TEXT: 6
  
  1
  Quick-Start
  Written by
  Thorin Tabor
  Edited by
  Tracy Lachowicz
  Saga Machine system by
  Thorin Tabor
  Art by
  Max Foss, Rick Hershey, Saad Irfan, Pawel Kardis,  
  Enmanuel Martinez Lema, Fortin Michel
  Tab Creations is
  Ben Goreham, Jesse Pingenot, Matthew Pennell, Thorin Tabor
  Tab Creations, Saga Machine and Age of Ambition are trademarks owned by Thorin Tabor and Tab Creations LLC. All rights reserved. All other 
  content is ©2020 Thorin Tabor & Tab Creations. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the 
  trademark or copyright concerned. This document is a work of fiction. Some artwork ©Rick Hershey, Fat Goblin Games/Empty Room Studios.
  Happening Now!
  January - February 2020
  
  Introduction
  2
  
  Introduction
  3
  C
  hances are you’ve read books or played 
  games where fantasy heroes set out in 
  search of gold and glory, plundering tombs 
  and battling dark lords. 
  This is not exactly one of those games.
  It is a game about what happens afterward, 
  when a fantasy world evolves beyond sword 
  and sorcery, advancing culturally and tech-
  nologically into a new age. This is a game of 
  forward-facing fantasy, where heroes don’t so 
  much plunder the past as pioneer the future, 
  braving a perilous and uncertain new era, 
  filled with hope and trepidation. The answers 
  won’t be found in some musty old tomb. The 
  answers are theirs to create.
  So strap on your breastplate and pick up 
  your pistol. There are discoveries to make, 
  wrongs to right, tyrants to overthrow and new 
  social orders to trial!
  Quick-Start
  This quick-start booklet is intended as an 
  introduction to the Age of Ambition setting 
  and the Saga Machine rules—something a 
  GM can run and try out before committing 
  to the full game. It contains a brief overview 
  of the world, a stripped-down version of the 
  rules and a ready-to-run scenario. Everything 
  you need to play the game is included, save for 
  the players and a few decks of poker cards.
  The first part of this quick-start is player-
  friendly. In fact, players are encouraged to read 
  the “Oh, Perilous Age” setting overview, as it 
  will contribute to their understanding of the 
  game world. Potential players of the included 
  scenario should not read anything from the 
  beginning of that scenario onward, as it will 
  spoil the plot twists and other surprises.
  We hope you enjoy the game and support 
  the full version of Age of Ambition, which is 
  Kickstarting right now! (Jan. – Feb. 2020)
  What is Saga Machine?
  Saga Machine is the tabletop role-
  playing system used by Age of Ambition, 
  Shadows Over Sol, Against the Dark Yogi 
  and Dime Adventures. It combines an 
  exciting action mechanic with meaningful 
  consequences.
  The rules of every Saga Machine 
  game are tailored for that game’s genre and 
  themes, adapting a solid core and bringing in 
  custom-made supporting subsystems. This 
  strikes a balance between the ease of going 
  from one Saga Machine game to another, 
  and the rules being tailored to the genre.
  Introduction
  In which a preface is given, questions answered 
  and a new journey begins
  
  Oh, Perilous Age
  4
  
  Oh, Perilous Age
  5
  T
  rystell is a world that is in the process 
  of evolving beyond sword and sorcery, 
  advancing culturally and technologically into 
  a new age. It is home to a number of different 
  peoples—from human and minotaurs, to 
  ogres and gnomes. It is also the moon of a 
  gas giant, with a hostile sister moon that once 
  tried to colonize the world.
  Most of all, Trystell is a world that’s 
  facing its future. It’s beholden to shades of 
  gray and intrigue. No one knows what this 
  new era will bring, but with it comes great 
  peril and great promise.
  Forward-facing 
  Fantasy
  For much of its history, the fantasy genre 
  has been mired in vast, unchanging worlds 
  that have remained more-or-less the same 
  culturally and technologically for hundreds 
  or even thousands of years.
  Age of Ambition is different. Its stories 
  look to the future, at a world moving beyond 
  the medieval fantasy milieu. A renaissance is in 
  progress, both literally and metaphorically, and 
  its tales confront both the good and the bad 
  aspects of the changing world.
  From Above
  From the top, life on Trystell looks 
  optimistic. Crop yields are up. The cities 
  are growing. The economy is booming. The 
  nobility and gentry are richer than their  
  forefathers, better educated and well-traveled. 
  Tradesmen have better tools. The ships sail 
  farther. Windmills and waterwheels produce  
  mechanical energy. There are magnetic 
  compasses, printing presses and blasting 
  powder. There’s a renaissance in progress!
  Those in power are not stupid, but they are 
  likely complacent. From their perspective at the 
  top, everything is going wonderfully. And if the 
  ignorant peasants cannot see that, the social elite 
  have no interest in hearing their complaints.
  From Below
  From the bottom, life on Trystell is  
  terrifying and uncertain. Everything is 
  changing. Better crop yields mean that 
  farmers have more children, but no more 
  land. So the dislocated youth swarm to filthy 
  cities, where they die by the thousands of bad 
  water and disease. The mills and foundries are 
  a special sort of hell. Cutthroats pick off the 
  unwary and gangs recruit the unscrupulous. 
  The old order is being torn apart. 
  Oh, Perilous Age
  In which the gentle reader is first acquainted with a 
  world on the cusp of a heretofore unknown era
  
  Oh, Perilous Age
  6
  On the fringes, settlers press outward into 
  forbidden lands, where dark things lurk in the 
  forests and ancient ruins are better left undis-
  turbed. Half the pioneers end up perishing of 
  starvation in the brutal wilderness. Others are 
  picked off by hostile natives or the unknown.
  Trystell’s progress is real, but it comes at 
  a terrible cost in dislocation and suffering. 
  While the upper classes may be insulated from 
  this fact by coin and power, the peasantry do 
  not have that luxury.
  Change is Coming
  In the long term, Trystell’s current situation 
  is untenable, and eventually something will have 
  to give. The social order is teetering on the brink 
  of collapse. It is a mass of contradictions—old 
  versus new, rich versus poor, hostile nations and 
  mutually-antagonistic religions. The old super-
  stitions and folk beliefs are fraying, challenged 
  by scholars and religious reformation. No one 
  knows what to believe anymore.
  The social hierarchy isn’t as impenetrable as 
  it used to be, and the ambitious may yet claw 
  their way up. The feudal system is withering. 
  It is hopelessly not up to the task of governing 
  the changing place the world has become. 
  Many nobles and knights, however, cling to 
  their aristocratic trappings, still wishing the 
  world’s problems could be solved by a knight 
  on a horse with a lance.
  Player Characters
  The world is in a state of flux. A new social 
  order rises, and the player characters are at the 
  forefront of this change. They don’t just raid 
  tombs, they foment rebellions, establish new 
  colonies, fight the institution of slavery, break the 
  power of guilds and invent new technologies.
  The Party
  In Age of Ambition, the player charac-
  ters work together to make their mark on the 
  world, or at least some corner of it. They might 
  be escaped slaves, leaders of an expedition, 
  members of a town council, partners in a new 
  merchant company, a band of city watchmen 
  or even an archetypal adventuring party.
  Peoples
  The world of Trystell is home to six 
  peoples, some of which are further divided into 
  different sub-groups:
   
  • Dwarves: A short but durable people with 
  an ancestral memory that passes down 
  knowledge and prejudices through the 
  generations in the dwarven subconscious.
   
  • Elves: A long-lived and graceful people 
  with keen olfactory senses and many 
  secrets. Divided into: sea elves, true elves 
  and wild elves.
   
  • Gnomes: A small, impulsive people known 
  for their quirks and prophetic dreams. 
  Divided into: aqua gnomes, handler 
  gnomes and tinker gnomes.
   
  • Humans: A widespread people known for 
  their hope and optimism.
   
  • Minotaurs: A towering people with horns 
  and fur. Known for their sense of social 
  harmony and heard mentality. Divided into: 
  canny minotaurs and brawny minotaurs.
  
  Oh, Perilous Age
  7
   
  • Ogres: Many diverse peoples with a fierce 
  sense of independence and adaptability. 
  Divided into: goblins, high orcs, trolls, 
  hobgoblins, orcs and true ogres.
  Society
  Trystell is a world of intrigue and social 
  change, street corner agitation and masquerade 
  balls. Life has changed significantly in the past 
  decades, as the world evolves beyond the medieval 
  and into a new era of gunpowder and industry.
  Social Strata
  Many societies on Trystell are highly strati-
  fied—with the nobility desperately hanging on 
  to their ancient privileges, with an upsurging 
  merchant class displacing the power of the 
  nobles and with teeming throngs of the 
  common folk increasingly downtrodden and 
  rebellious. The three strata are as follows:
   
  • Noble: Royalty, nobility or other rulers of 
  society, or the independently powerful.
   
  • Gentle: Merchants, tradesmen or those in 
  professions requiring skilled labor.
   
  • Common: Peasants, laborers, ne’er-do-
  wells and those in unskilled professions.
  Language
  Although regional languages exist, by 
  far the most dominant language is Standard. 
  Roughly one in four people know how to read.
  Money
  Coinage consists of gold pieces (gp), silver 
  pesos (sp) and bronze pennies (bp), with a  
  1 : 20 : 200 exchange rate between them. A 
  typical commoner makes about 2 bp per day, a 
  merchant about 2 sp and a typical noble 2 gp.
  Magic
  Trystell is a world where magic works in 
  accordance with established arcane principles. 
  It is a force of nature whose energy can be 
  measured and directed by anyone with enough 
  discipline and the right education. 
  There are two magical traditions that have 
  arisen, each based around extracting arcane 
  energy from a different magical reagent.
  Kalid Magic
  Kalid magic is the oldest magical tradition. 
  It is based on extracting arcane energy from 
  dangerous and innately magical creatures 
  called kalids. These beasts are hunted and 
  their body parts preserved for later use. Kalid 
  magic is considered to be the more subtle of 
  the two magical traditions.
  Lunar Magic
  Lunar magic was introduced two centuries 
  ago during the Lunar Occupation. It is based on 
  extracting magical energy from small enigmatic 
  devices manufactured in foundries left behind 
  by the occupation. It is the showier and blunter 
  of the two traditions, as its use frequently 
  involves harnessing the raw elements.
  
