TEXT: Vagabonds
  Dyfed
  of
  
  Vagabonds
  Dyfed
  of
  
  Writing: Ben Dutter 
  Design: Ben and Jessica Dutter 
  Art: Dean Spencer and Per Folmer 
  Editing: Joshua Yearsley 
  Layout: Evan Rowland 
   
  Inspired by and based on games by John Harper, 
  Amít Moshe, Vincent and Meg Baker, Gary 
  Gygax, Dave Arneson, and Tom Moldvay
  © Sigil Stone Publishing 2018 
   
  Vagabonds of Dyfed is Powered by the Apocalypse, 
  and its design was heavily informed by  
  Apocalypse World and World of Dungeons 
   
  Playtesting and contributors: Maria 
  Rivera, Michael Prescott, Charles Gatz, 
  Richard Ruane, Patrick, Alex Scheibe, Wayne 
  McEachren, Mischa Krilov, Jason D’Angelo
  
  IV
  Contents
  Contents
  Basics 
  1
  What is this   2
  In a nutshell   3
  Principles   4
  Challenge and  
  ImpartIalIty   4
  ImpaCt and IngenuIty   5
  meanIngful ChoICes   6
  Core Mechanic   7
  Roll Result   7
  Character Creation 8
  Character Creation   9
  Traits   12
  Approach to conflict   12
  Goal, cause, or ethos   12
  Gimmick or  
  memorable quality   13
  Background,  
  who you used to be   13
  Foreground,  
  who you are now   14
  Weakness   14
  
  V
  Lineages   15
  Human   15
  Elf   15
  Dwarf   16
  Beastkin   16
  Smallfolk   17
  techniques   18
  adept   18
  Distill Azoth:    18
  Hand of Force:    19
  Illuminate:    19
  Inaudible Whisper:    19
  Legerdemain:    19
  Transfer Heat:    20
  arCanIst   20
  armorborn   20
  assassInate   20
  beastspeak   21
  better safe than sorry   21
  bottomless lungs   21
  Control VegetatIon   22
  Cure   22
  Cutpurse   22
  deVoted   23
  Augury:    23
  Bolster:    23
  Cleanse:    24
  Holy Ward:    24
  Invigorate:    24
  Restore:    24
  Contents
  
  VI
  ear to the ground   24
  eyeball It   25
  faVored enemy   25
  faVored enVIronment   25
  faVored taCtIC   25
  faVored Weapon   26
  frothy rage   26
  healIng touCh   26
  hellrIft   26
  Inner Compass   27
  Iron stomaCh   27
  Jellybones   28
  last Word   28
  lIght sleeper   29
  lInguIst   29
  magICal healIng   29
  mIghty leap   29
  nose for eVIl   30
  oathbound   30
  Contents
  
  VII
  pathfInder   30
  praCtICed shadoW   31
  proVIdent guIdanCe   31
  pyromanCer   32
  sCry   32
  shadoWmeld   33
  soulsnare   33
  strong   34
  tough hIde   34
  traCker   34
  trapCunnIng   34
  undead thrall   35
  WallClImb   35
  Gameplay 
  36
  How to play   37
  roll result   38
  ImpaCt sCale and stanCe   40
  adVantage and  
  dIsadVantage   42
  ConCentratIon   43
  permIssIon   44
  engagIng WIth  
  your Core flaW   45
  Contents
  
  VIII
  Your Character 
  47
  equIpment and speed   48
  damage and hp   49
  Healing and Restoring HP   49
  Treating and  
  Removing Injury Tags   50
  gaInIng leVels   51
  Xp requIrements    52
  non-player 
   
  Characters 
  53
  enemIes and npCs   54
  hIrelIngs, horses,  
  and hounds   55
  NPC Loyalty   56
  NPC Ability   57
  Contents
  
  IX
  Combat 
  58
  surprIse   59
  InItIatIVe and turn order   60
  moVement   61
  pCs dealIng damage   62
  Critical Hits   62
  Defeating Enemies 
  Without Damage   62
  pCs takIng damage   63
  Separate Enemy Damage 
  Roll (Method 1)   63
  Enemy Damage Determined 
  by PC Roll (Method 2)   64
  stanCe, rIsk, and damage   65
  armor and damage   66
  Outside of 
  adventure 
  67
  doWntIme sCenes   68
  soCIal sCenes   69
  travel and 
  dungeoneering 
  70
  travel and 
  dungeoneering   71
  Contents
  
  X
  potentIal traVel  
  turn CalamItIes    72
  Weather and hazards   73
  Weather as an Obstacle   74
  Weather as Enemies   75
  Special Rules for Weather   76
  preparatIon and plannIng   77
  The Planning Roll   78
  The Preparation Roll   80
  traps   81
  deCays: hunger, thIrst, 
  dIsease, and poIson   82
  Hunger and Starvation   83
  Thirst and Dehydration   83
  Snake Venom  
  (Example Poison)   84
  Zombie Rot  
  (Example Disease)   84
  Zombie Rot effect    85
  oVerland traVel   86
  Contents
  
  XI
  Magic   87
  Magic from Techniques   88
  Magical Items   88
  Elvish Magic   88
  Divine Intervention or  
  Magical Bestowment   89
  Magic from Traits or  
  Other Sources   89
  azoth:  
  dIstIlled magIC   90
  Finding Azoth   90
  Azoth’s Uses   91
  Azoth in Spells and Rituals   91
  Azoth Augmentations   92
  Azoth Rejection Mutation   92
  Equipment 
  93
  Adventuring  
  Gear and Tools   94
  Examples of Weapon Tags   95
  Examples of Equipment   97
  Currency Conversion   100
  Making Enemies 
  102
  speed   103
  hp   104
  damage modIfIer   104
  armor   105
  traIt tags   105
  Contents
  
  XII
  abIlItIes   106
  Alter environment:    106
  Breath / Blast / Gas:    106
  Charge:    107
  Critical weakness:    107
  Disarm:   107
  Drain:    107
  Gargantuan:    107
  Hit and run:    108
  Immune to [type]:    108
  Invisible:    108
  Knockback:    108
  Morph:    109
  Multiattack N:    109
  Paralysis:    109
  Pin:    110
  Poison:    110
  Reaction attack:    110
  Reaction movement:    110
  Resistant to [type]:    110
  Special movement:    110
  Stun:    111
  Swallow:    111
  Swarm:    111
  Trip:    111
  converting enemies   112
  Record HP as is.    112
  Ignore to-hit bonus.    112
  Roll damage as listed.    113
  To convert descending AC:   113
  To convert ascending AC:   113
  Note saving throws.    114
  Note special abilities  
  or resistances.   115
  Contents
  
  XIII
  example enemies   116
  Acolyte   116
  Amorgobbler   116
  Bandit   117
  Bear   117
  Beetle, Giant   117
  Berserker   118
  Bugbear   118
  Cat, Great   118
  Doppelganger   119
  Dire Ants   119
  Digestive Jelly   119
  Dragons   120
  Ghoul   121
  Giant   121
  Gnoll   121
  Contents
  
  XIV
  Goblin   122
  Hydra   122
  Lizardkin   123
  Lycanthrope  
  (Werewolf, etc.)   124
  Medium   124
  Medusa   125
  Minotaur   125
  Orc   126
  Pixie   126
  Scavengipede   126
  Soldier   127
  Spider, Giant   128
  Shrieker Shroom   128
  Wraith   129
  Zombie   129
  Character 
  archetypes 
  130
  adVenturer   132
  aVoWed   134
  mage   136
  rogue   138
  WarrIor   140
  Contents
  
  Basics
  
  2
  Basics
  ◊ PbtA/WoDu 
  inspired
  ◊ 2d6 + mod
  ◊ Gradient successes
  ◊ One core “move”
  ◊ Sum of freeform 
  traits instead of 
  attributes
  ◊ Supplemental 
  moves as 
  “techniques”
  Vagabonds of Dyfed is an extensive hack of 
  several Powered by the Apocalypse games 
  — namely John Harper’s World of Dungeons 
  and Blades in the Dark mixed in with a dash 
  of some others (especially City of Mist) — 
  with the aim of being compatible with OSR 
  systems, modules, and supplements.  
  What is this
  
  3
  Basics
  In a nutshell
  I took my favorite parts of lots of other games 
  — some small and some large, some old and 
  some bleeding edge new — and kludged and 
  cobbled and sewed them together into a game 
  my friends and I enjoy playing. 
  The core mechanic is the same from World of 
  Dungeons and many other PbtA games (sum 
  2d6 + mod). There’s only a single basic “move” 
  with the familiar split between failure, 
  complication, and success. There aren’t any 
  playbooks. Characters are built off of a series 
  of free-form descriptors and mechanically-
  defined widgets.
  It’s quick and dirty. But it works with old-
  school B/X, OSRIC, and a bunch of other stuff 
  I had in my book case without offending my 
  story gamer sensibilities.
  
  4
  Basics
  Challenge and 
  Impartiality
  This game is as much, if not more so, about 
  challenging the players as it is about creating 
  a shared story. Rather than collaborating 
  to tell an interesting tale, you’re inhabiting 
  the minds of characters who believe their 
  world to be very real; that world behaves 
  with internal consistency, some measure of 
  predictability, and the cold hard impartiality 
  of our own reality. 
  It’s brutally fair, even to a fault. This means 
  that the world exists whether or not the 
  player characters ever show up; factions rise 
  and quarrel and wither; ecosystems evolve 
  and creatures feast upon each other; player 
  characters die from the unlucky roll of the 
  dice. Such is the cold hand of fate. 
  The world and its antagonists don’t exist 
  solely to challenge the player characters. They 
  don’t scale to match PC interests nor do they 
  exist as some form of “balanced encounter.” 
  If the star characters wander into a dungeon 
  or swamp with creatures far more powerful 
  than they can survive — so be it. 
  All of this is to say that GMs should treat the 
  world like a carefully cultivated ant farm, 
  only to introduce a cadre of termites in their 
  midst and shake the hell out of the box. The 
  characters should fear the danger, as it is real. 
  But they should also respect the internal logic 
  (and chaos) of the world; it may be cruel but it 
  is absolutely, inexorably fair.
  Principles
  
  5
  Basics
  Impact and 
  Ingenuity
  As the proverbial agitators in the world, 
  the PCs want to feel their impact. Things 
  should naturally and rapidly escalate. 
  The characters’ slaying of the corrupt 
  necromancer should leave a power vacuum 
  that is filled by some other foul thing. In turn, 
  that leaves a gap somewhere else; on and on 
  it goes. 
  Likewise, the more clever and ingenious 
  the players’ ideas are (embodied through 
  the personalities and approaches of their 
  characters) the more a GM should reward 
  this type of behavior. The players don’t want 
  to be arbitrarily bested at every opportunity, 
  outmaneuvered and out-strategized by their 
  enemy simply because the GM’s out-of-
  universe knowledge unfairly benefited  
  the NPCs. 
  No, the GM-run characters in the world are 
  just the same as the player-run characters. 
  They’re limited by their in-world knowledge 
  and can absolutely be outsmarted by the 
  PCs. A common saying is that games such as 
  Vagabonds treat combat as war rather than 
  as sport. The challenge and threat of an 
  adversary can only be consistently overcome 
  if every tactic — no matter how vicious or 
  apathetic — is deployed. 
  There are always layers that can be pulled 
  back; a bigger fish; a more powerful sorcerer; 
  a crueller lieutenant waiting in the wings of 
  every mercenary company; an even more 
  insatiably greedy prince lurking in the 
  shadows of every throne.
  
  6
  Basics
  Meaningful 
  Choices
  The player character’s decisions — their 
  players’ choices — are all that really drive the 
  “story” of this game. There is no metaplot, no 
  three act structure, no pending climax or deus 
  ex machina. There is a simple input-output of 
  choice-action-reaction-choice. 
  To ensure that these choices are meaningful 
  and significant demands complex and 
  interesting situations. No “right” option 
  or single solution — everything comes at 
  the expense of something else, everything 
  requires sanding down the layers, nothing is 
  for certain. Good people can exhibit evil and 
  cruelty, just as despots can display great acts 
  of kindness or malevolent sorcerers can weep 
  honest tears of sorrow. 
  Likewise, how the characters solve a 
  particular problem or approach a situation is 
  just (if not more so) important than the details 
  of the scene itself. They want to feel clever, 
  they want to win. And a hard-fought, bloody 
  victory is all the sweeter and more valuable if 
  it is earned rather than given. 
  In order for them to make those choices, the 
  players have to know — have to understand 
  — the world. It has to be revealed to them as 
  inhabitants of that universe; fill their senses 
  with meaningful details, realistic and ugly 
  truths. Let them immerse.    
  
  7
  Basics
  When you attempt an action that’s difficult, 
  relevant, and may cause an unwanted 
  outcome, roll 2d6 and add your aptitude, the 
  sum of relevant positive and negative tags 
  (max +3, min -3). Tags are discussed more in 
  Character Creation (page 8).
  ◊  You and the GM work out which 
  tags are relevant.
  ◊  Helpful tags give +1 aptitude each.
  ◊  Harmful tags give -1 aptitude each.
  You can only roll once per action until 
  circumstances change.
  roll result
  ◊  6 or less is a miss (things get worse 
  or turn out bad).
  ◊  7 to 9 is a partial success (some good 
  with a complication).
  ◊  10 to 12 is a complete success (you 
  do it without issue).
  ◊  13 or more is a critical success (you 
  do it with an added benefit).
  More comprehensive gameplay rules are 
  covered in Gameplay (page 36).
  Core 
  Mechanic
  
  Character
  Creation
  
  9
  Character Creation
  1. Define your character concept.
  2. Write a short phrase for each of the 
  following trait tags.
  a. Your approach to conflict
  b. Your goal, driven by a cause or 
  ethos
  c. Your gimmick—a unique and 
  memorable trait
  d. Your background—what you 
  used to do or be
  e. Your foreground—what you 
  are, do, or have skill in
  f. Your weakness—a gap in your 
  abilities
  These will affect your aptitude on 
  various rolls, described more in 
  How to Play (page 37).
  3. Write at least a short phrase for 
  your core flaw: a lie about the 
  world that you believe; a fear that 
  you can’t get over; a selfishness or 
  vice that you can’t ignore or resist.
  4. Pick one technique: a knack 
  or special advantage. A list of 
  techniques is on page 18.
  Character 
  Creation
  
  10
  Character Creation
  5. Pick one lineage, a species, 
  bloodline, or background that 
  affects your body and culture. A list 
  of lineages is on page 15. 
  6. You start with 8 HP and gain +4 HP 
  per level. If one of your trait tags 
  shows you’re especially tough or 
  lucky, the GM can grant you +1 HP. 
  
