus the better of your
first, you roll 4d6 six times, dropping the smallest die each time. You Wisdom or Charisma modifiers. You roll a Spirit save when fighting
then assign these totals to the attributes as you wish. The chance to off sinister enchantments, defying mind control, or resisting magical
roll very well is balanced by the chance to get a rather unimpressive effects that arent more applicable to one of the other two categories.
set of scores, but the main strength of a Godbound lies in their su- It may be that your Godbound has a modifier penalty in both attri-
pernatural abilities, and it is possible to boost some scores later based butes, in which case their least-bad modifier increases the saving throw.
on the Words and gifts you choose. Fear not; your heros saves improve as they advance in experience, and
If you prefer not to use the random method, you can simply assign youll have the chance to improve your attribute scores when you
the following scores to your attributes in any order desired: 16, 14, choose your Godbounds special powers. At great need, a desperate
13, 13, 10, and 8. Godbound can also draw on their powers to negate a failed save.

10
Determining Facts
Now that you know your Godbounds basic aptitudes, you need to Your third Fact should be about a relationship your hero has with
decide three Facts about him or her. A Fact is simply a sentence or some organization, religion, or other group. Perhaps this is a hostile
short phrase that indicates something important about your hero. relationship, as you find yourself hunted by the assassins of the guild
When you attempt attribute checks for which a fact is relevant, you you left without permission. It might be a bond of blood, as your
gain a +4 bonus on the roll. Facts don't stack, so if you have two kinsmen are still loyal to you back in your home city. This fact might
qualities that both might improve the roll, you still only gain a +4 shape your present interactions, granting you bonuses to influence
bonus. Facts only apply to attribute checks, not hit rolls or damage. friendly allies or a deep knowledge of the vile cult that youve fought
Alternatively, some Facts might allow you to do things or call on for years. It might also allow you to automatically call on contacts or
contacts automatically that other heroes could accomplish only with allies in the organization, though not all might be able to help.
difficulty, if at all. For a newly-made PC, most of your Facts will have There may be other truths about your Godbound, but these three
to do with your characters prior life before they became Godbound. Facts are the most important and meaningful ones. As you pick them
Your first Fact should be about your origins. Where was your hero out, you should also think about your character's awakening as a
born? What society shaped their attitudes and choices in life? If youre Godbound hero. Sometimes this moment of revelation comes in the
using the realm given in this book, you might choose a specific nation teeth of a terrible crisis, where only divine power can save the hero or
or city as your place of origin, while GMs running a campaign in something they cherish. At other times, however, the newfound power
their own realm might offer a different selection of possibilities. Your comes quietly and without warning, simply infusing an ordinary man
hero will naturally be familiar with the land of their birth, speaking or woman who cannot hope to guess what drew the strange blessing.
the native language and aware of the figures of power and influence Sometimes Facts can be used to purchase special knowledge or
there. They may also have their share of old grudges toward the locals. abilities. The low magic traditions described in the Divine Powers
Your second Fact should be about your heros past profession. How chapter are one such, and your GM might have other special back-
did they earn their living, or was it necessary for them to labor at grounds accessible to those with the right Facts. Facts used to acquire
all? Were they the wealthy scion of an Oasis State spice-merchant, these abilities are very narrow and specific; "I am an archmage of
or were they a savage Howler raider from the Golden Wastes? Did the Academy of Clear Thought", for example, or "I was a Surcessant
they learn the hard lessons of war in a Patrian legion, or were they Knight of Ancalia before its fall". If the GM allows such purchases
a wandering healer devoted to the arts of the Merciful Hand? Their during character creation, these special abilities usually take up the
life may have changed drastically when they became Godbound, but Fact used to describe the hero's past profession. Learning these knacks
old lessons and old ties endure. with Facts earned by leveling is also possible with the right allies.

11
 Choosing Words and Gifts
The remarkable powers of a Godbound are expressed through the
Words of Creation, portfolios of authority over the elements of the The Words of Creation
world. The spiritual shards and strangely-refined fire of the Made Alacrity Agility and swiftness in motion
Gods have congealed about the souls of the Godbound and granted Artifice Building, repairing, and destroying objects
them authority over the very fabric of reality. Low magic toys at the
Beasts Command and transformation of beasts
edges of the world and theurgy manipulates its deep laws, but the
power of the Words can forge reality as its wielder desires. Bow Ranged combat and impossible accuracy
There are numerous Words included in this book, though more exist. Command Leadership, rule, and enforced obedience
Each one addresses one of the fundamental qualities of the world: Fire, Death Undead, death, and the dying
Night, Time, Beasts, and other archetypal elements of creation. Each
Deception Trickery, stealth, illusion, and lies
has its own realm of authority, though some overlap in their effects;
both Fertility and Health can grant healing, for example, while Night Earth Stone, strength, soil, and obdurate hardness
and the Sky both know secrets of swift flight. Each Word describes Endurance Tireless vigor and scorn for injury
the extent of its potential abilities. Fertility Plants and growth both unnatural and normal
Your hero is bound to three of these Words. Choose from those
Fire Heat, smoke, light, fury and lust
listed here, or work with the GM to devise your own Words of Cre-
ation. You will have the ability to bond with further Words as you gain Health Vigor, healing, and the command of disease
power and experience, though not without cost. Each Word grants Journeying Swift, unhindered travel over far distances
a special ability to those who bind with it: an improved attribute, a Knowledge Knowledge both mundane and supernatural
natural power, a special immunity, or some other grace.
You should also think about your heros relationship to their powers. Luck The having and giving of luck good and bad
It might seem that a Godbound of Fire should be hot-tempered and Might Raw strength and its use in tremendous deeds
restless, or a Godbound of Death be morbid, but this is not necessarily Night Darkness, sleep, night-passage and dreams
the case. A Godbounds Words are theirs. They leave their mark on
Passion Emotion, devotion, grudges, and yearnings
these powers as much as the powers mark them. Their innate per-
sonality and beliefs are expressed through their powers, in ways that Sea Water, seas, rivers, sea-beasts, and purification
make sense to them. A Godbound of peace might have the Sword Sky Weather, lightning, flight, and winds
Word, but express it in the form of impenetrable defensive gifts that Sorcery Initiation into theurgic spellcasting
let them stride a battlefield untouched. A Godbound of seemingly
Sun Light, vision, truth, heat and banishing
opposing elements such as Fire and Sea might be an intrinsically
conflicted person, or they might just understand their powers as Sword Melee combat and unarmed struggles
facets of their own complexity, with flames in one hand and floods in Time Prophecy, postcognition, and time-weaving
the other. Your heros powers are subordinate to your heros own will Wealth Money, prosperity, and abundant goods
and personality, and you should express them as seems best to you.

Choosing Gifts
While the Words allow a Godbound to exert their will in brief, po- Creating New Words and Gifts
tent miracles, most Godbound soon learn how to perform certain The Words of Creation offered here and the gifts listed in the
miraculous feats regularly and easily. These are gifts. A miracle of following chapter are by no means exclusive. Different campaign
raw force can mimic a gift, but not so efficiently and easily, and so settings or character concepts might call out for different Words.
Godbound prefer to master their favorite supernatural powers in a If you and the GM are comfortable with the system and would
more convenient form. like to create your own Words and gifts, that is entirely possible
Gifts are in two degrees of power: lesser and greater. Lesser gifts General guidelines for creating new powers are given on page XX.
usually affect only the Godbound or their immediate surroundings, You don't need to change the mechanics of a power in order
while greater gifts can work marvels on entire cities or perform tre- to make it suit your needs, however. Sometimes, it's entirely
mendous feats of power. Even a novice Godbound has mastered a few sufficient to just change a Word's name and tweak its special
of these gifts as an intuitive part of their bonding. effects to make it fit your concept. A Godbound pledged to the
You have six points to spend on your gifts and binding new Words. Desert might have gifts and abilities identical to those of the
Lesser gifts cost one point, greater gifts cost two, and binding an ad- Word of Fire, except described as withering heat, freezing cold,
ditional Word costs three. You may only learn gifts from Words you or parching dryness. They might not be able to work miracles of
have bound, with one exception; you can spend 2 points to learn a consuming flame, but they could call forth marvels that involve
gift from another Word if you can explain how your own powers are lethal dessication, sandblasting, or mirage-like illusions.
creating that effect. Someone with Alacrity might buy the Sword gift If your concept fits a slightly different take on a cosmic reality,
Thirsting Razor, for example, and explain it as their own incredible you might just work with your GM to make these tweaks and
speed leveling ultra-accurate blows. It's up to the GM to decide if a let your hero wield familiar powers under a new name.
given gift's explanation fits well enough to allow its purchase.

12
Wealth and Equipment
Your PC has on their person or available nearby whatever equipage under this heading, while pettier purchases can simply be assumed,
or belongings might be appropriate to their background and situation. as Godbound have many means of acquiring what they need. As a
Any Godbound can lay hands on weapons or armor to suit them given newly-fashioned Godbound, your PC has not yet earned any Wealth
a little time, but if theres any question as to whether or not they own worth the name, but will doubtless rectify that shortcoming as soon
something or have it on them, just consult their situation. If they are as possible.
prepared for a particular undertaking or role, such as delving into a The availability of equipment and possessions will depend on the
lost Night Road, or acting as a roving spice merchant, or infiltrating a characters surroundings. If the pantheon is lucky enough to have a
palace to poison a malevolent god-king, they have whatever equipment Godbound of Artifice along, they may not lack for anything conceiv-
might be expected for the task in whatever quantities seem reasonable. able to the artificers of the realm. Other groups will have to make
Special equipment such as magical items or celestial artifacts are do with the talents of the local craftsmen or their own scavenging.
always tracked separately. Most nations in a realm will have technology no more sophisticated
Particularly grand purchases that dont fit their existing Facts must than Renaissance Europe at best, with many impoverished lands
be purchased with Wealth points. Sailing ships, real estate, grand lacking even that. Gunpowder weapons are unknown in most realms,
celebrations, legendary carousing, the bribes of high officials, the and only through rare artifices, diligent excavation, or special enchant-
outfitting of mercenary bands, and other major expenditures fall ments can more advanced gear be acquired by a hero.

Armor
Amid the flashing blades and thunderous bolts of combat, a little steel Type Base AC
is welcome between a warriors skin and an enemy sword. Armor None 9 Skin or clothing
improves the wearers armor class, making them more difficult to
Light 7 Leathers or hides
hurt in a fight. The lower the armor class, the better. Armor class is
modified by the subjects Dexterity modifier, with a bonus lowering it Medium 5 Mail or light plate. -4 to one save
and a penalty raising it. A heros armor class can never be worse than Heavy 3 Heavy plate. -4 to two saves
9, even if theyre unarmored and exceptionally slow. Shield -1 bonus No save penalty
Wearing armor comes at a cost, however. It pinches, burdens, and
has unfortunate occult impurities. If you wear medium armor, apply a
-4 penalty to a saving throw roll of your choice; maybe your hauberk
slows you down, hindering your Evasion, or maybe its just heavy on
your shoulders, and harms your Hardiness, or maybe the light, flexible
alloy its made of is a dangerous conductor of curses, penalizing your
Spirit save. You can choose whichever saving throw you prefer, but
cant change it for that particular suit of armor afterwards. If you wear
heavy armor, choose two categories to be penalized. Shields and light
armor inflict no penalties.

Weapons
Type Damage Attribute
Rather than provide a lengthy list of armaments that are all largely Unarmed 1d2 Str / Dex Punch, kick, bite
identical in murderous function, weapons in Godbound are broken
Light 1d6 Str / Dex Dirk, club, rapier
down into a few basic categories. Light weapons are small or light
implements of death such as knives, short blades, rapiers, clubs, brass Medium 1d8 Str Sword, spear, mace
knuckles or the like. Medium weapons are one-handed swords, maces, Heavy 1d10 Str Greatsword, maul
spears, or similar tools. Heavy weapons require two hands, and are 1H Ranged 1d6 Dex Pistol, javelin, knife
greatswords, battle axes, mauls, and huge clubs. Ranged weapons
2H Ranged 1d8 Dex Bow, rifle, crossbow
are bows, crossbows, and the magnetic rifles of the Bright Republic,
though smaller one-handed ranged weapons roll a 1d6 for damage. Thrown weapons and pistols have a maximum range of 40 yards.
Each type of weapon has a damage die and one or more attributes Bows and crossbows can reach up to 300 yards, and magnetic
associated with it. Wielders add that attributes modifier to their hit rifles can fire at targets up to 500 yards distant. High-tech weap-
roll and damage roll with the weapon. Where two attributes are listed onry is largely non-functional outside the Bright Republic.
the wielder can use the better of the two. Weapons used as part of For dual-weapon wielders, treat their paired weapons as a single
a magical attack granted by a gift can use whatever attribute seems two-handed weapon doing 1d10 damage and using either
most appropriate to the way they are being wielded. Strength or Dexterity as the attribute that modifies their rolls.

13
 Final Touches Special Character Creation Cases
Your Godbound is almost complete. Only a few more scores need to The character creation rules given here are meant to cover the
be written down, and then your fearless demi-divinity can go forth most common campaigns and character concepts. Your group
to face the fallen world. might be running a slightly different game, perhaps using the
Record your maximum hit points. Your hit points are a measure of themed Godbound or mortal heroes described in the deluxe
your toughness and determination. When they hit zero, your God- version of the Godbound core rules, but a few common tweaks
bound is either dead or defeated. Your maximum hit points equal 8 are worth mentioning for groups with a special case or two.
plus your Constitution modifier. You restore all lost hit points after At the GM's discretion, a PC can start with a minor magic
a full day of rest, safety and relaxation. Certain forms of magic can item that fits their concept. In particular, a set of regalia armor
also heal them, but usually require you to Commit Effort to benefit. as described on page XX can give a hero a decent armor class
Record your armor class. This is a measure of how hard it is to hurt without sacrificing the visual style of the PC. Such small tokens
your Godbound, and the lower it is, the better. Your base armor class are no real balance concern, as it's so easy for Godbound to create
equals 9, modified by Dexterity. Gifts might grant you a naturally or obtain them during play.
lower armor class, as might armor. There are several types of armor Starting with a full-fledged artifact is also possible, but usually
available to your hero; pick whichever suits your heros wishes and past requires that one of the PC's Facts be related specifically to how
experience. Choose any saving throw penalties the armor might inflict. they got the artifact. This Fact is usually largely useless in other
Record your maximum Effort. Effort is your Godbounds ability ways, and is probably so narrow it almost never applies its bonus
to invoke their gifts and miracles. Wielding their mightier powers to an attribute check. Such starting artifacts should cost no more
may require them to Commit it, dedicating a point of Effort to the than eight Dominion points to create, though if the artifact is
effect as long as it is maintained. Powerful effects might force them imagined as some key element of the hero's legacy, the GM might
to Commit it for extended periods of time, even if the power itself allow them to increase its power over time by spending Domin-
lasts only briefly. You begin with a maximum of 2 points of Effort, ion, perhaps at double what the original creation would cost.
plus any gained from gifts youve selected that grant bonus Effort. Some players will want to play supernatural creatures or mighty
Record your maximum Influence. Influence is used to work changes beasts, such as liches, dragons, or the tremendously gifted heroes
on the world. New characters start with a maximum of 2 points. of transhuman realms. In most cases, this can be accomplished
Record your attack bonus and the details of your preferred weaponry. simply by choosing the appropriate Words to represent the crea-
For a newly-minted Godbound, your attack bonus is +1. You may ture's abilities. Thus, a player who wanted to play a dragon in
choose weapons from the types listed on the prior page. Also note a game might choose the Fire, Endurance, and Might Words
down your heros Fray die of 1d8, the use of which is explained in the and spend two gift points on picking up Sapphire Wings from
next chapters Combat section. Sky. The player might later invest in getting the Wealth word
You might have special gifts that grant your weapons unusual might to represent the tremendous hoard he's managed to gather and
or special qualities. These divine gifts override the natural damage the inexhaustible riches he's stored away.
dice of the weapon and allow you to use any appropriate attribute to GMs should also be ready to let PCs define the details of their
modify its hit and damage rolls, even non-physical attributes. gifts and abilities. As a rule of thumb, if the power still has the
Note down your preferred weapons with their attribute modifiers same effect, the player should be allowed to describe it in what-
included. Thus, if you are a nimble Godbound of Deception with ever way suits them. A dragon PC with the Wealth Word might
a Dexterity score of 16, a Strength of 8, and a light shortsword to buy both Divine Wrath and Corona of Fury. The former could
hand, you would record a total attack bonus of +3 and a damage roll be described as a breath weapon of molten gold that sublimates
of 1d6+2 when wielding it. moments later, while the later might be a snap of the beast's
jeweled wings that sprays a cloud of corundum shards at the
Choosing a Goal enemy and leaves only worthless fragments behind. While showy,
The very final step for your character is to choose a goal. Your hero is the actual mechanical effects are the same as the default power,
Godbound, and while they may not yet be a titan of divine might, even so there's no danger to game balance.
a novice hero is capable of incredible deeds. Overthrowing tyrants, Some concepts might also call for an ability that just doesn't
bringing peace to war-torn lands, uplifting the poverty of a nation, or seem to fit with any of the Words listed in the book. The PC
breaking some villainous custom in a people are all goals that might might not need more than one or two of these abilities, and so
absorb a Godbounds interest, to say nothing of the pleasures of a there's no call to create an entirely new Word. Instead, the GM
simple pursuit of raw personal power. should just write up the power as a one-off lesser gift of no par-
It is very important that every hero have a goal. The campaign realm ticular Word and let the PC buy it for two gift points. Note that
lies open before them, and without goals it can be hard to decide what if the power is so strong that it would more properly be a greater
your group ought to try to accomplish. Try to ensure that your PCs gift, it might be too strong to add without obliging the PC to
goal is compatible with those of the rest of the group, or at least not bond an appropriate Word. The ability to buy greater gifts is one
in active opposition to their aims. of the perks a PC gets for expending their limited Word picks
Some PCs might let their goals stand in abeyance for a time as they on a particular set of powers. Allowing characters to just dip in
help their pantheon-mates accomplish their own ends. This is perfect- and take the strongest powers of other Words can cause balance
ly fine. The purpose of goals is to motivate the group to adventure and issues, so the GM should think carefully before allowing it.
bold action, and if adventure is happening then the job is done well.

14
Building Cassandra Corvo
Dee's decided to join in on a game of Godbound and is sitting down
to make up her character. She decides she wants to play a sorceress of
some kind, a sophisticated scholar-patrician with magical gifts who
has only recently come into her powers as a Godbound. The GM has
told her that the campaign will be set in the realm of Arcem and that
she should feel free to pick any origin from that place, so she turns
to page XX and glances over the various nations. The city-states of
Vissio look interesting, so she turns to page XX, reads up a little about
them, and decides that a Vissian patrician's daughter is a good place
to start with her character. The name list for Vissio provides some
inspiration, and she names her heroine Cassandra Corvo.
Dee doesn't much enjoy random attribute generation, so she decides
to use the default attribute array to describe Cassandra. She decides
that Cassandra's not remarkable in her physical talents, but she's strik-
ingly intelligent and charismatic. She puts her 16 in Intelligence, 14
in Wisdom, 13 in Charisma, 13 in Dexterity, 10 in Constitution, and
8 in Strength. She notes down her attribute modifiers for each score,
and subtracts each score from 21 to find her attribute check targets.
Dee knows that Cassandra comes from a wealthy Vissian patrician
family, so she makes that her first Fact; "Vissian daughter of wealth
and privilege." But she wants Cassandra to be more than just a dil-
ettante daughter; she wants her to be a daring scholar of antiquity.
She writes her second Fact accordingly; "Learned scholar-explorer
of ancient architecture and cultures." The third Fact is hardest. It
should be about a relationship or tie she has, but she's not sure what Dexterity modifier. Their hit bonus is +2, including her +1 base
possibilities exist in Vissio. The GM advises her that she can just bonus and +1 for Dexterity.
make something up, so she decides that Cassandra is a member of the Dee considers armor next, but it's hard for her to imagine her schol-
Vissian Antiquarian Society, a loose fraternity of explorers, ruin-rob- arly adventuress walking around in a mail shirt. She asks the GM for
bers, and scholars who rove far in search of secrets. Her third Fact is permission to have a pair of enchanted bracers as regalia armor from
thus, "Member in good standing of the Vissian Antiquarian Society"." page XX, emulating normal light armor. The GM agrees that it's fine,
Now Dee needs to pick three Words to describe the supernatural since it's merely a style point to let the bracers spark with a crackling
gifts that awoke in her when she became Godbound. She knows blue shield to block incoming weapons. With a base armor class of 7,
she wants Cassandra to be a sorceress, so she picks Sorcery for one. her Dexterity modifier of +1 is subtracted to give her an armor class of
Knowledge fits her status as a scholar, and for the third, Dee chooses 6. Because the bracers are light armor, there's no saving throw penalty.
Deception. Cassandra knows the byzantine paths of Vissian politics, The last steps are just a matter of writing down some scores on her
and lies and chicanery come easy to her. She notes down each Word's sheet. Her maximum hit points are 9, accounting for her beginning
special abilities, using Knowledge to raise her Intelligence to 18. She 8 plus her Constitution modifier. Her Fray die is 1d8. Her maximum
pauses when she gets to Deception, though, as that 8 in Strength Effort is 2, as is her Influence, and she has no starting experience
doesn't really sit well with her. She doesn't imagine Cassandra being points or Wealth. While she comes from a prosperous family, she's
particularly weak of arm. She decides to move that 8 into Charisma clearly spent most of her finances on her expeditions.
and then use Deception's Word ability to raise it to 16. The other Because Cassandra is an Adept of the Gate, she also needs to pick
stats are shuffled slightly, leaving Wisdom at 14, Constitution at 13, four theurgic invocations of the Gate to start with from the list on
Dexterity at 13, and Strength at 10. page XX. She decides to pick ones that fit Cassandra's likely needs;
Six points go into Cassandra's gifts. For Sorcery, she spends two on the Beacon of Celestial Purity to maintain her patrician immaculate-
Adept of the Gate and The Subtle Eye of Knowing. Deception gets ness, the Kiss of the Crane as an offensive spell, the Seal of Regnal
three points for Deceiver's Unblinking Eye, Liar's Flawless Grace, Dominion to sway weak minds, and the Trumpet of Far Utterance
and Shadow Play. Lastly, Knowledge gets The Best Course. Cassan- to talk to her allies from afar. More spells can be discovered in time.
dra hasn't got much knack for combat, but in an emergency she can Lastly, Dee needs to decide what Cassandra's goal is when she enters
use miracles to emulate combat gifts like Divine Wrath, or trigger play. She thinks back on Cassandra's recent awakening as a Godbound,
Deception gifts like Walking Ghost to escape the scene. and decides that a heroine as young and curious as Signorina Corvo
Now that she has her final attribute scores, she can write down is still exploring her wondrous newfound gifts. She'll look for the
her saving throws. For Hardiness, it's 14 thanks to her Constitution biggest mysteries and most perilous places and try to pry out their
modifier, for Evasion it's 12 because of her high Intelligence, and for truths if nothing else is particularly demanding her attention. Her
Spirit it's 13 due to her Charisma modifier. For weapons, she only goals may well change over time as she becomes more involved with
carries a knife up one sleeve and some hardened throwing spikes in great matters in Arcem, but for now, this motivation is enough to
her hair. They're both light weapons that do 1d6 damage, +1 for her give her an initial push.

15
 The Rules of the Game

Godbound is a traditional old-school game in many respects. Those apprentice pigherder with a spear roll a Dexterity check to navigate
readers who've been gaming for years are very likely to recognize a slippery log over a roaring river. It is somewhat less appropriate to
almost all of the mechanical concepts that follow in this section, and demand the same roll from a Divine Blade Queen.
it shouldn't take you long at all to get up to speed. A quick-reference By the same token, when that pigherder tries to stick his spear into
page is provided on page XX which you can print out to keep at the a generic knife-waving bandit, a hit roll makes perfect sense. If the
table. If the players all keep track of their own gifts and powers, you Divine Blade Queen wants to end the petty ruffian, the only question
shouldn't need much more to run a session of Godbound. is how exactly she wants to disject his constituent parts. She is a
Experienced players of older games are advised to read the combat goddess of Stab. Stab will happen.
section very carefully, however. Godbound uses a different system for In the same vein, it is important to remember that most other NPCs
determining the damage of a blow in combat, and if you don't take are not demigods. Most people, even most petty monsters and ordi-
note of it, your combat results won't make sense. nary vile beasts, are simply not going to be able to stand up to the
Godbound. Low-level demigods might need to show some respect
What These Rules Cover to mortal heroes and prowling monsters, but veteran Godbound are
This section includes guidelines for combat, the outcome of difficult going to be able to sweep aside most mortal resistance with minimal
feats attempted by heroes, and attempts at resisting the malevolent effort. The player should be spending their time describing how it
power of evil magic, vile poisons, and unfortunate circumstances. is they succeed in the contest or drive their trifling foes before them.
Readers will also find the rules for improving their hero's capabilities Does this mean that the heroes should progress in undisturbed
through experience and mighty deeds. majesty to the crown of all their desires? Of course not. It just means
These rules are sufficient to cover the great majority of situations a that the GM ought to respect their innate heroism and maintain a rea-
hero might find themselves encountering, but they're not exhaustive. sonable world, where most people are not suited for opposing bearers
A GM should always be ready to step in and make a spot call on an of the Words of Creation. There are plenty of horrific demi-divine
effort, or apply modifiers to a roll when it seems appropriate. It's foes to make even the mightiest Godbound sweat, and their impact
better to make an adequate ruling on the spot and then sort out a on play will be all the more significant if it's obvious that only the
future policy after the session's over than it is to spend five minutes PCs are equipped to deal with threats like them.
digging through the book mid-scene in search of the perfect ruling.
Importing Rules from Other Games
When Rules Aren't Needed As an OSR-style game, Godbound is implicitly compatible with a
A GM needs to remember that Godbound heroes operate on a huge range of other fantasy RPGs. Many of these other games offer
somewhat different plane than traditional old-school dirt farm- additional content or special-case rules for handling certain situations.
ers-turned-adventurers. Godbound aren't untouchable paragons You might have your own favorite system already, and want to import
of blazing perfection, it's true, but there are a lot of problems and some of its quirks into this one.
situations that just do not hinder them the way they would a more Assuming you're familiar with your gaming group's tastes, this is an
conventional RPG protagonist. There are times when an ability check excellent idea. Godbound's mechanical systems are light and simple
or a combat round that would make perfect sense in another system enough that GM can easily reach in and start tweaking things to fit
is altogether unnecessary in Godbound. their own group's tastes. You may want to play a session or two of the
The PCs are demigods. Whenever the GM looks at a situation or game "straight" beforehand, though, just to be sure you understand
adjudicates something the PC is trying to accomplish, this fact should how the parts work in play. Once you feel comfortable with it, however,
be kept front and center in their minds. It's perfectly fine to make an you should feel free to modify it to suit your own best preferences.

16
 Attribute Checks
Attribute checks are rolled when a hero attempts something that tests When Not To Use Attribute Checks
the limits of even their prodigious abilities or when their efforts are Not everything a Godbound tries to accomplish should require an
being opposed by some worthy opponent. attribute check. If a hero has a relevant Fact, then most activities re-
An attributes check target is equal to 21 minus the attribute score. lated to that Fact should be automatic successes. A Godbound from
To make an attribute check, roll 1d20 and compare it to the most the nomadic Howler tribes shouldnt be rolling attribute checks for
relevant attributes check number, adding +4 to the roll if they have a riding tricks or handling beasts unless shes trying something truly
Fact that would help them with the task. If the roll is equal or great- ridiculous, and a hero with a Fact relating to their membership in an
er than the score, they succeed. If the roll is lower, then something organization shouldnt need to roll Charisma checks just to contact
happens to complicate the situation and it doesnt work out as they group members or get ordinary favors from them.
desire. Godbound almost never simply fail at something they try to Dont use attribute checks when the hero is invoking their gifts or
do, but it might take too long, work as unanticipated, or add some the miracles of their divine Words. If a hero invokes a miracle, the
fresh complication to the situation. miracle just works. The heros powers will always succeed unless some
A natural roll of 1 on a check is always a failure, while a roll of 20 is other Godbound, worthy foe, or remarkable force is interfering.
always a success, assuming success is at all possible. Dont use attribute checks when the hero is trying to do some mor-
If the Godbound is being opposed by someone, then both the God- tal feat that is in line with their associated Words of Creation. A
bound and their opponent make rolls, and the one who succeeds by Godbound of Earth trying to pick up a heavy rock or knock down
the largest margin wins the contest. If the opponent hasnt got attri- a stone pillar with a hammer will succeed. A Godbound of Fertility
bute scores recorded, the GM should just pick an appropriate score. won't have problems midwifing a child's birth. The only time a check
Some checks might be modified by the situation or the difficulty would ever be needed for such things is if some worthy supernatural
of the tasks. Feats that would tax human capabilities might take a -4 opposition is trying to make it hard.
penalty to the roll, while penalties of up to -8 might be applied for Do use attribute checks when the hero is trying to do something
tasks that seem only marginally possible for a human being. Com- outside their Words or specialties that a normal human could the-
pletely impossible feats require the use of a gift or miracle to achieve. oretically accomplish, but that would be a challenge even to a hero.

Saving Throws
Can a hero throw off the venom that even now gnaws his heart? Can Godbound and Saving Throws
she dive clear of the massive jade pillar as it plunges to the earth? Is Some gifts and other special powers only function on foes of equal
he able to resist the mental influence of the Uncreated abomination? or fewer hit dice than the wielder has levels or hit dice. Others auto-
To find out, the hero must roll a saving throw. Some dark powers or matically afflict weaker creatures, but allow stronger ones to make a
grave perils might explicitly allow a saving throw to resist their effect, saving throw to resist them. Against these gifts, Godbound are always
while at other times the GM might choose to allow one. treated as worthy foes, as if they had more hit dice than the user, even
To roll a saving throw, the hero must roll 1d20 and compare it to if they would otherwise be susceptible.
their most relevant saving throw type. If the roll is equal or higher Godbound and other major supernatural foes can also summon
than the saving throw score, its a success. A natural roll of 1 is always reserves of strength in moments of dire need. If they fail a saving
a failure, and a natural roll of 20 always succeeds. throw, a Godbound can Commit Effort for the day to convert it to
Hardiness is used for tests of their physical endurance and bodily a success. A hero might be forced to drop the Effort committed to
integrity, and is modified by the better of a PC's Constitution or defensive gifts in order to do so.
Strength modifiers. Evasion is for challenges of agility and quick
response, and is modified by the better of a hero's Dexterity or In-
telligence modifiers. Spirit saves are made for for magical threats or Saving Throws are a Privilege
mental influences that dont fall under one of the other headings, and Many otherwise-dire powers come with the chance to save in
are influenced by the better of a hero's Charisma or Wisdom modifiers. order to resist them. Instant-death poisons, bodily transforma-
When in doubt, the GM picks a type for the saving throw. tions, being digested into cursed blue slime, or falling prey to the
PCs have a base saving throw in each category of 16 minus their whispered mental influence of an Uncreated abomination might
character level, minus the highest applicable attribute. Thus, a first all grant the hapless victim a saving throw. Similar save-or-lose
level hero with a Constitution modifier of +1 and a Strength modifier powers created by a Godbound hero's miracles should also grant
of -1 has a Hardiness saving throw of 14. the chance to save rather than instantly lose the conflict.
Monsters, non-player characters, and other creatures also may at- The exception to this guideline is when the power targets a
tempt saving throws if necessary. Most foes will have their saving single lesser foe. If a special ability or power is aimed at a single
throws listed in their combat statistics, but if a GM needs to deter- creature with equal or fewer hit dice than the assailant has levels
mine a score in a hurry, they can just count it as 15 minus half the or hit dice, they probably don't deserve a saving throw. God-
creatures hit dice, to a minimum of 5 or better to save. Creatures bound and other mighty creatures can summarily defeat such
exceptionally suited or unsuited to resisting a type of peril might gain minor opposition with little or no chance of failure.
a bonus or penalty to the score ranging from -3 to +3.