  Oh, Perilous Age
  8
  Religion
  Most religion on Trystell is polytheistic. 
  Four major gods are worshiped, most with 
  several sects. A handful of minor deities are 
  revered as well. Finally, a rival pantheon—the 
  Old Ones—is recognized, but not generally 
  worshiped by any but the Blaugh’ocks, the 
  invaders from Trystell’s sister moon.
  The Four
  The four major gods are:
   
  • Crono: A god of nature, storms, fertility 
  and repeated cycles. His religion doesn’t 
  easily break down into distinct sects; each 
  temple more or less operates on its own.
   
  • Eios: A god of dreams, industry, prophecy 
  and property. Small regional alliances 
  between temples exist, bound together by 
  wandering dream shamans.
   
  • Linquad: A god of fate, life, death and duty. 
  Formerly consisting of a single sect that a 
  generation ago underwent a violent schism.
   
  • Zuraic: A god of fire, cleanliness, purity and 
  courage. Dominated by a single orthodox 
  sect and organized along military lines.
  The Old Ones
  A common belief is that while the Four 
  hold dominion over the world, they didn’t 
  create it. That distinction belongs to an older 
  pantheon of gods, forgotten by all but a few 
  hidden sects and, of course, the Blaugh’ocks. 
  Other Religions
  Other forms of religion exist, including: 
  the worship of minor deities associated with 
  each of the Four; ancestor worship and 
  various forms of non-belief.
  
  Oh, Perilous Age
  9
  History
  Many of the events and eras in Trystell’s 
  history still affect the modern day. The most 
  important past epochs include:
   
  • Creation: Legends say that the Old 
  Ones created Trystell and in doing so 
  became trapped inside. The world was 
  then claimed by the Four, who set about 
  creating its various peoples. 
   
  • War of the Shattering: Eventually, the 
  Old Ones escaped their confinement 
  and they fought the Four in a terrible 
  war. The Old Ones lost this conflict, 
  and taking their followers, they fled to 
  the moon Blaugh’ock. But not before 
  unleashing the Changeling Plagues on 
  the world, which shattered many of the 
  peoples into different sub-groups.
   
  • Golden Age: The Golden Age was an era 
  of relative peace and prosperity. During it, 
  many things were standardized, including 
  the calendar, language and currency.
   
  • Dark Ages: A time of natural disasters, 
  petty wars and strife that followed the 
  collapse of the Golden Age.
   
  • Lunar Occupation: People from the moon, 
  Blaugh’ock, invaded Trystell, conquered 
  kingdoms and established colonies. They 
  also introduced lunar magic.
   
  • Present Day: In the past century, Trystell 
  has started to leave its medieval era behind. 
  The year is 1518 and the world is in a state 
  of flux. The old systems are breaking down 
  or being challenged. The future is uncertain.
  Cosmology
  Trystell is the moon of a large gas giant 
  known as Zipnocii. It is one of four moons 
  and countless tiny moonlets. At least one of 
  the other moons, Blaugh’ock, is populated, as 
  several centuries ago it invaded Trystell.
  There are also holes in the world that lead 
  to other planes. The best known of these are the 
  Kalid Gates, which lead to a pocket dimension 
  called the Kalid Realm. This realm is the home 
  of the magical creatures known as kalids.
  Regions of 
  the World
  Trystell is a wide and varied world, with 
  numerous regions that are ripe for explora-
  tion, adventure, intrigue and social change. 
  The ones most likely to be mentioned in the 
  included scenario are:
   
  • Eoris: An oppressed, insular and fearful 
  kingdom, where dissidents are whisked 
  away in the dead of night to secret prisons 
  run by the imperial spymasters. 
   
  • Graundaur: A commonwealth of goblins 
  and gnomes, Graundaur is a land that is 
  known for its skillful artisans and egali-
  tarian, if somewhat anachronistic, culture.
   
  • Quaris Ocean: An untamed body of water 
  rife with pirates, slavers, deserted islands and 
  dragon’s lairs. Most of it remains uncharted, 
  yet great profits stand to be made.
   
  • Yirdril Lands: A vast and turbulent region 
  of failed nations, roving bandits and 
  abandoned villages, destabilized a genera-
  tion ago by a wave of revolutions.
  
  Saga Machine
  10
  
  Saga Machine
  11
  A
  ge of Ambition uses the Saga Machine 
  system, streamlined and tweaked to suit 
  the fantasy genre. Whether it’s a tense social 
  confrontation at a masquerade ball or a deadly 
  fight with a tyrant’s thugs—Saga Machine 
  can handle it!
  The core of the Saga Machine system 
  boils down to two components: actions and 
  consequences. The action mechanic is used to 
  determine whether or not a particular action is 
  successful. To help resolve this, it employs a deck 
  of poker cards. The consequence mechanic, on 
  the other hand, is used to represent the effect 
  of actions on other characters or on the game 
  world. It is used to model status effects, as well 
  as obstacles and benefits.
  Characters
  Mechanically, characters consist of four 
  parts: an array of stats, some skills, a few traits 
  and derived scores. Each of these components 
  are described in the sections that follow.
  The Eight Stats
  Age of Ambition divides a character’s 
  capabilities into eight different ratings, each 
  representing how good the character is at a 
  broad category of actions. These ratings are 
  called stats and are scored on a scale of 1 to 10. 
  The higher the number, the better.
  On this scale, the average human—entirely 
  middling in all aspects—would be rated a 4 or 5 
  in each stat. Any rating higher than 10 is clearly 
  superhuman, and is the sole domain of a few 
  powerful monsters. These can go as high as 20.
  The eight stats are divided evenly into two 
  groups: physical and mental. Physical stats 
  represent some physical aspect of the character, 
  while mental stats represent some mental 
  aspect. They are described below:
   
  • Strength (Str): Your character’s strength 
  is a measure of her muscle and physical 
  prowess. It helps determine how much she 
  can lift and how hard she can punch.
   
  • Dexterity (Dex): A measure of your char-
  acter’s coordination, flexibility and balance. 
  It helps determine her athletic ability, aim 
  and manual dexterity.
   
  • Speed (Spd): Your character’s speed is how 
  fast she moves, her reflexes, agility, reaction 
  time and her ability to get out of the way 
  when enemies are trying to stab her.
   
  • Endurance (End): A measure of your 
  character’s toughness, health, constitution 
  and stamina. It helps her resist disease and 
  keep from getting winded after a long jog.
  Saga Machine
  In which is elucidated the rules and systems that 
  govern the actions of all
  
  Saga Machine
  12
   
  • Intelligence (Int): Intelligence is an 
  indicator of how quickly your character 
  learns, how much she knows and what her 
  capability is in terms of logical reasoning.
   
  • Perception (Per): Your character’s percep-
  tion is a measure of how alert she is, how 
  good her senses are and how quickly she 
  processes new information.
   
  • Charisma (Chr): Your character’s charisma 
  is her force of personality, presence and 
  bearing. It’s used when trying to make 
  friends, influence others or strike a deal.
   
  • Determination (Det): Your character’s 
  resolve, mental fortitude and grit. It’s used 
  when resisting fear or other mental effects, 
  and in seeing things through to the end.
  Skills
  The eight stats represent innate capabilities. 
  After all, everyone has some degree of strength, 
  intelligence or perception. Skills, on the other 
  hand, are the mechanical representation of 
  capabilities that are learned.
  When your character makes a flip, the 
  action may have a relevant skill as well as the 
  relevant stat. When this is the case, how skilled 
  your character is in that particular area may 
  modify the flip with a boon (�) or bane (�) 
  (for Boons & Banes, see page 16).
  Skill Ranks
  Skills come in three levels of increasing 
  expertise: proficient, expert and master.
   
  • Unskilled: The character does not have 
  experience in this area. The flip suffers �.
   
  • Proficient: The character has basic training 
  in the area in question.
   
  • Expert: The character has extensive experi-
  ence. The flip benefits from �.
   
  • Master: The character is world-renowned 
  in this skill. The flip benefits from ��.
  Specialized Skills
  Some skills are actually a set of related skills 
  that are grouped together under one heading. 
  Each related skill is called a Specialization, 
  and is presented in parentheses afterward. For 
  example, Vehicles (watercraft).
  Skill List
  There are eighteen general skills available in 
  Age of Ambition. Below is a table of all skills. 
  Specialized skills are denoted by an asterisk (*).
  Skills
  Academics*
  Expression
  Stealth
  Animals
  Investigate
  Streetwise
  Athletics
  Language*
  Survival
  Awareness
  Medicine
  Thievery
  Deception
  Persuade
  Tradecraft*
  Empathy
  Socialize
  Vehicles*
   
  • Academics*: A broad skill with many 
  specializations, each representing an area of 
  formal education. Specializations include 
  all of the liberal arts and sciences, as well 
  as the humanities and natural philosophy.
   
  • Animals: Covers interacting with animals 
  in a variety of ways—from reading their 
  warning signs to training them to do tricks. 
  The skill also includes riding a mount, 
  herding and recognizing animal calls.
   
  • Athletics: Covers any number of athletic 
  activities—from climbing to jumping, and 
  from racing to tumbling. The skill includes 
  both aerobic and anaerobic activities, as 
  well as feats of strength.
   
  • Awareness: A skilled alertness regarding 
  your surroundings. Awareness allows you 
  to notice an ambush, spot someone in 
  a crowd or notice a strange smell when 
  entering a building.
  
  Saga Machine
  13
   
  • Deception: Includes telling convincing 
  lies, giving off inaccurate body language, 
  sleight of hand, having a good pokerface 
  and disguising yourself as someone else.
   