  11
  Character Creation
  Creating Shorjahl
  Concept: a traveling mage with a 
  penchant for fire. Has a past that 
  they’re ashamed of. Seeks attunement 
  and knowledge in nature and “raw” 
  power.
  Trait tags:
  Approach: a slow, logical boil until a 
  burst of wrath
  Goal: to undo my profane magic, learn 
  natural magic
  Gimmick: a bit of a pyromaniac, smells 
  like smoke
  Background: apprentice of a powerful 
  necromancer 
  Foreground: a wandering pyromancer
  Weakness: a terrible temper
  Core flaw: I seek to understand the 
  world and magic through immersing 
  in “raw” and “natural” magic, and 
  doing so will cleanse my former 
  involvement with the profane and foul 
  and unnatural.
  Technique: Pyromancer
  Lineage: human
  HP: 10 (8 + 2 from human)
   
  
  12
  Character Creation
  Characters are essentially the sum of their 
  traits. Trait tags make up the character’s 
  description, purpose, role, and approach, and 
  will affect how likely they are to succeed at a 
  given task. Below is a list of common trait tags 
  sorted by category.
  approaCh to ConflICt
  ◊  Aggressive
  ◊  Violent
  ◊  Direct
  ◊  Patient
  ◊  Calm
  ◊  Cautious
  ◊  Deceptive
  ◊  Guileful
  ◊  Stealthy
  ◊  Prepared
  ◊  Pragmatic
  ◊  Measured
  ◊  Diplomatic
  ◊  Manipulative
  ◊  Pensive
  goal, Cause, or ethos
  ◊  Honorbound
  ◊  Family first
  ◊  Obey the law
  ◊  Chaos is natural
  ◊  Might is right
  ◊  Liberty for all
  ◊  Knowledge  
  is power
  ◊  37 Treatises  
  of Wisdom
  ◊  To overthrow  
  the emperor
  ◊  Money controls 
  everything
  ◊  Live life to  
  the fullest
  ◊  Vengeance
  ◊  Restore peace
  ◊  Kill all goblins
  ◊  Find the Truth
  Traits
  
  13
  Character Creation
  gImmICk or  
  memorable qualIty
  ◊  Flips a coin to  
  kill or release 
  ◊  Always smells  
  of smoke
  ◊  Collects strange 
  widgets
  ◊  Multifaceted eyes
  ◊  Tattoos of slain foes
  ◊  Quick to argue  
  and contest
  ◊  Lists all their titles
  ◊  Cuts their arm 
  before combat
  ◊  Everything is a joke
  ◊  Demonic features
  ◊  Slightly magnetic 
  skin, hair
  ◊  Flirtatious with all
  ◊  Devotion to logic
  ◊  Has to be in charge
  ◊  Speaks in rhymes
  baCkground,  
  Who you used to be
  ◊  Born a slave
  ◊  Career soldier
  ◊  Acolyte of Hynam
  ◊  Merchant sailor
  ◊  Blacksmith
  ◊  Court jester
  ◊  Royal Guard
  ◊  High Councilor
  ◊  Guildmaster
  ◊  Trained as assassin
  ◊  Baron of Venmotte
  ◊  Street vagrant
  ◊  Heir to vast fortune
  ◊  Dishonored monk
  ◊  Nomadic hunter
  
  14
  Character Creation
  foreground,  
  Who you are noW
  ◊  Bounty hunter
  ◊  Protector of Rhys
  ◊  Dragonslayer
  ◊  Pyromancer
  ◊  Arcanist
  ◊  Thieves’ Guildster
  ◊  Mercenary
  ◊  Ordained warrior
  ◊  Hospitaller
  ◊  Champion of Ghor
  ◊  Fabled gladiator
  ◊  Artifact hunter
  ◊  Visceralist
  ◊  Commander of the 
  Iron Legion
  ◊  Boundary warden
  Weakness
  ◊  Irrational temper
  ◊  Poor eyesight
  ◊  Claustrophobic
  ◊  Gullible
  ◊  Closed-minded
  ◊  Afraid of  
  the dark
  ◊  Naive
  ◊  Ugly
  ◊  Poor fortitude
  ◊  Overconfident
  ◊  Dreadfully boring
  ◊  Weak-willed
  ◊  Hedonist
  ◊  Weak to the sun
  ◊  Clumsy
  
  15
  Character Creation
  Lineages will vary greatly from game to game 
  in Vagabonds, and can easily be left out without 
  affecting play. Lineages can also be used as a 
  relevant tag in some instances, but this isn’t 
  recommended unless extremely relevant. 
  human
  ◊  Gain +2 HP at creation.
  ◊  Gain +1 XP when you take an injury 
  tag.
  ◊  Gain +1 bonus XP when you Train 
  during a downtime scene.
  ◊  Gain +1 bonus XP when you 
  Succumb during a downtime scene.
  ◊  When doing something creative or 
  innovative, you get a critical success 
  on a 12+ (instead of 13+).
  elf
  ◊  You have permission to attempt 
  otherwise impossible tasks to 
  remember esoteric facts or specific 
  information, or to solve puzzles.
  ◊  You have permission to attempt to 
  use arcane magic even without the 
  proper training or implements.
  ◊  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting something in a painfully 
  patient or cautious way (e.g., when 
  in the low-risk stance).
  ◊  Deal +1 damage with bows and 
  magic.
  Lineages
  
  16
  Character Creation
  dWarf
  ◊  Select a chosen craft or art form—
  you never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting to execute this craft. 
  ◊  When attempting something in an 
  obstinate, stubborn, and direct way, 
  you get a critical success on a 12+ 
  (instead of 13+).
  ◊  You can see thrice as far as a human 
  in dark or dim light.
  ◊  You are immune to most minor 
  poisons and toxins.
  beastkIn
  ◊  Select a creature or order of 
  creatures (feathered, furred, scaled, 
  tentacled)—you resemble this 
  creature, whether through magic or 
  natural hybridization.
  ◊  Gain +1 speed, and gain another 
  +2 speed when operating in terrain 
  that is native and endemic to your 
  bloodline.
  ◊  Treat your unarmed attacks as 
  light weapons, capable of rending, 
  cutting, and stabbing far greater 
  than a human can.
  ◊  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) at 
  actions directly related to your 
  bloodline (wolves at hunting, 
  chameleons at hiding, etc.).
  
  17
  Character Creation
  smallfolk
  ◊  You’re little—you can always 
  squeeze into tight spaces, escape 
  from most bonds, slip through bars, 
  etc.
  ◊  When attempting an action that is 
  selfless and brave, you get a critical 
  success on a 12+ (instead of 13+).
  ◊  Deal +2 damage to creatures that 
  are larger than you.
  ◊  You have permission to attempt 
  impossible tasks when determining 
  the “correct” route, even in 
  unfamiliar territory.
  
  18
  Character Creation
  Every character starts with one technique, 
  and gains one new technique per level. 
  The technique selected must have been 
  reasonably acquired—through learning, 
  providence, infestation, or magic.
  Adept
  When you take this technique, pick spells 
  from the list below equal in number to your 
  level. Each time you gain a level, pick another 
  spell. You don’t need to roll to cast one, but 
  you can use them as part of a roll. 
  dIstIll azoth: 
  Through magical concentration and 
  meditation, you can convert items of 
  value into pure azoth, a crystalline 
  metal of iridescent aesthetic and 
  magical power. Precious metals, gems, 
  and other magical items can be distilled 
  in this way (converting roughly 50sp of 
  value into one use of azoth per hour). 
  techniques
  
  19
  Character Creation
  hand of forCe: 
  You can mentally project a weak 
  telekinetic force within close range. 
  This force subtly distorts the air and 
  vision around it, and makes a very 
  quiet reverberation. It can lift or 
  manipulate things that you reasonably 
  could with the strength of your hand. 
  Doing this requires your concentration 
  and attention.
  IllumInate: 
  You can cause any one small object you 
  touch to glow with dim light, roughly 
  equivalent to a lantern. It produces 
  no heat, and lasts until you lose line of 
  sight. If you illuminate another object, 
  the first object ceases to glow.
  InaudIble WhIsper: 
  You can send a very weak, terse, and 
  abstract bit of telepathy to someone 
  with whom you make eye contact or 
  otherwise create mutual awareness. 
  They do not have to speak your 
  language to understand, nor can they 
  resist this effect without magical or 
  supernatural protection.
  legerdemaIn: 
  You can perform subtle, weak, and 
  crude illusions, such as making small 
  things momentarily disappear, teleport 
  between your hands, or change 
  colors. This effect dissipates once 
  out of your line of sight or you break 
  concentration.
  
  20
  Character Creation
  transfer heat: 
  You can concentrate or manipulate 
  the flow of heat. Light or snuff a torch, 
  heat or freeze a cup of water, make 
  a brass key too hot to comfortably 
  hold, etc. This effect takes time and 
  concentration, and only works on 
  objects in close range. 
  Arcanist
  You know how to read magical runes, 
  interpret scrolls, use wands, and identify 
  sundry other magical items without issue. 
  Truly complex artifice that requires magical 
  mastery to produce still requires a roll. 
  Armorborn
  You ignore two points of speed reduction 
  from wearing armor (e.g., -3 speed becomes 
  -1 speed).
  Assassinate
  Roll to attack. On a 10+, you kill the creature, 
  as long as their current HP is less than yours 
  and the creature is unaware of your incoming 
  attack. 
  
  21
  Character Creation
  Beastspeak
  Pick one environment (jungle, forest, 
  mountain, desert, ocean, etc.) or one type of 
  creature (furred, feathered, scaled, etc.). You 
  can speak with the beasts and creatures of 
  this environment or type. 
  Better Safe 
  than Sorry
  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting to trigger, disarm, or avoid a trap. 
  However, your party may not be so lucky.
  Bottomless Lungs
  You can hold your breath, without rolling, for 
  minutes equal to five plus your level. 
  
  22
  Character Creation
  Control Vegetation
  You can use magic to command plant-life and 
  vegetation as part of another action. Roll if 
  you have specific, difficult goals. The larger 
  and more impressive the effect, the more 
  dangerous or exhausting it might be.
  Cure
  Roll to remove a disease, poison, or curse 
  from yourself or an ally. 
  ◊  On a 6-, the target suffers damage 
  equal to your aptitude.
  ◊  On a 7-9, the affliction will be cured 
  after the target’s next long rest.
  ◊  On a 10-12, the affliction will be 
  cured by the end of the scene or 
  combat.
  ◊  On a 13+, the affliction is cured 
  immediately and the target heals HP 
  equal to your aptitude.
  Cutpurse
  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting to pick a mundane or non-
  magically secured pocket, so long as your 
  target is unaware of you. 
  
  23
  Character Creation
  Devoted
  Your devotion to a certain cause, deity, or 
  existential meditation allows you to marshal 
  supernatural energy and abilities. When you 
  take this technique, pick devotions from the 
  list below equal in number to your level. Each 
  time you gain a level, pick another devotion. 
  Using a devotion does not require a roll, but 
  may be used as part of a roll to overcome a 
  challenge or complete a noteworthy action.
  augury: 
  Pray or concentrate for several 
  moments, asking the source of your 
  power a simple question (yes or no, 
  left or right, more or less, etc.). You will 
  receive an abstract sign that will lead 
  you to one answer or the other.
  bolster: 
  You speak Words and concentrate 
  upon one ally. They make their next 
  roll at advantage. You can only bolster 
  one ally at a time, and it requires your 
  concentration (preventing you from 
  taking other actions or rolls yourself). 
  
  24
  Character Creation
  Cleanse: 
  Concentrate on a desecrated or tainted 
  object. The larger the object and the 
  fouler its profanity, the longer it will 
  take to sanctify (minutes for a small 
  cursed item, hours for a town’s well, 
  days for a cursed mausoleum). This 
  affects both magical profanity and 
  mundane rot or infestation. 
  holy Ward: 
  Mark a visible circle (or another simple 
  shape) no greater than a few steps 
  across. While you concentrate at its 
  center, tiny beasts and insects cannot 
  cross this threshold. Evil creatures, 
  demons, and sentient beings will feel 
  resistance and trigger your awareness, 
  though you must roll against their 
  crossing. 
  InVIgorate: 
  Heal +1 HP to yourself or one touched 
  ally. You can only do this once per 
  target until they rest.
  restore: 
  Concentrate on a small, mundane 
  object in your hand. As you speak 
  Words, you’re able to repair, clean, or 
  mend the object back to perfect and 
  new condition.
  Ear to the Ground
  You have a friendly NPC ally or asset in every 
  urban center or stronghold nearby. As part of 
  Acquire in a downtime scene, you can meet 
  with one without rolling, as if you rolled a 7-9.
  
  25
  Character Creation
  Eyeball It
  You can always determine near-exact lengths, 
  weights, and other measures by simple 
  observation.
  Favored Enemy
  Pick one type of enemy (demon, orc, human, 
  bear, etc.). You know how this enemy 
  behaves, where it sleeps, what it eats, and you 
  have a solid idea of its combat abilities. In 
  addition, you never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting to determine the weakness of a 
  creature of that type. 
  Favored Environment
  Pick one environment or ecosystem (forest, 
  jungle, desert, mountain, coastal, urban, 
  etc.). When in this environment, you never 
  fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when attempting to find 
  rations, useful supplies, or shelter.
  Favored Tactic
  Pick a combat tactic (flanking, ambush, 
  high ground, charging, etc.), subject to GM 
  approval. When deploying this tactic in a 
  fight, you deal damage based on your highest 
  rolled d6 + aptitude.
  
  26
  Character Creation
  Favored Weapon
  Pick a weapon type. When fighting with this 
  weapon, you deal damage based on your 
  highest rolled d6 + aptitude.
  Frothy Rage
  While in the high-risk stance during a fight, 
  you get a critical success on a 12+ (instead  
  of 13+).
  Healing Touch
  Anytime you heal HP on yourself or another, 
  heal another +2 HP. (This additional healing 
  does not trigger this technique.)
  Hellrift
  You can attempt 
  to summon a 
  demon by rolling. 
  The longer the time 
  spent concocting the ritual and the greater 
  the sacrifice, the more powerful the demon 
  summoned (e.g., one hour and some blood 
  calls a weak imp, twelve hours and an 
  innocent’s soul might manifest a greater 
  fiend). The demon may obey until the end of 
  the scene or combat (or might break free).
  ◊  On a 6-, a horrifically powerful 
  demon breaches the summoning 
  circle and attacks you and  
  your allies.
  
  27
  Character Creation
  ◊  On a 7-9, an appropriate demon 
  appears, but it’s guileful, 
  disobedient, and capricious. It might 
  answer questions with riddles, 
  or require additional payment 
  before completing a task. At its first 
  opportunity, it might still attack or 
  attempt to escape your binding.
  ◊  On a 10-12, an appropriate demon 
  appears and will do your bidding 
  for a short while. It will take this as 
  hostile imprisonment and hold  
  a grudge.
  ◊  On a 13+, an appropriate demon 
  appears and will obey you out of 
  fear of your power. 
  Inner Compass
  You innately understand the cardinal 
  directions, even if blindfolded, underground, 
  lost, or otherwise non-magically disoriented.
  Iron Stomach
  You can eat anything and gain sustenance 
  from it. Yes, anything—so long as you can fit it 
  in your mouth and swallow. 
  
  28
  Character Creation
  Jellybones
  Your body and bones are soft and flexible. 
  You can squeeze yourself out of most 
  restraints, through bars, and into similarly 
  confined spaces.
  Last Word
  You can touch the head of any corpse that 
  could communicate while alive (most 
  creatures with skulls), and ask the corpse one 
  question. It will answer the question as long 
  as it relates to something that it could have 
  experienced or observed while alive or since 
  it died (e.g., what killed it, whether someone 
  passed by recently, or what danger lurks 
  ahead). After answering, the corpse crumbles 
  to dust.
  
  29
  Character Creation
  Light Sleeper
  You always become alerted to danger while 
  sleeping, so long as the approaching threat is 
  mundane or moving by natural, non-magical 
  means. 
  Linguist
  You fluently speak five languages of your 
  choice. Work with your GM to determine 
  relevant languages. You gain a new fluent 
  language per level (if reasonable).
  Magical Healing
  You can attempt to magically heal someone 
  else by rolling. 
  ◊  On a 6-, you deal damage to you or 
  your target (your choice) equal to 
  your aptitude. 
  ◊  On a 7-9, you heal damage from you 
  or your target equal to your lowest 
  d6 + aptitude, but you gain the 
  [exhausted] injury tag. 
  ◊  On a 10-12, you heal them equal to 
  your lowest d6 + aptitude. 
  ◊  On a 13+, you heal them equal to 
  your highest d6 + aptitude.
  Mighty Leap
  You can naturally jump twice as high or as far 
  as normal for your lineage. 
  
  30
  Character Creation
  Nose for Evil
  You can physically smell the vile, evil, and 
  murderous by rolling. Sometimes your nose 
  can be fooled or misdirected, though. 
  Oathbound
  Roll 1d6 or select (PC or GM choice) from one 
  of these oaths:
  1. Integrity: avoid lies and 
  dishonorable conduct 
  2. Devotion: dedicate yourself to your 
  faith and principles
  3. Restraint: forgo hedonism, gluttony, 
  and alcohol
  4. Selflessness: sacrifice your personal 
  desire or gain for others
  5. Sympathy: comfort those in need, 
  give benefit of the doubt
  6. Valor: protect the innocent, destroy 
  the wicked
  While observing your oath, you don’t need to 
  eat, gain +1 armor with no penalty to speed, 
  and deal +1 damage on attacks.
  Pathfinder
  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting to find a trail or path, no matter 
  how small or overgrown. 
  
  31
  Character Creation
  Practiced Shadow
  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) when 
  attempting to hide or move with stealth 
  against non-magical creatures of similar 
  sensory ability to humans.
  Provident Guidance
  Concentrate as part of a ritual for at least 
  one hour, whether you’re devoting yourself 
  to your deity, listening to the cosmos, or 
  achieving enlightenment through meditation. 
  You must sacrifice something of significant 
  value to you. After such sacrifice and ritual, 
  you can ask your deity (or whatever) one 
  question. The GM answers your question in a 
  helpful and directional way.
  
  32
  Character Creation
  Pyromancer
  You can spark small flames and subtly 
  manipulate fire without rolling. Roll if you’re 
  using fire magic to significantly affect the 
  scene. 
  ◊  On a 6-, you fail to control the 
  flames, potentially causing collateral 
  damage to allies, structures, or 
  yourself. You also lose permission to 
  attempt pyromancy until you take a 
  long rest. 
  ◊  On a 7-9, you produce the fire as 
  intended, but it is just barely out 
  of your control, causing minor 
  collateral damage.
  ◊  On a 10-12, you produce the fire 
  without issue.
  ◊  On a 13+, you produce the fire, but 
  do it easily and fiercely. Any damage 
  dealt is doubled as normal for a 
  critical hit. 
  Scry
  You can attempt to produce visions of distant 
  places, people, or times by rolling. Such spells 
  require a one-hour ritual; a reflective surface, 
  crystal, or intense flame; and one dose of 
  azoth (a luminous liquid most magical in 
  nature, commonly used in alchemy). 
  ◊  On a 6-, you lose yourself to the 
  omens and visions, burning up 
  your components and taking the 
  [delirious] injury tag until someone 
  can calm you down.
  