18
Advancement
A Godbound gains power through mighty deeds and the exertion of Experience Dominion
their will upon the world. They require both practical experience of Level Required Spent
the world and the chance to work their desires upon it before theyre
ready to master new gifts. 1 0 0
Godbound earn experience points for accomplishing worthy goals. 2 3 2
These goals must somehow tax the Godbounds abilities; overthrow- 3 6 7
ing the mortal tyrant of an important city-state might be a serious
4 12 14
challenge to a pantheon of low-level Godbound, while it would be
little more than an afterthought to a group of major demigods. Con- 5 24 22
versely, toppling the god-king of an entire blasted realm might chal- 6 48 38
lenge the powers of the greatest of Godbound. The GM has guidelines 7 72 57
for deciding how many experience points a feat should be awarded.
8 96 73
Godbound gain Dominion points through the performance of
mighty deeds, the worship of their cult, and the assimilation of cer- 9 130 96
tain celestial relics. These Dominion points are then expended to 10 170 124
create permanent changes in the realms they inhabit, or even to forge
their own Paradise in the chaos of Uncreated Night. A Godbound
who has not expended enough Dominion has yet to truly embrace Gifts of Apotheosis
their regnant will, and must work greater changes before they are Godbound are prototypical divinities, and the might of the gods
ready to ascend. themselves gradually blooms within them as they grow in power.
The Apotheosis Word represents this gradual ascent, and its gifts
Gaining a Level automatically accrue to Godbound who reach certain levels of power.
Once a Godbound has earned enough experience points and spent For some campaigns, the GM may choose to ignore the Apotheo-
enough Dominion on their projects to qualify for a new level, they sis Word. It might not fit the focus of the game, or the players may
immediately gain the benefits of advancement. not be interested in forming or tending a flock of believers. Some
Godbound might not want to bother with such things, and thats a
Their attack bonus increases by 1. perfectly acceptable choice.
These churchless Godbound are free divinities, and get a certain
Their maximum hit points increase by 4, plus half of their amount of Dominion automatically each month as they husband
Constitution modifier, rounded upward. their own celestial powers. The amount of Dominion they gain each
month is one point, starting at second level, plus one more for each
Their maximum Effort and Influence increase by 1. three full character levels. They do not receive any of the usual gifts
of the Apotheosis Word and cannot have worshipers. A free divinity
Their saving throw scores each decrease by 1. may form a church, and a Godbound with followers may abandon
them to become free, but doing so is at the GMs discretion, and may
They add a new Fact related to their adventures or deeds. require a mighty deed to arrange this change of status.
For other Godbound, though, the following gifts are obtained au-
Once theyve made these changes, they can spend 2 more points on tomatically on reaching certain levels.
additional gifts from the Words they know. Lesser gifts cost 1 point,
and greater gifts cost 2. They can also save up the points for later
purchases, or for gaining access to a new Word for 3 points. At the
GM's discretion, heroes can buy lesser gifts from other Words for 2 Level Gifts of Apotheosis
points each, if they can explain how their own powers can create the
1 -
new gift's effects. Once they bind a new Word, any earlier single gifts
in it that they bought at extra cost get the extra fee refunded. 2 Receive the Incense of Faith
At the GMs discretion, during ordinary play they might be allowed 3 Sanctify Shrine
to immediately spend saved points to master gifts they invoke with Smite the Apostate
their miracles. Such a purchase would represent the sudden mastery 4 Hear Prayer
of the power they find within themselves.
5 Perceive the Petitioner
The table provided here ends at level 10. It may be possible for God-
bound to ascend past this level of power, but heroes of this degree 6 Mark of the Prophet
have the might of a true divinity, one capable of working wonders and 7 Attend the Faithful
rewarding the faith of their followers. A GM who wishes to explore 8 To Bless the Nations
greater degrees of celestial authority is encouraged to develop their
own gifts. Even those heroes who do not exceed 10th level can still 9 -
earn Dominion and expend it on their aims. 10 -

19
 Combat
Godbound wield tremendous powers of destruction, but even or- This damage roll is then compared to the table below, and the given
dinary men and women can struggle for their lives with blade and amount of damage is suffered by the target. Against Godbound foes,
bludgeon. Mighty heroes might lay out lesser foes in bloody windrows, this damage is subtracted from their hit points. Against other oppo-
but enough determined and death-ready rabble can put fear in even nents, this damage is taken by the targets hit dice.
a demigods heart.
Damage Roll Damage Taken
The Combat Round
1 or less None
Combat is measured in rounds of approximately six seconds. Player
characters always act first during the combat round, unless theyve 25 1 point
been ambushed or surprised. In such cases, the ambushing group gets 69 2 points
a full round of actions before the victims can act. After the heroes 10 or more 4 points
have acted, the other participants act in whatever order the GM
might choose. If the attack does more than one die of damage, they all counted
During their turn, a combatant can move their full movement rate separately. Any modifier is applied to only one die of the attackers
and take a single action. Normal humans have a movement rate of choice. Thus, a blast that does 5d8 damage a target would do from 0
30 feet, while other creatures might be swifter. to 10 points of damage, depending on the results of the dice.
A combatants action for the round might be an attack, the use of a If the damage a PC does is more than enough to kill the target, the
special power or gift, a second turn of movement, or anything else that overflow can be applied to any other target in range of equal or worse
takes about six seconds to accomplish. Minor acts such as drawing a armor class. Thus, if there are four identical one hit die peasants in
weapon, dropping an object, or speaking are considered free actions melee and the hero rolls a 10 on the damage die of his two-handed
and dont take up a combatants round. sword, all four would be killed in a single brutal round. This overflow
Once everyone has acted in a combat round, the sequence starts effect does not apply to area-effect damage that is inflicted on everyone
over from the beginning. within an area. Only PCs inflict overflow damage, not NPC foes.
Some powers inflict damage dice straight. Such dire dice do their
Activating Gifts and Miracles natural result in damage points, without using the table.
Godbound can use their gifts and miracles freely out of combat, as-
suming they have enough free Effort to activate the power. In combat, Fray Dice
things get more hectic. A hero has a Fray die representing their casual blows, minor exertions
Instant gifts can be used at any time, whether or not its the God- of divine power, and general fearsomeness. Each round of combat
bounds turn. They can even be used in response to an enemys attack. they can roll their Fray die on their turn, even if theyre occupied
Dropping a gifts effects to free up Effort also counts as Instant. doing something else. Most heroes have a Fray die of 1d8, though
On Turn gifts can be used only during the Godbounds turn, though some gifts can increase this. No attribute modifiers apply to this die.
they can use as many of them as they wish and can afford to trigger. The Fray die is compared to the damage chart, and that many points
Action gifts count as the Godbounds action for the round, and so of damage can be inflicted on a single lesser foe in sight. A lesser foe is
only one can be used on any given turn. a creature with equal or fewer hit dice than the hero has levels. Thus,
Offensive miracles that harm a foe or dispel their self-buffing gifts if the hero rolls a 6 on the die while fighting the four peasants men-
count as actions. Other miracle use counts as an Instant effect. tioned above, two of them would be killed out of hand by the overflow
damage. If fighting a worthy foe with more hit dice or levels than the
Attacking a Foe Godbound has levels, however, the Fray die is useless against them.
To hit with an attack, the assailant rolls 1d20 and adds their attack
bonus, their relevant attribute modifier, and the targets armor class. Morale
If the total is 20 or more, its a hit. A natural roll of 1 always misses NPCs arent always enthusiastic about fighting demigods. Most crea-
and a natural 20 always hits. Most assailants get only a single attack tures have Morale scores ranging from 2 for arrant cowards to 12 for
for their action, but some beasts or sublimely-skillful combatants can mindless or fanatical foes. When the foes are given some reason to
make multiple attacks in a single action. flee, they roll 2d6; on a roll higher than their Morale, they retreat,
A combatant in melee who moves away from a foe without spending surrender, or otherwise stop fighting. The death of an ally is usually
their action disengaging draws an instant free melee attack from all enough to provoke a Morale check in ordinary people, as is the further
nearby foes. Some gifts allow a hero to avoid these passing blows. loss of half their allies or a display of fearsome supernatural might.

Rolling Damage Death and Dying

If an attack hits, the assailant rolls their weapons damage die and adds Foes brought to zero hit dice are dead, unconscious, or subdued at the
the relevant attribute modifier. For Light weapons, this is the better assailants discretion, if a choice is plausible. Most mortally-wounded
of their Strength or Dexterity modifiers. For Medium and Heavy creatures take a few rounds to die; medical attention during that
weapons, this is their Strength modifier, and for Ranged weapons time might save them on an attribute check by the healer. Godbound
its Dexterity. Supernatural weapons or effects use whatever attribute brought to zero hit points are gravely wounded and helpless, and die
seems most appropriate to the effect. from further harm. If left for dead, they regain 1 hit point an hour later.

20
 SYSCOMBAT

Divine Fury Healing and Recovery

When pressed to the brink of death a Godbounds desperation can Heroes who survive a fray can regain lost hit points with rest. A full
drive them to tap unknown reserves of celestial power. If brought to day of recuperation in a safe, reasonably comfortable place will restore
zero hit points, a Godbound may choose to enter a divine fury. all lost hit points for a Godbound. For a creature of lesser stamina,
The Godbound immediately gains hit points equal to half their a full days rest will restore one lost hit die. Some Godbound may
maximum, rounded up, and bonus Effort equal to their level. They be able to rest comfortably in circumstances impossible for others.
are immediately freed from any magical effect that is binding or con- Godbound regain all committed Effort each morning, whether or
straining them, whether mental or physical, and for the duration of not theyve had the opportunity to rest. They might elect to leave
the fury they cannot be controlled or bound by magic. some Effort committed if theyve got a long-lasting gift they want to
The maximum duration of the fury is equal to the Godbounds level maintain, but Effort spent on activating miracles or day-long expen-
in rounds. At the end of that time, the Godbound becomes utterly ditures all comes back.
helpless for five rounds. All of their gifts become inactive, they can Some magical spells or other supernatural effects can restore lost hit
take no action, and they automatically fail all saves. If any foe capable points or cure lingering maladies. If used to cure diseases, neutralize
of harming them is still present they can be killed automatically by poisons, lift curses, or otherwise remove afflictions from a subject,
a single attack. A Godbound brought to zero hit points during or these powers require no extra expenditure. If used to cure hit point
immediately after a divine fury dies instantly and cannot be revived; damage, however, the recipient must Commit Effort for the day. Such
their spirit is too weakened by their exertions to be restored. magical healing taxes the reserves of the one being healed, and if they
A Godbounds fury depletes deep reserves of power. Once they have cannot or will not Commit the Effort to receive it it does no good. If
exhausted their reserves, they must gain a new level of experience used on a creature with no listed Effort, assume that the entity can
before they can rage once again. NPC Godbound normally cannot benefit from such healing once per day.
enter a divine fury, as theyve already expended theirs during some Magical healing rolls cure that many hit points of damage. If used
past moment of crisis. on a creature with hit dice instead, it heals that many hit dice of injury.

21
 Holding Actions in Combat Instant Defensive Miracles
Sometimes a hero might want to hold their action for the round, While the full details of defensive and offensive dispelling are ex-
saving it to respond to some impending peril. If the PCs know that plained on page XX, it's important to understand what dangers can
the angelic tyrant is going to vomit a stream of molten gold on them, be dispelled and what dangers can't. Regardless of the type, defensive
for example, the PC with the Wealth Word might want to wait and miracles always require the defender to Commit Effort for the day.
offensively dispel the attack rather than merely protect their own Combatants can defensively dispel as an Instant action. They can
person with a defensive dispelling. only dispel powers and gifts for which their own Words or abilities
If a PC wants to hold their action until later in the round, they may offer a reasonable counter, and the player has to describe how they're
do so. They describe what they're waiting for and what they intend using their own Words to block or diffuse the incoming peril.
to do when it happens. If what they're waiting for doesn't happen by Only powers that directly affect the target can be dispelled. If the
the end of the round, then they waste their action. enemy uses a gift or ability that boosts their own abilities, such as
A PC can hold for a general sort of event, but they can't just wait giving them faultless accuracy or imbuing a blow with tremendous
arbitrarily until they're ready to act. It's up to the GM as to whether strength, this gift can't be dispelled defensively. The attacker is buffing
or not a particular set of conditions are adequately specific. themselves rather not targeting the victim directly.
Only the dispeller is protected from the incoming effect. A gout of
Conflicting Gifts corrosive darkness might be defensively dispelled by a hero with the
Most gifts are absolute in their effects; they simply work. Sometimes Sun Word or averted by one with the Night Word, but only that hero
a target will get to make a saving throw to resist, but a gift's effects is spared the effect. His comrades next to him are affected normally.
are usually automatic and inexorable. Sometimes, however, the GM Normal physical attacks or environmental hazards cannot be dis-
might find the PCs and the opposition using two gifts that clash in pelled. Someone with the appropriate Sword or Endurance Word
their effects. might use a miracle to mimic an Instant defensive gift against an
Defenses trump attacks. If a gift protects against something or in- incoming blow, but they cannot simply dispel an oncoming axe to the
flicts some hindrance on an attack, the defensive gift applies regardless head. Heroes who want to slaughter a powerful supernatural foe are
of the source of the attack. Thus, the Sword Word's Unerring Blade often better off boosting their own weapon attacks rather than trying
gift is still probably going to miss against Alacrity's Untouchable to wear it down with Divine Wrath gifts that it can successfully dispel.
defensive gift.
For other clashes, roll an opposed attribute check using the most Combatants With Multiple Actions
applicable attribute and any relevant Facts. The contestant who wins Very powerful enemies may have more than one action a round, with
by the largest margin wins the contest. In the case of a tie, the PC some having two, and the most tremendously potent having three.
wins. If two PCs tie in their struggles, they can flip a coin. If the NPC If you are using the deluxe Godbound rules with the guidelines for
doesn't have listed attributes, the GM should just pick an attribute mortal hero PCs, these exceptional mortals might also have extra
check number that makes sense, given the NPC's nature and prowess. actions each round.
Each of these bonus actions can include both movement and a nor-
Defeating Foes Non-Lethally mal action. Thus, a combatant with +10 to hit and a 30' movement
An enemy reduced to zero hit dice or hit points isn't necessarily dead rate could use both actions to strike twice and move up to sixty feet
or mortally wounded. If the assailant doesn't want to kill the target in one round. If the combatant gets multiple attacks per action, they
and the method they're using to attack can reasonably be non-lethal, can make their full attack sequence with each action.
then the attacker can just declare the target stunned or subdued. Creatures with special powers must usually use up an action in
It's up to the GM as to whether the attack could plausibly be pulled order to employ them. Thus, if some fearsome foe had three attacks
for a non-lethal result. A Godbound with the Sword Word could at +12 to hit and two actions in a round, it could use one of them to
probably wield a chainsaw in a nonlethal way, while a more pacifistic slash thrice at a foe and another to trigger a special ability. In some
deity probably shouldn't try to subdue people with a greataxe. Neither cases, a creature might have an On Turn or Instant gift or power,
of them are advised to try subdual with the Red Sword of the Bleeding and these abilities may be used just as often and in the same way as
Emperor or a Divine Wrath bolt from the Fire Word. PCs use them.
Some attacks might be assumed to be nonlethal unless otherwise While it is possible for heroic mortals and supernatural foes to get
desired, such as ordinary tavern fisticuffs or sparring duels. multiple actions per round, there are very few ways for a Godbound
hero to do so. The Word of Alacrity has a few costly powers that
Hit Dice and Hit Points allow an extra action, but there are no easy or inexpensive ways for a
In other old-school games, hit dice are usually rolled to deter- divine hero to act more than once per round.
mine a foe's hit points. In Godbound, this is not the case. A foe This is intentional, and GMs should keep this in mind when coming
can take a number of points of damage equal to their hit dice up with their own gifts and magical artifacts. Godbound have tre-
before perishing. mendous flexibility and durability compared with mortal heroes or
So why use hit dice at all? Why not give everybody hit points? monstrous foes. If a Godbound can reliably get more than one action
Because when importing creatures and content from other old- a round, it's all too easy for their pantheon to overwhelm the opposi-
school games, it's easier to just record the creature's hit dice and tion with a torrent of divine miracles and thunderous blows. Major
give it an attack bonus equal to that number. Hit dice also under- enemies need their bonus actions to help even out great disparity in
line the difference between mere NPCs and heroic PC demigods. actions per round between them and an entire pantheon of God-
bound. If the PCs have them too, it can easily become an arms race.

22
 Quick Rule Reference
Attribute Checks Combat Rounds
An attributes check target is equal to 21 minus the attribute score. To Combat is measured in rounds, each one about six seconds long. Play-
make an attribute check, roll 1d20 against the most relevant attributes er characters always act first unless surprised or ambushed, in which
check target. Add +4 to the roll if the hero has a Fact relevant to their case the ambushers gain a full round of action before the victims can
efforts, and apply a penalty if the task is pushing the limits of human respond. After the PCs have acted, NPCs will then act in whatever
or heroic ability. Penalties shouldnt normally exceed -8. If the roll order the GM would prefer.
is equal or greater than the check number, the check is a success. If On their turn, a PC can move up to their full movement rate of 30
less, something goes wrong or an unexpected complication arises, as feet for a normal human and take a single other action. This action
Godbound very rarely simply fail at their efforts. might be an attack, activating a gift, invoking an offensive miracle,
Dont roll attribute checks for divine gifts, miracles of the Words, moving their movement rate a second time, or anything else that can
or tasks that fall within a heros Facts or Words. Such efforts will be done in about six seconds. Actions such as drawing a weapon, drop-
always be successful barring outside interference from a worthy foe. ping an object, or other such minor acts can be done as free actions.

Saving Throws Hitting and Rolling Damage

Roll 1d20 against a heros most relevant saving throw type: Hardi- To hit a target, the attacker rolls 1d20 and adds their attack bonus and
ness for physical challenges, Evasion for tests of agility and reaction, the targets armor class. If the total is 20 or more, its a hit. A natural
or Spirit to resist magic or mental influence not covered by another roll of 1 always misses and a natural 20 always hits.
category. If the roll is equal or greater than the score, the saving throw The attack bonus for a player character is equal to their level plus
is a success. A natural 1 always fails, and a natural 20 always succeeds. the attribute modifier appropriate to their weapon. For most melee
Medium armors apply a -4 penalty to one saving throw catego- weapons, this is Strength, while ranged weapons use Dexterity. Light
ry of the wearers choice. Heavy armor applies it to two categories. weapons use the better of either modifier. Attacks using supernatural
Godbound and major supernatural foes who fail a saving throw may powers, gift-imbued weaponry or divine marvels use whatever attri-
Commit Effort for the day to count it as a success instead. bute seems most pertinent to the effect.
To determine the damage the target takes, roll the weapons damage
Committing Effort die and add the relevant attribute modifier. Compare the result to
Godbound must Commit Effort to use many of their powers. Effort the table below to find out how many points of damage are inflicted.
committed for the day or for a scene may not be reclaimed earli- Godbound take this damage from their hit points. Other enemies
er. Effort committed for shorter durations may be reclaimed at any subtract the damage total from their hit dice.
time, whether or not its the heros turn. A hero who wishes to use a If an attack happens to deal multiple dice of damage, each die is
powerful offensive gift or miracle might thus choose to reclaim the counted separately, and any modifier is applied only to one die of the
Effort theyre using to sustain a defensive ability, or may choose to attackers choice. Thus, a bolt that does 5d6 damage will do between
abandon the Effort theyve committed to a gift in order to throw up zero and 10 points of damage to a victim.
a sudden defense. If a hero does enough damage to kill a target, the excess can be
A divine miracle require heroes to Commit Effort for the day. If applied to any other foe within range of equal or worse armor class.
the miracle mimics a gift that also would already require a day-long Thus, if a Godbounds sword strike does 4 hit dice of damage to a
commitment, two points must be committed instead. veteran warrior with 2 HD, the blow kills the veteran and can also
All committed Effort is returned with each new morning, though cleave apart his comrade standing beside him, assuming his armor
the Godbound might leave some Effort committed to gifts they want is no better. This overflow does not apply to area-effect attacks that
to continue using. deliver damage to each target in a zone. Only PCs do overflow damage.

Using Gifts and Miracles

Outside of combat or other time-sensitive situations, gifts may be Damage Roll Damage Taken
used whenever the Godbound desires to do so, granted they have 1 or less None
enough free Effort to commit to it. 25 1 point
During combat, Godbound may use Instant gifts at any time, wheth-
69 2 points
er or not its their turn to act. On Turn gifts may only be used during
their turn, but they do not count as actions and as many of them may 10 or more 4 points
be used as the Godbound wishes. Action gifts count as the heros
action for the round, and so only one can be used. Fray Dice
Miracles normally count as Instant, though attacks, offensive dis- Godbound are dangerous foes, and can harm lesser foes automatically
pellings, environmental changes, and other external effects count as each round with their 1d8 Fray die, representing casual blows and
the invokers action for the round. minor exertions of divine power. They may do so even if they use their
Some gifts are Constant. These powers are always in effect, though action for other purposes that round. They may roll the die and apply
some have additional effects that can be triggered by Committing the tables damage to a single foe with equal or fewer hit dice than the
Effort. Doing so is an Instant action unless specified otherwise. Godbound has levels. Overflow applies normally if the target dies.
 Divine Powers

Every Godbound is blessed by certain divine Words of Creation, ones Gifts

related to the divine fragments they bear. Simply possessing this con- Gifts are refined miracles, either honed by long practice or an expres-
nection is enough to grant the hero the ability to call forth miracles sion of intuitive understanding. Like miracles, gifts are enormously
related to their powers, but they are also able to refine certain gifts potent, and conventional sorcery cannot overcome or dispel them.
from these Words. These gifts are miracles that have been sufficiently Thus, an illusion created with a gift of the Word of Deception cannot
practiced and refined so as to be easy for the hero to invoke. The gifts be dispelled by mortal magic or revealed by mortal divinations.
listed here are simply examples and guidelines. A hero might develop Gifts come in two degrees of power: lesser and greater gifts. Lesser
numerous unique gifts of their own with the agreement of the GM. gifts are extremely potent, but tend to affect only the hero and their
immediate surroundings. Larger-scale effects are possible, but are
Effort usually more subtle, or involve sensing or communicating rather than
Both gifts and miracles are powered by Effort. A heros Effort pool direct control.
represents a blend of divine power, personal will, and the physical Even those heroes without a connection to the Word can learn
energy necessary to wield mighty forces. A beginning PC has 2 points versions of its lesser gifts, provided they can explain to the GM how
of Effort and gains one more every time they advance a level. Ordinary they're shaping their own Words to create the effect. In some cases,
creatures normally have one point of Effort and no abilities which this might be an easy stretch, while in other cases the effect might be
require it, though heroic or supernatural foes may have a larger reserve. so different that the GM disallows it entirely.
Gifts often require that Effort be Committed to them in order to Greater gifts are the pinnacle of the Words powers, refining the
use them. Usually, Effort is Committed only as long as the power is raw energy of a miracle into a marvel that can be used more readily
in use. A gift that allows flight, for example, might require the user to by the hero. Greater gifts can affect entire towns with devastating
Commit Effort. They would have to spend a point of it from their pool blights or munificent blessings, or render the hero an unstoppable
in order to fly, but could reclaim the Effort as soon as they no longer juggernaut to lesser foes. Only a hero who is bound to the Word can
needed the ability. A lingering curse on a foe might also require Effort, master its greater gifts.
with the blight lasting as long as the hero leaves the Effort committed. Gifts have four types of activation: Constant, On Turn, Action,
Reclaiming Effort is instantaneous and may be done at any time. and Instant. Constant gifts are always functioning, and require no
Some gifts require that Effort be committed for longer periods, Effort to activate them, though some may have additional uses with
such as for a scene, or even for a full day. A scene simply means for Effort. On Turn gifts can be activated at any time during the heros
however long the current event is happening. A fight is usually one turn and do not count as their action for the round. Any number of
scene, as is an infiltration of a house, a debate at court, the pursuit of On Turn gifts can be activated or deactivated at once, provided the
a fleeing enemy, or other such action. Most scenes last no more than hero has enough Effort to fuel them. Action gifts must be activated
fifteen minutes, though longer ones exist at the GMs discretion. At on the heros turn and count as their action for the round, thus only
the scenes end all Effort committed for that scene is returned. Effort one can be used on any given round. Instant gifts can be activated at
committed for a scene or for a day cannot be reclaimed early. any time, even in response to an enemys attack or action, or after dice
Effort committed for a full day returns only after a nights rest. have been rolled for an attack or saving throw. Many defensive gifts
This commitment is usually only for the most impressive gifts or the are Instant, allowing the hero to swiftly respond to a threat.
wielding of unrefined miracles. Most of these powers create a single Gifts last as long as Effort remains committed unless specified oth-
sudden marvel that might last only a moment, but the Effort remains erwise in the text. Thus, if a gift says that Effort must be committed
committed until the hero can rest for an evening. for a scene, it lasts a full scene unless the gift says differently.

24
 Foes and Special Circumstances Miracles
Many gifts have effects that are only applicable to targets with equal Sometimes a Godbound wishes to exert their powers in a way that
or fewer hit dice than the hero has character levels. Such enemies doesnt match a particular gift they possess. They can do so, but these
are known as lesser foes. Thus, a newly-formed Godbound at the miracles are more draining than the easy proficiency of a gift.
first level of experience counts all creatures with one hit die as lesser To use a miracle, the hero first chooses an effect, describing the
foes, which includes the vast majority of ordinary men and women. way in which they use a Word to bring about the desired result. If
NPCs use their hit dice to determine whether or not their enemies the effect seems reasonable and relevant to the GM, they may then
count as lesser foes to them. commit Effort to invoke the miracle. Effort committed to a miracle
Godbound are never lesser foes, even if they have fewer levels than remains committed for a full day, even if the miracles effect is brief.
their assailant has hit dice or levels. Their supernatural force is so
great that the gifts that would ordinarily brush aside a minor enemy A miracle can mimic the effect of a gift of that Word, usually
or control a weaker creature cannot affect them so easily. lasting no more than a scene. Subtle curses or blessings might be
Many gifts or miracles work automatically on lesser foes, or have allowed to last longer at the GMs discretion. Full details of the
effects that weaker enemies cant possibly resist. Worthy foes are those effects that a miracle can produce are explained on page XX.
enemies with more hit dice than the Godbound has levels or the
NPC has hit dice. Many gifts either dont work on worthy foes or A miracle can suppress another gift, if some explanation can
allow them to make saving throws to resist the worst of their effects. be made of how the Word could counter the effect. For example,
Godbound are always worthy foes. if a hero wished to temporarily nullify a Night gift of a villainous
Powers that grant a saving throw allow the victim to realize that foe, they could use their Sun gift to explain how their purging
something unnatural is happening to them if the saving throw suc- radiance melts away the enemys shadows. The enemys gift ends
ceeds. Thus, a mind-affecting gift of the Word of Command might immediately as if they had voluntarily ended it, and they cant
be recognized as an unnatural effect if the victim saves against it. If it activate it again until the miracle-workers next round of action.
fails, the bewitched target would be oblivious. Of course, even if the This suppression is automatic, but applies to only one hostile gift
victim realizes something strange is happening they may not be able at a time. Offensively dispelling a foes powers this way counts as
to connect it with the Godbound or realize its true purpose. the heros action for the round, but defensively dispelling a gift
Those gifts that apply to the Godbound and their companions usual- being used directly against the hero is an Instant defense. Gifts that
ly apply to no more than a dozen people in total, plus any mounts they augment attacks or buff the wielder can't be defensively dispelled.
might be riding. The companions need not be immediately adjacent
to the Godbound, but must be in the same general area. Some gifts A miracle can dispel mortal magic or undo mortal curses if a
may allow the Godbound to affect larger numbers of allies. plausible explanation can be made as to how the Word would apply.
Some gifts allow the wielder to use them as a weapon. The hero may Unlike with hostile gifts, this dispelling is permanent.
use the gift to empower their unarmed attacks or use it to mantle
a physical weapon they are using. Some such gifts can even be used A miracle can make some impressive effect or dramatic change
at range, allowing the Godbound to hurl bolts of energy or conjure in the immediate vicinity, out to a few hundred feet. This change
damaging effects on the target. If a weapon is sheathed in the gifts is very temporary, but the consequences of it might linger. Such
power, it gains the gifts basic damage if that is higher than its own, but changes can apply penalties to foes for a scenes duration, or inflict
retains any magical benefits or powers that the weapon might possess. about one hit die of damage to enemies around the hero, but such
The hero can use any attribute that seems plausible to modify the freeform divinity cannot instantly slay consequential foes. Lesser
weapon's attacks or their unarmed use of such a gift. A hero who uses foes might suffer penalties such as the loss of a rounds action or
a miracle of Command to empower their weapon, for example, might a -4 hit or saving throw penalty for the remainder of the fight.
choose to use Charisma as their relevant attribute for hit and dam- Worthy foes would get saving throws to resist such effects.
age rolls, with conquered foes being reduced to stunned awe before
them. Weapons sheathed in an elemental gifts power may be treated As a general rule of thumb, a miracle can do anything a gift can do,
as elemental damage or physical damage at the wielders discretion. but cant do it for as long and requires a longer commitment of Effort
Some gifts allow the hero to inflict their Fray die on other foes. to do it. Miracles should not produce long-lasting effects, and most of
Unless specifically noted otherwise only lesser foes can be harmed by them should create only a single dramatic, temporary change or result.
a Fray die. Thus, creatures of greater hit dice than the hero has levels Miracles can be performed at any time and usually count as Instant
are normally not affected by such gifts. effects. If a miracle is being used as a weapon or other harmful effect, it
Some gifts grant an invincible defense against a particular threat. counts as an Action gift and can only be used on the Godbounds turn,
This leaves the PC entirely immune to all harm from that source, in lieu of their usual action. Offensive suppression of a targets powers
even those attacks that might penetrate conventional immunities counts as an action, but defensive negation of a power being used
and wards. This immunity extends to include the heros possessions, against a hero can be done as an Instant action. Thus, a Godbound of
clothing, and any mount they might be riding at the time. the Sea who wanted to extinguish a fire angel's flaming shield would
Some gifts or foes roll a damage die straight. This means that when have to do it as their action for the round. If the angel then hurled a
you roll the damage die, you dont compare it to the damage table, you ball of searing light at the pantheon, the Godbound could Instantly
instead read its face value. Thus, a 1d10+2 blow read straight will do use a miracle to negate its effect on them, though their nearby allies
from 3 to 12 points of damage. would still be scorched. If theres ambiguity in the situation, the GM
decides whether a dispelling is offensive or defensive.

26
 What Can Miracles Do?
Given the flexibility of the Words, its inevitable that players are go- Make Something
ing to want to throw out convenient marvels in play. The GM can A miracle can conjure an appropriate object or entity. The Godbound
consult this quick list of guidelines to help judge the acceptability of can call up enough to outfit their companions if need be, though the
any particular divine feat. objects shouldnt be larger than a wagon and should fit the Word
Each of the guidelines below assumes that one Effort is Committed used. Sword could call up armor, Fire could conjure a torch or bonfire,
for a day to conjure the miracle. Spending more Effort to get a bigger Journeying could summon riding horses, and Artifice or Wealth could
miracle isnt possible. However, if the Godbound is mimicking a gift conjure almost anything. These objects last as long as theyre needed,
that already Commits Effort for the day, the miracle requires two usually no more than a day. Conjured entities are usually useless as
Effort to be committed to trigger it. combatants, but are completely loyal to their Godbound creator.
If a conjured entity is meant to be a useful combatant, it should
Hurt One Target have about twice as many hit dice as the Godbound has levels, up
On a single target, the Word can inflict a 1d8 die of damage per level to a maximum of 10, an armor class of 5, a hit bonus equal to its hit
or two hit dice of the user, up to a 10d8 maximum. There is no saving dice, two attacks, and a 1d8 damage die for each attack. Full details
throw against this damage. Any Word can be used for this, but doing of summoned creatures are on page XX of the bestiary chapter.
so counts as a Smite action, and so can't be done two rounds in a row.
Mimic a Gift of the Word
Hurt Several Targets A hero bound to a Word can invoke its gifts as miracles. This is less
When blasting a group of targets in sight, a miracle can inflict a 1d6 efficient than actually mastering the trick but it gives a Godbound a
die of damage per two levels or hit dice of the character, rounded up, great deal of flexibility with their powers. A hero can use a miracle
with a 10d6 cap. This can usually catch a single group of enemies to mimic the effect of any gift of the Word. Such mimicked gifts last
within sight range, but if there are allies mixed up and the Godbound no longer than a single scene, even if Constant. If triggering the gift
wants to spare them this wrath, then the targets get an appropriate would normally Commit Effort for the day, two points are needed.
saving throw to resist the damage. As with hurting a single target,
such a blast counts as a Smite action. Change Something
A miracle can produce a change in line with the Word. These changes
Gain Armor or Defenses are usually permanent if they involve a natural process, while impos-
If a Word doesnt have an Armor Class-boosting gift already listed, sible transformations usually dont last more than a day.
the hero can improvise by explaining how their gift is protecting them. Unwilling lesser foes dont usually get a saving throw against this
Their natural Armor Class becomes 3 for the duration of the scene, transformation. Worthy foes can make an appropriate saving throw
modified by their Dexterity but not by armor or shields. to resist the alteration, usually Hardiness if its a physical change or
If the Godbound is trying to gain immunity to a particular nega- Spirit if its mental. If the change would kill or totally incapacitate a
tive environmental effect or type of attack, it has to fit the Word. A person, roll it as if it were a damage-causing miracle. If the damage
Godbound of Fire who wants to fireproof his allies could reasonably rolled wouldnt be enough to kill the target, the miracles not able to
do so, but a Godbound of Command who wanted to do the same change them that drastically, either, and no harm or damage is done.
would be out of luck. Such defenses last for only one scene for narrow
immunities, or one round for weapon immunities or like generalities. Create a Wall or Zone of Danger
Miracles to create a wall of fire, seal a victim in a stone block, or
Resist an Attack or Effect otherwise create a hazardous zone take one round to form. If victims
Most Words cant just negate an attack unless it fits with the theme of in range move out of the zone that round, they take no damage. Oth-
the Word; Sword can be used to negate melee attacks, Bow can stop erwise, damage is usually one point per level per round in the zone.
ranged attacks, Endurance can shrug off almost anything, Fire can
block freezing winds, and so forth. This resistance can be triggered Solve A Problem
as an Instant effect, even after the attack hits, but it only lasts for a Some heroes will want to use their powers to just brush away an im-
single attack. mediate problem. This can be done in most cases, but these solutions
The same principle applies to resisting other supernatural effects; the will usually only be temporary in nature. This might be fine for the
miracle can negate their effects on the Godbound if it fits the theme heros purposes, but if they want to make permanent changes to a
of the effect. Note that a Godbound can always Commit Effort for situation theyll need to put in more effort to change the fundamental
the day to count a failed saving throw as a success, whether or not factors involved.
their Words fit the peril.
Show Off
Hinder or Weaken an Enemy If the effect really doesnt have any combat benefit, lasting material
Weak blights can affect a group, perhaps inflicting a -4 on hit rolls effect, or solve any immediate problem, the GM should just allow it.
or on saving throws. Strong blights can affect multiple lesser foes or The effect might have a benefit in impressing onlookers or making the
single worthy foes, and might halt movement, force hit and damage heros life easier, but if theyre just throwing around their powers as
rolls to be made twice, or even cost a rounds actions. Most strong minor expressions of divinity, you might not even charge them Effort.
blights should allow an appropriate saving throw to resist them. Theres no point in being a proto-god if you never get to show off.