  • Empathy: Used to read a person’s body 
  language and tone of voice. It’s used to get 
  an idea of a person’s emotional state or to 
  give some insight into her motivations. 
   
  • Expression: Covers musical and theatrical 
  performance, as well as artistic expres-
  sion and public speaking. Use it to play 
  an instrument, create a painting, deliver a 
  rousing speech or reenact a famous play.
   
  • Investigate: Covers searching a particular 
  area for hidden objects, as well as other 
  aspects of investigation—such as ques-
  tioning witnesses, checking informants or 
  asking the right questions.
   
  • Language*: Speaking, reading or writing 
  a particular language. Characters who are 
  proficient in a language can speak it, while 
  characters who are expert at a language can 
  read and write it as well.
   
  • Medicine: Applied healing knowledge. 
  It’s used for first aid, treating injuries and 
  other medical conditions, making practical 
  diagnoses and performing surgery.
   
  • Persuade: Covers a variety of tactics to get 
  other people to see things your way or to 
  otherwise comply with your requests. It 
  covers sweet-talking, diplomacy, brow-
  beating, fast-talking and intimidation.
   
  • Socialize: Use this skill to pick up rumors, 
  put your rivals at ease, make a play at 
  seduction or distract others with small talk. 
  Additionally, it covers knowledge of the 
  appropriate customs, slang and etiquette. 
   
  • Stealth: Covers hiding and sneaking around. 
  It also includes any aspect of remaining 
  hidden, from fitting into small hiding spaces 
  to tailing people without notice.
   
  • Streetwise: Includes knowledge of where 
  to find illegal goods, which alleyways to 
  avoid after dark and what might damage 
  one’s reputation.
   
  • Survival: Covers the ability to live outside 
  the bounds of civilization, as well as applied 
  knowledge of the local flora and fauna, 
  including the practical knowledge of both 
  what’s edible and what’s dangerous. 
   
  • Thievery: This skill includes the ability to 
  pick locks, breaking and entering, larceny, 
  pocket picking and other sordid practices. 
   
  • Tradecraft*: Each specialization repre-
  sents a particular trade—such as cobbling, 
  tanning, weaving or stonemasonry—or an 
  applied field of engineering or craftwork.
   
  • Vehicles*: Used to operate vehicles, 
  with each specialization being a different 
  type. This includes anything from sailing 
  ships to horse-drawn carriages, and from 
  Blaugh’ock skyships to balloon transport.
  Fighting Styles & Arcane Lores
  In addition to the eighteen general skills, 
  there exist a number of other skills that 
  represent extraordinary learned capabilities. 
  These are Arcane Lores, which represent spell-
  casting ability, and Fighting Styles, which 
  represent exceptional combat training.
  Unlike general skills, Arcane Lores and 
  Fighting Styles may not be used unless your 
  character has the skill in question. In addition, 
  proficiency in one of these skills grants access 
  to a number of special capabilities. Arcane 
  Lores grant access to spells, and Fighting Styles 
  grant access to special maneuvers. Complete  
  descriptions can be found alongside the pregen-
  erated characters included with the quick-start 
  scenario (see page 53).
  
  Saga Machine
  14
  Traits
  In addition to stats and skills, your 
  character may also have a number of other 
  capabilities, such as being lucky, fleet of foot, 
  intuitive or having a particular weakness. These 
  types of abilities are modeled as traits: special 
  features that apply to a character.
  People
  Your character’s People is a special trait 
  representing her species. It is chosen at 
  character creation and does not usually change 
  thereafter. This quick-start uses a simplified 
  version of the People traits.
  Ambitions
  Ambitions are statements about what your 
  character hopes to achieve, either societally or 
  personally. In the full game they provide a way 
  to earn experiences. For the purposes of this 
  quick-start, achieving an ambition allows you 
  to draw up to a full hand (see page 17).
  Scores
  Scores are the final component of your 
  character. They are a variety of numerical 
  values, most of which are derived from your 
  character’s stats. Your scores are as follows:
   
  • Armor (Arm): Your character’s ability to 
  resist damage. Usually two numbers. Use the 
  first against cutting and piercing damage, 
  and the second against all other damage.
   
  • Attack (Atk): The ability to land a hit by 
  outthinking and outmaneuvering your foe.
   
  • Defense (Def): Your character’s ability to 
  avoid being struck by attacks in combat.
   
  • Health Points (HP): A measure of how 
  much damage or exhaustion your character 
  can suffer before being threatened by death.
   
  • Luck: Determines how many cards to 
  draw at the beginning of a session and the 
  value of face cards.
   
  • Move: How many yards your character can 
  move per action taken in combat.
   
  • Willpower (Will): Your character’s ability 
  to avoid being overwhelmed by mental 
  effects, such as fear or compulsions.
  
  Saga Machine
  15
  Actions
  When an action might fail in an interesting 
  way, the GM may call for a flip to determine 
  the result. To do this, flip a card from the top 
  of the deck and add its value to your character’s 
  relevant stat. The GM will decide which stat 
  this is and may also call for a relevant skill. 
  The value of the stat and card added 
  together is called the total. This is compared 
  to a Target Number (TN). If the total meets 
  or exceeds the target number, the action is 
  successful. However, if it is less than the TN, 
  the attempt was unsuccessful.
  Yavu is trying to lift a heavy stone, which has pinned 
  one of his companions. The GM calls for a Strength flip 
  of average difficulty (TN 10). Yavu has Strength 7. 
  He flips a card off the top of the deck, getting the 5♠. 
  Adding these two values together gives him a total 
  of 12. The action is a success and he lifts the rock, 
  allowing his companion to escape.
  Card Values
  There are three types of cards found in the 
  deck: value cards, face cards and jokers. Each is 
  scored differently.
   
  • Value Cards: Ace through 10 are worth the 
  value printed on the card. This means that 
  aces are low and worth one.
   
  • Face Cards: Face cards (jack, queen and 
  king) are worth a value equal to your  
  character’s Luck score (see page 17).
   
  • Jokers: Any time a joker is used to resolve 
  an action, the result is a critical failure. 
  That means the GM gets to declare that 
  something extra bad happens. Regardless, 
  discard your hand, shuffle your discard 
  pile into your deck and draw a new hand 
  equal to your Luck. In this way, there are 
  always two jokers in the deck. Jokers never 
  sit in the discard pile.
  Target Numbers
  The target number (TN) of an action is 
  chosen by the GM and represents how difficult 
  an action is to perform. She may or may not 
  choose to share the TN with the players.
  Difficulty
  Target Number (TN)
  Trivial
  6
  Easy
  8
  Average
  10
  Difficult
  12
  Daunting
  14
  Desperate
  16
  Absurd
  18
  Impossible
  20
  Margin of Success or Failure
  Sometimes it might be necessary to figure 
  out how successful an action was. This can be 
  achieved by calculating the Margin. To do this, 
  take the difference between the TN and the total.
  While attempting to track a suspect, Carter makes 
  a Per-10 flip, getting a total of 13. Since the Target 
  Number was 10, he achieved a success with Margin 3.
  Action Convention
  Saga Machine uses a basic conven-
  tion to convey the important aspects of an 
  action when referencing them in the text. 
  Examples of this convention are below:
   
  • Int-8: Intelligence action with TN 8.
   
  • Dex/vehicles (land)-10: This is a  
  TN 10 action using Dexterity and the 
  Vehicles (land) skill.
   
  • Per/awareness vs. Dex/stealth: This is  
  a Perception action with the Awareness 
  skill opposed by a Dexterity action 
  with the Stealth skill.
  
  Saga Machine
  16
  Boons & Banes
  Circumstances can make some flips easier or 
  harder. Positive circumstances may grant one or 
  more boons (�), while negative circumstances 
  impose one or more banes (�). For each of 
  these, flip an extra card off the top of the deck. 
  Boons allow you to discard a card of your choice, 
  usually leaving the better card remaining. Banes, 
  on the other hand, force you to discard the most 
  advantageous card, leaving the worse options 
  remaining. If there is ever an ambiguity about 
  which card is most advantageous, the GM 
  decides, but usually this will be obvious. 
  No more than three boons and three banes 
  may be applied to a single flip. This means that 
  boons and banes do not cancel out! Instead, 
  flip extra cards for each. Banes discard cards 
  first, followed by boons.
  Adom is attempting to decipher an ancient script, 
  and the GM has awarded him � due to an earlier 
  partial translation. Because of this boon, he flips an 
  extra card off the top of the deck, getting 4♣ and 8♥. 
  Adom chooses to discard the 4♣, leaving him with 
  the 8♥ to resolve the flip.
  Januk is attempting to convince a city guard to 
  release his friends, but he is not familiar with the 
  city’s culture, so the GM has imposed �. Because of 
  this bane, he flips an extra card, getting 7♦ and K♠ 
  (worth 6 due to Januk’s Luck score). Since the 7♦ is 
  better, Januk is forced to discard it, leaving him to 
  resolve the flip with the K♠.
  Gorfang is attempting a tricky bit of negotiation with 
  an elemental. The GM has imposed � due to past 
  hostility, and Gorfang benefits from �� due to both 
  skill and a successful bribe. Gorfang flips four cards, 
  getting A♦, 3♥, 7♣ and a Joker. First, due to the 
  bane, he discards the 7♣ (the best card). Then, due 
  to the two boons, Gorfang chooses the discard the A♦ 
  and Joker (the worst). This leaves him with the 3♥.
  Skills
  A common source of boons and banes 
  come from flips that require a particular 
  skill. Not having the required skill imposes 
  �, while being proficient in the skill means 
  the flip is made as normal. Being an expert 
  or a master in the skill provides � or ��, 
  respectively. More information on skills can 
  be found on page 12.
  Ymir is trying to sneak into a city councilor’s house 
  and the GM calls for a Dex/stealth flip. Since he is 
  an expert in stealth, Ymir benefits from � on the flip.
  Flushes
  If multiple cards are played due to boons 
  and have matching suits, you may choose a suit 
  and play all cards with that suit, adding their 
  values together. This is called a flush.
  Ayana is attempting to intimidate her foes and 
  benefits from � due to her allies outnumbering the 
  enemy. She flips the 10♥ and the 6♥. Because these 
  suits match, she can play them both, adding their 
  values together to get a total of 16!
  