  33
  Character Creation
  ◊  On a 7-9, you just barely direct your 
  visions. Ask the GM one specific 
  question about the sight you seek. 
  They may answer in vague and 
  abstract ways. 
  ◊  On a 10-12, you can direct your 
  vision. Ask the GM two questions 
  about the subject of your scrying. 
  Their answers might be enigmatic, 
  but are helpful and directional.
  ◊  On a 13+, you can easily locate your 
  envisioned target. Ask the GM three 
  questions, and their answers must 
  be clear and direct.
  Shadowmeld
  You can roll to fold into and teleport between 
  shadows that have line of sight to each other 
  and are within 30 feet. When melded with 
  a shadow, you cannot be harmed or affect 
  the physical world at all, such as making an 
  attack. Any major change to the shadow (such 
  as shining a light upon it) promptly expels 
  you from it. 
  Soulsnare
  During or promptly after a battle, if you 
  concentrate in still prayer or meditation for a 
  minimum of ten minutes, you can attempt to 
  raise the dead by rolling. 
  ◊  On a 6-, you revive one enemy of the 
  GM’s choice, likely either at full HP 
  or as a mindless undead.
  ◊  On a 7-9, you revive a killed ally and 
  an enemy (neither your choice) with 
  1 HP. 
  
  34
  Character Creation
  ◊  On a 10-12, you revive one killed 
  NPC of your choice with 1 HP. 
  ◊  On a 13+, you revive one killed NPC 
  of your choice with full HP. 
  Strong
  You can lift up to 500 pounds and push up to 
  1000 pounds of dead weight without rolling 
  or expending any significant effort. This is 
  useful both in and out of combat, but doesn’t 
  work against most combatants or mobile 
  objects that can resist your focus and thews, 
  and doesn’t add to your damage.
  Tough Hide
  You can ignore the detriments of inclement 
  weather, heat, rain, or snow up to reasonable 
  levels—magical blizzards and the flaming pits 
  of hell still require protection. 
  Tracker
  You never fail (treat 6- as 7-9) 
  when attempting to locate 
  non-magically hidden tracks, 
  be they from beast or man.
  Trapcunning
  You have a great nose for where traps are 
  likely to be and how they might be  
  triggered. The GM will always prompt you to 
  roll to notice a trap nearby, as you get a “funny 
  feeling.”
  
  35
  Character Creation
  Undead Thrall
  You can attempt to raise an undead thrall by 
  rolling. The more powerful the corpse raised, 
  the more time and concentration this spell 
  requires (e.g., one minute to raise a weak 
  zombie of a fresh goblin corpse, or an hour 
  to take full command of a slain ogre). You can 
  only have one thrall at a time. 
  ◊  On a 6-, you fail to raise the corpse 
  and gain the [horrified] injury tag.
  ◊  On a 7-9, you raise the thrall but 
  have weak command over it. It will 
  vaguely follow your orders until the 
  end of the scene or combat.
  ◊  On a 10-12, you raise the thrall and 
  have strong control over it. You 
  can give it commands or use it as 
  a weapon, which it will attempt to 
  follow to the best of its ability until 
  the end of the scene or combat.
  ◊  On a 13+, as a 10-12 but you retain 
  control over it until you break line 
  of sight or dismiss it.  
  Wallclimb
  You can walk or run on walls and ceilings as 
  if they were the ground, rolling as normal. 
  Doing this outside of a tense or dangerous 
  situation doesn’t require a roll, but still takes 
  a moment. 
  
  Gameplay
  
  37
  Gameplay
  When you attempt an action that’s difficult, 
  relevant, and may cause an unwanted 
  outcome, roll 2d6 and add your aptitude, the 
  sum of relevant positive and negative tags 
  (max +3, min -3).
  ◊  You and the GM work out which 
  tags are relevant.
  ◊  Helpful tags give +1 aptitude each.
  ◊  Harmful tags give -1 aptitude each.
  You can only roll once per action until 
  circumstances change.
  How to play
  
  38
  Gameplay
  Roll Result
  ◊  6 or less is a miss (things get worse 
  or turn out bad).
  ◊  7 to 9 is a partial success (some good 
  with a complication).
  ◊  10 to 12 is a complete success (you 
  do it without issue).
  ◊  13 or more is a critical success (you 
  do it with an added benefit).
  Shorjahl is attempting to use magic 
  to burn down a fortification. The GM 
  calls for a roll. Shorjahl’s been fighting 
  this group of traitorous soldiers long 
  and hard, and is getting angry. Their 
  relevant trait tags are their weakness 
  (-1) [terrible temper], background (+1) 
  [necromancer’s apprentice], foreground 
  (+1) [pyromancer], and gimmick (+1)  
  [loves fire]. So that’s an aptitude of +2.
  Shorjahl rolls and gets an 11, complete 
  success. The fort is set ablaze as the 
  pyromancer contorts their flames 
  around it until it is little more than 
  charcoal.
  
  39
  Gameplay
  UNDER THE  
  HOOD: TAGS
  Vagabonds is designed to simplify 
  and unify the mechanics of PbtA 
  games and OSR games. Basically 
  anything can be treated as a tag, 
  which acts as a mechanical and 
  narrative modifier. Rolls should 
  never get modified by more than -3 
  or +3 aptitude, since that’s about the 
  limit of what makes sense on a  
  2d6 roll.
  If things are really severe, the 
  GM can just say that something is 
  impossible or happens without a 
  roll. If you’re not sure how to handle 
  something, the game is designed to 
  revert to its simplest engine: roll 
  2d6, add some tags, and interpret the 
  results based on the normal split of 
  6-, 7-9, 10-12, and 13+. 
  The GM (and even the players) 
  can sorta eyeball the math for tags 
  and aptitude; it’s easy for the GM 
  to just say, “You’ve got -2 aptitude 
  and advantage because of XYZ 
  circumstances.” Don’t get too hung 
  up on every crunchy widget unless 
  you enjoy that type of thing, and 
  even if you do, don’t let it slow 
  down play so much that people start 
  pulling out their phones and stop 
  paying attention. 
  
  40
  Gameplay
  Impact Scale 
  and Stance
  Your character can change the degree to 
  which their actions affect the scene by 
  changing their stance—how much risk 
  they’re willing to take. You’ll default to 
  normal stance unless you choose otherwise, 
  though some situations force a particular 
  stance.
  ◊  High risk: greater benefits and 
  consequences 
  ◊  Normal: no change to benefits and 
  consequences
  ◊  Low risk: lesser benefits and 
  consequences
  
  41
  Gameplay
  Once you take a stance, you’re in that stance 
  until you take a new stance or are forced 
  into a new one. You can only take or change 
  stances when you’re acting on your turn, not 
  as part of a reaction (such as when  
  defending yourself).
  In the previous example, Shorjahl is 
  attempting to use fire magic to burn 
  down a fort filled with enemy soldiers. 
  In that example, Shorjahl took a normal 
  stance—no modification. The worst that 
  could happen (6-) might be that they get 
  surrounded by enemy soldiers, or the 
  fire spreads to a dangerous location and 
  escalates the situation.
  If instead Shorjahl chose a high-risk 
  stance, a 6- result might have meant 
  that they’re outright attacked amid 
  flaming timbers and enemy arrows. 
  However, a 13+ would produce a much 
  more powerful outcome, allowing 
  Shorjahl to more quickly and efficiently 
  destroy the building.
  Inversely, a low-risk stance might have 
  meant that Shorjahl could have at 
  best started a fire which might have 
  destroyed the fort eventually, and at 
  worst might have only caused their 
  enemies to notice the magical attack 
  and start to chase after the mage. 
  
  42
  Gameplay
  Advantage and 
  Disadvantage
  Sometimes you might have advantage, which 
  means you roll 3d6 and take the two highest 
  dice. Likewise, you might have disadvantage, 
  which means you roll 3d6 and take the two 
  lowest dice. 
  Advantage and disadvantage are granted 
  by the GM due to external factors, enemy 
  abilities, or when a PC or NPC helps or 
  hinders your action, using up their action in 
  turn. 
  Advantage and disadvantage cancel each 
  other out, so if you have equal advantages 
  and disadvantages, you roll at neither. If you 
  have more advantages than disadvantages, 
  you simply roll at advantage, and vice versa.
  If Shorjahl was trying to light the 
  traitor’s fort on fire during a terrible 
  rainstorm, they’d roll at disadvantage. 
  Instead, if the enemies were foolish 
  enough to have left their fort untreated 
  for fire and left hay bales out for 
  their horses, Shorjahl would roll at 
  advantage. If both cases were true at 
  once, they’d cancel out and Shorjahl 
  would roll as normal.
  
  43
  Gameplay
  Concentration
  Certain circumstances, such as when using 
  a technique or casting a spell, require 
  the character’s full concentration. A PC 
  can’t meaningfully act or speak while 
  concentrating, and can only concentrate 
  on one activity at a time (concentrating on 
  maintaining two distinct spell effects would 
  be impossible).
  The GM can require a PC’s concentration 
  to perform a specific task or maintain an 
  ongoing effect. The effect ends once the PC’s 
  concentration is broken, even for only a 
  moment. A character’s concentration breaks 
  if they’re hit by an attack or shaken so 
  vigorously so as to lose their line of sight to 
  the object of their concentration.
  Shorjahl must concentrate on shaping 
  and directing a twisting orb of 
  pyromancer’s fire. They want the orb 
  to burn a particular path through 
  some ruins, and must maintain focus 
  in order to do so. When a ghoul rushes 
  the mage and bites onto their ankle, the 
  pyromancer’s concentration breaks. 
  The orb of fire dissipates into a wave of 
  searing heat.
  
  44
  Gameplay
  Permission
  Certain mechanics or situations grant or 
  deny permission to attempt a particular 
  task, action, or ability. The GM can grant 
  permission based on the circumstances, 
  what your characters can achieve, and what 
  matters in the narrative. 
  Permission keeps the game grounded and 
  aligned with the group’s agreed-upon level 
  of realism and verisimilitude. Just because 
  a player shouts out that they conquer the 
  kingdom and roll a 13 doesn’t mean that they 
  do so. 
  Shorjahl’s pyromancer technique 
  gives them permission to control fire 
  through concentration and magical 
  energy—a sort of pyrokinesis or fire-
  bending. The GM could perfectly well 
  block permission of other PCs that 
  didn’t have this technique or some 
  similar widget, whether mechanical or 
  narrative. 
  At one point, Shorjahl attempts to use 
  pyromancy to melt a stone castle. The 
  GM thinks this would break the internal 
  consistency of the world and make 
  Shorjahl far too powerful of a mage. 
  The GM blocks Shorjahl’s permission to 
  attempt this—mechanically, at least. If 
  Shorjahl wants to try it and have it fail, 
  that’s fine, but their player can’t just roll 
  to “make it so.”
  
  45
  Gameplay
  Engaging with 
  Your Core Flaw
  Once per session, you or the GM can get you 
  into or out of a terrible spot by engaging with 
  your core flaw. Doing this gives you distinct 
  authorial control. While the GM can always 
  get you into trouble, doing this makes the 
  situation even more legitimate. You don’t 
  have to engage with your core flaw every 
  session (and probably shouldn’t).
  When you engage with your core flaw, the 
  GM frames a scene and you describe how 
  your character wriggles in or out of the nasty 
  situation. Your allies are likely hindered or 
  harmed, or you’ll suffer some consequences 
  down the road.
  Shorjahl’s core flaw is that they haven’t 
  faced their problem directly, and that 
  they believe their current actions will 
  atone them for their lifetime of evil and 
  grotesque magic. 
  During a session, the GM decides to 
  pull on this flaw, and frames a scene 
  in which Shorjahl comes across a 
  battleground full of corpses being 
  defiled by a necromancer’s thrall. This 
  brings up bad memories and forces 
  Shorjahl to make a choice: challenge the 
  thrall or run away in shame and fear.
  In another session, Shorjahl and their 
  party are surrounded by a cadre 
  of slavers. The pyromancer uses 
  their former master’s reputation to 
  intimidate the slavers away, preventing 
  a fight. But word will spread, and 
  Shorjahl’s former master may even hear 
  of their whereabouts.
  
  46
  Gameplay
  UNDER THE 
  HOOD: FICTIONAL 
  POSITIONING
  Following context is more important 
  than following rules. If the GM 
  thinks something is reasonable, it is. 
  If something just seems impossible 
  or obvious, it is. Just because a 
  character can roll and get a 13+ 
  doesn’t mean that they should roll. 
  All of this is to say that fictional 
  positioning—the details and 
  trappings of the scene or narrative—
  are the ultimate guideline for using 
  the rules. This is to encourage the 
  players to try to win, to overcome 
  the challenge, as intelligently and 
  carefully and deviously as possible. 
  If they come up with a particularly 
  clever way to ensnare and kill their 
  enemies, they might roll at advantage 
  or even succeed without rolling at all. 
  Likewise, if their strategy could never 
  conceivably succeed regardless of 
  their characters’ skill, then they don’t 
  need to roll. They’ll just fail, or die, or 
  get captured. 
  Caution: This can quickly devolve 
  into a “mother may I” style of 
  authoritarian GMing. This game isn’t 
  freeform roleplay; the GM is there 
  to objectively adjudicate and make 
  rulings in the spirit of verisimilitude 
  and the game’s principles. But with 
  this responsibility comes a high 
  demand for trust; misuse that trust, 
  and the game and group will  
  quickly fold.
  
  Your
  Character
  
  48
  Your Character
  Equipment 
  and Speed
  Every PC and NPC has a 
  speed, or how fast they’re able 
  to move and react. A PC’s speed 
  starts at 0, but gains +1 per level. The more 
  you carry, the slower you are. Big and bulky 
  items are especially cumbersome. The worse 
  you’re encumbered, the more negative tags 
  the GM can bestow on you.
  Loading down a limb gives you a -1 penalty to 
  speed. Armor further lowers speed equal to 
  its armor rating (3 armor is -3 speed). Those 
  with the highest speed tend to go first in a 
  fight or win in a foot race, but other factors 
  may apply (e.g., a technique). 
  When you reach -5 speed, you’re 
  encumbered and can’t move with any agility 
  or alacrity. At -7, you can’t move at all. 
  Shorjahl is level 3, so they have 3 speed 
  when completely unencumbered. Their 
  backpack gives a -1 speed penalty, 
  their light armor another -1, and their 
  assorted magical equipment another -1, 
  for a total of 0 speed. 
  When Shorjahl is firing a bow at a 
  group of goblins, their speed takes a -2 
  penalty (using two arms), bringing their 
  speed down to -2. Since the goblins’ 
  speed is 1, they would act  
  before Shorjahl. 
  Another time, Shorjahl attempts to cast 
  a spell before a demon attacks them. 
  Shorjahl’s speed is 0, while the demon’s 
  is -2, so Shorjahl’s spell fires before the 
  infernal creature can touch them. 
  
  49
  Your Character
  Damage and HP
  PCs start with 8 HP (hit points) and gain +4 HP 
  every level. Adversaries range from 1 to 50 
  HP, though exceptions may exist (see Making 
  Enemies on page 102).
  healIng and restorIng hp
  Characters naturally restore all lost HP after 
  a long rest, characterized by comfort, safety, 
  and provisions. This requires a camp or 
  stronghold free of danger or stress. A long 
  rest is not a downtime scene (page 68), though 
  it may prompt one.
  Additionally, a conscious character can 
  attempt to heal themself by rolling—on a 7+, 
  healing damage equal to the lowest d6 result 
  + aptitude. Likewise, a character can attempt 
  to heal another character, healing damage 
  equal to the highest d6 result + aptitude. A 
  character can only be healed by a given type 
  of healing (magical or non-magical) once 
  between long rests.
  Shorjahl has lost some HP and wants 
  to heal it. They roll to heal themself 
  (Shorjahl uses some magical energy 
  to invigorate themself) and get a 10 
  (complete success). The lowest d6 was 3, 
  with +2 aptitude, healing 5 HP. Shorjahl 
  can’t attempt this method of healing 
  again until they rest.
  Later, Shorjahl attempts to heal an ally 
  and rolls. Their highest d6 is a 4, with 
  +2 aptitude, healing 6 HP.
  
  50
  Your Character
  treatIng and  
  remoVIng InJury tags
  Injury tags, if left untreated for more than 
  one day, can become permanent. Some 
  injuries are immediately permanent—
  dismemberment, maiming, etc. One non-
  permanent tag can be healed per long rest, or 
  per healing roll (limited to one per long rest). 
  Magical healing is up to the nature of the 
  magic, the injury, the roll, and GM fiat. 
  Shorjahl takes enough damage to fall 
  below 0 HP. The attack was enough to 
  seriously mangle their hand, bestowing 
  the injury tag [crippled hand] upon  
  the pyromancer. 
  Any time [crippled hand] is relevant to 
  a roll, Shorjahl will suffer a -1 penalty. 
  Likewise, the GM might reason that 
  certain actions are just not possible 
  with a [crippled hand], denying  
  certain permissions. 
  Eventually, Shorjahl is able to make it 
  to Ft. Grondle and see the physician. 
  He sets their bones and bandages their 
  hand up tightly. After one day of full rest 
  in the fort, Shorjahl’s [crippled hand] 
  tag is removed. If the wizard hadn’t 
  received such care and rest, they’d have 
  to suffer continuously. If such suffering 
  lingered much longer, their hand would 
  become a [permanently crippled hand].
  