27
 Creating New Words and Gifts
Its normal and expected for GMs or players to want to develop new Creating New Gifts
gifts or entirely new Words for the Godbound of their campaign. Start with the existing gifts as cues and examples. Indeed, you might
A player might have a character concept not suited by the existing just lift them entirely if the Word youre creating is a blend of existing
choices, or have an idea for a particular special ability they want their portfolios. A Word of the Moon, for example, might have several
hero to possess. Its not difficult to set up these new arts, but there Night gifts on its list, along with new gifts that emphasize madness,
are a few general guidelines a GM will want to keep in mind when wolves, silver, and hunting.
designing new gifts and Words. When making gifts, use the existing ones as templates. If youre
giving the Word a gift that allows a natural Armor Class of 3, you
Creating New Words can see how other Words all offer a small side-effect benefit along
Any divine portfolio could conceivably serve as the seed for a new with the armor class, and choose something to fit your new Word.
Word. Even very specific purviews can serve as the basis for a Word, In another example, gifts that increase the users weapon damage die
such as the tutelary god of a particular city, or the patron deity of a to 1d10 always have their own side-perk as well, because otherwise
particular type of art. Alternately, a Word might focus on a particular its a limited improvement over simply swinging a very large weapon.
mode of some larger power, such as the god of sea travel rather than Gifts that are Constant should usually add new abilities or perks
one of the general Sea. to the hero rather than simply adding a bonus to existing scores. A
There is no niche protection in Words. Just because one of them gift that just adds +4 to hit rolls is a boring gift, and worse, its a gift
allows certain tricks doesnt mean that no other Word should be able that almost everyone with the Word will feel like they have to take,
to do the same thing, albeit perhaps in a different way. Dont worry because its so widely useful in every combat. Gifts that just increase
about overlap in abilities. numbers should be used very sparingly.
Instead, make sure that the Word isnt too general in its application. Gifts that are Instant should usually be defenses or action boosts
It should be about something, and that something should be specific of some kind. Instant defenses have the great advantage that they
enough that a single Word cant accomplish everything that the hero can be triggered after the peril has already happened. Because of this,
might possibly want to do. For example, the Word of Command is dont hesitate to make them expensive to use; scene-long Effort com-
extremely flexible about controlling the minds of other beings. It is mitments are a fair price for these defenses. Instant boosts or special
unable to affect inanimate objects, however. A clever players sugges- effects for an attack can also be triggered after the attack hits or after
tion that they should be able to command these things by way of the provoking situation happens, so they can also be dear to activate.
metaphor should be firmly denied, because thats just beyond the Gifts that are On Turn are usually boosters for an action, giving
Words purview and makes it too generally useful. it some special effect or allowing the Godbound to do something
If youre creating a new Word for your campaign just to have it, youll unusual with their turns movement or action. On Turn gifts have to
want to give it six lesser gifts and three greater gifts. Dont replicate be activated before the hero does something, so their costs should be
universal gifts with these choices. If the Word can be used to deal less. Committing Effort for as long as the boost is in effect is a good
direct damage, it should be different from a simple Divine Wrath copy. choice, with exceptionally powerful boosts requiring a scene-long
Maybe it does less damage but has a secondary effect, or perhaps it commitment that cant be taken back early.
does more but requires a special circumstance. Gifts that are Actions take up the heros action for the turn, and
If youre creating a new Word because a player wants to have it, let so they should be something impressive. It might be a bolt of divine
the player come up with the gifts. Presumably they have some idea wrath, a translocation of allies on the field, a suppression of enemy
of the sort of things they want their hero to be able to do, things powers, or something else useful enough to make it worth giving up
that cant be easily done with the existing Words. They dont need a rounds action to accomplish. Many of these gifts should have no
to come up with the full nine gifts for the Word, just those that they Effort cost at all, because the character is paying with their action for
want to have from the beginning or know theyll want to attain as the turn. If you dont want to see the hero spamming this ability too
they gain experience. often in a single fight, make it Commit Effort for the scene. If this is
Give the new Word an intrinsic ability that fits its nature. Words a power thats notably stronger than usual, one that the PC should be
that focus on an element or environment should grant immunity to reluctant to use lightly, it should Commit Effort for the day.
its inherent dangers. Others might boost an ability score to 16, or to Dont be afraid to have gifts that just work, with no saving throw
18 if the score is already that high. If thats the case, consider allowing or ability check involved. Against lesser foes most powers should be
the Godbound to choose from two thematically-suitable ability scores automatic in their success. Against worthy foes, a saving throw should
so as to give them a little variety in their choice. be allowed, and some particularly overwhelming or conflict-ending
Word abilities are a good place to put those knacks or tricks youd powers might not work on them at all. Most major opponents have
expect to be intrinsic to every Godbound bound to the portfolio. Be the ability to spend Effort to succeed at a saving throw, so even a save-
careful not to simply make the ability a weaker version of some gift or-die power wont necessarily bring them down too quickly, though
in the Word, because that cheapens its uniqueness. Its possible to it will wear away at their Effort reserves.
create a gift that amplifies or improves the Words natural ability, but Lesser gifts should affect one situation in the Godbounds presence.
this gift should require that the Word be bound in the first place. They shouldnt have particularly lasting or far-reaching effects unless
Actually creating a Words gifts can be a little tricky. How can you thats an intimate part of the Word. Greater gifts can have much more
tell when a gift is a good one that wont disrupt the campaign or prove pronounced effects, ones that might last indefinitely or affect much
too weak or limited to ever be used? larger areas than the heros immediate surroundings.

28
 The Words of Creation
The following are a list of some of the more common Words found Universal Gifts
among the Godbound. Others exist, and you might choose to design Some effects are common enough that any Word might manifest
some of your own for particular heroes. them. Rather than repeat them under each heading, they are provided
Every Word comes with an intrinsic benefit for those who bond to here, all as lesser gifts.
it. This is a natural ability, and cannot be suppressed or dispelled, nor
does it require Effort to use it.
Divine Wrath (Smite) Action
The lesser and greater gifts provided under each Word are not meant
to be exhaustive, but only an example of the sorts of powers that Commit Effort to the end of the scene. You smite a chosen foe within
the Word might grant. Some Words also overlap in their effects; a sight with the energies of the Word, inflicting a 1d8 damage die per
Godbound of Wealth and one of Fertility might both be skilled at character level. You are always immune to the wrath of your own
producing agricultural goods, for example. GMs who wish to design bound Words, as are other entities that wield similar powers. As
new Words shouldnt feel obliged to keep their powers wholly sep- a Smite power, Divine Wrath cannot be used two rounds in a row.
arate and unique.
Newly-made Godbound get six points with which to buy gifts from
Corona of Fury (Smite) Action
their Words, with lesser gifts costing one point and greater gifts cost-
ing two, while bonding a new Word costs three points. Every time Commit Effort to the end of the scene. You hurl a torrent of your
they gain a character level, they get two more points with which to buy Words energy at a group of foes, affecting all within a 30-foot radius
more gifts. They may save these points or spend them immediately. of a target point within sight of you. Each victim takes a 1d8 die
of damage for every two levels you have, rounded up. The fury can
selectively spare allies within the area, but the victims then get an
appropriate saving throw to resist the effect. You are always immune
to the furies of your own bound Words, as are other entities that wield
MAGWORD similar powers. Corona of Fury cannot be used two rounds in a row.

Effort of the Word Constant

Your maximum Effort increases by one point. This gift can be taken
once for each Word youve bonded, but each purchase after the first
costs two gift points instead of one.

Influence of the Word Constant

Your maximum Influence increases by two points. This gift can be
taken once for each Word you have bonded.

Excellence of the Word Constant

Choose one attribute score and raise it to 18. This excellence is usually
colored by the Word that grants it; Fire that grants Dexterity might
cause sparks to be left behind swift motion, while Earth that grants
Wisdom might lend a ponderous and steady tint to your thoughts.
This gift may only be taken once, regardless of how many Words
your hero has bound.

Smite Powers
Some gifts or miracles blast a target with a direct surge of divine
fury, scourging them with the power of the gods. While impres-
sive, a Godbound can't channel such energies continuously. You
can't use a gift or miracle with the Smite keyword two rounds
in a row, even if you're an NPC with multiple actions per round.
Gifts that augment an attack or deal modest damage to large
numbers of foes aren't generally Smite attacks. Instead, the key-
word is meant to keep players from pouring all of their Effort
into continuous heavy blasts, rather than more creative combat.

29
 Alacrity
The Word of swiftness and impossible grace, Alacrity grants mir- Greater Gifts
acles of haste to the hero who possesses it. Miracles of its power
All-Encompassing Presence On Turn
might involve completing a particular task in but moments, evading
some otherwise-inescapable peril, or responding to an event before Commit Effort. Twice during your turn, as an On Turn action, you
its enactor can even begin. Alacrity is not Journeying, however, and can be anywhere within 100 feet of your current location provided
its movement tends to be restricted to a single particular place or a you could conceivably move to that point under your own power.
short distance rather than swift transit between far-flung locations.
Faster Than Thought (Smite) Instant
Heroes with the Alacrity Word cannot be surprised. They may in-
crease their Dexterity to 16, or to 18 if its already 16 or higher. Commit Effort to scene end when anyone present declares an action.
You get a free rounds action and movement before they can perform
their act. If their desired action is rendered impossible by yours, their
Lesser Gifts action is wasted. As a Smite gift, this can't be used two rounds in a row.
All Directions as One Constant
Untouchable Instant
You can navigate vertical or overhanging surfaces as if they were flat
ground. You can pass through rough terrain effortlessly. You have an Commit Effort to scene end to become tremendously difficult to
invulnerable defense against being pushed or made to fall. hit until the start of your next turn. Physical attacks hit you only on
a natural 20, even those attacks from foes that would normally hit
automatically. As an Instant gift, you may use it after an attack roll.
Flickering Advance On Turn
Commit Effort to scene end. Instantly reach any location you can see The Word of Alacrity in Play
with your unaided sight out to the horizon, which is usually about
She is almost too late. The headsman's sword is already raised,
three miles away for a character standing on flat terrain. From a high
the boy already pinned to the block. She is a hundred paces
elevation, the maximum range is ten times as far.
away, a churning crowd between her and the wailing child, but
it is not distance enough to stop her. Before the sword can fall
Mist on Water On Turn she is halfway down the far alleyway, a squirming young boy in
her arms and the shouts of the magistrate's guards behind her.
Commit Effort to scene end. Until the end of your turn, you may
ignore all solid matter with your movement, provided you end up Eden invokes her Faster Than Thought gift as the headsman
in a location you can physically occupy. You cant affect the world chooses to strike, gaining a free round's action for a point of
during this impossibly fast dash but you have invincible defenses Effort Committed for the scene. Another Committed Effort
against all non-magical forms of harm, as youre moving too quickly triggers her Flickering Advance, whirling her across the plaza
to be affected. in the blink of an eye. She scoops up the boy with her action for
the round and runs with him, trusting to her Swifter Than
The Storm Breaks Instant The Sun gift to ensure that no mortal pursuer can catch her.

Before the first round of every combat or time-sensitive circumstance, Her shoulders ache and her arms are shaking under the weight
you may Commit Effort for the scene to get one free bonus round of the struggling boy. She can carry him no longer, not even
before anyone else acts. Two heroes using this gift roll opposed Dex- with the hooves of the magistrate's six swiftest riders thun-
terity attribute checks to see who takes their action first. dering after her. Her numb hands grope for the knife at her
belt, and the fire in her veins burns bright. The riders charge
as horsemen. They halt as a tangle of carved meat, for Eden's
Swifter Than The Sun On Turn
knife cuts them faster than they can bleed.
Commit Effort. Your movement rate is twice as fast as your fastest
pursuer or quarry, to a minimum of 60 feet per move action. If chasing Eden hasn't got any uncommitted Effort left and she hasn't got
quarry that has divine gifts that allow them to outrace pursuers, the any offensive gifts. She could abandon the boy and run, but she
participant with more hit dice is faster, with ties resolved by a coin flip. refuses to flee. Instead, she reclaims the Effort she committed
to Swifter Than The Sun, returning to her normal speed, and
Commits Effort for the day to invoke a miracle to duplicate the
Walk Between the Rain Constant effects of Alacrity's Corona of Fury universal gift. Every horse
Your natural AC is 3. You cannot be hit by anything not driven by a and rider within 30 feet of each other takes a 1d6 damage die
purpose unless you allow it; falling objects will never strike you unless for every two character levels Eden has, rounded up. Against
some will to harm you set them in motion. Traps meant to hit an ordinary mortal soldiers, this is enough to slaughter then all
intruder have a chance to hit you. Armor and shields don't benefit you. in a moment.

30
Apotheosis
The Word of Apotheosis is a special Word. It cannot be selected as
a bound Word by a Godbound, nor does it have any miracles of its
Hear Prayer Constant
own associated with it. Instead, it represents those special abilities
suitable to a budding deity, automatically gained as they grow in might. At fourth level, the Godbound is capable of hearing the prayers of
Many apotheosis powers apply only to worshipers. A worshiper is their faithful. These usually are a subconscious sussurus of petitions,
an intelligent being who knowingly and willingly pledges to worship a but they can specifically listen for particular topics or people if they
Godbound or other deific Word-bound entity, such as a parasite god wish, becoming alerted when those topics arise or those people ad-
or Made God. The worshiper may be coerced by circumstances or dress them. The Godbound can communicate with their faithful
threats, but cannot be magically compelled or induced. A worshiper during their prayers, though this inward voice is subtle and does not
may be a servant of only one deity at a time. Those who pledge to compel obedience.
a pantheon have their worship assigned to the member god most
suited to their nature, whether or not the worshiper is aware of it.
Perceive the Petitioner Action
Worshipers can turn against a god, but they can't renounce their
state. The most they can do is find a new god to accept their loyalty. At fifth level, the Godbound can see a particular worshiper and their
Gods always know whether or not a person is a worshiper of theirs, surroundings with an action's focus, knowing everything about their
though they have no automatic insight into whether or not they are immediate situation that the worshiper knows. This doesnt grant
an obedient worshiper. They may reject a worshiper at any time, or deep or subtle knowledge of the situation, but its enough to make
accept a change of allegiance from another god's devotees. A god is their current circumstances clear.
not automatically made aware of a person's choice to worship them,
though they can tell of that fact with a glance at the new worshiper.
Mark of the Prophet Action
Gods always have custody of the souls of their devotees. They may
damn their faithful dead to Hell at their will, but otherwise, the souls At sixth level, the Godbound can consecrate specific worshipers as
of the dead hover unseen and sleeping in the presence of their god, favored disciples or high priests. One disciple may be chosen for
or are dispatched to the divinity's paradise. A soul unsheltered by a each level of the Godbound, but only one high pontiff can be chosen.
paradise will fall into Hell if their patron deity is slain. If you've access to the deluxe version of Godbound and the mortal
creation rules, the disciples instantly become heroic mortals of a
The only way to gain the gifts of apotheosis is through gaining char- level equal to half their patron's level, rounded up and the high priest
acter levels. They may be used as given, but the Word does not grant becomes a heroic mortal of the Godbound's level. Both usually take
miracles, nor can miracles be used to mimic its powers. talents reflective of their patron's portfolio, including a gift or two. If
the mortal hero rules are unavailable., treat the disciples as Skilled
Mages or Major Heroes from the mortal section of the bestiary chap-
Receive the Incense of Faith Constant
ter, and the high priest as a lesser Eldritch. This consecrating process
Gained at second level, the Godbound becomes capable of receiving takes only a moment, but the consecration cannot be taken from the
worship from mortal believers and can begin forming their own cult. acolyte until they are dead, even if they later leave their god's service.

Sanctify Shrine Action Attend the Faithful Action

Gained at third level, the Godbounds worshipers can now sanctify At seventh level, the Godbound can manifest before a praying wor-
temples and shrines to their deity. When properly consecrated, the shiper, instantly appearing before them no matter how far away the
Godbound can choose to perceive anything going on within their divinity may be, even from a distant realm. This manifestation lasts
precincts, though they must intentionally choose to watch. They can no longer than a scene, however, before the Godbound returns to their
target a gift or miracle at any person within the sacred grounds at the original location and cannot use this gift again for a day.
usual costs in Effort. Such a marvel is free the first time the Godbound
so acts in a day, but each successive wonder requires the Godbound
To Bless the Nations Action
to Commit Effort for the day. Properly sanctifying a shrine requires
rites and components costing Wealth equal to the Godbound's level, At eighth level the Godbound can selectively bless or blight the for-
with increases in their level requiring additional expenditures. If the tunes of a faction that contains a substantial number of their followers.
shrine is desecrated, it must be reconsecrated at the full cost. If the faction has a number of worshipers present equal in number
to a group of one Power size smaller, the Godbound can selectively
add or subtract 2 from any action die roll they take. Thus, if a city of
Smite the Apostate Action
Power 2 had a Power 1 village's worth of faithful among them, they
Also at third level, the Godbound can instantly kill an offending wor- would be subject to the Godbound's influence. The Godbound must
shiper or afflict them with some debilitating suffering appropriate to be aware of the effort the faction is making to influence the roll, but
their Words. This torment lasts as long as the Godbound desires. If usually only the most subtle and secretive actions can escape the notice
another god accepts the worshiper, however, the curse is lifted. of such a large number of worshipers and their prayers.

31
 Artifice
This is the Word of crafters, builders, and devisers of wondrous cre-
Mark the Maker Action
ations. Some Godbound express their affinity through a particular With an actions careful inspection, you understand the purpose and
form of crafting, such as blacksmithing or shipbuilding, while others operation of any crafted object, magical or mundane. You also gain
are patrons of a broader range of creative labor. Even focused artisans a brief vision of each person who substantially helped in its creation,
can use their powers generally, however. Miracles of Artifice involve and a short description of what they contributed to it.
the creation, command, repair, or destruction of physical objects.
Ten Thousand Tools Constant
Heroes with the Artifice Word can create any non-magical object a
normal man can carry as a rounds action, using whatever materials Your natural gifts of creation are augmented. Instead of requiring a full
are to hand. While the ensuing creation may look odd, and any "food- round to create a portable mundane object, you may do so as an On
stuffs" are inedible, it functions and lasts as well as a normal object Turn action, as part of whatever action you take. This object may be
of its type and usual substance. The heros crafting efforts for a day a permanent creation or allowed to disappear afterwards at your dis-
count as 100 laborers per character level when an estimate is needed. cretion. Your daily labor on projects is worth 1,000 laborers per level.
This gift is of no use to a Godbound who has not bound this Word.
Lesser Gifts
Faultless Repair Action Transmuter Action
You can fix anything with the available materials and tools. Up to a Commit Effort for the scene and turn one 10 x 10 x 10 foot cube of
10 x 10 x 10 foot cube per level worth of objects or constructions can material per hero level from one physical substance into another. Items
be made like new each round, provided it is not completely destroyed. being used or held by a creature cannot be changed. If the effect is
Every form of rot, decay, damage, and corruption is fixed, even for per- used to somehow harm targets, they take a 1d6 damage die for every
ishables such as foodstuffs. If repairing magical or enchanted things, two character levels of the hero, rounded up. If the substance being
Effort is Committed for the scene with each use of the gift. created is rare or precious, Effort must be committed for the day.
Extremely rare and magical substances cannot be created this way,
though mountains of gold can be fabricated. See the Wealth Word
Command the Wheels Action
for limits on the use of this newfound treasure, as it is all too easy to
Commit Effort. You can seize control of any visible vehicle, mechanism, inflate a mundane regions economy into chaos.
door, or other object with moving parts up to the size of a small ship.
If the item was created by the hero, there is no size limit on what can
be controlled. While the Effort remains committed, the object will Greater Gifts
function exactly as if it were being manipulated, driven or piloted by
The Makers Eyes Action
the hero. Each new directive requires an action, and worthy foes can
save versus Spirit to negate the charm for items theyre using. As an action, you may instantly perceive the area around any object
youve created as if you were there, seeing and hearing all around you.
If you Commit Effort for the scene, you may take one action with the
Hammerhand On Turn
object as if you were present to manipulate it. If you choose a specific
Commit Effort. Every weapon or unarmed attack you use rolls at least location to focus on, you see through the nearest valid object.
a 1d10 damage die and is treated as a magic weapon. Against artificial
constructs or inanimate things, this damage roll is read straight.
Perpetual Perfection Constant
The Word of Artifice in Play Everything you make is flawless and impervious to normal decay
Lucius slides a thumbnail under the featureless red blotch of and use. Only intentional efforts at destruction have any chance of
wax that seals the missive. The paper inside is unsigned, a doz- ruining them, and they are at least twice as hard to destroy as ordinary
en lines of unremarkable Unitary scripture inked out in a crisp constructions, with mundane vehicles and structures having twice the
hand. The Godbound's fingertip traces along a letter, feeling hit points of normal items. Magical artifact vehicles and edifices you
the almost-imperceptible groove of the quill, evoking in his create have normal hit point totals, however.
mind a woman's face and the frisson of her intent. She meant
this letter to trigger a plan though what plan, Lucius cannot Reverence of Steel Constant
say. The wax seal is perfect again by the time he puts it down.
Any clothing or armor you make for yourself gives you an AC of 3
Lucius uses his Mark the Maker gift to interrogate the note, with no saving throw penalties. When you make a suit specifically
identifying its author and the general purpose of its creation, for another, any saving throw penalties are one class lighter; none for
even if he can't read the cipher. Faultless Repair ensures that medium armor, and only one saving throw penalized for heavy armor.
the envelope is re-sealed perfectly. As an Instant action, Commit Effort for the scene to negate one hit
you receive from a manufactured or crafted weapon.

32
Beasts
The Word of the animal realm, gifts of the Beast may be used on any
natural or magical animal, though not creatures fashioned entirely of The Word of Beasts in Play
sorcery or impossible artifice. Most creatures of human intelligence The tribe is starving, and the Lomites have encircled the butte.
do not qualify as beasts, though some exceptionally primal or savage She can get out whenever she wills it, but her people cannot
entities might be treated as such. Miracles of the Beast Word involve follow. At the edge of the outcrop, she looks down on the gray
adopting traits of animals, impressing these traits on others, full or gathered hosts and she raises her voice in a fluting song. The
hybrid shapeshifting, commanding beasts, or calling forth animals. sky is speckled with wings as a thousand birds dive down to
Some powers grant the user the full or partial shape of an animal, await her kindred's knives and fires. In the flurry of feathers
or allow them to transform another. If used as a curse, the hero may and talons, who will notice one more hawk soaring away?
inflict the animals intellect on the target or allow them to retain
their own mind in their new shell. If used as a blessing or a personal Three Bright Chords reaches out with Scent the Prey to sum-
transformation, the original mind is retained, albeit with an instinctive mon all the birds within a mile, flying them over the Lomite
awareness of how to use the beasts natural abilities. Shapeshifting besiegers. Any hesitation the birds may have to serve as Howl-
rules are described in detail on page XX. If using a creature's natural er stew-meat is calmed by a Lord of the Wild. Three Bright
weaponry to attack, small but dangerous creatures use a 1d6 damage Chords uses the confusion to Commit Effort for the day and use
die, wolf- or bear-sized ones use a 1d8 damage die, and larger creatures a miracle to mimic Many-Skinned Mantle, the better to escape
use a 1d10 damage die. Thus, transforming mortals into fierce beasts and seek aid among the scattered Howler tribes.
wouldn't actually improve their prowess, but would only change their
outward appearance and give them the natural locomotion of the
beasts. While the gifts here don't address it, other miracles or gifts
Scent the Prey On Turn
of the Beast Word might be able to grant special abilities or qualities Commit Effort to gain an intuitive awareness of the locations and
of an animal's form for additional Effort. types of all beasts within a mile radius. You may telepathically sum-
mon any of them to come to you as quickly as they can safely do so.
Heroes with the Beast Word can speak to animals. Unintelligent Magical or intelligent beasts can refuse to come if they so choose.
beasts will always comply with requests that aren't unnatural to them.

Lesser Gifts Untamed Will Instant

Commit Effort. While committed, no external magic or compulsion
Distant Howl On Turn
can make you do or feel anything contrary to your wishes. You may in-
Commit Effort. You can communicate from afar with any animal voke this gift even after failing a save or being struck by a mental effect.
whose location you know to within a mile. You can borrow their
senses if they permit it. Animals who have spent at least a week in
your presence can be reached wherever they are. Greater Gifts
Conquer the Beast Within Constant
Eyes of the Cat Constant
When you defeat a foe in combat, reducing them to zero hit dice, you
You have supernally-keen senses; you can see in perfect darkness, may choose to subdue them if using a non-lethal attack as described
hear perfectly any noise within a hundred yards, and track by scent. on page XX. Such a subdued victim revives with 1 hit die and forever
afterwards is subject to your Beast gifts as if they were an animal.
Link of Unity Constant
Lord of the Wild Constant
You can bond with an animal, linking it as an extension of your spirit
and allowing sense-sharing and communication. It uses its normal Animals instinctively serve and obey you even to the death, carrying
statistics, but its attacks are treated as magical weapons and its hit dice out commands as if they had a human intellect. Magical or intelligent
are twice your level. If it dies, it vanishes, but it can be summoned back beasts get a Spirit saving throw and cannot be commanded to act in
by Committing Effort for the day. It can be teleported to your side for a way that seems suicidal to them or completely against their nature.
the same cost. Only one animal can be bound at a time, and humans
bound with Conquer the Beast Within must be normal mortals.
Many-Skinned Mantle Action
Adopt the shape of any beast or hybrid, natural or magical. Alternate-
Red in Tooth and Claw On Turn
ly, transform a visible living creature into a natural beast; Commit
Commit Effort. You have or can instantly manifest natural weaponry Effort until the end of the day to affect a worthy foe, who also gets
that does 1d10 damage and counts as a magic weapon. Against nat- a Hardiness save to resist. If used as a blessing a human target can
ural or magical beasts, these talons or fangs always strike against AC end the change at will. Those cursed with a change cant be turned
9 as they effortlessly carve through the hides or scales of these foes. back by anything short of another gift or similar powerful dispelling.

33
 Bow
The Bow Word includes all divinities of ranged combat, whether with
Feathered Tempest On Turn
bow, hurled spear, pistol, rifle, thrown dagger, or a flung lightning bolt. Commit Effort. Against lesser foes, you always hit with ranged attacks.
Heroes with the Omnipresent Reach gift may not actually use a phys- You can spread any overflow damage to any other targets in range
ical weapon at all, instead hurling bolts of some appropriate energy. subject to this gift.
Such bolts may do elemental damage if the hero is aligned with such
Words, or they might be physical blasts of concussive divine force.
None Beyond Reach Constant
Miracles of the Bow involve impossibly accurate damage delivered
over enormous distances or the cursing and condemning of anothers Your ranged attacks have no maximum range, provided you can see
attempt at a ranged attack. Note that the benefits granted by gifts of what youre shooting at with your natural eyesight or know its location
the Bow apply only to projectiles and other weapons or bolts called to within ten feet. This ability extends only to the same realm as the
forth by the gifts of this Word. They dont apply to other ranged at- one you are currently inhabiting.
tacks from other Words or to magic that just happen to be delivered
at range, such as the Divine Wrath gift allowed to all Words.
Omnipresent Reach Constant
Heroes with the Bow Word never run out of normal ammunition. Your ranged weapons have a maximum range as far as your natural
They may instantly call ranged or throwing weapons they've used to line of sight. Your missile weapons always do at least 1d10 damage
their hands over any distance, and their ranged weapon attacks never and are treated as magical weapons. Even without a bow or gun, you
harm any target they did not intend to hurt. Their ranged attacks may cast bolts of force or conjured weapons for 1d10 damage. The
always count as magical for purposes of overcoming defenses. pistols and rifles of the Bright Republic work for you even in the
absence of an etheric node's stabilizing effect.
Lesser Gifts
Bar the Red Descent On Turn The Seeking Flight On Turn
Commit Effort. You have an invincible defense against normal pro- Choose a visible target and Commit Effort to the end of the scene.
jectiles and can take no more than 1 point of damage per hit from Your ranged attacks seek them out regardless of range, treat them as
magical ones. Only actual weapons such as arrows, bullets, spears, AC 9, and completely ignore cover provided there is at least some
and trebuchet rocks are affected by this, not spells or magical effects. path for your arrow to reach them.

Bolt of Invincible Skill Instant Greater Gifts

You always hit an unaware or inanimate target, no matter how small or
The Inexorable Shaft On Turn
how far under cover it may be. Optionally, you may Commit Effort to
the end of the scene to ensure that your current or next ranged attack Commit Effort. Your ranged attacks strike with tremendous force,
does maximum damage and hits on anything but a natural roll of 1. always doing their maximum damage on a hit. Your projectiles can
penetrate any thickness of non-magical materials in order to pierce
the cover that shields a target, though their armor applies as usual.
The Word of the Bow in Play
In a distant castle there is a tower, and within that tower, there Lord of That Which Falls Instant
is an iron door. Beyond that iron door is a chamber, and in this
chamber stand twenty strong soldiers. Beyond these soldiers Commit Effort. Redirect any ranged weapon attacks in your presence,
there is a sanctum, where a wicked lord lies on his bed. And with their attack roll applied against the new target. Worthy foes may
in this lord's chest there is an arrow, because neither distance, only have their attacks redirected if they're shooting at you. Projectiles
nor castles, nor towers, nor soldiers can guard a man's life from may be redirected at any target, though a single victim can be targeted
the arrow that Altan Khan shoots. by no more than one attack per round this way. Subjects who have
also bound to the Bow Word are immune to this power, as are other
Altan Khan avenged himself upon the lord with None Beyond divinities affiliated with the bow.
Reach, learning of the precise location of the noble's bed and
waiting for an hour when he would be asleep. Bolt of Invincible
Skill ensured that he would not miss the sleeping man, and The
Rain of Sorrow On Turn
Inexorable Shaft sent his arrows straight through the tower's Commit Effort. Against Mobs, the damage dice of your ranged weap-
stone walls. Despite his reach, Altan had to be certain to make on attacks are rolled straight and add your level. Thus, a 4th level
his first strike count. If the noble had lived long enough to stag- Godbound firing a 1d10 weapon with a +2 attribute bonus would
ger ten feet from his bed, the archer would not have known his inflict from 7 to 16 hit dice of damage against a Mob. Against targets
position well enough to strike from such a great distance. not grouped into a Mob, you may roll your Fray die against every
lesser foe in sight each round.

34
Command
The Word of Command speaks of obedience, leadership and rule.
A Thousand Loyal Troops Action
Godbound of Command can compel the submission of others to their Commit Effort. A visible NPC immediately becomes cooperative
will and the acceptance of their rulership, but they cannot touch the toward you, doing for you all theyd do for a superior or employer.
hearts of those they command. While enthralled subjects will carry Those who are worthy foes get a Spirit save to resist this effect. The
out orders meticulously and rationally, they will not exert their own cooperativeness lasts even after the Effort is reclaimed, provided the
initiative unless they agree with the Godbound's desires. compliance is not abused or wholly improbable.

