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©Tom Bloom 2023

Art, layout, and writing by Tom Bloom
Please feel free to print or share this book if you include this credits page.
v 1.5, 6/07/2023

Foreword
Hello!

Many of you may know me from the other Massif Press RPG, Lancer, or from my webcomic Kill Six
Billion Demons. This is a free play test of the next game I intend to publish. My ethos is to give people
content, then ask them to pay for it later if they like it, so this test is entirely free to play and distribute.
Much like Lancer, the final product will have a free version with all player facing content.

This game was born from my love of fantasy. I love that old-school mysterious, enormous-world fantasy
vibe that is reproduced so well in animation, comics, and games. This game is inspired by the feeling I
think you might get when you look at the main cover. I took inspiration from anime, the works of French
comic artist Möebius, studio Ghibli, and video games like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and
the Legend of Zelda.

I love tactical combat and strategy games, but also more freeform narrative games. Here I have mashed
the two together. You can use either or both. The narrative portion is a more stripped down version of the
action system of Blades in the Dark, by John Harper, which I think is an excellent lightweight system and
probably my favorite game currently.

Feedback
This is a play test and hasn’t been hammered out quite yet. It was written, illustrated, and formatted by
one person. There might be spelling or formatting errors. stuff that doesn’t work, feel good, or certain
combinations of abilities that are too strong, weak, etc. You can send feedback to
[email protected]

Work on this game will be slow while I finish Lancer content and it probably won’t receive publishing for
a while so there is plenty of time to test it. There’ll be regular but slow content for it.

Character sheets
Character sheets are unfortunately absent until there is a more finished version of this game, though there
are likely community resources you can find online with a quick google that will help you.

Links and support

You can find Lancer at http://lancerrpg.com and Kill Six Billion Demons at http://
www.killsixbilliondemons.com
If you like this playtest and want to support my work, please consider supporting me over at my patreon:
http://patreon.com/killsixbilliondemons.

Thanks for playing! I hope your games are enjoyable.

- Tom “Abbadon” Bloom

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 Update notes (v1.5)

Hi ya’ll,

I’m very tired, but this is one of the largest and most comprehensive updates to the game yet, and I think
the game will finally be in a content complete state and a stable testing state.

I don’t have comprehensive notes for a change log this time, because this has been well over a hundred
hours of work and nearly everything has been updated, from the composition of the book, to basic
mechanics. I’ll try and hit the highlights. You’ll have to dig in yourself to see how your favorite jobs have
fared. Thanks very much for reading, there’ll be more comprehensive notes as we go through testing
versions in the future.

Special thanks to the band Vildjharta, whose discography I listened to about fifteen times finishing the
last part of this update.

MAJOR UPDATES
• Character advancement has been reorganized - less narrative action dots, more ability points
• Tons of new art!

Narrative
• Narrative play has a more play sheet like structure for visual learners. I don’t think these are that usable
as a character sheet but you can get a good look.
• Gear system added for narrative play.
• Got rid of some narrative play concepts (resistance, spending effort to avoid breaks) as I think they
were unnecessary
• Standardized strain and stress for all bonds
• Changes to many bond powers
• Moved some sections around for ease of reading

Tactical Combat
• Tactical combat has received a massive update. The entire section has been reorganized in order
of complexity.
• The entire combat system has been smoothed out. Generally I was looking to redesign things to be
more straightforward, effective, and require less overhead. Nearly all abilities have significantly
changed and have been clarified and refined along with numerous balance changes.
• All character capabilities in combat are now ‘abilities’
• New triggered effects concept to unify some ability functionality
• Nearly all glossary terms have been updated and clarified.
• Small update to resolve
• Dying is now ‘fallen’ if you gain 4 wounds, allowing more complexity
• New statuses replacing old ones, and some old ones have been moved around.
• Stun has been changed
• Blights have been removed completely.
• Removed many saves to avoid statuses.
• Massive rework to summons, now standardized
• Rework to how vigor works
• Rework to how vigilance works
• Rework to hatred
• Update generally to range, ranged abilities, and how AoE works

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 • Update to cover and LoS

• Refocus concept to allow respecialization
• Updates to all relics

Combat jobs
• Talents are now mutually exclusive (you pick one or the other) but a little stronger
• Base armor lowered to 2 for most red jobs
• Rush (armored dash) added for stalwarts
• New slashed and weakend statuses
• New Rampart effect for red jobs
• Update to finishing blow and new traits for vagabonds
• Slow removed, changed to dazed (from old stalwart status)
• Update to bless and most bless traits
• Update to Aetherwall for consistency and new Slip trait

• All jobs have received massive updates. In general, jobs have been rebalanced and refocused on
just a few concepts and triggered effects, for build consistency. For example, Chanters are focused on
flight, pits, combos, the charge triggered effect, and have a light gamble theme.
• Just to give you an idea of what changed, here’s a list of new abilities replacing old abilities: Gates of
Hell, Soul Blade, Massive Overhead, Raging Wolf, Gallows Humor, Party Favor, Paradiso, Exorcism,
Trick Shot, Showdown, Warding Bolts, Nightmare, Shadow Play, Umbral Echo, Assassinate,
Lycanthropy, Morrigan, Aria, Symphony, Gravebirth, Crimson Bloom, Chaos Tarot, Blazing Bond, Helix
Heel, Bifrost, Rampant Nail, Geyser, Waterspout.
• Yeah.
• If that all sounds cool its best just to check out your favorite job to see what changed.

Other
• Small updates to camp system to work with new gear system

Foes
• Massive updates to foes. In general, I wanted to make them more effective and straightforward,
streamlining the number of traits and actions they have in favor of making them more effective
• Reworked how foe interrupts generally work
• Complete rework to how mobs work
• New Round Actions concept
• Massive number of new foes and elites, including for factions that lacked them at certain chapters
• All legend fights have received polish and numerous changes or updates. There are also numerous new
legend fights for factions that lacked them.

Deeptower
• Tiny updates to deep tower to reduce foe variety to make it easier on new GMs

Enjoy!

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 Foreword 2

Update notes (v1.5) 3

ICON 9
Legacy of The Arkenlords 9

Playing the game 11

Rolling Dice 11

Setting and Tone 12

GETTING STARTED 13

I. THE BOOK OF TALES 16

Narrative Play 17
The Action Roll 17

Action Ratings 17

Chapter 21

Speci c Action Examples 23

Clocks 26

Rituals and Projects 28

GM Principles 28

Complications and Consequences 29

Combat In ICON 31

Player characters in Narrative Play 34

Play Example 36

Expeditions, camps, and interludes 39

Starting expeditions 40

INTERLUDES 42

Session End 44

Narrative Character Creation 45

Choosing your bond 46

Folk of Arden Eld 46

THE SIX GREAT CULTURES 52

BONDS 55
I. The Path nder 56

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fi
fi
 II. The Seeker 58

III. The Mighty 60

IV. The Wolf 62

V. The Harlequin 64

VI. The Highborn 66

VII. The Mender 68

VIII. The Brave 70

IX. The Broker 72

X. The Elder 74

XI. The Outsider 76

XII. The Dreamer 78

II. THE BOOK OF BATTLE 80

TACTICAL COMBAT 81
Quick Combat 84

Combat, step by step 87

MOVEMENT 87

The Battle eld 89

ABILITIES 91

Resolve and Limit Break 99

Vigor, Camping, and Healing 100

Victory and Defeat 101

Combat Glossary 102

Advanced Combat 106

JOBS 110
Choosing your job 112

Relics 113

STALWART 116

Bastion 119

Demon Slayer 125

Colossus 133

Knave 139

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fi
VAGABOND 145

Fool 147

Freelancer 153

Shade 159

Warden 166

MENDICANT 172

Chanter 174

Harvester 182

Seer 197

WRIGHT 204

Enochian 206

Geomancer 215

Spellblade 222

Stormbender 230

III. THE BOOK OF ADVENTURE 237

Intro 238

GAME FLOW 238

Advancement 240

Rewards 242

General Dungeon Trophies 243

RELICS 245
THE CAMP 253
Camp Fixtures 254

CUSTOM RULES 261

DUNGEON CRAWL 262

BATTLE 270

INTRIGUE 276

TREK 281

Additional Rules 283

IV. THE BOOK OF FOES 287

FOES 288

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CREATING INTERESTING FIGHTS 294

GLOSSARY OF FOES 298

LEGEND 298

BASIC JOBS 300

Elite 308

BASIC LEGENDS 310

FACTIONS 314
I. FOLK 315

II. RELICT 324

III. Ruin Beast 345

IV. Scavenger 366

V. IMPERIAL 387

VI. DEMON 406

VII. LOWLANDER 428

VIII. JOTUNN 448

IX. HOB 467

DEEPTOWER 491

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 ICON

villages dot the landscape, nestled in glades and

Legacy of The valleys and surrounded by farms and fields
plowed over the skeletons of ancient war
Arkenlords machines. Cities are few and far between, and
connected over the long stretches of idyllic
wilderness by crumbling roads dotted with the
Long ago, the cruel and prosperous Arken
caravans of traveling peddlers and traders.
Imperium crushed the nations of Arden Eld. With
its military might and its command of advanced
The era is peaceful and pastoral. The land is fertile
technology and ancient etheric sorcery, it slew the
and good, and the land is broad and beautiful.
Titans who held up the four pillars of the world
Trade is flourishing between towns and war is, for
and cast them down, proclaiming itself an eternal
the most part, a distant memory of a darker time.
empire. It spread itself from sea to sea, altered the
land itself with great projects, raise mighty cities
of iron and stone, and bent the elden magics to its The Shadow
will, setting its sights on the Highest House, the
seat of the makers themselves. The people of Arden Eld, such as they are, live in
era of contentment and prosperity. Yet at the
The Arkenlords became swollen with power that edges of their lives, the shadow of the past looms.
drove them far beyond the concerns of petty men,
and made them blind to their own rapidly The paths through the wilderness between towns
approaching doom. When it finally came, it was as are treacherous, sometimes dangerous. The ruins
rapid as it was inevitable. A great inexorable of the Arkenlords are everywhere, jutting out of
destruction wracked the empire, shattering it, and the land and riddling the earth itself. For the most
scouring the land. In its wake, monsters crawled part, the ruins are quiet, a mournful reminder of a
from great pits to feast on its remnants, and in forgotten and terrible past. Occasionally, however,
time retreated to the deep earth, leaving only they become more active - filled with monsters
smoldering ruins. and remnants born of the Doom or the final
desperate machineries of the Empire.
The Green Age
Deep within the ruins themselves lurk the Relict -
remains of the old empire, the undead fragments
A thousand years have passed. The land settled
of its servitors and sorcerers - and deeper within,
and healed, and a gentler, greener age slowly
greater prizes. When the Doom befell the Arken, it
dawned. The shattered, labyrinthine ruins of the
shattered the land so quickly that entire chambers
old empire now lie entombed in the verdant earth,
were sunk deep into the earth, or buried in
their depths occasionally disgorging monsters,
underground caverns or passages mostly intact.
mysteries, and ghosts of the old world, but over
Within these preserved ruins is also buried the
and around them the world has recovered. Forests
Arkentech of the old empire - magical and
have grown over ancient galleries, floral meadows
technological creations and devices of terrifying
have sprung up covering old battlegrounds, and
import. The ruins themselves are so seeped in the
sparkling streams now flow through the collapsed
powerful sorcery of the old lords that they exude
and teetering stones of old aqueducts and
Dust - the essence of condensed raw magic highly
overpasses.
sought after by the wrights and technological
artisans of the world above.
Over the ruins and in their shadows, life has
flourished, as it always will. Now towns and

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 Brave or daring adventure seekers or treasure tighten their sword belts, and for the first time,
hunters often venture into these ruins in search of banditry has sprung up over the stones and passes
wealth or power, and are frequently rewarded, of the old imperial highways.
despite the terrible danger that these expeditions
pose. At the very edge of this age is you.
Left unchecked, the more active ruins will begin to
You belong in this world, and you are tied to its
bubble over with fell energies and toxic magic,
fate. You are cursed to wield great power, but how
warping the land itself and spewing forth
you choose to wield it is up to you.
monsters, a terrible event called a Blight. These
grow over time in intensity and size, and can
Many in your position use it to plumb the depths
endanger the roads, fields, and forests of the
of the old world in search of treasure and fame.
world above - and with time grow to warp entire
Others use it to drive back the Blights and protect
regions into a dark mirror of the world below.
the villages of the Green from the specters of the
These blightlands are dangerous and poisonous
past, or keep the roads and ways safe for the
wastes that spread like a cancer across the surface
young and old alike. Some work as mercenaries
of Arden Eld.
for the city guilds and take to the sky in great
airships, while others wander the land helping the
Quite often an entire ruin will surface, pushed up
lost or forgotten. Some use their power to kill to
and out of the earth by some unknown seismic
cut away threats to the world, others to defend
force or rampant magic. These surfacing ruins are
those they hold dear.
often more active than their long-dead
counterparts and will sometimes burst from the
Will you defend the Green Age? Will you help
earth very close to villages or in the middle of
usher in the Churning Age? Or will you cast all
cities, causing great destruction.
aside to turn the great wheel of history and allow
its stagnant blood to flow again? Whoever you are,
The Churning Age it is your decisions that make you who you are,
and cement your place in the Tale of Ages.
Now, the world stands at the edge of a new age -
the Churning Age.
You are an Icon.
More and more adventurers plumb the ruins of
the old world in search of its treasures. Factions of
the trade guilds and city councils now turn their
eyes to the terrible potential of arkentech, and
seek it greedily. Great etheric airships, built with
the power scraped from the ruins, now soar into
the sky in search of crumbling spires or ancient
catacombs to plunder. In response, the ruins
themselves have become more active - disgorging
more monsters, becoming more unstable, and
more often rising up from the earth itself in
terrifying seismic displays.

The Churn threatens to throw the Green Age into

tumult. A treasure fueled sickness has made its
way into the hearts of Kin. There are even those
who whisper, more and more openly, about the
legacy of the ancient empire, of the need for
strength, wealth, power, and war banners to be
hoisted once again. Cities eye each other with
suspicion. Travelers grip their cloaks tightly and

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 by the players, who can choose to stay in a certain

Playing the game chapter as long as they like (but will have a cap on
their power as they cannot level up past the
ICON is a role playing game for two or more chapter limit).
players. An ideal group is 3-5. One player will act
as the game master (GM) who will adjudicate the Using these books
rules and help create and move the narrative
forward. ICON is split into five books, the first being this
introduction book. The other four are, in order:
This game assumes you know what a role-playing
game is. If this is your first RPG and you’re The Book of Tales focuses entirely on narrative
unsure, there are plenty of resources available play
online to bring you up to speed. The Book of Battle focuses on tactical combat
The Book of Adventure focuses on
Two modes of play expeditions, camps, interludes, rewards, and extra
custom rules for the GM
The Book of Foes focuses on a diverse roster of
ICON has two modes of play: narrative play,
foes for tactical combat
and tactical combat. The rules for these
modes are different and there is next to zero If you’re not intending to run tactical combat, you
overlap between them. It’s entirely possible to can skip the Book of Battle and Book of Foes
run a game of ICON entirely in one mode or the entirely. Similarly, if you just want a fun tactical
other, and rules are provided to play the game war-game, you can use just use the Book of Battle
only in narrative mode if you so desire. Typically and the Book of Foes and skip the other two.
games will start in narrative play and remain
there whenever there is storytelling, free role It’s recommended to read the books in order since
playing, or a need to move the story somewhere. they each contain information pertinent to later
When there’s a point of tension that can only be books, but it’s not necessary to read them cover to
decided through the drama and violence of cover, especially if you’re just a player. Feel free to
combat, then the game may swap to a grid-based skim or jump around.
tactical game, with more clearly defined turn
order and more structured rules.
Rolling Dice
Expeditions and Interludes
In ICON, there are different dice rolls for
In ICON, characters are adventurers that go on narrative play and tactical combat.
expeditions in order to accomplish a goal. On an
expedition they can camp to restore their lost
In narrative play, characters use d6s.
health and ease their minds. After the expedition
finishes, they can pause the action to take an
When the outcome of an action is unclear, risky,
interlude, a longer pause in the action.
or contested, a character names their goal and
makes an action roll, rolling a number of d6s
Chapter equal to an action rating on their sheet and
choosing the best result. The GM tells the player
Campaigns of ICON are split into 3 chapters. Over before they roll the effect and risk of their
the course of their adventure, characters will action. On a 1-3 the character fails to accomplish
become increasingly more powerful, represented their goal and suffers the risk, on a 4-5 they
by levels. Every chapter represents four levels succeed but may suffer the risk anyway, take some
(1-4, 5-8, 9-12). Each chapter represents a other consequences, setback or reduced effect,
different scale of power, and enemies, challenges, and on a 6 they succeed with no complications.
and stakes will increase in severity accordingly. There’s many more details on on action rolls in
Moving on to the next chapter is a decision taken the section on narrative play.

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 - A character makes a narrative roll with 1 boon.

In tactical combat, characters mostly use They get 3 dice on the roll normally, but adding
d20s. the boon they get 4.
- A character makes an attack roll with two
The two rolls in tactical combat are attack rolls boons. They roll 1d20, and get a 13. They roll
and saves. 2d6 (one for each boon), and get a 3 and a 4.
They take the highest boon result (a 4) and add
Characters usually make an attack roll when they it to the total, for 13+4 = 17.
take a hostile action against another character - A character makes a save with 2 curses and 1
with the attack tag. For an attack roll, a blessing. The blessing cancels one curse. They
character rolls a d20 (and may also roll a roll 1d20, and get a 12, then roll 1 remaining
number of d6s, see below), then compares the curse and get a 4. Their total result is 12 - 4 = 8,
final result to their target’s defense, beating it if a failure.
they match it or roll higher.

Characters make saves to avoid or end harmful

ongoing effects, such as dragon breath, poisonous Setting and Tone
gas, being stunned by a boulder, or something
similar. For a save, a character rolls a d20 ICON’s setting is kept relatively loose for you to
(usually with no modifiers). On an 10 or higher, adapt to your game. Several aspects of narrative
they save against the effect successfully, ending or play and tactical combat are kept loose for you to
avoiding it. decide what is important to you in your game.
When a section of the game does this, it’ll mention
There’s many more details on attacks, saves, and it directly.
tactical combat in the rules in that section.
For example, non player characters that are
Boon and Curse reduced to 0 hit points in tactical combat are
defeated. By default, the game does not assume
Some abilities give rolls boon or curse. These that defeated means dead. You can decide if you
modifiers represent situational modifiers that can want to run a game with a different tone that
happen during a dangerous and chaotic players can decide whether to defeat or kill an
adventure. Many character abilities will give enemy they reduce to 0 hp, if an enemy is always
boons built in and many enemy effects will give killed when reduced to 0 hp, or if an enemy is
curse. never killed when reduced to 0 hp unless
characters take some extra action.
For narrative play, when a roll has a boon, add an
additional d6 to the roll for each boon. When a Here are the game’s other setting elements:
roll has any curse, subtract a d6 for each curse.
This is often written like +1D or -1D. Setting conceits

For tactical combat, when a roll has a boon, roll The game takes place in a world called Arden Eld
an add a d6 to the total d20 roll for each boon. If (old Arden).
more than one boon is added to a roll, choose the
highest d6 result, no matter how many rolled. For Arden Eld is old, wild, and untamed. Where
curses, do the opposite (subtract 1d6 per curse, civilization exists, it is green, pastoral, and
subtracting the highest for multiple curses). idyllic, except for the cities, which are few and
far between. There are no nations the way we
Boons and curses cancel each other out, 1 to 1 think of them today, but there are tight knit
(don’t even roll). communities and city states.

For example: Arden Eld is post-post apocalyptic, and full of

ruins, dungeons, caverns, and other unexplored
and dangerous spaces. There was an ancient,

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 cruel, and technomagically advanced empire

that collapsed under its own hubris, irrevocably ICON does not care about minutely tracking time,
changing the land. In these deep and perilous supplies, detailed wounds, etc., nor does it care
spaces there is great treasure in the form of lost about tracking currency for the most part. Even
magic and technology. when there are exceptions to this rule, this game
only tracks these things where it matters.
Arden Eld is a fantastic world. People in Arden
Eld may use swords, shields, and plate mail, but Players always have the initiative in ICON,
the existence of arkentech means there are especially in narrative play. Running a slow, tile-
firearms, automata, electric lighting, skyships, by-tile dungeon crawl with traps, puzzles, etc is
and other ancient machines all over the place. not well suited to ICON without modifying the
High technology tends to be rare, coveted, and way you think about these challenges. The game
buried. prefers to move through these aspects narratively
and quickly.
Arden Eld is full of monsters that pour forth
from the ruins, but those monsters are never If you want to run a nonviolent social game with
people. People may contest, thwart, fight, or little combat, it is possible, but ICON’s focus on
even try to kill the characters, but their violence monster fighting, battles, and exploration of
is always motivated. dangerous spaces (even if done narratively) is a
core part of the game.
Game conceits

ICON is a game about playing heroic GETTING STARTED

characters that fight for their ideals. They go
on expeditions to fight monsters, explore The GM should read through the narrative play
ruins, and gather power. During interludes, and tactical combat sections if they intend to
they build, heal, and learn. Eventually they may use them. Players should also give them a read,
end up changing or saving the world. Heroic in especially if they’re jumping into tactical combat
this context doesn’t necessarily mean in the first session.
‘altruistically motivated’ but ‘fated’, or ‘larger than
life'. Players can make their character by choosing a
Kintype, a Culture, a Bond, and putting 4
ICON fits into a ‘mythic fantasy’ or ‘high more dots in actions for narrative play (page XX).
fantasy’ type of game, where the heroes can Then, if they’re using tactical combat, they pick a
perform feats of incredible strength, speed, or combat job and two abilities (page XX).
magic, and the beliefs and ideals of the heroes are
central. Characters get a free fixture for their camp (page
XX) and can fill out some more details about their
Changing these conceits group.

As a game master you are welcome to change, Advancement

add, or tweak any of this content for your own
setting or use. Certain aspects of ICON, however, Characters in ICON are measured by their level,
are core to the game and before running a game starting at level 0. After the first session,
using this system, think carefully about these characters get enough experience to level up to
aspects. level 1.

If you want to run a game that is more grounded Characters level up by accumulating experience,
or low technology, it will probably not fit with the from 0-15. They may accumulate some experience
base tone and setting of this game. Characters are during a session, and even more at the end of
heroic and powerful and have many abilities that each session when they check a series of xp
give them a lot of narrative agency. Magic and triggers.
technology is everywhere.

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Levels max out at level 12. Every 4 levels

constitutes a chapter.

There’s much more detail on advancement in the

Book of Adventure on pg XX

Moving forward

There’s more details on all of this in the

forthcoming sections. I’ve included the
advancement table here for ease of reference but
it is repeated again in the advancement and
rewards section on page XX.

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Character Advancement

- Characters level from level 0 to level 1 after the first session.

- At the end of each session, each player checks the xp triggers for their character and gains xp if the
trigger was fulfilled.
- At certain level ups, characters gain +1 ability point (ap). This ability point can be spent to gain a new
ability, or unlock one of the two talents for an existing ability. Talents are mutually exclusive.
- At level 1 and every level afterwards, characters gain +1 ap when they hit 7 xp and go into a camp, enter
an interlude, or at the end of a session.
- When a character hits 15 xp, they clear their xp bar and accumulate a level up, which can be spent at
the end of a interlude (a downtime period) or at the end of a session to level up their character.
Characters can’t level higher than the chapter the game is currently in.

Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit

Choose a Culture and Kin type. Then choose
a Bond and gets 2 dots in a specific action, a
0 1 Choose a job and two abilities. Bond power, then gain 4 extra dots to
improve actions. None can be taken past 3 at
level 0.
1 1 Gain +2 ap and unlock Limit Break Gain a Bond Power and improve an action

2 1 Gain your first relic Gain a Bond Power and improve an action
3 1 Gain a Mastery Point Gain a Bond power
Choose a second job and gain +2ap
4 1 OR the same job and gain a mastery Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
point.
5 2 Gain +1ap Improve an action
6 2 Get your second relic Gain a Bond power

7 2 Gain a Mastery Point Improve an action

Choose a third job and gain +2ap OR
8 2 the same job and gain a mastery Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
point.
9 3 Get your third relic Gain a Bond power

10 3 Gain a Mastery Point Improve an action

11 3 Gain +1ap Improve an action

12 3 Gain a Mastery Point Gain a Bond power

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I. THE BOOK OF TALES

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 Narrative Play

Narrative play is the default mode of play of • 6,6: - Critical Hit! The character is successful
ICON. Whenever you’re talking, exploring, and has increased effect
investigating, or on the move, you’re probably in
narrative play. It covers pretty much everything Rolling with 0
outside of tactical combat. In narrative play, the If you roll with 0 total dice, roll 2d6 and pick the
primary goal of the players and the GM is to tell a lowest as your final result. You can never get a
story together, and the story itself is the critical hit with 0 dice.
medium of play.
Bonus dice
Players typically say what their characters do and
say, and the game master tells them how the
You might get bonus dice or dice penalties on a
world or other characters respond to them. It’s a
roll from allies helping you, in the form of Boons
bit like a conversation back and forth between the
(+1d6) and Curses (-1d6). These cancel each other
GM and the players.
out 1 to 1.
Narrative play can be very loose and unstructured,
These are sometimes written as +1D or -1D for
and you can play a long time without touching any
simplicity.
dice. The general rule is to do it - do it! You
don't need to roll dice to take every action.
The most important rule to remember is that you
can’t get more than +2 or -2 additional dice
However, when the outcome of an action is
on any roll, no matter how many dice you get
unclear, difficult, dangerous, or contested,
otherwise.
a player makes an action roll.

The Action Roll Action Ratings

When an action roll is required, players decide
To make an action roll, players state their
which action rating best fits their action.
intent, then pick an action on their character
sheet that they think best describes their action.
• Sneak - Move with stealth and silence. Perform
Based on the action chosen, the GM judges the
actions without notice. Spring an ambush.
risk and effect of that action. Then the player
• Traverse - Climb, swim, leap, fly. Run swiftly.
makes an action roll, rolling 1d6 per dot of the
Chase or flee. Pilot a vehicle or ride an animal.
chosen action and picking the highest result.
• Sense - Scan and assess a broad area or
Actions are rated from 0 to 4. For actions with a
situation. Spot at a distance. Find tracks, clues,
rating of 0, players roll 2d6 and pick the lowest.
paths. Sense the presence of magic or hidden
things.
Check the final result:
• Study - Analyze something or someone in
detail. Discern someone’s intentions or notice
• 1-3: The character fails to accomplish their goal
deception. Perform research. Decipher an
and suffers the consequences
inscription.
• 4-5: The character is successful, but at a cost
• Charm - Sway with direct charisma, deception,
• 6: The character is successful
or diplomacy. Call in favors. Cause distraction
or misdirection

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 • Command - Use force of will and presence to more or less effective depending on the situation.
lead or intimidate. Give orders. The key thing is that players always choose the
• Tinker - Interact with, understand, or use approach and the action they want to use. The
alchemy, etheric constructs, or technology. Fix, GM is free to suggest actions, and also to decide
pick, or break locks or mechanisms. Construct, whether an action is more or less risky or
deconstruct, or alter technology. effective. This is where the meat of narrative
• Excel - Act with concentrated precision or skill. play in ICON lies. Players can use their creativity
Fire a ranged weapon. Hit a tiny target at range. to form approaches to problems, and the GM acts
Catch a falling coin. Balance on a narrow wire. as the judge to set the stakes.
Squeeze through a tight space.
• Smash - Overwhelm with physical or magical
force. Swing a melee weapon. Throw a punch or
Risk and Effect
blast down a door with a magic spell. Wreck an
When a player suggests a course of action and
object or obstacle.
names their goal, the GM decides how risky the
• Endure - Push yourself to your limits. Power
action is and how effective it’s going to be, based
through pain, cold, heat, or harsh environments.
on the narrative.
Lift or drag something enormously heavy.
Risk can be controlled, risky, or desperate.
Examples:
Effect is usually weak, normal, or powerful.
• Sneak past the sleeping Wyrm without it
waking
By default, all actions are risky and have normal
• Traverse down a corridor and outrun a wall of
effect.
flame
• Sense the tracks of a beast in the snow
• Study a goblet of wine very carefully to see if Risk
it’s poisoned
• Charm the bandits into untying you Risk is how dangerous an action is, and what
• Command a caravan of scared people to stay the consequences could be for failure or partial
together while under attack success. If an action is risky, it means there is
• Tinker with an ancient magic rune circle to some degree of harmful or unwanted
prevent it from summoning a demon consequences to the action, usually what we’d
• Excel and cut the drawstrings of the guard’s expect.
trousers with a swipe of a dagger.
• Smash the lock on the ancient chest with a Controlled risk means there are few or weaker
single blow consequences for failure. When a situation or
• Endure the pain from holding back a heavy action is controlled, the character usually has a
boulder from squashing your friends good position, plenty of time, or relative safety.
Desperate risk means great or dire
You’ll notice that some of these actions have a consequences for failure. When a character finds
little overlap, but are flavored differently. For themselves in a bad situation or throws
example, taking someone’s purse from them could themselves into one for a faint hope, that’s
be cutting it from their belt (with Excel) - quick desperate.
but not necessarily quietly. Alternately, it could be
taking it quietly with Sneak. You could even Effect
perhaps Charm them to divert their attention
while you take it off them. A heavy dungeon door Effect is what we expect to happen when the
could be tinkered (if it has a lock). Alternately, it character is successful. Normal effect is just this -
could be smashed with a fireball, or perhaps what a character expects to happen.
someone could endure lifting and holding it
open for the group to pass through. When effect is weak, it’s less effective than the
player expects. For example, a character tries to
All of these different situations have different tinker a gemstone loose that’s powering a
narrative outcomes and might be more risky or magical trap, but only succeeds in prying it out

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 half way, making them have to take additional The power of all actions generally is guided by
action. When an effect is powerful, it’s more Chapter (pg XX), but you can change this
effective than expected. For example, a character depending on the tone of your game.
trying to study or sense a way out of a maze with
powerful effect may figure the whole thing out How much can a powerful or super powered
and gets the party out in one roll. action do in your game? Can a superpowered
smash destroy a boulder or a whole tower? Does
No effect and Superpowered changing the mind of the enchantress take a
powerful charm or a normal charm? Can a
Sometimes the GM can judge an action can have character command a whole army by themselves
no effect at all. For example, the GM might decide with normal effect or is that effect weak without
trying to charm monsters to persuade them that aid?
your actions are just may not have any effect.
Trying to traverse by leaping up a 50 foot wall Which actions end up being more or less risky and
probably doesn’t have any effect unless it’s already the consequences of character action also sets the
been established your character can jump that tone. If a character attempts to leap across a wide
high (see the section on chapter shortly). chasm, is that a desperate action, or merely
risky? Can a character even jump across a chasm
Sometimes an action has extraordinary effect, is that wide unaided, or will they have no effect
heroic or outsized in scale, or pushes beyond without a superpowered action?
mortal limits. This level of effect is called
superpowered. Characters can get a Changing Dice Pools
superpowered effect by pushing their effect
beyond powerful through their abilities or getting The GM never changes the number of dice a
a critical hit on a powerful action. A superpowered character can roll in ICON, but a character can
effect can accomplish feats that are far beyond the themselves affect how many dice they get by
character’s current abilities - like traversing that aiding their allies or pushing themselves past their
50 foot wall in a single leap, smashing a tower to limits.
rubble with a blow of your sword, or sneaking
through a whole army.
Gaining Dice
Setting risk and effect
All characters have a pool of Effort, representing
their inner reserves of willpower, strength, and
Risk and effect are set before making a roll. This the will to push on.
can take a little practice to get used to, but it’s
important - we set these before the roll so the
• Characters can spend 1 effort to to improve their
consequences and effect of a character’s actions rolls by pushing. Pushing gives +1 boon on
are clear before they make the roll. Think of it like any action.
a negotiation between the GM and the player - if • Characters can also spend 1 effort to aid an ally,
all goes smoothly, then the roll should feel fair, giving them +1 die. Push and aid can both stack
even if the player fails - after all, we know what on the same action
the consequences should be. Conversely, if the • Characters can also make an action roll to set
player succeeds, they can expect what will up another character - for example by
happen, since we know what their effect will be. distracting the merchant while your ally sneaks
up behind them, studying a monster for a weak
Judging risk, effect and setting tone point, or charming a mercenary your ally wants
to hire. Your roll has reduced effect by itself,
These two tools together - risk and effect - are and you can still take consequences, but your
kept slightly loose for a reason. They let you set ally gets +1 boon or increased effect on the
the tone of the game you want to play, and also action you set up if your roll is successful. This
give the GM tools to judge situations based on the counts as aiding a character, so you can’t do
story. both.

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 obvious consequences, but the action is difficult

Losing Dice or the outcome is unclear, they can make a
fortune roll. This a roll that uses actions as
During the course of a journey, a character might normal, but the outcome is slightly different,
gain Burdens. These represent long term based on what the character is trying to do:
injuries, trauma, or problems that a character is
trying to work through. • 1-3: Poor result or outcome
• 4-5: Expected or average result or outcome
When you take a burden, a character picks an • 6: Good result or outcome
action of their choice. These actions gain -1 die • 6,6: Excellent result or outcome
while the character has that burden. The same
action can be picked twice, but actions that are By themselves, fortune rolls usually don’t change
already at 0d, including as part of a burden, can’t a situation, but can change the risk and effect of
be picked again. future rolls given the circumstance or the quality
of information that characters have about that
When the burden is healed or lifted, those actions situation.
return to normal.
The most common application of these rolls is
Tempt Fate when gathering information about a situation,
or during interludes. For example, a character
There’s one more way to get bonus dice without studies a group of monsters from a distance. The
spending any effort or making any rolls. GM judges that it’s too far for there to be any
danger, so the player makes a fortune roll and gets
At any time when you roll, you can tempt fate by a 4, getting average information.
suggesting a negative consequence of your
actions. If the GM agrees this is a fitting outcome, Researching and working on long term
take +1 die on your roll as if you had pushed the projects are usually all fortune rolls. Pursuing
roll, but the consequence becomes true no matter ambitions during downtime (page XX) is by
the outcome. default a fortune roll.

For example: Tests of ability can be a fortune roll - a

character can roll traverse to see how fast they
“Can I get a bonus die if my fireball accidentally show up at a scene, for example, endure to win a
sets the whole forest on fire?” drinking contest, or excel to perform a coin trick
“Can I get a bonus die if we wake the sleeping to impress someone.
wyrm up?”
“Can I get a bonus die if I accidentally leave my Recall
sword with the caravan and enter the cave
unarmed?” Tests of knowledge are also usually fortune
rolls. When a character wants to dredge up useful
Max dice lore, history, rumor, or memory about a topic,
they can recall that info by making a fortune roll
Just as a reminder: characters can never get using the most appropriate action they can think
more than -2 or +2 dice on any roll. That of. The information the GM gives them will vary
means the maximum a character can roll is 6 dice, depending on the action, and there may be some
and the least they can roll is 0 (two and pick the overlap.
lowest).
A character could, for example, try to recall their
familiarity with arkentech devices by making a
Fortune tinker roll, remember the social etiquette of a
ball with a charm roll, or try to assess the odds of
When a character is trying to accomplish a task survival of jumping over a lava chasm with an
that isn’t particularly dangerous or doesn’t have endure roll.