  51
  Your Character
  Gaining Levels
  Your character gains a level when they’ve 
  accumulated sufficient XP. Increase their level 
  by one, clear their XP, and gain the following:
  ◊  A new tag that encapsulates the 
  previous level’s activity
  ◊  A new technique of your 
  choice, so long as reasonably 
  learned or acquired by magic or 
  metamorphosis
  ◊  +4 HP
  ◊  +1 speed
  If you wish, you can also rewrite any of your 
  tags that no longer fit your character.
  At the end of a session, your character gains 
  XP as follows:
  ◊  Killed a meaningful enemy  
  (+1 XP to all PCs)
  ◊  Made a meaningful discovery  
  (+1 XP to all PCs)
  ◊  Approached a goal or a cause  
  (+1 XP to each PC who did)
  ◊  Downtime scenes (+1 to +3 XP 
  depending on the situation and 
  character, see Downtime Scenes  
  on page 68)
  ◊  Acquired meaningful loot (+1 to +3 
  XP, based on its value, to all PCs)
  ◊  Completed a quest, mission, or 
  major objective (+1 to +3 XP, based 
  on its significance, to all PCs on  
  this mission)
  ◊  Shared a meaningful social scene 
  (+1 XP to each PC who shared it)
  
  52
  Your Character
  Shorjahl completes a session in which 
  they made a significant discovery (+1 
  XP), killed a significant enemy (+1 XP), 
  and engaged with their core flaw by 
  Succumbing in a downtime scene (+4 XP, 
  3 + 1 from being human). This 6 XP is 
  enough to advance Shorjahl to level 2, 
  resetting their XP to 0.
  Shorjahl’s player makes their selections, 
  and gains:
  ◊  +4 HP (now at 14 HP)
  ◊  +1 speed (now at -1 speed 
  when fully loaded)
  ◊  New tag: magically burned 
  Hillspike Fort
  ◊  New technique: Frothy Rage
  To get to level 3, Shorjahl will have to 
  gain 10 more XP (for a total of 15 XP 
  from character creation). 
  XP requirements 
  leVel
  Xp requIred
  2
  5
  3
  10
  4
  15
  5
  20
  6
  25
  
  non-player
  Characters
  
  54
  Non-player Characters
  Enemies and NPCs
  Enemies and NPCs have several attributes:
  ◊  Speed (typically +5 to -5)
  ◊  HP (typically 1 to 50)
  ◊  Damage modifier (+0 to +10)
  ◊  Armor (0 to 4)
  ◊  Trait tags (1 to 5)
  ◊  Abilities (0 to 5)
  Speed and armor can often be ignored if in a 
  lesser fight. Most mundane humanoids have 
  0 to +2 damage modifier and at most 1 armor. 
  Trait tags describe how the creature behaves 
  and reacts to the characters (e.g., sneaky, 
  brute, archer, demon). Some traits can give 
  disadvantage to a PC’s roll.
  Abilities function much like a PC’s techniques 
  or the spells, moves, and supernatural 
  abilities of other, compatible games. A 
  common ability is an NPC being invulnerable 
  to certain methods of attack or damage (e.g., 
  a wraith being invulnerable to non-magical, 
  non-silver weapons). Likewise, many abilities 
  can give disadvantage to a PC’s roll when 
  relevant. 
  Read more in Making Enemies on page 102.
  Helltopod: A demonic octopus 
  creature. Speed -2 on land, speed 0 in 
  water, speed 3 in liquid fire. 20 HP. 
  +2 damage. Armor 0. Traits: eight 
  tentacles; ambush predator; drown and 
  burn. Abilities: immune to fire damage; 
  snatch and grapple; multiattack 4 
  (make four attacks per turn).  
  
  55
  Non-player Characters
  Hirelings, Horses, 
  and Hounds
  PCs can employ NPC allies—hirelings, beasts 
  of burden, hunting hounds, etc.—which 
  function as a combination of NPC enemies 
  and PC equipment. 
  If the NPC ally has its own state of mind (such 
  as an intelligent hireling), the GM controls it 
  and notes its stats like any other NPC, adding 
  a loyalty tag rated from -3 to +3. Using an 
  ally as a weapon may cause the roll to have 
  advantage or disadvantage.  
  However, when a PC gives a command 
  to an ally NPC or uses them as part of 
  another action, the hireling acts as a piece 
  of equipment, complete with tags, abilities, 
  permissions, and ranges. 
  Shorjahl hires a man-at-arms to help 
  them travel along the dangerous road. 
  When they’re confronted by a horrific 
  bog hag, Shorjahl rolls 2d6 + 1 (the 
  guard’s loyalty) to see if the guard runs 
  away; they get an 11, so the guard 
  stands their ground.
  Later, Shorjahl and the man-at-arms 
  are fighting some deserted soldiers 
  turned bandits. The GM is controlling 
  the man-at-arms, and grants Shorjahl 
  advantage to an attack roll as the man-
  at-arms is in the thick of things against 
  the bandits. 
  Finally, Shorjahl commands the man-at-
  arms to attack an enemy archer from 
  a flank. This requires Shorjahl to roll, 
  adding an aptitude of +2, derived by 
  combining Shorjahl’s traits and those of 
  the man-at-arms.
  
  56
  Non-player Characters
  npC loyalty
  Every NPC hireling and ally has a loyalty tag, 
  a combination of a word and a number that 
  depends upon their morale and opinion of the 
  party and especially their PC “commander.”
  ◊  Mutinous: 
  -3
  ◊  Grumbling: -2
  ◊  Suspicious: 
  -1
  ◊  Neutral: 
  0
  ◊  Accepting: 
  +1
  ◊  Committed: +2
  ◊  Zealous: 
  +3
  This loyalty can be used when the PC 
  commander attempts to order the NPC 
  hireling, or when the hireling is confronted 
  with something truly horrifying or 
  frightening. It works the same way for both 
  intelligent creatures and beasts.
  Most hirelings begin with [neutral] (0) 
  loyalty, but the PC commander can attempt 
  to influence it (especially at initial hiring) 
  by rolling. NPC loyalty also changes every 
  mission based on:
  ◊  Their pay and share of loot
  ◊  Their conditions, treatment, and 
  rations
  ◊  The amount of danger and nature 
  of their work, compared to their 
  expectations
  ◊  How well-informed they feel, if they 
  have a choice
  ◊  The behavior and leadership of 
  their commanders
  
  57
  Non-player Characters
  When a PC forces a hireling to act in a way 
  that tests their loyalty, the PC commander 
  must roll, adding the hireling’s loyalty  
  as aptitude. 
  ◊  On a 6-, the hirelings disobey as 
  befitting their loyalty and skillset. 
  ◊  On a 7-9, they follow their orders, 
  but take -1 loyalty. 
  ◊  On a 10+, they follow their orders. 
  ◊  On a 13+, they follow their orders 
  exemplarily and gain +1 loyalty.
  Shorjahl has hired a mercenary 
  with [committed] (+2) loyalty. The 
  pyromancer orders the mercenary to 
  attack a pack of goblins, and the GM 
  calls for a loyalty test. They roll and get 
  a 14; the mercenary charges in and goes 
  up to +3 loyalty.
  Later, Shorjahl orders the mercenary 
  to hand over a powerful artifact that 
  they looted. The mercenary wants to 
  keep it, so the GM calls for a loyalty 
  test. Shorjahl rolls and gets an 8; the 
  mercenary hands it over but loses 1 
  loyalty, going down to +2.
  npC abIlIty
  As with a PC, the skillset of an NPC ally affects 
  what it can and can’t do; likewise, a highly 
  competent NPC can grant advantage (or an 
  unskilled one disadvantage) to a PC if the ally 
  is being used as a weapon.
  Shorjahl’s hired mercenary is quite good 
  at combat. When the mage orders the 
  ally to face off against some bugbears, 
  the GM grants advantage to Shorjahl’s 
  roll due to the mercenary’s ability.
  
  Combat
  
  59
  Combat
  Surprise
  If one side of a fight is unaware of the enemy, 
  they’re surprised. PCs rolling to attack a 
  surprised enemy do so at advantage. PCs 
  rolling to defend while being surprised do 
  so at disadvantage. If someone is completely 
  unaware and at ease, though, no roll is 
  needed to attack them. 
  Ambush is not assumed from situation—
  you’ll always need to roll to ambush an 
  enemy. Likewise, whenever an enemy is 
  attempting to ambush you, you’ll always get 
  to roll to avoid it. GMs can couch or abstract 
  this language if they desire.
  Once an ambush is sprung, the surprise ends 
  and the combatants engage as normal.
  Shorjahl sees a distant retinue of enemy 
  soldiers on the Alpine Road. They decide 
  to hide and lay an ambush. Shorjahl 
  rolls to hide and gets a 10 (complete 
  success). The cadre marches right past 
  Shorjahl’s hiding space in the forest, 
  none the wiser. Shorjahl rolls an attack 
  using their pyromancer technique to 
  alight the road in flames. They roll at 
  advantage (3d6, drop lowest).
  Later, Shorjahl is exploring some ruins. 
  A pack of goblins hides in the shadows. 
  Shorjahl actively keeps up their guard, 
  rolling to spot any threats, but gets a 
  5 (failure). When the goblins spring 
  their trap, the mage rolls to defend at 
  disadvantage (3d6, drop highest).
  
  60
  Combat
  Initiative and 
  Turn Order
  In general, the most fitting combatant acts 
  when most relevant, at the GM’s discretion. 
  However, if everyone is engaged in a fracas, 
  the combatants act in turn order from highest 
  speed to lowest. Combatants with the same 
  speed are acting simultaneously, but PCs act 
  before NPCs. 
  Shorjahl is fighting a necromancer 
  and their pack of zombies. The mage 
  unleashes some fiery death, and the GM 
  doesn’t call for a specific turn order; 
  several zombies disintegrate and the 
  necromancer has to move away. 
  As the fight gets closer to the end and 
  every second starts to count, the GM 
  writes down everyone’s speed. Shorjahl 
  has -1, the necromancer 0, and the 
  zombies -3. The necromancer acts first, 
  raising some new zombies. Shorjahl 
  acts next, blasting some of the undead 
  spawn with magic. Those zombies that 
  survived the assault get to act last, 
  and shamble toward the pyromancer, 
  hungry for flesh.
  
  61
  Combat
  Movement
  A character’s movement depends on their 
  speed, terrain, any injury tags, and how 
  they’re moving.
  In combat, most participants can move 
  roughly 30 feet per round. Rough terrain 
  reduces this by 10 feet, and harsh terrain by 
  another 10 feet. If the GM thinks it relevant, 
  each point of speed adds 5 feet of movement 
  (e.g., +2 speed adds 10 feet of movement per 
  round). 
  Shorjahl has a base movement of 30’ per 
  round. When they’re running through 
  some dense jungle thicket, they can only 
  move 20’. When they come across a bog, 
  their speed is reduced to 10’. If Shorjahl 
  was unladen and had +2 speed, their 
  base speed is now 40’ per round (or 30’ 
  in the thicket or 20’ in the bog).
  
  62
  Combat
  PCs Dealing Damage
  If a roll to attack or otherwise deal damage 
  succeeds:
  Damage 
  dealt
  =
  lowest d6 result + 
  aptitude
  Shorjahl fires a bow at a goblin. They 
  roll 2d6 + 3 (from three relevant trait 
  tags). The d6s comes up as 5 and 2, a hit 
  (5 + 2 + 3 = 10). Shorjahl deals 5 damage 
  to the goblin (2 from the lowest d6 
  result + 3 aptitude).
  CrItICal hIts
  When you get a critical success (13+) on a roll 
  for damage, double the damage dealt.
  Shorjahl attacks and hits an enemy, 
  rolling a 14 (d6 results of 6 and 5, with 
  +3 aptitude). Normally this would 
  only deal 8 damage (5 + 3), but since 
  Shorjahl rolled a critical success, they 
  deal 16 damage. 
  defeatIng enemIes WIthout 
  damage
  The GM can always declare that an NPC is 
  defeated due to narrative circumstances 
  rather than sufficient damage to HP.
  Shorjahl rolls, but rather than dealing 
  damage they intimidate an enemy 
  with a show of magical force. The GM 
  declares that this enemy is defeated, 
  though not killed or even harmed.
  
  63
  Combat
  PCs Taking Damage
  Enemy attack damage is determined in one of 
  two ways (GM’s choice):
  1. The GM rolls separately for enemy 
  damage
  2. The player’s defense roll also 
  determines enemy damage
  If your character takes damage but still has 1+ 
  HP, they’re fine. If they drop to 0- HP, roll to 
  see how bad it is. 
  ◊  On a 6-, they’re dead if it’s a lethal 
  attack. If not, they’re at 0 HP and 
  incapacitated, but will die in 10 
  minutes if left untreated. 
  ◊  On a 7-12, they remain conscious 
  with 1 HP, but gain an injury tag.
  ◊  On a 13+, they remain conscious 
  with HP = lowest d6 + aptitude, and 
  don’t gain an injury tag. 
  Multiple injury tags stack penalties to 
  aptitude.
  separate enemy damage roll 
  (method 1)
  In this method, the damage roll is often 
  sourced from another game that is compatible 
  with these rules (e.g., D&D BECMI or other 
  modules). I recommend an upper limit of 
  about 4d6 for the greatest foes. 
  
  64
  Combat
  If you’re not referencing another game, you 
  can often roll as follows:
  ◊  Weak enemy: 1d6 - 2 (minimum 1 
  on a hit)
  ◊  Normal enemy: 1d6
  ◊  Strong enemy: 1d6 + 2
  ◊  Very strong enemy: 2d6 (or even 
  more if higher level)
  Anything above 2d6 is very capable of killing 
  any level-1 or level-2 character in a single roll, 
  so fair warning!
  enemy damage determIned by 
  pC roll (method 2)
  This method is basically the reverse of 
  determining how much damage a PC deals. 
  When the PC rolls to defend, they take 
  damage as follows:
  ◊  On a 6-, the PC suffers damage equal 
  to their highest d6 result + any 
  enemy damage modifier (usually +0 
  to +10).
  ◊  On a 7-9, the PC suffers damage 
  equal to their lowest d6 result
  ◊  On a 10+, the PC suffers no damage.
  Shorjahl rolls to fight a goblin in melee, 
  and gets a 6- (a 1, 3, + 2 aptitude). 
  Shorjahl misses, and then suffers 4 
  damage (3 from their highest d6 result + 
  1 from the goblin’s damage mod).
  Later, Shorjahl rolls to dodge out of the 
  way of a falling boulder. They roll a 7-9 
  (a 3, 4 + 1). They get clipped and suffer 3 
  damage (their lowest 1d6 result). 
   
  
  65
  Combat
  Stance, Risk, 
  and Damage
  When you take a stance, the GM can reason 
  that it modifies your damage dealt or taken:
  ◊  High risk: +2 to damage dealt and/
  or taken
  ◊  Normal: no change
  ◊  Low risk: -2 to damage dealt and/
  or taken
  Shorjahl attacks an enemy and takes a 
  high-risk stance, calling it out verbally 
  to the GM. They roll and deal 4 base 
  damage +2 from the high-risk stance 
  (for a total of 6). An enemy bandit 
  attacks back and Shorjahl has to roll to 
  defend themself; since they’re still in the 
  high-risk stance any damage they take 
  would increase by +2.
  
  66
  Combat
  Armor and Damage
  Characters, NPCs, and enemies can wear 
  (or possess natural forms of) armor. Armor 
  reduces incoming damage in equal number 
  (10 damage - 3 armor = 7 damage suffered), 
  and reduces speed (5 speed - 3 armor = 2 
  speed). 
  Armor cannot exceed 5. 
  Some weapon types are armor piercing and 
  ignore some amount of armor (e.g., armor 
  piercing 2 ignores 2 armor).
  Shorjahl thrusts their spear at a bandit 
  with 1 armor. Shorjahl rolls 5 damage, 
  but only deals 4 (5 - 1 armor = 4). Later, 
  Shorjahl uses some fire magic and rolls 
  3 fire damage. The GM reasons that the 
  fire magic ignores the bandit’s armor, 
  so they deal the full 3 damage.
  
  Outside of
  adventure
  
  68
  Outside of Adventure
  Downtime Scenes
  Downtime scenes are those in between 
  action-packed sequences of adventure and 
  combat. During such scenes, characters 
  work on long-term projects, train, or pursue 
  personal interests. They require the relative 
  safety of an uninterrupted period of reprieve 
  (such as in between sessions or quests). 
  During each downtime scene, each player 
  picks one of the following activities:
  ◊  Acquire: Gain something—info, 
  help, or an item. Roll to determine 
  its quality.
  ◊  Succumb: Engage with your core 
  flaw and suffer its repercussions, 
  but gain +3 XP.
  ◊  Train: Gain +1 XP.
  ◊  Treat: Remove one non-permanent 
  injury tag.
  ◊  Work: Work toward a long-term 
  goal or project. Roll to determine 
  how much progress is made.
  After their victory, Shorjahl and their 
  party relax back at Count Gribald’s 
  castle for several days. During this 
  time, Shorjahl wishes to Acquire some 
  information about local areas known to 
  be natural sources of powerful magics. 
  Shorjahl rolls and gets a 7-9: a success 
  with some complication or cost. The 
  count’s head alchemist knows of such 
  a place, but will only tell Shorjahl if 
  the young pyromancer agrees to bring 
  back some rare ingredients from their 
  travels. Shorjahl can choose to agree  
  or not.
  