Heroes with the Command Word may set their Charisma score to
16, or 18 if its already 16 or higher. They may communicate with any Greater Gifts
intelligent creature, understanding them and being understood in turn.
Bearer of the Scarlet Crown Constant
Their commands are always correctly understood, though obedience
will depend on their eloquence or the use of their gifts. Your legitimacy as a ruler is unshakable. You have an intuitive aware-
ness of all publicly-known major events in groups or communities you
Lesser Gifts rule or administer, and can communicate your will to your viceroys
and officials at any time, though they cannot answer directly. You gain
Guards! Seize him! Action
an extra free point of Dominion every month, though you can only
Up to a Small Mob worth of minions or a half-dozen individual spend these points on your own lands or ruled organizations. New
retainers can be made to appear in the current location, provided Godbound don't start the game with any stockpile of points, however.
they're within ten miles of the Godbound. Only formally-pledged
followers of the Godbound can be summoned, and they can't be
Invincible Iron General Constant
summoned to any place they could not practically reach under their
own power. The summoned retainers appear wherever they would All NPC soldiers serving under you gain +1 hit die, a hit bonus equal
most logically enter, the Godbound's powers having caused them to to your level, and a Morale of 11. Your will is automatically known
hasten to answer the summons before it was even given. by all your lieutenants and you always know the location, condition,
and general activities of all military units that accept your command.
Know the Inner Truth On Turn
Thrall-Making Shout Action
Commit Effort for the scene. Understand the true motivations and
intentions of any conversational partner, expressed by the GM in a few Commit Effort for the day and give a command. If directed at a group,
sentences. Worthy foes get a Spirit saving throw to conceal the truth. all lesser foes up to a Vast Mob in number instantly obey anything
short of a suicidal order or a command not to defend themselves
from obvious peril, provided they are not already engaged in combat
The Lieutenant's Wisdom Action
against the Godbound. Obedience to this single order lasts for the
Commit Effort before giving an order to a person or group in your scene. If directed at a single target not already fighting the Godbound,
service. While the Effort remains committed, you can spend an action anything can be demanded of them until the Godbound releases them.
to borrow the senses of any single member of the group or to com- Worthy foes get a Spirit saving throw to resist the control.
municate telepathically with any or all of them, and they can contact
you. A subject can break this bond, but you are immediately aware of The Word of Command in Play
it. The effect ends when the Effort is reclaimed or the order is fulfilled.
She has an army the way that other women have fingers. She
can feel them around her, a constellation of warriors awaiting
The Lines of Rule On Turn her will. Here and there the hot prickle of engagement warms
You can spot the true leader in any group. In addition, you may Com- her senses; a moment's focus sends allies to these spots. The
mit Effort; a group of NPCs who are lesser foes will instinctively obey scouts she sent down the pass shimmer in her mind with an
you as if you were their superior or employer. If the strangeness of urgent request for her attention. She borrows their captain's
this is brought to their attention by circumstances or those unaffected, eyes for a moment, seeing the Patrian legionaries crouched
they get a Spirit saving throw. along the ridge line in a well-prepared ambush. An instant's
focus halts her vanguard as she loosens her sword in its scab-
bard. This will be a matter for her personal attention.
The Soldier's Faithful Heart Constant
Min Xia's power as an Invincible Iron General grants an in-
Those who qualify as lesser foes who freely pledge loyalty to you find
tuitive understanding of her troops and their activities, allowing
it impossible to betray you or neglect the orders you give them. Only
her to control them perfectly from the rear. The Lieutenant's
magical coercion can force them to disobey or betray you until you
Wisdom that she applied to her scouts gives her more precise
release them from your service. This gift applies only to your personal
intelligence, and lets her borrow their senses directly.
servants and soldiers, and not to general subjects under your rule.

35
 Death
Death is known to all that is mortal, and this Word gives command
over this inevitable fate. Its miracles avert or bring about death, reveal The Word of Death in Play
details about a death, rule the unquiet dead, or create restless undead. Hengest walks through the necromancer's army and the pale
bones of Raktian soldiers cringe away as he passes. Somewhere
Heroes with the Death Word may command undead in their presence on the far shore of this sea of dead men, a thin woman in pale
as an action, ordering up to ten per character level. Greater undead get robes shrieks useless commands. The Godbound slings his axe
a Spirit saving throw to resist, and cannot be commanded to self-de- at his belt and raises a hand limned in black radiance.
struct. As an On Turn action, they also know the details of what, That hand drops in dismissal, and with it crumples the army
where, and how anything died or is dying within 100 feet of them. around him. Their collapse blossoms outward from the God-
bound, a steadily-expanding ripple of quietus as they drop in
Lesser Gifts soft clatters of bone and rust. In moments, only the necroman-
Keeper of the Graves On Turn cer and the demigod remain standing on the field. She wails
under Hengest's gaze and turns to flee, but a wave of his dark
You learn exactly where every corpse, undead or fragment of remains hand silences her as swiftly as it has her slaves.
are within 200 feet and their identity in life. You can tell exactly how
they died as if you had observed their death personally. If you Commit Hengest Committed Effort to Keeper of the Graves to gain
Effort you have an invincible defense against lesser undead. immunity to the lesser undead of the necromancer's army. Once
closer, he reclaimed the Effort and spent it on a White Bone
Harvest instead, instantly destroying all the lesser undead in
Mantle of Quietus Instant
sight. His Scythe Hand gaze injured the necromancer only a
Commit Effort for the scene. To assail you brings death. Any lesser little, but it was enough to leave her vulnerable to his Reaping
foe that tries to physically harm you suffers 1 point of damage before Word, which killed her when she failed her Hardiness saving
their attack is resolved, with Mobs taking a 1d20 normal die. Foes throw. Had she been a more powerful initiate of the secrets of
with multiple attacks per round suffer the damage only once per round. the Black Academies, however, she could have Committed her
own Effort to automatically save.
A Pale Crown Beckons Action
You can call up undead, summoning parts instantly from the nearest Greater Gifts
source if necessary. A single greater undead of hit dice no more than
No Release On Turn
twice your level is called, or one Small Mob of 1 HD lesser undead is
created for each three levels you have, rounded up. A corpse made a Commit Effort and choose a visible target. They simply cannot die
greater undead must not have received funeral rites or been dead more until you reclaim the Effort. If reduced to zero hit dice or hit points
than a month. The undead are perfectly loyal, but collapse into dust they will be incapacitated for an hour before reviving with one hit
when you use this gift again to summon a fresh batch. Summoned en- point. If their body is destroyed or widely scattered, they will exist
tities or Mobs can be preserved indefinitely for 1 Dominion point each. in a perpetual haze of blind agony until magic or restorative miracles
are used to gather the corpse parts, or until the Effort is reclaimed. A
Godbound cannot use this power on their own person.
Scythe Hand On Turn
Commit Effort. There is death in your gaze or your blade, which you
Reaping Word Action
may use as a magic weapon. It has a 1d10 damage die and a 200 foot
range. This attack always does at least 1 point of damage against living Commit Effort for the scene and choose a target at any range. A ges-
creatures or undead, even if the hit roll misses. ture suffices if you can see the target, otherwise you must use a name
they consider their own true name. Lesser foes drop dead and cannot
be revived without your permission. Worthy foes require the Effort be
White Bone Harvest (Smite) Action
committed to the end of the day and are allowed a Hardiness saving
Commit Effort for the scene. As an action, you may instantly destroy throw to resist. Furthermore, worthy foes must be injured in order
any hostile lesser undead in sight provided they are lesser foes. Other to let Death reach them; even a single point of damage is enough.
undead in sight suffer your level in points of damage, tripled for Mobs.
Summons to Day Action
Withholding the Mercy Constant
Commit Effort for the day. Any normal mortal creature can be called
Those reduced to zero hit dice or hit points within 200 feet of you au- back from death, provided the corpse is relatively intact, they have
tomatically stabilize or die as your wish. If you desire it, willing living not received funerary rites or been delivered to a Paradise, and they
creatures at zero HD or hit points around you may continue to act for have not been dead for more than a month. They revive with 1 hit die.
as many rounds as you have levels before they unavoidably fall dead. Godbound and supernatural entities cannot be called back this way.

36
Deception
The arts of Deception are those of stealth, illusion, and lies. A mas- Greater Gifts
terful trickster is skilled at detecting impositions as well as uttering
Conviction of Error Action
them, and their miracles may have to do with revealing deceit as well
as impressing it on the minds of others. Gifts of stealth and conceal- Commit Effort. All chosen targets present become convinced that
ment usually apply as long as the hero is avoiding attention and acting one of their beliefs of your choice is actually a terrible lie that has
discreetly. Violence, loud noises, and directly exposing themselves to been imposed upon them, whether it is the existence of a god or the
guards or other vigilant sorts risks the loss of concealment. fidelity of their spouse. Worthy foes get a Spirit saving throw. They
may reconsider this conviction of error once Effort is reclaimed, but
Heroes with the Deception Word may raise either their Dexterity will do so only under great pressure of emotions or obvious facts.
or Charisma to 16, depending on whether they favor stealth or lies.
If either score is already 16 or higher, they may set it to 18 instead.
Impenetrable Deceit Action
Lesser Gifts You state something you believe to be false and Commit Effort. Ev-
eryone who hears you speak at that moment will believe it, though
Deceivers Unblinking Eye Constant
worthy foes get a Spirit saving throw. A saving throw is also granted if
You can always tell when someones trying to lie to you or deceive you. presented with proof to the contrary or the lie is emotionally intoler-
You can see through mortal illusions and disguises. This gift does not able to them. This belief will persist even after the effort is reclaimed
affect other Godbound with the Deception Word. unless clear evidence contradicts it or the lie is too painful to believe.

A Familiar Face Action Walking Ghost On Turn

Commit Effort to blend in with a populace or group. Assuming theyre Commit Effort. You cannot be detected by lesser foes unless you
not actively vigilant for intruders, no one will bother you unless you attack them or otherwise draw blatant attention, even if you are
wish otherwise, and you will intuitively know how to act, speak, and standing right in front of the NPC. Worthy foes have a chance to
conduct business so as to avoid drawing attention. This blending notice you with a Spirit save if you go into their presence or theyre
works even with entities who look nothing like humans. actively searching for hidden foes. Attacks and loud actions always
draw attention. Buying this gift refunds Veiled Step, if already had.

Liars Flawless Grace Constant The Word of Deception in Play

Your lies can never be detected as such by magic or other special abil- Randolph would always remember the exact moment when
ities, including those of the Deception Word. Lesser foes will always he realized that the Councilor intended to betray him. He had
believe them unless they are completely implausible, emotionally been sitting at home, a good glass of Raktian tokay in hand
intolerable, or would oblige them to self-harm. and the daily news droning on the television set when he saw
it, perfect and clear in his mind. All the "favors" done for the
Perfect Masquerade On Turn Councilor, all the little jobs that the Minister of the Interior
couldn't be involved with personally, all the private outings and
Commit Effort. Instantly appear as any humanoid you have seen. the disposable little Patrian girls he'd given him were nothing
Only worthy foes or those with significant personal knowledge of the more than the polishing of a tool he intended to break.
individual have any chance to make a Spirit save against the deception Hadn't Randolph been responsible for cleaning up such
unless you do something egregiously out of character. You instinctively loose ends before? Now he had become one, and it was only
mimic voice, clothing, mannerisms, and expected habits of behavior. a matter of time until the Councilor ruined him as he had
ruined so many others. He had to do something about it, and
Shadow Play Action quickly, before the man realized what he knew. Maybe it was
time to visit the Special Resources Department. One of the
Commit Effort. You can create perfect illusions in sound, smell, and girls there had contacted him for work, and now he had it.
seeming, though they are intangible to the touch. The illusion appears
anywhere within sight, can be up to 30 feet in diameter, and can be Arabella found it simplicity itself to sneak into Randolph's man-
made to move and seem lifelike without further attention so long sion with the help of her Veiled Step. Once she was able to lay
as Effort remains committed to them. Invisibility is not an illusion. eyes on the man, the exertion of a Conviction of Error was
enough to convince him that his master was not nearly so loyal
to him as he'd thought. With the borrowed identity of one of
Veiled Step On Turn
the SRD's mercenary agents manifested through her Perfect
Commit Effort. Lesser foes have no chance to detect you so long as Masquerade, it will be a simple matter to guide Randolph's
you stay out of their immediate presence and dont draw attention. inevitable revolt.
Worthy foes can try a Spirit save to resist when you are near.

37
 Earth
The Word of Earth gives command over stone and soil, and evokes Greater Gifts
the hardness and obduracy of rock. Miracles of Earth revolve around
Builder of Mountain Peaks Action
stone, earth, strength, hardness, and durability, and can be used to
grant brief marvels of these qualities to the hero or others. Metal Each round, create, modify, or destroy a stone or earth structure of
can be destroyed or purified from ore by this Word, but it cannot up to 20 x 20 x 20 foot size within your normal line of sight. The
be molded the same way in which raw stone or soil can be shaped. structure can be elaborate, to the limit of your own creative skills.
See page XX for rules on trapping victims in walls or zones. You can
Heroes with the Earth Word may set either their Strength or Con- create normal earth or stone as part of this process. Creatures made
stitution scores to 16, depending on whether they emphasize the entirely of earth or stone within the area may be completely controlled,
strength of load-bearing stone or the hardness of solid rock. If the with worthy foes allowed a Spirit save to resist.
chosen score is already 16 or higher, they may set it to 18 instead.

Lesser Gifts Fury of the Avalanche On Turn

The earth trembles and casts forth shards of stone. Commit Effort to
Earthwalker On Turn
wield these eruptions as a 1d10 magical weapon for as long as Effort
Commit Effort. You and your companions may pass through stone remains committed. While the gift lasts, your Fray die applies to every
or soil without need for breath. It requires an action to enter or leave lesser foe standing on earth or stone within sight.
earthen environs. This gift functions for both natural earth and
worked stone, and can be used on soil of any consistency no thinner
Tremors of the Worlds Heart Action
than mud. You can sense hollow spaces in the earth within 100 feet.
Commit Effort to the end of the day to cause a localized earthquake
on a point within sight, flattening most buildings within a 300-foot
Jewel-Bright Eyes On Turn
radius and throwing lesser foes to their knees. Those toppled must
Commit Effort. While committed, you can see through earth or stone. spend their movement action regaining their feet. The full devastation
With a moments focus, you may look outward from any gemstone to the surroundings requires about sixty seconds to complete.
youve ever touched, regardless of where it is now.
The Word of Earth in Play
Mountain Thews Action He rode the edge of the pasture at a walk and the wall rose
up in his wake. Twice as tall as a rider and thick as a man's
Commit Effort to the end of the scene. Perform one feat of impossible
reach, its smooth gray surface was marked with the signs of his
strength. This feat requires too much focus to be an effective attack,
clan and the holy prayers of the lamas who served him. Every
but you can lift, throw, or break almost anything you can lay your
hundred paces he fashioned a tower where his people could
hands on, ranging up in size to a modest house or a small ship.
stand watch, and framing the gate were a pair of stone prayer
wheels so perfectly balanced that the little children laughed
Obduracy of Stone Constant when he spun them with one finger.
The old men of the clan were uneasy when they looked upon
Your natural armor class is 3, and you have an invincible defense
the vast stone corral, but he had taught them not to protest
against harm by stone, earth, or burial. You need not eat, drink, or
when he waved the clan's herd into the enclosure. There would
breathe. Armor and shields do not improve this base armor class.
be no outriders tonight to keep strange hands from stealing
the clan's cattle. The horsemen would do their guarding from
Rebellion of the Soil Action the towers, however they might grumble at the thought of
fighting on their feet.
Cause one visible non-magical stone or metal object no larger than a
In the morning he would melt the wall and the gate and
house to disintegrate or collapse. You can collapse larger non-magical
the prayer wheels back into the earth, but tonight, there was
structures a piece at a time. The collapse can be destructive, inflicting
not a clan on the Toban plains that could hope to steal a cow
1d20 damage on all inside, or controlled so as to leave those within
from the cousins of holy Altan Khan.
unharmed. Worn armor or items can be affected by this power.
Altan Khan uses his gift as a Builder of Mountain Peaks to
Stonespeaker On Turn erect the fortification. He can easily fashion anything that can
be made from earth or stone, whether walls or houses or stone
Commit Effort. You can communicate with earth or stone, seeing weapons, but if he wanted to make a structure a permanent
and perceiving everything it has witnessed at a certain time of your Feature to benefit his clan, he'd risk some trouble from the
choice. Stones have no thought as humans recognize it, but they can traditionalists. Using gifts to make Features for factions is ex-
perfectly relay all the sounds and sights that took place in its presence. plained on page XX.
You must specify a particular time to focus on, however.

38
Endurance
The Word of Endurance is one of hardiness, determination, and un-
flagging exertion. Its miracles can grant survival even in the face of The Word of Endurance in Play
certain death, strength when exhaustion would otherwise overwhelm,
and resistance against unwanted sorcery or curses. A Godbound She walked through fire, and her people walked behind her.
graced with this Word is fearsomely difficult to harm physically, but The forest was an inferno, tall pines crackling into torches and
the Word cannot deflect mental or spiritual damage sources or com- the underbrush a sheet of shimmering flame. The wails of her
pulsions, like a Knowledge Divine Wrath or a Command compulsion. terrified neighbors were lost in the explosive crack of shatter-
As a guide, if it would involve a Spirit save then Endurance can't stop it. ing timber, but they were not burned, and they did not choke.
The soldiers who had come to kill them were not so fortunate.
Heroes with the Endurance Word need not eat, sleep, drink, or Verity has yet to learn the gift of Elemental Scorn, but she
breathe, and may set their Constitution score to 16, or 18 if its al- Commits Effort for the day to mimic it, Committing an addi-
ready 16 or higher. tional point to extend its benefit to her fellow villagers. If she'd
mastered the gift she could maintain it indefinitely, but as a
Lesser Gifts
miracle it doesn't last more than about fifteen minutes. She
Amaranth Vitality Constant needs to get her kindred across the stream before she runs out
of Effort to Commit, or she and her neighbors will burn too.
You heal one lost hit point per three character levels, rounded up, every
fifteen minutes. If injured while at zero hit points, you still perish. They'd burnt her when they caught her. There had been a
Stifler there to ensure that she did not resist the fire again,
Body of Iron Will Constant his robe spotted by his last meal, his jaw slack and trembling
with fear of his handler. The antipriest who had condemned
Your natural armor class is 3. You are impervious to any natural envi- her had accused her of treachery to her people and to Reason,
ronmental damage, such as that caused by extreme heat, cold, pressure, and had consigned her to the stake to receive what she had so
radiation, or vacuum. Such forces used as a weapon or hazard against blasphemously defied. And so they burnt her, with the Stifler
you function normally. Armor or shields don't benefit this base AC. there to be sure she burnt, and they threw her ashes in the river.
A week later she crawled out, twenty leagues downstream.
Defy the Iron Instant
Verity has recovered some Effort since her capture. She knows
Commit Effort to the end of scene. Negate one physical attack or the Stifler will use his powers to suppress her gifts if she tries to
source of bodily injury. This gift can't ward off mental or spiritual resist the flame, so instead she invokes the miracle of Undying.
damage types, or magical effects that would normally provoke a Spirit She's scorched to ashes, but without a supernatural foe to deliver
save. This immunity extends only to one round worth of damage when the final blow, she regenerates and hides until she recovers.
facing an ongoing peril that does damage each round.

Greater Gifts
Elemental Scorn Constant
Fear No Steel On Turn
Pick heat, cold, lightning, or some other form of energy. You have an
invincible defense against it in all its forms. As an On Turn action, you Commit Effort. Your determination or supernatural hardiness allows
can Commit Effort to extend this defense to every ally within a hun- you to shrug off the lesser harms of the world. You take 1 fewer point
dred yards. You may take this gift more than once to gain immunity of damage from all incoming sources of damage, whether physical or
to other elements; a single Commitment can extend all your defenses. magical. As a consequence, ordinary combatants wielding fists and
small weapons may not be able to harm you at all.
Harder than This On Turn
Unbreakable Instant
Commit Effort. Become immune to one physical peril or special attack
as long as the effort remains committed. You cant adapt to weapons, Commit Effort to the end of the day. Until the start of your next turn,
gifts, or spells, but you can adjust to become immune to a dragons you have an invincible defense against any physical, tangible attack or
breath, a basilisks gaze, a beast's poison, or a volcanos caldera. spell effect. Mental and spiritual harms or damage are not deflected.

Untiring Inspiration Constant Undying Constant

Pick one Influence project youve undertaken. Add 1 to the Influence While you can be brought to zero hit points, mutilated, or burnt, you
effective on it as you sleeplessly focus on the task. As an action, Com- cannot actually be killed except by the effect or aid of a Word-powered
mit Effort. All allies within 100 yards are perpetually refreshed, and gift, divine miracle, or gift-enhanced attack. If not slain, you regenerate
not in need of rest, eating, drinking, or breathing. fully in an hour from your largest remaining piece.

39
 Fertility
Fertility for their lands and children for their families are two of the
A Sense of Ash On Turn
dearest desires of all common folk, and the Word of Fertility grants Commit Effort. You sense all poisons, plagues, environmental dam-
such blessings. But what it gives it may also take away, and the miracles age, or curses on the land within sight. You gain an impression of
of this power can also be used to blight land and curse lineages. Imme- the persons or causes responsible for them if they are not otherwise
diate miracles tend to briefly influence desire, sexuality, harvests, and concealed by magic. You recognize diseased or disease-inflicting crea-
blights, while the gifts of the Word can produce more lasting effects. tures on sight and can determine what plague afflicts them or that
they inflict on others.
Heroes with the Fertility Word have perfect control over their repro-
duction and may set their Constitution score to 16, or 18 if its already
Touch of Green Restraint Action
16 or higher. They have an invincible defense against wooden weapons
or objects, vegetal monsters, and plant-based toxins. Commit Effort for the scene. Plants in a 50 radius around the chosen
point in sight erupt to cling to foes. All enemies in the area must make
Lesser Gifts an Evasion saving throw at the start of each round to throw off the
vines and regain free movement, though they can still fight in place
Birth Blessing Action
as normal or launch ranged attacks if they have them. Foes subject to
Instantly render a target sterile, induce miscarriage, or bless the target your Fray die suffer it each round they remain bound. Those enemies
with the assurance of a healthy conception which you can shape in who reach zero hit dice because of this may be either utterly immo-
the childs details. You can also cure congenital defects or ensure safe bilized or crushed to death at the Godbounds discretion.
birth. Such is the power of this gift that it can even induce a virgin
birth. Resisting targets who are worthy foes can save versus Hardiness.
Withering Curse Action
Commit Effort for the scene. Forty acres of plants instantly die and
A Second Spring Action
the land they were on is cursed to uselessness for a generation unless
Commit Effort for the day. All allies in sight are refreshed, regaining reversed by this Words powers. Optionally, plants and living or cut
vigor as if well-fed and rested and healing 1d6 hit points of damage wood can be reduced to ash as desired in a 50-foot radius. Wooden
plus the Godbound's level. Unlike most healing effects, recipients items held or carried by a bearer are not affected, though buildings or
need not commit Effort to benefit from this blessing. vehicles can be destroyed. Plant monsters suffer 1d12 damage per level.

Seeds of Death On Turn Greater Gifts

Commit Effort. You may induce cancers and killing growths as a 1d10
Cornucopian Blessing On Turn
magic weapon with a 200 foot range, making attack rolls as normal.
The first rounds use of this power is imperceptible to onlookers and Commit Effort. Choose a container holding a non-magical agricul-
the victim, but the second and further rounds produce visible tumors tural substance; so long as the Effort remains committed, the supply
and growths. Lesser foes will die of cancer 1d6 months after you use will never run out, no matter how much is taken from the container.
this gift on them, barring magical healing, even if you elect to do no The container can provide up to ten tons of goods per day per hero
damage with a hit. level, provided its mouth is large enough to disgorge such amounts.

The Word of Fertility in Play Sever the Line Action

The knyaz had gold. He had land, and peasants, and a walled Commit Effort for the day and choose a target in sight. The target is
city for his own. He had a wife, and a daughter, and the friend- rendered sterile and only a gift or similar power can undo it. All their
ship of his wife's father. But he did not have a son, and that is children immediately suffer a 1d12 damage die, grandchildren suffer
why his domain would be torn to pieces by his neighbors as 1d10, great-grandchildren suffer 1d8, and so forth down to the fifth
soon as his weak heart failed. The healers said his wife would generation, which suffers 1d4. This curse only works once on any
never bear another child and her father would be first for his given target, and particular descendants may be spared by the hero.
blood if he put her aside for another.
Jakob would give her that son, strong and handsome and
looking just like his father. He would give her that son and the Unending Abundance Action
hope of an unburnt city, and then the knyaz would see that a Commit Effort for the day. The land you designate within a ten mile
certain man died. Life for life, for the gods are fair. radius becomes impossibly fertile, crops erupting in mere hours and
Jakob's Birth Blessing is far more potent than the best natal feeding any number of people within that area. If applied as a gift
charms of sorcerers, and safer by far. If the knyaz forgets his and not used as a one-off miracle, the persistent fertility counts as
bargain, Sever the Line can destroy his child in a blink. a beneficial Feature to any faction that controls the land, though it
cannot be sacrificed in the case of a lost Conflict it was involved in.

40
Fire
Born of red flame, the Word of Fire grants powers of burning, melting,
and destroying those things displeasing to the hero. It may also be The Word of Fire in Play
used to shield allies from the fury of the flame, or undo the damage
There was but one woman on the dune between the sand
that fire has done to a person or object. Its miracles may also bring
prince's bandits and the spice caravan. The raiders came on at
light to a place, or to conceal with veils of choking smoke. More subtle
a run, howling in joyous anticipation, until their shouts turned
miracles may invoke Fires ties to passions of fury and lust, enkindling
to screams as the sand before them erupted into flames. The
these feelings in others or causing them to spread to others like the
charge was broken, men reeling back from the fire when it
swelling of a growing flame.
leapt like a living thing, dancing before them in a wall of flame.
Some of the men bulled through it, screaming in terror and
Heroes with the Fire Word have an invincible defense against flame,
fury. The dunes had known the Cinnabar Order since the land
smoke, and cold. They may wield fire as a magical weapon with a
was green, and if the witch was one of them she'd die from a
range of up to 50 feet and a 1d10 damage die.
sword-stroke like any fire wizard would. But it was when she
Lesser Gifts spoke that they knew their mistake, even as their robes burst
into flames on their bodies and their skin was charred black
Consuming Gaze Action with the incinerating power of her words.
The Cinnabar Order served the fire. Red Atet was the flame.
An object in sight up to 20 x 20 x 20 feet in size is consumed in flame
and turned to fine ash, even if normally non-combustible. Larger ob- The bandits came on in a Large Mob, which is a particular way
jects may take a few rounds to completely burn away. Objects carried of describing a vast swarm of enemies, one explained on page
by a person cannot be affected. See page XX for rules on creating XX. Against Mobs, powers that affect all creatures in an area
walls of flame or other zones of hazardous terrain. work a little differently. Atet first used her Consuming Gaze
to light the sand on fire, which gave her the flames she needed
Firestorm (Smite) Action to form a wall of fire with Master of the Furnace. Once she'd
ensured that the bandits couldn't swarm her, she let loose her
Commit Effort for the scene. Choose a point within sight; every cho- Cinder Words, shouting to sear the bandits. Normally, her
sen target within 100 feet of it is struck by falling flame for a 1d6 die Fray die would do a 1d8 damage roll to all lesser foes within
of damage per level of the Godbound, with an Evasion save allowed earshot, inflicting 0 to 2 points of damage depending on how she
to halve the damage taken. This gift can't be used two rounds in a row. rolled. Against a Mob of lesser foes, however, it's rolled "straight",
which means that Red Atet does 1 to 8 hit dice of damage with
Firewalker On Turn her shout every turn she uses it.

Commit Effort for the scene. Instantly know the location of all flames
within a mile. As an action, teleport and emerge from any larger than
a candle flame with any willing companions in physical contact with Greater Gifts
you. You cannot move more than one mile total in any one hour.
Burning Rebuke On Turn
Commit Effort. Every foe that attacks you while angry or impassioned
Give Forth the Ashes Action
suffers your Fray die in fire damage before each attack is resolved, even
Unburn objects or creatures in a 20 x 20 x 20 foot cube each round, if they have more hit dice than you or make multiple attacks. Normally,
repairing damage and restoring the condition of burnt objects. Fire only mindless creatures or remarkably disciplined foes can remain
damage is healed, but the dead are not raised. calm enough to avoid the damage. Mobs suffer this damage straight.

Master of the Furnace On Turn Cinder Words On Turn

Commit Effort. Shape and mold all flame within sight, directing or Commit Effort. Your voice scorches your enemies. Every lesser foe
extinguishing it as you wish. As an action, set an unattended, inani- within earshot takes your Fray damage each round. You can ignite
mate object within sight on fire if its flammable. Objects larger than unattended objects with a word as a free action once a round.
a wagon can be ignited only in part.
Searing Blade On Turn
Nimbus of Flame On Turn
Commit Effort. You wield fire as a weapon, either limning a blade in
Youre surrounded by a halo of searing heat as you Commit Effort. it or using projections of it as a magical weapon with a 200 foot range
Anyone who attacks you in melee combat takes 1 hit point or hit and 1d10 damage die. Individual victims killed by this explode into
die of fire damage before the attack is resolved. Assailants can suffer flames, doing a 1d6 damage die to all desired targets within 20 feet.
only one such injury per round, even if they launch multiple attacks. This gift's damage is always rolled straight against Mobs of lesser foes.

41
 Health
Bread, children, and health; these things are ever in the prayers of the Greater Gifts
people. The Word of Health offers one of these at least, banishing
Burning Vitality On Turn
illness and putting aright mismade flesh. Miracles of Health can
banish plagues and cure injuries, though gifts are generally needed for Commit Effort for the day. Regain 1 hit point per round until at full
large-scale workings save in relatively minor feats of healing. Vengeful health. Alternatively, you may Commit Effort for the day to heal 1 hit
demigods of Health can also inflict the same plagues they might cure. point or hit die in all allies within 100 yards and raise ordinary mortal
While potent, powers of healing often demand much from the re- beings from the dead with 1 hit die, provided they died within the
serves of those who would benefit by them. Some gifts require those past five minutes and are not completely mangled. Recipients need
healed to Commit Effort for the day to absorb the healing energies. not Commit Effort to benefit from this healing.
NPCs and others without listed Effort scores can be assumed to be
able to benefit from such healing once a day at most.
Deplete Health Action
Heroes with the Health Word have an invincible defense against Commit Effort for the scene and choose a target. They sicken, falling
diseases and poisons of all kinds. They may set their Constitution to half their current hit dice or hit points, rounded up. Worthy foes
to 16, or to 18 if its already 16 or higher. get a Hardiness save to resist. The lost hit dice return at the scenes
end if the creature is not dead. This gift does not stack multiple times.
Lesser Gifts
Ender of Plagues Action Lifegiver Constant
Commit Effort for the scene. Cure all diseases and poisonings with- Allies in your presence automatically stabilize at zero hit dice or hit
in sight. If the Effort is expended for the day, the range of the cure points provided their bodies arent torn to pieces. As an action, Com-
extends to a half-mile around the hero, penetrates walls and other mit Effort for the day to revive an ordinary mortal creature from death
barriers, and you become immediately aware of any disease-inducing if theyve been dead less than a day and some part of their corpse
curses or sources of pestilence within that area. remains intact. Godbound and other mighty entities cannot be revived.

Flesh Made True Action The Word of Health in Play

You are able to cure maimings, blindings, poisons, mutilations, and The Buyer of Plagues stood on the bedar's deck, a merchant's
birth defects by sight, once per round. This does not heal hit point slate in one hand and a piece of chalk in the other. The pirate
damage directly, but it can restore lost limbs and crippled functionality. captain lying on the deck was bound at hand and foot, the
cable that tied his ankles snaking over the ship's starboard side.
The Buyer smiled at the sobbing man, and spoke.
Intrinsic Health Constant
"My sister's navigator, Indah."
Your maximum hit points increase by 2 extra points per level, includ- The six men on the port side hauled on the cable, and the
ing levels gained before you took this gift. This gift cant be suppressed. pirate went over the starboard side with a shriek. The men on
that side paid out the rope until its prisoner was somewhere
under the bedar's keel, and then they began to sing.
Merciful Gaze Action
Port and starboard heaved in rhythm, the old Kasirutan
By your gaze on a target within sight, you can heal 2d6 plus your shanty singing of home and gold and foreign girls, sweating
character level points of damage. The target must Commit Effort for backs heaving to and fro as the pirate was sawed against the
the day in order to benefit from the healing, however. NPCs and other ship's keel and the broken shells of the barnacles beneath. They
ordinary mortals normally can benefit but once per day from this gift. sang for twenty verses and had started a second time when
they finally sawed through.
The port-side men had the bigger piece left when they
Plaguebringer On Turn
pulled in the line. The Buyer stepped forward to kick it into
Commit Effort. Your touch or successful weapon attacks cause a a human shape again, and the first breath of the resurrected
sickness of your choice. Worthy foes get a Hardiness save to resist. pirate chief was a scream.
The sickness can be restricted to them or allowed its natural contagion. The Buyer waved the crew toward a fresh coil of rope and
The disease appears within 1d6 hours and is at full effect within a day. chalked another mark on the tablet.
Lethal sicknesses will kill within 1d6 days without a magical cure. "My sister's bosun, Rakti"

The grace of the Lifegiver is inexorable, even when the subject

Vital Furnace On Turn would much rather not be revived. Unless a gift explicitly allows
Commit Effort for the day. Instantly heal any hit points lost since the a subject to resist it, it takes inevitable effect.
end of your last turn, provided the harm didnt kill you.

42
Journeying
The hero fares far with the Word of Journeying, which concerns itself Greater Gifts
with long travels and perilous paths. Miracles of Journeying involve
The Exodus Road On Turn
swift transportation to a desired place, the sundering of barriers to
the heros path, and the avoidance of peril while on the road. Other Commit Effort. Your Journeying gifts can apply to any number of
miracles can seal or open existing Night Roads. Note that the gifts willing companions, including whole armies or cities.
of Journeying apply to travel rather than simple movement. Gifts that
speak of travel mean for the hero to be moving from one location to
The Hour of Need Action
another destination rather than just running around in a single area.
Commit Effort for the day. Up to a dozen allies within a weeks jour-
Heroes with the Word of Journeying always know exactly where ney realized youd need them there at this time and will arrive this
they are, never lose their way to a known destination, and may treat round if they were willing to come. This may induce some problems
travel as if it were as restful and nourishing to them as sound sleep of causality, but the gifts power allows their arrival regardless.
and a good meal.