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 situations, a GM can always turn things back on

GM fortune rolls the players and force them to react, even when
players have a successful roll. Always look to ask
The GM can also make a fortune roll if they want the question “What do you do?”
to leave a situation up to chance. How’s the
weather? Is the town elder busy today? How rocky One Roll
are the river rapids up ahead? Give a situation 0-4
dice depending on how likely you think the Most tasks can be accomplished in one roll, but
parameters are. Most situations should have just you can decide how far one roll goes in your game.
0, 1, or 2 dice.
• Will one roll let you sneak into the castle, or will
This is the only time a GM should roll dice in you need to take a series of actions?
narrative play. • Will one roll let you convince the knight of your
worthiness, or will you need to prove your
Might and Magic mettle to them with further actions?
• Will one roll let you fight your way out of the
You might notice that there are no explicitly monster infested flooded passage, or will you
magical effects in the actions. The outcome of the play out tactical combat to get out instead?
actions and the type of action is what’s important.
Whether in the story your character is using their Stretching the value of a single roll can let you
skill, physical strength, or magical forces to control the tone of the game and how it’s framed -
perform the action makes no difference - all how much time and action is covered - and you
heroes are ICONs, after all, and all equally capable can vary it from scene to scene.
of great feats. However you flavor the action is up
to you - you choose which action rating you think All these concepts above - tone, risk, effect, how
best fits your activity in the story. Sense could be much can be accomplished in one roll - can also
your character using magically enhanced eyesight be adjudicated by Chapter.
to scout a situation, or just your character’s keen
senses. You could sneak on your own two feet or
with a magical cloaking spell, or you can study by Chapter
using a spell to speed read.
Chapter is a rough approximation of power level
The limits of player abilities are based on in ICON, from I-IV. It also applies in tactical
Chapter (pg XX) no matter what. combat, but is equally as important in narrative
play. Characters themselves only advance from
Player initiative chapters I to III.

In ICON narrative play, the Game Master Chapter decides both the scale of the
never rolls (except maybe to make a fortune roll adventures that characters are expected to have,
here and there, as stated above), and players and those characters’ own abilities and
always have the initiative. Non-player characters, capabilities.
traps, hazards, etc are not treated like individual
entities with their own ‘turns’ or action ratings, Chapter can be adjusted for your game, but this
but rather like a part of the scene or story, with game is designed with the following scales in
the story itself being the most important thing! mind:
Characters take action, and the GM responds by
narrating what happens next. • Chapter 1 is for threats, challenges, and stories
at the local scale, things characters could be
The only way players can take consequences is expected to handle as beginning
through their own actions. The extent of those adventurers. They might save a local town or
consequences are up to the GM, however, which village. Things like crossing a river, scaling a
could include them ‘losing’ the initiative by cliff, bargaining for supplies, etc might still be a
forcing them to react to a situation. In tense challenge for them.

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 • Chapter 2 is for adventures at the regional Chapter 1

scale. Characters are established • Fighting a small band of bandits or an average
adventurers, and might be capable of heroic, monster
outsize feats. They might smash boulders with a • Scaling a high manor wall
single blow, or lead their own organization, or • Swimming across a river
sneak into a guarded fortress in broad daylight. • Surviving in the wilderness
• Chapter 3 is for adventures at the world scale. • Sneaking into a camp undetected
Characters are expected to be very powerful, • Charming a merchant into better prices
heroic adventurers, capable of legendary or • Commanding a few lackeys
mythical feats like diverting a river, crossing • Deciphering odd runes from a ruin
into the afterlife, or flying across the continent
in a day. Chapter 2
• Fighting a large group of well trained soldiers or
Chapter 4 is a special chapter used to represent a tough, intelligent, or powerful monster
power on the metaphysical scale, a level of • Scaling a huge castle wall
power that characters can never attain • Sneaking into a guarded castle
while being adventurers - demigods, divine • Riding a monster without a saddle
beings, etc. Characters might achieve chapter 4 • Forging a new set of armor in just a few days
some day - but if they do, they’re certainly no • Creating a new powerful alchemical formula
longer on the scale where they care about • Enduring a fall off a high peak
adventuring, and instead are probably one of the • Splitting a boulder in half with a single blow
powers of the world. • Riling up a crowd into revolution

Using Chapter Chapter 3

• Fighting or commanding an entire army
Chapter both decides the scale of the game and • Building a castle in a single night, or destroying
also characters’ expected capabilities. it with all your might
• Traveling across the entire continent in a few
Many narrative abilities that characters have scale hours
with chapter automatically. In addition, GMs can • Battling an ancient or legendary monster
use Chapter to adjudicate risk, effect, and tone • Scaling an epic peak with your bare hands
for their game. Typically, characters are unable • Swimming across an ocean channel
to tackle challenges or tasks above their • Stealing the crown off the king’s head while he
chapter without taking multiple steps, holds court
bringing in help, or having reduced effect (or • Surviving being hurled into a hostile dimension
no effect at all). Conversely, characters tackling for a few weeks
threats and challenges under their chapter • Charming an ancient sorcerer into aiding you
probably don’t even have to roll. • Making ground-breaking discoveries in magic.
Forging new spells
Characters can attempt to bypass chapter by
pushing themselves beyond their limits, usually Anything in Chapter 4 or beyond is by definition
by gaining superpowered effect. However, the beyond the capabilities of characters without
limits of Superpowered effect can be adjudicated significant preparation, aid, or extra power -
by the GM depending on the tone of the game, something that characters will never be on level
and typically shouldn’t reach more than one with. These are actions that can be story defining
chapter up. for legendary heroes.

What constitutes chapter appropriate depends on Examples would be:

the tone of your game. Here’s some examples of • Facing down a demigod, titan, or divine being
challenges for a group I (the author) would run • Diving into the weave of magic itself
going by the ‘default’ chapter design, however, • Bargaining with Death
based on ICON’s default ‘mythic fantasy’ tone: • Stealing a thread of life from the underworld

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 You can absolutely adjust this up or down. Decide such as darkness or misdirection. They can
with your group and for your table what a chapter probably only do it slowly. At higher chapters,
1, 2, or 3 challenge looks like. they need less cover and can do it faster.

Sneaking can represent using your natural skill or

Moving up a Chapter magical abilities that turn you invisible or unseen
to the eye.
Though it’s ultimately up to the GM when to move
the game up a chapter, it should feel natural for
Traverse
the flow of your game. Move up a chapter when it
Traverse is usually about how far and how safely a
seems like the characters have outpaced their
character can move in a given amount of time. It
current challenges, or their strength or the scale of
not only includes running, jumping, climbing, etc,
threats they are facing is growing. This should
but also teleporting and flying, something most
typically be done during an interlude.
characters can do a little of.
Moving up a chapter increases the narrative
Adding extra complications on to a traverse roll
capabilities of all the player characters, and also
can change the risk and effect. For example:
allows them to level up past the chapter cap.
I want to move:
Specific Action • Without touching the ground
• …and take someone with me
Examples • Up a vertical surface
• Through thick mud, water, heavy snow, etc

Here’s some examples of risk, effect, and chapter Might all adjust risk and effect.
using each action for what a characters’ expected
capabilities and limits are in each chapter. This Here are the rough capabilities of a characters’
can be adjusted by a GM depending on the tone of actions, depending on chapter:
the game. These are all just examples and by no
means an exhaustive list. • Chapter I: Climb over a manor wall, swim a
river, or cross a gap. Ride an animal or pilot a
Sneak vehicle. Move a short distance quickly (a few
The risk and effect of Sneak actions is usually dozen paces).
dependent on how alert the target of the action is, • Chapter II: Climb over a castle wall, swim a
and what the scale of the task is. lake, cross a chasm. Ride a monster. Move a
long distance (a field’s length) very quickly (by
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s climbing, sprinting, jumping, teleporting, flying,
actions, depending on chapter: etc).
• Chapter III: Run up a massive cliffside, swim
• Chapter I: Sneak into a camp or building. Fish a channel, cross a canyon. Ride a huge monster.
an item out of someone’s pocket, or plant Arrive in a nearby town almost instantly. Keep
something there. Use sleight of hand to fool up or even outrun a horse or riding animal.
someone. Spring an ambush on a single person.
• Chapter II: Sneak into a large or guarded Overland travel might be a single roll, or might
location like a castle. Pickpocket or ambush a take a project or ritual (see the section below) to
whole group of people. do something like teleport instantly using a ritual,
• Chapter III: Sneak past a guarded location in book safe passage on an airship etc.
broad daylight. Stealth by a monster with
unusual senses. Steal something someone is Sense
actively holding while they’re looking at you. When you sense, you broadly survey or take in an
area. You don’t get a lot of detail or specifics, but
A lower chapters, a character needs some cover or you might notice things like traps, hidden doors,
distraction to effectively do something sneaky, magical constructs, hidden ambushes, people etc.

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 You might notice smoke from a campfire, or dust are being deceived. If that’s the case, their chapter
kicked up from a caravan over the horizon. usually determines

Usually the risk and effect of sense actions is Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
determined by how tense the situation is and also actions, depending on chapter:
factors such as darkness, obscurity (from weather,
dust, etc), and distance. • Chapter I: Figure out how to open a door.
Decipher a text in a foreign language. Find a
Sense can also be used to detect the presence of path through a maze. Solve a riddle. Untangle a
magic or people. Powerful magic might be more puzzle. Do light detective work. Determine
risky or harder to detect. Creatures or people from whether the local barkeep is charging too much
higher chapters might also be much harder or money.
even impossible to detect, depending on their skill • Chapter II: Decipher an ancient text. Research
level. forbidden lore. Find the weak heart scale on a
wyrm. Figure out where someone has been by
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s looking at their clothing. Determine whether the
actions, depending on chapter: master thief is going to let you leave her den
alive.
• Chapter I: Spot or detect traps, hidden doors, • Chapter III: Surmise exactly what happened
or hidden objects. Look for entrances into an in a room last week from two hairs and a splotch
ancient ruin. Sense an ambush. Track or hunt of blood. Decipher an ancient inscription by
over ground. Detect magic or the presence of intuition alone. Solve a mystery right away that
nearby mundane beings. would have stumped an entire team of local
• Chapter II: Sense a master assassin. Track heroes. Guess the archwyrm’s riddle in one go.
someone through new snow or in days-old mud.
Detect subtle or hidden magic. Spy a moving Charm
caravan hours before it arrives. Predict the Charm can be used when you’re trying to sway
weather days in advance. with direct appeals, charisma, diplomacy,
• Chapter III: Determine the exact location of connections, or deception. Like many other
an invisible creature. Track someone in a busy actions, Charm’s effectiveness and risk is highly
town by the smell of their tobacco. Visualize the depending on scale and the person or group of
ambient connections of magic around you. people you are trying to Charm.

Study You probably won’t be able to talk your way out of

Study is looking at something with a more focused every situation, but that’s something that is
lens, in detail. You might not notice a hidden door depending on the tone of your game. Some people
well with study, but once you find it, you may be just won’t listen to reason.
able to determine how to open it. Studying
situations can help you untangle clues about what Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
happened, and study can be used for research or actions, depending on chapter:
academic pursuits, such as deciphering text,
recalling ancient monster lore, or transcribing an • Chapter I: Sway a person into aiding you. Get
ancient spell. the caravan owner to apologize to his daughter.
Lie to a town militia person. Assume a made-up
Usually it’s the qualities of what you’re studying identity. Talk down a bandit.
that determine the risk and effect of studying • Chapter II: Sway a small crowd into aiding you
something - as well as what’s going on at the time. or taking some action. Convince the king to let
Studying a monster for weaknesses while it’s you out of the dungeon. Pretend to be someone
chasing you might be a little risky for example. well-known. Talk down an assassin.
• Chapter III: Sway an entire town of people
You can also study living creatures to determine into helping you. Convince the king to step
their emotions and intent - perhaps to see if you down from his throne, then pretend to be the
king for a week.

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 Tinker also allows alteration of existing devices,

Doing something that takes long term effort with which could involve something like picking a lock.
Charm such as brokering peace, or a courtly
romance, might be a project. Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
actions, depending on chapter:
Command
Command is when you use force of will, Create, alter, or disassemble:
leadership, personality, threats, or intimidation to • Chapter I: Uncomplicated or relatively simple
force someone into action. It’s more blunt than devices and constructs. A simple lock. A spell
Charm and may work better or worse on different that sets off an alarm. A clockwork automata. A
kinds of people. As with charm, the scale of the pair of magnification goggles. A clock. A small
target of your action, the situation, and their bomb.
nature will all affect risk and effect. Scaring off a • Chapter II: Complicated magical or mundane
few people trying to rob you will probably be a lot devices and constructs. A magically sealed door.
easier than scaring off a hungry monster the size An arkentech automata. Aetherically powered
of a draft horse. lights. An airship. A power gauntlet. A spell that
produces toxic gas
You can also use command to lead a group of • Chapter III: Very complicated or legendary
people or run an organization. devices or constructs. A suit of arkentech power
armor. An ancient arkentech golem. A force-
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s shield. A sealed habitat.
actions, depending on chapter:
Many tinker actions take the form of a project or
• Chapter I: Effectively lead a few people into ritual.
battle. Intimidate someone. Organize a defense.
Force surrender from a fleeing thief. Run a Excel
small organization, such as shop or business. Excel is the counterpart to tinker and allows you
• Chapter II: Effectively lead a platoon into to use your manual dexterity and agility to
battle. Intimidate a small group of people. perform feats of skill and precision.
Organize a group of peasants into a rebellion.
Force an outnumbered army to retreat. Make a Excel is most often affected by the potential risks.
hardened killer hesitate. Run a large Balancing on a wire may be hard, but not risky
organization. unless there’s a fifty foot drop underneath.
• Chapter III: Effectively lead an army into
battle. Start a revolution. Force a large number Excel can also be used to perform feats with or
of soldiers to surrender. Run or rule a small city. simply shoot ranged weaponry such as gun, bows,
or bolts of energy from your staff - whatever your
Actions like doing battle, running a city, etc may character has on hand.
be a project.
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
Tinker actions, depending on chapter:
Tinker allows you to create, alter, or disassemble
devices and constructs, whether magical or • Chapter I: Make a tough shot. Squeeze into a
mundane. tight space. Balance on a wire. Do a backflip.
Disarm someone. Cut someone’s purse strings.
Usually the risk and effect of a tinker action are • Chapter II: Shoot a coin out of someone’s
highly dependent on the size and goal of the hand at fifty paces. Balance on a moving wagon
creation, the availability of tools, devices, while juggling. Throw a knife through an arrow
workshop spaces, etc. You can often think about slit.
what ‘chapter’ a tinkering device would be from • Chapter III: Make a nearly impossible shot.
and extrapolate from there. Balance on the tip of a sword. Hit the eye of a
wyrm with an arrow while it’s flying at you and

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 you’re hanging off the side of an airship, upside ancient tree trunk. Force open a sealed stone
down. door that has been sealed for a thousand years.
Out-drink a Jotunn.
Smash
Smash is when you use violence or direct force to Action Overlap
accomplish your goals. This could be physical
strength or magical prowess. Shooting a fireball at As mentioned before, there is a lot of intentional
a door or kicking it down accomplish pretty much overlap between actions. Risk and effect can be
the same thing, after all. used to tease out the differences between actions,
depending on your GM and the tone of your game.
The risk and effect of smash are usually
depending on your target and your own For example, Smash and Endure have some
capabilities. overlap. Smashing a door down as opposed to
using Endure to merely force it open has a
You can also use Smash to swing a melee weapon, different effect in the fiction, however, which is
whether that’s a giant hammer or a sword made of relevant - especially if you're trying to do
fire. something quietly!
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s Charm and Command have similar outcomes -
actions, depending on chapter: however Charming a scared soldier looks very
different than Commanding one, and also
• Chapter I: Break a gate. Kick a bandit in the depends heavily on which side the soldier is on!
face. Throw a punch. Blow up a door. Throw a
barrel.
• Chapter II: Snap a heavy iron chain. Throw Clocks
back ten people with one blow. Smash a
boulder. Blow right through a stone wall.
• Chapter III: Blow a hole through a castle wall. Let’s think about sneaking into a castle. There
Use your knuckles as a battering ram to smash a may be several discrete tasks or obstacles that
castle gate. Fight a small platoon by yourself. need to be cleared as players try to get through
Split a cliff face. Burn away a small forest. this castle - guards, locks, trapped doors, you
name it. One roll may not feel right for the
purposes of this task. If the journey in doesn’t
Endure
particularly matter, a character could make a
Endure is the counterpart of smash, for when you
single roll to sneak in and have to figure out how
use your ability to withstand or exert tremendous
to get out. Or, if this is something we want the
forces. It could be not just physical strength, but
story to brush past or montage through without
magical or semi-magical fortitude as well, brought
much further consideration or consequence, we
on by training, spells, etc.
could do the whole thing in a single roll (perhaps
this is a scene from the character’s history, or the
Here are the rough capabilities of a character’s
task is far below their skill based on the chapter).
actions, depending on chapter:
Sometimes a task is too complex or daunting to be
• Chapter I: Hold up a portcullis or a push aside
completed in one roll. Sometimes a task might
a heavy stone. Go for a long time without food
take more time, or multiple steps, to complete,
or water. Hold your breath. Push on into
and doing everything in one roll just doesn’t feel
extreme heat or cold. Run through the night.
right.
Win a drinking contest. Withstand pain.
• Chapter II: Lift an ox into the air or hold a
In all these cases, it’s best to use a clock!
castle gate open. Eat something poisonous. Go
without sleep, food, or rest for a few days.
When you have a clear challenge or goal, you can
Withstand tremendous pain.
set out a clock with an even number of segments
• Chapter III: Wade through fire or ice. Lift a
(4, 6, 8, 10, 12). You can draw out an actual clock,
three story Leggio Caravan. Carry an entire

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 split into segments, or use a tracker, or simply tick You can easily use clocks to track progress on a
off check marks if you like. The longer the clock, long term project, especially the kind that
the more complicated or challenging it will be to characters might try to work on during an
fulfill. Name the clock after the challenge or goal, interlude.
not necessarily the method. For example, you can
have a clock that says ‘Guards’, ‘Traps’, and Slow Clocks
‘Alarm’.
If you want a clock that fills slower, instead set a
When characters take action related to a clock clock out that only fills up by 1 segment at a time,
that would further it in some way, they will fill in usually when characters are successful at some
segments on that clock with their actions on a other task, or advance a journey or activity in
successful roll equal to their effect: some way. For example, if your characters are
• Fill in 2 segments for normal effect tracking a monster, you can tick a segment any
• 1 for weak, time the characters finish a scene where they close
• 3 for powerful, distance on the monster, and decide they find it
• and 5 for super powered actions. after 3 segments.

When the clock fills up completely, the task or There are lots of other examples of this in the
challenge it represents is complete or Book of Adventure on page XX.
surpassed. No further action is necessary from
the characters. Progress clocks

In the previous example, we could set out a single You can also use clocks to track the status or time
clock (maybe a longer one, such as 10 segments) pressure of a larger ongoing situation in the world
for the whole castle, called something like ‘The or campaign, such as a war, a spreading Blight, a
Castle’. Alternately, we could set out a few faction’s political influence, or an assassination
(shorter) clocks representing each major obstacle plot. These progress clocks tend to move by
as the characters come across them - like ‘Guard themselves. Tick segments on these clocks when
in the hallway’, ‘Big complex lock’, ‘Hidden the story or campaign moves forward. A good
Trapped Room’, judging the characters successful time to do this is after an interlude. When ticking
if these smaller clocks are filled in. these clocks, tick one segment if the situation
progressed a little, two if it progressed as normal,
Clocks abstract out a whole task, scene, or series and three if there was great progress. For
of events. It’s certainly possible to just use a series example, if you have a clock tracking the progress
of normal rolls for many complex tasks (and a lot of a war and it’s drawing to a close, you might tick
of tables will play that way). However, using three segments on that clock at the end of
clocks to represent complicated tasks ensures downtime.
you’re only rolling when there’s persistent
narrative tension, constrains the number of rolls
Failure states
made for any given task, and creates clear
parameters for success. It allows the story to
You can also create clocks that fill up as a result of
progress and means you don’t have to waste time
failures, rather than successes, establishing fail
lingering on tasks that would otherwise require a
states for situations. These clocks get filled in as
lot of rolling, all of which we find extremely
consequences of failed rolls or complications of
effective for speeding up play. You can use them
Risky or Heroic rolls. For example, if a group of
to move more quickly and efficiently through
PCs were trying to flee from a band of
narrative scenes. If you’d prefer to keep things
mercenaries, you might set out two clocks: one
looser, then don’t worry over making clocks for
that represents the PCs’ safe escape and one that
every little thing.
represents the mercenaries catching up to them
and forcing a fight. The Escape clock fills up when
Project clocks PCs successfully put some distance between them
and their pursuers, while the Capture clock fills
up when they either fail those actions or have to

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 make trade-offs. You might fill in two segments • The characters will take strain from the task
whenever a PC fails a roll and fill in a single
segment as a complication if they roll a 4-5. Then set up a clock or make an action roll to
accomplish the goal.

Rituals and Projects

GM Principles
During play, players may want to hold a magic
ritual, improvise some technological device, or Heres some basic principles for the GM to follow
work on another project that may be more when running ICON:
involved than a simple action roll. • Keep away from ‘no’. ‘Yes, and…’, and ‘Yes,
but…’ keep the story moving and keep things in
Many of these projects are better accomplished as the player’s hands. You can always tell a
ambitions (page XX) during an interlude. character an action isn’t possible given their
However, if the project is something simpler or approach without denying them completely.
something that can be accomplished during a Offer alternative approaches or suggestions to
normal session, you can use these rules instead. problems, and let player creativity be rewarded.
“You can’t open that door by smashing it down
First, the GM should ask the players what they by yourself, it’s too heavy. If you could find
want to accomplish with their ritual, craft, or something strong to use as a battering ram
project - the goal or function of their creation. though…”.
• Let players choose how to move the
Here’s some examples: action forward. Give players choices and let
“We want to seal the door with a magic seal so them choose how to proceed. Players should
that demons can’t pass through it.” nearly always be the ultimate drivers of action in
“I want to create an improvised grappling hook your story, not your NPCs, plots, or events. You
to climb the cliff.” can always force the players to react by throwing
“I want to transform into an animal for an hour something unexpected on at them if you want to
so I can scout out the woods without being seen.” mix it up. “Railroading”, or taking away player
“We want to create a working flamethrower out agency, only typically becomes a problem when
of parts in this workshop.” you deny players the chance to take action or
intervene in a situation.
This is best used for effects that aren’t permanent, • Play to find out what happens. It’s perfectly
or a part of a character that will carry over fine to have a plan or outline for a session or
between sessions. If the player who wanted a expedition. If there’s a scene or event you really
grappling hook wanted it to work for more than want to happen, however, and the players totally
just its initial use, they’d probably have to set it up avoid it, then let it happen! You can find a way
as an ambition first. to introduce it later. Players will often deviate
from the path you lay out for them, and the
The players' goal should always work, but the story is often better for it.
GM can choose one of more of the following, and • Foreshadow consequences and threats. If
must inform the players on the details: you’re going to shoot someone with a crossbow,
show the players a glint of it from a window
• The ritual or craft can’t accomplish exactly what first. If the fall off the mountain is going to
the players want, but a lesser version of it inflict critical strain, you should probably tell
• The characters will need to create time or space players how steep and dangerous the mountain
• The characters will need to gather additional path looks. The game has a very easy way to
reagents, materials, or supplies foreshadow threats built in with risk.
• The craft or ritual will have clear side effects • Make characters look good. Characters are
• The characters will have to sacrifice something heroes. If they fail, they should never fail due to
to accomplish their goal, such as another piece incompetency.
of gear or an infusion of dust
• The characters will need help from an expert

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 under a heavy boulder, give them an annoying

Complications and hanger-on at the party, blow out all the
torches and make the room pitch black
Consequences 6. Make them lose initiative - The character
misses a window of opportunity or loses
valuable time. They lose sight of the thief
Characters take some sort of consequences or
they’re pursuing, a door slams shut on them,
complications for their actions on any final action
or they are late to the peace summit. Put them
result except a 6 - something that will happen
on the back foot.
fairly often!
7. Reduce effect - Give characters less effect on
a successful action, perhaps making them
Consequences are typically narrative in nature
have to roll again.
and will depend on the nature of the action that
8. Inflict strain, as established - Inflict
the character is taking in the fiction. For example,
strain. There’s more on strain below. For a
a character trying to leap a chasm might fall,
risky action, inflict 2, for a controlled action, 1.
stumble, or find themselves clinging to the edge if
For a desperate action, inflict 4 strain, or in
they don’t get a full success. The severity of
rare cases, inflict critical strain.
consequences should depend on the risk of the
action that a character is taking, with more
severe consequences the worse the risk Foreshadowing consequences
was. For a controlled action, consequences are
minor, for a desperate action major, and for a It’s good practice as a GM to foreshadow or hint at
standard risk action they should be somewhere in the possible consequences behind a character’s
the middle. In the previous example, a character actions. This is especially important for
might fall completely into the chasm if the action consequences with hard outcomes, such as strain.
was desperate (probably getting majorly hurt!), Establish consequences in the story first. This is
find themselves clinging to the edge on a risky pretty easy and intuitive to do:
action, and maybe drop something on the way
over in a controlled action but otherwise make it • “The robber levels their dagger at your chest. It
over safely. looks pretty sharp.”
• “You can take a shortcut to get ahead of the
Here’s some broad suggestions for the GM when fleeing courier, but you’ll lose sight of her -
inflicting consequences. better hope you catch up.”
• “You can definitely sneak past the sleeping
1. Put someone in a bad spot - Increase the giant, but he’s sleeping lightly and the slightest
risk of their next action. Put them in a worse noise will probably wake him up.”
position than before, like teetering on the edge
of a cliff, separated from the group, sliding off Sometimes players will even suggest possible
a rooftop, or in the middle of a crowded guard outcomes or consequences for their own actions -
post. in which case you should run with it. You can also
2. Start a ticking clock - Start a ticking clock communicate this pretty easily by setting risk for
for a much worse consequence. Perhaps a actions. Don’t worry too much about doing it
character knocks a pillar, now the whole room every time, just try to remember when you inflict
is about to collapse. hard or severe outcomes to communicate the
3. Tick an existing clock - Tick 1-2 segments possible outcomes before the character takes the
for a partial success, tick 2-3 for a failure. If action - and allow players to back out of their
the action was desperate or controlled tick ideas if they want. This helps the game feel fair.
more or less.
4. Offer a hard choice - Make characters Strain
choose between two harder outcomes - do you
want to recover the key to the ancient door or When a character is physically hurt, mentally
let the treasure chest fall into the abyss? drained, or narrowly avoids injury or consequence
5. Weigh them down - Present characters with from a situation, they take strain.
a sudden obstacle or hindrance - pin them

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 take an action by spending 1 Effort to do so

In base ICON, characters are heroic and beforehand (see more on effort on pg XX). A
larger than life. Only the stresses and nearby character can also spend the effort for
stakes of tactical combat can truly hurt them.
characters. Outside of combat, they take
strain. Taking strain represents the mental and When a character breaks, they clear their strain
physical effort a character must put into avoid boxes and take a burden, and at the end of the
serious bodily injury, taking injury anyway and scene they cease to be broken and can act
pushing through the pain, taking mental stresses, normally.
or suffering through a difficult situation. Strain
can represent everything from actual bodily strain A burden is more long-term harm to a character
to exhaustion, enervation, tiredness, or exposure and represents the mental and physical ordeal of
to the elements. the adventuring life. How much a burden
interferes with a character is up to that character’s
Strain taken is 1, 2, or 4, depending on risk. player. When you take a burden, write the nature
Characters can also take critical strain. of the burden underneath it. It could be a long
term injury of some kind that the character
Average strain is 2, usually taken as a result of ignores, scars, a change in attitude, tiredness,
risky actions. This is usually something like sickness, etc.
getting swiped at by a monster, a short but painful
fall, dazed at by a weapon, eating something Example burdens:
poisoned, exhausted from a long trek, frozen in • Injuries: broken leg, broken arm, gashed ribs,
the blinding wind, falling over from a lack of monster bite, etc
sleep, etc. • Corruption: Infection, disease, illness, dark
magic
Minor strain is 1, usually taken as a result of • Negative emotions: Anger, resentment,
controlled actions - still enough to be painful. jealousy, rage, hatred
Bad bumps, scrapes, minor wounds, animal bites, • Exhaustion: tiredness, ennui, sadness
tiredness, sickness, etc.
Then, tick two actions which have more than 0d.
Major strain is 4, usually taken as a result of Those actions are at at -1d until the burden is
desperate actions. Major strain is something healed. Tick actions that are appropriate to the
very painful or hurtful, like a long fall, getting kind of burden taken if possible. For example:
smashed by a boulder, smacked around by a large
monster, burned by a fireball, going days without • You might tick Smash and Tinker for a broken
sleep or food, getting badly sick or poisoned, shot arm
in a vital place with an arrow, etc. • You might tick Charm and Study for tiredness
• You might tick Endure and Traverse for
Critical strain is something that a normal poisoned
person probably wouldn’t survive, such as falling • You might tick Command and Sense for fear.
off a cliff, getting crushed in the jaws of a wyrm,
falling into lava, riddled with arrows, etc. You’ll This can be done up to twice per action.
survive - you’re an ICON after all, but in order to
do so, you’ll have to push through a lot. The GM can always look to burdens for possible
consequences for action rolls. Players can also
play up their burdens to invoke them.
Breaks and Burdens
Invoking Burdens
Characters have a limited number of strain boxes.
If a character has any burdens, they can invoke
If they would tick a box and their boxes are
their burdens in narrative play to get into
already full, or if they take critical strain, they
trouble when they make an action roll.
break and are too hurt or overwhelmed to
continue in the current scene, unable to move or
act on their own. A broken character may only

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 Get into trouble means starting trouble or during the interludes and pursue ambitions
facing consequences, even on a successful roll. For normally, then return the following expedition if
example, a character with the ‘exhausted’ burden they so choose.
decides to get into trouble when making a roll to
navigate a monster infested tunnel. The GM
decides this character wanders off, not aware of Combat In ICON
their surroundings, while the party moves on
without them. A character with the ‘anger’ burden ICON has a tactical combat system, but this
decides to get into trouble while negotiating a system doesn’t have to get used to represent every
peace settlement - the GM decides that the occasion when violence breaks out. You have a
character acts out at an inopportune moment. couple options, including not playing with tactical
combat at all!
When getting into trouble or invoking a burden
means changing a character’s behavior or making
them act out-of-character, the GM can say broadly Use tactical combat
what happens but it can be up to the player to act
it out. By default, ICON assumes GMs and other players
will be using the tactical combat system in the
Other players are free to suggest consequences for second half of this book. This system is only for
invoking burdens (including the player who when the stakes or the tension are high and must
invoked them), but it’s ultimately up to the GM be resolved through combat. In tactical combat,
what to choose. characters can actually be hurt or killed, and
they are going to use the full extent of their
If you invoked at least one burden at least once might - all their destructive magical and physical
during a session get 1 xp at the end of that power. If the scene doesn’t warrant that, or the
session. characters don’t have the ability to go all out, it’s
not worth tactical combat. For most situations
Healing Burdens and Strain involving violence, assess whether it’s important
enough to dip into tactical combat. If you get into
Characters can heal all strain when they camp other situations, it might be better to play it out as
or when they finish an interlude. a narrative scene, using clocks. This is a way you
can set the tone and pacing for your game.
Burdens can only be healed during an interlude,
during the special Heal Burdens step. Burdens • Is a bar brawl a tactical combat, where the
are represented with a filled clock of 4, 6, or 10 stakes are high and characters will use the full
segments, and characters can only heal them extent of their powers and abilities, or is it a
slowly by unticking segments during downtime. narrative scene using Excel, Smash, Endure,
Characters can fill in any burden they like when and Command to overwhelm and outwit your
they take one. rowdy opponents?
• If the local militia shows up to arrest the
players, is that a tactical combat or a
3 burdens
negotiation? Can it degrade into a tactical
combat or can players make other rolls to avoid
A character with 3 burdens can still break, fighting?
clearing all strain, but doesn’t mark an extra • If the characters find a hungry giant guarding
burden. Instead of recovering and returning to the entrance to a dungeon, can they talk to it, or
themselves at the end of the scene, however, they will they have to fight it in tactical combat if
remain broken until the expedition is over (they they fail to sneak past?
can still expend effort to act normally).
Transitioning into tactical combat is usually done
After the expedition is over, any character that smoothly out of narrative scenes or as a tension
broke this way must take their leave from break when things go sour: when the characters
adventuring for a while and cannot embark on fail to sneak past the Relict, when they burst into
the next expedition.They can still heal burdens

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 the baron’s hall hell bent on confronting them, or away, or opening a door, or scaring foes off, or
when they stand in defense of the town as the holding out until reinforcements arrive. You can
wave of monsters approaches. see a big list of suggested combat scenarios on
page XX of the book of foes.
Narrative Combat You can set up multiple clocks to represent
different challenges in a scene, including the foes
As an alternative or companion to tactical combat,
themselves.
you can play combat scenes out exactly like you’d
play out any other narrative scene - using action
Don’t use clocks like you’d use HP. If a clock fills
rolls, clocks to track challenges, etc.
up and the scene would naturally be over, then
end the scene and let characters figure out how
Using actions in combat they drive off, escape from, avoid, or defeat any
If using narrative combat, characters can take any remaining foes.
actions they can think of to progress the scene,
using the actions they already have. The skills
Qualities
Excel and Smash are obvious contenders (shoot
a ranged weapon, swing a melee weapon), but
If characters are fighting opponents, then it can
other actions can also be used, to either set up
be helpful to write down 2-3 strengths and 1-2
allies or to progress a scene on their own. For
weaknesses to refer to when determining the
example, when fighting a monster:
position and effect of actions.
• Charm to distract a monster from attacking
For example, characters are fighting a Wyrm in
your allies
open combat. The Wyrm itself is a big armored,
• Command to scare the monster and make it
fire breathing lizard. might be represented with a
hesitate
10 or 12 segment clock (a pretty powerful foe!)
• Endure to wrestle the monster to the ground
with segments filled in as characters take actions
• Sense to scan your surroundings for hazards
against it.
you could drive a monster into
• Study a monster to find a weak spot
The GM decides the qualities are Big, Armored,
• Sneak to spring an ambush against the
and Fire Breathing. It’s weaknesses are its
monster or get out of the situation
Weak Scale and it’s Slow.
• Tinker to set a trap for the monster or throw an
A character wielding a bow tries to attack the
explosive
Wyrm. Here’s how that might play out:
The flavoring and theming of a character’s action
• Because the Wyrm is armored, a character
and attacks is up to the player, and any action
shooting arrows at it (probably using Excel)
could potentially be used for physical or magical
might have no effect, or be a weak and desperate
combat.
action.
• However, the wyrm does have a weak scale.
Setting up a narrative combat scene Another character using Sense might try and
spot openings for the bow-wielding player,
In narrative combat, don’t treat monsters or foes changing their effect, or a character might use
like you would in a traditional rpg, but instead use Smash to topple a pillar onto the Wyrm to
clocks, risk, and effect to represent the entire immobilize it, Endure to grapple its jaws and
combat scene. The GM can adjudicate or adjust hold its attention, Charm to distract it, etc. All
these based on the challenges characters are these actions can key into each other and all of
facing, deciding which actions in the moment them could potentially fill out the Wyrm’s clock
would be more or less effective. to defeat it.
• The Wyrm is also fire breathing. Getting close
Don’t think about the setup as just the foes the to it sounds pretty risky or desperate, but
characters are facing, but the entire scene as a set because it’s slow, it should be safe to shoot
piece. Defeating foes might be ancillary to running from a distance. The bow player might decide to

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 clear some distance by traversing and

sprinting across a rocky cavern, improving their
position (and maybe their effect, because they
can get multiple shots off).