  69
  Outside of Adventure
  Social Scenes
  Social scenes are those in which one or more 
  PCs reveal something meaningful about their 
  character, the narrative, or a significant NPC. 
  These scenes usually involve in-character 
  roleplay between multiple PCs.
  Each PC involved in a social scene gets +1 XP.  
  A social scene can happen as part of a 
  downtime scene or in the free play of the 
  game. It’s just an interesting interaction that 
  isn’t about stabbing something. 
  Shorjahl is a guest at a feast at Gribald 
  Castle. They have a conversation 
  with several NPCs, one of whom 
  questions Shorjahl’s sordid past as a 
  necromancer’s apprentice. Shorjahl flies 
  into a righteous rage and storms out of 
  the feast, making a massive impression.
  This revealed something about 
  Shorjahl’s character, and suggests 
  that the game might focus on their 
  necromantic past, so Shorjahl gets  
  +1 XP.   
  
  travel and 
  dungeoneering
  
  71
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  Travel through safe areas should largely be 
  ignored or abstracted. It’s fair for the GM 
  to say, “You travel for four days across the 
  Orangespring Plains without incident.” 
  When traveling through dangerous 
  wilderness, hostile territory, ancient ruins, 
  dungeons, or similar places, split time into 
  travel turns. Each travel turn is three hours 
  aboveground or ten minutes underground. 
  At the start of a travel turn, each PC describes 
  their actions (or their role) and how it might 
  help the party. Here are some examples:
  ◊  Torchbearer
  ◊  Scouting ahead
  ◊  Surveying / map-drawing
  ◊  Rearguard
  ◊  Hidden reaction force (following in 
  stealth)
  ◊  Quartermaster (keeps track of 
  rations, etc.)
  travel and 
  dungeoneering
  
  72
  Then, the GM selects one PC to be the focus of 
  this turn (PCs should rotate focus). The focus 
  PC rolls, keeping in mind their action:
  ◊  On a 6-, there is a calamitous event 
  (avalanche, loss of food, ambush, 
  separation, capture, etc.).
  ◊  On a 7-9, there is a problem, but the 
  focus PC can see it coming, warn the 
  party, or affect its onset.
  ◊  On a 10-12, everything goes as 
  planned.
  ◊  On a 13+, everything goes very 
  smoothly because of the focus PC’s 
  perception or quick thinking. 
  Potential Travel  
  Turn Calamities 
  pC 
  role
  dungeon 
  CalamIty
  WIlderness 
  CalamIty
  Scout
  Falls into or 
  triggers a trap
  Loosens unstable 
  hazards
  Torch-
  bearer
  Plunges party into 
  freezing darkness
  Burns up fuel, 
  starts a wildfire
  Surveyor
  Misses key 
  danger, like a pit
  Gets lost, turned 
  around
  Guard
  Alerts nearby 
  monsters
  Triggers an 
  ambush
  Stealth 
  force
  Gets snatched up 
  by monsters
  Gets separated 
  due to terrain
  Quarter-
  master
  Leaves a trail to 
  be followed
  Loses all of the 
  supplies
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  73
  Over longer journeys in which the GM has 
  nothing particularly interesting planned, a 
  travel turn can be zoomed out from several 
  times a day to just once a day, or even once for 
  the entire journey. The more often the party 
  rolls for travel turns, the more dangerous, 
  time-consuming, and narratively important 
  the area they’re traveling through is. 
  Weather and 
  Hazards
  If your game prominently features wilderness 
  exploration (e.g., a hexcrawl or military 
  campaign), weather and environmental 
  hazards will be significant in your party’s 
  challenges and experience. 
  Weather events or hazards can be handled in 
  several ways:
  ◊  As an obstacle for each PC to roll 
  through
  ◊  As combat, treating hazards or 
  elements as enemies
  ◊  Using the custom Weather  
  rules below (page 74)
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  74
  Weather as an obstaCle
  The PCs can deal with weather by rolling as 
  if they were doing any other action. If they 
  roll well, they make it through begrudgingly; 
  if not, they don’t. Death is perfectly valid 
  as a consequence (freezing, drowning, heat 
  exhaustion, etc.). 
  Weather challenges should pay special heed 
  to the nature of the environment, how much 
  the party has prepared, and how they’re 
  equipped and fed. An underprepared party 
  rolls at disadvantage. Detrimental equipment 
  or lack of experience applies negative tags 
  toward aptitude.
  Shorjahl must travel through the 
  freezing alpine forest on their way to 
  Ft. Grondle. Shorjahl lacks winter-
  wilderness clothing and supplies, so 
  they roll at disadvantage. They have 
  armor 1, which applies a penalty to 
  aptitude when traveling. 
  The pyromancer rolls 3d6, drops the 
  highest d6, and applies -1 aptitude. 
  They get a 7, just barely enough 
  to survive, but get the injury tags 
  [frostbite] and [exhausted].
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  75
  Weather as enemIes
  Especially inclement weather can be treated 
  as an enemy, with special abilities (e.g., trip or 
  knockback or paralysis; see Making Enemies 
  on page 102), a speed, a damage modifier, and 
  so forth. 
  Namely, weather can have HP representing 
  how much preparation is necessary to 
  overcome or defend oneself against it. The 
  PCs can deal preparation damage to this 
  weather by rolling to attack, as normal. Once 
  the weather has been reduced to 0 HP, it is no 
  longer a threat. 
  Shorjahl is facing freezing snow. 
  It has 10 HP, drain, and paralysis. 
  Shorjahl describes how they use their 
  fire magic to keep themself warm, 
  lighting several goat bladders full of 
  water and packing them beneath a 
  bearhide wrap they took from a dead 
  bandit. Shorjahl rolls a 12, a complete 
  success. They deal 9 preparation 
  damage to the freezing snow (6 from 
  highest die, +3 from aptitude). 
  However, since the pyromancer  
  didn’t defeat the freezing snow, it 
  gets to act, attempting to drain or 
  paralyze Shorjahl.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  76
  speCIal rules for Weather
  When the party is in a situation where 
  wilderness or similar environmental 
  hazards may harm them, the GM can force 
  the focus PC to roll for the party. This key 
  member might be the trailblazer, the scout, 
  the cartographer, or the local with the most 
  knowledge of the environment. 
  If you can’t decide who the focus PC is, give 
  it to whoever has the highest aptitude in this 
  situation. If that still doesn’t settle it, assign 
  someone randomly by a roll of the dice. 
  ◊  On a 6-, everyone in the party takes 
  6 damage (ignores armor), gains an 
  appropriate injury tag ([frostbite], 
  [dehydrated], [fatigued], etc.), and 
  gets lost, trapped, or blown off 
  course. 
  ◊  On a 7-9, everyone gains an injury 
  tag, as above, but takes no damage. 
  Also, the GM chooses between 
  everyone losing some equipment 
  or everyone getting lost, trapped, or 
  blown off course.
  ◊  On a 10-12, everyone gets through 
  the weather without incident.
  ◊  On a 13+, everyone gets through the 
  weather, and the focus PC picks one 
  benefit:
    
  ▪ Discover a shortcut or faster 
  route.
    
  ▪ Find a useful bit of unrelated 
  information.
    
  ▪ Find a bevy of helpful resources 
  that cut down on ration loss and 
  uses of other equipment.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  77
  Preparation 
  and Planning
  Vagabonds emulates OSR-style play and 
  so encourages granular and detailed 
  preparation, planning, mapping, and resource 
  management. 
  However, sometimes people just want 
  to get straight to the goblin-butchering 
  and dungeon-crawling without having to 
  detail every torch and ration and bundle 
  of equipment. The abstracted “kits” in 
  Equipment (page 93) are a great start, but 
  here are some more rules on how to quickly 
  handle preparation and planning in a few 
  broad strokes.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  78
  the plannIng roll
  Select or randomly choose one PC (usually 
  with the highest aptitude or the “leader” of 
  the party) to be the planner. They quickly 
  describe their general approach to the party’s 
  upcoming journey (e.g., exploring a dungeon, 
  attacking an enemy fort, sailing across a 
  stormy sea, etc.) and roll. 
  If they have all the time they need and a 
  cache of resources and intelligence, they roll 
  at advantage. If they have little time or must 
  contend with other obstacles, they roll at 
  disadvantage. 
  ◊  On a 6-, the plan fails. When the 
  party cuts to the action or arrives 
  at the start of their quest, they’re 
  already in trouble, generally due to 
  foreseeable circumstances.
  ◊  On a 7-9, each PC can roll at 
  advantage once during this quest, at 
  a time of their choosing, so long as 
  the plan is relevant.
  ◊  On a 10-12, as 7-9 but each PC can 
  roll at advantage twice.
  ◊  On a 13+, the party can circumvent 
  one minor and one major obstacle 
  (GM’s discretion) due to the 
  brilliance of their plan, and each PC 
  can roll at advantage twice, as  
  in 10-12.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  79
  Shorjahl plans their attack on an enemy 
  fort. They have plenty of time and 
  the assistance of an allied mercenary 
  commander, so the GM grants them 
  advantage on the planning roll.
  Since the plan largely involves burning 
  the fort to the ground, the pyromancer 
  has three relevant trait tags: [slow 
  and logical approach], [loves fire], and 
  [pyromancer]. 
  Shorjahl rolls 3d6 + 3, drops the lowest 
  d6, and gets a 14 (circumvent a minor 
  obstacle and a major obstacle, and can 
  roll twice at advantage).
  Shorjahl is able to slip by the outer 
  perimeter of guards (circumventing the 
  minor obstacle). They roll at advantage 
  to locate the most flammable area 
  of the fort (the stables), and succeed. 
  Then, they start the fire without rolling 
  (circumventing the major obstacle), 
  catching the whole foundation of the 
  fort ablaze. Finally, Shorjahl rolls at 
  advantage again to quickly escape 
  before the enemy soldiers catch them.
  If Shorjahl had rolled a 6 instead of 
  a 14, they would have arrived at the 
  fort and been confronted with an 
  unassailable situation. Perhaps the 
  guards at the fort heard of the mage’s 
  approach and set an ambush, they took 
  precautions to prevent fire damage, a 
  new garrison or cadre of reinforcements 
  have arrived, etc.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  80
  the preparatIon roll
  Preparation is distinct from planning, as 
  preparation has more to do with equipment, 
  supplies, and other tangible goods that will 
  aid in the quest or mission. 
  As with planning, select one focus PC (with 
  the highest aptitude or relevance). The 
  focus PC rolls, at advantage with significant 
  information and resources to draw upon, or 
  at disadvantage with little to nothing to aid 
  them in their prep. 
  ◊  On a 6-, the supplies they thought 
  they’d bring are ruined, damaged, 
  or lost in some way. The GM can 
  select one thing from each PC that 
  isn’t key to their abilities at the 
  moment they attempt to use it.
  ◊  On a 7-9, the party gets one prep 
  use that they can call upon at any 
  time during the quest. This prep 
  use produces an item, map, or other 
  good that could conceivably be 
  acquired before going on the quest.
  ◊  On a 10-12, as 7-9 but two prep uses.
  ◊  On a 13+, as 7-9 but three prep uses.
  Shorjahl rolls to prep for traveling the 
  Alpine Road. They roll at disadvantage 
  due to the short timeline, and only 
  have one relevant trait. They get a 5, so 
  Shorjahl has to sacrifice their winter 
  clothes at the onset of their journey (as 
  chosen by the GM).
  Later, Shorjahl rolls to prepare for a sea 
  voyage. They get an 8, and so gain one 
  prep use for the trip. While out at sea 
  the ship gets blown off course; Shorjahl 
  burns the prep use to produce a sextant, 
  which helps steer them back on track.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  81
  Traps
  Handle a triggered trap as a single roll, 
  usually rolled by the PC triggering it. Traps 
  function much like enemies or hazards—
  they can deal damage, apply injury tags, cast 
  spells, use abilities, etc. The exception is that 
  traps fire once (usually) and are spent until 
  reset or reloaded. 
  Most traps are triggered by a PC getting too 
  close, stepping on a pressure plate, kicking 
  a tripwire, touching a piece of treasure, or 
  being detected magically. Even if one PC 
  triggers the trap, the whole party might 
  suffer, depending on its effect.
  Characters can attempt to detect and disarm 
  a trap by rolling. The GM may feel that it 
  is appropriate to tell the players, out of 
  character, that there are traps around, but it 
  is recommended to telegraph or forewarn of 
  this danger in the fiction (or somehow grant 
  this knowledge by preparation rolls, killing an 
  NPC hireling, etc.). PCs can’t just roll to look 
  for traps in every chamber or area they cross; 
  they must have reason to suspect that traps 
  are present. 
  Shorjahl wanders into a cave to seek 
  shelter, paying little heed to a bear 
  trap placed under some old pine 
  needles. Shorjahl rolls and gets a 7 and 
  triggers the trap, getting their leg free 
  but taking the injury tag [busted ankle] 
  in the process.
  Deeper in the cave, Shorjahl is more 
  careful, and rolls to detect and avoid 
  any traps. They get a 10, so the GM 
  describes how they notice a goblin 
  spike trap before stepping in it and 
  losing a foot. 
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  82
  Decays: Hunger, 
  Thirst, Disease, 
  and Poison
  Any effect that kills over time—such as lack of 
  food or an insidious poison—can be treated as 
  a decay, which has the following components:
  Trigger: What causes the decay? It might be 
  an action, the consumption of a particular 
  item (e.g., poison), or the outcome of a roll. 
  Timeframe: How quickly does the decay 
  begin and escalate? Is it a matter of minutes 
  (lack of air), hours (poison), days (lack of 
  water), weeks, or some much longer period? 
  At each such interval, trigger the effect (see 
  below), and the PC, if able, might attempt to 
  resist the decay by rolling.
  Effect: Most decays cause an injury tag 
  (which can penalize actions or block 
  permissions). Some deal damage (which 
  can kill the character). Certain effects stack 
  (e.g., damage), while others may not (e.g., 
  paralysis—you can’t become any more 
  paralyzed). Decay effects often have special 
  clauses, and can only be healed or removed 
  by meeting specific criteria (e.g., starvation is 
  only removed by eating, etc.).
  Shorjahl hasn’t eaten in several days, 
  traveling through rugged and freezing 
  temperatures, and is beginning to 
  starve. Each day the wizard doesn’t eat 
  deals 1 damage (ignores armor), and 
  while starving they have the [starving] 
  injury tag. This damage is cumulative 
  and can only be healed by eating. 
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  83
  hunger and starVatIon
  ◊  Trigger: No food for one week of 
  typical activity, no food for three 
  days of laborious activity (e.g., 
  adventuring), or insufficient food 
  over a longer period (e.g., a crust of 
  bread per day over a few weeks as  
  a prisoner). 
  ◊  Timeframe: Once per day.
  ◊  Effect: You gain the [starving] 
  injury tag, which causes exhaustion, 
  delirium, and eventual paralysis. 
  You can resist these negative effects 
  with sufficient rolls or healing. Each 
  day, you take 1 cumulative damage, 
  which ignores armor and all forms 
  of resistance. Healing does not affect 
  this HP loss. Eating is the  
  only cure.
  thIrst and dehydratIon
  ◊  Trigger: No water for three days 
  of typical activity, no water for 
  one day of laborious activity (e.g., 
  adventuring), or insufficient water 
  over a longer period. 
  ◊  Timeframe: Once per hour.
  ◊  Effect: You gain the [dehydrated] 
  injury tag, which causes exhaustion, 
  hallucinations, slowness, and 
  eventual paralysis. You can resist 
  these negative effects with sufficient 
  rolls or healing. Each hour, you take 
  1 cumulative damage, which ignores 
  armor and all forms of resistance. 
  Healing does not affect this HP loss. 
  Drinking is the only cure. 
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  84
  snake Venom  
  (eXample poIson)
  ◊  Trigger: Bitten or  
  otherwise injected.
  ◊  Timeframe: Every three hours, 
  escalate the effects.
  ◊  Effect: Roll to resist. Each failed roll 
  to resist deals more damage and 
  gives a new injury tag: [feverish, 
  3 dmg] -> [vomiting, 6 dmg] -> 
  [paralysis, 9 dmg] -> [death].
  zombIe rot  
  (eXample dIsease)
  ◊  Trigger: Failure to resist once 
  exposed to the touch, bite, or other 
  magical miasma of the undead.
  ◊  Timeframe: Every two weeks.
  ◊  Effect: Roll to resist. Zombie Rot can 
  be cured with sufficient magic or 
  sanctified healing.
    
  ▪ On a 6-, roll twice on the  
  below table.
    
  ▪ On a 7-9, roll once on the  
  below table.
    
  ▪ On a 10-12, the effects do  
  not worsen.
    