Lesser Gifts The Path of Racing Dawn On Turn

Commit Effort. You and those with you can fly or otherwise ignore
Dust At Your Heels On Turn
terrain, moving at a rate of 100 miles an hour while journeying. You
Commit Effort. You and those with you cannot be caught by pursuers can cross shorter distances through the air, though the flight is not
as long as you keep traveling. Your group will always be moving faster precise enough to serve in combat or other cramped interior spaces.
than them regardless of their speed until you halt your movement.

The Word of Journeying in Play

Know the Path Constant
You always know the safest and easiest way to go to reach any location
that is not kept secret from the world. Those who go with you also
count their journeying to be as restful as sleep, allowing constant travel.

Master of the Key Instant

You can instantly defeat any mundane trap, lock, tie, binding or seal.
Commit Effort for the scene to overcome magical barriers, traps, and
bindings within sight, including ones of a mental nature. You may do
this even if the binding effect would otherwise render you helpless.

Opening the Way Action

Commit Effort for the scene to create a hole in security, whether its
a guard suddenly wandering away from his post or a rift appearing
in a magical barrier. The hole will allow you and your allies a clear
path into or past a place and will last as long as is practical, no less
than five minutes. This security hole is not usually large enough to
allow unhindered movement within the location, only entry into it.

Swift Progress On Turn

Commit Effort. You and all who travel with you move at double the
usual daily rate of travel and can cross any terrain as if it were flat
ground, even mountains or seas. None of you are ever harmed by the
natural climate or other unsalubrious natural environment.

Untroubled Passage Instant

Commit Effort. While you travel, you and those with you will never
be hindered by chance-met creatures or bad weather. Worthy foes
wandering in your path get a Spirit saving throw to notice you.

43
 Knowledge
Knowledge is the Word of understanding. All that mortal scholars Greater Gifts
know is within the purview of this Word, along with secrets of the
Disclose the Flaw Instant
past and present. The Word of Knowledge cannot penetrate the veil
of the future, but it can reveal almost anything of the present world. Commit Effort for the scene and choose a target, either creature or
Its miracles give answers and show truths otherwise hidden. institution. Know its current weaknesses and most vulnerable ele-
Facts or events perpetrated by someone with the Word of Deception ments at that time, including any hidden means by which it might be
allow their enactor a Spirit saving throw to conceal events from the killed or destroyed. Creatures reveal their hit dice and Effort totals.
Word of Knowledge.
Irresistible Query Action
Heroes with the Knowledge Word may set either their Intelligence
or Wisdom attribute to 16. If the score is already 16 or higher, they Commit Effort for the day. Ask the GM any question about current or
may set it to 18 instead. past events and be answered in one word or short phrase. This power
cannot be used more than once on a given topic until the situation
Lesser Gifts changes significantly.
The Best Course Action
The Omniscient Scholar Constant
Commit Effort for the scene. Gain one sentence of truthful informa-
tion from the GM on the best way to accomplish your current desire You have mastered all spheres of mortal academic knowledge. You
or goal. New information cannot be gained with this gift until the always know the answer to any question involving such learning, if any
existing information is acted upon or the goal is abandoned. mortal sage knows it and automatically succeed on attribute checks
to accomplish intellectual tasks if they're within mortal capabilities.
The Best-Laid Plans Action
Commit Effort for the day and lay out a plan. The GM announces The Word of Knowledge in Play
the most relevant complication or threat to the plans execution that
you dont already know about. This insight can be drawn upon only
once for any particular goal being pursued, with the GM deciding
what constitutes a different goal.

Excision of Understanding Action

As an action, erase a visible target's knowledge of a language, an intel-
lectual skill, or a particular topic or event. This can't erase spellcasting
abilities or other powers, but lasts until the skill is relearned or the
Godbound relents. Worthy foes can save versus Spirit to resist.

A Truth That Burns Action

Commit Effort for the scene and choose a visible target. Learn the
knowledge of them or their plans that they least want you to know,
as judged by the GM. Worthy foes get a Spirit saving throw to resist
this subtle inquisition.

The Unveiled Truth Action

Commit Effort for the scene; get an answer to any question, provided
the truth about it is not being intentionally concealed by all who
know it. This answer is generally brief, no more than a few sentences.

A Word Far Off Action

Commit Effort for the scene. Know whats going on in a particular
place or community that youve been, learning as many as three sen-
tences of what the GM thinks youd find most important or most
relevant to your immediate interests.

44
Luck
Luck is a subtle Word in the main, without many of the blatantly Greater Gifts
obvious effects of the other domains. Instead, luck simply graces those
By Chance Action
blessed by its power, ensuring that things somehow work out well for
them and very poorly for those who displease them. Luck miracles Commit Effort for the scene. The player dictates an event in their
can be used to rework fate, ensuring that seemingly-random events presence that isnt utterly improbable, and it happens. Damage to foes
turn out well or poorly for those targeted by the heros attentions. is limited to a 1d12 die for a focused calamity on a single target or
a 1d6 damage die apiece for troubles that affect a group. This power
Heroes gifted in the Luck Word may roll 1d20 once a day. At any time affects only physical objects and events, and not minds or emotions.
during that day, they may replace their own or someone elses 1d20
roll with the one in reserve. They can only replace a roll once per day.
Impossible Victory Constant
Exactly once, the hero automatically wins a conflict or obtains their
end in a situation by blind luck. It may not be a total victory, but it
Lesser Gifts gains their main goal. They then lose the gift, are refunded its cost, and
can never purchase it again. Luck miracles cannot replicate this gift.
Blighted Luck Action
A single non-Mob target is cursed with misfortune. Theyll always
Unfailing Fortune Constant
lose games of chance, bad things of varying non-fatal character will
always happen to them, and they always roll twice on hit rolls and The hero may always reroll a natural 1 on any die they roll. They can
saves and take the worse result. Worthy foes can make a Spirit save to dictate the outcome of any element of chance in gambling or gaming.
resist and require Effort to be committed for the scene. This effect lasts
until you choose to lift it, it's dispelled, or a particular event happens.
The Word of Luck in Play
Nine Lives Constant
Automatically reroll saves or enemy hit rolls that would result in the
heros death or mortal injury. The second roll is taken, even if its worse.

Salting Away the Luck Instant

Commit Effort after the hero rolls a die while doing something conse-
quential. The die is rerolled, but the initial result is saved. When the
Effort is reclaimed the result can be given to anyone else in the heros
presence, provided a die with the same number of sides is being rolled.
Unwilling worthy foes can make a Spirit save to resist the donation.
This gift can preserve only one roll at a time.

Spun Fortune Instant

Commit Effort for the scene. Another person rerolls a roll you are
aware that they just made.

Unmarred Beneficence Constant

The hero has a natural AC of 3, luckily avoiding perils. If a misfortune
lands randomly on a member of their group, theyre never the victim
of it. This base AC isn't improved by armor or shields.

The World Against You On Turn

Commit Effort. The hero becomes able to use luck as a weapon with a
range of 100 feet, inflicting sudden and wildly-improbable calamities
on a foe with normal attack rolls. When used to attack, damage is
1d10 and treated as a magic weapon. The source of this incredible bad
luck is not perceptible to mortal onlookers or non-supernatural beings.

45
 Might
The primal power of strength is embodied in the Word of Might.
Surge of Strength Instant
Many martial Godbound are strong, but a Godbound of Might excels Commit Effort for the scene to maximize any single damage roll
them all in raw physical strength, and can perform miracles of lifting, modified by Strength. Such is your aura of tremendous might that
throwing, or breaking things with their bare hands. They also have you can apply this benefit to an ally within sight if you wish.
the power to bless their allies with similar graces of strength, though
usually for specific actions or challenges rather than as a standing
bonus to their abilities. Greater Gifts
Leap the Moon On Turn
A Godbound of the Word of Might is tremendously powerful, gaining
a Strength score of 19 and a +4 attribute modifier for Strength. This Commit Effort. The Godbound can leap tremendous distances, ignor-
prowess allows them to lift or break anything that is humanly possible ing all fall damage and able to jump to any point within sight in lieu of
to so handle, though truly supernatural feats of strength require the their movement action for the round. They can fight flying enemies by
use of a gift or miracle. using their move action to leap up before striking their target. They
cannot leap more than ten total miles of distance per hour, however.
Lesser Gifts
Descent of the Mountain Action Loosening God's Teeth Action
The Godbound can hurl any object they can lift to any point in sight. Commit Effort for the day and make a single armed or unarmed
If used as an attack, they must make a normal hit roll modified by attack. If the blow hits, the damage roll is read straight. This damage
Strength. Very large or heavy objects make clumsy weapons and suffer roll cannot be maximized by other gifts or abilities. Even on a miss,
a -4 to hit, but inflict 1d12 damage to those in the area they land on, the concussion of the blow does injury as a normal-damage hit.
modified by Strength.
Thews of the Gods Constant
Falling Meteor Strike Action
The Godbound is always able to pick up anything smaller than a large
With a moment's concentration, the Godbound can smash any single building and punch through, smash, or break loose any non-magical
non-magical object of less than ten feet in diameter. If the object is substance as a free part of their movement or other actions. This
larger than that, a ten-foot high, wide, and deep hole is punched into might is quickly deployed, but not finely-controlled enough to help
it. If the object is magically durable or resilient, the Godbound must damage rolls or other attacks.
Commit Effort for the scene to smash it. The focus required for this
blow makes it useless against mobile enemies, but if the Godbound The Word of Might in Play
strikes an immobile or helpless target with this gift they suffer four
points of damage for every level of the Godbound.

Fists of Black Iron Constant

The Godbound's unarmed and weapon attacks are fueled by their
tremendous strength. One-handed weapons do 1d10 damage in their
hands, and two-handed ones or unarmed attacks made with both
hands free inflict 1d12. These attacks count as magical weapons.

Shoulders Wide as the World On Turn

Commit Effort. The Godbound can pick up any object no larger than
a warship and carry it at their normal movement rate. The gift allows
the object to hold together and the Godbound to avoid sinking into
the earth, but the object is too unwieldy to use for violent ends.

Stronger Than You Constant

Whenever the Godbound is in an opposed Strength check or contest
against another creature or opposing it in a grapple or other exercise
of strength, the Godbound always wins. If two Godbound with this
gift struggle, the test is resolved normally. As an action, the Godbound
can confer the benefits of this gift on an ally for one contest or action.

46
Night
Dreams, sleep, darkness, and calm are found beneath the banner of
night. Night passes over many places at once, and enters into even the The Word of Night in Play
most well-guarded chambers. The Word of Night can work miracles (bit describing keeping an army asleep during a night attack)
involving sleep, blindness, swift passage into darkness, and physical
intangibility. These gifts often require a dimly-lit area for best effect.

Heroes with the Word of Night can see perfectly in darkness. They
need not sleep, and their actions will never involuntarily cause the
awakening of any sleepers around them.

Lesser Gifts
Damn Their Eyes Action
Choose a target in sight. Lesser foes are blinded, while worthy foes
can save versus Hardiness to resist and require the hero to Commit
Effort for the scene to affect them . Optionally, you can blind the target
only to particular people or things. Those selectively blinded will not
realize their blindness until its pointed out or physically encountered.
The blindness lasts as long as you desire in lesser foes, or ends after
the scene for worthy foes. Blinded enemies usually suffer a -4 to all
melee hit rolls and have no significant chance to hit with ranged
attacks, barring superhuman senses in other ways.

The Darkling Stairs Constant

You can fly or move along vertical surfaces at your normal movement
rate, provided you are surrounded by darkness too deep to tell a white
thread from a black one. The power lingers one round after bright light.

Knives of Night On Turn

Commit Effort. You are now able to harden darkness into a weapon
with a range of 200 feet. When used to attack, it does 1d10 damage
and is treated as a magical weapon. Foes reduced to zero hit points can
either be killed, put to sleep, or permanently blinded at your discretion. Greater Gifts
A Darkness at Noon Action
A Road of Shadows Action
Commit Effort. You bring or dispel night to an area up to a mile
Commit Effort for the scene. Step into one shadow and emerge from around you per level. At night, the moon is at whatever phase you
the one nearest to the desired destination, provided its within a mile. desire, while banished night leaves the sun overhead. Optionally, you
The gift can move you no more than ten miles total in any one hour. may ensure that no lesser foe sleepers within that area will wake up for
anything less than severe physical injury, or send them specific dreams.
The Still Silence of Sleep Action
Flesh of Shadows Action
Commit Effort for the scene and choose a point in sight. All lesser foes
within 50 feet of that point must make a Spirit save or fall asleep. You Commit Effort. Become an almost-insubstantial shadow, unable to
may dictate a sleeping persons dreams or nightmares if you can see affect the real world or pass through solid objects, but with an in-
them, though worthy foes can save to resist. You can send and receive vincible defense against non-magical weapon attacks, but not spells.
messages with your fellow pantheon members and close associates
through dreams, if they permit it.
A Speaker in Dreams Action
Commit Effort. You can communicate with anyone you have seen
Welcoming the Dusk Action
before via shared dreams they recall perfectly. You can also spy on
Commit Effort. Create darkness around you in any configuration, their dreams to get an idea of their greatest concerns and learn their
up to a 30 foot radius. You can see through it, and it can follow you. location. Unwilling worthy foes can make a Spirit save to resist.

47
 Passion
The Word of Passion commands the heart, filling it with the emotions
Snuff the Heart's Candle Action
desired by the Godbound or banishing those feelings that prove trou- Instantly quell an emotion in a visible target. You can extinguish a
blesome. While these emotions can be overwhelming, the Godbound particular emotion entirely, such as fear, loyalty or love, or you can
cannot dictate what the subjects do with them. In this way, Passion selectively snuff it towards particular people or activities. The target
inspires personal action in its targets, but does not give the direct is unable to feel that emotion toward the selected subjects until you
control granted by the Word of Command. release them from the effect. Lesser foes are automatically affected,
while worthy foes can save versus Spirit to resist the stilling.
Heroes with the Word of Passion are blessed with grace and an under-
standing of the heart. They may set either their Charisma or Wisdom
Terrifying Mien Action
attribute scores to 16, or 18 if the score is already that high.
Commit Effort to the end of the scene. All NPC foes who can see or
Lesser Gifts hear you, must instantly make a Morale check. Lesser foes roll this at
a -2 penalty. Foes that fail this check will usually flee in terror, albeit
Banner of Passion Action
those without a means of escape might surrender on the spot. This
Commit Effort. All NPCs who are lesser foes within earshot or sight gift can be used against a foe only once per scene, and PCs are immune.
are suffused with a powerful emotion of your choice, directed at the
object of your choosing. Worthy foes get a Spirit saving throw each
round to throw it off. This emotion will make them act to the limits of Greater Gifts
their character and will last at least a day after the effort is reclaimed.
A Heart like Clay Action
Commit Effort for the scene to completely control a subject's emo-
Fashioning a Friend Action
tions, dictating all they feel and their emotional attitudes toward any
Commit Effort for the scene to beguile a visible creature, inspiring persons or subjects of your choice. Lesser foes are utterly helpless
it to feelings of friendship and cooperativeness towards you. It will against this shaping and can be driven to utterly uncharacteristic
not question these feelings, however irrational, and they will persist extremes by it. Worthy foes can only be molded within the limits of
until you obviously betray it or do it blatant harm. Lesser foes have their own usual emotional range and can save versus Spirit to resist
no resistance against this power, while worthy foes can save versus the shaping. The emotions persist despite all adversities until the
Spirit to avoid the enchantment. Godbound releases the subject.

Follow the Threads Action Infectious Passion Action

You may study a target for one action to identify the half-dozen people Commit Effort for the scene to plant a seed of a particular emotional
most emotionally significant to them, learning their appearance, the attitude toward a chosen person or topic in a visible target. If that
name the target knows them as, and a few words of description of target is affected, they become infectious, spreading that same attitude
the bond between them. Lesser foes cannot resist this, while worthy toward their friends and associates over the course of a single contact.
foes can save versus Spirit to maintain their secrets. The infection can spread five or six degrees before it loses its magical
potency, usually enough to completely overwhelm a village, court, or
neighborhood. Lesser foes get no saving throw, but worthy enemies
Heart of the Lion Constant
can save versus Spirit to resist. It lasts until the Godbound releases
You have an invincible defense against fear and all unwanted emo- the victims or the emotion becomes blatantly inappropriate.
tion-affecting effects. You may Commit Effort for the scene as an
Instant action to share this immunity with all allies within 100 yards.
A Song Buried Deep Action

The Word of Passion in Play Commit Effort for the day and choose a phrase, passage of music, im-
age, or person in your presence. At a time or context of your choosing,
the sight or experience of that subject unleashes the effects of a Banner
of Passion on all present. You can define the context as precisely as
you wish and choose the Banner's effects and focus beforehand. The
maximum range of this effect is one mile per level of the Godbound.
Note that the effects apply to any matching phrase, music, or image;
if the Godbound uses this power on a nation's battle flag and bids it
trigger for friendly soldiers when facing combat, every allied military
unit within miles will be affected provided they've got a matching
battle flag. If the Godbound imbues a traditional greeting with the
passion, then every person who hears the greeting will be affected.

48
Sea
The Word of the sea commands water in all its forms, but most often
Lord of the Waters On Turn
that of the rivers and the oceans. All creatures that dwell within water Commit Effort. While in effect, you can transform into any non-mag-
are subject to the sea, and its waters can carry its blessed far away or ical sea creature larger than a shrimp and smaller than a kraken. You
crush and erode those less favored. Miracles of the sea can smash with can speak to and command all natural sea life, sense every living
crushing pressure, conjure vast amounts of water, control the flow of creature under or on the water within a mile, and summon such life
liquids, or purify with the cleansing salt of the oceans. to your presence as needed. Intelligent creatures need not obey your
summons or commands if they do not wish to do so. Ships or fleets
Heroes with the Sea Word have an invincible defense against cold, can in your company are impervious to storms and reefs.
breathe water, swim at twice their normal movement rate, and see with
perfectly clarity underwater, regardless of available light. They may
Secrets of the Deep On Turn
grant these benefits to their companions, except for cold immunity.
Commit Effort. You sense the exact position of all flowing liquids
Lesser Gifts within 200 feet, including the blood in living veins. By touching a
body of water and seeking a particular thing or type of object, you
Body of Water Constant
become aware of every place where such a thing is sunken, floating
Your flesh flows around dangers and encapsulates toxins. Your natural or wave-lapped within ten miles.
armor class is 3 and you are immune to poisons. You can apply a poi-
son by touch if youve previously swallowed or been struck by a dose,
Walking With the Tide Action
thus ejecting the toxin. This AC isn't improved by shields or armor.
Commit Effort for the scene. Enter a body of water large enough
to submerge you and emerge from any like body of water within a
Crushing Depths Action
mile, exiting at the nearest suitable pool to your desired location. If
Commit Effort for the scene. Destroy any non-magical object youre the bodies of water are connected by waters wide enough to admit a
touching, up to 20 x 20 x 20 feet in size, as it erodes or is compressed creature of your size, the range increases to a hundred miles.
into splinters. Living creatures require a normal weapon or unarmed
attack to hit and are not automatically destroyed, though the damage
die is treated as if it rolled the maximum possible. Greater Gifts
River Tamer Action
Living Torrent On Turn
Commit Effort. Amounts of water no larger than a small river can be
Commit Effort. Spout a torrent of water at dangerous levels of pres- redirected, made to flow into the air or move in otherwise impossible
sure. The water can be used as a ranged weapon out to 100 feet, doing fashion. The water may sweep away buildings or creatures depending
1d10 damage and counting as a magical weapon. It will destroy one on the amounts involved, and is sufficient to speed a ship at sea at
foot of earthen or wooden barriers in one round. The water can be ten times its usual pace. The flow continues as long as effort remains
allowed to remain after using this power, or allowed to vanish as the committed, and can be controlled up to 1,000 feet away from the hero
wielder wills. as an action. The hero and their allies are never unwillingly moved
or harmed by this water.
The Word of the Sea in Play
Salt-Spray Purity Action
Commit Effort for the scene. Dispel or automatically resist any single
magical effect targeted at you or an ally. For the duration of the scene,
that effect or gift cannot affect the subject you defended, even if it
is applied again. Optionally, instead of this effect, you may suppress
any other Godbound gift for one round as if by a successful miracle.

Tsunami Hand (Smite) Action

Commit Effort for the scene. You strike a blow which becomes a
crashing wave, rushing up to 200 feet in width, 30 feet in height and
100 feet in length before it drains away. Small buildings and fragile
structures are destroyed, and creatures take your level in points of
damage, tripled for Mobs. The wave can be cast in a smaller area if
desired, does not harm targets you wish preserved, and vanishes after
it breaks so as not to leave the area inundated.

49
 Sky
The sky rules weather, flight, lightning, and wind. Those blessed by
its might navigate the air as easily as the earth, wield lightning as a The Word of the Sky in Play
weapon, or blight whole cities with storm and wind. Miracles of the
sky might banish hostile weather, smite a target with a bolt of light-
ning, conjure wind to lift and carry a thing, or perform some other
feat of aerial command.

Heroes with the Sky Word are never harmed by falling, need not
breathe, and have an invincible defense against electricity, cold and
injurious sounds.

Lesser Gifts
The Clouds Below On Turn
Commit Effort. Fill the air around you with mist, up a 300 foot radius.
You and your allies can see through it, but others with normal senses
can see no further than five feet around them. The clouds can douse
any mundane fire and allow every ally within it to ignore the first 5
points of fire damage they take each round.

Eyes Above Action

Gain a birds-eye view of a mile around you, gazing swiftly enough
to immediately spot particular individuals or things you might be
looking for. You can focus on individual locations within that mile,
observing everything going on but unable to overhear ordinary speech.
The sight cannot penetrate roofs or other cover.

Rain of Lightning Action

Choose a point within sight; every desired target within 100 feet Greater Gifts
suffers a 1d6 die of electrical damage as a cloud of lightning envelops
Boreal Spike (Smite) Action
them. The bolts are enough to kill the weak, but cant destroy objects.
Commit Effort for the scene. Bring down the icy chill of the heavens
on a point within sight. Every chosen target within 200 feet is frozen
Sapphire Wings On Turn
for a number of points of damage equal to your level. Against Mobs,
Commit Effort. The hero can fly at twice their usual movement rate. the spike does 1d10 damage straight for every two character levels
If undistracted and able to fly in a straight line, they can reach speeds of the hero, rounded up. Liquids in range are frozen solid up to 200
of up to 100 miles an hour. feet deep and all normal fires are extinguished.

Stormsword On Turn Fury of the Heavens (Smite) Action

Commit Effort. Wield electricity as a ranged weapon out to 200 feet, Commit Effort for the scene. For the rest of the scene, when under the
or sheath your weapon in lightning. Damage done is a minimum of open sky you can hit one target or Mob within sight with a bolt that
1d10 and counts as a magical weapon. Attacks against wet or met- does your level in damage, with a Hardiness save for half. The blasts
al-armored foes always do at least 1 point of damage, even on a miss. can destroy structures less sturdy than a stone building. Invoking these
bolts is a Smite action, and as such it can't be done two rounds in a row.
Windsinger Action
Voice of the Winds Action
Commit Effort. Control weather within a mile, from still air to rain-
storms strong enough to knock down fragile structures and make You may focus on a specific point within ten miles to hear everything
mundane archery impossible, Weather changes occur instantly on happening there unless its sealed from outside air. You can speak to
use of this gift and last as long as Effort remains committed. When that point and be heard there alone. If you spend an action shouting,
released, the weather rapidly returns to its normal condition. foes within 100 feet of you suffer your Fray die if applicable.

50
Sorcery
Sorcery is an unusual Word, one representing a bond with the fun-
Perfection of Understanding Constant
damental laws of creation and the deep, subtle secrets of its operation. You are a remarkably swift student of magic. You can learn any low
Sorcery has no native miracles and cannot be used by itself to create magic path within a month, taking one week per level of initiation
effects or mimic its gifts. Instead, mastery of its gifts allows a God- of your teacher, without requiring a Fact committed to it. You can
bound to wield the flexible and potent powers of theurgy. learn theurgy spells at a vastly accelerated rate as well; one day for an
invocation of any degree. You automatically understand any low magic
Godbound affiliated with the Sorcery Word brush aside the incan- or theurgy used against you or in your presence, knowing its function,
tations of lesser mages. As an Instant ability, the PC can Commit limits, and degree of power. You can also recognize the author of a
Effort for the scene to instantly negate any low magic spell being magical working if youve seen other examples of their work.
cast in their presence or banish or destroy any low magic construct
or summoned entity. This counter does not function against theurgy
The Subtle Eye of Knowing On Turn
or arcane powers that are merely similar to low magic spells.
With a moments concentration, you can discern any low magic or
Lesser Gifts theurgy active in the area, identifying its general function. Other
forms of magic present are noted, but only a vague sense of danger
Adept of the Gate Constant
or weal is imparted. This gaze immediately identifies any theurges or
You have been initiated into the Gate, the humblest level of theurgy, low magic practitioners in sight.
albeit still one beyond all but the mightiest mortal wizards. You may
choose four invocations of the Gate to master as part of this learning
The Will that Burns Instant
and may learn more as you find them.
When struck while maintaining concentration, such as while casting a
theurgy invocation, you may Commit Effort for the scene to maintain
The Excellent Pause Instant
your concentration, prevent the loss of the spell, and inflict a 1d8
When you cast a theurgy invocation or low magic spell, you may straight damage die on the foe that struck you as a mystic backlash.
Commit Effort just before it is triggered. The spell is then suspend-
ed and may be released as an action at any time thereafter, with the
Wizards Wrath Instant
Committed Effort returning at the end of that scene. You may suspend
more than one spell if you're willing to Commit the Effort to each, Commit Effort. Your Fray die can harm even worthy foes, those en-
but releasing a spell requires your action for the turn. emies of greater hit dice than you have levels. This power also affects
those gifts that allow you to apply your Fray die as part of their effects,
increasing the potency of such powers.
Greater Pavis of Rule Action
Commit Effort for the scene. For the duration, you are immune to
all low magic spells and gain a +4 bonus on all saving throws versus Greater Gifts
theurgy. If a theurgy invocation would not normally allow a save, you
Adept of the Throne Constant
can make one without the bonus to resist its effects.
You have been initiated into the Throne, the deepest degree of theur-
The Word of Sorcery in Play gys secrets. You must be an adept of the Way to master this. You
master two invocations of the Throne as part of this learning and
may learn more as you find them.

Adept of the Way Constant

You have been initiated into the Way, the second tier of theurgic
mysteries. You must already be an adept of the Gate to master this.
You master three invocations of the Way as part of this learning and
may learn more as you find them.

Ruler of the Lesser Paths Constant

Commit Effort. After an hours meditation, you may select one low
magic tradition which you have spent at least a day in study with a
practitioner of any level of mastery. Until the Effort is reclaimed, you
may cast spells as an archmage of that path. While this gift is in effect,
you are entirely immune to that paths spells if you so desire.

51
 Sun
Light, hope, vision and purity are the purviews of the Sun Word. The
sun banishes malevolent sorcery and gives courage with its radiance. The Word of the Sun in Play
Miracles of the sun might be used to break spells, reveal truths, give
hope, or blast the impure with torrents of celestial flame. The suns
eye is all-seeing, and gifts of vision also fall under this sphere.

Heroes with the Sun Word may shed daylight at will up to 200 feet,
cannot be blinded or their vision impaired by darkness or mists, and
have an invincible defense against fire damage. Their vision is suf-
ficiently powerful to pierce blindfolds or survive even the physical
removal of their eyes.

Lesser Gifts
Body of Burning Light On Turn
Commit Effort. Your brilliance makes you almost impossible to tar-
get, by creatures who operate by means of vision. While you shine,
your natural AC is 3 against creatures with sight. Your weapons or
unarmed attacks count as a magical weapon with a range of 200 feet,
and do a minimum of 1d10 damage. Your corona counts as natural
sunlight for susceptible creatures. Armor and shields don't aid this AC.

Hasten to the Light Action

Commit Effort for the scene. Instantly appear in any place lit by
natural sunlight or your own radiance, provided it's within one mile.
You appear at the nearest valid light to your desired destination.

Hope of the Dawn On Turn Greater Gifts

Commit Effort. You and allies within your general area gain a Morale
Creations First Light On Turn
of 12 and an invincible defense against magical emotional influence.
Allied NPCs gain +1 hit die and +1 to hit. Those in sight of you Commit Effort. Your vision penetrates any non-magical barrier, allow-
have an instinctive awareness of your wishes, though they are not ing you to see anything and everything out to the horizon. Focusing
compelled to obey. on something not in the immediate area requires a round. This vision
automatically penetrates illusions and sees the true shape of shape-
shifters. It cannot pierce the gifts of the Deception Word, however.
Illumine That Which Is On Turn
Commit Effort. Your radiance limns magical effects on people, ban-
Purging Noonday Blaze Action
ishes magical darkness, dispels mortal illusion, and reveals magical
items. Those with the gifts of Deception or Night may make a Spirit Commit Effort for the scene. A burning light permanently banishes
saving throw to maintain their illusions or gloom. all undesired low magic out to sight range. If the Effort is committed
for a day, it suppresses all offensive gifts or magical powers of a single
target for one round, as if by a successful miracle applied to each.
Purity of Brilliant Law Instant
This gift can be used for such offensive dispelling only once per scene.
Commit Effort for the scene. Defensively dispel a hostile magical
effect on yourself or offensively dispel another gift for a round as if
Sunstrike (Smite) Action
with a miracle. This gift functions more swiftly than a conventional
miracle of dispelling, and the Effort need not be committed for so long. Commit Effort for the scene. If the sun is in the sky, its radiance strikes
a desired visible foe for 1d10 fire damage per level of the Godbound,
This blaze will penetrate any roof or ceiling not proof against divine
Sunlit Sight Action
gifts in order to strike the target. If the sun is not in the sky the bolt
Commit Effort. Choose a place youve been that is currently lit directly does 1d6 damage per level. Creatures not of this world, such as sum-
by the sun. See and hear everything in that place as if present. Your moned entities, angels or Uncreated, always take 1d10 damage per
voice can be heard there by those present. level and roll the damage twice to take the harshest result.

52
Sword
The Word of the Sword is that of melee combat, of direct struggle Steel Without End Constant
between the Godbound and their foes. Miracles of the Sword involve All your melee weapon attacks are treated as magic weapons doing
unerring strokes, tremendous blows, or marvelous escapes from harm a 1d10+1 damage die, including unarmed attacks. As with all weap-
in battle. While potent, these miracles do not work at range. on-boosting gifts, you may use any attribute to modify attacks made
in this way, provided you can explain how it is relevant to your style.
Heroes with the Sword Word treat all their weapon or unarmed
attacks as magical, cannot be disarmed, and can summon any melee
Thirsting Razor On Turn
weapon theyve ever used immediately to hand as an Instant action.
Commit Effort. You always hit lesser foes with your melee attacks. No
Lesser Gifts attack roll is necessary, but this benefit applies only to actual melee
weapon or unarmed attacks, and not to other effects that involve
Contempt of Distance Constant
hitting a foe to inflict a hostile effect.
Your movement action can take you to any point in movement range,
provided the path is unobstructed and theres a target to hit at the
Through A Red Forest On Turn
end of the move. A hero could thus dash straight to a rooftop or bal-
cony without navigating the physical route there. Foes too far away Commit Effort. While the Effort is committed, when fighting multiple
to reach in one round can be pursued over multiple rounds, but they lesser foes or a Mob of them, you may choose to take damage as if
must be attacked once reached. This pursuit can even extend into the from a successful hit from one of them of the GMs choice. You then
air, supporting the hero until they defeat their enemy or choose to gain an invincible defense against weapon or unarmed attacks from
disengage, whereupon they land safely at a point below. the rest of these lesser foes until the start of your next turn.

Nine Iron Walls Instant Unerring Blade Instant

Commit Effort for the scene. You have an invincible defense against Commit Effort to the scenes end. Your current or next melee attack
all physical attacks until the start of your next round. This defense hits on anything but a natural roll of 1 and does maximum damage.
does not apply to environmental hazards, spells, or other non-attack This strike can penetrate any protection short of an invincible defense
forms of harm. As with all Instants, this can be used even after an against the weapon being used.
assailant has rolled a successful hit.

The Word of the Sword in Play Greater Gifts

Cutting the Crimson Road On Turn
Commit Effort. Against foes of half or fewer hit dice than you have
levels, to a minimum of 1, your melee damage rolls are read straight
and always maximized. The overflow can be applied against any other
foes that fit the conditions and are within 10 feet. Against Mobs made
up of applicable creatures, you instead simply roll your damage die
straight without maximizing it. This gift does not affect Fray dice.

The Path Through War On Turn

Commit Effort. So long as you dont make an attack roll or cast a
hostile effect that round, you have an invincible defense against all
weapon or unarmed attacks. You can still use your Fray die while
under this effect. This defense is not applicable to environmental,
spell, or magical effect damage. Once this gift is dropped or ended, it
cannot be re-activated during that same scene.