  Saga Machine
  17
  Januk is trying to convince a group of bandits to let his 
  friends go without paying a ransom. He gets � due to 
  skill, but also suffers � from being outnumbered. He 
  flips three cards and gets 9♠, 6♦ and 5♦. The bane 
  discards the 6♦, preventing him from making a flush 
  (which would result in the highest total). Instead, he’s 
  left with 9♠ and 5♦. He chooses the 9♠.
  Opposed Actions
  Many times a character will want to 
  attempt some action that another character 
  is actively trying to thwart. This is called an 
  opposed action.
  To resolve this sort of action, both players 
  should make a flip. The party with the highest 
  total succeeds in what she was trying to accom-
  plish. Ties are broken in favor of the character 
  with the highest relevant stat, followed by the 
  character with the highest Luck.
  Sef is trying to sneak by a guard. The GM rules that 
  this is a Dex/stealth vs. Per/awareness flip. Sef makes 
  her flip and gets a total of 14, while the guard gets a 
  total of 12. He fails to notice Sef sneaking by.
  Luck
  At the beginning of each session, draw 
  a hand of cards. These cards represent the 
  subtle advantages your character has in the 
  narrative or in the world at large—call it 
  luck, fate or karma. As you draw or play 
  cards from hand, you can think of this as 
  being lucky or as your luck running out.
  Drawing the Joker
  If you ever draw a joker into your hand, 
  discard it and redraw. Then shuffle the discard 
  pile back into the deck. Jokers are never held in 
  hand, nor do they sit in the discard pile. They 
  always stay in the deck.
  If a joker is ever used to resolve a flip—that 
  is, it’s not discarded due to boons or banes—the 
  result is a critical failure. When this happens, 
  the GM gets to declare that something extra 
  bad occurs. You also discard your hand, shuffle 
  all cards into the deck and draw a fresh hand 
  equal to your Luck score.
  Playing Face Cards
  Face cards have a value equal to your Luck 
  score. If an effect causes your Luck to increase 
  or decrease, the value of these cards will 
  increase or decrease as well.
  Pushing Your Luck
  After any flip has been made, but before 
  banes have been applied, you may opt to play 
  a card from your hand as a boon (�). Simply 
  set the card down and discard your choice of 
  card as normal. All the usual rules for boons 
  apply. This is an excellent way to make flushes! 
  Do not redraw when you play a card from 
  hand. Instead, you will refresh your hand when a 
  joker is used to resolve a flip. Certain traits may 
  also cause you to redraw cards when they apply.
  Setting up the Deck
  At the beginning of every session, 
  draw a hand of cards equal to your 
  character’s Luck. If you draw a joker, 
  discard it and redraw, then shuffle the 
  joker back into the deck.
  The GM also gets a hand, which is 
  shared by all NPCs. The GM draws a 
  number of cards equal to the number 
  of players present at the session.
  
  Saga Machine
  18
  Consequences
  In Saga Machine, actions are just half 
  the equation. The other half consists of  
  consequences—the mechanical effects caused 
  by actions. Consequences can represent many 
  things, from experiencing fear or being on fire, 
  to lusting after another character or being the 
  life of the party. They are as many and as varied 
  as the actions characters can take.
  Effects of Consequences
  Consequences can have a variety of effects, 
  from imposing weakness traits to ongoing 
  damage. When in doubt, however, conse-
  quences should apply � or � to relevant flips.
  Duration of Consequences
  Most consequences don’t last forever. Many 
  go away on their own, while others require 
  some action to remove. When adjudicating 
  consequences on the fly, the GM should use 
  common sense. Being on fire might be removed 
  by jumping into a lake. Bad rumors might 
  be dispelled with good press. A mild case of 
  lust might be removed with a cold bath. The  
  consequences found on the pages that follow 
  specify explicit removal conditions.
  Stacking Consequences
  Unless specified otherwise, your character 
  may gain the same consequence multiple times. 
  This represents a more severe or enduring effect. 
  However, �’s and �’s from multiple instances 
  of the same consequence are not additive. That 
  is, for example, if you have three Hindered 
  consequences, you only suffer � from being 
  hindered; you do not suffer ���. Other 
  effects, such as ongoing damage, are additive.
  Each instance of a consequence is removed 
  separately. For example, a character with two 
  Fear consequences will have to Focus twice to 
  remove them both (see page 29).
  Consequence Examples
  A number of example situations and their 
  resulting consequences are given below.
  Kahler is attacked by a group of hired thugs. He takes 
  an action to dive for cover behind a passing wagon. 
  This grants him the Cover consequence, which imposes 
  � on the thugs’ incoming attacks and provides either 
  party with a � on attempts to slip away.
  Jonzhon is attending a fancy party of Melanoc’s most 
  elite. Also in attendance is Nuri, a mining magnate 
  who tried to have him assassinated. He takes an 
  action to gossip with the attending dilettantes, 
  undercutting Nuri’s credibility in social circles. This 
  gives Nuri the Humiliated consequence, imposing � 
  on his social actions.
  Rando, a skilled performer, tells a chilling tale about 
  a king who was haunted by malevolent spirits. As 
  he takes an action to tell his story, a hush falls over 
  the crowd and the audience is granted the Spooked 
  consequence. This provides � on attempts to startle 
  or create fear in those present.
  The Rule of Three
  As a general rule of thumb, when a 
  character gains three or more instances of 
  the same consequence, something more 
  severe should occur. For example, perhaps 
  instead of losing HP, the character takes 
  a Grave Wound, or perhaps instead of 
  suffering � she instead suffers ��. The 
  effect is left to the discretion of the GM.
  
  Saga Machine
  19
  List of Consequences
  The following is a list of common conse-
  quences referenced by the Age of Ambition 
  rules. These can also be used as benchmarks 
  when making up your own consequences.
  Bleeding
  You are suffering from an ongoing source 
  of damage. This is usually literal bleeding from 
  open wounds, but this consequence may also 
  be used to represent ongoing damage from 
  other maladies or environmental conditions.
   
  • Effect: Take 1 damage at the beginning of 
  each round. If you have multiple Bleeding 
  consequences, take a damage for each. This 
  does not cause the Dying consequence 
  unless it reduces you to a multiple of your 
  maximum HP—for example, -1 × max HP.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until someone performs 
  the Staunch Bleeding action on you.
  Bolstered
  Your actions are bolstered through expertly 
  directed tactics, improved morale, magical 
  guidance or any other number of means.
   
  • Effect: You may remove this consequence 
  at any time to gain � on your next flip.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until you remove the 
  consequence or a minute passes.
  Dying
  You are teetering on the brink of life 
  and death, and will expire unless you receive 
  immediate healing.
   
  • Effect: You may not have more than 1 AP. 
  At the beginning of each round you must 
  make an Endurance flip with a TN equal 
  to the number of HP you are below zero 
  (minimum TN 5). On a failure, you gain 
  another Dying consequence. If this gives 
  you a third Dying consequence, you die at 
  the end of the round.
   
  • Removal: Remove a Dying consequence 
  each time you succeed on your Endurance 
  flip with Margin 5 or better. Lasts until 
  you die or someone performs the Staunch 
  Bleeding action on you.
  Exhausted
  You are physically exhausted. This might 
  be caused by starvation, strenuous activity, 
  exposure to the elements, etc.
   
  • Effect: Halve your Move score and suffer 
  � on all physical flips. If Exhausted would 
  be gained a second time, you instead gain 
  the Dying consequence.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until you get a good night’s 
  rest, unaffected by a source of fatigue.
  Fear
  Something is making you fearful. This 
  reaction can run the gamut from solidly 
  intimidated to sheer, mind-boggling terror.
   
  • Effect: You may not voluntarily take an 
  action that directly affects the subject of 
  your fear or which moves you closer to the 
  subject of your fear.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until the Focus action is 
  taken (see page 29).
  Grave Wound
  You are severely injured—perhaps you are 
  badly burned, have a broken arm or are terribly 
  bruised all over.
   
  • Effect: Varies. See the Grave Wound table 
  on page 28. If a Grave Wound would be 
  gained a second time, you instead gain the 
  Dying consequence.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until the end of the included 
  scenario. The full Age of Ambition rules 
  contain other ways of healing Grave Wounds.
  
  Saga Machine
  20
  Hidden
  You are concealed from sight, perhaps 
  due to darkness, stealth, invisibility or similar 
  circumstances.
   
  • Effect: Grants � on attacks and Defense. 
  Targets attacked while you are hidden 
  cannot use defensive reactions.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until you take a conspic-
  uous action, such as shouting a warning or 
  making an attack.
  Hindered
  You are physically impeded by protruding 
  arrows, excessive encumbrance, tangling vines 
  or other circumstances.
   
  • Effect: Imposes � on all Attack-, Dex- and 
  Spd-based flips.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until an action is taken to 
  remove the source of the hindrance. The 
  nature of this will vary with the cause.
  Prone
  Your body is not oriented in a way that 
  gives it easy mobility. You might be sitting, 
  lying down or off-balance.
   
  • Effect: Your Move is halved and you suffer 
  � on melee attacks. Melee attacks and 
  point-blank ranged attacks made against 
  you benefit from �, while other ranged 
  attacks suffer �.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until an action is taken to 
  stand up or regain balance.
  Stun
  You are stunned due to some effect—
  perhaps a sudden blow to the head, the blast of 
  an explosion or sudden shock and pain.
   
  • Effect: You cannot take actions other than 
  to end this consequence. This includes an 
  inability to take reactions.
   
  • Removal: Lasts until the Focus action is 
  taken (see page 29).
  