  ▪ On a 13+, you’re naturally cured 
  of the rot, but retain all of the 
  injuries sustained while ill (until 
  healed).
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  85
  zombIe rot effeCt 
  roll
  effeCt
  1
  One of your hands falls off.
  2
  One of your feet falls off.
  3
  Patches of skin slough off.
  4
  Your tongue falls out.
  5
  One of your eyes falls out.
  6
  You suffer double damage.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  86
  Overland Travel
  Open terrain: three miles per hour, or 
  roughly twenty miles per day assuming a 
  break for food and camp at night
  Rough terrain: two miles per hour, or about 
  ten miles per day due to the greater exertion 
  required
  Harsh terrain: one mile per hour, or about 
  five miles per day due to back-tracking and 
  likewise
  The GM can estimate the party’s daily travel 
  distance by using the above as a baseline and 
  modifying it with the slowest PC’s speed. For 
  example, a party whose slowest character has 
  -2 speed will cover 18 miles per day over open 
  terrain. 
  Wagons, litters, pack animals, or similar 
  don’t necessarily increase speed but can 
  reduce strain, risk of injury, or penalties to 
  the slowest PC’s speed. A typical pack mule 
  suffers only -1 speed for every -3 speed that a 
  human would (e.g., a mule carrying -9 speed’s 
  worth of supplies would only be at -3 speed). 
  Shorjahl marches for six hours; two 
  hours across open terrain, three across 
  rough terrain, and one in harsh terrain. 
  Shorjahl is of average speed and is able 
  to cover 13 miles during the course of 
  the day (3 mph for 2 hrs + 2 mph for 3 
  hrs + 1 mph for 1 hr).
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  87
  Characters can acquire and use magic in 
  several ways:
  ◊  Techniques (see page 18)
  ◊  Magical items (scrolls, wands,  
  rings, swords, etc.)
  ◊  Belonging to the elf lineage
  ◊  Divine intervention or  
  supernatural bestowment
  Optionally, the GM can allow PCs to use magic 
  if it makes sense with their character concept 
  and is represented by one of their traits. 
  Characters without a magic-related trait 
  would be unable to use magic.
  Magic
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  88
  magIC from teChnIques
  You can attempt to use magic as described 
  in a given technique, and no more. How 
  you acquired this technique might inform 
  your ability to use or recognize magic (GM 
  discretion), though usually not.
  magICal Items
  Magical items only grant their power while 
  their specific criteria are met, usually when 
  being wielded or otherwise connected with 
  the PC using it. 
  elVIsh magIC
  As an elf, you have subtle arcane control. You 
  can open your mind to and concentrate upon 
  latent magical energies, even marshaling 
  them to do your bidding. This affords you 
  very weak magical powers, such as the ability 
  to detect magical items and portals, read 
  scrolls, use wands, etc. 
  In addition, you can use magic as part of a 
  roll. The more you rely on magic, and the 
  more supernatural the intended effect is, 
  the more dangerous it is for you (perhaps 
  represented by stance). A roll of a 6- likely 
  means you take damage or a significant 
  injury tag, cause unforeseeable consequences, 
  or even activate unintended (and dangerous) 
  magical maelstroms.  
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  89
  dIVIne InterVentIon or  
  magICal bestoWment
  Sometimes a PC can acquire magical 
  powers—even temporarily—by communing 
  with some great spirit, making dark pacts 
  with powerful entities, or furthering their 
  god’s cause. Usually, the GM will grant a 
  magic-focused technique to the PC until this 
  effect expires (if ever).
  magIC from traIts or  
  other sourCes
  You can simply treat magic as another 
  character trait. Traits related to physical 
  strength enable a PC to use their might, and 
  the same goes with dexterity or intelligence. 
  So too can it be with magic, yet with greater 
  repercussions for failure and a more limited 
  impact than magic from techniques. In other 
  words, magic can simply be a narrative tool 
  that’s used when relevant. 
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  90
  Azoth:  
  Distilled Magic
  Arcane magic and similar artifice is powered 
  by azoth, a crystalline, iridescent metal 
  with a very low melting point. It appears as 
  fractal cubes of pearlescent mirrors, casting 
  a dizzying array of rainbows within and 
  without. Check out solid bismuth for some 
  real-world inspiration. 
  fIndIng azoth
  Azoth runs deep within the arteries of the 
  world, pumps in the hearts of dragons, and 
  drips from the twisted fist of every foul 
  sorcerer king. It is purified, raw magical 
  power. Azoth can be distilled from items of 
  magical or commercial value, such as:
  ◊  Gold and other precious metals
  ◊  Gemstones
  ◊  Scrolls, wands, and magical artifacts
  ◊  The visceral components of magical 
  or mythological beings
  Collecting and using azoth is a prime reason 
  why many arcanists go adventuring, as it is far 
  more valuable than equal weights of gold. It’s 
  arguably more practical too, as it’s needed in 
  any permanent or stable form of magic, such 
  as the forging of a magical sword or staff.  
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  91
  azoth’s uses
  Many component requirements of rituals, 
  spells, and incantations can be replaced with 
  azoth, or demand azoth in and of themselves. 
  It can also be melted down and combined with 
  other metals to produce magical-quality steel. 
  When in powder or liquid form, it burns so 
  fiercely that it can explode, sear the vision out 
  of someone’s eyes, or light a lantern so bright 
  so as to be seen from a hundred leagues away.
  Despite its intensity, azoth is incredibly stable 
  and difficult to cause a reaction with. Neither 
  fire nor force can cause it to combust or to 
  waste; only other magical sources can affect 
  it. Because of this, some mages have taken to 
  ingesting, injecting, or tattooing azoth into 
  their own bodies. While this does indeed have 
  augmentative powers, it can also produce 
  violent and unintended mutations.
  azoth In spells and rItuals
  The GM can require the use of azoth for a 
  particular spell, especially in large rituals that 
  greatly affect the area or narrative. 
  Each use of azoth is a crystalline nugget about 
  the size of a fingernail, worth roughly 50sp or 
  5gp. The more powerful the spell, the more 
  uses of azoth it requires. 
  Many ritual-based techniques list a required 
  use of azoth. Likewise, the GM can convert 
  OSR spell components into quantities of azoth 
  based upon their value.
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  92
  azoth augmentatIons
  A PC can attempt to gain augmented powers 
  through the assimilation of azoth by rolling. 
  Magical, will-based, or fortitudinous traits 
  add to aptitude as relevant. You can only 
  attempt this type of augmentation once per 
  level; any additional attempts cause damage, 
  injury, and possible mutation.
  ◊  On a 6-, gain no power and acquire 
  one of the below mutations as a 
  permanent injury tag.
  ◊  On a 7-9, gain one technique 
  (without proper ritualized focus, 
  random or GM choice), and suffer 
  one below mutation as a permanent 
  injury tag.
  ◊  On a 10-12, as 7-9, but with  
  no mutation.
  ◊  On a 13+, gain one technique of 
  your choice and +10 XP. 
  azoth reJeCtIon mutatIon
  roll
  effeCt
  1
  You go blind and are plagued by 
  horrific nightmares.
  2
  You go deaf and hear constant, 
  foreboding drumming.
  3
  You lose a limb of the GM’s 
  choice (roll if you must).
  4
  You have endless hunger. You 
  must eat every two hours or die.
  5
  You’re near rabid, and can only 
  act in a high-risk stance.
  6
  Re-roll twice. You gain both 
  mutations. (This can prompt 
  more re-rolls if you roll a 6, 
  giving three or more mutations.)
  Travel and Dungeoneering
  
  Equipment
  
  94
  Equipment
  Equipment is made up of a series of tags 
  which inform how it works. Each piece of 
  equipment reduces your speed by 1, while 
  a piece that requires two hands to carry 
  reduces it by 2. 
  Equipment tags function as:
  ◊  Mechanical modifiers (+1 / -1 when 
  [something relevant])
  ◊  Granters or deniers of permission 
  (you can or can’t attempt [relevant 
  action] when using this [in  
  this way])
  ◊  Character-separable techniques 
  (gain [relevant technique] when 
  wielding this)
  Additionally, some equipment have:
  ◊  Requirements (to [activate / use / 
  benefit from] this item you must [do 
  / sacrifice] [this relevant thing])
  ◊  Limited uses (such as ammo, 
  potions, fragile things, etc.)
  adVenturIng  
  gear and tools
  Most gear, gadgets, tools, and kits grant a +1 
  to a relevant action, and grant permission 
  to attempt actions that would be impossible 
  without the aid of said tools.
  Shorjahl has a climbing kit. When 
  appropriately adorned and used, they 
  get +1 to climbing. Later, the GM blocks 
  permission to climb an especially 
  daunting peak without such a kit, but 
  Shorjahl may attempt it with a +1 bonus.
  
  95
  eXamples of Weapon tags
  ◊  Ammo / Fragile N: on a 6-, the item 
  breaks or loses one of its N uses. At 
  zero uses, it is permanently broken 
  or needs to be replenished
  ◊  Arm: works as a weapon up to 
  arm’s length away
  ◊  Armor N: gives N armor, which 
  reduces incoming damage. Doesn’t 
  stack, only equipment with highest 
  armor counts
  ◊  Armor +N: gives N armor, stacks 
  with other armor
  ◊  Armor piercing N (APN): ignores  
  N enemy armor
  Equipment
  
  96
  ◊  Bane vs [type]: +1 damage versus a 
  particular type of target
  ◊  Long range: works as a weapon up 
  to about a hundred steps
  ◊  Magic: bound and forged with 
  magic. Most magic items grant the 
  effects of a technique, but other OSR 
  magic items and weapons work too.
  ◊  One-handed (1h): can use with one 
  hand, quickly doffed and donned,  
  -1 speed
  ◊  Reach: works as a weapon up to 
  several steps away
  ◊  Reload / Charge: once used, takes 
  some time to use it again
  ◊  Short range: works as a weapon up 
  to about twenty steps
  ◊  Slow / Heavy / Clumsy: extra  
  -1 speed, +1 damage
  ◊  Special: silver, cold-iron, skysteel, 
  blessed, etc. Treated in a unique 
  way or forged out of a unique 
  material. Some enemies can only be 
  dealt damage by special weapons, 
  and likewise with some armor  
  being penetrated.
  ◊  Spray: spreads damage on hit 
  across all targets in a close cluster 
  (usually about a ten-foot area)
  ◊  Step: works as a weapon up to  
  a step or two away
  ◊  Two-handed (2h): must use with 
  two hands, -2 speed
  ◊  Weak vs [type]: -1 damage versus  
  a particular type of target
  ◊  Worn: only works while being worn 
  (e.g., armor)
  Equipment
  
  97
  eXamples of equIpment
  Armor, Weapons, and Shields
  ◊  Axe, heavy: 2h, step, clumsy
  ◊  Axe, light: 1h, arm, clumsy 
  ◊  Azoth bomb: 1h, thrown, close 
  range, spray, AP5 (magic), 1 use
  ◊  Bow, heavy: 2h, long range,  
  ammo 1, bane vs unshielded, AP1
  ◊  Bow, light: 2h, short range, ammo 2
  ◊  Crossbow: 2h, long range, ammo 1, 
  reload, bane vs unshielded, AP2
  ◊  Caltrops: 1h, thrown, close range, 
  spray, anyone moving through 
  affected area takes damage equal  
  to attacker aptitude
  ◊  Dagger: 1h, arm, can be thrown  
  (1 use, short range)
  ◊  Gambeson: armor 1, worn
  ◊  Mace: 1h, arm, AP2
  ◊  Mail: armor 2, worn
  ◊  Plate harness: armor 3,  
  worn, heavy
  ◊  Polearm, long: 2h, reach, AP2
  ◊  Polearm, short: 2h, step, AP1
  ◊  Shield: 1h, +1 armor
  ◊  Spear: 1h/2h (+1 damage if 2h), 
  reach, fragile 2, can be thrown  
  (1 use, close range)
  ◊  Sword, heavy: 2h, heavy, step,  
  bane vs unarmored
  ◊  Sword, light: 1h, arm, bane  
  vs unarmored
   
  Equipment
  
  98
  Gear and Kits
  ◊  Adventuring kit: 5 uses. Contains a 
  backpack, rope, chalk, lanterns, and 
  sundry other items. When you need 
  something, pull it out, define it, and 
  mark off a use.
  ◊  Cartographer’s kit: 5 uses,  
  fragile 1. Contains sheets of vellum, 
  ink, a quill, sextants, a  
  protractor, and similar equipment 
  for surveying and recording 
  topography and geography. 
  Whenever you want to record a 
  detailed map of an area, you’ll have 
  to stop and take a short rest (5–10 
  mins in relative safety). Roll if the 
  area is complex, in bad weather, or 
  you’re under duress. Mark off one 
  use per region recorded (one region 
  is roughly equivalent to a day’s 
  overland travel). 
  Equipment
  
  99
  ◊  Climbing kit: worn, fragile 1. 
  Contains 200 feet of rope, pitons, a 
  climbing hammer, and a climbing 
  harness. Gives permission to climb 
  up sheer cliffs, castle walls, and 
  similar. Roll if under duress. 
  ◊  Craft kit: fragile 2. Contains the 
  portable items necessary for you to 
  execute your craft (small hammers, 
  chisels, high-temperature crucible, 
  etc. for blacksmithing; paint and 
  paintbrushes and canvas for 
  painting, etc.). These crafts can 
  be used pragmatically or sold if a 
  willing buyer is around.
  ◊  Hospitaller’s kit: 5 uses. Contains 
  a bandolier and harness, bandages, 
  surgical equipment, salves, 
  antitoxins, and other medicines. 
  When you need something (such as 
  to heal someone), pull it out, define 
  it, and mark off a use.
  ◊  Thief’s kit: 5 uses, fragile 1. 
  Contains lockpicks, weights, an 
  hourglass, and other equipment 
  for burglars. Gives permission 
  to attempt disarming complex, 
  mechanical traps and picking 
  complex locks.
  Other Equipment
  ◊  Bandages: fragile 2. Grants 
  advantage when healing someone 
  through mundane means.
  ◊  Lantern: 1h/worn, reload. 
  Illuminates well to close range, 
  dimly to far range. Last as long as 
  there’s fuel (tallow, wax, oil, etc.).
  ◊  Rations: 1 use. Food for a day. 
  ◊  Torch: 1h, 1 use. Illuminates well to 
  close range. Lasts about an hour. 
  Equipment
  
  100
  Common Currency and Values
  The default currency of Vagabonds is the silver 
  piece (sp). 
  A typical nugget of azoth is worth about 50sp 
  or 5gp. 
  Gemstones vary in value and rarity 
  depending on the setting, though most gems’ 
  value scales quadratically with raw size and 
  clarity. A fist-sized diamond might be worth 
  1000gp, whereas ten small diamonds of the 
  same overall volume would be worth a total 
  of only 250gp. 
  Rather than list prices for weapons, armor, 
  and kits, Vagabonds assumes that the price will 
  always be haggled, negotiated, and altered as 
  suitable for your setting. When determining 
  the price of an item, think of the following 
  based upon the locale in which the PCs are 
  purchasing it:
  ◊  The finished product’s rarity
  ◊  The amount of resources 
  and logistics necessary for its 
  construction or transport (e.g., an 
  area bereft of iron will cause steel 
  swords and armor to be doubly 
  expensive than an area outside of 
  an iron mine)
  CurrenCy ConVersIon
  10 copper 
  pieces (cp)
  =
  1 silver piece (sp)
  10 silver 
  pieces (sp)
  =
  1 gold piece (gp)
  10 gold 
  pieces (gp)
  =
  1 platinum piece (pp)
  Equipment
  
  101
  ◊  The comparative isolation of the 
  locale (the more isolated, the more 
  inflated the prices)
  ◊  The amount of recycled or second-
  hand product available (e.g., decent 
  quality swords, bows, and spears 
  will be in cheap abundance at a 
  recent battlefield or abandoned 
  military fort)
  ◊  Is the item unique or customized 
  in some way, or is it able to be 
  relatively “mass produced” (custom, 
  such as armor, can multiply the cost 
  of an item by as much as ten times 
  its average)
  Another way to gauge prices in an area is to 
  determine how many days’ worth of skilled 
  labor are required to create it and bring it 
  to sale. An average worker makes 2 copper 
  pieces per day of labor, while a skilled 
  craftsman can make up to 2 or 3 silver pieces 
  per day. 
  A masterfully crafted, custom-fitted harness 
  of armor might take several hundred hours of 
  skilled work. This means that even on the low 
  end it could cost upwards of 500sp if bought 
  from the smith who crafted it. 
  Equipment
  
  Making
  Enemies
  
  103
  Making enemies
  The GM can convert or create an enemy 
  based upon its qualities below. If you’re 
  converting from OSR games, you can ignore 
  AC and to-hit, as the players make all 
  rolls. There’s more information on this in 
  Converting Enemies (page 112).
  ◊  Speed (typically -5 to +5)
  ◊  HP (typically 1 to 50)
  ◊  Damage modifier (typically +0 to 
  +10)
  ◊  Armor (0 to 4)
  ◊  Trait tags (1 to about 5)
  ◊  Abilities (0 to about 3)
  Each of these stats can depend on meeting 
  requirements—for example, an enemy’s 
  speed could favor certain environments, 
  while its damage modifier will depend on its 
  weapon. 
  Speed
  Speed depends on the enemy’s agility and 
  the equipment they carry. Most beasts and 
  unintelligent creatures carry nothing, so their 
  speed tends to be higher. 
  speed
  eXample enemIes
  -5 to -3
  Very slow: crabmen, dungeon 
  slimes, pack oxen
  -3 to -1
  Slow: armored humanoids, 
  orcs, dwarves, dragons
  0
  Normal: most creatures and 
  unencumbered people
  1-3
  Fast: goblins, swimming 
  sharks, wolves, elves
  3-5
  Very fast: horses, cheetahs, 
  giants, supernatural sprinters
  