Shattering Hand On Turn

Commit Effort. Your melee damage rolls and Fray dice are always
the maximum possible. You can destroy barriers as thick as five feet
of stonework in front of you in one rounds action, smashing them
with a blow or as part of your movement action. Magical substances
may resist this power.

53
 Time
Time is a complex Word, one ruling events of the past and future. Greater Gifts
While temporal gifts can often see the future, such outcomes are not
A Hand on the Balance Action
set. Predictions can be overcome by events and choices, though some
gifts of Time allow the user to fix a futures certainty, unless their will Commit Effort, choose a single visible creature or object, and define
is overcome by a stronger power. Miracles of Time can alter the past a particular outcome or event involving that target, however broad
and rewrite prior events, but it is generally necessary to manipulate or narrow it may be. If that outcome or event is ever about to occur
specific events rather than simply decree a broad swath of history. while the Effort is still Committed, you become instantly aware of
Temporal manipulation cannot kill people or erase things of great it and can take one action as if you were standing next to the target.
occult power, but it can alter how past events played out. You can attack the target, manipulate an object, use a gift, invoke a
miracle, or do anything else you can do in one action, affecting the
Heroes with the Time Word always know the exact time, and are target and anyone else present, though you are not actually there and
immune to any uses of this Word to affect them or scry on them. cannot be perceived or affected. Your Committed Effort returns at the
They may set their Wisdom to 16, or 18 if its already 16 or higher. end of the day. This power can affect a given target only once per day.

Lesser Gifts
Sundered Moment On Turn
Echoes of the Past Action
Commit Effort for the scene. Perform your action for the round,
Commit Effort for the scene. Choose a particular time or known then reset time to its beginning and perform another rounds action.
event in the past that occurred at this location and witness it as if Choose your preferred round; its outcomes become real while the
you were present. other ceases to exist, even if you perished in it. You remember both
rounds, however. Using this gift more than once per scene increases
the Effort cost to a day-long Commitment.
Immediate Foresight Constant
You cannot be surprised. Your natural armor class is 3, as you in-
Reweave Time Action
stinctively avoid foreseen blows. Armor and shields don't aid this AC.
Commit Effort for the day and choose an event in the area which has
taken place in the last hour. You may reweave the past to produce a
Look Forward Action
different outcome to the event, provided the outcome you ordain is
Commit Effort for the day. Ask a question about a situations future possible. Such reweaving cannot kill or resurrect creatures, cannot
outcome or the future actions of a person youve seen. The GM gives restore Committed Effort, and must be restricted to an event of no
a one-sentence answer regarding the most probable outcome that more than 15 minutes duration. A hostile worthy foe involved in the
seems likely to them. events may make a Spirit saving throw to foil the reweaving.

Prophetic Insight On Turn The Word of Time in Play

Commit Effort for the day. Make a prophecy about a particular event
involving a person present. It will come to pass if it is not completely
improbable. If it directly involves an unwilling worthy foe, they can
make a Spirit save to disrupt the effect. Events that immediately
involve more than a hundred people cannot be so ordained, nor can
a persons inevitable death or great ruin be foretold unless they count
as a lesser foe. Even then, they are allowed a Spirit saving throw.

Reflex of Regret On Turn

Commit Effort for the scene. Replay your action for that round as if
your actions had never occurred. You can use this gift only once per
round, and you cant use it if youre dead or incapacitated.

Withering Hour On Turn

Commit Effort. Your weapon, glance, or unarmed blows are treated
as magic weapons doing 1d10 damage out to a 200 foot range. Those
injured by this effect grow older or more decayed, even immortals fray-
ing. Instead of killing a victim with this, you can age them arbitrarily.

54
Wealth
Wealth is the Word not only of gold, but of prosperity of all kinds.
Sustain the Multitude On Turn
Steady pay, full larders, warm clothes, and sturdy roofs are the purview Commit Effort and bless a faction with a Power score no larger than
of this Word. Some of its powers interact with the Faction system on 2, affecting a city at most. The faction gains the Feature, "We always
page XX, giving blessings or curses to whole cities or nations. have enough to survive.", providing them with sufficient supplies of
Some gifts of Wealth allow the creation of non-magical objects, food, clothing, and other needs regardless of the bleakness of their
and a hero can use these powers to create great sums of gold or other surroundings or recent losses. This Feature can be used to defend
precious materials. As a general rule, these gifts can be used to create during relevant conflicts, but it cannot be sacrificed on a loss, and lasts
enough Wealth to accomplish any immediate end desired, but the as long as the Godbound keeps their Effort Committed.
inflation caused by such a sudden rush of fist-sized jewels will make
further artificial Wealth expenditures in the area useless for some
Wither the Purse Action
time. A hero who operates more slowly, using the gifts to create actual
objects of practical use, does not cause this sort of inflation. Such Commit Effort for the scene and target a victim in sight. Their fi-
created Wealth is useless for the purposes of exerting Dominion, and nances suffer immediate and drastic loss, whether from thieves, arson,
cannot be spent for that end. misfortune, or bad trade. They lose one Wealth point worth of posses-
sions per level of the Godbound. Worthy foes can make a Spirit save to
Heroes with the Wealth Word are never short of money, and can resist. Those who steward others money or have far-flung possessions
always afford anything that costs 1 Wealth or less. They always have lose only their own personal funds or those in the immediate area.
sufficient food, drink, and clothing for themselves and their compan- If used against someone who directly controls a faction's wealth or
ions, drawing it from nothingness if necessary. facilities, their faction loses the benefit of one economically-related
Feature the victim oversees for the next faction turn.

Lesser Gifts
Greater Gifts
The Craft to Make Action
Forever Sufficient Constant
Commit Effort. You can create or duplicate any mundane inanimate
object youve seen before in one round, provided its no larger than a You and your companions always have whatever mundane objects
wagon. The object is permanent if it is created mostly out of service- or mounts you need, provided its no larger than a small sailing ship.
able preexisting materials. If you make its major parts from nothing, Luck, foresight, and strange provenance conspire to bring you your
it lasts only as long as the Effort is committed. desires exactly when you need them, every object needed appearing
in their pockets, packs, or nearby surroundings. These objects tend to
vanish after you stop needing them, and they cannot replicate precise
Ever-Sufficient Provenance On Turn
other objects such as keys or seals.
Commit Effort. You can produce any mundane objects or domes-
ticated animals you need as long as the Effort remains committed,
The Golden God's Hand Action
enough to outfit or horse one hundred people per level. The objects
and creatures vanish once the Effort is reclaimed. The objects must Commit Effort and curse or bless a faction or community with a
be no larger than a horse, and the animals are docile and unfit for Power score no larger than half your level, rounded up. You may
war, though they can be butchered or put to other normal uses. If the either grant them a beneficial Feature having to do with prosperity or
Effort is left committed long enough for them to be eaten, they will wealth, or you may suppress an existing Feature they have that relies
still nourish their consumers after the Effort is reclaimed. on money or large amounts of resources. Granted Features can defend,
but cannot be sacrificed on a loss. Empyrean Wards do not hinder this
effect unless the entire area being cursed or blessed is protected by the
Flawless Reproduction Action
ward. The curse or blessing manifests very rapidly in the course of a
Commit Effort and touch a non-magical object or domestic animal day, and lasts for as long as the Effort remains Committed.
no larger than a large wagon. Every minute, a perfect duplicate of
the thing appears somewhere near the original until the Effort is
Thieves Bane Constant
reclaimed. This duplicate persists even after the Effort is reclaimed.
Lesser foes are utterly unable to successfully rob you or your compan-
ions by stealth or fraudulent bargaining. Whenever any worthy foe
Prosperity's Abundance Action
attempts to steal from or monetarily defraud you or your companions,
Spend the Wealth necessary to purchase a generally-available object you catch an immediate vision of the attempt and can take a single
or service, with a minimum of 1 point, and have it appear instantly. action against the thief as if you were standing next to them, though
Services are performed by unseen hands to a good quality of work, they can do nothing against you in return. If multiple thieves are
taking as long as it would take to execute the work normally. Only involved, you get one action against each. Thieves who are worthy
"real" Wealth can power this gift, not Wealth created by magic or gifts. foes can make a Spirit saving throw to escape your notice.

55
 Magic and Spellcasting
There are two major forms of magic: that of the lesser arts and the Low Magic Capabilities
secrets of high theurgy. Low magic is a remnant art, a discipline of While some traditions have special arts, most spells have certain
scraps and pieces assembled from the wreckage of the Former Empires. general limits. These limits can be blurred at the GMs discretion, but
It is dependent upon its traditions, those arcane legacies that have most sorcerous workings must abide by these strictures.
preserved its remains and adapted it to the limited resources of this
latter age. High magic is something deeper and stronger. Theurgy, as Spells cant affect anything outside the sorcerers presence, at
it is called, is the art of appealing to the true powers of creation and most out to the maximum range of their line of sight.
invoking the deep laws by which all things were made. While many
with the natural aptitude can take up the laborious traditions of magic, Spell effects dont last longer than the next sunrise, though
only Godbound and the mightiest arcanists can wield true theurgy. their consequences can linger. Speeding a natural process such
as healing produces a lasting cure, and subtle blessings or curses
Preparing and Casting Low Magic might last as long as a week.
A hero can use low magic if they have a Fact related to their mastery
of a tradition. While ordinary mortals must painstakingly master each Spells cant create permanent matter. Summoned objects
tier of expertise, a hero with a relevant Fact can cast all the spells of disappear at sunrise, and conjured food and drink provides only
their known traditions. A single Fact cannot normally grant access temporary satiation.
to more than one tradition. Lesser sorcerers may know only some of
the arts of their tradition and require a mentor or grimoire to reveal Individual traditions have learned ways to sidestep these limita-
all the capabilities of their expertise. tions, invoking ancient pacts and secret techniques to violate the bans.
Unless specified otherwise, casting a spell requires both a lengthy These methods are unique and specific to each tradition, however,
ritual and certain basic tools and supplies. These inscribed charms, and mastering the secrets of one doesnt mean that they can be used
sanctified tokens, auspicious materials, and other occult paraphernalia with another path.
are not difficult to acquire, but if the caster finds themselves stripped
of their belongings they will need some opportunity to reassemble Low Magic and Gifts
their tools. The length of the ritual required depends on the difficulty Mortal magic is unable to directly overcome gifts. The dispellations of
of the spell. Apprentice spells require 15 minutes of work, adept spells a curse-eater cannot undo the blights of the Word of Luck, and even
require an hour, master-level spells need four hours, and invoking the the strongest mortal curse must dissolve before a miracle wrought
magic of an archmage requires an all-day working. These rituals are by some appropriate Word. Magical wards designed to fend off a
ruined by interruption or damage, with the spell fizzling uselessly. particular type of danger also fail in the face of a heros powers; a fire
Some traditions are capable of suspending almost-completed rituals, sorcerers magical shield against heat cant hold back the blaze of a
storing their virtue in some token, elixir, or parchment. Only the caster chosen of Fire, and a mind-wizards mental defenses cant prevent the
can activate the power within these items, but they can be deployed as powers of Command from taking hold. At most, the GM might grant
their action for the turn, going off at the beginning of their next turn a +4 bonus on their saving throw if any are allowed.
if not spoiled by damage. The caster can prepare up to two spells of
this kind per hit die or level. Details of the spell, such as targets, range, Summoning Creatures
or exact effects are determined when the caster unleashes the effect. Some magical traditions allow for the summoning of servitor crea-
If the caster has mastered multiple traditions that allow prepared tures. Under most circumstances, a sorcerer can summon no more
spells, they still cant prepare more than two per hit die. The initiate than one creature at a time. Supernatural creatures manifest out
can always cast spells more slowly if the situation allows it. of thin air, while natural beasts travel to the summoner over the
Other traditions allow a spontaneous choice of effects, casting a spell course of the ritual. Of the low magic traditions depicted here, only
with no more than a brief invocation and the right occult implement the Cinnabar Order and the theotechnicians teach these techniques
to hand, the spell taking an action to cast and going off at the start of as a normal part of training. Other traditions either don't have the
their next turn. Injury before the spell goes off spoils it. While these art at all or else students must learn it from a reclusive master or a
traditions can still be used more slowly at need, an initiate of the art long-vanished tome of occult secrets.
may cast one spell per hit die or level before they need at least an hours For traditions that allow such summoning, an apprentice caster
respite to restore their energies. Note that just because the tradition can call only very minor imps or sprites of no use in combat and no
can be used spontaneously, it doesnt mean that it also teaches how consequential abilities. An adept can summon a 2 HD creature, a
to store power as a prepared object. In the case that a sorcerer also master can summon a 4 HD creature, and an archmage can call up
uses a tradition that allows prepared spells, each two prepared spells an 8 HD creature.
decreases the allowed instant spells by one. Thus, a 3 hit die adept The Bestiary chapter provides example combat statistics for sum-
with two prepared spells from one tradition could freely cast two more moned entities on page XX. Summoned creatures will obey within
from another tradition before their powers were exhausted for a time. the parameters of their nature, but will not act suicidally unless they
Each tradition gives examples of the kind of spells usable at a given are automatons or other entities without self-will. Most summoned
level of mastery. Other spells of similar theme and power can also be beings are intelligent enough to follow orders in a rational way, though
cast by the sorcerer, given GM agreement. not all of them communicate in ways that humans understand.

56
The Academy of Thought
The Academicians of Thought have their greatest school at the Bronze Apprentice
Collegium in the great city of Xilong in the Dulimbai Regency, where Sense surface emotions in a subject, understand the speaker of a
they study their arts alongside the chroniclers of dead realms and the foreign language, reroll a saving throw against a mental effect as an
reckless investigators of god-husks and lost artifices. They proudly Instant spell, or have a brief mental conversation with a willing target
claim to be heritors of the philosophers of selfhood that aided in the in sight.
selection and priming of individuals for their eventual transforma-
tion into the Made Gods. As such, they are a notoriously atheistic Adept
tradition, ever prying into unseemly matters and profane secrets, and Project emotions to a subject, create a mental link of communication
the ancestor-cultists of Dulimbai regard them with distinct mistrust. with a willing target that extends out to a mile, read surface thoughts
Academicians pride themselves on the sublimity of their tradition. and strong images in a target, or trick a target into seeing or hearing
Its powers may be invoked spontaneously, and are so subtle that only something illusory.
another Academician can tell when a spell is being cast. This elegance
comes at a price, however, as such quick castings force an excessive Master
surge of magical energy through the sorcerers brain tissues and leave Control a targets emotions fully within their usual range of passions,
them faintly debilitated for a time thereafter. Each spell cast spon- compel a target to obey for a scene in any non-harmful way, implant
taneously applies a cumulative -1 penalty to all hit rolls, attribute a subconscious suggestion they will carry out later that day if it is not
checks and saving throws until the caster can rest for half an hour. A against their nature, or read well-remembered memories on a specific
caster can avoid incrementing this increasing penalty by routing the topic from a target
power through softer tissues and accepting a 1d6 damage die of injury.
Aside from this complication, the arts of the Academician are ex- Archmage
tremely cerebral in nature. None of its spells can affect the physical Inflict 2d6 psychic damage dice on a target, compel a target to obey
world in any way; they function only on the brains of living creatures, for a scene in any non-suicidal way, or for a day in any not-especial-
intelligent or otherwise. Lesser foes get no saving throw against their ly-objectionable way, or deeply probe into even forgotten memories
spells, but worthy enemies may make a Spirit save to resist them. on a particular topic.

57
 The Cinnabar Order Curse-Eaters
A priesthood of scourging flame from the red sand deserts of the Grim heritors of ancient theotechnic disaster recovery methods,
Oasis States, the Cinnabar Order works its ways in flame-shrines curse-eaters are an informal brotherhood of initiates trained in the
and monasteries of ash. Their adepts bring sourceless fire to the in- lifting and banishing of hostile magical effects. While they are hon-
habitants of the great pyramid-cities. Each likely boy or girl is obliged ored for their utility in dispelling dangerous magic, the wise also
to spend long years in study before they are permitted to leave the understand that they can lay down the same blights they lift up. Most
shrine where they were trained. Some are enlisted by a city in need are glad to receive them and glad to see them go once the work is done.
of another flame-sorcerer, while others travel to the wet lands for A loose fraternity of these practitioners is found in the Raktine Con-
their damp green secrets. federacy, some in service to the Black Academies while others serve as
They revere the dead gods of fire and heat, mastering their ancient freelance defenders of the peasants. A few curse-eaters are also found
liturgies to call forth the flame that their people need to survive in in Ancalia, where their secrets formed the basis for the Invocatant
a land where there is little to burn. Their arts are quick and easy to order of Ancalian knighthood. Their special expertise is sometimes
invoke, and they may cast spells spontaneously. requested when the Invocatants can't deal with a problem alone.
While the Cinnabar Order is a vital part of the life of the great pyra- The blights of curse-eaters can take many forms: unluck, sickness,
mid-arcologies of the Oasis States, its members are viewed with a mix or even death in the case of the mightiest banes. These curses will
of fear and distaste. The ancient adepts of the Order were strongly usually last for a month, if strong or overt, or a year for more subtle
opposed to the transhuman breeding experiments that continue to afflictions. The very mightiest curses can last generations, though
this day among the families of the pyramids, and their refusal to these are usually only enough to afflict a victim rather than kill them.
cooperate in lending Cinnabar Order pupils to the genetic stock won Lesser curses can either affect a specific type of action and force a
them the displeasure of the cities' sorcerous flesh-shapers. The arcane -4 penalty on d20 rolls for it, or be general ill-luck that applies a -2
descendants of these ancient fire-magi preserve their distance from penalty to all d20 rolls. Greater curses can force automatic failure of
the eugenic experiments of the Oasian nobility, obliging the Order's specific actions for a few times before they unravel, or simply cause
leaders to remain in the security of their ash monasteries. the automatic failure of the first attempt at the action each scene
Despite this ancient hostility, the pyramids still need the magical before applying a -4 penalty to further attempts. Greater curses can
fires that the Cinnabar Order provides in order to maintain their also inflict severe, lasting sicknesses, or result in the almost-certain
massive enchanted hydroponic gardens. As such, they are paid in eventual deaths of lesser foes.
necessities for their monasteries and maintain a certain legal impunity Curse-eaters can prepare their spells beforehand in small tokens
under Oasian law. So long as they don't interfere too overtly with which they crush or break to release the effect. When they turn a
the nobility, they and their servants may ignore almost all other laws. curse back on its caster or detect a blights enactor, they can reach
any distance to the sorcerer responsible for it; the magic itself gives
them a connection which defies normal limits of range.
Apprentice
Every apprentice of the Cinnabar Order is skilled in desert survival, Apprentice
the finding of water, the liturgies of the dead red gods, and the sub- Apprentice curse-eaters can detect the presence of magic, sense and
tleties of all things that burn and explode. They are not taught any identify curses and their effects, or dispel low magic effects on their
magical secrets until they have mastered all these things, however. own person.

Adept Adept
Adepts can make torches or candles burn all day without being con- Adepts can dispel low magic on a target, receive a vision of the person
sumed, become immune to fires smaller than a bonfire, light a nimbus who laid a curse on someone, or lay a curse on someone that can last
of fire around their limbs (turning them into 1d6 weapons), summon as much as a year and inflict subtle but significant hindrance.
2 HD Cinnabar Sparks from the bestiary chapter, or cause a one foot
cube of matter to become flammable regardless of its composition. Master
Those who have mastered the curse-eater's arts can dispel low magic
Master on a building or structure and everyone in it, create a shield that
Masters of the Cinnabar Order can hurl bolts of flame (1d10), be- negates the next hostile low magic spell, place a greater curse on
come immune to mundane flames, extinguish a fire no larger than a someone that will probably get them killed within a month or debil-
house fire, create a nimbus of flame for a scene that burns everyone itated indefinitely, or place a lesser curse on an entire group of people
around them within 10 feet for 1d4 damage, control the burning of in your presence.
a fire no larger than a bonfire, summon 4 HD Cinnabar Sparks, or
command creatures of flame to briefly obey them for a scene. Archmage
The rare curse-eater who lives long enough to become an archmage
Archmage can create a shield that reflects the next hostile low magic spell back
Archmages can hurl exploding balls of flame that do 2d10 damage to at the caster, place a greater curse on a lesser foe that will kill them
everything within a 20 radius of their landing point, become immune in moments, place a lesser curse that will dilute as it travels down to
even to magical flames, summon an 8 HD Cinnabar Conflagration, their heirs for seven generations, or lift a curse from someone and
or extinguish all fires around them in a 50 radius. send it back at its caster.

58
The Empty Way Hedge Magic
Some see the secrets of the ancients as a path to power and control. A practice that requires years of laborious study, hedge magic teach-
They wield magic as a tool, using the ancient invocations and occult es its pupils the subtle knowledge of the common folk, their cures
prayers to compel the tattered remnants of divinity to obey their and planting-times and luck-charms. In most places this tradition is
purposes. The adepts of the Empty Way turned their back on such thickly encrusted with the superstitions and traditions of the local
profane behavior long centuries ago. Since then they have kept to practitioners, leaving a vast amount of effort to be expended before
themselves in isolated monasteries and remote hermitages, taking as any true magic is learned.
disciples those souls who sought refuge from the world and a path While almost any adequately clever man or woman can learn to use
toward perfection of the soul. the disjointed arts of the hedge magician, it takes time and patient
Adepts of the Empty Way are found throughout Arcem, though labor to learn the craft. Apprentices and adepts actually have no
most often as Raktian hermits or monastics who follow a Uniter magical powers at all, and are simply well-versed in all the knowledge
version of the doctrine, or Toban lamas and their disciples who use necessary for a village wise-man or wise-woman. Treat familiarity
their arts to defend and advance the interests of their monastery. with this tradition as a helpful Fact when such knowledge is relevant
Individual mystical practitioners are also found in Dulimbai, along to an attribute check. Hedge magic takes the usual ritual time to cast.
with a scattering of Lomite atheist-monks in the far north. Hedge mages are found throughout Arcem. Almost every hamlet
The magic of the Empty Way is quick to employ, and may be cast worth a name has at least an apprentice of the art in residence, though
spontaneously. It requires no material instruments whatsoever, not the vast majority of these "mages" have no magical talent whatsoever.
even when it is cast as a ritual. The sages of this path obstinately re- Adepts are the most commonly found, with most of those rare few that
nounce the use of magic as a tool to affect the outside world, however, have actual arcane potential never getting the opportunity to develop
and so spells of the Empty Way only ever affect the caster. They may magic. Only when their teacher is truly gifted as well do they have
then choose to use their newfound strength to act in the world, but the chance to learn the deeper secrets of roots, seasons, and the man-
their philosophers consider that a very different prospect than that agement of troublesome neighbors. Of course, having true magic can
of the direct employ of sorcery. be a curse when those neighbors start demanding miracles from you.
Initiates of the Empty Way symbolize their renunciation of direct
influence on the world by their adoption of a particular taboo, whether Apprentice
celibacy, poverty, rigid dietary bans, strict obedience to a superior, Apprentice hedge magicians study herbs, livestock, the rudiments of
lengthy periods of prayer each day, or some other stricture. Breaking fortunetelling, and the fabrication of the necessary tools and charms
this taboo or neglecting this duty costs them all use of their powers for later work. No true magic is learned at this level of experience.
until they can spend a full day in meditation and purification. Most are apprenticed young and have mastered this level of expertise
Those of the Empty Way who learn another traditions magic may by their eighteenth birthday.
use that magic normally, though other adepts of the path are apt to
view them as very bad believers for meddling with magic that way. Adept
Adepts are proficient healers and herbalists, and talented at dealing
Apprentice with humans and animals alike. They know much of managing peo-
The apprentice can cast spells to gain immunity to hot or cold weather, ple, keeping the common folk in due awe of their learning without
ignore hunger and thirst for a day, become impervious to pain and able promising too much or inspiring excessive dread. Most villages have
to fight on for one round after reaching zero hit dice or hit points, or hedge magicians of this level of expertise, with knowledge but no true
turn their unarmed attacks into 1d6 weapons for a scene. magic at their command.

Adept Master
The adept's spells can turn unarmed attacks into 1d8 weapons, grant This degree is rarely ever learned before an adepts fiftieth winter. The
them a natural armor class of 5 for a scene, leap up to sixty feet magician can perform true magic now, albeit of a modest and subtle
horizontally or half that vertically, gain immunity to natural flame type. They can cure sick livestock and minor human ailments, ensure
or frost, or heal 1 hit die or hit point of damage as an Instant action. wounds heal cleanly, find lost objects within familiar terrain, bring luck
or misfortune to a specific endeavor (+/-2 to relevant attribute checks),
Master or perform rituals that restore vigor and wakefulness to a group.
The sage master's spells can purge disease or poison from the blood,
grant them a natural armor class of 3 for a scene, levitate up or down Archmage
at their full movement rate for a scene, see clearly even in perfect Only the oldest and wisest of hedge mages attain to this degree of
darkness, or satiate their need for food, sleep, and drink for the day. mastery. They can break mortal curses, miraculously heal physical
wounds for 1d6 hit dice of healing, cure any non-magical diseases,
Archmage curse or bless an undertaking so as to roll twice on one attribute
An archmage may turn unarmed attacks into 1d10 weapons, turn check and take the better or worse, identify the general properties of
invisible for a scene or until they take a vigorous action, become im- magical objects or effects, bewitch people to friendliness or enmity,
pervious to non-magical weapon attacks for a scene so long as they or foretell a very likely near future for a person. Any healing requires
take no hostile action, restore youthful vigor for the day regardless that the recipient Commit Effort for the day to assimilate the power.
of age, or gain immunity to mortal mind-affecting magic for the day. Those without listed Effort can benefit from healing once per day.

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 The Merciful Hand Seers of the Bright Eye
In the wake of the Last War the loss of life was incalculable. Where The making of the Made Gods required a more than mortal awareness
only some of the secrets of the past could be preserved, the arts of of the flow of arcane energies and divine numina. While the rarefied
magical healing were among those most often rescued. Ancient divine excellencies of awareness that went into creating these artificial gods
protocols of succor were passed down among numerous nations and is long since lost, the Seers of the Bright Eye have managed to retain
peoples, and the ensuing body of knowledge came to be known in the more prosaic arts of foretelling and far-seeing that win them their
many lands as the Merciful Hand. These adepts are honored in all current coin and influence.
civilized lands, and only monsters or the truly barbarous would dare Lesser Seers are little more than street-corner fortune-tellers, using
to harm them. Custom demands that they give at least an hour or a few small arts to puzzle out what a petitioner wants to be told of
two of their labor wherever they might stay the night. the future. In cities were several dwell, they usually form together
Their hospice-academies are rare, but are invariably well-supported into formal guilds of oracles, the better to avoid treading on each
by the local nobility, though in some lands this closeness has become others prophecies and to train apprentices in the art. These novices
an unhealthily incestuous bond between the Hand and the nobility. In are often recruited from likely urchins, and are little more than slave
these places only apprentices of suitably good breeding are allowed to labor. Many of them have no actual magical talent whatsoever, and
enter the academy, thus neglecting suitable candidates of less glorious make their fortune with a glib tongue and a skill at cold reading.
lineage and leaving the hospice much more interested in the concerns Some Seers with actual talent or determination refine their abilities
of the great. Given how few have the magical gifts required, this can to truly behold the future and cast their senses beyond their imme-
make an adept of the Hand even rarer than they are now. diate surroundings. While the future is always mutable, they can
The traditions spells are potent, but have no power to harm a person gain hints of what is to come and visions of likely future events. This
or affect an unwilling target. Its initiates can prepare some of the more gifted elite finds service in the courts of nobles and princes, though
commonly-needed spells beforehand in elixirs and poultices. most are regularly forced to prove the strength of their gifts by their
suspicious patrons.
Apprentice This gift is hindered by the relatively simple warding practices that
The apprentice engages in study of the healing arts and beneficial herbs, can serve to blind a Seers vision. Any location wrought with these
with no true magic learned at this level yet. This skill does apply as a wards becomes impenetrable to a Seers magic or future sight. Any
useful Fact when performing medical services, however. competent occult adept knows how to lay these wards, but they also
require regular tending to maintain their power. Exceptionally pow-
Adept erful and costly wards can last indefinitely, however, so long as they
The adept knows charms to stabilize the gravely wounded, cure remain physically intact.
non-lethal diseases, numb pain, alleviate non-crippling symptoms,
and magically identify even very esoteric diseases. Apprentice
The apprentice can determine likely immediate good or bad outcomes
Master from a choice, detect curses or magic, pinpoint the time and location
The charms of the master cure 1d6 points of physical damage to hit of the caster, and identify a persons predominant character traits if
points or hit dice, cure even lethal diseases, bring gravely-wounded they have been seen or their birth date is known.
sorts back onto their feet and functional so long as theyre not fur-
ther harmed, correct lamed limbs and damaged but essentially-intact Adept
organs, and grant blessings to protect infection by mundane diseases. The adept can gain brief visions of familiar people and their surround-
ings, identify magic items and standing spells, get visions of important
Archmage events likely to happen to them in the next week, overhear the sounds
The mighty spells of the archmage can cure 2d6 physical damage, of a remote place theyve visited before, and locate lost objects familiar
cure even magical diseases, regrow missing limbs and body parts, and to them. Such scrying never lasts more than a half-hour per spell cast.
provide blessings to protect against infection by magical diseases. Even
so, there are some dire sicknesses that cannot be cured even by an Master
archmage of the Merciful Hand, particularly those magical biological The master can locate people theyve seen or had carefully described
weapons unleashed by some of the more merciless civilizations that to them, ask questions about probable futures and receive yes or
fought in the Last War. no answers, gain visions of where to go to find something, and scry
distant locations known to them. Repeated queries about a single
future topic tend to distort the readings, however.
Healing Magic and Effects
Whenever a spell or other effect heals hit point damage for a Archmage
target, that target normally must Commit Effort to the end Archmages can penetrate weak wards against divination, such as those
of the day, or else their body is unable to support the surge of laid down by occultists of less than master expertise in their low magic
magical force and no benefit is gained. If the healer is curing an tradition. They can also locate people or objects on a casual descrip-
NPC or monster that has no listed Effort, assume that they can tion, provide a detailed oracular description of a likely near-future
do so once per day at most. event, or create a movable scrying point in a distant location. Their
scrying spells last for an hour each at most.

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The Theotechnicians
The Made Gods required a priesthood of theotechnical servitors, Apprentice
trained in the due maintenance and preservation of the elaborate Apprentices learn no magic, but become skilled in architecture, tinker-
edifices of occult artifice that supported their divine power. Each ing, and the crafting of delicate work such as a jeweler or goldsmith
god had his or her own maintenance priesthood, of course, but the might do. Those of the Thousand Gods focus more on learning of the
shared principles and secrets of the tradition have long since survived myriad divinities of the land and their specific powers and servants.
their original patrons. Today, the Bright Republic still maintains a
reliable tradition of theotechnology in its sophisticated etheric engines Adept
and industrial infrastructure, but the deepest secrets of the arts are Adept theotechnicians treat their art as sufficient justification for
preserved by the jungle sages of the Thousand Gods. being able to create minor magic items as described in the Treasures
In the present day, theotechnicians serve as engineers and artificers chapter. Each month of their determined labor counts as 1 Dominion
to the great and small, with even their apprentices capable of erecting point for the creation of a minor magic item, though they cannot
sturdy structures and repairing damaged tools and buildings. They create them in bulk as Godbound can or create arms and armor
are in greatest demand when relics of the Made Gods are unearthed, more powerful than those with a +1 bonus. Adepts can identify the
or ancient artifice-marvels need repair and recharging. Most Bright function and powers of such minor magic items.
Republic towns have at least one theotechnician on hand to tend to
their marvels, and cities make use of them to preserve ancient wonders Master
that no person living can reproduce. The god-tribes of the Thousand A master theotechnician can fashion up to +2 weapons and armor,
Gods have even more such learned men and women, kept constantly and at a cost of 1 Wealth point and a week's work they can build a 4
in service by their merciless divine tyrants. HD minor servitor. This servitor is not sentient, but it will obey the
While applicable to relics and wonders of all kinds, theotechnical master intelligently.
work is not cheap. No work can be done unless the theotechnician
has access to substantial resources, a minimum of Wealth 1 for any Archmage
serious work beyond minor repairs and identifications. Its automata Archmages of the theotechnicians can build +3 weapons and armor
and artificing work remain functional as long as they are intact, how- and can fabricate 8 HD servitors with a month's work and 2 Wealth
ever, and do not vanish or shut down at dawn. The Wealth used to points of expenditure. Archmages automatically succeed at all saving
make the gear must be natural; conjured components spoil the magic. throws forced on them by effects generated by minor magical items.