Foes don’t have to be treated like a single clock in

narrative play. You could use one clock to
represent a whole group of foes, or multiple clocks
to represent one foe and the different threats it
represents. You could even make individual
strengths or weaknesses their own clock. In
the previous example, the heart scale could be
armored and have a short clock required to
expose it before it becomes vulnerable. The
wyrm’s fire breath could be overwhelming and
require some action to stymie it (or muster up a
defense) before the wyrm can even be
approached.

To make more interesting combat scenes, treat

combats like any other narrative situation and
make multiple clocks to track evolving situations.
You can get some examples and advice on this on
page XX.

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 one, get 1 xp. If you ticked two or more of them,

Player characters in get 2 xp.

Narrative Play Effort

All Bonds have a certain number of Effort boxes.
In ICON, every character has a unique drive - By default, Effort can be used in the following
something that represents how they move through ways:
and interact with the world. This is called their
Bond. You can think about it like a character • Push: Tick 1 effort to add +1 Boon (+1d6) to
‘class’ or archetype, except your character’s Bond any action roll
is purely for narrative play. Think about how • Aid: Tick 1 effort to help another character.
your character acts around other people, what They get +1 Boon on their action, but you also
motivates them, and what ideals they hold near - share in any consequences of their action
that’s your Bond. (strain, bad situations, etc). A character can only
benefit from aid once on an action roll. Aid does
Each Bond gives you bonuses to certain actions not stack with setup.
and powers that help you play to that archetype or • Team Action: You make an action as a group.
give your own unique spin on it. When you make a Choose a leader, who spends 2 effort. The leader
character, you’ll choose the Bond you’ll have for makes an action and the outcome or
the rest of the game, with some exceptions. consequences are decided as if the whole group
took that action, without anyone else rolling,
Characters all have action ratings, and bonds all since the leader is directing them. For example,
have some variation of the following features: a Team Sneak can get a whole group of
• Ideals characters through a difficult situation. A team
• Effort narrative combat action lets a whole group fight
• Bond Powers at once. This might also change position and
• Gear effect for an action.

Action Ratings If a character is maxed out on effort, they’re

exhausted. An exhausted character can’t spend
All characters have ratings in each of the ten
any more effort and some Bonds may get bonuses
actions, from 0 to 4.
when they’re exhausted.
• At level 0, characters start with 6 dots in these
ratings (2 from their bond, and 4 more from
creating a character) Regaining Effort
• No rating at level 0 can be higher than 3
• Characters can only ever have one action at 4 Characters regain all effort when they finish an
dots. Interlude or when they camp.

It can help to choose action ratings that match the 1/session, a character may also get a second
concept of your character, even if you’re going to wind and regain all effort outside of camps or
be using a tactical combat job. For example, if you interludes when they fulfill their second wind
want your very strong Demon Slayer character to trigger. These are different for each Bond. A
be good at busting down walls, you should take character doesn’t have to activate this when it
dots in the Smash action. occurs, and can wait for a better opportunity.

Using effort while broken

Ideals
If you’re broken in a scene (you maxed out on
These short sentences or activities can be ticked if strain and took a burden), you or a nearby
you performed them during a session at least character can spend 1 effort to allow you to act
once. At the end of a session, if you ticked at least normally for an action.

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 effect on its own but grants the action that’s being

Bond Powers set up +1D.
Bond Powers are special abilities that either give
Increasing Effect
you the ability to do something without rolling, or
boost your existing actions or abilities. They are
Some character abilities can increase effect. Effect
very powerful and help distinguish your character.
can be increased as long as base effect is at least
You can further define what your characters’
weak (no effect is still no effect), and can normally
specific powers look like and where they come
never be increased past Powerful, even if a
from.
character would get increased effect multiple
times.
• Scene: Some powers or Bond features apply
until the end of the current scene, or can only
The only way to increase effect further is to use a
trigger once a scene. A scene is a contiguous
power that grants you superpowered effect, or get
series of events where we don’t ‘cut away’ from
a critical hit on a roll with powerful effect
the action. When we enter a new sequence of
(turning the effect into superpowered).
action or dialogue (like a new room in a
dungeon, a new challenge, a different
conversation happening in a different place) the Gear
previous scene is over. This is pretty easy to
judge naturalistically. The final parts of bonds is Gear.
• Limited Powers: Certain Bond Powers can
only be used by spending Effort, and many can Icon doesn’t care about minutely tracking gear.
only be used a certain number of times per You are always (unless noted) assumed to have
game session. You get these powers back at the the numerous things an adventurer would have on
start of a new session. them - armor, weapons, clothes, traveling boots,
• Range: A few powers have a loose effect range, currency, food, etc.
such as close or far.
• Chapter scaling: A few powers gain more However, all bonds have a number of unique
explicit power per chapter (I, II, III). items available that could prove useful in certain
situations, and are unique to each bond. Gear is
Gambits organized into kits, which are loosely related
collections of items.
Normally you can only take powers from your
own Bond. However, once you have four powers You always have access to gear items from the
from your own bond (including your starting basic adventurer’s kit. However, when you start
power), you can take a Gambit when you would an expedition, choose a single kit from your
pick a new power, which is a power from any bond you are carrying with you for the expedition.
bond. A character can only take a gambit once. You reasonably have access to all the gear items
from that kit, and can use them as you like,
Knacks pulling them out as needed. You gain access to the
gear from kits every time you embark on an
Some powers give you a knack. A knack is a skill expedition, even if that gear is used up or lost (we
or area of expertise or knowledge, usually specific. can reasonably assume you can restock, repair, or
When you can apply your knack to a roll, get +1 replace it).
Boon (+1d6) on the roll.
If you think the provided kits for your bond are
Set up too specific, you can instead choose any three
items from your bond kits, in any combination,
Some bond powers give more powerful set ups or when you embark as a custom kit. This works
key off setups. A setup is an action roll (with the same way as other kits.
normal consequences, etc) that has reduced or no

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 You might also pick up loose gear during an survey the hallway and get good information, the
expedition - this is stuff you might just randomly GM can make their actions more effective or more
find in a dungeon, haggle for, steal, or purchase. If controlled moving forward, since they know about
you pick it up, note it down on your character the traps.
sheet. Though you can hang on to and store any
amount of loose gear outside of an expedition, you The GM can also decide to let the whole thing get
have room to take two pieces of loose gear with covered in one roll. Or, if the trap is more
you on any expedition, no matter the size, and dangerous or complicated, they can set up a clock
always have access to it. for it.

You can share gear with your party any time. The GM can use good practices and foreshadow
threats here by showing the players that the hall
Using Gear might be trapped.

Gear can be used to improve position and effect Let’s see some permutations of each of these
for your rolls. After all: scenarios.
• climbing a steep cliff wall when you have a rope
is probably a lot easier (and less risky) than The introduction:
climbing it bare handed! GM: You come to a long stone hallway, chocked
• similarly, using a lock pick to open a door is a lot with dust, and probably only wide enough for one
easier than improvising one with a knife. person at a time to move down. It’s pretty long
• having a book of monster lore to flip through and the far end is too dark to see. Propped against
might prove helpful when researching monsters the wall on your side is an old rusty breastplate, a
piece of armor long abandoned, as though
You get the idea. someone took it off in a hurry. It’s pock-marked
with small holes.
All gear is assumed to be about the quality as the
chapter you’re in. One roll, players don’t gather information:
Alice: I forge ahead, carefully.
GM (taking the initiative): Ok! There’s a click as
Play Example you step on a pressure plate. You hear the soft
hiss of air at the other end of the room, and you
see a flurry of darts heading your way! What do
Here’s a quick play example.
you do? Your action is probably going to be pretty
risky.
Play example: The hall of death
Alice: Damn. Ok… I’m going to bring my shield up
and try and endure the darts.
The GM is playing with two players, Alice and GM: Great, I’d say that’s pretty effective but
Marco. Alice’s character has the Bond of the desperate.
Mighty, James’ character has the bond of the
Pathfinder. Alice rolls 3 dice for her character’s Endure action
and rolls a 1,2, and 5, a mixed success. Darts shoot
The character are exploring a ruin and reach a into her character, inflicting 3 strain on her.
hallway. The GM knows this hallway is trapped Alice’s player chooses to spend 1 effort for her
with pressure plates (on the floor) which will Might’s special ability to reduce the strain by 1.
cause poison darts to fly out from the far wall. A The darts having activated, the hall is clear and
tough scenario! the characters can move on.

The GM can do a couple things here. If characters One roll, gathering information:
take action without checking the hallway out, the Alice: I’m going to check this hall out.
traps end up being an obvious consequence for GM: Ok, give me a fortune roll for that, since you
their actions, and their actions are probably risky, seem safe where you are.
if not desperate! If characters take a moment to

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 Alice (rolls sense, gets a 4): I’m going to survey middle of the hallway. Anything you do from here
the hall for threats. A 4. is going to be way more risky.
GM: Squinting your eyes, you can just make out Marco: Let’s do this. I’m going to traverse by
strange cracks in the floor ahead of you. It’s hard kicking off the walls. I’m also going use my
to tell, but you’re pretty sure this hall is trapped, pathfinder power Windrider to push myself for
with pressure plates. another die and choose to not touch the floor.
GM: Great, that’s two bonus dice, one from Alice’s
The scenario plays out as above, but the risk for character and one from your push, and you have
Alice’s character’s action is now controlled, since better effect from your cool power. I’ll say since
she knows about the trap. Now she only takes 1 you don’t have to touch the floor, your action is
strain when she’s hit by the darts, which she going to be less risky, so instead of being risky it’s
spends resistance to ignore. going to be controlled.
Marco (Rolling 1,2,2,3): Great. Oh shit, a 3.
Using a Clock, gathering information GM: No problem. You still get two ticks on the
clock from your better effect (The GM ticks two
The GM decides this trap is a bigger threat, more segments, bringing the clock to 4/6).
something they want to spend a short scene on. Marco: Ok, but I’m a dead man, right?
They set out a 6 segment clock to represent the GM (offering a choice): Your action was
hall. controlled thanks to your power, so you don’t get
riddled with darts, but you’ve got a tough choice.
Marco: I have a bad feeling about this hall. I’m You don’t make it quite down the hall, and you’re
going to get closer to study the stonework close enough to see the mechanism. Do you try
GM: Ok, give me a roll. It’s a little riskier to study and leap forward disable it now, and maybe get
since you have to get close, but I’ll say its more poisoned for your trouble, or do you try and make
effective. I’ll say its still controlled. another roll? I’ll let you finish the clock right now
Marco (rolls study, gets a 1 ): Ok, I’ll take it. I if you want.
have 0 in sense so I’d rather use study. Ah, a 1. Marco: I’m going for it.
GM (Inflicting strain): Oh yeah, it’s definitely GM: Ok! You dive forward and jam your blade
trapped. A flurry of darts shoot out through the into the mechanism. A vaporous cloud of poison
darkness right at you. Since your action was more pours out from the dart holes as the trap
powerful, I’m giving you some progress on this deactivates. You’re going to take 2 strain from the
clock (The GM ticks 2 segments on the clock. poison.
Normally they’d tick 1 or none on a ‘1’ roll). Marco: Ouch. That would give me a burden.
However, you’re still getting shot, for only 1 Alice: Can I use my special ability to take the
strain, and you’re sure there’s more plates in the strain instead by pushing Marco aside?
hall. GM: Yeah… but you’re not close enough - you
Marco: I’ll take it. were put in a bad position, right?
Alice: Can I boost Marco’s character on my shield Alice: Ah, ok. Can I just throw my shield and
to get them across the hall and give them a bonus smash the mechanism before it manages to poison
die? Marco?
GM: Sure. You can make a roll to set up Marco if GM (Avoiding saying ‘no’ to this creative
you like, or just tick effort to aid him. solution): Sure, I think that would reduce the
Alice: Ok. I’m going to roll for it. Is… excel a good strain, but give me a roll. Risky, since you’re
action for this? trying to do it quickly from far away!
GM: Probably, or smash, I think, since you’re Alice: Ok, I’m going to use 1 effort to push this.
using force. (Rolls 2, 3, 6). A 6!
Alice: My smash is better, so I’ll use that. GM: Cool. You hurl your shield and crumble the
GM: Ok, it’s going to be controlled risk for you I wall, sealing off the vapor. Marco only takes 1
think strain.
Alice (rolling a 4): A 4. Marco: Nice.
GM (putting her in a worse spot): Great, you
boost Marco in the air. However, you have to take Flexibility and tone
a couple steps forward, and now you’re in the

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 You can see each of these scenarios changes both

the narrative weight of the scene, and the number
of actions players need to overtake it. For
example, a player with powerful or superpowered
effect could take care of the clock in the third
example with just one or two rolls!
Think about how this scenario might change
depending on the tone of game you want to run.
In a more grounded game, maybe getting riddled
with darts is more strain, or even critical strain on
a desperate action. Maybe diving down the
hallway, bouncing off the walls, isn’t possible
without powerful or superpowered effect (Marco
did use an ability there to justify it, so keep that in
mind).

If the characters are in a higher chapter than the

treat, a hall like this, in the fiction, may not pose
much of a threat. The GM can ignore it, make it a
single roll, or make it a shorter clock. If the
characters are in a lower chapter than the hallway,
maybe it poses a huge threat and is super risky,
and the character’s actions are less effective.

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 For example, you could leave a place of safety

Expeditions, inside of a city and remain there while you travel

to confront the Churn Barons, or solve the
mystery of the murders by the docks, or

camps, and
something similar. If you’re expecting to
encounter opposition, danger, or uncertainty,
you’re probably heading into an expedition.

interludes
All expeditions have a clear goal at the start, even
if that goal changes.

Rewards
Expeditions
Characters are rewarded in ICON with two
Sessions of ICON are focused around currencies, XP and dust. XP (experience) is
Expeditions. Whenever you leave a place of typically gained at the end of each session, and is
safety with a clear goal in mind, you’re on an used to level up your character for both tactical
expedition. combat and narrative play. Dust is the currency
of Arden Eld and is used primarily for leveling up
Typically in ICON this involves leaving the safety your Relics for tactical combat and getting more
of a village, town, or city, and setting out into the out of your ambitions and healing during
wilderness to explore some ruin, claim some downtime.
artifact, or stop some force from causing harm,
but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that simple. Camping

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 During an expedition, you can momentarily pause Starting expeditions

the action to camp. Camping allows everyone in When you set out on an expedition, take the
the group to recuperate and eat and drink, healing following steps:
all strain, unticking all effort, and healing all
HP. It only takes an hour or so and a place of 1. Define your goal. What are you hoping to
relative safety for characters to be able to camp. accomplish? What are you setting out in search
of? Who are you trying to stop? You can pose this
Characters can only camp a certain number as a question if you like, phrased like ‘Will the
of times per expedition heroes do X?’. We play to answer this
question. If you’re a GM, you don’t need to have
The Camp sheet an answer yet, just an idea of how players might
Characters can upgrade their camp, name their get there.
group, and set group ambitions when they camp
or go into an interlude using the camp sheet. Example goals: Will the heroes recover the
mysterious arkenrelic from the ruins that’s
Think of the camp like a character sheet for the rumored to be able to destroy an entire town? Will
whole party - everyone benefits from it. the heroes discover what is causing monsters to
pour out of the oak hill dungeon and put a stop to
There’s more on the camp sheet on pg. XX it? Will the heroes track down and stop the
mysterious stranger who has been stealing from
Interludes the village shrine? Will the heroes put a stop to
the brewing fight between the towns of
When the goal of an expedition is accomplished, Barrowglade?
abandoned, put on pause, or no longer relevant,
and you return to a place of safety, the 2. Choose some custom rules, if applicable.
expedition is over, and you go into an This game has preset frameworks, tools, special
interlude. An interlude is a longer period of actions, and custom expedition rules for running
more narrative time in which characters can rest, particular expedition types. You can find a list of
relax, and recuperate. these rules on page XX. You can always run an
expedition without a type if you like and just
During an interlude, characters can get improvise.
rewarded for their adventures.
3. Define the number of camps. Before
Then they can heal burdens, pursue characters embark on an expedition, the GM sets
ambitions, and freely role-play. the amount of times characters can camp.
Supplies to camp in the wilderness are limited,
Returning to an expedition and time is usually short. Camping lets characters
heal and fully recuperate.
Interludes should always aim to come back to an - For a short or time limited expedition,
expedition at the end of each interlude, creating a characters won’t be able to camp.
loop of expedition > interlude > expedition. - For other expeditions, characters should gain
the ability to camp once for every 3 combat
encounters the GM expects them to go
through (so once for 1-3 encounters, twice for
4-6, etc), or if there is less tactical combat,
about once for every three major
obstacles the GM expects them to go
through. Characters can camp at any time
they have an hour or so and enough safety in
which to do so.

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 4. Set your job and abilities, if you expect information on these rewards in the book of
tactical combat. There’s more on this in the adventure on page XX.
tactical combat section.
Abandoning an expedition
5. Reset your character. Your character heals all
wounds, all hp, heals all strain, unticks all effort, Characters can always abandon an expedition if
and chooses a kit for their expedition. Just about they’re too hurt to continue or if the goal has
the only thing you don’t do is heal burdens! changed. Leaving an expedition unfinished
abandons the original goal the characters had in
6. Define rewards. All expeditions normally finishing it, which may now be beyond their
reward 6 xp and 3 dust if they’re successful. If grasp. Whatever the case, if characters return to
there are extra rewards possible, define them the expedition, the situation should have changed.
here. If an expedition’s not long enough to prompt
rewards, it’s probably not an expedition! Quests

7. Set out! Don’t worry about how you get there, Sometimes you have a longer or more complicated
or over-planning. Get your feet on the road and task or goal, like exploring a large dungeon, going
cut to the action. on an epic journey, or unseating a despot, in
which case you’re on a quest.
Why Expeditions?
Quests take more than one expedition to
Expeditions are used in ICON so that characters complete. You can take interludes in the middle of
always have goal they are working towards, and a quest or take on other expeditions.
they can expect the story to move at a certain pace
and with a certain amount of tension. When we’re Each expedition can represent a small part of the
on an expedition, things are probably dangerous quest (a leg of the journey, a wing of the dungeon,
or uncertain. There might be combat involved. gathering allies to fight the king, etc), and
Certain activities, like healing, can only be done a characters can take interludes normally in
limited amount inside an expedition (it’s not safe between. For example, characters could take a
enough, or there’s not enough time!), and certain quest to explore a large dungeon. The GM decides
actions, like getting rid of burdens, can’t be taken this will take about three expeditions to complete,
in expeditions at all! with each expedition’s goal being to explore one
part of the dungeon.
Expeditions don’t have to take a single session to
complete (and might often take multiple). When you complete a quest, not only do you get
the xp and rewards for all expeditions in the
Time and safety quest, but you also get 1 additional xp for every
expedition you completed as part of the quest, up
Camping doesn’t have to mean staying in a village, to 6 extra xp.
town, or city. It could just be a safe and clear spot
for the characters to get the time and space to rest This can allow a GM to set more long term goals
and recuperate. There could be a sanctuary in the for the characters. You can work on multiple
middle of the wilderness, or a dungeon. quests at once.

Alternative and Extra rewards

During play, the GM can always offer additional

rewards for going after extra treasure, completing
tasks for characters, slaying an especially
powerful monster, etc. These rewards can be in
the form of additional xp, dust, trophies (limited
use but powerful items), or other more intangible
rewards like allies or information. You can more

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 If you like, you can forgo your own healing to

INTERLUDES help someone else heal their burdens, allowing
them to tick 1 extra segment on any burden.
Interludes are the spaces between adventures - Each character can only be helped once.
the kind of freeform narrative play that most role
playing games get into when characters aren’t You may also spend dust to tick additional
actively pursuing a quest or goal. They are the segments on a burden clock, representing
spaces between expeditions when characters have spending more time or resources bought. 2 dust
time to pursue their personal goals, gather will buy you 1 segment on a clock.
information, do more casual roleplaying,
shopping, etc. Every adventurer needs a break Pursue Ambitions
from the grind of fighting against the encroaching
darkness. When you have a clear goal or project in mind, or
you want to obtain something (power, allies, dust,
When you end an expedition, you go into an access, information), you can write it as an
interlude right away, and all interludes should ambition. An ambition could be anything from
end with the aim of launching another expedition. crafting a magic sword, researching into long
Certain actions can only be taken in an interlude, forgotten civilizations, simply pursuing personal
like healing burdens or pursuing ambitions. growth goals, or bringing together an alliance to
fight a monster invasion.
While you’re in an interlude, it’s typically for
couple days but you can decide how much times The GM decides if the ambition is possible, if a
passes - if you want to play things out in a more reduced version of it is possible instead, or if the
strict, granular way, or if you want to ‘montage’ ambition will take several steps to complete. If
through events and have time move quickly. your ambition is to become king, for example, the
Interludes stereotypically take place in a town or GM might decide that’s too large of a step for now,
city, but don’t necessarily have to - characters but you might be able to pursue becoming a
could take an interlude in the wilderness if they knight instead.
like, as long as they have relatively safety to do so.
Then they decide how hard the ambition will be to
Each time you go into an interlude, fully heal all accomplish and chooses which of the ambition
strain and regain all effort from narrative clocks on your sheet it will take up (short,
play, and all hit points, and wounds from medium, long), and what filling that clock up will
tactical combat. If characters were successful represent. The clocks are 4, 6, and 10 segments
during their expedition, they get rewarded (xp, long.
dust, or other rewards).
During an interlude, each character can pursue
Characters always do this at the start of an ambitions by doing a scene or a montage
interlude. All characters then get to do the describing how they’re pursuing their goals, then
following activities, in any order or combination: making an action roll, filling out 1 segment on a
1-3, 2 segments on a 4-5, 3 segments on a 6, and 5
Heal Burdens on a critical roll.
- Characters can work on the same ambition if
Each character can heal burdens, unticking a they like, even if that ambition is another
total of 3 segments on any of their burden clocks character’s
(4, 6, 10). If a clock is filled out completely, the - You may also spend dust to tick additional
burden is lifted and no longer bothers the segments on an ambition clock, representing
character. If you like, play out a healing scene to spending more time or resources bought. 2
describe what characters are doing to heal their dust will buy you 1 segment on a clock.
burdens (there are prompts for this on the
character sheet). When you make your characters, and during any
camp or interlude, you can also write group
ambitions, which reward everyone for working

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 on them. A group ambition can only be worked on groups may get into trouble during an interlude,
once during an interlude, and to work on one a and the situation might change. Characters might
character has to give up working on their own go bargain with the thieves’ guild only to try to
ambitions. Group ambition clocks aren't a default double cross them, wander a little too far out into
length and must be decided by the GM. the wilderness, or open a dangerous magitech
device.
You can write new ambitions any time, but if you
change or abandon an ambition, clear any If characters get into trouble, you can play out a
segments on the clock that’s representing it. An narrative scene or tactical combat to resolve the
ambition must be a clear goal or project, and the situation. If it’s more complicated than a scene or
length of the goal (which clock it represents) is two, you’re probably heading into a surprise
determined by the GM. You only have room for expedition!
one ambition of each length. If you want to write a
new minor ambition (4 segments) and already If characters took strain during an interlude, they
have one, for example, you have to change your can heal it when an interlude ends. In general,
current one. characters are intended to start an expedition
with all their resources at their disposal.
Clearing ambitions rewards 1, 2, and 3 xp
respectively. Clearing a group ambition Bringing it back
rewards 1 xp to the whole group.
Interludes should always aim to launch the
Ambitions are typically projects or long-term characters into a new expedition of some sort. The
goals, like gathering information, researching, characters leave a place of safety with a clear
crafting, or organizing. It could be something like goal in mind.
plotting revenge on a rival, learning a new skill,
fixing up an old aethership, finding a secure route
into a dungeon, deciphering old texts, or learning
about your mysterious parentage.

Aside from the xp for clearing ambitions, the GM

is free to give you some concrete benefit for
completing them, like dust 0r camp upgrades.
They are also free to tick segments on your
ambition clocks if they feel like your actions
further the goal, even if they weren’t taken as a
Pursue Ambitions action.

If a goal is complicated or world changing it may

take multiple ambitions to complete. Alternately,
it may require an expedition or quest to complete,
in which case completing the ambition clock
represents the preparation for that expedition or
quest. When it’s full, you’re ready to take it on
with your group.

Freeplay

Play out any scenes or role-playing activities you

like! Interludes are meant to accommodate more
relaxed role playing.

In general, Interludes are meant to represent an

area of relative peace and quiet. However, lot of

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 Session End
Whenever you end a session of ICON, go
around the table and check your xp triggers, then
gain xp depending on which you fulfilled them or
not. These triggers are on pg. XX but are repeated
here for your convenience:

Check at the end of a session :

1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1
xp. Two or more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested,
through combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple
times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or
personal) - 1-3 xp
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

Leveling up

Each time the characters fill the xp bar to 5 or 10

xp, they can unlock an ability or talent at the end
of that session or during a camp or interlude.

If a character’s xp bar is full (15 xp), they can clear

the bar and gain a level up. Any character that has
a level up banked at the end of a session can
increase their level by 1, but no higher than the
current chapter number. A character can only
‘save’ one banked level up at once.

Spending Dust

At the end of a session, characters can also spend

any Dust they have unlocking additional features
for their camp, or infusing them into their relics.

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Narrative Character
Creation

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 Choosing your bond Folk of Arden Eld
To make the narrative part of your character in The collective peoples and folk of ICON are
ICON: collectively referred to as Kin. Kin have lived in
Arden Eld since time immemorial.
1. First choose what kind of Kin they are, then
choose what Culture they’re from. When you make a character, choose what Kintype
2. Pick a Bond that you think represents your you are. There’s no statistical or mechanical
character narratively. You can choose one differences in game terms for whatever Kin you
bond power, and take +2 dots in one of the pick. It’s true, for example, that Troggs as a whole
two actions tied to your bond. are larger and stronger than most Thrynn.
3. Then fill in 4 more dots on actions, taking However, each individual is different, and more
none higher than 3 right now. Fill them out importantly you are a hero.
the following way:
• Pick one dot based on your character’s Your bond is more important for determining the
culture or background. kind of person you are. If you want to play up the
• Pick two dot you think represent your unique attributes of your Kin, you can pick a bond
character’s personal qualities that fits that fantasy, and pick actions that fill out
• Pick one dot you think represent your what you want your character to be strong at. A
character’s life experience so far (work, strong, physically powerful Trogg may want to
travels, education, etc). pick the Mighty Bond. An agile Xixo who is an
excellent swimmer may pick the Pathfinder bond.
You’re done! You’ll make the tactical combat part
of your character next. In the first session you can Broadly speaking members of all Kin can be found
choose something for your camp with your group in every part of the world and every walk of life in
and set out on your first expedition. ICON, and none have any ancestral nation,
‘homeland’, or monoculture, especially due to the
Picking Action Ratings ancient influence of the Arken Empire.

Players in games with tactical combat might

notice that their combat jobs don’t give them any
narrative capabilities by default. Pick the
actions you want your character to be good
at. Even if your Spellblade can teleport, in
narrative play, their teleports are limited by
Chapter and how good their Traverse action is.
You don’t necessarily have to match the two - you
could play a quiet demon slayer who is quite
clumsy at smashing anything outside combat, but
becomes a furious whirlwind when faced with a
real challenge.

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Narrative Advancement

Every time characters reach 15 xp, clear all xp and mark a level up. Characters can level up at the end of a
session, but can’t gain more levels than the current chapter.

Lvl Chapter Narrative Benefit

Choose a Culture and Kin type. Then choose a Bond and gets 2 dots in a
0 1 specific action, a Bond power, then gain 4 extra dots to improve actions.
None can be taken past 3 at level 0, and only one can be taken to 4 ever.
1 1 Gain a Bond Power and improve an action

2 1 Gain a Bond Power and improve an action

3 1 Gain a Bond power
4 1 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
5 2 Improve an action
6 2 Gain a Bond power

7 2 Improve an action

8 2 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power

9 3 Gain a Bond power

10 3 Improve an action

11 3 Improve an action

12 3 Gain a Bond power

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 Thrynn
The Aethrynn, or Thrynn (most commonly) are found everywhere across Arden Eld. They are an
adaptable, diverse people with a strong sensitivity to Aether and a strong connection to arkentech, some
say because they are direct descendants of the Arken that survived or fled the Doom and the dark age that
followed. They make up a large part of airship crews and captains in the great Guilds due to their potential
for aether sensitivity making them excellent pilots.

Thrynn are made up of a dazzling swathe of backgrounds that span the continent. They tend to live in
clans that cluster into villages, towns, and city associations. Symbology and culture of the ancient Thrynn
clans, called the Seven Families, are present in many modern cultures of Arden Eld, and some draw
strength and purpose from their ancient texts and teachings.

Some Thrynn will occasionally have small glowing ‘star-marks’ on their body, especially when attuned to
or channeling strong sources of Aether. These can form constellations of stars or twisting branch-like
patterns under their skin. Occasionally these marks are strong enough that even being near to a strong
source of Aether is enough to light them up.

Very rarely, Thrynn are born with delicate vestigial insect-like wings, not capable of flight. Children born
this way are given special attention, having been divinely marked, and often have roles in the community
leadership or priesthood prepared for them. They may grow into these roles or eventually reject them.

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 Trogg
Troggs, also called Ogres, are horned demi-giants that are few in number but outsize in stature. Legend
has it that the Troggs descend from the Titans who originally kept the four pillars of the world stable
before they were slain by the Arken, or at least have some titan blood running through their veins. Adult
Troggs typically stand anywhere between six and eight feet tall, and never stop growing throughout their
very long lifetimes, sometimes living four or five hundred years and growing to truly enormous stature.
All have horns of various size and shapes, and some are born with tails. The Troggs reproduce slowly,
have few children, and treasure them greatly. Trogg children spend a long time maturing and only reach
adulthood around forty years old.

Like other Kin, Troggs are hugely diverse in their backgrounds and cultures but due to their small number
tend to be loners or outsiders to the communities they join. In legends, they are supernaturally tolerant of
heat and can handle even molten metal with their bare hands, though how much this holds up in real life
varies from Trogg to Trogg. Very traditional Troggs worship the Elden Flame, the primal force of creation,
and give themselves over to the study of smithing or the etherial arts. Since Trogg artisans live a long
time, they can accumulate several lifetimes of knowledge that Kin from a similar background could
accumulate.

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 Beastfolk
The variety of animal-like Kin found across Arden Eld can be broadly called Beastfolk. They are the most
common Kin and the most diverse physically. There are many clans of beast folk, including:

• The Lopen are cat or rabbit-like folk originally from the great plains.
• The Garou are wolf or dog-like folk from the deep forest and islands.
• The Goblins or Vodya are amphibious river-dwelling kin.
• The Lorito are feathered, birdlike kin originally hailing from the high steppe.

There are many other beast folk clans, such as the fishlike Pelagia and reptilian Kuroki from the eastern
mountains, and probably still many more that are hidden and spread across the surface of Arden Eld.

Beastfolk tend to be shorter in stature than Thrynn, though some are taller and hardier. They live around
the same time as Thrynn and culturally tend have large families. Beast folk are present in every culture,
from desert dwelling nomads, to pastoral farmers, to city guilds.

Traditional Beastfolk have a strong connection to the earth and the forest. They are strong woodsfolk,
hearty eaters, and excellent hunters. They have better senses than other Kin and are sensitive to the
changes in wind, moisture, and earth that signal the weather, the crops, or the changing of the seasons.
Their excellent sense of taste and smell lead a lot of beastfolk to become excellent cooks (or picky eaters).

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 Xixo
The insectile or crustacean-like Xixo (ZIK-zo) are a group of water-dwelling kin that can traditionally be
found as traders up and down the waterways of Arden Eld. Xixo are excellent swimmers and can hold
their breath for very long periods of time. They vary widely in physiology, though they are unique in that
during spawning season they can change sex, and many Xixo swap around throughout their lives. Though
they can have weak eyesight, they are highly sensitive to smell and chemical signals and Xixo can
communicate simply emotions or moods to each other through pheromonal markers, leading to the
stereotype that they can read each other’s minds.

Though individual Xixo live much shorter lives than other Kin, maturing at around 8 and typically living
until their mid 40s, they have perfect memories, able to recall everything in their lives with absolute
clarity. A common understanding among the Xixo is that other Kin are terribly cursed - living twice as
long as the Xixo, but eventually forgetting a large part of their lives.

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 members in old martial arts techniques unique to
THE SIX GREAT each village that can be used to defend the village
in times of crisis, recording these techniques on
CULTURES scrolls that are closely kept secrets.

Community, hard work, respect for nature,

When you make a character, choose what their
and family are strong values for Yeokin.
cultural background is. Culture is far more
Outsiders can sometimes see them as parochial,
important than Kintype for most characters. A
stubborn, and uneducated.
Trogg and a Xixo from the same village are far
more alike than two Troggs from different parts of
the world. II. Islander
These are the six broad cultures of Arden Eld and The islands around Arden Eld are an oddity, in
don’t necessarily represent every culture present that most of the arkenruins out there are sunken
in the world. Every type of Kin is present in every beneath the ocean. Unfortunately, this has only
culture in varying degrees. made them more active. The island chains are
beautiful, sun-soaked places that seem paradise-
I. Yeokin like to many Kin, but the people that live there are
tough and disciplined, having to constantly
defend their idyllic-seeming homes from horrors
The vast majority of people in Arden Eld live in
that rise unendingly from the sea. The weather in
the Green, the swathes of peaceful farmland,
between the islands can range from merely
villages, townships, and trading posts in between
stormy to apocalyptic, making travel incredibly
the arkenruins. Life in the villages is hard work
difficult.
but generally pleasant, and organized around the
yearly harvests. Neighboring villages tend to
Islanders are prolific sailors, strong drinkers, and
depend on each other for trade, safety, and
prodigious fighters. They tend to have a dark
information, and come together for festivals (of
sense of humor and more than a touch of bravado.
which there are many, especially in the summer
Most of their living is made through fishing,
months). The villages typically are run by a city
carpentry, mercenary work, and through trade
elder, or a council of elders and have a strong
and commerce with the mainland. Islanders have
connection to nature and its cycles. Faithful
strong taboos about going back on promises, and
villagers tend to pay their respects to the local
value someone’s word very strongly.
nature spirits or the Titans at shrines or holy sites
such as pools or groves.
Respect for strength, a healthy sense of
humor, reliability, and independence are all
Villagers tend to be proud of their local traditions,
strong values for Islanders. Outsiders can
festivals, and gods. Most villages have a regional
sometimes see them as foolhardy, rude, or loud.
cooking or craft specialty, and people will often
visit from many towns over just to sample them.
One village might specialize in iron and smithing III. Leggio
work, another might be known for the quality of
its steamed buns and its pork, and another might The villages of the Green rely on a healthy
have miles of beautiful grazing pastures and be network of trade caravans, peddlers, crafts-kin,
known for the quality of its milk and dairy menders, and healers of all kinds. Parts of these
products. networks are made up of local farmers and
traders, but over time some of the caravans have
Regional village councils sometimes will gather a grown into permanent residences and a quasi-
militia to defend against a surfacing ruin or a religious way of life for the people that crew them,
blight, and those towns very close to the ruins who have come to be known as the Leggio. Their
typically have a wall to keep out roaming massive, colorful caravans make seasonal
monsters. Many villages, especially those deep in rotations around Arden Eld, stopping in the cities
the wilderness, will train some or most of their to resupply, and are broadly welcome wherever

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 they show up, since it means a chance to buy, Especially brave Churners will sometimes set up
repair, and indulge in all the necessities and shop within the surface levels of a dungeon,
luxuries so sorely missed. The Leggio always eat sometimes maintaining large crops of herbs,
well and trade fairly with the towns, and will often fungi, or other staples that will only grow in the
take on travelers who are seeking safe passage to dust-soaked environment of the arkenruins. The
the next village, post, or city. more daring of them will hire themselves out as
guides, tinkers, or hirelings for wealthier
Nearly all Leggio have some sort of family trade or adventurers. Due to their unique living
skill they are specialized in (sometimes multiple), circumstances, most Churners tend to know more
and many famous or legendary artisans, smiths, about monsters than any other culture, mostly
and weapon makers come from old Leggio their spoor, habits, and how to avoid them.
families. Leggio Grand Caravans can be two (or
sometimes three!) stories high and are carved Churners are a highly itinerant culture, and while
with family histories. They are pulled by draft some travel together, they tend to congregate only
beasts and sometimes captive monsters, who are when a new dungeon surfaces and the old sites
kept docile by Leggio beast tamers. dry up. Many of them are former adventurers who
have settled out of obligation or necessity and
Leggio are nearly all armed and trained in fighting seek a slightly more respectable existence, but
since they were young as they often have to pass others are skilled merchants, crafts-kin, cooks,
through dangerous or blighted areas in order to smiths, and suppliers that come from old families
reach a town in need. They regard their duty to of Churners and run their tents and wagons with a
keep towns supplied as sacred and pray to the high respect of the Churner Code (honesty, safety,
Titan of chance to give them safe passage. convenience). Recently, due to the increasing ruin
activity, the number of Churners has been rapidly
Craft, sociability, discipline, and increasing, and a lot of the old and more
hospitality are all strong values for Leggio. respectable families complain of grifters,
Outsiders can sometimes see them as insular, swindlers, and ill-intentioned shady merchants
overly friendly, or nosy. sullying their reputation.