  104
  HP
  HP measures how hard an enemy  
  is to defeat, and signifies morale,  
  luck, endurance, and fortitude.
  Damage Modifier
  The damage modifier signals how deadly 
  an enemy’s attacks are. This modifier is 
  added to any damage rolled. 
  hp
  eXample enemIes
  1 to 9
  Fodder: most humanoids, 
  deer, most goblins
  10 to 19
  Rugged: grizzled soldiers, 
  wolves, orcs
  20 to 29
  Tough: hardened 
  mercenaries, undead
  30 - 39
  Sturdy: bears, ogres, giant 
  insects, dinosaurs
  40-50
  Epic: giants, dragons, greater 
  swarms, liches
  dmg +
  eXample enemIes
  0
  Normal: most untrained 
  humanoids and wild beasts
  +1-3
  Threatening: trained 
  conscripts, goblins, bandits
  +4-6
  Dangerous: experienced 
  soldiers, orcs, most undead
  +7-9
  Severe: fiends, giants, 
  dinosaurs, mythical monsters
  +10
  Deadly: assassins, sorcerers, 
  dragons, demons
  Making enemies
  
  105
  Armor
  Armor reduces incoming damage, and 
  reflects how ablative the enemy’s hide is 
  or how well-protected it is. 
  Trait tags
  An enemy’s traits largely inform how it 
  behaves and define situations in which 
  the PCs would roll at disadvantage. 
  armor
  eXample equIpment and 
  enemIes
  0
  Unarmored: most humanoids 
  and thin-skinned beasts
  1
  Light: gambeson, standalone 
  shield, only a helmet
  2
  Medium: chainmail, giants, 
  crocodiles
  3
  Heavy: plate harness, hydras, 
  greater demons
  4
  Impenetrable: articulated full 
  plate, dragons
  traIt
  eXample effeCt
  Sneaky
  PC disadvantage to detect 
  the enemy while it’s in 
  stealth
  Feral
  The enemy attacks in a 
  bestial, unrelenting way
  Calculating
  The enemy will deploy 
  ambushes, flanks, tactics
  Grappling
  PC disadvantage when 
  trying to escape this enemy’s 
  bonds
  Elite 
  Soldier
  The enemy fights as a soldier, 
  holds the line, is calm
  Making enemies
  
  106
  Abilities
  Enemies can have abilities that grant them 
  special actions, permissions, movements, or 
  maneuvers. They function like techniques, 
  but in reverse—the PC rolls to defend or 
  counter these abilities (in most cases) or else 
  suffer their consequences. 
  Most enemies have no abilities, moderately 
  powerful enemies have one or two, and 
  powerful enemies have three. Few have more 
  than three. See below for a list of example 
  abilities, but the GM can feel free to invent 
  their own or use PC techniques (page 18).
  alter enVIronment: 
  The enemy can smash walls, reveal 
  pits, trigger traps, produce fog, or apply 
  any number of other environmental 
  effects that don’t affect the characters 
  themselves. Such abilities generally 
  apply disadvantage to certain rolls, or 
  force reactions (e.g., when smashing 
  down a building with the PCs inside).
  breath / blast / gas: 
  The enemy attacks a wide area in 
  front of it or in a blast zone. The more 
  area covered, the weaker its effect. 
  Examples:
  ◊  Blinding gas: disadvantage 
  to perception and combat
  ◊  Flame breath: deal damage 
  mod to all in zone, AP2
  ◊  Forceful gale: strong  
  gust of air that knocks  
  PCs prone and prevents 
  missile attacks
  Making enemies
  
  107
  Charge: 
  The enemy rushes toward its target and 
  deals +2 damage if the target PC fails to 
  defend.
  CrItICal Weakness: 
  The enemy cannot die or resurrects (or 
  may not even be able to take any form 
  of damage) unless its critical weakness 
  is exploited. This weakness must be 
  telegraphed to the party, or must be 
  something known to those who are 
  learned about this enemy. Examples:
  ◊  Wraiths must be captured 
  within a prison ward spell.
  ◊  Zombies must be 
  decapitated or burned.
  ◊  Liches must have their 
  phylactery destroyed.
  dIsarm:
  On a 9- to defend, the PC is disarmed 
  and the weapon drops to the ground. 
  On a 6- to defend, the enemy takes the 
  PC’s weapon.
  draIn: 
  On a hit, the PC takes 1 damage per 
  turn (ignores armor) until healed  
  or cured.
  gargantuan: 
  The enemy is massively large, large 
  enough for one or multiple PCs to stand 
  atop it. Some gargantuan creatures are 
  so large that they can house a structure 
  or two on their back. 
  Such enemies are actually constructs 
  Making enemies
  
  108
  of multiple enemies added together, 
  each able to be targeted and defeated. 
  If one such component is central to 
  the creature’s function (e.g., its head), 
  destroying it will often kill all of the 
  connected bits. 
  Example: The Gargantuan 
  Golden Wyrm of Akzoth is 
  actually made of four enemies—
  its head, body, wings, and tail. 
  Though they are part of the same 
  creature, each of these enemies 
  has its own set of abilities. The 
  wings grant permission to fly, the 
  claws grant pin, the tail trip, and 
  the head fire breath. 
  hIt and run: 
  On a 9- to defend, the enemy deals 
  damage as normal and then moves to 
  a range relevant to its speed (usually 
  short range).
  Immune to [type]: 
  Select a type of weapon, attack, or 
  magic. The enemy is completely 
  immune to this.
  InVIsIble: 
  Impossible to detect the enemy by non-
  magical visual means.
  knoCkbaCk: 
  On a 9- to defend, the PC is forcibly 
  moved around by the enemy to a 
  reasonable location within short range. 
  Making enemies
  
  109
  morph: 
  Upon reaching a certain threshold (e.g., 
  an HP value), the enemy can morph 
  into something else. Its abilities may 
  change, or it may simply add to its 
  existing suite.
  multIattaCk N: 
  This enemy can attack N times in one 
  action, either targeting the same PC 
  multiple times, or targeting many of 
  them within range. Most such enemies 
  have multiattack 2, very powerful ones 
  3, and nemeses 4. 
  paralysIs: 
  On a 7-9 to defend, the PC is 
  temporarily [paralyzed], which 
  reduces speed by -1 per turn until -7. 
  During this time, the PC struggles to 
  fight and make physical actions. On 
  a 6- to defend, the PC immediately 
  goes to -7 speed. If they reach 0 HP, 
  the [paralyzed] injury tag becomes 
  permanent.    
  Making enemies
  
  110
  pIn: 
  On a 9- to defend, the PC cannot 
  move until they succeed at another 
  roll or until the enemy is sufficiently 
  distracted or damaged. 
  poIson: 
  If an attack deals damage to a PC, the 
  PC rolls to resist the poison. On a 7-9, 
  the PC takes the injury tag [poisoned], 
  which can cause slowness, vomiting, or 
  dizziness. On a 6-, the PC takes damage 
  each turn equal to the enemy damage 
  mod. If they hit 0 HP, the [poison] 
  injury tag becomes permanent  
  until cured. 
  reaCtIon attaCk: 
  This enemy gets an immediate attack as 
  a reaction to any PC who attacks them 
  and rolls a 7-9. 
  reaCtIon moVement: 
  As reaction attack, but can move about 
  the battlefield instead of attacking.
  resIstant to [type]: 
  Select a type of weapon, attack, or 
  magic. The enemy has +1 armor against 
  this. 
  speCIal moVement: 
  This enemy can fly, burrow, swim, 
  teleport, phase, or move in another 
  special way. Each form of special 
  movement requires a speed and counts 
  as its own ability.
  Making enemies
  
  111
  stun: 
  Any PC that takes damage from this 
  enemy takes the temporary injury tag 
  [stunned], and loses their next action. 
  Each PC can only be [stunned] once in 
  this way.
  sWalloW: 
  On a 7-9 to defend, the PC is caught 
  in the enemy’s jaws, and can’t move 
  but can still attack. On a 6-, the PC is 
  swallowed and takes damage equal to 
  the enemy’s damage mod each turn 
  until they extricate.
  sWarm: 
  An aggregate of many smaller enemies 
  collected into one. Swarms are treated 
  as a regular enemy except that their 
  armor and damage modifier depend 
  upon how “full” they are. As they take 
  damage, their armor and damage 
  modifier decrease in proportion. Spray 
  attacks are treated as armor piercing 
  against a swarm. Once a swarm has 
  been reduced to one-quarter its original 
  HP, it breaks into several individual 
  creatures. 
  trIp: 
  On a 9- to defend, the PC is knocked 
  prone and is vulnerable to a more 
  lethal strike. Additionally, the PC can’t 
  move except to crawl or stand up, and 
  attacks at disadvantage until standing.
  Making enemies
  
  112
  To convert OSR enemies and monsters:
  reCord hp as Is. 
  HP, or HD times 4. 
  A creature with 3 HD has 12 HP.
  Ignore to-hIt bonus. 
  High to-hit (above +4) can be treated as the PC 
  rolling to defend at disadvantage. 
  Enemy with +5 to-hit instead forces 
  PC disadvantage on defend rolls.
  converting 
  enemies
  Making enemies
  
  113
  roll damage as lIsted. 
  For PC-rolled enemy damage (method 2 in 
  PCs Taking Damage, page 63), maximize 
  the monster damage and divide by three to 
  determine its damage modifier (max +10).
  Roll 3d6+3, or convert to +7.  
  to ConVert desCendIng aC:
  Every two points of AC below 10 is converted 
  to 1 Armor, rounded down (max 4 armor). 
  Additionally, any AC less than 0 causes PCs to 
  roll attacks at disadvantage. 
  A creature with 5 AC will have 2 Armor. 
  A creature with -1 AC will have 4 Armor 
  and force PCs to attack at disadvantage. 
  to ConVert asCendIng aC:
  Every two points of AC over 10 is converted 
  to 1 Armor, rounded down. Also, any AC 
  greater than 18 causes PCs to roll attacks at 
  disadvantage.
  A creature with 15 AC will have 2 Armor. 
  An enemy with 19 AC will have 4 Armor 
  and force PCs to attack at disadvantage.
  Making enemies
  
  114
  note saVIng throWs. 
  Extreme saving throws (good or bad) can 
  inform an enemy’s trait tags and abilities. 
  A creature with a very high “CON save” can 
  force PCs to roll at disadvantage against 
  poison or similar attacks that involve the 
  enemy’s fortitude or health. Saving throws of 
  -2 to +2 can be ignored.
  The Archmage enemy has a +5 Will save 
  in an OSR game. This enemy in Vagabonds 
  instead has the [willful] trait and forces PCs 
  to roll at disadvantage when trying to affect 
  the Archmage’s mental acuity or willpower.
  Making enemies
  
  115
  note speCIal abIlItIes  
  or resIstanCes.
  These abilities can largely be lifted wholesale. 
  Otherwise, most can be easily converted 
  into the abilities listed in the previous 
  section. Weak or uninteresting abilities that 
  aren’t core to the creature’s qualities can be 
  disregarded.
  The dragon’s immunity to fire can be 
  ported over as is. The giant scorpion’s 
  resistance to poison (half damage 
  from all poison attacks) can instead 
  be treated as resistant 3 to poison.
  Adjust movement speed. Enemy speeds of 
  30 feet per movement turn will start with 0 
  speed. For every +10 feet per move, add +1 
  speed. For every -10 feet per move, subtract 
  1 speed. A creature that is heavily armored 
  reduces speed as normal (1 armor = -1 
  speed) unless that creature also has special 
  movement or massive size (e.g., a dragon). An 
  enemy that wields a weapon(s) in two hands 
  loses 2 speed. 
  The bandit has 40 feet of movement, wields 
  a bow, and wears a light gambeson for 
  armor. The bandit’s speed is -2 = 0 (start) 
  + 1 (10 feet up) - 2 (bow) - 1 (armor).     
  Making enemies
  
  116
  The enemies below are simply examples, 
  and can be easily tweaked or changed as 
  befits your game. Note that adding more HP, 
  armor, or abilities will significantly amplify 
  an enemy’s power and threat level. They 
  are listed with a damage mod here rather 
  than dice-rolling, as listed in method 2 in PCs 
  Taking Damage (page 63).
  example enemies
  aColyte
  hp: 5 
  spd: 0
  dmg: +1 armor: 0
  A junior priest, cleric, or disciple
  Trait 
  tags:
  pious acolyte, minor divine 
  magic, zealous
  Abilities:
  magical healing (restore 3 HP 
  to one target, short range)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  1h mace (arm), sanctified (or 
  profane) oils
  amorgobbler
  hp: 5 
  spd: 0
  dmg: +0 armor: 4
  Armadillo-like, ten feet in length, with 
  slavering, drill-like teeth
  Trait 
  tags:
  hungry for metal, defensive 
  creature, quick to retreat
  Abilities:
   immune to metal weapons, 
  disarm (also works against 
  armor), swallow (only vs 
  weapons and armor)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  unlikely to damage people, 
  but will eat their weapons 
  and armor (even attached to 
  their body)
  Making enemies
  
  117
  bear
  hp: 30 
  spd: 2
  dmg: +4 armor: 1
  A hulking beast surprisingly difficult to kill
  Trait 
  tags:
  powerful beast, scent tracking, 
  tough hide 
  Abilities:
  charge, multiattack 2
  Combat 
  Notes:
  charges and focuses on a single 
  target until dead
  beetle, gIant
  hp: 15 
  spd: -1 dmg: +2 armor: 2
  Iridescent, clacking, and about fifty times 
  bigger than the garden variety
  Trait 
  tags:
  pincers, hard carapace, drops 
  from dark ceilings
  Abilities:
  wallclimb, spit acid (breath, 
  AP1) 
  Combat 
  Notes:
  hide, acid spray from ceiling, 
  then drop and attack as dagger 
  (arm)
  bandIt
  hp: 8 
  spd: 1
  dmg: +2 armor: 0
  A humanoid who’ll cut your throat for a 
  piece of copper
  Trait 
  tags:
  dirty fighter, strength in 
  numbers, stealthy, craven
  Abilities:
  none
  Combat 
  Notes:
  dagger (arm), light bow (short 
  range), light axe (arm)
  Making enemies
  
  118
  bugbear
  hp: 14 
  spd: -2 dmg: +3 armor: 1
  A stealthy, stinking, furry goblin of unusual 
  size and strength
  Trait 
  tags:
  foul, stalking predator, 
  bloodthirsty, cave-dweller
  Abilities:
  none
  Combat 
  Notes:
  axe (arm), shield, smelly hide 
  armor
  Cat, great
  hp: 10 
  spd: 1
  dmg: +5 armor: 0
  Lions, tigers, and jaguars oh my
  Trait 
  tags:
  stalking predator, fangs and 
  claws, cautious, camouflaged
  Abilities:
  pin, multiattack 3, special 
  movement (ignore difficult 
  terrain)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  focuses on a single isolated 
  target, multiattack (step)
  berserker
  hp: 12 
  spd: 2
  dmg: +5 armor: 1
  A warrior possessed by feral rage and 
  wonton slaughter 
  Trait 
  tags:
  battle rage, careless, aggressive, 
  willing to die
  Abilities:
  knockback, hit and run
  Combat 
  Notes:
  2h axe (step), javelin (thrown, 
  close range)
  Making enemies
  
  119
  dIre ants
  hp: 6 
  spd: 1
  dmg: +1 armor: 1
  Giant ants roughly a foot or two in length
  Trait 
  tags:
  insectoid, great strength, 
  pheromones, highly mobile
  Abilities:
  poison, special movement 
  (wallclimb, burrow)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  attempt to swarm a single 
  target, arm range
  dIgestIVe Jelly
  hp: 40 
  spd: -4 dmg: +7 armor: 0
  A corridor-filling ooze, largely transparent, 
  deadly to touch
  Trait 
  tags:
  transparent, massive, digestive, 
  unaware, inexorable
  Abilities:
  swallow, poison, immune to 
  non-magical weapons, AP4
  Combat 
  Notes:
  it eats all in its path, it can’t do 
  anything proactively
  doppelganger
  hp: 5 
  spd: 0
  dmg: +1 armor: 0
  A humanoid shapechanger capable of near-
  perfect facsimile
  Trait 
  tags:
  shapechanger, gains pleasure 
  from deceit, hungers for flesh
  Abilities:
  mimic (after touch contact, can 
  morph into any humanoid)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  will separate and mimic one, 
  then try to eat PCs
  Making enemies
  