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 Theurgy and Invocati0ns
Only Godbound, mighty supernatural creatures, and archmages of Theurgy Capabilities
profound learning are capable of wielding theurgy. Godbound must Theurgy is much more powerful than low magic. Things it creates
know the gifts of the Sorcery Word in order to invoke it, while su- and enchantments it lays will persist indefinitely unless otherwise
pernatural entities might have learned it in ages past or simply have indicated. It can reach beyond the boundaries of a single realm and
it inscribed upon their souls. Archmages who learn it often do so even plumb the depths of Uncreated Night. It can create new forms
only through terrible pacts and abominable promises to the powers of life and alter old ones, bringing forth new races of creatures that
of Uncreated Night. In the end, many of these wretched mortals are breed true. There seems to be no limit to the power that theurgy is
not so much wielders of theurgys power, but mere tools through theoretically capable of accomplishing.
which their patrons will is done. The practical limit of theurgy is that even Godbound find it almost
Theurgy is divided into three degrees of initiation. A theurge of impossible to devise new invocations. To do so is an enormous work,
the Gate has mastered the beginning of celestial wisdom, and has one requiring grim focus, great expenditures of Dominion, and voy-
engraved the necessary pacts of entrance upon the bones of his spirit. ages deep within the ruins of Heaven and Hell. Almost all theurges
A theurge of the Way has taken in the deep patterns of Heavens ways are forced to rely upon the invocations they have learned from existing
and begun to understand the truths that underpin all creation. A arts, either from the rare instructor in its deep mysteries or from
theurge of the Throne has turned their vision upward to the empty tomes and instructional relics found in lost places.
seat of the One, and has encompassed as much of the worlds secret Theurgy is also no substitute for Influence or gifts in working large,
meaning as any lesser mind can hope to bear. long-term alterations upon a place or situation. The marvels created
Each degree of initiation allows the theurge to master invocations, by theurgy may be long-lasting, but they are rarely so perfectly suited
special spells that draw from the deep laws of the world. Each invoca- to a theurges needs that they obviate other forms of effort to attain
tion is burdensome to learn and master, but once mastered it remains their ends. More work must be done if its changes are to be stable.
forever with the theurge. Some mortal sorcerers find it necessary to
have additional tomes or impedimenta to call on their theurgy, but Theurgy and Gifts
Godbound and like creatures need no such things. While theurgy is far more powerful than low magic, it is still no match
Learning an invocation of the Gate requires a weeks effort under for divine gifts. Theurgy may be dispelled as mortal magic is dispelled,
the tutelage of a theurge who knows the invocation, or a weeks study and its powers cannot banish the workings of gifts unless specified
of an instructional grimoire. An invocation of the Way requires a otherwise by the invocation. Some invocations truly can be used to
month of such practice, while an invocation of the Throne can only overpower gifts, but these tend to be very specific arts or very focused
be mastered with a full three-month season of effort. in their application. Unless otherwise specified, theurgy is treated as
Once an invocation has been mastered, it may be used whenever the mortal magic for all interactions with gifts.
circumstances permit. If the invocation is cast slowly, with care and
focus, it requires no expenditure of Effort. Such casting requires an Arcane Connections
hour for an invocation of the Gate, half a day for an invocation of the Some theurgic invocations require the use of an arcane connection
Way, and a full days casting for one of the Throne. Any disturbance with the target. Such connections include hair, blood, spittle or other
to the caster while this is being done will spoil the invocation. bodily fluid, or possessions of intimate significance to the target. At
There are times when a theurge doesnt have the leisure for such care- least an ounce of the substance must be obtained to be of use in
ful preparation. They can instead cast more quickly, taking only one magic. As some low magic traditions require their use as well, most
round per tier of initiation, with the invocation activating at the start educated persons of import know not to allow such things to leave
of their next turn after the casting is done. This swift use of power their possession or go unburnt.
requires them to Commit Effort for the scene, however, and the spell An arcane connection goes stale rapidly, and must come into a sor-
will be spoilt and the effort wasted if they are hurt while casting it. cerers possession within a day and a night after it is taken from the
When nothing but immediate results will do, the theurge may cast subject. Once in hand, the sorcerer can conduct the necessary minor
instantly, hurling the invocation as their action for the round. While rituals to keep it spiritually potent for as long as its required. Such
this cannot be interrupted, it requires that they Commit Effort for preserved connections can be stolen from them, however, and used
the day, and suffer a variable amount of damage as the unmediated by a different sorcerer.
fires of creation roar through their unprepared forms. It inflicts a 1d6 An arcanist can acquire multiple arcane connections to a single target,
damage die for invocations of the Gate, 1d12 for those of the Way, but they must be taken from them on different occasions at least a
and 1d20 for the Throne. No gift or power can negate this damage day and a night apart. Using an arcane connection in a spell usually
without simultaneously spoiling the invocation. spoils it, rendering it useless thereafter.

Invocation Time to Learn Cast Slowly Cast Quickly Cast Instantly

Gate 1 week 1 hour 1 round* 1d6 damage die#
Way 1 month 12 hours 2 rounds* 1d12 damage die#
Throne 3 months 1 day 3 rounds* 1d20 damage die#
* indicates the caster must also Commit Effort to the end of the scene, # indicates the caster must also Commit Effort for the day.

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Theurgic Invocations
These are simply some of the most common invocations known among Invocations of the Gate
the realms. Other spells can be found in long-lost libraries or located
amid the sigils engraved on Heavens walls. A few secrets are even Barred Gates of Forbiddance
to be found in the shape of arcane artifacts, their branchings and By means of an arcane connection the theurge may forbid a subject
twistings sculpted as metaphors for the arcane procedures required from entering a particular place. The banned location may be as small
for their invocation. as a particular room or as large as a nation, but it must be a single
recognizable entity. If the subject is within the area forbidden when
Invocations of the Gate the invocation is cast, they must immediately flee to the nearest viable
border by the quickest possible route. If brought into it against their
Barred Gates of Forbiddance
will, they can do nothing but flee at the first opportunity. The theurge
Beacon of Celestial Purity need not be present inside the area to be warded when casting the
The Bright God's Canticle spell, but must know its location and general dimensions.
Lesser foes are unable to resist this spell, while worthy enemies may
The Excision of Days
make a Spirit saving throw to resist the forbiddance. The forbiddance
Kiss of the Crane lasts until it is dispelled or the caster lifts the ban.
Open the Night Road
Beacon of Celestial Purity
Pore of Hell
The theurge shines with a brilliantly clarifying radiance that gently
Ranks of Pale Bone illumines everything within one hundred feet. The light purifies and
Seal of Regnal Dominion cleanses everything it touches, rendering objects clean and neutral-
izing poisons and disease sources, albeit it does not cure afflicted
Sunder the Lesser Spell
persons or banish magic. Any lies or intentional misdirections spoken
The Tireless Iron Cavalcade within the light become visible as a plume of smoking filth rising
The Trumpet of Far Utterance from the speakers mouth. The lies of others cause painful feedback
to the theurge, and inflict a 1d6 damage die each time a lie is spoken.
Invocations of the Way This damage cannot be avoided or negated. The light lasts as long as
the caster desires it and remains conscious. Those with the Word
Curse of the Blighted Strand of Deception can speak lies without being discovered by this spell.
The Deafening Word of Truth
Delaying the Coming of Dawn
The Bright Gods Canticle
This invocation requires that the caster sing, forbidding other speech
The Far-Distant Lance or spellcasting while it is maintained. So long as the caster remains
Glyph of Crowned Impunity singing, those around them are unable to acknowledge their presence,
Mirrored Wheel of the Seasons or the presence of allies who remain close to the theurge. Observers
are aware of the sorcerer, but they can do nothing to act on that aware-
Path to the Bright Sanctum ness unless the invocation is ended. The effect is broken if the mage
Shutting the Dark Way ceases to sing, or they or their allies attack anyone or use hostile effects.
Sign of Avulsive Banishment Lesser foes are affected automatically by the canticle. For others, the
worthy foe with the best saving throw in the group may roll a Spirit
Sunder the Greater Spell save to resist; if successful, no worthy foe is affected, while if it fails,
all are subject to the canticle.
Invocations of the Throne
A Heart's Desire The Excision of Days
Auspice of the Divine King A sorcery dearly desired by the more ruthless among the theurges, the
rite of the Excision of Days steals life from a person to prolong the
Directed Convulsion of Law life of the caster. The subject must be human, restrained and helpless,
Gifts of Spring and Winter and the ritual is too complex to be cast instantly or in a few rounds.
The Grinding Teeth of God The sick and elderly add but a day to the sorcerers lifespan. The young
and healthy add a month, while infants and children are the richest
Legion of Marching Clay in life force and add two months apiece to the wizards longevity. The
Palace of the Sorcerer-Prince victims invariably perish during the ritual, and their souls are dragged
Pierce the Veil of Night down to Hell by the arcane forces involved in the rite. More than
one victim can be sacrificed at once if they are all properly prepared.
Summon the Black Iron Servitor The renewed vitality granted by this ritual is permanent, but pro-
Sunder Every Sorcery longed use invariably has a price. After the first century, the theurge

63
 usually begins to mutate in ways related to the life force they have Seal of Regnal Dominion
stolen, becoming progressively more inhuman and monstrous as less The theurge draws a sign of pale emerald light in the air before the
and less of their original life force remains. Many theurges welcome chosen target, subverting their will to the casters own. While under
this change, as their new bodies are often gifted with uncanny abilities. the seals effects, the victim is absolutely obedient to the theurges
commands, even those suicidal or repugnant to it. They will attempt
Kiss of the Crane to carry out instructions to the best of their ability and natural in-
A small crane-shaped blade is first anointed with the blood of its target, telligence. Animal targets or those that do not share a language with
or otherwise combined with an arcane connection to its intended the theurge can only be made to understand single-word commands.
victim. If the subject is visible, the blade may simply be pointed in A theurge may have no more thralls under the effect of the seal at
their direction, with no need for a connection. When the invocation once than they have levels or hit dice. Lesser foes have no chance of
is cast, the blade leaps into the air and pursues the target, traveling at escaping this dominion, while worthy foes may make a Spirit saving
a rate of a hundred miles an hour to unerringly seek its victim. The throw to resist, and another each time they receive a hateful com-
magical blade then strikes for 1d6 damage per hit die of the theurge mand from the theurge. If not resisted, the seals effects remain until
caster, up to a maximum of 10d6. The crane is unerring, but a second dispelled or dropped by the caster.
crane cannot affect the victim until all injury from the first has healed.
Lesser foes cannot resist this spell, but worthy enemies may make Sunder the Lesser Spell
an Evasion save to take only half damage. The theurge tears away the delicate threads of theurgic sorcery around
a target within sight. A single theurgy invocation of the Gate is in-
Open the Night Road stantly dispelled along with any number of low magic enchantments
Many of the Night Roads between realms are hidden deep within the within thirty feet of the chosen target point. Breaking theurgic magic
earth or concealed in remote locations far from the cities of men. Of always involves a degree of feedback, however, and so the theurge
these, some have been sealed shut by ancient sorcery or closed by the suffers a 1d10 damage die each time this spell ends an invocation.
slow congealing of natural law. This invocation can be used to open a
sealed Night Road entrance or give the caster a sense of the general The Tireless Iron Cavalcade
direction and distance to the nearest one. If the caster is careful, they The theurge summons up steeds of black iron and embers, the horses
can open the Road only briefly, leaving it accessible for a few minutes rising from the earth before the caster. Enough horses are summoned
before the existing seal scabs back over the entrance. More reckless to serve up to a dozen companions. The constructs are tireless and
casters can tear the seal away entirely, leaving the road open for all to perfectly obedient to their riders, allowing their masters to cross twen-
pass until fresh sorcery or natural law closes it once more. ty miles of distance every hour they ride, or half that when crossing
rugged terrain.
Pore of Hell Natural beasts fear the steeds and will never approach them. The
A burning sigil is inscribed on a solid surface, its flames dying to a horses will not fight, but have an armor class of 0 and five hit dice
low ember glow after a few moments. While the invocation remains apiece for purposes of withstanding damage. While swift and obedient,
active, the caster may at any time trigger the pore as an Instant action, the horses drain the fertility out of the earth beneath their hooves in
causing it to vomit out flames and obsidian splinters at everything order to power their metal shells. The blackened hoofmarks make it
within ten feet of the sigil. The caster may choose to have the pore trivially easy to track the riders for up to a month thereafter.
activate automatically when a target comes within three feet of it.
The pore inflicts 1d6 damage per hit die or level of the caster, to a The Trumpet of Far Utterance
maximum of 10d6. Lesser foes get no saving throw against the damage, This invocation requires an arcane connection to the desired target,
while worthy foes can make a Hardiness save to resist the explosion albeit close friends or pantheon-mates may be contacted without the
unharmed. Once discharged, the pore vanishes. A second pore cannot benefit of such a link. When cast, the invocation summons a gauzy
be laid down within the area of effect of the first. image of the target and a five-foot radius echo of their surroundings. A
similar phantasm of the caster appears in the targets proximity. Caster
Ranks of Pale Bone and target may speak to each other through these phantasms, and a
The theurge imbues corpses or other remains with an animating force, single inanimate object no more than ten pounds in weight may be
raising them as soulless lesser undead. For each hit die or level of the passed between the two. The tenuous link produces a 25% chance that
caster, 1d6 hit dice worth of lesser undead can be raised, assuming the object will be lost in transit somewhere in the distance between
sufficient raw materials are available. The corpses need not be intact, the two, however, with a brief glimpse of its resting place provided.
as bones and tissue will merge and flow under the sorcery. Undead The link lasts until the caster drops it, to a limit of one hour. If
that have already been destroyed once, however, are no longer useful the target doesnt wish to accept the contact, worthy foes may roll
for further necromancy. a Spirit save to resist it. If the contact was unwelcome, the arcane
The great majority of human-sized corpses rise as 1 hit die undead, connection crumbles after the spell is complete, whereas a voluntary
though the corpses of terrible beasts or fearsome Misbegotten may communication leaves the connection intact and usable once more.
be more dangerous. The raised creatures are mindlessly loyal to the
theurge or any lieutenants they nominate, but otherwise act as do
most lesser undead. They remain animate until destroyed or until
the invocation that fuels their existence is dispelled. If their creator
is slain, the risen creatures will run rampant against the living.

64
 awkward secret that isnt otherwise important inflicts a 1d10 damage
die on those in the effect. A secret that exposes the caster to significant
danger, reveals a weakness that enemies can exploit, or would incur
MAGWAY the anger of a dangerous enemy inflicts a 1d20 damage die on those
in the effect, and forces all targets to save versus Hardiness or be
stunned and unable to act for a round.
While the caster may not leave any survivors to discuss the secret,
the invocations symbolic significance has its effects. Any secret used
to power this spell is treated as common scholarly knowledge for
the purpose of Knowledge gifts and similar powers, even if no other
living creature knows it.

Delaying the Coming of Dawn

Most often used as an swiftly-cast spell, this invocation tampers with
the natural flow of time around the sorcerer. When cast, the GM
secretly rolls 1d6 to determine how many rounds it will last. For the
duration of the invocation, time stops around the caster. They may
act freely during this time, but cannot damage objects or people or
move living creatures from their frozen positions. Those around the
theurge are oblivious to events that take place while they are acting
under the spell. Godbound of the Word of Time and similar tem-
poral creatures are immune to this spell, and may act freely in the
otherwise-frozen moment.

The Far-Distant Lance

This murderous invocation requires an arcane connection with the vic-
tim. When completed, the target must immediately make a Hardiness
Invocations of the Way save or perish in some gory and spectacular way of the casters choice.
Even those who succeed in the saving throw suffer a 1d10 damage
Curse of the Blighted Strand die per hit die or level of the caster, up to a 10d10 maximum. Lesser
The theurge lays a terrible curse upon a victim, afflicting them with foes get no saving throw at all, and inevitably perish. The amount of
almost any deformity, sickness, or misfortune that is not directly le- force poured through the invocation is painful to the caster, and they
thal. The target must be within the casters sight, or else the theurge suffer half the targets maximum hit dice in points of damage from
must have an arcane connection to them. The caster may describe any the spiritual scorching.
kind of blight to level at the victim, or describe a misfortune that will While potent, the energy forced through the arcane connection
inevitably befall the victim if it is in any way possible. drives the caster out of thaumaturgic alignment with existing con-
Thus, a victim might be cursed to always maim themselves during nections. Once cast on a target, all other currently-existing arcane
combat, or have their eyes rot away, or to seethe with a hundred and connections to that same victim become useless to the caster. Fresh
one sicknesses that dont quite kill them, or so forth. The curse can connections must be harvested after every casting.
only affect them, however, and cannot control other peoples actions
or thoughts, so a curse that their loved ones would reject them would Glyph of Crowned Impunity
be impermissiblealbeit a curse that they should poison the food The theurge inscribes a glowing sigil of rule on their brow, including
of their loved ones accidentally would be quite possible if they ever up to a half-dozen companions in the effect. So long as the sigil re-
have anything to do with their familys meals. mains visible, those under the invocations effect have legal impunity
The curse lasts until the theurge lifts it, it is dispelled, or a cast- in all their actions. They may rob, murder, or offend local mores as
er-chosen circumstance comes to pass. Lesser foes have no power to they wish, and no onlooker will recognize it as a crime. Those they
resist this curse, while worthy foes may save versus Spirit to avoid it. attack may defend themselves, but only their dear friends and allies
will come to their aid, as bystanders looking on will consider it entirely
The Deafening Word of Truth appropriate behavior by those affected. The impunity lasts for one
The theurge utters a secret which is magnified into a destructive blast hour or until the glyph is concealed. After the effect ends, those who
of sound. It affects all in a cone up to one hundred feet long and saw the crime will realize that it was illicit behavior and will likely
fifty feet wide at the end, inflicting damage and knocking down light blame sorcery for their disinclination to interfere.
wooden construction. Lesser foes are knocked down, deafened by Lesser foes are always affected by the glyph, but worthy enemies
the word for an hour thereafter and forced to spend their movement may make a Spirit saving throw to resist its effects and react to the
action standing up again. obvious crimes committed by the arcanist.
The magnitude of the damage done depends on the significance and
importance of the secret. A petty secret that isnt even embarrassing
to the caster inflicts no damage at all to hearers. An embarrassing or

65
 Mirrored Wheel of the Seasons Invocations of the Throne
The theurge lays hands on the engines of time and nature, adjusting
the local climate and weather to match any expected conditions for A Hearts Desire
the area in the next year. A midwinter day could thus be turned to This mighty invocation will bring about anything the theurge wishes
midsummer, or a dank autumn evening to a furious blizzard if such to happen, assuming it is not utterly impossible The effects may take
weather was to be found in a typical winter for the area. The weather more or less time to play out depending on the probability and com-
change is instantaneous, and snow or rain will rapidly build up or plexity of the request, but events that require only natural chance or
vanish over the course of ten minutes to match the targeted weather. the cooperation of lesser foes will automatically happen as the theurge
The theurge can maintain this temporal displacement for up to one desires. If the result requires the actions of worthy enemies, they get
day per level or hit die of the caster. The spell can be maintained for a Spirit saving throw to resist the invocations promptings.
longer still, but inflicts 1d6 damage each day thereafter in damage Unfortunately, this meddling with natural law gouges a deep wound
that cannot be healed until the spell is dispelled or released. Once in the theurges own fate. At one critical point in a future gaming ses-
ended, natural weather must continue for as many days as the spell sion, the GM may force the hero to automatically fail a saving throw
was in effect. or attribute check, without any chance to commit Effort or use a gift
to salvage the failure. This failure will never kill the theurge, but the
Path to the Bright Sanctum invocation cannot be used again until after the misfortune strikes.
The theurgist opens a one-way gate between their present location
and a properly-prepared sanctum. The gate is large enough to admit a Auspice of the Divine King
wagon and remains open for exactly eleven minutes after it is created, The aura of universal kingship clings to the theurge who practices
regardless of the casters wishes. The gate is transparent, and allows this rite. All lesser foes in their presence will instinctively defer to
sight and hearing into the targeted sanctum. The gate can cross any the caster as their rightful ruler and will obey in any way they might
distance within a realm, but it must always target a sanctum and can- normally obey a king. Worthy foes are allowed a Spirit saving throw
not be used to teleport to arbitrary locations. A theurge must prepare to resist, one which may be repeated after each offensive or unnatural
a sanctum personally, the effort taking a full week of purification and order the caster may give them.
careful geomantic arrangement of sigils and carvings at the desired The invocation lasts for as long as the caster wishes to maintain it,
location. A theurge can only maintain one sanctum at a time, though and those bewitched by it will remain loyal servants even after they
rumors persist of more powerful invocations of teleportation. leave the adepts presence. Dispelling effects can free individual sub-
jects, but to end the spell itself it must be dispelled from the person of
Shutting the Dark Way the theurge who cast it. The caster does become exceptionally vulnera-
The Night Roads bring terrifying plagues when they erupt too close ble to the affronts of rebellion, however; while the spell is in effect, any
to civilized lands. Uncreated monsters, relict refugees, and the ter- damage dice rolled against them automatically do maximum damage.
rible perils of the strange ecosystems of the dark roads all scourge
the surrounding lands. While it is sometimes possible to seal these Directed Convulsion of Law
roads with brute force and burial, a powerful theurge can shut them The processes of natural law bow to the theurge who commands this
with this invocation. invocation. Once cast, the theurge can immunize their persons and
Once cast, the road is permanently sealed until it is opened again those of up to a half-dozen allies from particular natural laws, material
with a theurgic invocation or a divine miracle. The theurge must be objects, or natural phenomena. A theurge could absolve themself of
in the presence of a Night Road entrance to seal it. gravity, for example, and fly at their normal movement rate, or exempt
themselves from acknowledging a stone wall and walk through it along
Sign of Avulsive Banishment with their companions. An enemys sword could be negated for them,
The theurge draws on the power of natural law to banish creatures leaving it insubstantial to their touch, or the water in a lake could be
that do not belong to the mundane world. A single Uncreated or angel ignored, allowing them to stride the lake bottom. The spell affects
struck by this invocation takes 1d10 damage per level of the caster, only a single phenomenon or object at a time. Thus, the caster could
up to a maximum of 10d10 damage with no saving throw allowed. ignore a wall or a sword, but not all walls or all swords. The spell can
If cast as an area-effect spell, it can target a zone up to thirty feet in only affect willing allies, and can last for up to an hour.
radius around a chosen point in sight of the theurge, inflicting a 1d6
damage die per caster hit die or level to all valid targets within the zone. Gifts of Spring and Winter
While powerful, the energies drawn by the spell can be dangerous Years are taken or added to the caster of this spell, granting them
if they cannot be vented. If the theurge targets a creature that is not whatever physical age they choose. The change is permanent and
Uncreated or angelic, or if there are non-valid targets in the area-ef- cannot be dispelled, though the caster ages normally afterwards. Un-
fect blast, the theurge takes the same damage that they would have fortunately, this immortality does require a power source to complete
inflicted on the target. This backlash cannot be resisted or deflected. the invocation. The use of a divine miracle of some appropriate kind,
The invocation also drains ambient natural energies in the area, and such as Endurance, or Health, or Fertility, could all be used to fuel the
so can only be cast once per scene. invocation, as could certain powerful artifacts. Lacking these, human
sacrifice will do in a pinch, albeit at a great cost. One human must be
Sunder the Greater Spell sacrificed for every year of the theurges true age to return them to
This dispelling charm functions much as does Sunder the Lesser Spell, their chosen physical condition, and all these sacrifices must be made
but can also affect theurgy of the Way as well as the Gate. during the course of a single casting.

66
The Grinding Teeth of God
The adept drags the fabric of reality into the teeth of the celestial gears
Using Spells from Other Games
that support it, churning every solid object in the area of effect into Given the wealth of spell lists to be found in other old-school
a fine powder. The spell affects an area up to thirty feet in diameter games, the GM might choose to import some of them for theurgy.
centered on a point within the casters sight. Living creatures that keep As a general rule, old-school spells of levels 1-3 are fit for the
moving can pull away from the grinding gears and suffer only 1d20 theurgy of the Gate. Levels 4-6 fit theurgy of the Way, and levels
damage for each round they remain in the area of effect. Immobile 7-9 match theurgy of the Throne. If you're using Vancian Casting
objects are chewed to dust within ten rounds, whereupon the spell rules from the Godbound deluxe version, assign levels 1-6 to the
ends. Only the very strongest supernatural substances are capable of Gate, 7-9 to the Way, and level 10+ spells to the Throne.
resisting this spell. If such an artifact or object gets caught in the area Direct-damage combat spells should be avoided unless they
of effect, the celestine engines will bind up and shatter, likely creating target only very specific kinds of creatures, produce a significant
a Night Road entrance on the spot, if not an even worse outcome. backlash of damage to the caster, or are only usable once a scene.
Any spell thats better than the universal Divine Wrath gift for
Legion of Marching Clay single-target spells or Corona of Fury for multi-target attacks
The greatest theurges can call up automatons the way lesser sorcerers should be avoided or toned down. No combat spell should do
raise undead husks. This spell conjures 2 hit die minions from clay, more than 10 dice of damage.
stone, wood, metal, or whatever other inanimate material the caster Spells that duplicate the effect of gifts should be notably infe-
has convenient. One minion is called up per level or hit die of the rior in some way, either in not affecting worthy foes, affecting a
caster. These automatons are not normally sentient, but they are much smaller area or number of targets, or lasting for a much
intelligent as a human being in executing their duties and are utterly shorter duration.
loyal to the theurge or their chosen lieutenants. If made from metal or Avoid buff spells and enchantments that simply crank up the
stone, they are immune to non-magical weapon attacks, and if made subjects attack or damage bonuses. Such spells dont really fit
from clay or softer substances they can develop individual identities the idiom of heroic demigods. Stay away from spells that grant
and self-will within the boundaries of their obedience. extra actions, too, as they can tremendously boost PC power.
Many existing old-school spells are actually much weaker than
Palace of the Sorcerer-Prince theurgy would otherwise allow them to be. Consider allowing
With but a single use of this invocation, the theurge calls forth a lux- transformations, summonings or wards to be permanent until
uriantly-appointed tower or similar structure, one capable of housing dispelled by some equally potent power.
up to a hundred inhabitants in comfort. The palace is appointed
with dozens of conjured servitors, concubines, and laborers, albeit The road itself is temporary and unanchored. Crossing it will require
none are capable of fighting. The tower is sealed against entry by any 1d6 days of travel, during which there may be incursions by Uncre-
save the theurge and their chosen guests, though siege weapons or ated into the unshielded and crudely-formed passage. The road will
powerful magic can break through the walls and steel-hard windows crumble away in 1d10+7 days. If the heroes are still on it when it
of tinted glass. starts to collapse, theyre liable to find themselves plunged into Hell,
The tower naturally creates sufficient food, drink, and other common a shard of Heaven, or the nearest available realm.
necessities to serve a hundred guests indefinitely. If taken from the
tower, however, these viands crumble away in moments. So too the Summon the Black Iron Servitor
servitors if they are forced to leave its walls; they know this and will The theurge uses deep secrets of creation to fabricate a powerful servi-
beg piteously to be spared such a death. Some theurges are said to tor. The creature they create may be formed of any inanimate material
have fashioned favored servants bodies in which to truly exist. they wish or grown from living flesh, and will have twice as many hit
The palace may be conjured anywhere there is sufficient relatively flat dice as the theurge has hit dice or levels, up to a maximum of 20. It
ground to support it and may be dispelled at the casters whim. Any is intelligent, utterly loyal to the caster, and has three GM-approved
foreign objects or persons left within the tower when it is dispelled gifts related to its purpose, as suggested by the creator. These powers
will appear on the ground where it once stood, though the casters should be roughly equivalent to short-duration lesser Godbound gifts,
personal possessions may be left stored within whatever timeless albeit not true divine powers, and the creature has 5 points of Effort
pocket realm the tower goes to when it is dispelled. A theurge may to fuel them. The servitor is immune to non-magical weapon attacks,
have only one palace standing at any one time. and strikes once per round with an attack that always hits and inflicts
1d10 straight damage. It's armor class is 0 and its movement rate is 30'.
Pierce the Veil of Night Creating these servitors takes a week of work, and the theurge may
Lesser spells can open or close an existing Night Road, but this mighty not have more than one of them active at any one time.
work of sorcery can create one. The spell conjures up a temporary
night road from the casters location to a desired realm, to Hell, to a Sunder Every Sorcery
known divine Paradise, or to a known shard of Heaven. Fairly accurate This scourging invocation functions much as Sunder the Greater Spell,
knowledge of a destination is required, such as might be contained in but can shatter any form of theurgy. It can even act to dispel gifts
ancient manuals or learned through painstaking research. and other divine wonders, provided the gift is not Constant and the
The caster only has the power to determine the roads general des- wonder is not a permanent enchantment or curse. Unworking such
tination, not exactly where it will emerge. Like all Night Roads, it is powerful effects is dangerous, however, and the caster takes a 1d20
most likely to burst open in some remote or isolated place. damage die each time they nullify a gift or divine working.

67
 A Gazetteer of Arcem

The realm depicted here is but one of many that drift in the void of country and people struggling to raise up theurgists to conquer their
Uncreated Night. For those dwelling within it, the world is much as neighbors, benefit their populace, or simply survive the sudden exalta-
it ever was, scarred by the echoes of the Shattering but with sunlight, tion of their rivals. Countless spectacular marvels were produced with
gravity, the passage of seasons, and all the customary elements of a the power of theurgy as the art spread and flourished in the world.
world. Yet all educated souls know that this comfortable solidity melts Yet this was not enough. With such wealth and luxury acquired
away at the far borders of the realm, where the deep blue sea darkens through theurgic wonders, with all the common distractions of hunger,
to black and the light of the sun fails in the deepening gloom. Those sickness, and pain long since conquered, the peoples of the world
poor fools who sail onward are doomed to fall away, drifting through came to quarrel over more subtle matters. They argued over questions
Uncreated Night until desperate privation, foul abominations, or their of right and wrong, of good and evil, of the nature of the world and
own wretched despair sees them dead. of humanitys role within it. Some disputed out of passionate belief.
Realms are fragile worlds. Each is a fragment of the world that was, Others joined the quarrel for the sake of power, driven by hungers
and each suffers from the creeping decay of Heavens celestial engines. that no material prosperity could sate.
The bright configurations of glory that once maintained the law are A hundred different paradises were envisioned and implemented. A
broken now, too many savaged by divine scavengers, smashed by the thousand utopias were crafted by kings and sages, each one expressing
Made Gods in their war, or crumbling without the care of their angelic some crystalline ideal of goodness. Even so, some of these realms were
maintainers. Some realms have collapsed into Uncreated Night once indistinguishable from Hells by those who did not share their ideals,
more, while most others find unnatural calamities raging across their and others cultivated the happiness of humans who were no longer
hard-pressed lands. recognizable as such. Conflict was inevitable, but it was no longer
about matters of resources, or territory, or petty material matters.
In The Beginning Peoples warred over which utopia was to be all-encompassing, which
Sages and scholars have little certainty of the world that was. It was paradise, which purpose was to be the destiny of all humanity.
whole once, they agree, created long ago by the distant One who In time, a number of the mightiest theurges of the former world
dwelled amid the angelic hosts of far Heaven. It was round, and vast, agreed to bring their dispute to the highest judge. They would storm
and populated by numberless nations of humankind more or less like the walls of Heaven and seek out the One to receive the Creators final
the humans the realm knows now. Some even maintain that there judgment. Others feared to dare the legions of angelic guardians, the
were more worlds than one, and that all these many domains were numberless servitors of the Throne that would bar the way to mortal
populated by creatures both human and otherwise. intrusion, but the theurgists trusted in their marvels and their might.
These ancients had many ways and many customs among their They were successful. Perhaps the angels never imagined that hu-
various peoples. Nations traded and fought and devoured each other, manity could be so insolent as to assail the very gates of Heaven, to
only to splinter apart once more under their own troubles. Peoples break down the walls and shatter the barriers between mortals and the
rose, flourished, and were erased in titanic struggles that admitted Throne of God. The angels fled downward to Hell and the theurgists
of only one victor. It was a world like any other, albeit one of its own entered into the presence of the One. It was there that they found
rare marvels. Among these marvels was the great mystery of theurgy. an empty throne.
Theurgy was a form of sorcery that tapped the fundamental laws of In the terrestrial world below, nations were thrown into chaos by
creation. While the low arts of magic were useful and supple in their this revelation. Some believed that the Creator had always been ab-
tricks, none of them had the sheer might of true theurgy. Mastery of sent, that there never had been a Maker of that which was made and
this art became a consuming goal of all the nations of the world, every that the angels had tricked humanity into believing in a falsehood.