Dependability, hustle, professionalism,

IV. Churner and caution are highly valued by Churners.
Outsiders can sometimes see them as deceptive,
A sporadic, nomadic culture, churners live a
opportunistic, or exploitative.
dangerous and daring existence, especially
compared to most people of Arden Eld. In their
caravans and camps, they follow around V. Chronicler
Arkenruins as they surface, and make their living
off them in whatever way they can. Sometimes The ancient monasteries of the Chroniclers dot
this involves venturing into the ruins themselves Arden Eld, overlooking its deep valleys from
(though never too far for most Churners, they mountain perches, or buried deep in the rifts of its
leave that up to the adventurers and the canyons. Within is buried ancient knowledge -
foolhardy), and scraping Dust from the ruins, or and sometimes dangerous secrets.
searching the surface levels for fragments of
Arkentech. Most of the time this involves directly Chroniclers are a unique, isolated culture - a
servicing the adventurers themselves who venture quasi-religious society of monks and acolytes built
into the ruins by supplying them with necessary around the Chambers - the great monasteries of
food, supplies, arms and armor, and elixirs. When the continent, whose building predates the Arken
a new ruin is discovered or surfaces from deep and survived their fall. There are twelve of these
beneath the earth, it is not uncommon for a ancient edifices, and they are typically located in
Churner camp to appear at the edge shortly after, extreme or hard to reach locales, requiring them
like a spray of brightly blossoming flowers over a to be self sufficient. Small monastery towns and
grave. trading posts grew up around them over time,
forming a tight-knit communities that revolved

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 around and intermeshed with monastery life - loose and oligarchical organizations that regulate
moving with their festivals, rituals, and traditions. the trade and production of certain items between
cities and act as informal government associations
The Chambers are part temple, part archive, and of sorts. Cities are often ruled by the guilds or
part prison. As legend goes, they were built to their proxies and to most people of Arden Eld are
protect the great secrets of the making of the chaotic, overcrowded, wondrous, and very smelly
world. Some of their inner vaults now lie empty, places where the food is greasy, the markets are
and three of the Chambers are broken and hollow bright and burgeoning, and the sights are as
ruins, whatever was contained within long incredible as they are strange.
disgorged into the world. The inner passages and
halls of the Chambers are rumored to be full of all Cities are the centers of technology and magic in
kinds of secret knowledge, ancient weaponry, and Arden Eld and are the chief drivers of the hunger
old and powerful evils - though none can say for for Dust and arkentech, which the technomagical
sure. institutes and Guilds use to produce mechanical
and magical wonders. Citizens of the great cities
As for the Chroniclers themselves, they live in a of Arden Eld are the most diverse in background
strict, hierarchical, and somewhat spartan society, and profession, and tend to enjoy a higher
but one which values justice, education, equality, standard of living than those in the Green, with
and honesty. Ascending up the ranks of the access to many conveniences such as rail and
priesthood takes a long time and a lot of airship travel, running water, and arkenlamp
ceremony, and only the most senior monks are lighting. However, they also are the most unequal,
allowed into the central halls of a Chamber. with many Kin languishing crammed into hot and
overcrowded residences in the increasingly
It is not uncommon at all for monks to dip and mazelike city depths, while the Guild Barons at
out of the priesthood in order to have families, the top scrape most of the benefits off for
explore the world, or go on missions of utmost themselves while claiming to be acting for the
import for the monastery. Junior temple acolytes benefit of all. Some predict the coming of the
wishing to become higher members of a Churning Age will extend this way of life even out
Chronicler order are often required to leave the to the Green, and fear what that portends.
temple for a while to find purpose in the greater
world. Guilders tend to be more educated, more
knowledgeable about Aetheric principles and
Chroniclers highly value knowledge of all kinds, more connected to magic and science than other
and tend to be highly educated. This drive often Kin, who they may see as backwards. They also
pushes traveling chroniclers to explore ruins, tend to be very tolerant and welcoming, and the
challenge authorities, or pry where they don’t most worldly of Kin.
belong, often getting them into danger.
Tolerance, patience, drive, and
Truth, justice, discovery, and tradition are friendliness are highly valued by Guilders.
important values to Chroniclers. Outsiders can see Outsiders can sometimes see them as haughty,
them as secretive, old-fashioned, or stiff. know-it-all, or pampered.

VI. Guilder
There are no nations in Arden Eld, but its cities
are growing in both size and influence. Their
cobbled streets and teetering towers are
expanding and stretching to the sky, and the fires
of industry and arkentech burn deep in their
bellies.

Those that live in the cities are known as Guilders,

and often belong to one of the great Trade Guilds,

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BONDS

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 I. The Pathfinder
Discover new things, meet new people, learn new
things. The Pathfinder is always looking to
Effort: _/3
horizon. They’re the first to clamber up the Strain: _/5
mountain, leap across the river, or dash down
the slope. The road is their friend and they can’t Second Wind: Regain 1 effort when you enter a
wait to see what’s around the corner. new scene. This ability can activate any number of
times a session.
+2 Traverse or Sense Special Ability: Leading a team action only
costs 1 effort for you.
NAME:
KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4 _/6 _/10

Ideals
- I addressed challenges with curiosity, AMBITIONS
exploration, or understanding _/4 _/6 _/10
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions
- I saw, heard, or tasted something truly unique ACTIONS
GEAR Sneak O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Traverse O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Sense O O O O
knife, canvas tent)
Study O O O O
• Highland kit (Pitons, climbing harness, hooks,
zipline, cold weather outfit, preserved rations, Charm O O O O
thermos, foldable canvass glider that can carry Command O O O O
one person) Tinker O O O O
• Lowland kit (Arkentech compass, warm Excel O O O O
weather outfit, shovel, local maps, a reliable one Smash O O O O
or two person mount - horse, dog, arkentech
Endure O O O O
heliobike)
• Extreme kit (Uncomfortable but safe hazard
gear, blight testing strips and curatives, diving XP _/15
suit, foldable kayak, Arkentech rebreather - 1 hr
of clean air for water, gas, etc, two refills for End of Session :
1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
rebreather)
more? 2 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, 2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
_______ combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
_______, ________ 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 • Memory of the Sole - Name a location you

PATHFINDER POWERS last set up camp or spent an interlude. The GM
will determine the difficulty of the journey there
• Saddleborn - Get a knack for riding or by answering the questions below. When the
piloting: next scene starts, you and up to ten other willing
• Chapter I: Animals or Vehicles people can choose to be safely there if you take 2
• Chapter II: Monsters strain for each ‘yes’ answer, which could cause
• Chapter III: An entire herd of animals or you to break. Work backwards to figure out how
monsters. you got there (the scene doesn’t necessarily have
• Windrider - When you push yourself to take a to take place the next hour or day, for example).
traverse or sneak action, you also get • Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous journey?
increased effect and choose one of the following • Is the location defended or contested?
for the action per chapter: you don’t touch the • Are you currently being pursued, tracked, or
ground, you don’t make a sound, you can’t be hunted?
touched while moving. • Lightspeed - 1/session - Your next traverse
• Dabbler - Get +1 point to put in any action action has superpowered effect
rating. At the start of an interlude, you must • Gambit of Gaia (requires 4 powers): Take
swap this point around to a new action. It can’t a power from another Bond
take any rating higher than 1+ the chapter
number
• Freesoul - You can escape from any restraint,
grab, shackle, hold, or prison cell without
rolling, appropriate to chapter. You can conceal
this ability if you wish.
• Lay Burdens - 1/session, When you enter a
populated location, untick 1 segment on all
burdens, and you may push your next action for
free.
• Airfeel - When you camp or start an
expedition, you can ask any of the following
questions about the next day or so of travel and
get a truthful yes or no answer from the GM. Get
increased effect when next acting on the
answers.
• Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous
journey?
• Is the journey defended or contested?
• Are you currently being pursued, tracked,
or hunted?
• Colortongue - You can understand and speak
all languages and read all scripts. When you
interact with a living creature that doesn’t speak
language, you can understand its intents and
feelings and get a knack to interact with it
socially. At chapter II or higher, you can use this
to interact with even non-living creatures, such
as magical constructs or the undead.
• Horizon Sweeper - Your sense actions have
increased effect and aren’t affected by:
• Chapter I: Darkness or time of day
• Chapter II: Weather or visibility
• Chapter III: Distance of any kind

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 II. The Seeker

Uncover forbidden knowledge, untangle people,
teeter on the edge of sanity. The Seeker wants
Effort: _/3
answers - about the world, about magic, about Strain: _/5
monsters, about themselves - all of it. Their keen
wits let them cut through any situation, even if Second Wind: Regain all effort when you
they may not like what they uncover. discover something hidden, forbidden, or secret.
Special Ability: When exhausted, you get +1d
+2 Study or Sense on study and sense actions and can aid in those
actions without spending effort.
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with investigation,
intuition, or recklessness
BURDENS
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs _/4 _/6 _/10
through my actions
- I questioned my own understanding of the
world AMBITIONS
_/4 _/6 _/10
GEAR
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope,
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, ACTIONS
knife, canvas tent)
• Ritual Kit (Tightly bound tome of rituals,
mysterious occult scroll, candles, chalk, salt, Sneak O O O O
paper for talismans, reagents for burning, holy Traverse O O O O
icon, silver bowl, dead light lantern - pierces Sense O O O O
supernatural darkeness, weather, or Study O O O O
obscurement) Charm O O O O
• Archaeologist’s Kit (Thick tome of dungeon
Command O O O O
lore, pick, shovel, head lantern, extra spool of
rope, climbing harness, arkentech ruin sensor - Tinker O O O O
2 mile effectiveness) Excel O O O O
• Scholar’s Kit (Academic almanac, telescope, Smash O O O O
star chart, tattered personal notes, magnifying Endure O O O O
arkentech lenses - 10x zoom, Aether compass -
senses, qualifies, and measures ambient aether)
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, XP _/15
_______
End of Session :
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
_______, ________ more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 You get an impression of how they are feeling

SEEKER POWERS and what the strongest emotion they are feeling
is. Your next action including your target(s) that
• Heartsight - 1/session - Close your eyes. You
can act on this information gets +1 boon or
can view a location for 1 minute, anywhere:
increased effect.
• I: Close by, within shouting distance • Possession - 2/session - Ask a presence
• II: Within a few miles inside you for advice. The GM will answer as the
• III: Anywhere in Arden Eld presence. Get +1d on the next action that
You view the location as if an invisible observer,
follows that advice.
hearing and seeing everything. You cannot
• Instinctive - 2/session - Describe a course of
move your point of vision, and your body is
action to the GM you plan to take this session.
immobile and vulnerable while taking this
You will receive an answer that is truthful, if
action. You can end it any time. You don’t have
unclear, that comes from a feeling. The GM can
to be able to see the location you’re trying to
choose from the following options: Wheel
view.
(good/positive outcomes), Stone (bad/negative
• Library Organ - 1/session - Get +1d on study
outcomes), and Chaos (a mix of good and bad
and sense for the rest of the scene, but all other
outcomes).
actions are at 0d. At chapter III, also increase all
• Geist - When you are able to touch someone
effect from study and sense.
skin to skin, even if you break contact, you can
• Argus - You get a knack for sensing:
see through their eyes and experience their
• I: Hidden objects, paths, tracks, or traps sensations and ambient emotional state, though
• II: Hidden people, monsters, or ambushes you can do little but observe, and they are not
• III: Invisible or metaphysical objects or aware of your presence. The effect can be
forces, such as the flow of magic
accessed:
• Midnight Eyes - You can see in the dark,
• I: Until the end of the scene
which could make your risk and effect better.
• II: Until the end of the expedition
Your study and sense actions get increased
• III: Indefinitely
effect in darkness. At Chapter III or higher, you
The effect is canceled when you use this ability
can see anything close by in good detail without
again, and while you’re concentrating on it, you
the use of your eyes.
cannot do anything yourself except sit in quiet
• Unhinge - When you push a desperate action,
focus, otherwise the effect breaks. A player
it also gains increased effect.
character must be willing, and you may need a
• Dark Clarity - 2/session - You may study
roll to be able to touch a hostile, unaware, or
the ambient emotional state of:
unwilling character.
• I: One person close by • Terrible Truth - 1/session - Increase the effect
• II: One person or monster close by of your next Study action to Superpowered
• III: All people or monsters close by • Gambit of the Outsider (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond

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 III. The Mighty
Use your prodigious physical or magical
strength to destroy obstacles and help your
Effort: _/3
friends. The Mighty revels in strength and Strain: _/5
power, and presents an unbreakable front to the
enemy, but uses that power not to oppress and Second Wind: Regain all effort when you take
control, but to protect the vulnerable and stand injury or harm while protecting someone else
against evil. Special Ability: When an ally close to you
suffers strain, you can take the strain for them. In
+2 Smash or Endure addition, you can spend 1 Effort when you take
any strain to reduce it by 1, to a minimum of 1.
NAME:
KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4 _/6 _/10

Ideals AMBITIONS
- I addressed challenges with strength,
leadership, or force _/4 _/6 _/10
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions
- I didn’t back down when faced with a challenge ACTIONS

Sneak O O O O
GEAR Traverse O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope,
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Sense O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Study O O O O
• Soldier’s Kit (Extra rations, whetstone, oil, Charm O O O O
two pairs of good boots, extra large pack, badge Command O O O O
of rank, protection ward) Tinker O O O O
• Mercenary’s Kit (Fortifying snack, iron flask, Excel O O O O
bounty ledger, backup weapon, foldable hand
Smash O O O O
cart, heavy object for hitting someone with)
• Brawler’s Kit (Healing ointment, copious Endure O O O O
bandages, splint, thick gauntlets or gloves,
foldable stretcher, good luck charm) XP _/15
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______ End of Session :
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
_______, ________ more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 MIGHTY POWERS
• True Grit - When you break, you remain in
control of your character for the rest of the
scene. If you would remain broken longer than
that (you have 3 burdens for example) this effect
ends at the end of the scene.
• Iron jaw - You can’t suffer critical strain (take
4 strain instead)
• Volcanic - 2/session - When someone or
something harms an ally in your presence, you
can trigger this ability to get +1d or increased
effect (choose) on all actions against them for
the rest of the scene
• Hammersoul - Your Smash actions have
increased effect when you’re exhausted.
• Overpower - You can push by taking 2 strain
instead of spending effort for Endure and
Smash actions
• The Tower - While you’re at maximum strain,
characters can aid you without spending effort.
If you break, all characters that witness it
recover 1 effort.
• Force of Will - 1/session - You can choose to
automatically treat your next Command action
roll against another character as a 6. The GM
can decide a character is too strong willed for
this to work on them, forcing you to roll
normally, but if they do, regain 2 effort after
that roll resolves. It always works on foes from a
lower chapter than you.
• Half Light - When you gather information
about violence or possible threats, you can use
Endure, Smash, or Command
• The Wall - 1/session - This scene only, reduce
all strain suffered by you or an ally of your
choice by 1, to a minimum of 1
• Make Total Destroy - 1/session - Increase the
effect of your next Smash action to
superpowered
• Gambit of The Storm Lord (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond

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 IV. The Wolf

You are a tough exterior covered in scars. Your
competency makes you strong, but you also can’t
Effort: _/3
let anyone see where you’re vulnerable. The wolf Strain: _/5
stands strong alone, but can’t forget that they
ultimately rely on the pack. Second Wind: Regain all effort when you fix
someone else’s mistakes, or someone else fixes
+2 Excel or Sneak yours.
Special Ability: You are hardened. Your 4 clock
NAME: burden gives you no penalties.

KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4* _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with precision, coldness, AMBITIONS
or intimidation
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs _/4 _/6 _/10
through my actions
- I let people see a glimpse of who I am beneath
my mask ACTIONS

GEAR Sneak O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Traverse O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Sense O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Study O O O O
• Solo’s Kit (Shadow cloak, collapsible weapon,
Charm O O O O
spiked gloves and boots for climbing and
combat, single use flash bomb, toxin vial - sleep Command O O O O
toxin, slow acting poison, paralyzing toxin) Tinker O O O O
• Survivor’s Kit (Pick-me-up - something to Excel O O O O
take the edge off, old bandages, lock picks, Smash O O O O
change of clothes, concealed weapon(s), faded Endure O O O O
memento, extensive memory of local street
layout and back doors)
• Wanderer’s Kit (Weatherproof cloak, hardy XP _/15
traveling outfit, extra rope, survival rations,
hunting weapon, general knowledge of local End of Session :
fauna and flora - from good and bad 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
experiences) more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
_______ 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________

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 WOLF POWERS

• Clarity - If you break, regain all effort, and

you can push your next action for free
• Scarcoat - +1 max strain per Burden you have
• Blood Scent - You get a knack for tracking or
intimidating anyone or anything that’s wounded
• Go for a Walk - 1/session - When you
separate from the group to do something alone,
you can trigger this ability to get +1d and
increased effect on your action. ‘Cut to black’
and roll the action ‘off-screen’, then cut back to
when you return to the group, describing what
happened.
• Cornered - When you are outnumbered in a
tense or violent situation, leading team actions
does not cost effort for you.
• Lurk - 1/session - When the GM describes a
scene, you can choose to be there, hidden,
appropriate to chapter. Don’t worry about how
you got there.
• It’s Nothing - During Heal Burdens, heal 2
extra ticks on a burden of your choice if nobody
helps you heal burdens. Heal 1 tick on two
burdens if someone does help you heal, instead
of just one burden. If you do so, you can’t help
other people heal burdens.
• Crack Shell - When you’re exhausted, you can
take aid actions without spending effort
• Bishop - When you set someone up, that
person gets both +1d and increased effect on the
set up roll.
• Wick - 1/session - Increase the power of your
next Excel action to superpowered
• Gambit of Arenheir (requires 4 powers):
Take a power from another Bond

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 V. The Harlequin
Trick, humiliate, and dance around the powerful.
The Harlequin despises those who take
Effort: _/3
themselves too seriously, and delights in slipping Strain: _/5
in and out of conversations, roles, and situations.
Second Wind: Regain all effort when your
+2 Sneak or Charm actions get you in trouble with someone or
something powerful
NAME: Special Ability: When you’re exhausted, get +1d
and increased effect on sneak
KIN:
CULTURE: BURDENS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with cunning,
subterfuge, or deceit AMBITIONS
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions _/4 _/6 _/10
- I talked or slipped my way out of a charged
situation
ACTIONS
GEAR
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Sneak O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Traverse O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Sense O O O O
• Entertainer’s kit (Instrument, fancy outfit, Study O O O O
three free meals, tome of song lore, tickets to a
Charm O O O O
show, extensive knowledge of local haunts, free
entry and lodging for a single inn, tavern, or Command O O O O
place to stay) Tinker O O O O
• Rake’s kit (Hooded lantern, lock picks, Excel O O O O
paramour’s portrait, concealed weapon, loaded Smash O O O O
dice, gaming set, three extra outfits, disguise kit Endure O O O O
- wigs, outfits, fake noses - etc - can be applied
to others)
• Trickster’s kit (Someone else’s pocket XP _/15
contents, ball bearings, official looking uniform,
fire starter, very convenient key, large pouch of End of Session :
mysterious powder) 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
_______ combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
_______, ________ 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 • Ridi Pagliacci - You can invoke each of your

HARLEQUIN POWERS burdens instead of spending 1 effort, once a
session for each burden
• Mirrormask - You can always tell if someone
• Exuent - When you lead an action to flee or
is lying if you can see their face, though the
escape trouble, don’t spend effort.
nature of the lie is unclear. At chapter III, you
• Step of the Smiling Few - 1/session -
only need to hear someone’s voice or read
Increase the power of your next Sneak action to
something they have written.
superpowered
• Mercurio - You can change your appearance
• Gambit of the Laughing God (requires 4
completely in only a few moments by spending 1
powers): Take a power from another Bond
effort, including height, weight, gender
presentation, etc. Anyone in view of you can
witness you change. You must appear as Kin (a
person), but you could be a different Kintype,
and otherwise everything else is up to you. This
effect lasts until you camp, or until you eat or
drink something, and while active you get a
knack for impersonating your new form,
although if you’re trying to impersonate a
specific person, people who know them will see
through your disguise up close. At chapter III,
this effect no longer costs effort if it's only used
once a scene.
• Mockingbird - You get a knack for mimicking
sounds or voices.
• Fast Friends - 2/session - You can choose to
automatically treat your next charm action roll
as a 6. If you do, its effects only last:
• I: 1 minute
• II: an hour
• III a whole day
After the duration expires, its target(s) realize
they were manipulated.
• The Big Show - Critical hits on excel,
charm, or sneak actions regain 2 effort for all
party members who witness your feats
• Habitual Line Stepper - 2/session - You
instantly disappear from sight and re-appear
somewhere:
• I: Nearby
• II: Within two or three hundred paces
• IIII: Within a mile
You don’t have to see your destination, but you
are shunted back to your starting point if it’s
occupied or obstructed (like trying to hop into
solid rock, for example).
• Quickfingers - 1/session - Name a number of
objects nearby equal to the chapter number that
you can see that could fit or carry in one or both
hands. By the start of the next scene, you have
possession of them. If you stole them, the
person you stole it from will find out within the
hour

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 VI. The Highborn

You were born into a sheltered existence, both
protected and constrained by wealth, walls, or
Effort: _/3
rules, a curse as much as it is a blessing. You Strain: _/5
have privileges, power, and knowledge that
others envy, but have so much else to learn about Second Wind: You may regain all effort when
the world. someone else relieves all effort
Special Ability: When you’re exhausted,
+2 Charm or Study characters that aid you spend no effort

NAME: BURDENS
KIN: _/4 _/6 _/10
CULTURE:
AMBITIONS
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with poise, passion, or _/4 _/6 _/10
social status
- I challenged or acted against my heritage,
background, or standing beliefs with my actions ACTIONS
- I learned something new about my companions
Sneak O O O O
GEAR Traverse O O O O
You do not have an adventurer’s kit, but can Sense O O O O
pick a combo of two basic kits instead, or five Study O O O O
items for your custom kit.
Charm O O O O
• Noble’s kit (Two changes of fancy clothes,
dueling weapon, personal reference, traveling Command O O O O
trunk, expensive jewelry, general knowledge of Tinker O O O O
city politics, noble pedigree or family Excel O O O O
reputation) Smash O O O O
• Academic kit (Thick-bound almanac, late Endure O O O O
night snacks, massive sheathes of rambling but
extensive notes, hobby journal, sample kit, extra
large pack, expensive arkentech contraption - XP _/15
compass, scope, etc - top of the line but
breakable and can only be used once) End of Session :
• Cloister kit (Simple ritual gear - candles, bowl, 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
talismans, protective ward, traveling staff or more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
walking stick, good hat, badge of a scholarly, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
wright, or religious order - proving membership, 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
old arkentech relic of unknown use) 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______, _______, _______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________

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 • Perfect Grace (1/session) - Increase the

HIGHBORN POWERS effect of your next Charm action to
superpowered.
• Rarefied - You have a knack for actions • Gambit of the Bronze Queen (requires 4
involving people considered highborn or high powers): Take a power from another Bond
class. However, if you use this knack, all actions
involving people considered low class or
lowborn are 0d at best until the end of the
session.
• Private Tutor - You've had specialized
training. Choose any action. You can re-roll any
‘1’s you roll as part of that action, keeping the
new result. However, choose one other action
that you neglected - you must re-roll any ‘6’s as
part of this action, keeping the new result.
• Silver Spoon - You can never be accused of
trespassing except by someone considered high
rank or high class (a manager, a noble, a
military officer, etc), appropriate to chapter.
This effect does not extend to anyone else with
you, but get +1d on rolls to cover for them. At
chapter II, you can cover for one extra person
without question, and at chapter III you can
cover for anyone you like within reason.
• Trust the Fund - You always have enough in
your pockets to sway someone when you try to
gain access, assets, or information. If you do,
gain +1d or increased effect, but it’s
incredibly obvious that you’re bribing them.
• Special reserve - Get +1d or increased effect
when you gather information or recall info on
something rare, expensive, or hard to find.
• Ivory Tower - 2/session - When the GM
describes a location, monster, person, or
historical event, you can ask the GM for an
additional detail only an expert would know and
get a truthful answer. Get +1d the next time you
act on the answer.
• Honor Student - If you forgo healing burdens,
you can tick an extra segment on an ambition. If
you take one other character along with you to
observe, they can also tick a segment on their
own ambitions.
• Passionate - You always have a secret passion
ambition you can work on, something you’ve
wanted to try but never been able to. It’s a 12
segment ambition clock that gives 3 xp for
completing it, and can be worked on for free
each interlude. If you complete your passion,
you can pursue a new one.
• Unflappable - Leading actions to Command or
Charm a large group costs no effort for you

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 VII. The Mender
You gather your group with cheer and good
attitude. You use your power to fix, heal, and
Effort: _/6
mend. You can be quiet, but when you’re loud, Strain: _/5
people listen.
Second Wind: You only regain effort from bond
+2 Tinker or Charm powers, camping, or interludes.
Special Ability: You can allow someone else to
NAME: regain 1 effort by spending 1 effort.

KIN: BURDENS
CULTURE: _/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with diplomacy, AMBITIONS
positivity, or empathy
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs _/4 _/6 _/10
through my actions
- I learned how someone or something was
broken. ACTIONS

GEAR Sneak O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Traverse O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Sense O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Study O O O O
• Mending Kit (Healing ointment, light reading,
Charm O O O O
snacks, bandages, blanket, splint, salve, blight
remedies, apron, clean gloves, holy icon, Command O O O O
copious sweets) Tinker O O O O
• Hearth Kit (Great cooking pot, oversized coat, Excel O O O O
bright lantern, extra ingredients, seasoning, Smash O O O O
firewood, spacious tent, large pack, arkentech Endure O O O O
hot plate and igniter that can start a fire
anywhere, even underwater)
• Work Kit (Goggles, sandwich, vials for storage, XP _/15
weak acid, metal augur, heavy toolbox - pliers,
spanners, tools, wire, etc, repurposed arkentech End of Session :
doodad - single use) 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
_______ combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
_______, ________ 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 MENDER POWERS
• Push through - You can take 1 strain instead
of spending effort to take aid actions, which
cannot be reduced or ignored.
• Divine Luck - When you take strain as a
consequence, roll a 1d6 fortune roll. On 6,
reduce the strain suffered to 0 (even critical
strain).
• Illuminate - Your actions have +1 boon or
increased effect (choose) with or against
characters or creatures that trust you.
• Untangle - When you help someone else lift
burdens, you increase their segments healed by
+1, and heal 1 segment yourself
• Pangloss - When you fail a desperate action,
your next action can be pushed without
spending effort.
• A Better Way - When you study to
understand how something or someone is hurt
or broken, or tinker to fix something, get +1d
or increased effect. This ability works without
effect loss on:
• I: One person or a small object
• II: A whole group of people or a large object
• III: A whole town, or a massive object such
as a train, huge machine, etc
• Mender - 2/session - You can charm or
tinker to heal someone’s strain. Check the final
result:
• 0-3 - Characters can spend 1 effort to heal 1
strain
• 4-5 - Character heals 1 strain
• 6 - Character heals 2 strain
• 6,6 - Character heals 4 strain
• Encourage - 2/session - Spend a use of this
ability to use aid without spending effort or
exposing yourself to consequences
• Iron Cutting - At the end of each interlude,
you can tick 2 segments total, split between any
ambition, project clock, or ritual clock of your
choice, even those belonging to another
character.
• Heart Forge - 1/session - Increase the effect of
your next Tinker action to superpowered
• Gambit of the Forge Titan (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond

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 VIII. The Brave

Use your courage, luck, and wits to smash head
on into problems. The Brave is always at the
Effort: _/3
front line, hurling themselves at problems, and Strain: _/5
hoping their allies will pick up the pieces. They’re
at their best when relying on fate, teamwork, and Second Wind: Regain all effort when you charge
the power of perseverance. forth without a plan
Special Ability: When you lead a team action,
+2 Endure or Command get +1d on the action or increased effect

NAME: BURDENS
KIN: _/4 _/6 _/10
CULTURE:
AMBITIONS
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with perseverance, _/4 _/6 _/10
friendship, and courage
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions ACTIONS
- I used my heart rather than my head to solve a
problem
Sneak O O O O
Traverse O O O O
GEAR Sense O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Study O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Charm O O O O
knife, canvas tent) Command O O O O
• Brave Kit (Signature outfit, 3 arkentech light Tinker O O O O
gems, map to a mysterious place, northstone - Excel O O O O
always tells north and time of day, even
Smash O O O O
underground, trinket from home, arkentech
power gauntlet - single use,) Endure O O O O
• Explorer kit (Waterproof cloak, extendable
walking pole - 3 to 10 ft , compass, flask, three
empty bottles, chalk, 6 depth stones - toss to XP _/15
check depth of pits, abyss stone - glows when
End of Session :
monsters are nearby) 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
• Inherited Kit (Hexagonal key, oddly fitting more? 2 xp
clothing, antique armor piece, broken 2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
arkenrelic, heirloom weapon, memories of a combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
prophecy)
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________

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 BRAVE POWERS

• Strike the road - The first team action you

lead in a session costs you 0 effort
• Crush Limiter - 1/session, you can give your
next action superpowered effect, but take a
burden at the end of the scene.
• Luck as a Constant - When you critical hit,
regain all effort, heal all strain, and mark 1 xp
• All in - Using Aid to help a character taking a
desperate action costs 0 effort for you
• Joyluck Wind Thrower - When you take a
desperate action, you can take +1d on the
action. If you do, treat any die less than a 6 as a
1.
• The Sun- 1/session - Gain increased effect on
all actions for the rest of the scene
• Coordinate - Aiding you on team actions costs
0 effort
• Heart of Hearts: 1/session - You can flash
back to a scene from your past or hometown and
describe how your memory of that time inspires
you in the current moment. You can treat your
next roll as though you rolled a critical hit (6,6).
You can only use this ability three times ever,
and when you expend its third use, replace this
power with another one.
• Team Player - When any ally sets you up,
you have increased effect on the roll
• Brave Destiny (1/session) - Increase the
effect of the next team action you take to
superpowered.
• Gambit of the Hundred Sword God
(requires 4 powers): Take a power from
another Bond

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 IX. The Broker

Use your superior skills, class, intellect, or
delicate touch to handle situations with elegance.
Effort: _/3
You’ve been there before, and you have a plan for Strain: _/5
everything under the sun. Some may call you
stuck up, but they don’t see how the strings you Second Wind: You can regain all effort when
pull save their sorry hides again and again. another team mate becomes exhausted or breaks.
Special Ability: When you become exhausted or
+2 Command or Tinker break, all team mates regain 1 effort

NAME: BURDENS
KIN: _/4 _/6 _/10
CULTURE:
AMBITIONS
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with manipulation, _/4 _/6 _/10
influence, or planning
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions ACTIONS
- Despite my best efforts, we went wildly off plan
Sneak O O O O
GEAR Traverse O O O O
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Sense O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot, Study O O O O
knife, canvas tent)
Charm O O O O
• Shady Kit (False identity papers, tilted hat,
quick disguise, coat with six hidden pockets, Command O O O O
lock picks, forgery tools, convenient bribe, Tinker O O O O
arkentech skeleton key - opens or activates most Excel O O O O
arkentech devices) Smash O O O O
• Socialite’s Kit (Two fancy outfits, one very Endure O O O O
fancy outfit, one inconspicuous outfit, one
servant’s outfit, really nice pair of shoes,
jewelry, tailoring supplies, address of anyone in XP _/15
a city or town, single invite to any party)
• Boss’s Kit (Ledger, gambling kit, crowbar, End of Session :
flask of something strong - coffee, tea, or 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
alcohol, guild membership badge, key to a more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
warehouse, scuffed pair of arkentech radios - combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
not effective over distance) 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
_______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______,
_______, ________

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 • Make it work (1/session) - You may use your

BROKER POWERS highest rated action for any single action with
normal effectiveness (charming a door to open
• Contingency (2/session) - You can use this for example). Explain to the GM how you’re
power to ‘flash back’ in time to tell the GM how doing this. At chapter III, you don’t need to
you prepared for a situation. You can use this explain.
ability before or after any action roll to do one of • Coordinator - You get 2 xp for pursuing a
the following: Set up a character for the next group ambition instead of 1, and gain +1d when
action (even yourself), resist consequences of working on a group ambition.
something that just happened by taking strain, • Ladder Climber - You can pursue ambitions
even for another character, increase effect or twice during an interlude, but only if you pursue
lower risk. To do so, however, you need to be different ambitions.
able to tell the GM how you prepared and also • Golden Hand (1/session)- Increase the effect
make fortune roll using one of your actions to of your next Command action to
see how well your preparation went. On a 4+ superpowered.
gain the expected effect, on a 6 choose an extra • Gambit of the Weeper (requires 4
effect, and on a 1-3 you had to abandon the plan powers): Take a power from another Bond
(this ability has no effect this scene and regain 1
use).
• Swoon (1/session) - When you would take
consequences as a result of your actions, you
have may another willing character nearby take
the consequences instead of you after you learn
what they are. If they do, they take 1 xp.
• Immaculate - Get a knack for situations
where being dressed appropriately would help
you (disguises, uniforms, outfits, formalwear,
etc), appropriate to chapter.
• Beg, Borrow, or Steal - When you need the
right tool for the job (a disguise, a tool, a
weapon, a portable boat, a ladder) you can
choose to have it right now. The tool’s power,
type, and rarity depends on chapter, and it lasts
until the end of the session, or until you use this
ability again. Gain +1d on actions using the tool,
but the GM chooses one:
• It was stolen from someone, who will
track you down by next interlude
• It’s poor quality and breaks after the
scene is over
• It gets you into trouble after the scene is
over (it attracts attention, there’s an
unwanted side effect, it leads you
somewhere you weren’t expecting to go)
• Fruitful- You have a contact or family member
in every populated location. Define this person
with the GM and pick one (choose carefully):
not in trouble with the law, reliable, won’t need
a favor. Roll +1d on actions where your contact
could help you.
• Faust (1/session) - The next time you roll,
treat all 1s as 6s. The next time you roll after
that, treat all 6s as 1s.