  Saga Machine
  21
  Status
  Many societies on Trystell are highly strat-
  ified. Commoners are often left with little 
  doubt as to their place, while the elite a enjoy 
  power and privilege that is often brutally 
  enforced. These differences in social position 
  are represented by the Status score.
  Strata and Standing
  Status consists of a Stratum, which is a  
  descriptor representing social class, and a  
  Standing, which is a numeric value representing  
  your character’s position within that class. 
  Usually these are written together, such as 
  Noble 3 or Common 1.
  A character is of higher Status if she is of 
  a higher Strata, or if she has a higher Standing 
  within the same Stratum. The three strata are:
   
  • Noble: Royalty, nobility or other rulers of 
  society, or the independently powerful.
   
  • Gentle: Merchants, tradesmen or those in 
  professions requiring skilled labor.
   
  • Common: Peasants, ne’er-do-wells and 
  those in unskilled professions.
  Bonds
  Most folks on Trystell have a network of 
  friends, family, contacts, patrons, rivals and 
  enemies. These important relationships are 
  represented by Bonds.
  Calling Upon Bonds
  Bonds may be called upon to gain a benefit. 
  To do this, specify the Bond and explain how 
  it aids your character, roleplaying as necessary. 
  Each bond you possess may be called upon 
  once over the course of the included scenario. 
  The full game has rules for refreshing Bonds.
  In general, a Bond can be called upon to 
  activate one of the following effects:
   
  • Grant � on a flip or penalize an opponent’s 
  flip with �.
   
  • Activate a trait that requires a Bond.
   
  • Glean information from a contact or gain a 
  small favor. This is an excellent way to call 
  on skills your character lacks!
  Carter has found a mysterious pendant. Since he 
  doesn’t know much about artifacts, he calls upon his 
  contact, Bralin, who is an expert on such matters.
  Ayana is facing off against her sworn enemy, 
  Kattanz. She calls upon her Bond to gain � to her 
  initial attack, as previous experience allows her to 
  predict what tactic he is likely to employ.
  Tingernaut is about to compete in a wagon race 
  against Kuzuk-zul, his long-time rival. He calls 
  upon this Bond to gain � in the race, spurred on by 
  their fierce competition.
  Exploiting Bonds
  An enemy’s Bonds may be exploited if they 
  become known. Exploiting a Bond works like 
  calling upon a Bond, except that it hinders the 
  character to whom the Bond belongs.
  Each Bond may be exploited once over the 
  course of the included scenario.
  Senghor discovers that his foe, Yavu, has a young son. 
  He decides to exploit this Bond by threatening the 
  son’s life. This grants � to his intimidation attempt.
  Gorfang discovers that Jonas has membership in the 
  Old Ones’ cult. He exploits this Bond, spreading 
  knowledge of this association, and imposing � on 
  Jonas’ next attempt to ingratiate himself in Melanoc.
  
  Saga Machine
  22
  Magic
  Trystell is a world where magic works in 
  accordance with established arcane principles. 
  It is a force of nature whose energy can be 
  measured and directed by a skilled mage. 
  Although there are a handful of creatures who 
  possess innate magical capabilities, for the 
  peoples of Trystell, magical ability is a learned 
  skill, not an inborn talent.
  Traditions
  Magical energy does not arise from the 
  aether. To use magic, it must be extracted 
  from a source and then willed into the form 
  required by the spell. On Trystell, two major 
  magical traditions have arisen, each based 
  around extracting arcane energy from a 
  different magical reagent:
   
  • Kalid Magic: Centers around extracting 
  energy from dangerous and innately 
  magical creatures called kalids.
   
  • Lunar Magic: Centers around extracting 
  energy from small enigmatic devices 
  manufactured in foundries left behind by 
  the Lunar Occupation.
  Magical Training
  Students of the mystic arts don’t begin 
  by casting spells, they begin by developing 
  an affinity, and then learning the basics of 
  perceiving and harnessing magical energy.
  Mystic Affinity
  Mages say that you don’t wield magic 
  without the magic also wielding you. That is, 
  repeated exposure to magical energy, aligns you 
  to energy of that type, allowing you to shape it 
  into spells, but making it harder or impossible 
  to wield other types of magic.
  This is called an affinity. It is the attun-
  ement of the mage to a particular type of 
  magical energy. This is the first ability a new 
  mage must develop, as it is what allows her to 
  cast spells, use second sight or dispel magic.
  Occasionally someone exposed to magical 
  energy will spontaneously become attuned to 
  energy of that type, gaining an affinity. This is 
  called a wild affinity. While uncommon, it is a 
  known phenomenon, granting the recipient the 
  ability to manipulate magical energy, but with 
  none of the training to do so effectively or safely.
  Reagents
  To cast a spell, magical energy must first 
  be extracted from a reagent. This will be a 
  kalid part for kalid magic or a lunar device for 
  lunar magic. Regardless of the mystic tradition, 
  the reagent must first be readied—usually by 
  drawing it from a pouch and holding it in the 
  mage’s hand. Magical energy is then either 
  released in a sudden burst or in a slow draw to 
  maintain an ongoing spell.
  Second Sight
  One of the most fundamental skills in 
  spellcasting is the ability to see magical auras. 
  Called “second sight” or sometimes “the third 
  eye,” this is usually the first ability that new 
  mages practice after developing an affinity.
  To see auras, all you must do is close your 
  eyes, focus on your affinity and then reopen 
  them. This reveals ongoing magical effects, 
  which appear as a faint aura around your 
  target. The brightness of this aura increases 
  with the potency of the magic. Second sight 
  may also reveal magical residue left behind by 
  recent spellcasting, and sometimes intangible 
  or invisible creatures.
  Maintaining second sight is strenuous. 
  Auras have the potential to be overwhelming, 
  obstructing your vision or even blinding you. 
  
  Saga Machine
  23
  For every round after the first that you maintain 
  second sight in an hour, you must make a 
  Per-10 flip. On a failure, you go aura-blind and 
  are unable to see anything for the next hour.
  Spell Casting
  Casting a spell requires extracting magical 
  energy from a reagent and then using your 
  mind to compel that energy into a structured 
  form. This takes practice, an affinity with the 
  proper magic and concentration.
  In combat, drawing a reagent requires an 
  action. Extracting the energy and casting the 
  spell requires a second action, which necessi-
  tates a flip. The specific flip varies with the spell 
  (see the individual Arcane Lore descriptions). 
  On a success, the spell has been cast. On 
  a failure, the energy fails to take the intended 
  form and the reagent used to power the spell 
  is ruined. On a critical failure, the energy 
  assumes an unintended form.
  Arcane Lores
  All spells fall under the auspice of an 
  Arcane Lore. These are special skills that allow 
  you to cast the spells under their purview. 
  Like all skills, arcane lores have three ranks— 
  proficient, expert and master. Unlike most 
  skills, Arcane Lores may not be used untrained.
  Attack Spells
  Attack spells conjure dangerous energy 
  that can be hurled at a foe. They frequently 
  require a third action to utilize: one to draw 
  the reagent, one to cast the spell and then an 
  attack action to direct the energy at the target. 
  This uses your Attack score and is otherwise 
  identical to a normal attack, except that the 
  weapon is conjured magical energy.
  Spell Range
  Unless 
  a 
  spell’s 
  description 
  specifies 
  otherwise, all spells have a range equal to your 
  Perception in yards. This applies to both spells 
  that directly affect a target and attack spells that 
  conjure energy which is then hurled at a target. 
  As with all ranged attacks, targeting a foe at 
  up to twice the range is possible, albeit with � 
  imposed on the flip.
  Maintaining Spells
  Many spells last as long as they are main-
  tained. This involves slowly drawing energy 
  from the reagent in order to power the spell 
  over an extended period of time. These spells 
  also have a maximum duration, which is indic-
  ative of the reagent running out of energy.
  To maintain a spell, you must keep hold of 
  the reagent powering it. Maintaining the spell 
  also requires some degree of concentration.  
  In combat, you must spend an action each 
  round after the first in order to maintain it. 
  If this action is not taken, the spell expires at 
  the end of the round.
  Outside of combat, the concentration 
  required to maintain a spell slows you down by 
  about a third. It also imposes � on any activity 
  that takes more than a minute to complete.
  
  Saga Machine
  24
  Combat
  Sooner or later diplomacy will fail. Blades 
  will be drawn. Blood will be spilt. Someone 
  will decide that they would rather murder 
  their opposition than stand aside. Times such 
  as these call for the combat system.
  Rounds
  In combat, the action in the game is broken 
  down into short increments of time called 
  Rounds. Each round represents three seconds 
  in the game world, and in every round each 
  combatant gets a Turn.
  Beginning of the Round
  At the beginning of each round, before 
  combatants take their turns, certain effects 
  are resolved, marking the transition from one 
  round to another. These are as follows:
   
  • Reset to three Action Points (see below).
   
  • Certain consequences, such as Bleeding 
  and Dying take effect. These are resolved in 
  whatever order you wish.
   
  • Make a Defense flip. This will set your 
  Defense and Willpower totals for the round 
  (see page 26). The GM may either make a 
  single flip for all enemies or opt to make  
  individual flips for different enemies.
   
  • Declare whether you are taking a Fast Turn 
  or a Slow Turn this round.
  Action Points
  Most characters will gain three Action 
  Points (AP) each round. These may be spent on 
  your turn to take actions, or they may be spent 
  during other parts of the round to take reactions. 
  Every action or reaction will normally cost 1 AP, 
  unless it is specifically described as free.
  We recommend tracking these points with 
  physical tokens of some sort. Glass beads work 
  well, as do poker chips.
  At the beginning of the next turn, all 
  unspent AP will be discarded—that is, Action 
  Points do not carry over from round to round.
  Turns
  Each round, turns are resolved in order:
   
  • Fast Turns: Players who chose to take a fast 
  turn this round resolve their turns first, in 
  whatever order the players decide among 
  themselves.
   
  • NPC Turns: All NPCs take their turns in 
  whatever order the GM wishes. Certain 
  enemies may have traits that allow them to 
  take their turns outside of this phase.
   