  120
  dragons
  hp: 50 
  spd: 1 /  
  4 (fly)
  dmg: 
  +10
  armor: 4
  A single, younger dragon. Greater wyrms 
  and ancient beasts should be given the 
  Gargantuan ability, and therefore serve as 
  multiple conjoined creatures
  Trait 
  tags:
  dragon, terrifying, wings of 
  death, fire and smoke
  Abilities:
  hit and run, pin, swallow, 
  special movement (flight), fire 
  breath (breath, long range, 
  AP4), immune to fire
  Combat 
  Notes:
  seeks to hoard azoth, will stay 
  flying if possible, uses fire 
  breath as often as possible, will 
  land and swallow (long range)
  Making enemies
  
  121
  ghoul
  hp: 12 
  spd: 3
  dmg: +4 armor: 1
  A bestial, humanoid undead; a feral 
  vampire
  Trait 
  tags:
  vicious, terrifying, hate the sun, 
  bloodthirsty, unintelligent
  Abilities:
  paralyze, drain
  Combat 
  Notes:
  will attempt to paralyze and 
  then drain (reach)
  gIant
  hp: 30 
  spd: -3 dmg: +8 armor: 2
  A hulking creature no less than twelve feet 
  in height and breadth
  Trait 
  tags:
  massive, strong, smashing, 
  charging, slow, near-blind
  Abilities:
  knockback, blast attack 
  (throwing stones, long range)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  throws stones, then uses 
  treetrunk club (short range)
  gnoll
  hp: 15 
  spd: 2
  dmg: +1 armor: 1
  A hyena-like humanoid, foul and violent
  Trait 
  tags:
  howling, pack animal, strong, 
  fast, crude, gullible
  Abilities:
  reaction attack
  Combat 
  Notes:
  heavy bow (long range), axe 
  (step), shield
  Making enemies
  
  122
  hydra
  hp: 
  15 per 
  segment 
  spd: -4 / 
  0 (sWIm)
  dmg: 
  +9
  armor:  
  4
  A multiheaded serpentine beast of 
  mythological power
  Trait 
  tags:
  four-headed, giant, serpentine, 
  thickly scaled
  Abilities:
  gargantuan, five segments 
  (four heads, one torso).
  ◊  Each head: bite 
  (short range), 
  poison, swallow. 
  Special: once each 
  head is killed, a 
  new one grows 
  back into its place
  ◊  Torso: regeneration 
  stops if torso 
  is destroyed. 
  Knockback
  Combat 
  Notes:
  lurks in watery caves, uses 
  heads to protect torso, will 
  swim away if badly wounded 
  and to regenerate heads
  goblIn
  hp: 4 
  spd: 1
  dmg: +1 armor: 0
  A craven, evil, skulking creature akin to a 
  profane smallfolk
  Trait 
  tags:
  small, cruel, skulking, 
  subservient, thieving, stinking
  Abilities:
  reaction movement
  Combat 
  Notes:
  spear (reach), dagger (arm), 
  react to retreat
  Making enemies
  
  123
  lIzardkIn
  hp: 10 
  spd: 0 /  
  2 (sWIm)
  dmg: 
  +2
  armor: 0
  Lizard-like swamp things of humanoid 
  intelligence
  Trait 
  tags:
  swamp natives, pack predators, 
  amphibious, brutal
  Abilities:
  knockback, drown (pull into 
  water on knockback ability)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  spear (reach), sling (short 
  range), claws (step)
  Making enemies
  
  124
  medIum
  hp: 5 
  spd: -1 dmg: +1 armor: 0
  An apprentice mage
  Trait 
  tags:
  neophyte, academic, physically 
  inept, basic magic
  Abilities:
  javelin of air (short-range 
  magical attack), one spell from 
  adept technique
  Combat 
  Notes:
  accompanied by thugs or their 
  master
  lyCanthrope  
  (WereWolf, etC.)
  hp:  
  3 / 25 
  spd:  
  -2 / 4
  dmg:  
  +0 / +3
  armor:  
  0 / 4
  A twisted amalgamation of beast and man, 
  driven to kill sentient prey
  Trait 
  tags:
  Feral, strengthened by the 
  moon, mighty, fast
  Abilities:
  morph (post / is in wolf form), 
  multiattack 2, silvered weapons 
  ignore 4 armor. Lycanthropy 
  (any PC reduced to 0 HP from 
  the lycanthrope gains the 
  affliction. If not cured before 
  the next moon—usually 
  through ritual magic—it is 
  permanent)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  A typical civilian or weak 
  humanoid. When morphed, 
  unaware of its actions, claws 
  (step), fangs (arm)
  Making enemies
  
  125
  mInotaur
  hp: 22 
  spd: 0
  dmg: +6 armor: 0
  Cursed to forever wander labyrinths and 
  kill those who enter its domain
  Trait 
  tags:
  Maze master, raging bull, semi-
  intelligent
  Abilities:
  special movement (maze chase, 
  multiple angles of attack), 
  resistant to non-magical attack 
  (armor +2 vs non-magical), hit 
  and run
  Combat 
  Notes:
  2h axe (step), gore (arm), uses 
  maze chase and hit and run to 
  come from multiple dizzying 
  angles to attack and disappear 
  again
  medusa
  hp: 16 
  spd: 0
  dmg: +6 armor: 0
  An ancient creature of magical power, 
  capable of paralyzing any with a look
  Trait 
  tags:
  mythological fiend, serpentine, 
  powerful sorceress
  Abilities:
  paralysis (with eye contact), 
  control stone
  Combat 
  Notes:
  Attempts to paralyze, uses 
  former paralyzed stone statues 
  as minions
  Making enemies
  
  126
  pIXIe
  hp: 1 
  spd: 5
  dmg: +1 armor: 0
  A tiny fairy capable of fluttering flight and 
  invisibility
  Trait 
  tags:
  tiny, fae, flittering, trickster
  Abilities:
  invisibility, the legerdemain 
  spell
  Combat 
  Notes:
  can remain invisible until 
  coated or magically dispelled
  sCaVengIpede
  hp: 25 
  spd: -3 dmg: +2 armor: 2
  A twenty-foot tentacular centipede that 
  feasts on corpses and carrion
  Trait 
  tags:
  disgusting, one hundred legs, 
  constricting, poison bite
  Abilities:
  wallclimb, speed 2 digging 
  through refuse, paralysis
  Combat 
  Notes:
  Hide and paralyze (reach)
  orC
  hp: 10 
  spd: 1
  dmg: +2 armor: 1
  A hulking, slightly more intelligent, much 
  bigger goblin
  Trait 
  tags:
  Barbaric, monstrous, death 
  from combat, strong, dumb
  Abilities:
  charge, trip
  Combat 
  Notes:
  2h axe (step), heavy bow (long 
  range)
  Making enemies
  
  127
  soldIer
  hp: 10
  spd: -1
  dmg: +3 armor: 2
  A grizzled killer trained in the art of war
  Trait 
  tags:
  disciplined, tactical, armored, 
  battle-hardened
  Abilities:
  formation (if three or more 
  soldiers fight together in 
  formation, their dmg mod 
  increases to +4, armor to 3, 
  and speed reduces to -2 for the 
  entire group)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  spear (reach), shield, heavy 
  bow (long range), sword (step), 
  dagger (arm)
  Making enemies
  
  128
  shrIeker shroom
  hp: 12 
  spd: 0
  dmg: +2 armor: 0
  A human-sized, semi-sentient mushroom 
  creature
  Trait 
  tags:
  cave- dweller, fungal, easily 
  startled, afraid of light
  Abilities:
  release spores (Stun, long 
  range, gas zone attack, loud 
  shriek)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  generally non-aggressive, but 
  will release spores and shriek 
  when startled by light or 
  violence, and fight if necessary
  spIder, gIant
  hp: 6 
  spd: -2 / 
  2 (Web)
  dmg: +2 armor: 0
  An eight-legged horror capable of ensnaring a 
  small horse in its web
  Trait 
  tags:
  spider, insectoid, web-slinger, 
  poor eyesight, fragile
  Abilities:
  paralysis, poison, affect 
  environment (webs)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  will only fight and ambush from 
  its lair or feeding grounds, webs 
  are difficult terrain, bite (arm, 
  delivers poison and paralysis)
  Making enemies
  
  129
  zombIe
  hp: 8 
  spd: -4
  dmg: +1 armor: 0
  The shambling, rotten undead
  Trait 
  tags:
  undead, shambling, hungry for 
  living flesh
  Abilities:
  critical weakness (immune to 
  any damage not struck against 
  the head, usually measured by 
  a 13+ on an attack)
  Combat 
  Notes:
  operates under the direction of 
  a necromancer, and can’t travel 
  far from such control, unarmed 
  bites and claws (arm)
  WraIth
  hp: 5 
  spd: -1 dmg: +1 armor: 0
  An ethereal, shadow-like spirit of deadly 
  power
  Trait 
  tags:
  massive, strong, smashing, 
  charging, slow, near-blind
  Abilities:
  special movement (phase 
  through walls), critical 
  weakness (immune to damage 
  not dealt atop ground with 
  warding glyphs), drain
  Combat 
  Notes:
  will phase through a wall, 
  kill one, and escape (focus 
  on magical PCs to prevent 
  weakness)
  Making enemies
  
  Character
  archetypes
  
  131
  Character Archetypes
  These archetypes are designed to resemble 
  common character classes from D&D and 
  similar RPGs, or playbooks from PbtA games 
  such as Dungeon World. 
  You can grab them and use them wholesale 
  as premade characters. Or you can pick and 
  choose pieces of them to mix and match as 
  you see fit. The purpose of these is to give 
  easy guidelines for genre conventions as well 
  as quick pick-up-and-play characters. 
  adVenturer
  A capable explorer, well versed 
  in overland travel and wilderness 
  survival. 
  aVoWed
  A divine and devoted scholar, capable 
  of great concentration and calling upon 
  cosmic powers.
  mage
  One learned in the arcane and ancient, 
  capable of usurping the natural power 
  of the universe.
  rogue
  A dexterous thief, assassin, and 
  dungeon-delver.
  WarrIor
  The knight, the brawler, the soldier.
  
  132
  Adventurer
  traIts
  (Level 1 pre-selected, pick one per level up)
    
  : Run today, fight another day x 
    
  : Highly risky (weakness)
    
  : Plunder, pillage, and profit 
    
  : Survived Castlebrook Siege
    
  : Relentlessly overeager 
    
   Stole the Great Diadem
    
   Grew up in the ship’s galley 
    
   Traversed the Frostfang Peaks
    
   A procurer of artifacts 
    
   Waged war against pirates
  Character Archetypes
  
  133
  Core flaW
  I never have to suffer my problems so long as 
  I keep moving and running away from them.
  lIneage: 
  Human
  teChnIques 
  (pick one, gain one per level)
    
   Ear to the 
  Ground 
    
   Inner Compass 
    
   Linguist 
    
   Tough Hide 
    
   Favored 
  Environment
    
   Iron Stomach
    
   Pathfinder
    
   Tracker
  hp: 10 armor: 1 speed: -3
  equIpment: 
  ◊  cutlass (1h, arm); 
  ◊  shortbow (2h, short range, ammo), 
  ◊  gambeson (1 armor, worn);
  ◊  adventuring kit (5 uses),
  ◊  climbing kit (worn, fragile), 
  ◊  1 potion of gillbreath  
  (1 use, breathe underwater)
  Character Archetypes
  
  134
  Avowed
  traIts 
  (Level 1 pre-selected, pick one per level up)
    
  : Plodding and determined 
    
  : [Quest] for their [belief] 
    
  : [Pray] before and after battle 
    
  : A bloodthirsty sellsword 
    
  : A devout [cleric] of [Good] 
    
  : Susceptible to lies (weakness)
    
   Battlefield medic
    
   Cleansed a profane evil
    
   Saved a friend’s life
    
   Witnessed a great miracle
  Character Archetypes
  
  135
  Core flaW: 
  The plights of the world are due to people’s 
  lack of discipline, devotion, or piety.
  lIneage: 
  Dwarf
  teChnIques 
  (pick one, gain one per level)
    
   Cure 
    
   Devoted 
    
   Healing Touch 
    
   Last Word
    
   Magical Healing
    
   Nose for Evil
    
   Provident 
  Guidance
    
   Soulsnare
  hp: 8 armor: 2 speed: -4
  equIpment: 
  ◊  chainmail (1 armor, worn), 
  ◊  light shield (1h, +1 armor), 
  ◊  mace (1h, arm), 
  ◊  divine totem (+1 to damage dealt or 
  healed with holy magic), 
  ◊  hospitaller’s kit (5 uses),
  ◊  adventuring kit (5 uses)
  Character Archetypes
  
  136
  Mage
  traIts 
  (Level 1 pre-selected, pick one per level up)
    
  : Proper application of leverage
    
  : I will acquire true Power 
    
  : Embrace the wizard cliché 
    
  : Former diplomat and leader 
    
  : I am a master of the arcane 
    
  : Sheer hubris (weakness)
    
   I tamed a greater fiend
    
   Melted hordes of soldiers 
    
   I’ve learned magical mysteries
    
   Spell over sword
  Character Archetypes
  
  137
  Core flaW: 
  I will not be corrupted by Power, I can control 
  the magic better than those who have failed 
  before me.
  lIneage: 
  Elf
  teChnIques 
  (pick one, gain one per level)
    
   Adept
    
   Arcanist 
    
   Beastspeak 
    
   Control 
  Vegetation
    
   Hellrift
    
   Pyromancer
    
   Scry
    
   Undead Thrall
  hp: 8 armor: 0 speed: -2
  Equipment: 
  ◊  orb of focus (magical implement, 
  permission for short-range force 
  attacks, ammo), 
  ◊  adventuring kit (5 uses),
  ◊  bound scrolls, 
  ◊  cartographer’s kit
  Character Archetypes
  
  138
  Rogue
  traIts 
  (Level 1 pre-selected, pick one per level up)
    
  : x Only when the time is right 
    
  : Coin, pure and simple
    
  : Always slinking in and out
    
  : Heir to a mighty business
    
  : Cutthroat and sneakthief
    
  : Bit of a coward (weakness)
    
   I stole the crown jewels
    
   Assassin of kings
    
   Sly cutpurse
    
   Plumbed the dungeon deep
  Character Archetypes
  
  139
  Core flaW: 
  Finders keepers isn’t wrong, so long as 
  nobody else knows about it.
  lIneage: 
  Smallfolk
  teChnIques 
  (pick one, gain one per level)
    
   Assassinate
    
   Better Safe than 
  Sorry
    
   Eyeball It 
    
   Jellybones 
    
   Practiced 
  Shadow
    
   Shadowmeld 
    
   Trapcunning
    
   Cutpurse
  hp: 8 armor: 1 speed: -2
  equIpment: 
  ◊  gambeson (1 armor, worn), 
  ◊  daggers (1h, arm, ammo when 
  thrown, short range), 
  ◊  adventuring kit (5 uses), 
  ◊  climbing kit, 
  ◊  thief’s kit (3 uses, fragile)
  Character Archetypes
  
  140
  Warrior
  traIts 
  (Level 1 pre-selected, pick one per level up)
    
  : Kill first, question later 
    
  : I seek vengeance
    
  : War stories for every occasion
    
  : Won my freedom from the pits
    
  : I perfect myself through war
    
  : Tunnel-visioned (weakness)
    
   Won an impossible battle
    
   Slayed hordes of beasts
    
   Survived the Skinmelt Plague
    
   Led the Adamantium Legion
  Character Archetypes
  
  141
  Core flaW: 
  Violence is the root of all power, and often is 
  the best and only solution to conflict.
  lIneage: 
  Beastkin
  teChnIques 
  (pick one, gain one per level)
    
   Armorborn
    
   Favored Enemy
    
   Favored Tactic
    
   Favored 
  Weapon
    
   Frothy Rage
    
   Light Sleeper
    
   Mighty Leap
    
   Strong
  hp: 8 armor: 3 speed: -4
  equIpment: 
  ◊  full armor harness  
  (armor 3, heavy, worn),
  ◊  poleaxe  
  (reach, 2h, effective vs humanoid), 
  ◊  longsword  
  (2h, step, effective vs unarmored), 
  ◊  adventuring kit (5 uses), 
  ◊  potion of battle brew  
  (1 use, +3 damage and +1 armor 
  until end of scene)
  Character Archetypes
  
  LINEAGE
  INJURIES
  Vagabonds
  Dyfed
  of
  MY APPROACH TO CONFLICT:
  MY GOAL:
  MY GIMMICK:
  MY BACKGROUND:
  MY FOREGROUND:
  MY WEAKNESS:
   
   
   
   
   
   
  CORE FLAW
  CORE FLAW
  LINEAGE
  LINEAGE
  EQUIPMENT
  LINEAGE
  CORE FLAW
  TRAITS
  TECHNIQUES
  ARMOR
  SPEED
  HP
  Once per session, use to wriggle into or out 
  of trouble, or succumb for +3xp
  -1 speed for each loaded-down limb and 
  point of armor; at -7, you are immobilized
  LEVEL
  Sum relevant positive and negative traits to 
  determine aptitude (max +3, min -3) 
  PICK ONE, GAIN ONE PER LEVEL
  GAIN ONE PER LEVEL
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Vagabonds of Dyfed (PbtA)/Vagabonds of Dyfed - Single Column.pdf