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 X. The Elder
You’ve been around a long time - maybe too long.
You’ve seen a lot of what Arden Eld has to offer -
Effort: _/3
the good and the bad. The adventuring life, with Strain: _/5
its threats, its challenges, and it’s wandering
lifestyle, are something you would perhaps want Second Wind: You can regain all effort when
put behind you, but you have a little more work you manage to avoid confrontation or violence
to do before you can put your gear away for through your actions.
good. There are people out there who need you. Special Ability: At the start of a session, choose
another character to watch over. The first time in
+2 Endure or Excel the session that character would take a burden,
you can intervene and choose to take that burden
NAME: instead if you have one free. If you do, regain all
effort and clear all strain, and mark +1 xp.
KIN:
CULTURE: BURDENS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with patience, wisdom,
or experience AMBITIONS
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions _/4 _/6 _/10
- I defused a potentially violent situation

GEAR ACTIONS
Weathered adventurer’s kit (Rusted lantern,
well-worn pack, flat bedroll, three loops of sturdy Sneak O O O O
rope, flint and tinder, arkentech firestarter, thick Traverse O O O O
journal, extra rations, sturdy cooking pot, nicked Sense O O O O
utility knife, sleeping bag) Study O O O O
• Veteran’s kit (Broken famous weapon, old
Charm O O O O
badge of rank, weapon care kit, painful
memento, the most solid boots in the world, Command O O O O
thick and warm cloak, good knowledge of Tinker O O O O
wound care) Excel O O O O
• Hermit’s kit (Herbal medicine, icon of a magic Smash O O O O
or religious order, heavy and sturdy walking Endure O O O O
stave, light pack, excellent hat, good knowledge
of local foraging - food, medicine, poisonous
plants, etc) XP _/15
• Nostalgic kit (Memories of the local area from
a long time ago, a useful story you heard once, a End of Session :
safe place you know about nearby, an excellent 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
sense of direction) more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
• Custom Kit: ________, ________, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
_______ 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, 4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp
_______, ________

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 • Gambit of Tsumi (requires 4 powers):

ELDER POWERS Take a power from another Bond
• Parable - Twice a session, you can ask the GM
about any path of action ahead of you. The GM
will answer as truthfully as possible with the
phrase ‘This is the path of ____”, with the
blank part being an animal, plant, or natural
element (fire/water/earth/wind) that the GM
feels best fits the situation. Gain +1d when next
acting on the answer.
• Pacifist - If you leave a scene of violence
without harming anyone, heal 1 strain and
regain 1 effort.
• Long Memory - Gain +1d on rolls to gather
information about any event that happened
more than ten years ago. At chapter III, if it
happened in your lifetime, you can also tell the
GM you remember it clearly or were actually
there and can’t fail the roll (treat a 1-3 as a 4+).
• Been Around - Unless they draw a weapon,
nobody younger than you can harm, restrain, or
touch you in any way unless you let them. This
effect ignores chapter.
• Spinner of Tales - You get a 12 segment
ambition clock that you can work on for free
each interlude, to tell a story from your past.
When the clock is complete, a character of your
choice that listened to you can improve an
action by 1. A character can only gain this
benefit once.
• Pillar of Rock - Until you use violence or
coerce someone or something in a session,
reduce all strain taken from other people by 1, to
a minimum of 1.
• Saltbelly - Gain +1d for the rest of the session
against anyone that shares a meal, shares a
drink, or plays a game of skill against you.
• Mentor - You can forgo working on your own
ambitions to come along and help someone else
with theirs. If you do, they tick 1 more segment
and gain +1d.
• Reputation - When you enter a populated area
you haven’t visited before, you can decide that
people there have heard of you. This gives you
+1d to interact with them socially for the rest of
the session, but anyone who wants to find or
track you can find you easily. This works on:
• I. Any town
• II. Any city or small village
• III. Anywhere
• The Mountain (1/session) - Increase the
effect of your next Endure action to
superpowered.

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 XI. The Outsider

You’re not from around here. You’re a little
strange or unique in appearance, customs, or
Effort: _/3
culture, and it can make people cautious or Strain: _/5
uneasy, but also curious. You may have come
from a chronicler monastery, or a hermit village Second Wind: Regain all effort when you spend
at the edge of the world, or you might literally be a scene trying not to use your unique talents or
a fish out of water, from a town on the sea floor. abilities
Your perspective on things can be refreshing and Special Ability: You gain +1d to set characters
you have powerful talents you can bring to bear. up.

+2 Sense or Traverse
BURDENS
NAME: _/4 _/6 _/10
KIN:
CULTURE: AMBITIONS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with my unique
perspective, talents, or culture ACTIONS
- I expressed heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions
Sneak O O O O
- I made a new friend, or deepened an existing
Traverse O O O O
friendship.
Sense O O O O
Study O O O O
GEAR Charm O O O O
You only have the outsider’s kit. However, you Command O O O O
can take four pieces of loose gear with you on an Tinker O O O O
expedition, at the end of an interlude can take Excel O O O O
any other piece of gear from any other bond
Smash O O O O
used by player character in your party and add it
to your loose gear list. Endure O O O O

Outsider’s kit (Strangely shaped lantern, pack,

bedroll, 5 fire stones - hot!, food from home, XP _/15
foreign clothes, local clothes, icon from a distant
End of Session :
land, unique weapon or tool, script in a foreign 1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
language) more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
Loose gear ( ______, ______, ______, combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
_____ ) _______, _______, ________
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 • Resourceful - You can bring one more piece of

OUTSIDER POWERS loose gear with you on an expedition.
• Xenoclash - Choose two actions. Once a
• The Wave (1/session) - Increase the effect of
session, you can push each of these actions
your next sense action to superpowered.
without spending effort. Describe the unique
• Gambit of the Formless (requires 4
talents or abilities that allow you to do this.
powers): Take a power from another Bond
• Gaia Compass - You have a knack for
navigation. You always know the distance and
direction of the nearest (I) village (II) town (III)
settlement of any kind. You can sense dungeons
within a few miles, and get a bad feeling when
one is about to surface.
• Open Up - You can spend time with one other
character during an interlude trying to
understand each other. If you do, you can each
aid each other once without spending effort
during the next expedition.
• Bloom - Any character can set out a unique
ambition clock once with 4 segments to try and
learn a little of your language and customs. If
they finish the clock, they gain 1 xp and they can
understand your language, allowing you to
communicate with them privately. You can
decide whether an NPC speaks your language or
not.
• Earth Glide - You have an unusual way of
moving due to skills, magical talent, or anatomy.
You gain a knack for movement through certain
terrain and don’t suffer reduced effect moving
through it. Pick one per chapter: Forests,
Oceans, Mountains, Snow, Swamps, Deserts.
• Tour Guide - When a character works on
ambitions or a project, they can bring you along.
Roll a 1d6 fortune roll. On a 1, despite your best
efforts you don’t help, giving -1d on the roll. On
a 2-5, your unique insights help, giving +1d on
the roll. On a 6, you offer a perspective that both
gives +1d and allows them to tick 1 more
segment.
• Earth Speech- You can speak and understand
something unusual, and have normal effect
while doing so. Your conversation partners
might not speak language, or be particularly
eloquent. Whether they are actually talking back
or not is up to the tone of your game. Pick one
per chapter: Animals, Plants, Rocks, Weapons,
Tools, Vehicles
• Centered (1/session) - You have a unique
cuisine, or a unique eating or drinking stricture
or habit. When you share it with someone or
explain it to them, they gain +1d to set you up
for the rest of the session, and you get +1d on
the next roll involving them.

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 XII. The Dreamer

You are optimistic, perhaps to a fault. You might
be new the to the adventuring life, young, or a
Effort: _/3
little green around the ears - or perhaps you are Strain: _/5
simply too wise to be cynical. Not everything
goes right when you try it, but try it you must. Second Wind: You can regain all effort when
someone helps you out of a bad situation. Your
+2 Sneak or Smash rescuer can also recover 1 effort.
Special Ability: Characters that successfully aid
NAME: you or set you up can recover 1 effort, but no more
than once a session.
KIN:
CULTURE: BURDENS
_/4 _/6 _/10
Ideals
- I addressed challenges with creativity, cheer, or
trust in my allies AMBITIONS
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs
through my actions _/4 _/6 _/10
- I failed miserably

ACTIONS
GEAR
Adventurer’s kit (Lantern, pack, bedroll, rope, Sneak O O O O
flint and tinder, journal, rations, cooking pot,
Traverse O O O O
knife, canvas tent)
• Improvised Kit (Fistful of sand, convenient Sense O O O O
rock, makeshift key, homemade tool, pocket Study O O O O
snacks, slingshot) Charm O O O O
• Unlucky Kit (A sudden fall, an untied knot, a Command O O O O
slip, a broken pot or cup, a flying object) Tinker O O O O
• Lucky Kit (A single useful clue, a sudden Excel O O O O
change in lighting, a shift in the weather, a
Smash O O O O
convenient noise, a useful crack in a wall or
door) Endure O O O O
• Custom Kit: ________, ________,
_______
Loose gear ( ______, ______ ) _______, XP _/15
_______, ________
End of Session :
1. Did you fulfill at least one of your Ideals? 1 xp. Two or
more? 2 xp
2. Was your character challenged or tested, through
combat or otherwise? 1 xp. Multiple times? 2 xp
3. Accomplished an ambition (group or personal) - 1-3 xp
4. Invoked Burdens at least once - 1 xp

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 DREAMER POWERS

• Improvise (2/session) - You can push a

smash roll for free if you can somehow use
something that’s not a weapon from your
environment. This could also increase or
decrease effect, depending on the item. You can
use something:
• I: Small, like a vase or stool
• II: Large, like a piece of furniture or a door
• III: Massive, like a horse cart or boulder
• Punching Bag - If you take strain from
anything, everyone else gets increased effect
against that thing for the rest of the scene.
• Best efforts - If you fail a set-up roll, you can
take 1 strain to re-roll it, taking the second
result. You can do this any number of times.
• Bright Eyed - At the start of each session, you
may choose another character to look up to. You
can aid that character without spending effort
this session (you still share in any
consequences), but aiding other characters costs
2 effort.
• Follow the Leader (1/session) - Make an
action roll using any character’s action rating
for that action. Describe how that character
taught or inspired you.
• Lost cat - If you invoked your burdens to get
into trouble during a session, you can choose a
character that came to your aid and let them
mark 1 xp at the end of a session.
• Rash (1/session)- Once a session, if you boast
about your success on a roll before you roll, you
can force yourself to roll at a max of 0d, but you
regain 1 effort after the roll. If you actually
succeed (4+), everyone else can regain 1 effort as
well.
• Underdog - When you become exhausted, your
next action gains +1d and increased effect.
• Heart Held Dream - You gain +1d to work on
any ambition clock that’s 10 segments or longer.
When you finish such a clock, you can lift a
burden, or allow an ally to lift a burden.
• The Lobster - If you break, your next action
can be made normally, even while broken, and
gains superpowered effect.
• Gambit of The Wanderers (requires 4
powers) - Take a power from another bond.

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II. THE BOOK OF BATTLE

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 TACTICAL COMBAT

When you go into a situation in ICON where high- after, or in the middle of any action, even off your
stakes violence is about to break out, it’s probably turn, if you have them.
time to go into tactical combat. Tactical combat
is ICON is for answering the tensions or Allies and enemies alternate taking turns. When
questions that words alone can’t solve - everyone (allies and foes alike) have taken their
when the outcomes are important, and true mettle turn, a round passes, and a new round begins.
is tested. Typically heroes fight against the
monsters and horrors that clamber within and
without the sunken chambers of the arkenruins,
Your character
but sometimes you may find yourself fighting
Like your Bond, your character has a Job, chosen
against other people when an argument can’t be
at level 1. Your job has a red, yellow, blue, or
solved any other way.
green class, and gives you your basic game
statistics and abilities which you can use in
In combat, the non player characters, including
combat. Let’s go through them quickly.
the foes, are controlled by the game master, and
there is usually (but not always) an objective of
• Vitality (VIT): Determines how healthy your
some kind.
character is. Multiply VIT four times to get your
Hit Points (HP). Other effects can heal or
When to go into combat
damage you you equal to a multiple of your VIT
value (25% of your maximum HP), so it’s a
Go into tactical combat when the tension and quick shorthand.
the stakes of the story can’t be resolved • Hit Points (HP): 4x your VIT, representing
except through battle. your character’s physical state, energy, and
ability to avoid damage. Once you run out and
If there’s a question about whether to go into go to 0, you are defeated. You’re
combat or not, establish the stakes - what each incapacitated (can’t do anything, need help to
side wants out of the combat. This can be as get up) and take a wound. Certain abilities care
simple as survival. If you can’t get a clear answer, about if a character is bloodied, which is at or
then there’s probably no reason to play out below 50% your base maximum hp. Characters
tactical combat! always heal to bloodied after combat is over.
• Wound: When you take a wound, fill in 25% of
your HP (a value equal to your VIT value) from
Combat in ICON the right side of your hp bar, temporarily
reducing your maximum HP. You normally
Tactical combat in ICON is a game that is get wounds from being defeated. You can’t
intentionally an abstraction. It’s a different typically recover or heal a wound until you
mode of play to narrative play, and has more finish an interlude. If you ever accumulate 4
tightly constrained rules. wounds, you suffer total defeat and are fallen.
• Vigor: Vigor is temporary health that goes over
Tactical combat in ICON is grid based (a square your maximum hp, like a shield. Any damage
grid is used, with each square representing 1 space suffered goes to vigor before hit points, and all
on each side) and turn based. On your turn, you vigor disappears at the end of combat. When
can move and have two actions to spend on you gain vigor, it stacks up, but you can never
abilities. You may also use interrupts before, have more vigor than 25% of your maximum hp

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 (equal to your VIT value). Sometimes you are ability. All abilities, even Limit Breaks, have a
granted a vigor surge, which fills your vigor up Mastery which further improves the ability.
to full.
Strength of Spirit

You may notice that unlike other RPGs, in ICON,

your health, defense, armor, and even damage are
determined by your current job, not your
gear. You’re a hero, after all - it’s the person that
makes the legend and not their tools. The armor,
weapons, and look of your character is up to you.

You might want to play out a scenario in which

characters are weakened or disarmed in some way
- in which case don’t go into tactical combat!

That isn’t to say there isn’t power to be found in

gear and weapons, but ICON only cares about the
• Defense: How hard it is to land a blow on you truly legendary stuff. During your adventures, you
in combat. A hostile character must beat or will recover temporary items of power, called
match your defense with a to-hit roll to hit you Trophies, and unlock powerful Relics, aspects
with an attack (and you have to do the same to of ancient heroes or legends that empower your
them). Anything lower is a miss. armor, items, or weapons. These relics must be
• Speed: Affects how far you may move when leveled up alongside your character by infusing
you take a standard move action (full speed) or them with Dust, which you can recover as a
dash action (half speed). reward from your exploits. Dust can also be used
• Size: How many spaces square you take up on to empower your group as a whole by investing it
the battlefield. Player character are all size 1, into your Camp.
and take up a 1x1 area.
Boon and Curse
• Damage: Damage in ICON depends on your
job. Every class has a damage die (d6, d8, etc)
During combat, you’ll often make use of Boons
which is often written as [D], and a fray
and Curses. Here’s a refresher: for each boon, roll
damage value (a fixed amount).
1d6, pick the highest total result, then add it to
• Saves: When you make a save against a hostile
your d20 roll total. For each curse, roll 1d6, pick
effect, roll 1d20, and save against the effect on
the highest, and subtract it from your d20 total.
an 10+, usually resisting or ending it.
Boons and curses cancel out each other, 1 to 1.
• Resolve: Resolve is a resource you build up
slowly over combat and you must spend to use
your most powerful abilities, called Limit Using this section
Breaks.

• Traits: Abilities based on your job, class, or This section is split into three parts. Each part
relics, that always apply to your character. These explains the tactical combat rules with increasing
are usually passive and are unique to your job detail and complexity, in the order they appear. If
and class. you’re a player that wants the quick summary, just
• Abilities: The powers you can call on in skim through the Quick Combat section. If
combat, based on the jobs you have taken. All you’re a player who is more tactically minded, or a
characters have basic abilities, plus up to six GM, you may want to read through the Combat,
special abilities from their jobs. You can have six Step by Step section that follows. If you want
special abilities active on any expedition, and much tighter, marginal, or very specific
one Limit Break. All abilities have talents explanations of specific rules language, you can
which are un-lockable improvements to each check out Advanced Combat at the very end.
Feel free to skip or skim sections and come

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back to them later if you need - you won’t usually

even need the Advanced Combat rulings unless
they come up during a game, for example.

Each class and subclass has the combat rules,

statuses, and effects most relevant to it explained
at the start of its section so don’t worry about
memorizing every special rule.

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 - Your standard move ability allows you to move

Quick Combat up to your speed as a free action.
- When you move in ICON, you can only move in
Tactical combat starts when the tension and orthogonal directions (compass directions, no
the stakes of the story can’t be resolved diagonals!) unless specified.
except through battle.The GM gets ultimate - You might be slowed down by difficult
say on when to go into a tactical combat. terrain, moving up a level of height, by
engagement (moving through spaces adjacent
to foes). Each costs +1 more space, and you
The Grid
always take the highest penalty (they don’t
stack).
Combat is between player characters and their
foes (non-player characters, or NPCs) on a
- You also can’t move through obstructions
(foes and terrain) but can move through allies
square grid, with each square 1 space on each
as long as you don't end your turn in their
side. Place NPCs on the grid, then place player
space.
characters. There may also be terrain or objects
on the grid.
- Dashing allows you to move past enemies
without being slowed down. You can dash half
your speed for 1 action.
Terrain and objects have a height, usually from
1-3. Moving up in height costs extra movement,
- Your job might allow you take special
movement as part of abilities, such as flying or
and gives you advantages. There is other special
teleporting.
terrain such as pits, dangerous, or difficult terrain
that may have more specific rules, or affect how
Abilities:
you move or fight.
- You get two actions on your turn.
- Actions allow you to perform abilities.
Turns and the round - Some abilities take both your actions to
perform.
Starting with a player character, each character - You can always perform basic abilities (see
on the grid takes a turn, alternating between a the following).
player character and an NPC. When all - You cannot repeat any actions or abilities
characters have taken a turn, that constitutes - You may also get any number of free actions.
a round of combat and combat moves on to the Free actions don’t take an action to perform,
next round, starting with an NPC or a player but can’t be repeated and must be performed
character depending on who went last. Combat on your turn.
always starts on round 1.
Attacks
If you haven’t taken a turn in a round, when you - When you use an attack ability on a character,
would take a turn, you can elect to skip and take a you usually make an attack roll, rolling 1d20
slow turn instead, letting another player go and adding any boons (+1d6 for each boon,
instead. This means you go after all other picking the highest) or curses (-1d6 for each
characters have taken a turn, along with all other curse, picking the lowest).
slow characters (alternating PC/NPC as normal if - If you match or beat your target’s defense,
possible). you hit. If it’s lower, you miss, and if the total
roll is 20 or higher, you critical hit and do
On your turn extra damage (+[D])
- You can only make one attack per turn
On your turn, you get a standard move, then
two actions, which you can spend to use Effects
abilities. Then, end your turn and pass it to - Attacks and other abilities have effects. Effects
the next character. simply happen and don’t take an action or
interrupt to activate.
Moving

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 - Some might be triggered off certain conditions, Some abilities give you interrupts, which are
like charge (triggers on a slow turn) or exceed abilities that trigger under certain circumstances
(triggers on a high attack roll) and ‘interrupt’ whatever is going on. Each
- Effects resolve in the order they are listed. interrupt can only be used a certain number of
times a round, and you can only use one
Area abilities interrupt on any turn (either your own or
- Some abilities or attacks affect a whole area. another characters).
The size and shape of this area, and which
space is an attack, depend on the ability. Limit Break

Damage Each job gets a powerful ability called a limit

- When attacks or abilities deal damage, they break. Each character only limit break once per
deal your job’s damage die, which is written as combat. Using a limit break takes resolve, a
[D], or fray damage, which is a flat number special resource which builds up each round you
- For example, if you’re a Freelancer, [D] is remain in combat, and which you gain on your
1d10, and fray damage is 2. An attack that own after each fight.
deals [D]+fray would deal 1d10+2 damage.
- You might also gain bonus damage or critical Injury and Defeat
hit. Bonus damage means roll one more die
than normal, then pick the highest. This can When you take damage, it reduces your Hit
stack. Critical hit adds one more die to the Points by the same amount. If you have Armor,
total. it reduces all incoming damage by a fixed amount,
- You might also deal half damage from cover and it might also be halved by resistance, cover,
or resistance, or reduce it with armor. or something similar.

Basic Abilities When a character is at or under 50% hp, they are

- Standard move (free action): Move your considered bloodied. Some abilities are stronger
speed. against bloody characters.
- Dash (1 action): Dash half your speed, rounded
up, ignoring engagement. When a character is reduced to 0 hp, they are
- Interact (1 action): Interact with something defeated. Defeated characters are
on the map that takes more than a few incapacitated (can’t do anything).
moments, such as pulling a lever, opening a
heavy door, picking up a heavy object, etc. A player character that’s defeated can be rescued
- Rescue (1 action): Help an adjacent defeated by another character, returning them to the
ally and rescue them. When rescued, a action.
character ends the incapacitated state on
themselves and heals to full hit points, minus A player character that’s defeated also takes a
any wounds they’ve taken. wound, which reduces their maximum hp by
- Basic attack (1 or 2 actions): Make a basic 25%. If they take 4 wounds, they instead are
attack. fallen and can no longer be a player character
- Light attack (1 action): Make an attack (they are dead or irrevocably changed).
roll. On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray
- Heavy Attack (2 actions): Make an Healing
attack roll. On hit: 2[D] + fray Miss: fray
- Recover (2 actions): Cure yourself. When a Most healing in ICON happens outside of combat,
character is cured, they gain 4 vigor, or if they by camping (full heal).
are bloodied, they gain a vigor surge. Then they
may save against all statuses, ending them on a Your character heals to the next 25% hp segment
success. of your hp bar after combat, or to the 50% mark if
you are at 25% hp or lower.
Off your turn

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 Otherwise, in combat, you gain vigor, which is a

shield that goes over your hit points. Damage goes
to vigor first, and you can never gain more vigor
than 25% of your maximum hp.

Victory

By default, when all characters of one side have

been defeated, the other side can claim victory.

There are many different victory scenarios for

combat, however, such as holding zones, escorting
objectives, escaping off a side of the map, fighting
off a fleeing force, etc. When the stakes of the
battle are resolved, combat can also be ended, or
it can be called early any time by the GM.

Exiting combat

When you go out of combat, all active effects such

as statuses or marks and anything created, such
as terrain effects, objects or summons, end
and disappear.

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 instead this round. If a player does elect to take a

Combat, step by step slow turn, they can pass their regular turn slot off
to another player instead if any players can still
act.
The Golden Rule(s)
There are two general rules that apply to this
Slow characters take their turns after all other
section
non-slow characters have acted (imagine it
1. Specific beats general. Armor usually
like its own mini-round). Most enemies cannot
reduces all damage, however the pierce
take a slow turn, so very often it might be only
tag, which says it ignores armor, takes
player characters acting. However, if there are
precedent, because it’s more specific.
slow foes, then slow turns follow the same rules
2. Round up to the nearest whole number.
for every other turn (they alternate ally-enemy-
ally-enemy.
Entering Combat
Some abilities get powered up when used on a
Do the following when entering combat: slow turn, or you may choose to take one for a
tactical advantage.
1. Place all player characters on the map, then all
NPCs. The GM might decide to switch this
The Grid
order based on the circumstances (for
example, if the characters are ambushed).
Combat in ICON is fought on a square grid, with
Characters also might only be able to deploy in
each square being 1 space on each side. The grid is
certain zones of the map.
an abstract of the battlefield, so it’s not necessary
2. Point out any features of the map that have
to translate everything perfectly. When measuring
special rules (like levers, bridges, etc)
distances and range, measure from the edge of the
3. Establish the stakes of the battle. How will
origin space (or character). To be in range,
the battle end? With everyone defeated or
something must have at least 1 space inside a
fled? Will it end the characters can escape
listed range.
from one edge of the map? Will it end if the
characters can rescue or defeat a specific
Character
NPC? For examples of this you can see page
XX in the Book of Adventure.
Any entity that’s controlled by a player or GM is
called a character.
Turn order

A player character always takes the first On your turn

turn in any combat in ICON (players can
decide which). Once their turn is finished, the Anything you can do on your turn is called an
game master will choose a hostile character to ability. On your turn, you can use your
take their turn. Players then choose another standard move ability, and have two other
player character or allied npc to go, then the game actions to spend on abilities, in any order. Some
master chooses a hostile character, then so on and abilities cost both your actions to perform, or no
so forth, alternating. Once there is only characters actions. You can only use one ability with the
of one side left, they take their turns one after the attack tag per turn, no matter what, and you can
other in any order. The round then starts with a only use each ability once on your turn (no
character from the opposite side that ended the duplicates).
last round (so if the round ends with a player
character turn, it will start with an npc turn).
MOVEMENT
Slow turns
All characters can make a single standard move
When a player character would take a turn, they on their turn at any point during their turn,
can skip their turn and elect to take a slow turn moving spaces up to their speed. All

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 characters get this ability on each of their turns as your movement costs +2 more spaces rather than
a free action basic ability. +3.

Movement restrictions If movement would cost too much to even make a

move (you have 1 space of movement left and
Movement has the following restrictions: want to move out of difficult terrain for example) ,
then the movement can’t be taken.
Orthogonal Only
• All movement in ICON, whether granted by an Dash, rush, fly, and teleport
ability or effect, must be taken orthogonally
(in compass directions, no diagonal movement), There are four special types of movement in the
unless specified. You can change directions game that your abilities might allow you to take.
during movements without issue. Here’s a quick summary of them:

Movement can’t be broken up • Dash: When you dash, your movement ignores
• You can stop at any point during a movement to engagement, so you can move past other
use an ability, but if you do, the movement ends. characters normally.

Obstructions: Everyone can dash. The other three are a little

• You can’t move through obstructions, unless more uncommon:
an ability allows you to do so. You can move • Rush: Rush is an armored dash. When you
through allied characters but not end your turn rush, you are unstoppable and immune to all
in their space. Foes (hostile characters), damage, meaning other characters can’t stop,
impassable terrain, and objects are slow, or damage you at all while you are moving.
obstructions by default. • Fly: You fly, jump, or leap over characters and
terrain during your movement, ignoring all
Movement is optional engagement, terrain, and obstruction from
All movement taken is optional, so if an ability objects or characters while moving.
says ‘dash 3’, you may dash 1, 2, or 3 spaces. • Teleport: You instantly move to a space in
When you finish a movement though, it ends - range of the teleport, ignoring all terrain,
you can’t ‘save’ movement for later! obstruction, and characters in between.

Movement penalties Removing and placing characters

Some effects slow you down, causing your Some abilities require removing or placing
movement to cost more. characters on the battlefield. The most common
form is summoning a new character.
• If you try to exit a space adjacent to a hostile
character, it costs +1 more space. This is Characters that are picked up or placed on the
called engagement. battlefield do not count as moving and don’t
• Moving through certain terrain on the trigger effects, interrupts, or abilities that trigger
battlefield can also slow your movement. off movement, such as the powerful vigilance or
Difficult terrain, like mud, snow, or swamp, rampart effects of some characters that would
increases the cost to exit a space by +1 space. normally stop or hinder such movement.
• Moving up elevation costs +1 space to enter
per difference in elevation, up to a maximum of While a character is removed from the battlefield,
+3. Spaces 4 or more spaces higher cannot be they don’t take turns until they return.
entered with normal movement.
Sharing Spaces
In general, when moving, take the highest penalty
only (they don’t stack). For example, if you’re Characters can never end their movement sharing
trying to move up 2 levels of elevation (+2 space with an obstruction or with another
movement) out of difficult terrain (+1 movement), character, even an allied one, unless specified. If

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 this situation would ever occur as a result of a

move, the movement can’t be made. Destroying objects - The GM can make objects
destructible. Destructible objects are targetable by
anything that targets characters, but don’t count
The Battlefield as a character. They have 10 hp, can be targeted as
if they were a character, are automatically hit by
Each space on the battlefield grid has a type of attacks and effects, and fail all saves. Once an
terrain. Different types of terrain can overlap. All object is destroyed, remove it.
terrain is basic terrain by default.
Difficult and dangerous terrain can overlap
Basic Terrain - No special effects. Part of the other terrain types - ie a space can be a height 1
map. Terrain can represent hills, small cliffs, terrain space and difficult, like a snow covered
walkways, buildings etc - it can be very abstracted. hill, or dangerous and a pit, like an acid pit.
• Each space has elevation (suggested from 0-3,
with 0 being ground level, but could be any Measuring
elevation). When measuring range up and down terrain,
• It costs +1 movement per difference in height to measure it flat even if the terrain is elevated (don’t
move up elevation, to a max of +3. Spaces 4 or worry about doing Pythagorean math!).
more spaces higher cannot be entered with
normal movement. Battlefield Size:
• Characters might be able to take cover behind Battlefields should be around 10x10 or 12x12
terrain, and it might block line of sight (see spaces. Smaller maps can be around 8x8. Larger
more in the section below). maps should be 15x15 at absolute largest.
Battlefields that are too large will slow the game
Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of movement down significantly.
to exit. Could be mud, snow, water, etc.
Dangerous Terrain - Entering or exiting a Terrain advantage
dangerous terrain space causes a character to take There’s more on this shortly, but to summarize:
2 piercing damage, (ignoring armor and vigor). • Cover: Characters gain resistance to damage
Characters can only take this damage once a turn, from ranged abilities while they are in cover,
even if they enter new dangerous terrain spaces. halving damage.
Impassable - Provides obstruction and cover, • Height advantage: +1 boon on any attack
and blocks line of sight. Could be something like a against a target on lower elevation than you per
pillar, cliff, or a solid wall that goes to the ceiling. level of height difference, and you ignore cover
Slope - Slopes count as the same height as their for lower elevation.
base space, but exiting a slope space allows you to • Height disadvantage: If you attack a
ignore the movement cost of one level of character in higher elevation than you, get +1
elevation. Could also be something like a staircase curse per level of height difference.
or ramp.
Pit - A pit space is just what it sounds like, but Characterizing terrain
could also be deep water, mud, etc. Pits count as Difficult terrain represents mud, snow, swamp,
one level lower of elevation than their base or water. It could also be something like a river,
space. deep water, or rubble. Dangerous terrain can
represent lava, acid, or spiked rocks. Pits can
Object - Characters can often summon or create represent a hole in the ground or a pool of deep
objects and they can be used to represent water, mud, etc. You can use your imagination for
boulders, piles of barrels, a cart, a wall, etc. They whatever suits your battlefield.
otherwise function as terrain. Categorized by
height, 1-3. Provides obstruction. Characters can
Interactables
stand on objects and take cover behind them.
You can rule that certain terrain objects or spaces
Objects are immune to damage and effects unless
are interactable, like levers, switches, heavy doors,
specified. They can be removed from the
force fields, traps, etc. Interacting with them (as
battlefield by some abilities and effects.

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 an action) changes some part of the map or has

some effect, such as dealing damage in an area,
creating cover, creating new terrain, or
summoning foes or allies.

The Edge
Normally characters can’t move or be moved off
the edge of a battlefield unless they flee.
Sometimes the GM wants to put a cliff, bottomless
pit, open portal to another dimension, or some
other kind of massive hazard on the map. In that
case, the GM can rule that characters that are
shoved off the edge or into that hazard are
removed from play. They may choose to make
flying characters exempt from this rule if the edge
is a cliff or hole. Since having a hazard of this type
greatly effects combat flow, it’s always an optional
rule.

Modifying terrain
Characters can often create or modify terrain, or
place objects with their abilities. For more detail
on this, see the Effects part of the Abilities section
just below.

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 actions or abilities you can use off your turn, such

ABILITIES as interrupts.