  • Slow Turns: Players who chose a slow turn 
  resolve their turns at the end of the round. 
  These, likewise, are resolved in whatever 
  order the players decide.
  Surprise
  Taking the enemy by surprise gives you an 
  initial advantage. Characters who are surprised 
  cannot take a Fast Turn during the first round 
  of combat and cannot take reactions that round.
  Fast Turns vs. Slow Turns
  Both fast turns and slow turns come 
  with their own tactical benefits. Players 
  who take fast turns may act before the 
  enemy does that round. Players who 
  take slow turns, on the other hand, 
  have the benefit of spending AP for 
  defensive reactions before they act in 
  the round. This means they will know 
  exactly how many they have left.
  
  Saga Machine
  25
  Attacks
  Ultimately combat is about violence, and 
  attacking an opponent is likely to be one of 
  the most common actions characters take. 
  Unless a trait specifies otherwise, you may 
  only take one attack action per turn.
  Attack Score
  When making an attack flip, your Attack 
  score is used in place of a stat.
  Making an Attack
  To perform an attack, first choose a target 
  and then make an attack flip. This will use your 
  Attack score, with a Target Number equal to 
  the opponent’s Defense total or Willpower 
  total this round (see page 26). Generally 
  speaking, physical attacks will target Defense, 
  while mental attacks will target Willpower.
  To attack an opponent, she must be 
  within range of your weapon. If she is not, 
  you will need to move until she is within 
  range (see page 29).
  If the attack flip is a success, you have 
  scored a hit. For most attacks this means you 
  then deal damage to the target. If the attack’s 
  total is twice the opponent’s Defense total 
  (or Willpower total, if it was targeted) then 
  you have scored a critical hit. This means you 
  will deal extra damage and a Grave Wound 
  consequence (see right).
  Keep in mind that before a hit is resolved, 
  the opponent may choose to employ a defensive 
  reaction (see page 26).
  Rusluk is attacking a bandit with his sword. He 
  makes an attack flip, with Attack 6 and plays a 7♦. 
  This gives him a total of 13. Since the bandit’s Defense 
  total this round is 9, Rusluk scored a hit. If his attack 
  total had been 18 or higher (twice the bandit’s Defense 
  total), he would have scored a critical hit.
  Damage
  When you score a hit, use the card you played 
  for the attack to look up the damage for your 
  weapon. Damage will subtract from the foe’s 
  HP. If it reduces her below 0, you will also apply 
  either a Grave Wound consequence, or a Dying 
  consequence if she already has a Grave Wound.
   
  • For more information, see page 27.
  Critical Hits
  If you score a critical hit, double the 
  amount of damage you deal (before subtracting 
  Armor). Your target also gains a Grave Wound 
  consequence (see page 27).
  Attack Options  
  & Circumstances
  Below are a variety of attack options or 
  other circumstances that can affect attacks.
   
  • Area Effects: Targets all characters within 
  a specified area. A target caught this area 
  may take a Dodge reaction to move a yard 
  away or to dive for cover, if available. 
  This might move the character out of the 
  affected area. Having cover halves damage.
   
  • Called Shot: To attack a specific location 
  on a target’s body, make an attack with �. 
  On a hit, the attack has an additional effect 
  determined by the GM.
   
  • Cover: Targets behind hard cover are more 
  difficult to hit because of the obstructing 
  object. This imposes � or �� for moderate 
  or heavy cover, respectively.
   
  • Disarm: By taking � to an attack, you may 
  attempt to disarm your target. On a hit, 
  the target must make a Strength flip with a 
  TN equal to your attack total. If she fails, 
  she is disarmed, with her weapon falling to 
  the ground near her feet.
  
  Saga Machine
  26
  Defense
  Often one of the foremost goals of combat 
  is to avoid being injured. The ability of a 
  character to avoid physical attacks is repre-
  sented by her Defense score.
  Defense Flips
  At the beginning of every round you will 
  make a Defense flip. To do this, flip a card and 
  add its value to your Defense score. This gives 
  you your Defense Total for the round. This 
  total is the Target Number to hit you with a 
  physical attack. As with any flip, you may opt 
  to play a card from your hand as a boon to 
  your Defense flip for the round.
  Boosting Defense
  If you are aware of an attack, you may use 
  either the Dodge or Parry reactions to boost 
  your Defense against it (see right).
  Willpower
  A character’s Willpower score is the mental 
  equivalent of Defense. It is used to resist taunts, 
  intimidation, terror and mental assaults.
  Willpower Flips
  At the beginning of the round, use the same 
  card from your Defense flip to determine your 
  Willpower Total. This is the Target Number to 
  hit you with a mental attack this round.
  Boosting Willpower
  If you are aware of an attack, you may use 
  the Resist reaction to boost your Willpower 
  against it (see right).
  Reactions
  Reactions are maneuvers that a character 
  may take outside of her turn. Usually they are 
  triggered by the action of a foe. Each costs 1 AP. 
  Most reactions fall into one of two catego-
  ries: offensive or defensive. To make either type 
  of reaction, the character must be aware of the 
  trigger. Additionally, defensive reactions must 
  be declared before the attack flip is made, and 
  only one may be made per attack.
  Dodge
  Sometimes moving out of the way of an 
  attack is best. This defensive reaction may be 
  used against a physical attack. Flip the top card 
  of your deck; you may opt to use it in place of 
  your Defense card against this attack.
  Harry
  When a foe moves to disengage with you, 
  the Harry reaction allows you to attack with 
  a readied melee weapon. Simply declare the 
  reaction and make the attack flip.
  Parry
  Parry is a defensive reaction that allows you 
  to use a weapon to deflect an incoming physical 
  attack. For this attack, add your weapon’s Parry 
  bonus to Defense. This only works against 
  melee attacks, unless using a shield.
  Resist
  The Resist defensive reaction may be taken 
  to help repel mental attacks. Flip the top card 
  of your deck; you may opt to use it in place of 
  your Defense card against this attack.
  
  Saga Machine
  27
  Health Points & 
  Grave Wounds
  In Age of Ambition, your character’s 
  physical well-being and stamina are repre-
  sented by your Health Points (HP). When you 
  are damaged or become fatigued you lose HP; 
  similarly, when you are healed, you regain HP.
  Every character has a maximum HP, repre-
  senting a state of good health and rest. Your 
  current HP may never exceed this value.
  Damage
  When something harms your character’s 
  physical well-being, such as being struck with 
  a weapon or suffering a great fall, you take 
  damage. Damage reduces your current HP by 
  an amount equal to the damage taken. So, for 
  example, if you take 10 damage you lose 10 HP.
  Damage Type
  Damage comes in many different varieties—
  from the cutting of a sword to the toxins in a 
  snake’s bite. Often the type of damage is made 
  clear in an attack’s name or description, but if 
  there’s any doubt the GM decides the type.
  Damage Arrays
  Most attacks list their damage as an array 
  of possible outcomes. Use the value of the card 
  played in the attack to determine the damage. 
  If multiple cards were used due to a flush, the 
  attacker may choose which to use for damage.
  An example damage array is shown in the 
  upper right. To find the damage dealt, look up 
  the value of the card in the top row; the corre-
  sponding damage will be listed below it. 
  NPC entries will often abbreviate this array 
  by only listing the damage values, separated by 
  a slash; for example: 8/7/6/5/4.
  1 – 2
  3 – 4
  5 – 6
  7 – 8
  9 – 10
  8
  7
  6
  5
  4
  Yavu hits a bandit with his spear, playing the 7♣. 
  Using the damage array for his spear (shown above), 
  he notes that he deals 5 damage.
  Armor
  Armor may reduce the damage suffered 
  from weapon strikes, spells or similar effects. 
  Some creatures also have tough hide that 
  mimics armor. 
  These provide an Armor value. Subtract 
  this value from the damage dealt. Usually two 
  values will be provided separated by a slash, 
  for example: 8/4. Use the first value against 
  Cutting and Piercing damage, and the second 
  value against all other types of damage.
  Ayana strikes a bandit with her hammer, dealing 8 
  smashing damage. The bandit, however, is wearing 
  boiled leather armor (Armor 4/2). Since this is 
  smashing damage, the second Armor value is used, 
  meaning the bandit only takes 6 damage.
  Grave Wounds
  If you are struck with a critical hit, or are 
  reduced below 0 HP, you take a Grave Wound 
  in addition to damage. These consequences 
  are many and varied. Use the Grave Wound 
  table on the next page or the GM makes up a 
  similar effect. Expanded Grave Wound tables 
  are available in the full rules.
  If you already have a Grave Wound conse-
  quence and would be dealt one again, you 
  instead gain a Dying consequence (see below).
  Dying
  When you would take a second Grave 
  Wound, you risk dying from the accumulated 
  damage. This imposes the Dying consequence 
  