68
 The Ulstang Skerries

Th
e
Bl
ea
k
Re
ac
h
The Atheocracy
of Lom

Ancalia
The Bright
Republic The Howlers

The Oasis
Vissio
States

Th
eR Nezdohva
ak
ti
ne
Co
nf
ed
er
ac
y
The Patrian
Empire

The Kasirutan
Archipelago

The Regency
of Dulimbai
The Toba Plains

ds
Go
nd
sa
ou
Th
e
Th
0 Miles 75 150 225 300
69
 Others thought that the One had withdrawn before the insolence of The war in Heaven did not end suddenly. It simply tapered away as
its creations, and that the empty Throne was a rebuke to humanity. A Made God after Made God was killed by their rivals, slain by Heav-
few even believed that the One remained, and it was only humanitys ens defenses, or destroyed when they attempted some usurpation
blind pride or vile sins that left them unable to perceive their maker. that was beyond their power. Some found themselves trapped in
It was obvious to all, however, that there would be no divine word fragments of Heaven that held them like snares, while a handful of
to settle the disputes of the thousand realms. So, too, it was clear that others returned to their scattered peoples to preserve them from the
the angels could not stand against the power of mortal theurges. If perils of the Shattering. The heavens were littered with the bodies
there was no God upon the Throne, the theurges reasoned, it was for of these divine golems.
humanity to provide a replacement. By putting their own creation at For a thousand years the realms have struggled to survive. Nations
the heart of Heaven, they would at last enshrine their own peoples have risen on the bones of the dead, and fallen empires have brought
chosen ideals as the quintessential principles of the universe. forth heirs in unnumbered petty kingdoms and quarreling city-states.
The theurges of each nation labored madly to create new gods, Made The glories of the former age have been largely lost. Theurgy is now a
Gods, fashioned from theurgic arts and celestial fragments torn from desperately difficult art hidden from common sorcerers, the old laws
the engines of Heaven. The theurges plunged deep into the celestial it once commanded now rotten and raddled by celestial damage. Most
halls, gutting strange engines and scavenging their occult workings to nations are grateful if they have harvests sufficient for the winter, let
create golem-gods. The damage they did to these empyreal constructs alone the casual abundance of a former day.
created havoc in the world below, natural disasters and localized warps The damage to Heaven has not lessened. With the angels now de-
of reality tearing apart nations and lands. So long as the damage was termined to sabotage what they once maintained and the natural
inflicted on their rivals, however, the bonepickers of Heaven had few entropy of all made things playing on the ancient engines, every new
qualms about collecting what they needed for their artificial divinities. generation finds some fresh anomaly in their lands, dread wonders
Different nations created different forms of Made Gods. Some that warn of worn gears and faded forces. Nations fall to sudden
were wholly artificial entities, built out of blind principle and inhu- natural disasters, people suffer under the hungers of parasite gods,
man intellect. Others were constructs wrapped about human heroes, and Night Roads suddenly forge paths into populated lands for the
exemplars of a nations ideals chosen to be elevated to divinity. A few nameless creatures of the dark between worlds. Life is hard, and it
were fashioned of mortal kings and rulers imbued with the power of only grows harder.
their nation. These entities were created as singular divinities and as But there is a new thing in the realms. The dried corpses of the
ordered pantheons, as lone exemplars and multifarious gods meant to Made Gods are disintegrating. The power bound within the divine
cooperate in advancing their shared cause. The end results sometimes golems is disentangling itself from their withered husks and falling
resembled the humans who had made them, and at other times were to the realms below. Something has been changed in the millennium
strange titans of alien form. since their fall, some strange alchemy of Heaven and death and mortal
These Made Gods stormed Heaven, pushing aside its remaining power has distilled their strength in ways their makers had never
angelic defenders and making war on each other. The empyrean realm imagined. The Words of Creation that the Made Gods once wielded
had its defenses, and some perished under the flaming swords of are now being inherited by mortal men and women.
angels or the mysterious perils of Heavens halls. Still, the chaos they These are the Godbound. Mortal by birth, marked by no wonders
caused in their warfare and their ferocious despoiling of celestial or special lineage, they are chosen by the Words for unknowable
engines had its effect. The shining halls of Heaven began to splinter, reasons. Perhaps it is chance that brings them the Words. Perhaps it
fragments spiraling away into the Uncreated Night. is some quality that only the Words can perceive. Some even say that
The last of the angels were forced out of Heaven by the intruders, the Ones purpose was this, that the One has chosen the Godbound
their legions retreating to Hell. Infuriated by the insolence of the to put right what humanity marred so long ago. Those who know of
mortal interlopers and the blasphemy of the Made Gods, they swore their existence can only guess at the truth.
an unending war against humanity and broke the engines of Hell that The Godbound often receive their Words in moments of desperation.
had purified the souls of the wicked. Such sabotage ensured that the Perhaps there is something in their need that calls to the Words, some
human souls that were once purged of their sins and released to an quality of their frantic desire that attracts the powers of Creation. In
unknowable fate would be trapped forever in Hells torments. The that moment they receive the Words and express their power in a tre-
angels schemed to destroy the world entirely, trapping all of humanity mendous display of divine might. Others simply awaken one morning
within Hells fires so as to keep them from any future meddling with infused with the fire of divinity for reasons they cannot imagine. They
the world that the angels would build to replace the present wreckage. are few in any realm, no more than a handful, but those who know
The damage done above was echoed below in the Shattering. The of them wonder if they are only the vanguard of some greater tide of
world began to fragment into pieces, each realm drifting away into demigods soon to break upon the world..
the Uncreated Night. Some splintering came from the damage to Their power is an undeniable truth. With the Words of Creation
celestial engines and the collapse of Heaven. Other breaks were in- at their disposal, they have the ability to mend the broken engines of
tentionally forced by the Made Gods in order to separate their patron Heaven and Hell, to foil the schemes of malevolent angels, to banish
peoples from their rivals, a gambit to keep them safe in solitude. Some the scourge of the parasite gods, and to rectify the cruelties of mortal
of these realms retained enough natural law to be livable, while others tyrants. They can raise new wonders in the realms, and perhaps even
spiraled down into chaos and destruction. These world-corpses float mend the Shattering and cut off the Night Roads that vomit mon-
still in the Uncreated Night, silent and dark save for the last desperate sters into the dark places of the world. As great as their power may
creations of their former inhabitants. be, however, there is no promise of wisdom as well. They will shape
the world to come, but of the forms they will choose, who can tell?

70
The Nature of the Universe
The cosmos is divided into four great parts: Heaven, the realms, Hell, Once a road has broken through into a world, it usually remains
and the Uncreated Night that surrounds them all. It is difficult for connected unless blasted free by some tremendous theurgic power.
the living to journey between these domains, and the only common Most roads connect only two points, though there are other dark
way to do so is by the Night Roads that erupt in isolated corners of highways that have multiple offshoots and branches to connect many
the realm. Traveling these roads is a deed for heroes and the recklessly worlds and locations.
mad, for the strange parasites and encrustations of Uncreated Night Entering a Night Road is sometimes as simple as walking through
can make their narrow paths a deadly gauntlet for the unprepared. the right doorway and sometimes as difficult as performing a special
magical rite at the correct time and in the proper place. Leaving one
The Uncreated Night is simply a matter of stepping through the passage at the end of
Surrounding all that is one will find all that is not. Fathomless, form- each road. Of course, the inhabitants of the spaces between are often
less, lightless in its deeps, the Uncreated Night is the primordial chaos disinclined to allow passage, sometimes charging strange tolls and
out of which all things have come. Sages describe it as an endless sometimes opposing passages with main force.
stygian void, one where the very concepts of light and meaning have The worst effect of a Night Road is the inevitable disgorging of its
no power. To be cast into it is to drift forever, perhaps dead, perhaps Uncreated parasites on any realm it pierces. Monsters of sanity-melt-
something worse than dead. ing horror can suddenly burst from a dark corner of the world, raven-
Yet despite this emptiness there are things that emerge from the ing through the populace until some brave band of heroes can drive
darkness. These Uncreated are like living creatures, yet somehow them back and seal the Night Roads entrance with powerful magic.
wrong. They are twisted proto-things, living detritus vomited up by Completely destroying a Night Road is impossible for ordinary
the Night. Scholars suggest that they are manifestations of friction sorcery. Certain powerful theurgic incantations can damage or shat-
between the created world and Uncreated Night, living tension-points ter a road, however, and the tremendous might of the Godbound
that manifest from the interplay between existences. They are broken might be able to do the same if the structures sensitive points can be
in both worlds, and their actions seem to be driven part by pain, part found and smashed. Of course, to do so without some swift means
by hunger, and part by simple hate. The great majority are murder- of escape would condemn the wreckers to an endless, drifting exile
ously dangerous even to heroes, while those that lack obvious hostility in the darkness of Uncreated Night.
can still have a corrosive effect upon the sanity of those around them.
The only way to cross the Uncreated Night is by means of the Night Corpse Worlds
Roads. These narrow paths resemble titanic arches that span the It is often the case that a Night Road connects a dead realm to
darkness that surrounds them on all sides. Some look like bridges a living one. These ruined worlds fall for many reasons: tremen-
of stone, while others are ribbons of dull metal, or black rivers that dous wars, cataclysmic weapons, monstrous plagues, or a cata-
flow without banks or bottom. There are many different seemings strophic lapse in natural law created by damage to the celestial
for these Night Roads, and sages argue over their creators. Some say engines that were to support it. Some lack even sunlight and
it was angels who built them in the dawn of creation, while others air, while others are gray tomb-worlds with rotting cities and
credit the One, and some point to records of ancient theurges who charnel fields of the fallen.
built them to connect the realms after the Shattering. A few roads Fabulous treasures can be found in these corpse worlds, but so
appear to condense out of Uncreated Night itself and are fabricated too can the horrors that destroyed it in the first place. Undead
from a delirious distillation of the worlds they connect. are a common threat, to say nothing of the Uncreated that creep
The Night Roads are dangerous. Many are constructed with way- in through the realms thinning skin. Other worlds still retain a
houses and citadels along the path, most empty, some still preserving thin skimming of inhabitants who survive by cannibalizing the
life of a kind. These oases of safety in the endless darkness sometimes last scraps of sustenance, if not each other. The natural laws can
shelter the heirs of explorers or refugees trapped upon the road in ages prove treacherous as well, when sounds suddenly turn to jagged
long lost, and few of these enclaves welcome outsiders. In addition to blades that fill the air, or gravity turns as sadistic as a cat. A few
this peril, the Uncreated often infest the way and make crossing the realms are actually physically collapsing as the celestial engines
road a feat worthy of a heros valor. Yet once a road is cleared, it will that supported their existence are spinning down into decay.
usually remain that way so long as some power is capable of keeping A dead world has no reasonable hope. Whatever efforts its
out the inevitable incursions of the Uncreated. inhabitants made to escape their doom failed, and all that is left
Entrances to these roads tend to erupt in isolated, remote locations is to wait for the inevitable final silence. For a Godbound hero,
of a realm. Its almost as if the road was a needle, and only the desolate however, things might be different. Perhaps they can reach the
places of a world have a skin thin enough for it to pierce. Particularly sundered hall of Heaven where the realms celestial engines are
fragile realms might have a road erupt in the middle of a teeming located and repair the faltering devices, or drive out the forces
metropolis, however, or in some other awkward location. Most roads that are interfering with their operation. Efforts in the world
soon warp their immediate surroundings into some otherworldly itself might revive a decaying ecosystem or reignite a sun that
or monstrous scene, and one of the telltale signs of a hidden road is has guttered and died. Such feats of resurrection would be a
the sudden presence of impossible environments or bizarre magical tremendous labor even for a divinity, but with a Godbounds
objects. Adventurers who delve deep in the ruins of the ancients aid all hope is not yet lost.
know to be wary of structures that grow stranger the deeper they go.

71
 Heaven Hell
Heaven is a broken house. Much like the world, it was torn apart in Hell is the refuge of the exiles of Heaven, a burning cyst of terrible
the Shattering, either from the violence of the Made Gods and their engines and nameless torment run by the bitter angels and meant to
struggles or the damage done to its celestial engines. Now fragments forever incarcerate the souls of dead mortals. Its original purpose as
of it drift through Uncreated Night; a hall here, an avenue there, or a a place of purification and transcendence has been perverted by the
vast and shining parkland floating further still. These shards are often warping of its engines, and now a soul that falls into its maw can
connected by hidden Night Roads, some concealed so well that only never hope to escape.
those with the most exacting secret knowledge could ever hope to The original warden of Hell, the arch-angel Sammael, was driven out
find the entrance. Other shards float free, and only powerful theurgy by the exiles. He and his remaining loyalists hide within the labyrinths
from within a connected terrestrial realm can bring outsiders into it. of Hell, aiding those who come to free the souls of the dead or oppose
The halls of Heaven come in many aspects, usually grand and dra- Hells new masters. While his love for human is strange, his rage at
matic. Towering walls of cloud-pale stone, arches of burning glass, the perversion of his former domain and the defilement of its holy
parks of perfect trees arranged in patterns of mystic significance that purpose makes him a Godbounds best ally amid the infernal flames.
hum with music when the sweet wind rustles their leaves all things Hell can be reached in two ways; either through hidden Night Roads
of magnificence have a home in Heaven. Yet these wonders are usually in places of forgotten torment, or through the simple expedient of
cracked, stained, and despoiled with the violence that once raged dying without soon after receiving the benefit of effective funerary
through the halls. Many works of impossible beauty have been shat- rites. A soul that is not safely anchored to the dreamless sleep of death
tered by the fury of the Made Gods and the angels, and much of what or that lacks a Godbound patrons Paradise to escape to will inevitably
remains has been lessened or perverted into something dangerous. spiral downward to Hell, there to suffer without end.
Some shards maintain an ecosystem, usually through a magical Only certain faiths have effective rituals for anchoring the dead to
source of food and water, or a celestial engine that sustains life with- the sleep of their own realm. The Unitary faith of many realms is
in the zone. Some of these refuges still have inhabitants, whether effective, as is the ancestor worship of the Ren peoples of this realm.
maddened angels, trapped priests of a Made God who once dwelled Other nations have their own customary and effective means, though
here, or hapless theurgists and their retinues. A thousand years have not all work so well as they promise.
passed in the realms since Heaven was broken, but when the engines Infiltrating Hell is not difficult, as few Night Road entrances are
of time are damaged too a strange agelessness can fall on a place. Other known and guarded by the inmates. Leaving it, however is a much
refugees are simply the heirs of the original intruders, gone strange more difficult enterprise, particularly if the heroes mean to escape
with the passage of isolated centuries. with some rescued soul.
Heaven also has its intrinsic dangers. Some shards are trapped,
snares left by some Made God in a former age to kill intruders or Paradises
protect something precious. Other traps are simply the unfortunate Scattered in the Uncreated Night are small realms of refuge.
consequences of the shards own decay, with places becoming perilous These Paradises were created by the Made Gods or by ancient
and magic curdling into sour dangers. The celestial engines themselves powers of the Former Empires, thrones and testimonies to their
are particularly dangerous, with their exotic appearance and strange glory. Each one was fashioned in the image of its creator, built
powers luring the careless into sudden obliteration by forces beyond to be a citadel and a dwelling-place for the god and the souls of
their comprehension. their faithful followers.
Every piece of Heaven was originally connected to part of a realm. At their time of death, the souls of these believers would be
This connection is spiritual and causal rather than a physical bridge, translated to the safety of their gods Paradise instead of being
for it is the celestial engines of this shard that maintain the realms dragged down to Hell. There they could persist forever in glory
existence and the continuance of its natural laws. Were these engines and peace, suffused by the happiness of their new home. Suffer-
to stop or be dismantled, the part of the realm its connected to would ing would fade, loss would be assuaged, and the god would bask
boil away into the Uncreated Night. Many shards of Heaven have in the praise and contentment of their beloved people.
already lost their associated realms to other catastrophes, and so make Of course, the details of these paradises varied from god to god,
rich pickings for looters who prefer not to inflict cosmic catastrophes and some of them embodied ideals that would be monstrous to
on some unsuspecting land. Of course, lacking a connected realm, unbelieving eyes. Still, they were meant as places of refuge, and
these shards are also among the hardest to reach. refuges they remain. While the death or vanishment of their
Many powers have scavenged the engines of heaven since the world masters prevents any new souls from entering the Paradise, the
was created. Made Gods looted them to use their priceless compo- original faithful persist, still sheltered by the power of the realm
nents to enhance their own power. Theurges stole shards to imbue and its innate wonders. Among them are sages long since lost to
their magic with new force. Saboteurs broke them to inflict catastro- the other realms, and knowers of forgotten secrets.
phes on the lands they were meant to regulate, and the angels them- Sometimes these Paradises go sour in the absence of their mak-
selves have sought to smash them purely out of a desire to destroy a er. Without their guiding wisdom and power, they can become
world that so bitterly betrayed them. Were it not for their tremendous infested by intrusions of Uncreated or riven by struggles among
durability, the engines would doubtless have all crumbled by now. the souls. A few collapse entirely into warfare or are devoured
Only the greatest heroes dare seek the fallen halls of Heaven. Find- by the encroaching Night. As death and pain are often made
ing a Night Road to a shard, clearing the path, and exploring the impossible within a Paradise, the results of such catastrophes
decaying halls of paradise is a feat reserved for the most awe-inspiring can be as bizarre as they are horrific.
of mortal heroes or for a determined young Godbound.

72
The Nations of Arcem
The natives of this realm most often call it Arcem, after an old Patrian Using Arcem in Your Campaign
word for a place of refuge. Even the humblest peasant knows that it The following pages describe Arcem, one possible realm out of the
was greater once, that it was part of a vast and wondrous world with many your campaigns might cross. Fifteen major nations are described,
unnumbered marvels and unimaginable delights. But that was long along with particulars of their current troubles, though there are
ago, before the Shattering, and now the seas pour away in the darkness dozens of less significant powers scattered along their borders and
beyond the horizon and the people of Arcem are only a remnant of in the less developed parts of the realm. If you need a particular
what was once great. nation-state to serve your purposes, you can simply plant it next to
For most natives, this is thing for philosophical regret. Most are too the most appropriate existing nation, or carve it out of their territory.
busy living their lives to concern themselves with the disasters of a The map depicts the main continent of the realm. Venturing far
thousand years ago. Do their nations not thrive in the present day? beyond its borders leads out to the gradual darkening of Uncreated
The technological marvels of the Bright Republic, the magnificent Night, and certain doom if the ship should sail too far.
poetry of Vissio, the grand architecture of Patria and the timeless Arcem has only started to encounter Godbound within the past
culture of Dulimbai to the south are these not wonders enough few years, and it hasnt had time to come to terms with their power
for any man? The past is good for salvaging, for the ancient ruins or influence. Its governments and cultures operate as they always
have many treasures and wonders, but the present is best for living. have, dealing with threats and powers they are familiar with and
Of course, things could always be better. True, there are stories largely ignoring the Godbound as much as is possible. Godbound
of disasters in the hinterlands, of strange beasts creeping up from NPCs do exist in the realm, but its left for you to decide where and
dark places, of curdled magic and vile wonders coming to pass in the how theyre interacting with the locals. Many may be uninterested
cities of men, but there are more important things to concern the in Arcems affairs, busy exploring the Night Roads, or shaping some
rulers than the talk of frightened peasants. What of the endless war pocket kingdom in an isolated part of the realm.
between Patria and Dulimbai, or the depredations of the necromantic If your PCs do decide to get involved in politics, be ready for things
raiders of Ulstang, or the monstrous collapse of Ancalia and their to change drastically in the realm. Theres no nation in Arcem that can
doubtless-culpable magical experiments? These are the things that the easily withstand the concerted attention of a pantheon of experienced
rulers know and can see, and so these are the things that concern them. Godbound, and even a band of newly-empowered heroes can cause a
Yet the common people see what the great do not yet admit. Things national emergency if they put their minds to it. If the PCs dont like
are changing in Arcem, and not for the better. Every year there are something about a nation, a culture, a religion, or a major geographic
more monsters emerging from the shadows, every year there are more feature, they can do change it with enough time and effort. As the
inexplicable magical disasters and natural calamities. The celestial en- GM, you should cherish such initiative, as goals like these practically
gines are running down, and if they collapse, Arcem will fall with them. write your adventure content for you.
For now, the people of Arcem are concerned with their own lives At the end of this chapter is a handout page designed to be passed
and the troubles they have always had. Soon enough, they may find around at the table when players are deciding on PC backgrounds.
new ones to overcome. You can print it out or share it around your play group accordingly.

Nations of the Realm

Ancalia A kingdom fallen in on itself after a calamitous otherworldly invasion, plagued by warlords and worse
Atheocracy of Lom A land embittered by the Shattering, ruled by the fearsome priests of True Reason and their sorcery
Bleak Reach A ruined exile-land where the refugees and outcasts have scratched out a hard, unlucky existence
Bright Republic The last bastion of advanced science in the realm, threatened by the decay of its vital technology
Far Realms The far lands that drift within Uncreated Night, known only by their castaways and voyagers
Howlers Nomadic raiders of a lost empire who plunder neighbors and guard the poisonous words of their sires
Kasirutan Archipelago Pirates and traders of the hot southeastern islands, the finest sailors in all the realm
Nezdohva A nation of serfs, artificers and quarreling golem-nobles under the rule of the mechanical Iron Czar
Oasis States Pyramid-dwelling inhabitants of the desert grow much under the mad eye of the God-Pharaohs
Patrian Empire A martial state long locked in combat with Dulimbai, dependent on heavy infantry and slave labor
Raktine Confederacy A patchwork of city-states and rural domains with dark, potent wizards and a ferocious independence
Regency of Dulimbai Vanguard of an ancient invasion, proud of its erudition and art and convinced of its right to rule all
The Thousand Gods A god-plagued land of countless tribes who wield ancient theotechnical magic in service to their deities
Toba Plains Proud riders who serve the holy monks of their ancestor-monasteries and the armies of Dulimbai
Ulstang Skerries Witch-viking raiders from cold northern isles who enslave the dead to drive their bone-prowed ships
Vissio Former Patrian colonies turned independent city-states of merchants, artists, poisoners, and poets

73
 Ancalia
Only five years ago, the kingdom of Ancalia was a beacon of peaceful For now, the surviving men and women of Ancalia shelter under
prosperity. Under the wise rule of High Negus Arad, the Elect of the hand of countless petty warlords, surviving officials, and daring
God, Ancalia was a green land of thriving cities, rich fields, and a freebooters. Some of these lords are selfless defenders of the common
people grateful to the One for their good fortune. Such peace perhaps people. Far more are desperate men and women willing to do anything
brought quarrels between the hereditary jantirar lords of the country- to buy another months life for their community, whatever the cost to
side and the royally-appointed kantibas of the cities and major towns, others. Some are nothing more than bandit kings, plundering other
but the roaming justiciars of the seven great knightly orders were survivors for what they want or need. All fear the ruined cities of
swift to resolve such difficulties with their wisdom and their blades. Ancalia and the creatures that still lair within them, but sometimes
This all ended five summers ago. Through some unfathomable col- need for the goods within outweighs mortal terror.
lapse of the celestial engines, nine dire Night Roads erupted through- The famous knights of Ancalia are almost extinct, but a few wan-
out the country. Hordes of misbegotten Uncreated poured into Anca- dering blades still haunt the land. Most of these survivors hew to
lia and the Hollowing Plague raised every corpse as a ravening husk. the ancient codes of their orders, to the principles of courage, honor,
Some cities were slaughtered within days, while others had time to piety, and devotion to justice. Beyond these principles, each order
evacuate as the knightly orders contained the outpouring long enough devoted itself to a different set of virtues, whether the healers mercy
for their countrymen to escape. The loss of life was horrific and the of the Surcessant Order or the unflinching defense of the common
ancient orders were all but destroyed by their sacrifice. folk cherished by the Pavians. Every ordained knight still has the
The surviving people of Ancalia have retreated to coastal enclaves theoretical right of judgment on anyone inferior to the royal family,
and a few isolated inland refuges where the abominations cannot but exerting this authority is a difficult matter in these bitter days.
easily pry them out. Many have sought to flee Ancalia entirely, but Ancalians are a dark people, of the same Akeh stock as the Patrians
their neighbors do not welcome them. People say that the High Negus and the ancestors of the Vissians. Once a peaceful folk given to fine
must have been meddling with some forbidden theurgy or dangerous architecture, sober learning, and devout worship of the One, these
relic in order to have brought such a catastrophe on his people. The latter years have killed most of them who were not capable of hard
common folk fear that the Ancalians will bring this disaster with deeds to preserve their own lives. Many still struggle to maintain
them, while the wise can hardly bring themselves to consider that the reasoned, orderly society they once had, but the dire peril of the
such a monstrous downfall might randomly strike their nations as well. wilderness and the dearth in their homes sometimes force grim acts.

Population
Unknown, though at its peak it numbered XX million
Government
Remaining zones of human habitation are under the rule of war-
lords and remnant officials, many of whom style themselves the
Janjero
rightful High Negus of Ancalia. The writ of such a warlord
extends no further than the shadow of his sword.
Adal Problems
Gera
The land is overrun with monsters that have entered through the
ins
Binai Nekiok
ta numerous Night Roads that have erupted in the land.
oun
n M Their neighbors are convinced Ancalia brought this disaster on
ffa Hadiya
Ka itself by some secret meddling with unknown forces.
Bakare
Foreign adventurers and militaries are seeking to plunder the
ws

Iyasu
rro

crippled countrys ruins with no concern for survivors.

Na
rsa
Sa

Anderaccha Names
Male: Dawit, Yared, Amanuel, Jemal, Nahom, Samson, Bereket,
Anderaccha Gifar
Bay of Beruk, Kassahun, Kirubel, Ejigu, Jember, Adisu, Aman, Fikre
Lowlands
Goj
eb R
Gojeb
Female: Rediet, Winta, Samira, Ayda, Saba, Hani, Dina, Tinsae,
Saro
iver Sumeya, Gadise, Makda, Teru, Zenaye, Mehret, Hanna
The Family: Tewolde, Senai, Zerezghi, Alazar, Nemariam, Berhane,
Dry
Plai Helebo, Soro, Dega, Gatimo, Minale, Bishaw, Amare
ns
Background Concepts
Kamo Fallen noble, Wandering knight, Monster hunter, Ruin plunderer,
Explorer of the Night Roads, Failed warlord, Rebel against a
warlord, Hard-pressed farmer, Child of refugees, Sorcerous
Ruined Knightly Motherhouse Abandoned City Refugee Enclave researcher, Veteran mercenary, Missing royal heir

74
 The Atheocracy of Lom
Lom is a land of grim survivors. Their ancestors were refugees and
suvivors from the hideous techno-theocracy that once ruled the Bleak
Reach to the west, thralls of cold synthetic gods that escaped their
masters and fled east to the moors and hills of what is now Lom.
Their sufferings were indescribable under the rule of those artificial Vigilance

divinities, and their heirs swore an everlasting enmity toward all the
gods and harbingers of divinity. Humanity's reason alone would be Freethought

the measure for right and justice. The Cold

Vi
cto
Lom is ruled by the Atheocracy, a priesthood of True Reason that Ri
Moor

ry
ve

R
ro

ive
rejects the idea of true divinity. The Made Gods, parasite divinities, fT

r
rut
h First Cause
and even the One are nothing more than mysteries of poorly-under- Liberation

stood magic or artificial monsters, unworthy of worship and enemies

to humanity. Only True Reason is to be trusted as revealed to the Scut
um H
insight of the Atheocrat. Naturally, only the antipriests of Lom can ills
reliably interpret the dictates of True Reason to the people.
Lom is a gray, unhappy land under the hand of the antipriests, with
its towns and villages all subject to capricious laws and improvements
devised by the hierarchy. Any number of commoners are casually sac-
rificed in order to explore new cultural orders and new arrangements
of society, their worth acknowledged only as suitable subjects for The
experiments, all in service of True Reason and an eventual golden age Tongue
of human law. That age is not perceptibly closer even after centuries
of bitter sacrifice.
The antipriests take their power from the Pyre, an ancient angelic Riverspring

artifact seized by the first Atheocrat. Some among the antipriests

carefully prepare themselves for several years before entering the Pyre;
most emerge with their minds burnt away by the celestial energies, Population
but some come out with their reason intact. Both the idiotic and the XX million, of which X thousand are ordained antipriests.
undamaged are gifted with incredible powers of magical nullification
and suppression, gifts even capable of stifling a Godbounds powers. Government
The simple-minded victims are trained like dogs to use their powers Atheocrat Truth, the Voice of Reason, rules with the aid of
at a handlers command, while those who retain their minds can the Holy Colloquy of Preceptors. Antipriests have absolute
expect great advancement in the Holy Colloquy that rules the nation. superiority over lay reasoners and their commands can only be
Unbeknownst to all but the greatest in the Colloquy, Lom is culti- overruled by orders from a higher-ranking antipriest.
vated by angelic entities. These cruel lords give the Atheocrat access
Problems
to secrets and ancient relics in exchange for his efforts to stamp out
religion in the realm. Without the sheltering power of effective funeral The antipriests treat the common folk as wholly disposable tools
rites, the souls of the dead are certain to pass into the talons of Hell, for their plans, inculcating bitter resentment from the people.
and so the fewer true religions, the better for the angels. Those who The powers of the Pyre to hinder Godbound have left numerous
know the truth are promised a glorious place in the flames in exchange other parties interested in stealing it from the Atheocrat.
for their cooperation. By the time theyve risen to such a position, few Loms secret angelic patrons are perfectly willing to see the whole
have any resolve to resist the angelic inducement. nation obliterated if it advances their plans in the realm.
The appearance of the Godbound are a source of grave concern to Names
the Atheocrat and the Holy Colloquy. Hunter teams of simple-mind- Unisex Names: Probity, Insight, Veracity, Sagacity, Temper-
ed antipriests and their ruthless handlers have been dispatched into ance, Fruitful, Benevolence, Upright, Selfless, Unity, Attentive,
the world to seek out these troublemakers and deal with them. Their Obedience, Tireless, Clarity, Accuracy, Impiety, Joyful, Verified,
successes have been few thus far, but each encounter gives the anti- Repeatable, Perception
priests more experience in dealing with Godbound gifts. Family: Scholar, Farmer, Student, Wright, Clerk, Miller, Mower,
Within the boundaries of Lom, there are few outsiders. Traders are Servant, or other job title which may not actually be their job.
accepted as a necessary evil, but foreigners who would live in Lom
are expected to adopt the customs of the people and abandon their Background Concepts
former faiths. Those who try to incite worship among the people can Renegade antipriest, Secret cult leader of a faith, Former spy for
expect a hideous death, though many of the downtrodden masses the atheocracy, Bodyguard for an antipriest, Hardscrabble peas-
are so desperate for a better life that they are willing to pledge their ant farmer, Esoteric scholar of True Reason, Sacred engineer,
worship to anything that offers aid, no matter how foul it might be. Keeper of a secret history, Colloquy-sent assassin of priests

75
 The Bleak Reach
The chaos of the Shattering was worse in some parts of the realm than
others, and the peninsula known as the Bleak Reach was one of the
less fortunate regions. Once the home of a sophisticated sister-cul-
ture to the modern Bright Republic, its cities were thrown down by
tremors and its people slaughtered by waves of celestial miasmas
and lethal karmic imbalances. For centuries afterwards the land was
thought cursed, certain to be the death of any foolish enough to dare
its rough hills and brooding forests.
As such, it was a perfect destination for exiles and malcontents of
every description. Communities and cabals driven from their old lives
would seek out new homes in the only land that would have them, the
Th
empty fields of the Bleak Reach. The soil was rich enough to sustain eO
men
them, but the terrible beasts of the hills and the aftereffects of the Big Strike Pea
dire celestial imbalances in the region still make it a more dangerous k s
land than any common settler would wish to colonize. Most towns
are little more than ramshackle hamlets on the coast, where rare trade
Long Nets
visits from Kasirutan or Vissian merchants can barter necessities for Goodluck

their dried fish and salvaged ruin-scraps.

The isolation and seclusion of the land has made it a favorite refuge
for groups unacceptable in other nations. Among the families who
lost at local politics and the religious enthusiasts cast out of their old
societies are circles of darker intent, experimenters and sorcerers who
seek undisturbed privacy. Parasite gods form particularly easily in this
disordered land, and the back country is dotted with dark temples in
Ruined Ancient City Major Settler Community Abandoned Former Colony
which dwell these desperate divine addicts and their fearful minions.
The ancient ruins promise treasures as well, and there are always a
number of reckless adventuring bands eager to plumb the fallen cities Population
for lost valuables and functioning relics. Probably XX hundred thousand along the coast, with an un-
A few determined souls mean to found their own petty kingdoms in known number living deeper in the interior.
the Bleak Reach. These aspiring kings and queens rarely end up ruling
over anything more impressive than a small coastal village of uneasy Government
refugees and exiles, but a few have had the charisma and contacts to There is no overall government of the Reach. Each village or
launch serious colonization efforts in the interior. Such efforts usu- town answers only to its headman, boss, chief, elders, or some
ally prosper for a time, sometimes building into substantial statelets other figure powerful enough to protect them and to resolve
before the pressure of monstrous foes, demented parasite gods, or their internal disputes in some minimally-tolerable way.
sheer inexplicable bad luck finally drags them down. Their repeated
Problems
ultimate failures have done much to discourage other nations from
seeking new territory on the peninsula. Parasite gods and eldritch horrors are regularly generated by the
Those few souls who call the Bleak Reach home are a tough and spiritual miasma of the peninsula.
canny lot, with a hard eye for survival and a predictable enthusiasm Dangerous creatures or devastating artifacts are sometimes
for luck rituals and talismans of every kind. Most locals lead hard released by the decay of ancient containment structures.
lives wresting crops from the fields or fish from the sea, and many Intolerably vile men and women regularly find refuge in the
communities are more than willing to cut deals with parasite gods or villages and deep interior of the Reach.
other sinister powers to ease their burdens. Some are convinced that Names
their special protectors are all that stand between them and the bad Each community usually has a predominant national origin,
luck of the peninsula. This conviction leads some communities to ter- depending on the original source of the colonists. Names follow
rible sacrifices and bleak rites, ones usually concealed from outsiders. that nations patterns, along with the random families of out-
The local communities are ruthlessly pragmatic in their customs siders who sought refuge in the village. Descriptive aliases are
and laws. Locals care very little about what strangers do with their particularly common among those seeking anonymity.
own affairs or with outsiders, so long as they can be relied upon