On their turn, every character in ICON has two Basic Abilities

actions. They can spend these actions to use
abilities available to them. NPCs have a pre-set Tactical combat is a highly structured game in
list of abilities, and player characters have a set of ICON. Activities that are not specified here or
basic abilities plus the abilities that they can learn covered by the rules here can’t be taken by
from their job as they increase in power. character in tactical combat, the same as in any
board game or video game you might enjoy. If you
Each ability has a cost: (1 action, 2 actions, free want to improvise, be creative, or add a flourish to
action, interrupt), can only be taken once per your abilities, you can do it within the constraints
turn, and only attack can be made per turn. of your character’s abilities- there are plenty to
choose from!
Abilities usually have tags, indicating range
targets, whether they are an attack or not, or All player characters have these basic abilities:
special properties such as inflicting a status,
effects, or dealing damage. • Standard move (free action): Move your
speed
A player character has access to all the basic • Dash (1 action): Dash half your speed,
abilities, plus up to six abilities from the jobs rounded up.
they have learned. • Interact (1 action): Interact with something
on the map that takes more than a few
Free Actions moments, such as pulling a lever, opening a
heavy door, picking up a heavy object, etc.
Some abilities take Free Actions. These abilities • Rescue (1 action): Rescue an adjacent
don’t take an action to use and must be used on defeated ally. An ally that is rescued ends the
your turn, but still follow the No Repeats rule. incapacitated state on themselves and heals to
full hit points, minus any wounds they’ve taken.
The most basic Free Action is a standard move, • Basic attack (1 or 2 actions): Make a basic
which all characters have by default. attack (see section below).
• Recover (2 actions): Cure yourself. When a
character is cured, they gain 4 vigor, or if they
Interrupts
are bloodied, they gain a vigor surge. Then they
may save against all statuses, ending them on a
Some abilities are called interrupts and can be
success.
used off your turn. You can use each interrupt a
number of times indicated by the tag (Interrupt 1,
That’s it! These actions seem rather limited
Interrupt 2, for example) between your turns, only
because all characters in ICON, including the foes
one interrupt during any turn, (yours or
you will face, also have powerful abilities they
another character’s) and get them all back at the
can use. If you do want to improvise, use the
start of any of your turns. Imagine them like a
constraints of the rules offered here or in your
card that you play and can draw again at the start
abilities. For example, if you want to knock over a
of your turn.
heavy boulder so it smashes into your enemy, the
GM might rule that it’s a 2 action basic melee
Like they sound, interrupts have a trigger which
attack.
interrupts any action currently being taken, and
then immediately apply effects.
Targeting
No repeats
Abilities may specify targets: Self, Ally, Foe,
Characters, Others, Object, Space, or any
When you use any ability with a cost, you can’t
combination of these.
repeat it in the same turn. This includes free

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 • Self: You! Abilities can’t target yourself unless height higher than the elevation they are
specified. currently standing on. If they do, they gain cover
• Ally: An allied character other than you against all characters past the row of spaces on
• Foe: A hostile character that battlefield that their cover is currently
• Summon: A summon. Summons don’t count occupying. They must be adjacent to that object
as foes or allies and can only be targeted if an or terrain to gain the effects of cover.
ability can target all characters, or if specifically • Characters on a higher elevation ignore cover
mentioned. against all characters on a lower elevation.
• Characters: All of the above • Characters cannot benefit from cover against
• Others: All of the above except you. adjacent foes.
• Space: Any space in range, and any characters
or objects occupying it. Line of Sight
• Object: Any object in range
Line of sight means being able to see and interact
Range with a character. Some effects like clouds of
poison or smog can block lines of sight, or
You can only use abilities against characters in impassable terrain, like a dungeon wall. By
range and line of sight, unless specified. default, objects, characters, and all terrain other
than impassable terrain do not block line of sight.
Line of sight means you can both see and
interact with the character. Usually the only way Line of sight operates by two rules:
line of sight is blocked is with terrain. • If there’s any ambiguity about line of sight, draw
a straight line from the any edge of your
Range is a number (usually from 2 or up) that can character’s space to the edge of another
be measured in any direction, including character’s space. If the line does not intersect
diagonally. To be in range , a target must have at with impassable terrain or an effect that
least 1 space of its area within the listed range of explicitly blocks line of sight, then you have line
the ability to be a valid target. of sight to that character.
• If there’s any further ambiguity about line of
If an ability has no listed range, it can only be sight, the GM can arbitrate according to their
used on adjacent characters or spaces. Adjacent table.
means within 1 space in any direction, even
diagonal, and even if that space is higher or lower.
The space under a character is also considered Damage
adjacent to it. Many abilities in ICON deal damage. Damage
mostly comes from attacks and directly reduces
Cover hp. When HP is reduced to 0, a character is
defeated.
Abilities deal half damage to characters in cover.
These characters are hiding behind objects, walls, Damage in ICON is based on job and typically has
terrain, etc and are harder to hit. Cover follows two values: fray damage and a damage die
the following rules: [D]

• Characters in cover take half damage. • Damage dice depend on class, such as 1d6, 1d8,
• Cover is always determined when and where or 1d10, and are written as [D]. When that
damage is applied, and not when the ability is symbol shows up, roll the die to see how much
actually used. For example a character might be damage you do. When this is written, like 2[D]
able to fly or dash a short distance before or 3[D], roll that many dice (so 2 for 2D and 3
attacking, or a character might throw a bomb for 3D)
that damages adjacent foes. • Fray damage is a fixed value based on job.
• Characters don’t grant cover by default. When you deal fray damage, deal the damage
• A character can take cover by moving adjacent listed, (you don’t need to roll anything!), or add
to an object or terrain space that is 1 or more

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 it to the total. All attacks usually deal fray common way to do this is resistance or cover.
damage, hit or miss. Damage can only be halved once, even if
• Some damage is listed as X, Y times. For halved by multiple effects. For example, a
example: [D], 3 times. In this case, roll [D] once, character that deals half damage attacking a
then apply the total damage three separate character in cover with a ranged attack would
times. still deal half damage, not a quarter damage.
• Some damage is just listed as a flat, fixed value,
like 2, 6 or 10. If that’s the case, just apply it as Weakened
normal. • The Weakened status decreases all damage dealt
by 2, each time a character deals damage. This
Increasing Damage stacks with armor.
Damage can be increased three ways in ICON,
bonus damage, critical hits, and the vulnerable Applying damage reduction
status. • You always apply reduction before halving
damage. For example, if an attack would do 10
Bonus Damage damage, it would be reduced to 8 first (by
• If an ability lets you increased damage, it will armor, for example), then halved to 4.
usually grant you bonus damage. If you deal
bonus damage, roll 1 more die than normal and Attacks
pick the highest total result. For example, an
attack that deals [D] normally, you would roll 2 Attacks are strong abilities that allow you to strike
dice (1 base, 1 from bonus damage) and pick the out with your martial and magical might, dealing
highest 1. For an attack that deals 2[D], you damage to your foes.
would roll 3 dice and pick the highest 2, etc.
Characters can only make one ability with the
Critical Hits attack tag per turn in ICON, no matter what
• Attacks that roll a 20+ increase their total base the action cost is. Every character can perform
damage by +[D]. There’s more on this in the basic attacks.
attack section.
Attacks have a (1 or 2) action cost like any other
Vulnerable ability, and may have a range. Attacks can only
• A character that is vulnerable takes 1 more target foes.
damage each time they take damage.
To use any attack ability, including basic attacks,
Reducing Damage choose a foe in range and line of sight. Roll
1d20 plus any boon or curse. This is called an
Damage can be reduced in three ways: from attack roll. If your total equals or surpasses your
armor, from halving damage, and from the target’s defense, you hit. If not, you miss. If your
weakened status. total roll is 20 or higher, you critical hit. Attacks
have different effects depending on hit, miss, or
Armor critical hit.
• Armor reduces all incoming damage by a
fixed amount, each time that damage is All attacks roll a die for damage, depending on
applied. Usually this amount is 2. For example, job, which is written as [D], and either deal or add
an ability that deals 6 damage would only deal 4 flat damage as well, which is called Fray damage.
against armor. An ability that deals 4 damage
twice would deal 2 twice instead. Armor does Basic Attacks
not stack, but instead take the highest • Light attack (1 action): Make an attack roll.
amount. On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray
• Heavy Attack (2 actions): Make an attack
Half Damage
roll. On hit: 2[D] + fray Miss: fray
• Halving damage reduces the total damage by
half, after any other reductions. The most

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 You’ll notice that most attacks always do fray On an 10 or higher, you save successfully,
damage, hit or miss. This is because characters usually ignoring or reducing the effect.
in ICON are heroes - their blows usually strike
their mark. STATUS

Let’s break down attacks a little more: Many effects apply a status or force a save to
avoid gaining a status. Statuses apply ongoing
Attack Targeting negative effects to a character. At the end of their
own turn, characters can save to clear each status
Attacks can normally only target foes. they are affected by, ending each one on a
• To make an attack, a foe needs to be within the successful save.
listed range, or adjacent.
• Making an attack against a character in cover Ongoing (+)
from you grants resistance to that character,
halving the attack’s damage. Attacks against A status or effect with a ‘+’ next to it is ongoing
adjacent characters always ignore cover. (example: weakened+, slashed+). Ongoing
• Attacking characters get terrain advantage statuses or effects cannot be saved against,
and disadvantage: +1 boon against targets removed, or ignored until whatever is causing
standing on lower terrain per height difference, them is lifted (sometimes a mark or ability) and
and ignore cover against those characters. If a are sometimes caused by an ability you used
character attacks a target on higher terrain, get yourself.
+1 curse per height difference instead.
Special States
Critical Hit
There are three special states that abilities may
A critical hit is an especially nasty or powerful care about.
strike from an attack. Critical hits trigger on any • Bloodied - When a character is at or under
total attack roll of 20+. Only attacks can 50% maximum HP, they are bloodied.
critical hit, and they trigger on a total roll of 20+. • Immobile - An immobile character or object
can’t move or be moved or removed from the
• If you critical hit, deal +[D]. This is added base battlefield in any way
damage. • Incapacitated - When a character is reduced
• A critical hit still counts as a hit for the purposes to 0 hp, they are incapacitated and can’t do
of abilities and effects anything. Any effects or statuses on them end or
turn off, and they don’t take a turn. Any
Effects summons, objects, or other effects they have
created disappear.
Many abilities apply effects, including most
attacks. Effects simply take place when specified Triggered effects
and don’t require a to-hit roll. Even if effects deal
damage, they don’t count as attacks unless they Some effects trigger off certain conditions, like
have the attack tag. charge (when you use this ability on a slow turn),
slay (when you reduce a character to 0 hp with
Some effects can take place out of turn, and this ability), or critical hit (when you score a
don’t have a cost, making them quite powerful. critical hit).

Saves These effects can only trigger once per ability,

even if you gain another way to trigger them. For
example:
Many abilities require a save from the character
• An ability might allow you to trigger the exceed
they target to avoid some nasty effect, like extra
effects of the next attack you make
damage or a status. To make a save, roll 1d20.
automatically. Exceed normally triggers on an

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 attack roll of 15+. If you roll a 17, triggering the

effect anyway, it only triggers once, not twice. Some abilities ask you to roll a random d6 to see if
• If you collide a character as part of an ability, an effect occurs. If that’s the case, it occurs on the
then collide them again with the same ability, listed number or higher (4+ effects would happen
the effect would only trigger on them once. on a 4, 5, or 6 for example).

Here’s a list of all triggered effects: Delay effects

• Chain Reaction: Wright only. Triggers when a Some effects are very powerful but slow. When
character damages two or more foes with this you use a delay effect, your next turn must be a
ability slow turn. At the start of that turn, before any
• Charge: Triggers when used on a slow turn other abilities or effects take place, the delay effect
• Collide: Triggers on any character that is activates.
shoved into an obstruction as part of this ability
• Comeback: Triggers if the character using this
Summons
ability is bloodied.
• Heroic: Stalwart only. Triggers when its special
Many abilities create summons. Summons are
condition is fulfilled, depending on job (shove a
characters that are by default size 1 and
character, sacrifice health, etc).
intangible, so they can’t be affected by foes and
• Infuse: Wright only. Triggers when Aether is
don’t cause obstruction or engagement. Summons
spent on an ability.
do not count as foes or allies for abilities or effects
• Exceed: Triggers when a character makes a
that count foes and allies, though abilities that
total attack roll of 15+.
specify summons or characters can target or
• Finishing Blow: Vagabond only. Triggers if
count them normally.
this ability targets a bloodied foe.
• Slay: Triggers when this ability reduces at least
Unless specified, summons can only be placed in
one character to 0 hp
free space in line of sight and range.

Passive Abilities Summons may have have a summon action

which they can take during their summoner’s
Many characters have passive abilities. The most turn, or a passive summon effect which can
common of these are traits, but they can also be take place any time, or both.
gained from relics.
Summons are removed if their controller is
Passive abilities are always active effects. For defeated.
player characters, they are unique to your job and
class and depend on the current job you have
Objects
equipped. For NPCs, traits are usually listed in
their stat block.
Many abilities place objects. Objects are from size
1-3, provide obstruction, cover, and can block line
MARKS of side. Unless specified, objects can only be
placed in free space in line of sight, although they
Some abilities apply a mark instead. A mark is a can also can be stacked or created on other objects
more powerful ongoing effect that is unique to as long as the total height of stacked objects isn’t
each job, which can only be removed under past 3.
certain conditions, usually listed in the mark.
Each ability typically places only one mark, and a Objects are not removed when you are defeated.
character can only mark another character with
one mark at a time, choosing which gets replaced
Terrain effects
if they mark that character again. Marks also end
if the character placing them is defeated.
Some abilities create or place terrain effects.
These are passive effects that modify the terrain
Gamble

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 spaces of the battlefield and can overlap with each

other.

Terrain effects are not removed if you are

defeated.

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 origin space is the ability user if no range is

specified, or the first space of the line if it has a
Area Abilities range. If the ability is an attack, the attack space
Some abilities are able to affect multiple is any character in the area. Lines are 1 space
characters at once. These abilities apply an area wide by default, but can gain width, adding it on
effect to all specified characters in the area. For either side.
example, they might inflict a status to all foes, • Arc X: X contiguous spaces, with its first space
heal all allies, or deal some damage. drawn in range. Spaces must be drawn
sequentially, in orthogonal directions (no
diagonals), and cannot overlap themselves or
Cover and AoEs
the ability user, but otherwise can twist and turn
and be placed in any pattern. The origin space is
Area of effect abilities always count cover and
the ability user. If the ability is an attack, the
line of sight and count it from the origin point of
attack space is any character in the area.
the abilities.
• Blast: A large area in range. There are three
blast templates, small, medium, and large. The
Placing AoEs origin space and the attack space (if there is
If an AoE ability has a listed range, the pattern one) is the central space.
can be placed anywhere in that range and in • Burst X: Affects a targeted space or character
any configuration as long as at least one of its in range, and all spaces in range X and line of
spaces is inside the range. The ability can affect sight from that space. Often written as Burst X
the user, so be careful! (target) or burst X (self). Unlike other area
patterns, does not affect the ability user
Abilities without a listed range must be placed so unless specified. The origin space and attack
at least one of its spaces is adjacent to the ability space is the central space.
user.

AoE attacks

Area of effect attacks additionally have an attack

space. For a character in the attack space, make
an attack, with a to-hit roll, and apply the attack
part of your ability instead of the area effect.

This might mean that if targeted on an empty

space, an AoE attack ability may not end actually
end up having an attack component at all, so
choose your targets carefully!

Some AoE attacks have additional effects that

apply to all characters (in both the attack space
and all other spaces).

AoE patterns

Most AoEs have a listed pattern, sometimes

combining the two. Unless specified, the origin
space is the ability owner.
• Line X: A line of X spaces long . Lines must be
drawn orthogonally (no diagonals), and each
space of a line must be drawn further away from
its origin point than the previous space. The

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98 of 501


 • Party Resolve goes up by 1 at the start of each
Resolve and Limit round in combat, and depletes to 0 after combat
ends. You can use a die to track it.
Break • Personal resolve is gained the following ways:
• All characters gain 1 personal resolve after
every combat
Limit breaks are the most powerful abilities in
• When you limit break, you may give 1
ICON. Every character unlocks limit break at level
personal resolve to another character who has
2.
not used a limit break this expedition.
• Personal resolve resets to 0 after you camp,
Limit breaks are special abilities (with an action
meaning you might want to push on instead of
cost, etc) that do not count against the max
resting in order to get the most out of your
number of abilities taken. All Limit Breaks depend
abilities.
on a unique resource, called Resolve, to use, and
• When you spend Resolve to use a limit break,
a character can only use a limit break once per
you can use any combination of party or
combat unless specified.
personal resolve, but party resolve is shared
between all members of the group, so any use of
Resolve is split into two pools, party and
it must be used with the consent of your your
personal resolve.
team members. Resolve is always spent at the
beginning of the action.

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 Vigor, Camping, and

Healing
In ICON, it’s rare to heal in combat. Instead,
characters that heal (for example, from the Cure
ability) often gain Vigor, which is a temporary
shield that goes over your hit points. Damage goes
to vigor first when you take it, and you can never
gain more vigor than 25% of your maximum hp.
If you gain a vigor surge, gain full vigor (25% of
your max hp). You lost all vigor at the end of every
combat.

Between combats, characters heal to the next

25% segment of their hp, unless they are at 25%
or lower, in which case they heal to the 50% mark.
Characters can’t heal higher than their wounds.

Characters can also camp to regain all of their hp,

but camping is limited. Some camp upgrades or
abilities allow you to heal wounds, but generally
wounds are only fully healed when you end an
expedition and enter an interlude.

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 Victory and Defeat Depending on the tone of your game, you could
decide that a character that goes to 4 wounds is
When any character (hostile or player character) simply dead. You could also decide a character
is reduced to 0 hit points, they are defeated. that maxes out on wounds and is fallen becomes
Defeated characters clear all statuses, marks, permanently altered (loses an arm, an eye, is
stances, vigor, and other effects on them. Any scarred, etc), cursed, or changed in some way.
summons or effects created or placed by them Such a character can return during the next camp
disappear, other than terrain effects and objects. or interlude.
A defeated character doesn’t take a turn.
A quest to recover a fallen character such as
Defeated player characters are incapacitated saving their soul from the underworld, finding a
(can’t do anything), don’t cause engagement, are way to redeem their corruption or curse, or
immune to damage and effects, gain a wound, finding a successor to carry on their legacy, can be
and remain that way until someone uses the a powerful campaign moment.
rescue action or effect to bring them back to their
feet. If a player character with 3 woulds would Ending Combat
become defeated and gain a 4th wound, they Combat ends when the stakes of the combat have
instead are fallen (see below). been decided. That could mean every character of
one side is defeated, dead, or has fled the
Defeated NPCs are incapacitated, don’t cause battlefield, or simply the players or NPCs have
engagement or obstruction, and are immune to accomplished their objective.
damage and effects.
Calling combat early
Defeated doesn’t mean dead The GM can also choose to call a combat early any
By default, defeated in ICON means defeated, time if it seems like one side is going to
including for foes. Decide what this means for the overwhelm the other and things are going to play
tone of your game. Whether foes are subdued, get out as expected. There’s no reason to continue
up and run away at the end of combat, or are slain combat when the tension and stakes are gone!
outright depends on the tone of your table - but by
default, battles are never to the death in ICON. Total defeat
You can set the stakes.
If all player characters are defeated, they are
Fleeing totally defeated as a party. The outcome of this
Characters can flee the battlefield by spending will depend on your GM, the tone of your game,
1 space of movement at the edge of the grid, as and the situation, but if you’re totally defeated,
long as there aren’t any foes adjacent to them. you’re at the mercy of your foes. It’s up to
Doing so removes them from the battlefield for the GM whether your foes use the opportunity to
the rest of combat. escape, accomplish a goal, capture you, leave you
tied up, or dump you in a pit somewhere.
FALLEN

A character that takes 4 wounds is fallen. This

could be mean dead, but it could also mean
gravely injured, corrupted, emotionally scarred,
etc. Either way, a fallen character cannot continue
as a player character any more and must exit the
expedition in a way that’s narratively appropriate.

ICON offers a few ways to bring back a fallen

character with some trophies and camp fixtures,
but generally they remain that way.

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 • Auto-hit - This attack doesn’t make an attack

Combat Glossary roll but always scores a hit (not critical hit or
miss).
There are more details on combat in the advanced • Blessing - Certain abilities give yourself or
combat section, including detailed explanations of allies a Blessing token, and ways to spend those
action order. tokens for powerful effects. By default a
character can use a blessing token to gain +1
You don’t need to memorize all these boon when they make a save. All blessings are
specific rules - they are placed here for your discarded at the end of combat.
convenience (these rules are all the • Bonus damage - When an ability gains bonus
keywords in the game!). The most relevant damage, roll one more [D] for each instance of
rules are summarized with each class.. bonus damage and pick the highest result.
• Chain Reaction: Wright-only triggered effect.
Triggers when a character damages two or more
Glossary
foes with this ability
• Charge - A triggered effect that activates when
• Armor X - Reduce all damage taken by X.
the ability is used on a slow turn.
Always reduce by the highest value.
• Cure - A character that’s cured gains 4 vigor, or
• Area Ability - An ability that applies area
a vigor surge if they’re bloodied. Then, they
effects in a large, fixed pattern.
may save agains all statuses.
• Aura X: This ability is a continuous, ongoing
• Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on any
(+) effect that affects all characters specified
character shoved into an obstruction by this
within range X of an origin point, usually a
ability.
character. Characters are only affected by an
• Combo - Actions with Combo have two
aura while inside
versions, a base version and combo version.

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 When you use the base ability, gain a combo • Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
token. Any time you use a combo ability and specific character. Each ability can only place
have a token, you use the combo version one mark at a time, and a character can mark
instead, discarding the token . You can only another character with one mark at a time. If
have one combo token at once, and discard all you place a new mark on a character with a
tokens at the end of combat. mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
• Comeback - A triggered effect that turns on if which to discard. Marks end when the character
the character using this ability is bloodied that placed the mark is defeated, or under other
• Cover - If a character has cover from an ability, listed conditions.
it halves all damage from that ability. • Obstruction - A character can’t normally enter
• Critical Hit - Increase total attack damage by + a space occupied by an obstruction. By default
[D]. Can only apply to an attack, can only apply this means foes, terrain, and objects.
once, and can trigger normally on a total attack • Ongoing (+) - A status or effect that is ongoing
roll of 20+. can’t be ended until the thing causing it (a mark,
• Dangerous Terrain - Entering or exiting a a stance) is ended. Indicated by a + symbol.
dangerous terrain space causes a character to • Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or
take 2 piercing damage. Characters can only down depending on certain conditions. You can
take this damage once a turn. use a physical die to represent it, or just a
• Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
movement to exit. that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
• [D] - Your class damage die. Roll that die when 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
you see this symbol. • Rebound - An ability that is rebounded can be
• Dash - Special movement that ignores bounced off a character in range. The ability has
engagement. no effect, but is instead redirected from that
• Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically character’s space as the origin space, taking into
ends your turn. When you use a delay effect, account cover, line of sight, and other similar
your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at effects from their space. Any effects that apply
the start of that turn, before anything else to the original user of the ability still apply to
happens. them (such as sacrificing hp, or moving).
• End turn - This ability ends your turn. If Rebound does not stack.
multiple abilities or effects would end your turn • Resistance - Take half damage, rounded up.
at the same time, you can only choose one. • Rush X - Move X spaces. You are unstoppable
• Effect - A part of an ability that simply happens and immune to all damage while moving.
and is applied to all targets, no roll or save • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
required. cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
• Engagement - A character must spend +1 start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
space of movement to exit a space adjacent to a transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
foe. below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
• Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place on a have enough hp left.
total attack roll of 15+. • Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
• Finishing Blow - Vagabond only. Vagabond spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
only. Triggered effect that triggers if this ability would move into another character’s space, an
targets a bloodied foe. object, or into a higher elevation space, they
• Fray damage - Fixed damage. Usually added Collide and stop moving.
to all attacks on hit or miss. • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
• Gamble - Roll 1d6, then trigger an effect on a this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
certain result or higher • Slow Turn - Go after all other characters. If
• Heroic: Stalwart only triggered effect. Triggers multiple characters take slow turns, it takes the
when its special condition is fulfilled, depending same order as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
on job (shove a character, sacrifice health, etc). • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
• Immune to X - Not affected by X in any way. A character can only have one stance active at a
character that’s immune to damage or effects time and can drop a stance by taking a new
doesn’t even count as taking them. stance or as a free action at the start of their

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 turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its or engagement, can’t move, take actions, or use
effects. abilities or traits. All effects on that character
• Standard move - An ability all characters can end. All effects, marks and summons created by
take as a free action to move their speed that character are removed. Objects and terrain
• Status - A negative effect. effects remain.
• Summon - A character controlled by its
Summoner. Summons are intangible, and Ongoing Statuses (+)
cannot be marked, and do not count as allies or Ongoing statuses cannot be purged, removed, or
foes for the purposes of abilities. Summons do avoided (for example, by becoming sturdy or
not take turns. Instead, they have a summon unstoppable).
action that they use on their summoner’s turn,
or a summon effect that is always active, and Positive effects
otherwise don’t take actions or move on their • Counter - When damaged by an ability, deal 2
own. Summons are removed from the battlefield damage back, each time damage is applied.
when their summoner is defeated. • Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
• Teleport - Special movement that allows you to reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove
instantly move to unoccupied space within this effect and character becomes immune to all
range X. damage for the rest of the current turn.
• Terrain effect - Something that creates or • Divine - Damage from this ability cannot be
modifies the terrain spaces on the battlefield. reduced, mitigated, or negated in any way
• Triggered effect - An effect that actives under except immunity (ignores armor, weak,
a certain condition. Common effects are critical resistance, defiance, and bypasses vigor).
hit, slay, collide, finishing blow, and charge. • Dodge - Immune to all damage from misses,
Each unique effect can only trigger once per successful saves, and area effects.
ability, and once per trigger. • Evasion - Roll a d6 when attacked. On a 4+,
the attack automatically misses. Check before
Statuses the attack roll.
• Flying - A flying character ignores terrain
• Slashed - Take 4 damage after you or an ally damage and movement penalties, height
uses an ability that moves you, but no more than movement penalties, obstruction, and
once a turn. engagement.
• Blind - Max range of all abilities is 2 • Intangible - Immune to damage and effects
• Dazed - +1 curse on attacks from foes. Does not provide obstruction or
• Hatred of X - Deal half damage to all foes engagement.
other than foe X. End this status at the end of • Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
your turn, or if foe X becomes immune to through, but not end your turn in, terrain,
damage or un-targetable. objects, or characters.
• Pacified - Character deals half damage. Breaks • Pierce - Damage cannot be reduced by armor
when damaged by a foe’s ability. or weakened.
• Sealed - Character cannot inflict statuses. • Rampart - Foes cannot enter or exit a space
• Shattered - Character cannot gain or benefit affected by a rampart effect by dashing, flying,
from vigor. or teleporting.
• Stunned - Can’t take interrupts. Your next • Regeneration - If bloodied, gain 4 vigor at the
ability used ends your turn, then end this status. end of your turn.
• Weakened - All damage dealt reduced by 2. • Skirmisher - Can move diagonally, and dash is
• Vulnerable - All damage taken increased by 1 full speed
• Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except
Special states from an adjacent space. Breaks on using any
• Bloodied - At or under 50% hp ability other than dash or standard move.
• Immobile - Can’t move, be moved, or be • Sturdy - When moved or removed and placed
removed from the battlefield in any way. by a foe, can only be moved max 1 space a turn.
• Incapacitated - An incapacitated character • True strike - Ignores dodge, blind, evasion,
doesn’t take turns, doesn’t provide obstruction and stealth

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• Unerring - Ignores cover and aetherwall

• Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses. Cannot
be moved by foes, and movement ignores
engagement and rampart.
• Vigilance X - A special effect with X charges,
each represented by a d6. Like triggered effects,
vigilance can only be used once per trigger.
Vigilance charges stack if a character gains more
than one. A character can spend any number of
charges of Vigilance for one of the following
effects, rolling 1d6 per charge spent and picking
the highest result:
• When an ally in range 2 is damaged by a foe’s
ability, reduce the damage by the amount
rolled as if with armor
• When a foe breaks adjacency with you, deal
that much damage to them.
• Vigor - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
points, equal to your VIT value. Damage goes to
Vigor before Hit Points, and it benefits from
armor and resistance. Vigor stacks, but cannot
go past 25% of your hp. If you gain a vigor
surge, gain maximum vigor. Lose all vigor at
the end of combat.

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 Advanced Combat Characters that are in adjacent spaces are

considered adjacent, even if they are on higher or
These are some of the more unique or tighter lower elevation. For example, a character on a
combat rule explanations for ICON. height 3 space could be attacked by a melee
attacker, even if that melee attacker is at ground
level or doesn’t have enough movement to move
The ‘Ask your GM rule’
up. They still get +1 curse to attack. We assume
they climb or scrabble up a little ways to take a
The final point of balance in this game is always
swipe. A character on height 3 with an adjacency
your game master.
aura would still affect a character on height 1.
If you find a combination of abilities or effects
Characters do not typically count as adjacent to
that seems like it allows you to totally break the
themselves for the purposes of abilities that check
game and deal infinite damage or something
for an ‘adjacent character’.
similar, ask yourself if the designer actually
intended this reading of the rules and if bringing
this up with your GM as something you actually Damage order
intend to do in the game would make them roll
their eyes. It’s a good gut check, just try it, trust When taking damage, apply any multiplications
me. or additions on the attacker’s end first (such as
bonus damage), then the defender applies armor
% HEALTH or other reductions, then any multiplications or
divisions on their end, such as from resistance.
Any ability that costs or damages a certain percent For an example, an incoming attack that deals 5
of health always considers maximum base hp, and damage against a character with 2 amor and
not max hp based on wounds, etc. For example, resistance would do 5-2 = 3 damage from the
an ability that costs a sacrifice of 50% hp to use armor, halved to 1.5 then rounded up to 2.
with a max hp of 40 would cost 20 hp to use, even
if your hp max was reduced to 30 by a wound. Vigor takes damage before hit points, and armor
and resistance apply normally to it.
You can use VIT (25% HP) as a quick shorthand
for these abilities. height in icon

Ability stacking In ICON, you can’t move straight up, just along
the ground. Even flying characters are always
Any abilities or effects of the same name do not treated as reachable by melee characters - we just
stack. For example, if a character is already don't track vertical space. If something is too high
affected by the Harvester’s Death Sentence, they to be reached in tactical combat, either don’t
can’t be affected again. This comes up most often include it, or make it a flying object or character.
with marks. It’s a little abstract - but it’s a game.

On hit, on miss, on crit Interrupts

Effects that improve the ‘on hit’ , ‘on miss’, or ‘on Interrupts that have the same trigger resolve in
crit’ portion of an ability only improve the attack the same order as turns (player character/npc,
portion (that requires an attack roll). Effects that alternating).
empower the whole ability apply to everything.
Effects never trigger or inherit effects meant for Effect and Interrupt Order
hits, misses, or critical hits (unless specified).
Critical hits may always trigger ‘hit’ effects. Unless specified, effects happen in the order they
are listed. If a character owns multiple effects, and
Adjacent characters

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 there’s ambiguity in the order in which they

trigger, they can determine the order. Triggered effects, such as charge, only trigger once
per ability. For example, if an ability can trigger
Interrupts resolve with the most recently on finishing blow or critical hit, it would only take
triggered interrupt first. For example, if a effect once even if you scored a critical hit on a
character’s effect deals damage to an enemy, and bloodied character (triggering both finishing blow
the enemy has an interrupt that reads ‘when this and critical hit). If an ability would cause a collide
enemy takes damage’, the enemy’s interrupt multiple times, it only triggers the collide effect of
would trigger first (even if they are killed by the that ability once.
damage), then the damage would be applied.
Stacking or Removing Objects
Interrupts that have the same trigger and trigger
at the same time resolve in the same order as In general, object height isn’t intended to go past
turns (player character/npc, alternating). 3 in this game, as it creates problems with
movement. You can stack objects as long as the
‘Can/May’ effects total height isn’t past 3.

Unless an effect says you may or can do You can still summon objects on map terrain of
something, the effect is not optional. For example, any height, giving you a pretty lofty perch if you
an effect that says ‘dash 1 and repeat the attack summon a height 3 object tower on top of height 3
area’, you must dash and repeat the attack area terrain.
unless it says ‘you may dash 1 and repeat the
attack area’ When objects are removed, characters standing
on them are placed back on the terrain space
Range Increases under them.

Some abilities allow you to increase range. Range line of sight.

can only be increased if an ability already has a
listed range. For all targeting there must be line of sight (you
have to be able to see your target) and line of
Sharing Space effect (your ability has be able to trace a clear path
to your target). For example, if you can see a
Certain abilities and effects allow characters to character through a transparent magical forcefield
share space. Attacks and abilities that target or a window, that forcefield or window still blocks
characters must choose between either of them, your line of effect, so they can’t be targeted.
Abilities that affect or target a space, such as the
area effect of an AoE or an aura, hit both Immunity and intangibility
characters, but attack spaces of an area effect
must choose which character to attack. Intangible characters can be targeted, but aren’t
affected by damage or statuses from foes.
Shoves
Characters that are immune (to damage, effects, a
Shoves are not optional, and also cannot shove condition, etc) completely ignore that thing. If an
characters off the edge of the map unless you’re effect relies on dealing damage, or hitting with an
using the optional edge rule. attack, for example, unless specified it won’t
trigger off immune or intangible characters since
Characters must be shoved in straight lines. If they can’t take damage or effects.
shoved on a diagonal, you can choose which line
they follow as long as it moves them further away Intangible characters don’t cause obstruction or
from you. engagement, though characters still can’t end
their turn sharing their space.
Triggered effects

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 Valid spaces for summoning, Interrupts activate when triggered, interrupting

teleporting, or placing objects or the normal flow of action until resolved, and
always take priority.
characters

For a space to be valid for summoning, Specific tag rules

teleporting, or creating objects, unless specified it
must be free and unobstructed, and you also need Blessing
line of sight. Blessing tokens are not unique to a character. As
long as a character has blessing tokens, they can
Turn Breakdown spend them on any effect granted to them by the
presence of a mendicant job.
A character’s turn goes by the following order of
operations, and goes by the following rules: Counter
Counter deals damage as an effect and triggers
• When resolving effects that resolve at the same even on ranged attacks or if the character with
time: counter can’t see their target.
• Effects that do not belong to the character
who’s turn it is resolve first, then that Evasion and Dodge
character’s effects resolve. Evasion only applies to the attack component of
• Hostile effects (from foes, etc) resolve before an ability, turning it into a miss. Effects that don’t
beneficial effects (from allies or self, etc) require a hit or happen automatically go through
• If effects are owned by the same character, evasion.
they can choose the order they resolve. For
example, if a character has two effects that Dodge is a potent combo with Evasion because it
expire at the end of their turn, they can choose allows a character with Evasion to ignore missed
which ends first. attacks completely and also take no damage from
AoE spaces which can go through evasion.
Order of operations:
HATRED
1. End any effects that end at the start of the
turn. Hatred doesn’t apply if a character is un-
2. Then, activate any delay effects. If there are targetable (for example, they have stealth or are
multiple delay effects, they can be activated in intangible), or immune to damage. Characters
order. additionally cannot gain hatred of a character that
3. Then a character gains their actions and takes is un-targetable or immune.
their turn.
4. The effects of abilities resolve in the order they Immobile
are listed or in the order that is explicitly
mentioned in the ability (such as some effects Any immobile character can’t move or be removed
taking place before attacks despite being listed from the battlefield. That includes regular
after for ease of formatting). movement, dash, fly, or teleport, being moved by
5. After any ability resolves, any effects that other characters, or being removed and placed by
trigger off an ability resolving activate in other characters.
order.
6. After all abilities are resolved, that character
Marks
may make saves against effects or statuses
Any number of marks from different characters
that can be saved against, ending them on a
can be on one character, but each character can
success.
only mark another character once, and only one
7. Then, any effects that trigger at the end of a
mark per ability causing it. For example, if I use
character’s turn trigger in order.
an ability which marks an enemy, the next time I
use that ability on a different character, the mark

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 on the first character will fade. If I use a different Vulnerable and weak apply or reduce damage
mark ability on my target, my first mark will end. eqach time a character takes or deals damage,
respectively.
The same applies for marks on allies (using a
mark on an ally will override any existing mark For example, vulnerable applies +1 damage for
placed by you). each separate instance of damage. If as part of an
action character takes 3 damage twice, they would
Pacified take 3+1 and 3+1 = 8 damage, not 3+3+1=7
Pacified only breaks on taking damage from a damage.
foe’s ability or action, ie taking damage from self
or from dangerous terrain won’t break it. Vulnerable itself is not a separate instance of
damage, but increases the damage dealt with each
Stealth instance. It is applied when damage is applied,
Characters with stealth cannot be targeted directly after all damage is calculated on the attacker’s
except from an adjacent space, but could still be end.
hit by an area effect, or effects that hit a certain
range from a character. It’s a good combo with
dodge, since dodge allows characters to ignore
area effects.

The abilities dash and standard move do not

break stealth.

If a stealthed character would be targeted by the

attack space of an area ability, they take the area
effect instead.

Unstoppable
Unstoppable characters are immune to all
statuses, ignore engagement and rampart, and
cannot be moved, immobilized, or have their
movement halted by foes. Unstoppable characters
can still be moved and placed on the battlefield.

Vigilance
Use a counter to indicate when a character has
vigilance charges remaining (if playing in person,
a number of d6s or a coin could be used).

• Vigilance is an effect, so it doesn’t take an

interrupt to use and bypasses evasion or dodge.
• Only one vigilance charge can be spent per
trigger, like a triggered effect.
• Vigilance works if a character attempts to break
adjacency for any reason. A character that is
granted off-turn movement (like a dash or
teleport) by another ability, or granted
movement by another character still triggers
vigilance.