  Saga Machine
  28
  (see page 19). When you are reduced to a 
  multiple of your maximum HP—for example, 
  -1 × max HP—you take an additional Dying 
  consequence. Once you have accumulated 
  three Dying consequences, you expire.
  If you have the Dying consequence, 
  you must make an Endurance flip at the 
  beginning of every round, with a TN equal 
  to the number of HP you are below zero. For 
  example, if you took damage reducing you to 
  -9 HP, the flip would be End-9. If successful, 
  you stave off dying another round. If you fail, 
  you gain an additional Dying consequence. A 
  Dying consequence is removed if you succeed 
  with Margin 5 or more.
  Fatigue
  Fatigue is a special type of damage 
  that represents your character weakening 
  or becoming tired. Fatigue imposes an 
  Exhausted consequence in place of a Grave 
  Wound consequence (see page 19).
  Healing Damage
  Most creatures have the ability to heal 
  naturally over time. For each day spent resting 
  and relaxing in a clean and safe environment, you 
  regain a number of HP equal to your Endurance.
  First Aid
  First aid may be used to patch up damage 
  shortly after it occurs. To perform first aid, 
  make a Dex/medicine-10 flip. On a success, 
  the patient may recover a number of HP equal 
  to the Margin, up to a maximum equal to 
  her Endurance. This takes 10 minutes and a 
  character may only benefit from first aid once 
  per set of wounds received.
  Healing Grave Wounds
  Grave Wounds represent lasting injuries 
  that take a long time to heal. Rules for healing 
  them are included in the full game. For now, 
  assume Grave Wounds last until the end of 
  the included scenario.
  Card
  Quick-Start Grave Wounds
  A - 2
  The weapon nicks a vein in the foe’s neck, causing heavy bleeding. She gains two Bleeding 
  consequences.
  3 - 4
  The attack cuts into the flesh next to your foe’s spine. She gains the Bleeding and Stun conse-
  quences. Additionally, until she receives first aid, she suffers � on all flips due to the pain.
  5 - 6
  The attack cuts a red slash across the foe’s forehead as she ducks to avoid an eye being taken 
  out. Beginning next round, she suffers � to all actions relying on sight, as blood gets in her 
  eyes. This effect lasts until the wound is properly bandaged.
  7 - 8
  The blow crushes the foe’s shoulder, dislocating the arm. The foe gains the Stun consequence. 
  The arm is useless until it is popped back into place with a successful Str/medicine-10 flip. 
  Even then, any attempt to use the arm suffers � until the wound is healed.
  9 - 10
  The blow slams into the side of the opponent’s head, bursting her eardrum and making a 
  small rivet of blood down her neck. She gains the Stun consequence and suffers � to all 
  hearing-based actions until the wound is healed.
  J - Q
  Your attack shatters the foe’s wrist, causing her off-hand to hang loosely at an odd angle. The 
  hand is useless until the wound heals.
  K - Joker
  The blow slams into the foe’s face, snapping her nose and smearing blood down her front. 
  She suffers � to all Charisma-based flips until the wound heals.
  
  Saga Machine
  29
  Other Actions
  Players are likely to come up with any 
  number of other actions they wish to take in 
  combat. For the most part, the GM should 
  adjudicate these on the fly. However, some addi-
  tional common actions are described below.
  Aim
  You may spend an action to aim, granting � 
  to an immediately subsequent attack.
  Cast Spell
  Many spells are useful in combat. For more 
  on casting spells, see page 23.
  Draw
  Drawing a weapon, magical reagent, 
  ammunition or other item takes an action. 
  Focus
  Many mental consequences—including 
  Fear and Stun—may be removed by taking the 
  Focus action. Each time this action is taken, 
  remove one of these consequences. The Focus 
  action may not be taken in the same round in 
  which you make an attack.
  Hide
  If you have heavy cover or concealment, 
  and are not engaged in melee combat, you may 
  attempt to hide by making a Dex/stealth vs. 
  Willpower flip, opposed by the highest foe. On 
  a success, you gain the Hidden consequence.
  Intimidate
  Through a few choice words or posturing, 
  a target may be intimidated as an action. To do 
  this, make a Str/persuade vs. Willpower flip. On 
  a success, the target gains the Fear consequence.
  Move
  Movement is a common combat action. 
  Each action you take allows you to move a 
  number of yards equal to your Move score.
  Observe
  You may enter a state of heightened alertness 
  by making a Per/awareness vs. Dex/stealth 
  flip. On a success, you spot the nearest hidden 
  foe, who loses the Hidden consequence.
  Staunch Bleeding
  You may use bandages or a poultice to remove 
  a target’s Bleeding or Dying consequence. Make a 
  Dex/medicine-10 flip (see page 19).
  Trick
  Once per combat, you may attempt to 
  trick a foe, creating an opening that can be 
  exploited. To do this, describe the trick and 
  make an Int/deception vs. Willpower flip. On 
  a success, the target gains a Stun consequence.
  Using a Grid
  Some GMs prefer to use a grid to 
  track movement and position in combat. 
  Both square and hexagonal grids are 
  common. If playing with a grid, treat 
  every space as a yard. In this way, your 
  Move score is simply how many spaces 
  you can move per action.
  
  Adventure
  30
  
  Adventure
  31
  T
  he remainder of this quick-start contains a 
  scenario intended to introduce players to 
  the Age of Ambition game. Also included are 
  five pregenerated characters, ready to play. It’s a 
  quick and easy way to give the game a spin!
  This adventure is intended run as a single 
  session, consisting of about four hours of 
  game time. It’s designed with the five included  
  characters in mind, although if the players have 
  their own, they can easily be substituted. As this 
  scenario requires little knowledge of the game 
  world, it is also an ideal adventure to run at a 
  convention or similar event.
  Synopsis
  The Yirdril Lands are a morass of petty 
  states, warlords and armed conflict. Two weeks 
  ago, the Warlord Kattanz sacked and burned the 
  city of Gail, where the party resided. Escaping 
  the city with a group of about twenty other 
  refugees, they avoided Kattanz’s army and made 
  their way to the city of Melanoc, where the 
  group hopes to begin a new life.
  The scenario begins with the heroes and 
  accompanying refugees waiting in line to be 
  let past Melanoc’s city walls. Unfortunately, 
  they are soon turned away at the gates, as 
  the guards have orders not to let any more 
  refugees into the city.
  Leaving the gates to find a place to stay the 
  night in the shanty town that has grown up 
  outside the city, the group is soon attacked by 
  a gang of thugs led by Hrolf the Fist. When the 
  battle turns against him, Hrolf attempts to flee, 
  mentioning “reporting to his boss.”
  The thugs defeated and a place to stay the 
  night secured, Speaker Bandu—the de facto 
  leader of the refugees—asks the party to help 
  them make a new home here and become 
  accepted into the city. To do this, the party 
  will need to place three “Refugees Aided” 
  consequences on Melanoc. Each one requires 
  that they perform some significant task that 
  aids the plight of the refugees.
  Helping the refugees in this way 
  forms the bulk of the adventure. How the 
  party goes about doing this is up to them, 
  although many ways are detailed in the pages 
  that follow. These include: tracking down 
  the “boss” Hrolf mentioned, finding jobs 
  constructing a new aqueduct, defeating the 
  Beast of Helix Peak and meeting with Bralin, 
  a business leader in the city. The players are 
  also sure to have ideas of their own.
  Once three “Refugees Aided” consequences 
  have been accumulated, the group will be 
  Questionable Refuge
  In which Our Heroes aid a group of refugees in 
  making a new home in the city of Melanoc
  
  Adventure
  32
  contacted by city officials and offered a place in 
  Melanoc. The party will also receive a job offer 
  with the city Legion. From here the group can 
  finally begin their new life, with many more 
  adventures to come!
  Preparation
  Before the game, each player should pick 
  a character. Five pregenerated characters are 
  included in the back of this quick-start. Players 
  should each receive a copy of the pages with 
  their character’s information and have time to 
  review it before the session begins. None of 
  these pages have private information, so you can 
  simply print out all of the characters and let the 
  players read through each before picking one.
  Players may optionally want to read 
  over the “Oh, Perilous Age” section at the 
  beginning of the quick-start. As the GM, you 
  will definitely want to read over the entire 
  quick-start before running it. 
  Ideally, each player will have her own 
  poker deck, although decks can be shared in 
  a pinch. Before the game, these decks should 
  be shuffled and each player should draw a 
  hand of cards equal to her character’s Luck. 
  You will similarly draw a hand of cards equal 
  to the number of players. Scratch paper and 
  pencils will be handy as well.
  Running the Session
  Although the first couple scenes and 
  the last couple scenes of the adventure are 
  scripted, the rest of the scenario is wide open. 
  The trick is to keep the events of the adventure 
  moving along and to keep the players focused. 
  If at any point the group feels lost, have them 
  hear a rumor, offer a suggestion through 
  Speaker Bandu or have one of the antagonists 
  be proactive by attacking the group or overtly 
  acting against them in some way.
  Reading Stat Blocks
  The stat blocks in this adventure are 
  presented in a simplified format. Stats and 
  associated scores are shown in a table, followed 
  by attacks, important skills and traits. 
  Stat blocks do not list every skill an NPC 
  possesses. When making a flip, the GM may 
  decide whether a character is skilled or not by 
  applying common sense.
  An example stat block is below.
  Commoner
  Cottar (Common 2)
  Ambition: Live a life without trouble.
  Bonds: Family (ally)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  6
  5
  4
  6
  5
  4
  4
  6
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  4
  5
  0/0
  12
  5
  0
  5
  Dagger: +5 vs. Defense (8/7/6/5/4 pi). Close, Parry 2.
  Skills �: Animals, Tradecraft (varies)
  The character's stats and scores, including 
  Attack (Atk), Defense (Def), Willpower 
  (Will), Armor (Arm), Health Points (HP), 
  Move, Size and Luck
  The character's name, Title, Status and any 
  Ambitions or Bonds the character possesses.
  Preferred attacks, damage and properties. 
  The character's expert rank skills.
  