Vulnerable and weak

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 JOBS

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STALWART 116

Bastion 119

Demon Slayer 125

Colossus 133

Knave 139

VAGABOND 145

Fool 147

Freelancer 153

Shade 159

Warden 166

MENDICANT 172

Chanter 174

Harvester 182

Seer 197

WRIGHT 204

Enochian 206

Geomancer 215

Spellblade 222

Stormbender 230

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 jobs or unlock a talent for an existing ability,
Choosing your job choosing either the first or second choice.

To make the tactical combat part of your character At other levels you will also gain additional bonus
at level 0, pick a Job and two abilities from your ability points, which can be spent along the way.
job. You get all the traits or actions from your
class (basically a meta-job, of which there are 4), At level 4 and 8 you will get the opportunity to
plus the traits from your job itself. pick up a new job and two bonus ap, or keep the
same job and get an extra mastery. You can
If you’re unsure about which abilities to pick, pick choose to train broadly or deeply - choose wisely!
the first two abilities listed, you’ll have plenty of
opportunities to choose others. ABILITY LIMITS

You can only take at most 6 abilities into any

Improving expedition, though you can change these out every
expedition. At least half these abilities must be the
After you play your first session, you’ll level up to same class (color) as your job.
level 1, unlock your limit break, and gain +2 ap
to choose new abilities, or unlock the talents of
your existing ones. Traits and Limit Breaks
Your traits are unique passive or active abilities
At level 1 and higher, once you hit 7 xp, you gain that you get from both your job and class. Your
an ability point. You can use this point during a traits and Limit Break are unique to your active
camp, interlude, or at the end of any job only, so think carefully when selecting your
session to gain a new ability from one of your jobs.

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 For example, if your jobs are Bastion, Demon

Talents and Masteries Slayer, and Spellblade, and your primary job is
Bastion, you can take up to 6 abilities, but at least
All abilities have 2 talents that can be unlocked
3 of them must be Stalwart (red) abilities (Bastion
by spending an ability point. When you choose a
and Demon Slayer).
talent, pick either talent I or talent II - you can’t
pick both!
Choosing the same job
Abilities also have Masteries, which can only be
unlocked by getting a mastery point. You get a few At level 4 and 8, it’s possible to forgo unlocking a
from leveling up, and even more by choosing not new job entirely. If you choose one of the same
to take additional jobs at level 4 and 8. jobs you already have, you gain a mastery point,
allowing you to focus more on specializing in one
or two jobs.
Ultimate
Upon entering chapter 3, you unlock the Ultimate REFOCUS
limit break for your job, which improves it.
If you feel like your character isn’t working for
you, at level 1 or higher, during an interlude, you
Chapter can refocus. Do the following in order:
• Refund all your ability points, and lose all
Like narrative play, tactical combat is limited by
associated abilities and talents, including your
Chapter. When you gain an ability, it must be
starting abilities you should have at level 1 (each
from the same chapter you’re currently in or
refunds 1 AP as normal). Refund all masteries.
lower. All jobs have some abilities that are only
• Lose any jobs you have
available in chapter 2 or chapter 3 and also get a
• Then, re-pick the same number of jobs.
new trait at chapter 3
• Then, spend AP on abilities and talents as
normal, and re-pick your masteries.
Some foes are also limited by chapter, with more
complex or powerful foes limited to later chapters.
Refocusing costs 8 dust, to represent time spent
training. If you didn’t change any of your jobs, it
NEW JOBS just costs 4 dust.

When you level up, you will eventually get the Relics
opportunity at level 4 and 8 to pick up another
At level 2, then at levels 6 and 9, characters pick
job. This allows you to swap from Expedition to
up a Relic.
Expedition to different jobs as needed.
Relics represent ordinary weapons or armor that
If you choose a new job, you gain +2 ap, to help
become legendary and powerful over time simply
you diversify your abilities.
by being picked up by an Icon. Over time, these
relics take on particular aspects of heroes or
When you embark on an expedition, you must
legends of old, and can be infused with power,
decide which job is your primary job. You only
tempered, and refined as their wielder also gains
get the traits and limit break from your
power.
primary job (both class and job traits).
Relics can be enchanted weapons, armor, jewelry,
You can mix and match abilities from your other
cloaks, figurines - something cool and significant
jobs as you wish, as long as you take at most 6
to your character. There’s a suggestion for each
abilities, and at least half of your abilities
Relic as to the form it takes, but this can be loose.
match the same class as your primary job. You
can use the color as an easy reference.
It’s up to the player to decide what piece of their
gear turns into a relic. It could be something they

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 found on the last expedition, something they - Round Invoke: Activates automatically at a
pulled from a ruin, something they’ve had since certain round of combat or later. These effects
childhood, or something they are working on are always active. For example (Round 5+)
creating themselves. They don’t have to take any relics have effects that are always active at
action to receive the relic, but will have to work on round 5 or later.
it by infusing Dust into it to unlock it’s benefits.
Infusing relics
You can find the full list of relics on pg. XX, in Relics can be leveled up by infusing them with
the Book of Adventure. Characters can take any Dust, which is the magical essence sought after by
relic they like when they acquire one. the powerful factions of Arden Eld. You get a little
Dust in each relic for fighting in tactical combat,
Relics have three ranks of power. They start with but the rest you’ll have to do yourself.
one rank unlocked and provide powerful bonuses
to a character in combat, no matter what job they Aspects
currently have. Each further level gives increasing The fourth level of a Relic is called an Aspect, and
benefits. provides more powerful benefits. Aspects can be
unlocked either by spending 12 Dust or by
Invoking relics completing an aspect quest and undertaking
In combat, some relics have abilities that can be some kind of legendary task. The quest can be
invoked for a powerful effect. Invokes have three determined by the GM as fitting for your table
types: and the tale you want to tell, but there are
- Attack Invoke: When you make an attack, if suggested aspect quests in each relic description.
the die used for the attack roll is a certain
number or higher, you can invoke the relic. This If the aspect quest is completed once by any
only counts the d20, and not the total attack character, aspecting the same relic costs only 4
roll. For example, in an (Attack, 15+) invoke, dust from that point onwards.
you could invoke the relic’s power when you
make any attack roll and the die is 15 or higher. Changing Relics
If you wouldn’t make an attack roll, such as an
auto hit attack, roll a d20 anyway to check. A character can swap any or all relics around at
- Gambit Invoke: An invoke that can be level 4 and level 8 when they choose a new job. If
triggered under the listed conditions, but only they do so, however, any new relics start un-
once per combat. For example (Gambit: Free infused and reset to rank I.
action: fly 3)

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Tactical Combat Advancement

Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Total AP*

0 1 Choose a job and two abilities. 2

1 1 Gain +2 ap and unlock Limit Break 5

2 1 Gain your first relic 6

3 1 Gain a Mastery Point 7
Choose a second job and gain +2 ap OR the same job and
4 1 8
gain a mastery point.
5 2 Gain +1ap 10
6 2 Get your second relic 11

7 2 Gain a Mastery Point 12

Choose a third job and gain +2 ap OR the same job and
8 2 13
gain a mastery point.
9 3 Get your third relic 14

10 3 Gain a Mastery Point 15

11 3 Gain +1ap 17

12 3 Gain a Mastery Point 18

*Does not include bonus ap from choosing new jobs

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 STALWART
Weapon master and unparalleled soldier

Strengths: Tough, good at punishing foes, protecting allies, and controlling the battlefield.
Weaknesses: Lower mobility and weak to ranged attackers
Complexity: Low
Stalwarts are tough and vigorous warriors, with heavy armor and abilities that let them stand their
ground, protect their allies, and control space. They largely eschew the use of ranged attacks but are
mythic soldiers and gods of the battlefield, able to perform incredible feats of physical prowess and
resilience.

Stalwarts boast Slashed and Weakened, which allow them to slow down speedy foes and lower their
damage, and have access to Rampart and Vigilance, which makes it much more risky for characters to
move around them. They also easily gain Sturdy, making them resistant to being moved, and can in turn
Shove their foes, knocking them around the battlefield.

Stalwarts are strong against skirmisher foes and weaker against artillery foes.

Class Traits Class Statistics

VIT: 10
Armor 2 HP: 40
Reduce all damage taken by 2 Defense: 6
Speed: 4 (Dash 2)
Fray damage: 4
FORTIFY
Damage die: D6
Spaces adjacent to you have Rampart.
Basic Attack: Range 3
Gain Vigilance +1 at the end of your turn.

Rush X Special mechanic:

Stalwarts can rush as part of their abilities. When
you rush, you move X spaces and are unstoppable
and immune to all damage during that move.
Heroics
Stalwarts can push themselves beyond their
normal limits, performing heroics and activating
any heroic triggered effects of an ability. Each
job has different ways of performing heroics.

Stalwart Gambit.
If you take a Stalwart ability as a non-Stalwart
class, you get Heroics, and the ability to trigger a
Heroic ability for free once a combat.

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 MOST RELEVANT RULES Rush is like an armored dash. You ignore

engagement, and can’t be damaged by effects like
Vigilance or interrupts while moving. It allows to
Statuses
you maneuver around other red characters.
Stalwarts specialize in the Slashed and
Weakened statuses:
VIGILANCE
SLASHED Vigilance X - A special effect with X charges,
each represented by a d6. Like a triggered effect,
Take 4 damage after you or an ally uses an ability
can only be activated once per trigger. Vigilance
that moves you, but no more than once a turn.
charges stack up to 6, and last until the end of
combat. A character can spend any number of
Slash causes damage to characters that move a
charges of Vigilance for one of the following
lot, making them choose between staying close to
effects, rolling 1d6 per charge spent and picking
you, or taking a lot of damage.
the highest result:
• When an ally in range 2 is damaged by a foe’s
Weakened ability, reduce the damage by the amount
All damage dealt reduced by 2 rolled as if with armor
• When a foe breaks adjacency with you, deal
Weak is very potent against characters that like that much damage to them.
to deal lots of small hits, and stacks with armor
to make it very hard to hurt you. Vigilance allows you to control space very well.
You can protect allies that stick close to you, or
They also have a lot of ways to stun characters. damage foes who attempt to pass by you to get at
your weaker allies. Good positioning will get you
STUNNED the most out of it.
Can’t take interrupts. Your next ability used ends
your turn, then end this status. SHOVE X
Move a character involuntarily X spaces in a
Stunned is very potent because it reduces a straight line away from you. If they would move
character’s options. Consequently, it always into another character’s space, an object, or into a
clears after it triggers (it can also be saved higher elevation space, they Collide and stop
against normally). moving.

Other Effects Shove allows you to move foes around against

Stalwarts use Rampart, Rush and Vigilance. their will. Use it to put them in tough situations -
They have easy ways to access Shove, Sturdy inside pits, terrain effects, or next to allies - or
and True Strike. alternately slam them into walls.

RAMPART STURDY
Foes cannot enter or exit any space affected by a When moved or removed and placed by a foe, can
character’s Rampart by dashing, flying, or only be moved max 1 space a turn.
teleporting.
Sturdy allows you to hold your ground and stops
Rampart is like a super-engagement. Foes can’t you from getting shoved around by foes and
use any special movement in adjacent spaces to pushed away from allies or objectives.
you, so good positioning will let you slow them
down. TRUE STRIKE
Ignores dodge, evasion, blind, and stealth.
RUSH X
Move X spaces. You are unstoppable and immune These effects are all common ways for foes to
to all damage while moving. avoid damage. True strike avoids all of this and

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 allows to you to hit when you need to. It’s

especially good against Skirmisher foes who
often rely on dodge, stealth, and evasion to avoid
damage.

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 Bastion
Unbreakable Knight

The Bastions are the shield lords of Arden Eld, larger than life figures that tread the ancient imperial
roads with their heads held high and armor gleaming. From town to town they act as errant knights
and mercenaries, protecting the weak and vulnerable, and driving back the Blights with hammer-like
blows from their greatshields, which they throw like a discus with incredible force. The imperious and
mighty presence of a Bastion in town is a stabilizing force and can become an event for a whole village.
All Bastions follow an ancient and long-forgotten hero’s code, an old oath to stand against chaos in all
its forms.

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 • Rebound - An ability that is rebounded can be

PLAYSTYLE bounced off a character in range. The ability has
no effect, but is instead redirected from that
Bastions are powerful knights and tacticians and character’s space as the origin space, taking into
focus on shoving their enemies and moving their account cover, line of sight, and other similar
allies into position with their Press the Advantage effects from their space. Any effects that apply
trait. Almost everything they do changes the to the original user of the ability still apply to
shape of the battlefield in some way, and they get them (such as sacrificing hp, or moving).
extra benefits for smashing foes into obstacles or Rebound does not stack.
other characters with collide. They benefit from • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
good positioning, since shoves typically have to be character can only have one stance active at a
away from you. time and can drop a stance by taking a new
stance or as a free action at the start of their
Bastions also have a fair number of interrupts turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
and can react off their turn to enemy actions, and effects.
also benefit from auras.

Their Limit Break, Helion, is relatively cheap,

but can rearrange everyone’s position and can
potentially stun and daze a huge number of foes.

Relevant Rules
• Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
would move into another character’s space, an
object, or into a higher elevation space, they
Collide and stop moving.
• Collide - A triggered effect that occurs on any
character shoved into an obstruction by this
ability.
• Aura X: This ability is a continuous, ongoing
effect that affects all characters specified within
range X of an origin point, usually a character.
Characters are only affected by an aura while
inside
• End turn - This ability ends your turn. If
multiple abilities or effects would end your turn
at the same time, you can only choose one.
• Hatred of X - Deal half damage to all foes
other than foe X. End this status at the end of
your turn, or if foe X becomes immune to
damage or un-targetable.
• Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
specific character. Each ability can only place
one mark at a time, and a character can mark
another character with one mark at a time. If
you place a new mark on a character with a
mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard. Marks end when the character
that placed the mark is defeated, or under other
listed conditions.

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 Traits: LIMIT BREAK: HELION

Strive: You may cause any ability to trigger its 2 resolve
heroic effects when you use it, and increase the 1 action
distance of any shoves by +1. If you do, after that
ability resolves, you can’t use heroics until the end Your shield becomes the sun: a discus of light and
of your next turn, and deal half damage during motion, shattering enemy ranks and spurring
that turn. allies forth.
Press the Advantage: Once a round, when you
shove a character, you and an ally of your choice Effect: You hurl your shield, and every character
anywhere can each rush 1. on the battlefield is shoved 1 space in a direction
Bull’s Strength: All your abilities gain collide: of your choice. You may shove in any order, and
deal 2 damage. Characters can’t take this damage may choose different directions for each
more than once a turn. character.
Shieldmaster: You have aura 1. If you end your Effect: Bloodied foes are weakened. Foes at 25%
turn with an ally in the aura, gain vigilance +1 and hp or lower are stunned.
become sturdy until the start of your turn.
Ultimate: PERFECT HELION
You can repeat this effect once on either allies or
enemies.

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 LAND WASTER
Abilities 2 actions, Attack, Burst 1 (target)

Crash your greatshield or weapon into the earth,

Chapter 1 sending up devastating shockwaves.
Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
HERACULE Area effect: Foes take fray damage.
1 action, Attack, Range 3 Effect: Shove all characters in the area except you
True Strike 1 space away from your attack target, then, shove
your target 1.
Hurl your shield or weapon as a discus with Heroic: Gains True Strike and becomes Burst 2
irrepressible force. (target)
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Attack target is weakened and shoved 1 Talents:
Effect: A different foe in range 3 from your target I. If Land Waster’s effect shockwave shoves 3 or
is shoved 1 away from your main target. more foes or allies, it shoves +1 and stuns your
Collide or Heroic: Repeat the above effect target.
II. If Land Waster’s effect shockwave shoves 2 or
Talents: more foes or allies, cure yourself.
I. Heracule’s shoves can be in any direction.
II. Heracule’s second effect triggers +1 more Mastery: AJAX
time. Terrain effect: Before Land Waster’s effect
triggers, you tear up the very ground, creating a
Mastery: PERFECT HERACULE height 1 boulder object in range 3 of you.
Heracule gains rebound, and its second effect
triggers +1 more time. VALIANT
1 Action
BATTERING RAM
1 action Stride forth, with your shield held before you,
battering aside foes.
Use your shield, weapon, or armored fist and Effect: Rush 1, then rush 1. After each rush,
send your target flying. shove all adjacent characters 1.
Effect: An adjacent character is shoved 2 spaces Collide or Heroic: Rush 1 again, then shove all
Collide or Heroic: Foe is slashed, and refund adjacent characters 1.
the action cost of this ability.
Talents:
Talents: I. Collide: Become unstoppable for the rest of
I. You may rush 1 before using Battering Ram. your turn
II. You can also shove objects with Battering II. If you only shove one foe, they gain hatred of
Ram. The object triggers collide effects on the you after this ability resolves.
first character it collides with.
Mastery: SECOND WIND
Mastery: GATE SMASHER At round 4 or higher in combat, valiant becomes a
Once a turn, if you trigger Battering Ram’s Collide free action.
or Heroic effect, the ability can be used one more
time this turn. ENDLESS BATTLEMENT
1 action
Stance, Aura

The land itself is your castle, and you will never

let its walls be breached. No matter where your
allies step, your shield will be there.

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 Stance: When you enter this stance, or when it

refreshes, choose an ally in range 4. That ally
Chapter 2
gains aura 1 until the start of your next turn. The
aura deactivates if your ally is out of range. While PERSEUS
the aura is active, you can use the following Interrupt 2
interrupt: Aura
Heroic Intervention
Interrupt 1 Your armor and shield become a mirror,
Trigger: A foe targets your ally with an channeling and amplifying the destructive power
ability of your allies’ attacks.
Effect: You soar into the air, removing Trigger: You are included in an allied area effect.
yourself from the battlefield, then return in Effect: You release an aura 1 effect centered on
any space in the aura. Adjacent foes take 2 you that lasts for the duration of the triggering
damage. ability, extending the area effect to encompass the
Refresh: Refresh this stance at the start of your aura. You can choose to be immune to any part of
turn the triggering ability.
Heroic: Immediately activate the interrupt Heroic: Increase the aura size by +1
effect.
Talents:
Talents: I. You gain 4 vigor the first time in a round this
I. While you are in the aura, attacks against your ability triggers
ally gain +1 curse. II. You can extend the area as a line 5 area effect
II. You and your ally both have have counter instead of an aura.
while you are in the aura.
Mastery: CHAOS FINISHER
Mastery: PERFECT BATTLEMENT When this interrupt triggers, after the triggering
At round 4 or higher, Endless Battlement has no effect resolves, you may deal 2 damage to all
maximum range, deals 4 damage instead of 2, and affected foes from the triggering ability and shove
becomes interrupt 2. them 1 in any direction.

CATAPULT ROOK
Interrupt 1 2 actions, Attack
Aura
Use your shield as a springboard to set up ally
maneuvers or to deflect projectiles Your stance is powerful as you strike, and stand
Trigger: An ally ends a movement in an adjacent tall, an armored sentinel. No enemy can safely
space set foot where your gaze falls.
Effect: Shove that ally 2 in any direction. Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray damage.
Collide or Heroic: That ally gains 2 vigor and Effect: Shove 1
may rush 1. Effect: You gain aura 1 until the end of your next
turn. Any foe in the aura that is shoved is shoved
Talents: +1. If any foe ends their turn in the aura, you may
I. Your shield becomes a valid target for allied deal fray damage to them and shove them 1.
abilities. You can expend this interrupt to Collide: Character is slashed.
grant them rebound. Heroic: Gains true strike, and increase aura to
II. Catapult can also be triggered on foes. When Aura 2
triggered on foes, the effect becomes effect:
shove 1. Collide: you may rush 1 Talents:
I. You also have counter while Rook’s aura is
Mastery: MANGONEL active.
Catapult becomes Interrupt 3

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 II. You can also inflict hatred on a foe that

triggers Rook’s effect, but no more than once a
round.

Mastery: IMPLACABLE FORTRESS

Allies in the aura also reduce all damage by 2, as if
by armor.

Chapter 3
Black Rock Vanguard: You can take any
number of interrupts per turn. When you take an
interrupt, you may rush 1 after it resolves.

GREAT GIORGIOS
1 action
End turn

You call a challenge to your foe to stand and

fight. Cowards are blown away by your massive
charge.
Effect: Choose a foe in range 3, then end your
turn. At the end of that foe’s turn, you may rush
4, as long as you end each space of your
movement closer to them from when you started
(if you are adjacent, you don’t move at all). Then,
if your foe is adjacent, they are shoved a number
of spaces equal to the spaces you just moved, then
take damage equal to that number +2.
Collide or Heroic: Foe also gains hatred of you
after this ability resolves.

Talents:
I. You gain phasing while rushing. Foes you
passed through take 2 damage after your
movement resolves, and are shoved 1 to either
side of your movement.
II. Allies adjacent to you during any part of this
rush are shoved 1 in any direction after this
ability resolves.

Mastery: DRAGONSLAYER
You can choose to Delay Great Giorgios. Your
next turn must be slow, but the effect activates at
the start of that turn instead of at the end of your
target’s turn, and it deals double damage.

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 Demon Slayer
Master of the Forbidden Arts

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 Warriors of impossible strength and insane bravado, demon slayers are warriors that specialize in
fighting the largest and most dangerous monsters to crawl out of the pits that riddle the land. They
relish in fighting against impossible odds, training themselves in forbidden techniques, arcane arts, and
oversized weaponry that normal Kin would quake at wielding. They organize themselves into loose
orders and train and hunt together, sharing tales and trophies of the colossal horrors they have slain.
Some say in order to fight their quarries, the slayers must ingest demon blood to gain their strength,
giving them dark and forbidden power that makes other Kin fear and respect them in equal measure.

use a physical die to represent it, or just a

PLAYSTYLE tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
Demon slayers are mobile, heavy hitting stalwarts 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
that use their powerful traits to get a lot out of • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
slow turns and charge effects. character can only have one stance active at a
time and can drop a stance by taking a new
Their Hissatsu trait powers up Demon Slayers stance or as a free action at the start of their
when spending a turn not attacking and focusing turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
their strength, like a quick-draw samurai or effects.
someone winding up a huge blow with an
oversized weapon. Therefore they benefit from
attacking every other turn, and waiting to
strike, giving them a slow but reliable tempo.
While waiting to act, they automatically become
sturdy, making them very hard to displace.

Their limit break, Split Heaven and Hell, is a

very powerful AoE slice that is relatively easy to
avoid for foes without assistance from your allies,
but can be held and even canceled.

Relevant Rules
• Charge - A triggered effect that activates when
the ability is used on a slow turn.
• Delay - Slow but powerful effect that typically
ends your turn. When you use a delay effect,
your next turn must be slow. The effect occurs at
the start of that turn, before anything else
happens.
• End turn - This ability ends your turn. If
multiple abilities or effects would end your turn
at the same time, you can only choose one.
• Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place on a
total attack roll of 15+.
• Rampart - Foes cannot enter or exit a space
affected by a rampart effect by dashing, flying,
or teleporting.
• Slow Turn - Go after all other characters. If
multiple characters take slow turns, it takes the
same order as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
• Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or
down depending on certain conditions. You can

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 Legend characters always take 25% of max hp

Traits: from this ability instead of other effects.
Demon Edge: If you elect to take a slow turn or
use a delay effect, gain vigilance +1, and all your Ultimate: GOD WASTER
abilities deal bonus damage and gain true strike While holding a God Cutting Blow, you can rush 2
until the end of your next turn. at the start or end of any other turn than yours,
Demon Strength: You can make any ability but no more than twice a round.
Heroic when you use it. If you do, you can’t attack
or use Heroics until the end of your following
turn.
Hissatsu: If you don’t attack during your turn,
your next attack ability gains +1 boon, true strike,
and upgrades its damage die to d10. This effect
ends after you hit with an attack.
True Horn: You are sturdy from the start of
each round until the start of your turn.

LIMIT BREAK: SPLIT

HEAVEN AND HELL
3 resolve
1 action, end turn
Delay, true strike, divine

Sever Divinity and cut through the threads of

possibility. Pour all your rage into one blow and
topple the Gods.

End your turn, and start charging up a god

cutting blow. Delay: Your next turn must be
slow. At the start of that turn, you may take one of
the following options:

• Sever Divine Thread: Swing your weapon in

a line 5 area effect drawn from your position.
This counts as using an attack this turn.
Characters in the line take damage depending
on their distance on the line from you.
• 1 space: 100% of max hp
• 2-4 spaces: 50% of max hp
• 5+ spaces: 25% of max hp
• Divine Cancel: You may cancel this ability,
refunding the resolve cost, and rush 1. You can
limit break again this combat, but not this turn.
• Divine Delay: You continue to hold this
ability. Your next turn must be slow and repeat
this delay effect. Each time you do this, increase
the width of the line by 1 space, to a maximum
of 3 width, and its length by 3 spaces. You
cannot attack while holding Divine Delay.

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 II. Yourself and allies that end their turn adjacent

Abilities: to your weapon gain 2 vigor.

DEMON CUTTER Mastery: EXALTED BLOSSOMS DEVIL

1 action, Attack, Line 3 BLADE
True Strike Effect: You may teleport to any space adjacent to
your weapon at the start and end of your turn.
You slash your weapon in a deadly swing
sending cutting shockwaves out that rip through DRAKEN CROSS
enemy defenses. 2 actions, Attack, Range 3, Small Blast
Attack: On hit: [D]+ fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Attack target is slashed. Fill the air with the flurry of blades.
Area effect: Fray Attack: On hit: 2[D] + fray. Miss: fray.
Charge or Heroic: Gains range 2, and repeat the Area effect: Fray
area effect in a new line 3 area in range. The areas Effect: You may rush 1, then target another small
cannot overlap. blast area in range 3 with area effect: fray
damage. The areas cannot overlap.
Talent: Charge or Heroic: Gains true strike, and may
I. Exceed: Gain 6 vigor. repeat the effect.
II. Your can rush 1 before using Demon Cutter.
Charge: Rush 3 instead. Talent:
I. Exceed: Deal fray damage again to all
Mastery: BLOOD DRINKING DEVIL BLADE characters in any area created by this ability.
After this ability resolves, gain 2 vigor for every II. Charge: Increase range to 5, and all areas may
foe damaged. be increased to medium blasts instead.

COMET Mastery: DARK WIND DEVIL BLADE

1 action, Range 3, Medium Blast After using this ability, you may teleport to any
Object space of any area created, then all foes in any area
you created with this ability are slashed and take
Your weapon becomes like a meteor, burning 2 divine damage.
through the air as you hurl at at your foes and
smash it into the earth RIGHTEOUS DISDAIN
Area Effect: 2 damage Interrupt 1, Range 2
Effect: After throwing your weapon, it becomes
an object placed in the center space of the area, or With a clap, you deflect a weapon or projectile
as close as possible. with your bare hand or the flat edge of your
Thrown Weapon blade.
Height 1 Trigger: A foe uses an ability that targets an ally
Object: Space adjacent to it have rampart. in range, and damage to your ally has been
While this object is active, you cannot attack. determined on the foe’s end but not applied yet.
You can pick your weapon up if you enter or Effect: Apply the damage to both you and your
exit any space adjacent to it or start your turn ally, but both of you gain resistance to it, and are
there, ending this effect and removing the sturdy against its effects.
object. You also pick it up if it’s removed for Heroic: Gain vigor 4 after this ability resolves.
any other reason.
Charge or Heroic: Rush 3 after throwing your Talent:
weapon. I. You can rush 1 before triggering this ability,
and your ally may rush 1 afterwards.
Talent: II. Shove the triggering foe and ally each 1 space
I. If you end your turn adjacent to your thrown in any direction after this ability resolves.
weapon, gain vigilance +1

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 Mastery: SHIRAHADORI After Gates of Hell resolves, you create an

The damage from Righteous Disdain cannot afterimage terrain effect in a free adjacent space.
reduce you past 1 hp. The afterimage is dangerous terrain, but only for
foes. You also gain the following ability.
DEMON CLAW Flash Step
1 action Free Action
True Strike Effect: Remove an afterimage that has no
characters occupying it, then remove yourself
Even unarmed, a Demon Slayer can employ and place yourself in its space.
ferocious strength and unleash blows with their
bare hands that can crumple steel. Chapter 2
Effect: Rush 1, then rush 1. Each time, you may
deal 2 damage to an adjacent foe. Foes can only be
SOUL BLADE
damaged once per use of this ability.
1 action
Special: If you didn’t attack on your turn before
Stance
using this ability, it deals damage to all adjacent
foes.
You imbue your weapon with aether, causing
Charge or Heroic: Weaken all adjacent
additional cuts at the very aether of your foe.
characters after the first or second rush.
Stance: When entering this stance, gain a d6
power die, starting at 2.
Talents: • When the stance refreshes, tick the die up by 1.
I. Instead of any rush from Demon claw, you can • When you attack, you can tick the die down by
gain 2 vigor. any amount to cause an additional aether slash
II. After the second rush, you can shove an as a line 3 area effect that must include your
adjacent character 2 spaces. target, after the attack resolves. The area has
true strike. Foes in the area take damage equal
Mastery: RAGING DEMON to the amount you ticked down.
Demon Claw’s damage increases by 1 for every • If you tick the die down by 3 or more, you also
25% of your maximum hp you are missing, up to a gain vigor equal to the number on the die.
maximum of +3 damage. • If you tick the die down by 6, the slash deals +3
more total damage and grants you +3 more total
GATES OF HELL vigor.
1 action • If the die goes to 0, you exit this stance.
Heroic: Gain +1 tick on the die for every adjacent
You move so quickly that even your afterimages foe when you enter this stance.
are capable of deflecting blows. Refresh: This stance refreshes if you end a turn
without attacking, or if you start a slow turn.
Effect: Rush 2
Effect: Gain +1 vigilance. Until the start of your Talents:
next turn, you gain counter, and may rush 2 after I. You may also increase the area of any line or
activating vigilance. This effect can trigger any arc effects by +1 in Soul Blade, including from
number of times a round, but only once a turn. this stance.
Heroic: Gain +2 vigilance instead. II. While in Soul Blade, your attacks gain exceed:
tick the die up by 1.
Talent:
I. Gain 2 vigor after any time Gates of Hell’s Mastery: WIND CALLING DEVIL BLADE
second effect activates. At round 4 or later in combat, soul blade also
II. Vigilance’s range increases by +1 while Gates refreshes at the start of your turn and any area
of Hell is active. created by it shoves all characters inside 1 space.

Mastery: FLASH STEP SIX HELLS TRIGRAM

1 action

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 Delay, Terrain effect slay the most tenebrous of monsters in one

stroke.
Using dark arts, you summon up a sliver of the Attack: On hit: fray and shove 1. Miss: fray
demon world, blocking out a dark arena that Effect: After you attack, your weapon becomes
traps enemies in its web. charged with energy. At the start of each round,
End your turn and gain Terrain effect: Mark gain a d4 power die at 1, or tick it up by 1. For
out a burst 2 (self) area, then gain Delay: Your each tick of the die:
next turn must be slow, but at the start of that • increase the base damage on hit of Wicked
turn, the trigram activates. Sheath by [D] and the shove by 1
• When the trigram activates, all foes inside are • the attack gains +1 boon.
weakened. Discard the power die after you hit with any
• While active, any foes that attempt to exit the attack.
terrain effect during any turn must first pass a Charge or Heroic: You may also rush 1 before
save, or become unable to do so until the start of making the attack once for each charge on the die.
their next turn. If they are moving, they don’t
lose their movement but can’t consider the area Talents:
outside valid space to move to. I. Also shove your foe 1 for every charge on the
• This area lasts until this ability is used again. die. Collide: Your foe is stunned.
Heroic: The area has rampart and foes in the are II. Exceed: Draw a line 4 area effect that includes
when it activates take fray damage. your target. Characters inside other than your
target take 2 damage, once, for every charge
Talents: on the die.
I. You have counter and are sturdy while inside
the area. Mastery: MUGEN SHOMETSU
II. Allies inside the area reduce all damage by 2, If the die is 2 or higher and you would discard it,
as if from armor. roll it instead of discarding it. On a 1 or 2, keep it,
using the new number.
Mastery: DARK WIND CHAIN
While inside the area, you gain the following
ability
Dark Wind Chain
Free action
Effect: Deal 2 damage to any foe in range 4
and shove them 1 space towards you, then
force them to save. On a failed save, they are
shoved 2 more spaces towards you.

Chapter 3
Rangiri: If you trigger Hissatsu twice in a row,
your attack ability becomes upgraded further. The
entire ability now deals double damage. Roll and
determine all damage on the attacker’s end when
making it, then double the total before applying it.

WICKED SHEATH
1 action, attack
True Strike, Power die

The master art of the demon slayers - holding a

single blow with ultimate patience, until it can

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 Leggio Demon Slayer

Crimson Cloud Demon Slayer

Shadow Clan Demon Slayer

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 Falling Blossom School Slayer

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 Colossus
High Flying Grappler

Ferocious followers of Arenheir, the Wolf Titan, the Colossi are a martial order of berserkers,
pankrationists, and warriors that reaches across all of Arden Eld. They travel throughout the land
seeking powerful foes, and taking trophies to return to their great lodges to offer in tribute to Arenheir
in fierce hope of resurrecting their god. At their lodges they feast and drink to their deeds, companions,
and boasts.

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 Colossi seek glory and challenge through battle, and will often go for only the absolute strongest
warriors and monsters, heedless of their own safety. They fight with wild abandon and unconventional
techniques that would make even the dirtiest Knave raise an eyebrow.

transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp

PLAYSTYLE below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
have enough hp left.
Colossi are hard-hitting grapplers and wrestlers • Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of
that ride the knife’s edge to inflict maximum pain movement to exit.
on their foes. They have unique access to fly,
allowing them to vault up higher elevation and
move around, and they get extra benefits such as
exceed for launching themselves off higher
terrain.

The lower colossi’s health is, the stronger they

become, and they benefit from many comeback
effects. At very low health, they gain
regeneration and they can become absolute
monsters at 1 hp. They can spend their own health
to power up their abilities, but risk sending
themselves into too vulnerable a state.

Their Limit Break, Gigantas Crusher, is a

massive grab that can instantly destroy high value
targets, such as elites, or deliver the killing blow to
a legend. Since it does % based damage, it is an
excellent finishing move.

Relevant Rules
• Bloodied - At or under 50% hp
• Comeback - A triggered effect that happens
when this ability is used while bloodied
• Charge - A triggered effect that activates when
the ability is used on a slow turn.
• Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove
this effect and character becomes immune to all
damage for the rest of the current turn.
• Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place on a
total attack roll of 15+.
• Flying - A flying character ignores terrain
damage and movement penalties, height
movement penalties, obstruction, and
engagement.
• Regeneration - If bloodied, gain 4 vigor at the
end of your turn.
• Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,

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 ultimate: ATOMOS CRUSHER

Traits: If you’re at 1 hp or lower, this ability deals 25%
Furious Berserk: You go into a furious blood more max hp damage to non-legend characters.
rage as you take damage, giving you the following
benefits:
• You start combat with defiance.
• You have regeneration, and regain regeneration
if defeated and rescued.
• While you’re bloodied, you are sturdy, and gain
vigilance +1 at the end of your turn.
Wolfheart: Once a round, you may sacrifice 25%
of your max hp to make an ability Heroic and
increase the distance of any flight, rush, or dash as
part of that move by +1.
Pulverize: When you start an attack ability on
higher elevation than your target, it deals bonus
damage. If you are two or more levels higher, it
also triggers all exceed effects.
Great Leap: When you would end any
movement on a lower elevation than you started,
you may gain flying for the duration of that
movement.

Limit Break: GIGANTAS

CRUSHER
3 resolve
2 actions
Divine, Sacrifice

Wrestle with the gods themselves.

Effect: You grab an adjacent character. That
character must save. Even if that character saves
successfully, you grab them, and you both soar
into the air. Remove both of you from the
battlefield. At the start of that character’s turn,
you come spinning back to earth, slamming that
character into the battlefield in unoccupied space
in range 3 of your original location. You sacrifice
25% of your hp. Your foe takes 50% of their max
hp as divine damage, or 25% as divine damage on
a successful save. Then place both of you back in
or adjacent to that space.

This ability can be used against Legends, but they

may always save, taking divine fray damage and
refunding this ability’s resolve cost on a successful
save, and only 25% hp as divine damage on a
failed save.

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 1 Action
Abilities Sacrifice
Throwing caution to the wind, you crash your
whole body into your foe, sending you both
VALKYRIE flying.
1 action, attack Effect: Fly 1.
True strike Effect: Sacrifice 6. An adjacent foe takes [D]
+fray damage.
Soaring through the air like a vengeful spirit, you Heroic: You may rush 2 before or after using this
crash into your enemy. ability.
Effect: You may fly 1
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray. Talents
Effect: Attack target is weakened. I. Comeback: Hit your foe so hard that you
Exceed or Heroic: Create a pit under your create 2 spaces of difficult terrain in adjacent
target. spaces after this ability resolves.
II. Shove your foe 1, then shove yourself 1 away
Talents: from your foe. Charge: Increase shoves to 2
I. Valkyrie gains range 4.
II. You are unstoppable and immune to all Mastery: GIANT KICKER
damage while flying with Valkyrie. Charge: At round 4 or later, dropkick gains true strike and
You may fly 3 instead a line 4 area effect that must include your target.
The area deals fray damage to all characters other
Mastery: CALL OF ERENHELION than your target.
When you use Valkyrie, all allies may fly 1. If they
end this flight on a lower elevation than they MASSIVE OVERHEAD
started, they may fly 1 again.
1 action
End turn
UPHEAVAL
1 Action, Range 3 End your turn. Your next attack strikes with
such force that it deals bonus damage and creates
The disciples of the wolf titan exhibit such a pit under its target after it resolves.
legendary strength that they can rip up the earth Special Effect: If your target was already in a pit
itself with their bare hands. before the triggering attack, it also activates all
Terrain Effect: Smash the battlefield, creating a exceed effects.
height 1 boulder object in free space in range. Comeback or Heroic: Attack may also create a
Adjacent characters are shoved 1 away from the small blast area effect on its target, dealing 2
terrain when it appears. damage to all characters inside.
Comeback or Heroic: Create difficult terrain
underneath any character shoved by this ability. Talent:
I. Attack gains Exceed: Also create a height 1
Talents: boulder object adjacent to your foe.
I. The boulder bounces before landing, dealing 2 II. Attack gains Exceed: The pit also becomes
damage in a small blast area effect anywhere dangerous terrain.
in range. Charge: Large blast
II. The boulder bounces before landing, creating Mastery: BLOOD RUSH
a pit anywhere in free space in range. At round 4 or later, Massive Overhead also grants
you 4 vigor and no longer ends your turn.
Mastery: TITAN STRENGTH
Gains range 5 and Comeback: Boulder may be
placed as a height 2 pillar instead.
TAKEDOWN
2 actions, attack
DROPKICK

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 You deliver a mighty blow with wild abandon, so GIGATON WHIP

strong that you yourself are left reeling. 1 action, Attack
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray True Strike
Effect: Both you and your foe are stunned. You
may sacrifice 4 to avoid this stun. You fling your foe into a wall, catching them on
Exceed or Heroic: Gains true strike and creates the rebound.
a pit under your target. Attack: On hit: [D], Miss: 1 damage. Effect:
shove 2.
Talents: Collide: You bounce your foe, then and catch
I. You may rush 2 or fly 2 before using them mid air. Remove them from the battlefield,
Takedown. fly 1, then place them in any free adjacent space.
II. You can also choose to shove your target 2, They take fray damage.
then shove yourself 2. Collide: Deal fray Exceed or Heroic: Smash the ground when you
damage. land, creating difficult terrain under your foe and
in two adjacent spaces.
Mastery: FIERCE ELBOW
When you takedown a character, the character Talents:
takes 2 damage once after the ability resolves for I. If your target collides with another character,
each difference in elevation between you and you may also shove that character 1 and deal 2
them when you started this ability, for a damage to them.
maximum of three times. II. Fly 2 instead. Charge: Shove 3 and fly 3.

GREAT SUPLEX Mastery: IZUNA DROP

2 Actions Instead of the normal collide effect, on collide you
can do the legendary Izuna drop. You take a pose,
Wrapping your arms around your foe, you fling then end your turn and gain Delay: Your next
the two of you backwards with a force that turn must be slow. At the start of that turn, you
liquifies rock. may rush 2, then if any foe is adjacent, you grab
Effect: You pick up an adjacent foe, removing them, removing both of you from the battlefield,
them from the battlefield. then come spinning back to earth, placing both of
Effect: Sacrifice up to 6, then fly half that many you back in free space adjacent to each other in
spaces. Place your foe in a free adjacent space. range 3. That foe is weakened, stunned and takes
They take [D]+fray damage and are slashed. fray damage twice.
slashed characters are stunned. If you can’t place
the foe in a valid space this action can’t be taken. RAGING WOLF
Heroic: Sacrifice cost costs 0 hp but counts as
1 action
sacrificing 6
True Strike

Talent You deliver a spectacular series of wild, rising

I. This ability deals bonus damage to your target blows. Like a cornered animal, your strength
if you land them in a pit. becomes greater the more of your blood spills.
II. You can use this ability on allies. If you do, Special: This ability has no effect if you are not
reduce its action cost to 1, they are immune to bloodied.
its damage and statuses, and both of you can Comeback: Gain additional effects depending on
rush 1 after it resolves. your current hp. Each effect stacks and takes place
in order.
Mastery: TITANHEART Bloodied: You may rush 1, then deal fray
You can target two adjacent characters with this damage to an adjacent foe. That foe is
ability slashed.
25% or lower: You may fly 1, then shove all
Chapter 2 adjacent foes 1.
1 hp or lower: Repeat the above two effects.

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 Heroic: Become unstoppable and immune to all

damage while using this ability.
Special: If you are defeated, your next use of this
ability in the same combat becomes a free action.

Talents:
I. You can voluntarily reduce yourself to 1 hp
before using Raging Wolf.
II. While you’re at 1 hp, increase flight to 3

Mastery: BEAST WITHIN

You can immediately use Raging Wolf as an
interrupt before becoming defeated. This ignores
the interrupt limit.

Chapter 3
Unbreakable: If defeated, you can rescue
yourself and take a turn as normal. This doesn’t
take an action and takes place at the start of your
turn. In addition, after being rescued in any way,
including as part of this trait. you can rush 1 and
deal 2 damage to all adjacent characters.

BOILING BLOOD
Interrupt 1

Colossi can lash out with the last of their

strength, using the heat and strength of their
body to punish their foes before expiring.

Defy Death
Trigger: You are defeated
Effect: You fight on, remaining standing at 1 hp
and do not become defeated until the end of your
next turn, or if combat ends before then. During
that time, damage cannot reduce you past 1 hp
and you deal bonus damage with all abilities.
Heroic: Also deal fray damage twice to all
adjacent foes.

Talents:
I. While Defy Death is active, all abilities also
trigger all exceed effects.
II. You can rush or fly 1 before using any ability
while Defy Death is active.

Mastery: GREAT HEMON

When Defy Death would expire, you can take a
wound to extend the duration by 1 turn. This
effect can only be triggered once per combat.

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 Knave
Absolute Bastard

The advent of the Churning Age has coincided with the rise of a certain class of person with heavy
pockets and a long list of ‘problems’ to solve. The Knaves are the solution. Hedge knights, rogue

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 warriors, duelists, deserters, and veterans, they roam the land offering their services to whoever has the
dust to spare. Though some of them are altruistically minded, they tend to go where the work, food, and
fighting is thickest, and never stay for long in one location.

Knaves operate under a loose moral code and an even looser no-holds-barred fighting style, using hilts,
head butts, and gauntleted fists to inflict pain, punishment, and humiliation on their opponents in equal
measure. These braggadocios warriors spare no effort in flexing their incredible strength - if the price is
right. For a freshly roasted chicken, a pocket full of dust, and a polish of their boots, they’ll do just about
anything.

• Cure - A character that’s cured gains 4 vigor, or

PLAYSTYLE a vigor surge if they’re bloodied. Then, they
may save agains all statuses.
Knaves are dark knights, mercenaries, and dirty • Hatred of X - Deal half damage to all foes
fighters that have the easiest access to the very other than foe X. End this status at the end of
powerful hatred condition. They have numerous your turn, or if foe X becomes immune to
ways to punish foes that take the bait, such as damage or un-targetable.
counter and a suite of nasty interrupts. They • Sacrifice X- Reduce your hp by X, usually as a
become stronger the more foes are around them cost for an ability. Sacrifice costs are paid at the
and love being surrounded. start of an ability, cannot be reduced, ignored,
transferred, or resisted, cannot bring your hp
Knaves become more powerful when they are below 1, and you can pay them even if you don’t
suffering statuses, and even have ways to have enough hp left.
inflict statuses on themselves, which they can • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
then ignore by becoming unstoppable. They this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
also have the unique ability to take two stances • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
at once, allowing them to stack very powerful character can only have one stance active at a
effects. time and can drop a stance by taking a new
stance or as a free action at the start of their
Knave’s limit break, Mock, is a strong single turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
target debuff, and makes it very hard for a foe to effects.
do anything but stand and focus on you. • Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses. Cannot
be moved by foes, and movement ignores
engagement and rampart.
Relevant Rules
• Counter - When damaged by an ability, deal 2
damage back, each time damage is applied.
• Combo - Actions with Combo have two
versions, a base version and combo version.
When you use the base ability, gain a combo
token. Any time you use a combo ability and
have a token, you use the combo version
instead, discarding the token. You can only have
one combo token at once, and discard all tokens
at the end of combat.
• Comeback - A triggered effect that happens
when this ability is used while bloodied
• Gamble - Roll 1d6, then trigger an effect on a
certain result or higher

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 TRAITS:
Martial Master: You can take two stances at
once.
Blackheart: While you’re suffering from a
status, gain vigilance +1 at the end of your turn. If
you are suffering from two or more, also deal
bonus damage with all abilities.
Taunt (1 action): A foe in range 3 gains hatred
of you.
Spite: You can choose to use the Heroic effects of
any ability when you use it. However, after it
resolves, gain Hatred+ of the closest foe to you
until the end of your next turn and you can’t use
Heroics again for the same duration. If multiple
foes are equidistant, you can choose.

Limit Break: MOCK

2 resolve
1 action

There is no weapon greater than a well-timed

and well-aimed insult.
Effect: A foe in range 3 becomes slashed+,
weakened+, cannot gain or benefit from evasion,
dodge, or stealth, and gains hatred+ of you. These
effects continue until the end of their next turn.
Special: On elite and legend foes, this ability
lasts two turns instead.

Ultimate: DREAD MOCK

Gains range 5 and also deals divine fray damage
to your foe.

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 REVENGE
Abilities 2 actions, attack
Combo
LOW BLOW
1 action, Attack No matter how hard pressed, your hands, feet,
Combo, True strike and armor are ready to retaliate.
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray
Hit them right in the gronch. Effect: Gain unstoppable and counter until the
Effect: You may Rush 1 end of your next turn
Attack: On hit: [D] + fray. Miss: fray. Slay or Heroic: While this ability’s effect is
Effect: Foe is slashed. If they are already slashed, active, you can rush 1 as an effect if you are
they gain hatred of you. damaged by a foe’s ability, but no more than once
Slay or Heroic: You may cure yourself. a turn.

COMBO: THE HOOK COMBO: INDIGNATION

Gains range 2 and effect: Shove character 1 Gains True Strike and replace the base effect
towards you. with effect: gain +1 vigilance for every status
your foe is suffering from, to a maximum of three
times, then gain counter until the end of your next
Talents:
turn.
I. Deals bonus damage if your foe is suffering
from a status.
Talents:
II. Comeback: Gain vigilance +1
I. While this ability’s effect is active, attacks
against adjacent allies gain +1 curse
Mastery: SADIST
II. You may sacrifice 4 to gain or lose a combo
After this ability resolves, you may rush 1 and gain
token after using any version of this ability.
2 vigor for every status your foe is suffering from.
Mastery: IRON MAIDEN
PROVOKE Also gains effect: until the end of your next turn,
1 Action immediately after you activate vigilance, deal 2
damage to all adjacent foes.
You drop your guard, and wait for foes to take
the bait.
Effect: You may Rush 1, then each adjacent foe
RIPOSTE
1 action
deals 1 piercing damage to you, as if damaging you
Stance, gamble
with an ability. You then deal 2 damage, once, for
each foe that damaged you this way to all adjacent
When you come at a knave, you best not miss.
foes, to a maximum of three times.
Stance: When you enter this stance or when it
Heroic: Affects all foes in range 2.
refreshes, gain the following interrupt until the
Slay: Then, you may shove all affected foes 1
start of your next turn:
towards or away from you.
Dire Parry
Talents:
Interrupt 1
I. If this ability only affects one foe, they gain
Trigger: A foe targets an ally in range 2 with
hatred of you.
an ability.
II. You can sacrifice 2 after this ability resolves to
Effect: Gamble, then deal that much damage
deal 2 damage again to all adjacent foes.
to your foe. On a 6, they are also slashed and
shoved 1. If you have vigilance, you can spend
Mastery: STORM OF FURY any number of vigilance charges when
Before dealing each instance of damage, you may gambling to roll one extra d6 per charge
rush 1. spent.

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 Refresh: Refresh this stance when a foe damages characters. Stop and collide if your foe would hit
you or an adjacent ally with an ability. an obstruction.
Heroic: Also gain vigor equal to your gamble Effect: Your foe takes 2 damage once for each foe
result after this ability resolves. or ally they pass through, to a maximum of 3
times, and those characters are shoved 1. Then,
Talents: shove your foe 1.
I. You can also sacrifice 2 to roll 1 more d6 while Collide: Foes are weakened.
gambling. Heroic: Shove your foe 1 space, then 1 additional
II. Comeback: Gain vigilance +1 after Riposte space for every character they passed through
resolves. instead, to a maximum of 4 extra spaces.

Mastery: STRONG LEFT Talents:

Refresh Riposte at the start of your turn. Uses of I. Comeback: this ability gains range 2. Remove
Dire Parry can stack up to 3 times, and you can your target and place them into adjacency
bank these uses. before activating this effect.
II. During the spin, you can cause your target to
DARK KNIGHT take damage and phase through objects the
same way as characters, though those objects
1 action, stance
are not shoved.
You give into the heat of battle, becoming a
creature of violence and instinct. Mastery: PERFECT STRONGARM
Stance: While in this stance: Perform two full circles instead, and you may rush
• You gain hatred+ of the closet foe to you at the 2 before the second circle.
start of your turn or when you enter this stance.
If multiple foes are equidistant, you may choose.
• You are sturdy Chapter 2
• You gain vigilance +1 at the end of your turn
Heroic: On entering this stance, you may gain 2
vigor per status affecting you, including from this INTIMIDATE
stance. 1 action, Mark
Refresh: You may refresh or exit this stance at
the start of your turn Swatting interlopers out of the way, you make it
your personal vendetta to make someone’s day
as miserable as possible.
Talents:
End your turn and Mark: Choose a foe at or
I. You may rush 2 towards your hated foe at the
further away than range 4.
start of their turn, but only once a round.
Effect: Each time that foe damages you or an ally
II. While in this stance, you have regeneration.
with an ability, you may rush 1, ending closer to
them if possible, then you may shove any adjacent
Mastery: INFECTIOUS HATRED character 1. This effect can activate any number of
While in Dark Knight, you have Aura 1. Foes that times. If you start your turn adjacent to your
end their turn in the aura must save or gain marked foe, deal fray damage to them, stun them,
hatred of you. and then this mark ends. You may also end it at
the start of your turn.
STRONGARM Heroic: Choose a foe at or further away than
1 action range 2.

Grappling is a common and brutal strategy Talents:

among the knaves, who will happily hurl their I. Comeback: Rush 2 instead
foes into trees, rocks, or their own allies. II. Your foe also takes 2 damage, once, for every
Effect: Shove an adjacent foe in a full circle status they are afflicted by when intimidate’s
either clockwise or counter clockwise through stun triggers, up to a maximum of three times.
each space around you, phasing through

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 Mastery: IRON SKULL Talents:

After Intimidate’s stun triggers, also become I. Against characters at 25% hp or lower, this
unstoppable until the end of your next turn. ability cannot miss (turn any miss into a hit).
II. This ability gains range 2 against characters
25% hp or lower and you may rush 2 before
SUCKER PUNCH
using it against those characters.
Interrupt 1

There’s nothing that can’t be solved with the Mastery: PAINKILLER

liberal application of fists to faces. Once gained, Sweet Torment’s aura lasts
Trigger: An enemy adjacent to you rolls a save indefinitely. If you use Sweet Torment again while
and you see the result the aura is active, deal 2 damage, once, to all foes
Effect: The enemy must re-roll the save, keeping in the aura within for every status they are
the second result. suffering from, to a maximum of three times.
Heroic: The character rolls the new save with +1
curse

Talents:
I. You can sacrifice 2 after using this interrupt to
immediately regain it.
II. Comeback: This ability is interrupt 2.

Mastery: STRONG RIGHT

You can rush 2 before activating sucker punch, it
triggers from within range 2, and you may give it
shove 1.

Chapter 3
Way of the Crow: If any ally is defeated, cure
yourself and become unstoppable until the end of
your next turn.

BLEAK MERCY
2 actions, attack
Melee, combo

Crush your foes and see them driven before you.

Attack: On hit: deal 2[D]+fray. Miss: fray.
Effect: Bleak Mercy gains true strike and ignores
defiance, armor, and vigor if its target is suffering
from 3 or more statuses.
Slay or Heroic: Cure yourself, then shove all
foes in range 2 1 space in any direction.

Combo: SWEET TORMENT

As above, but replace the base effect with Effect:
until the end of your next turn, gain aura 1. Foes
in the aura cannot be cured and cannot save to
clear statuses.

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 VAGABOND
Rogue, Scoundrel, and Blade for Hire

Strengths: High mobility and damage, strong summons and marks, strong against isolated foes
Weaknesses: Relatively low durability, relies on support
Complexity: Medium

Vagabonds are the mercenaries and wanderers of Arden Eld. They know how to aim a crossbow bolt
through the helmet slit of a knight or the weak spot of a monster, how to move quietly and quickly, and
how to fling a knife with deadly precision.

Vagabonds boast high damage and even higher mobility. Skirmisher lets them move faster and further
than other classes, while Dodge lets them avoid damage unless targeted directly. They make use of
numerous tools such as Stealth, Evasion, and Finishing Blow to crush weak, isolated, or ranged
enemies and avoid their counterattacks.

Vagabonds are strong against artillery foes and weaker against heavy foes.

Class Traits: Special Mechanic:

Skirmisher: A character with this trait can move
diagonally and dash at full speed Finishing Blow
Dodge: Immune to all damage from missed
attacks, successful saves, and area effects. Abilities with Finishing Blow triggered effects
Prowl (1 action): Gain stealth. Becomes a free gain additional, more powerful effects if they
action if no foes are in range 2. target at least one bloodied foe. Effects depend on
Finesse: You deal bonus damage to bloodied the action.
foes.
Vagabond Gambit:
Class Statistics If you take a Vagabond Ability as a non-Vagabond
class, your vagabond abilities benefit from
VIT: 7 Finesse.
HP: 28
Defense: 10
Speed: 4 (Dash 4)
Fray damage: 2
Damage die: D10
Basic Attack: Range 4

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 Many Vagabond abilities include Dash, and

Teleport. These are very potent forms of
MOST RELEVANT RULES movement.

Statuses Dash
Vagabonds specialize in the Blinded and Dazed Special movement that ignores engagement.
statuses and use Blights.
Teleport
Blinded Instantly move to a free space within range X.
Max range of all abilities is 2.
You don’t have to be able to see a space to
Blinded is very strong against ranged attackers teleport there.
and much weaker against melee attackers, but it
can also make it very hard for characters to use Finally, Vagabonds have potent summons
abilities on allies in tight situations.
Summon
Dazed A character controlled by its Summoner.
+1 curse on attacks Summons are intangible and do not count as foes
or allies for the purposes of abilities. Summons do
Dazed makes it harder to hit attacks, and even not take turns. Instead, they have a summon
harder to activate effects such as exceed or crit. It action that they use on their summoner’s turn, or
stacks well with your naturally high defense. a summon effect that is always active, and
otherwise don’t take actions or move on their
Other effects own. Summons are removed from the battlefield
when their summoner is defeated.
Vagabonds also make heavy use of Evasion and
Stealth. Summons are characters you can create under
your control. They can often be hurt and
damaged but doing so is usually a waste of a
Evasion foe’s turn. Summons typically act on your turn
Roll a d6 when targeted by an attack. On a 4+, the
and have limited effects - they are not full
attack automatically misses. Check before the
characters and cannot take actions or move
attack roll.
normally. Each summon does something unique
that’s described in the ability that summons
Evasion is a very potent combo with dodge
them.
because characters with dodge take no damage
from missed attacks. It does nothing against
effect damage or abilities, so it doesn’t cover
everything.

Stealth
Cannot be directly targeted except from an
adjacent space. Breaks on using any ability other
than dash or standard move.

Stealth makes it much harder (or impossible) for

characters to target you at range, allowing you
to position yourself safely away from slow foes.
Dodge is a good combo with stealth since you are
immune to damage from area effects that would
otherwise be able to indirectly target you.

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 Fool
Masked Avenger

Fools are dedicated defenders of the common people of Arden Eld, part folk hero, and part hired killer.
They have no official organization, and cover their faces with masks to hide their identity, wearing bells
and motley to cover their collections of deadly weapons and explosives.

Some people fear the Fools, calling them self-interested thugs or anarchic cultists of the Laughing God.
They may not be entirely wrong, but none can deny their flair for the theatrical.

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 They are feared rightly by all would-be tyrants, under-barons, and aspiring imperial lords. Wherever
kin labor under oppression, someone will take up the mask and knives and sent cold jolts of fear into the
hearts of the rich and comfortable.

• Power Die -A die set out and and ticked up or

PLAYSTYLE down depending on certain conditions. You can
use a physical die to represent it, or just a
Fools are fast, tricky vagabonds that benefit tracker. Each power die is unique to the ability
heavily from setup. Their stack dice ability allows that granted it. You typically gain power dice at
them to influence the outcome of gamble effects, 1 tick, and if a power die ticks to 0, discard it.
including their bomb summons, making them • Slay - A triggered effect that activates when
very potent. Fools get stacked dice from attacking this ability reduces a character to 0 hp.
low health targets, and also have a suite of slay • Stance - An ongoing, positive effect. A
effects, so they get the most from zipping around character can only have one stance active at a
the battlefield to finish off weak foes. time and can drop a stance by taking a new
stance or as a free action at the start of their
Fools spend less movement to move through the turn. When a stance refreshes, regain its
spaces of other characters, including their bomb effects.
summons, and can phase through foes, allowing
them to move very far with proper setup. This can
also allow them to hop through character’s spaces
to ignore movement penalties, such as climbing
up elevation.

Fool’s limit break, Curtain Call, is a very

powerful, high damage move that can finish off a
single foe easily in a pinch, but gets the most value
out of setup and with a stacked die in the pocket.

Relevant Rules

• Charge - A triggered effect that activates when

the ability is used on a slow turn.
• Flying - A flying character ignores terrain
damage and movement penalties, height
movement penalties, obstruction, and
engagement.
• Gamble - Roll 1d6, then trigger an effect on a
certain result or higher
• Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
specific character. Each ability can only place
one mark at a time, and a character can mark
another character with one mark at a time. If
you place a new mark on a character with a
mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard. Marks end when the character
that placed the mark is defeated, or under other
listed conditions.
• Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
through, but not end your turn in, terrain,
objects, or characters.

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 TRAITS: Summons
Tumbling: You may phase through characters.
Entering the space of any character, including Many fool abilities summon bombs. When a bomb
summons, always costs a maximum of 1 is summoned, it can be summoned in free space in
movement. range 2 unless a different range is specified. You
Curse of Chaos: You have evasion against can have a maximum of six active bombs.
characters that are 3 or more spaces away from
you. Bomb
Cheap Trick: When an attack misses you, you Size 1, intangible
may teleport 1 space, then leave a bomb in an Summon effect: The bomb can be shoved or
adjacent space. teleported and can share space with other
Stack Dice: Once a round, when you trigger a characters, though it can’t share space with other
finishing blow or slay effect, gain a Stacked Die bombs. When any character enters a bomb’s
after that ability resolves. You can use this die space, they can remove it from the battlefield. At
when you gamble to make the gamble result 6, the end of their turn, they may place it any any
consuming the die. You can only hold on to one free adjacent space. Characters can only carry one
Stacked Die at once, and lose all of them at the bomb at once.
end of combat. Summon effect: Once a round, you may gamble
at the end of any other turn than yours, after all
bombs have been placed. All bombs explode,
Limit Break: CURTAIN dealing damage equal to the gamble result in a
small blast area effect centered on them.
CALL Characters in the area of multiple explosions are
only affected once.
4 resolve
2 actions
Divine, Gamble, True Strike

Bring out the fireworks. Fire up the elden magic.

Time for a showstopper.
Effect: Gamble, then draw a line area effect of
that many spaces +2. Soar into the air, removing
yourself from the battlefield, then place yourself
adjacent to the first foe in that line, delivering a
massive blow. This ability has different effects
depending on their position on the line. If there
are no valid targets after rolling, the resolve cost
of this ability is refunded.

Roll [D] + fray damage once, then apply it the

number of times listed.

3-5 spaces: x2
6-7 spaces: x3
8 spaces: x4 and character is stunned.

Ultimate: ULTIMA CURTAIN CALL

After this ability resolves, summon half as many
bombs as your gamble result anywhere on the
battlefield.

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 damage, then summon it in range 2 of that
Abilities character.

SPINNING TOP
CAVALIERE
1 action
1 action, Attack
Gamble
+1 boon
A blur of cape, a flash of color, the gleaming of
It is not enough to rudely and plainly strike your
blades.
foe down. One must make it entertaining.
Effect: Gamble, then dash that many spaces +2
Effect: Dash 3, then dash 1 space to the side of
in a whirling dance.
your movement. This movement ignores all
• You must move as far as possible before an
movement penalties and has phasing. However:
obstruction causes you to stop
• You must move if able
• You must make all movement in the same
• You must move as far as possible
direction.
• You cannot move diagonally during this
• You cannot move diagonally using this
movement.
movement
Attack: On hit: [D]+fray. Miss: fray.
• However, you can interrupt spinning top with
Effect: Foe is dazed.
any number of other abilities without causing
Finishing Blow or Slay: Summon a bomb
the movement to end.
Effect: If you move the maximum distance rolled
Talents by Spinning top, gain evasion until the start of
I. If you pass through an ally or summon during your next turn.
this movement, deal bonus damage
II. Allies you pass through during this movement
Talents:
can dash 1.
I. You can always choose to dash 3 spaces with
spinning top after seeing your gamble result.
Mastery: PEGASO II. Charge: Spinning top becomes fly instead.
After Cavaliere resolves, you may fly 4.
Mastery: VORTICE DI FOLLIA
CARNEVALE If you triggered a slay effect during your turn
1 action before using spinning top, it becomes a free
Summon action.

Get the party started. DEATH

2 actions, Attack, Line 6
Summon: Summon two bombs in range 2. You
Unerring
may dash 1 after summoning each bomb.
Effect: If you end your turn without attacking,
A shard of Divine Death, summoned with a snap
you can then immediately gamble to detonate all
of the finger.
bombs.
Area effect: Gamble, then count the spaces out
from you along the line. The space rolled is the
Talents: attack space.
I. Fly 1 after summoning each bomb instead. Attack: Autohit: 2[D]+fray.
Charge: Fly 2 instead. Area Effect: fray
II. You can allow any ally in range 2 to dash 1 Finishing blow or Slay: Character explodes in a
before summoning a bomb instead. large blast area effect centered on them, dealing
fray damage.
Mastery: IL CAOS, LA MIA MUSA Special Effect: Death deals 999 divine damage
When you summon a bomb with this ability, you instead to your attack target if they are at 8 hp or
may bounce it it off a character in range, dealing 2 less.

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 activated, gamble to see the effects, which stack.

Talents Then, the mine is destroyed, ending the terrain
I. If there’s a bloodied character in the area, roll effect.
1 more d6 and choose any result. • 1-3: Yourself and allies in the area fly 1. Foes
II. Slay: create a pit under your target, and take 2 damage.
summon a bomb in the pit. • 4-5: Foes are additionally blinded.
• 6: Yourself and allies also gain stealth.
Mastery: ULTIMA DEATH Finishing Blow: Foes take 2 damage, twice.
Increase death’s threshold to 16 hp or less.
Talents:
GALLOWS HUMOR I. Increase flight on yourself to 3
II. Dazed or Blinded foes activate the Finishing
1 action
Blow effect.
Stance, Power die

The power of Divine Death flows through you, Mastery: AMICO

empowering your strikes. You can throw the party favor at any character in
Stance: Set out a d6 power die, starting at 1. range instead, making it a mark. You can gamble
While in this stance: at the end of any turn after yours to detonate it,
• When this stance refreshes, or when you or an ending the mark and effect.
ally anywhere misses or is missed by an attack,
tick the die up by 1. Chapter 2
• When the die is at maximum, you may reset it to
1 when you or an ally uses an ability to empower
it. The ability deals bonus damage and triggers
MASQUERADE
Interrupt 1
any slay effects, hit or miss.
Refresh: This stance refreshes at the start of
The Fool knows how to move unseen, slipping
your turn.
through shifting faces and voices like a fish
through water.
Talents:
Trigger: An character uses an ability against you,
I. Gallows humor instantly ticks up to maximum and there’s a willing ally in range 3
if an ally is defeated anywhere. Effect: Swap places with your ally, teleporting
II. The empowered ability gains effect: deal 4 both of you, and the ability targets your ally
damage again to any target at 25% hp or instead. If you or your ally can’t make a valid
lower. teleport, this interrupt can’t be made.

Mastery: MAESTRIA MORTALE Talents:

While in this stance, all your abilities with an I. If you haven't acted yet this round, gain
action cost of 1 or 2 gain slay: all allies may dash evasion after swapping until the end of your
1, then foes adjacent to at least one ally that next turn.
dashed this way take 2 damage. II. Fly 1, then summon a bomb after swapping

PARTY FAVOR Mastery: HALL OF MIRRORS

1 action Masquerade has no maximum range.
Terrain effect

The Fool’s arsenal is deep, their mirth infinite,

DIABLO
1 action, Attack, Range 3, Small Blast
and their ability to turn nearly anything into an
+1 boon, Unerring
explosive is legendary..
Terrain effect: You throw an explosive mine
A snap of the finger summons the fool’s cross, the
into a free space in range 3. When any character
mark of the Laughing God, writ in hellish flames.
enters the space, the mine explodes with a
medium blast area effect centered on it. When

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 Special: The attack space of this ability is your Talents:

choice of one of the four edge spaces of the blast. I. This dash gains phasing and ignores
Attack: On hit: [D]. Miss: 1 damage. movement penalties from terrain
Effect: Attack target is blinded. II. Before and after the dash, fly 1.
Area Effect: Deal 2 damage, once, to all foes in
the area for every foe or ally in end spaces of the Mastery: REVOLUTION
cross, including the attack space. You can take this interrupt three times a round.
Finishing Blow or Slay: Cross counts as having The second time you use it, the dash becomes just
+1 foe in an end space. 2 spaces, and the third time just 1 space.

Talents:
I. If you catch 2 or more foes or allies in the end
spaces of the cross, summon a bomb in the
center space if it is free.
II. Allies in the area can fly 1. Charge: Allies in
the area can fly 3.

Mastery: HELL FESTIVAL

You can also choose to end your turn, mark out
the area effect and gain delay: You must take a
slow turn next round. At the start of that turn, the
area explodes again, dealing [D] damage to all
characters within as an area effect, and
summoning a bomb adjacent to each foe in the
area.

Chapter 3
Death’s Apprentice: You can hold on to 2
stacked dice at once.

CHRONOTEMPER
1 action
Mark, Power die

Laugh at time itself.

Mark: Mark self or an ally in range 2. While

marked, that character can use the following
interrupt:

Cheat Time
Interrupt 1.
Trigger: The start or end of any turn other
than yours
Effect: Gamble, then the marked character
dashes a number of spaces equal to the
gamble result, 1 space at a time. Each time
they finish a dash, they may deal 2 damage to
an adjacent foe, but cannot damage the same
foe more than once in the same turn.

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 Freelancer
Divine Punisher

Freelancers are free-roaming exorcists and hired guns, roaming the land and fighting blights, demons
and bandits in the name of justice. They tend to act as wild cards: highly independent, highly effective,
and sticking to their codes of honor.

Freelancers have their history in an ancient disgraced knightly order from one of the Seven Families of
the Thrynn. They each wield a bright metal six gun, a bow, or a long rifle with extreme skill, the bullets,
shot, or arrows of which they infuse with raw Aether drawn from their very souls. Each weapon is a
relic passed down from master to student over the years, and can only be won in a duel with another

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 freelancer. The freelancer’s ultimate weapon is the Astral Chain, a holy gauntlet which they use to purge
and bind demons and rogue spirits into their service as Seraphim.

that placed the mark is defeated, or under other

PLAYSTYLE listed conditions.
• Rebound - An ability that is rebounded can be
Freelancers are expert tempo fighters that prefer bounced off a character in range. The ability has
to fight around a certain range band and save no effect, but is instead redirected from that
their power for certain turns (the number 3 will be character’s space as the origin space, taking into
your friend). account cover, line of sight, and other similar
effects from their space. Any effects that apply
Attacking characters at exactly range 3 allows to the original user of the ability still apply to
freelancers and their bound seraph to lay down them (such as sacrificing hp, or moving).
withering punishment. To aid in this task, Rebound does not stack.
freelancers have a number of repositioning tools
for foes and allies, including Astral Binding, which
allows them to stack multiple marks and nudge
those marked characters around the battlefield to
get them into range.

Freelancers have numerous exceed effects and

automatically trigger these effects on round 3 and
6, allowing them to have explosive turns.

Freelancer’s limit break, Paradiso, creates a very

potent aura that powers up all abilities used by
you and allies, but can be turned off if foes get too
close.

Relevant Rules
• Exceed: A triggered effect that takes place on a
total attack roll of 15+.
• Aura X: This ability is a continuous, ongoing
effect that affects all characters specified within
range X of an origin point, usually a character.
Characters are only affected by an aura while
inside
• Cover - If a character has cover from an ability
with, it halves all damage from that ability.
• Flying - A flying character ignores terrain
damage and movement penalties, height
movement penalties, obstruction, and
engagement.
• Mark - Places a mark, an ongoing effect, on a
specific character. Each ability can only place
one mark at a time, and a character can mark
another character with one mark at a time. If
you place a new mark on a character with a
mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard. Marks end when the character

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 there is free space to place all characters

Traits teleported inside the area when it is moved.
Bound Spirit: At the start of combat, you may
place your sera