  Adventure
  33
  Melanoc
  This adventure takes place in and around 
  the independent city-state of Melanoc. It is a 
  walled city of about 30,000 people, located in a 
  mountain pass on the borders of Graundaur—a 
  mostly gnome and goblin country to the south—
  and the Yirdril Lands, a turbulent morass of 
  warlords and independent cities to the north.
  History
  Melanoc has only existed for about 40 
  years. It was founded by Graundaur, who 
  planned to use it to tax trade caravans coming 
  through the mountain pass and also as a buffer 
  against the warlords to the north.
  At first this was wildly successful and the 
  town grew rapidly, giving it a boomtown 
  atmosphere. A wall was even constructed, 
  blocking off the pass for any who did not pay 
  the tolls at the city gate. 
  About a decade into the city’s history, 
  however, the ruling council was overthrown 
  and replaced by a new council who declared 
  the city’s independence from Graundaur. This 
  prompted a brief military conflict, but in the 
  end the separatists prevailed.
  Populace
  Melanoc is a cosmopolitan city, largely 
  made up of two distinct populations. The 
  first group are the Graundauran settlers and 
  their descendants, who are a mix of goblins 
  and gnomish peoples. The second group is 
  comprised of both the original inhabitants of 
  the region and the more recent refugees. This 
  group consists of humans, elves and trolls. 
  These two group are differentiated both by 
  height and usually by political leanings.
  Finally, the boomtown years of Melanoc 
  attracted a few settlers from afar who don’t 
  easily fall into either of these two camps. 
  Minotaurs, dwarves and orcs are uncommon 
  but not unheard of in the city.
  City Authorities
  The government of Melanoc is led by a city 
  council, consisting of five permanent coun-
  cilors and a speaker. Councilors serve for life 
  and are not elected, but rather appointed by 
  their predecessor. The speaker is the sole elected 
  position, and serves to represent the citizens of 
  the city and to break ties in the council.
  The defense of Melanoc is divided between 
  the Legion and the Guard. The Guard patrols 
  the city streets, mans the walls and is generally 
  charged with keeping the peace. The Legion, 
  on the other hand, is a smaller, more elite force, 
  consisting of several bands of legionnaires, who 
  conduct special operations in and around the city.
  Climate
  Melanoc is located in the tropics in the 
  southern hemisphere of Trystell. Its high 
  altitude location in a mountain pass, however, 
  makes the city much more temperate than the 
  surrounding lowlands.
  The seasons in Melanoc break down 
  roughly into the wet season and the dry 
  season, with surprisingly little temperature 
  variation throughout the year. This scenario 
  begins at the tail end of the wet season.
  Areas of the City
  Melanoc is a walled city with additional 
  interior walls separating its three districts. This 
  divides the city into Upper Melanoc, Lower 
  Melanoc and the Market District.
  
  Adventure
  34
  Upper Melanoc
  Upper Melanoc contains the townhouses 
  and small estates of the city’s most well-to-do 
  citizens. It is well-tended and the Guard takes 
  extra care when patrolling its streets. There 
  are also guards at the gates of the district, and 
  those who are not recognized as residents, or 
  who do not have documentation showing that 
  they are servants or guests, are not allowed 
  into this part of the city.
  Lower Melanoc
  By contract, Lower Melanoc contains the 
  homes of the city’s poorest residents. Here 
  the houses are in varying states of repair and 
  the Guard patrols only irregularly. While this 
  district is theoretically restricted to citizens of 
  Melanoc, in practice the Guard rarely bothers 
  to check those coming into or out of the district.
  Merchant District
  The center third of the city, stretching 
  from the northern gate to the southern gate, 
  is the Market District. Most of the trade in 
  Melanoc happens here. It is also the location 
  of the city’s many inns. Visitors passing 
  through the city are restricted to the Market 
  District during their stay. The streets are well-
  patrolled during the day and the gates leading 
  into and out of of the city close down at night.
  Shantytown
  In recent years, a unofficial fourth distinct 
  has grown up outside Melanoc’s northern 
  gate. Consisting mostly of tents, lean-tos and 
  crude shacks, this community has been aptly 
  named Shantytown. Here the truly desperate 
  eke out a life begging from citizens and 
  travelers passing through the city. The only 
  sections patrolled by the Guard are the gate 
  and the roadway immediately leading to it. 
  This has led many of the criminal enterprises 
  in Melanoc to move their operations here.
  Surrounding Lands
  In addition to the city proper, Melanoc holds 
  sovereignty over the surrounding mountains, a 
  few nearby farming villages and a small port. 
  These provide food for the city and supplement 
  the trade coming through the mountain pass.
  Justeel and Yed
  Justeel and Yed are the two largest farming 
  villages, with several hundred inhabitants 
  each. Justeel is a day’s travel from Melanoc by 
  foot, and Yed is two days. Neither village has 
  walls or other defenses.
  Bruntal
  Bruntal is the largest of Melanoc’s 
  surrounding communities, with a few 
  thousand inhabitants. It is a small port town 
  where the mountains meet the sea. A dirt road 
  winds its way from Bruntal to Justeel, and 
  then onward to Melanoc.
  Other Settlements
  Finally, there are a handful of hamlets and  
  lone homesteads in the surrounding mountains. 
  These either function as mining communities 
  or help supply Melanoc with fresh water by 
  transporting ice from the nearby snowcaps.
  Shopping
  The party may wish to purchase goods 
  or services over the course of the adventure. 
  Although several merchants occasionally trade 
  with the refugees in Shantytown, the most 
  prominent one is Cheryl Brut, who operates a 
  storefront there (see page 41).
  
  Adventure
  35
  Entry Denied
  When the scenario begins, Our Heroes 
  are traveling in the company of about 20 
  refugees, having fled the city of Gail shortly 
  before it was burned by Warlord Kattanz. 
  Over the course of two grueling weeks on 
  the road, they’ve managed to safely escort the 
  refugees from Gail to the city of Melanoc, 
  where the entire group hopes to find safety 
  and start a new life. Unfortunately, things are 
  about to get even more complicated.
  Waiting in Line
  As the first scene begins, the party has 
  arrived at the shanty town outside Melanoc’s 
  northern gate. They are waiting in line to enter, 
  as the guards inspect a merchant caravan that 
  arrived shortly before them.
  Take a moment to describe the vast mass 
  of tents, lean-tos and shacks that surround the 
  northern wall of the city in a chaotic jumble. 
  Over a thousand refugees and other unfortu-
  nates eke out a life here, peddling what small 
  goods they own and begging along the roadside.
  A Little Local Gossip
  As the party waits, some of the refugees 
  have been gossiping with the Shantytown 
  locals, excited to be back in civilization. As 
  everyone queues in line, they’ll happily bring 
  the party in on their conversations.
  This is a chance to have the players try 
  out the action mechanic by making a basic 
  flip. Have one or each of the players make a  
  Chr/socialize-10 flip, walking them through 
  the process. On a success, that character gleans 
  one of the rumors found in the table on page 40.  
  On a failure, she receives only small talk and 
  suspicious stares—the party’s weapons make 
  the locals uneasy.
   
  • The refugees and locals both use the 
  Commoner stats found on page 32.
  Speaker Bandu’s Thanks
  This is also a good opportunity for Speaker 
  Bandu to talk to the group. Explain that he’s 
  the de facto leader of the refugees that the 
  party has been accompanying, then have him 
  thank the group for their help on the road 
  from Gail. The refugees likely wouldn’t have 
  survived without them! 
  
  Adventure
  36
  Bandu needn’t say much. The important 
  part here is to cue the players in on his presence 
  so that they know who he is when he makes a 
  request of them later on.
   
  • Speaker Bandu’s stats are found on page 39.
  Get Lost!
  Finally, it’s time for the party and refugees 
  to approach the gate. As they do so, the 
  guards will move to block their path and one 
  of them will say, “Sorry, Melanoc’s full. No 
  entry. Orders of the City Council.” If asked 
  to explain, they will say that there isn’t enough 
  room, water or jobs in the city to accommodate  
  all the refugees fleeing south these days, so the 
  City Council has barred them from entry. The 
  guards will then tell the group to move along, 
  as they’re blocking traffic.
  If Yagmur is being played, he will recognize 
  his old rival, Martha, as being among the 
  guards. If she sees Yagmur, she will smile  
  maliciously and yell, “come again!” If Yagmur’s 
  player wants to try something, this might be a 
  good time to go over the Bond rules, otherwise 
  that’s best left for the next scene.
  Nothing the party can say or do will 
  convince the guards to allow them into the 
  city. They don’t make the rules, they just 
  enforce them.
   
  • Martha’s stats are to the upper right.
   
  • There are four other guards at the gate. 
  Additional guards man the walls and can 
  be called upon if a fight breaks out. These 
  guards use the same stat block as Martha.
  Martha the Guardsman
  Troll, Watchman (Common 2)
  Ambition: Protect the streets or at least protect 
  those who pay bribes.
  Bonds: City Guard (patron)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  5
  6
  6
  5
  4
  6
  4
  4
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  6
  4
  4/2
  10
  5
  0
  5
  Club: +5 vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 sm). Parry 3.
  Skills �: Investigate, Streetwise
  Martha is a simple woman with simple 
  pleasures—like beating people over the head 
  or tackling a fleeing suspect. The Guard lets 
  her do these things with legal protection, so 
  she is a loyal member.
  “Hi, I’m Kip.”
  As the party is being turned away from 
  the gate, they’ll be approached by a human 
  adolescent of about 13 years old. He will 
  introduce himself as Kip, say that he sees this 
  a lot and offer to lead them to “a safe place to 
  shelter for the night.” 
  In truth, Kip has just identified them as 
  easy marks. He plans to observe the group a 
  bit, sizing them up, before betraying them to 
  someone with power.
   
  • Kip’s stats are found on page 49.
  GM Goals
  As the GM, your goal in this scene is 
  to familiarize the players with the action 
  mechanic, prevent them from entering 
  the city and move them along elsewhere 
  so that the next scene can unfold. If 
  they pick up an extra plot hook through 
  gossip, so much the better.
  
  Adventure
  37
  Predator 
  and Prey
  As the party leaves the gate, they will cut 
  through Shantytown, avoiding the stares of 
  the guards. If they are following Kip, he will 
  lead them through a series of narrow, twisting 
  alleyways between the shacks and lean-tos.
  Alleyway Ambush
  As the group is traveling through a 
  somewhat 
  isolated 
  alley 
  between 
  two 
  ramshackle buildings, ruffians with clubs will 
  emerge from the shadows, both behind and 
  in front of the group. Hrolf the First, clearly 
  the leader of the gang, will step forward and 
  say with a malicious smile, “Looks like we got 
  fresh meat! Hand over everything you own and 
  you won’t get hurt… too much.”
  If Selma is being played, she will recognize 
  Hrolf as the thug who killed her brother some 
  years ago. If so, this is a good time to go over 
  the rules for Bonds (see page 21). For example, 
  she might call on her Enemy Bond to gain � 
  on an attack against him, to impose the Fear 
  consequence on him after an appropriately 
  threatening monologue about avenging her 
  brother, or to force him to talk after the fight.
  Combat
  Unless the group immediately complies 
  with the gang’s demands, things are likely to 
  come to blows. This makes it a good time to go 
  over the combat rules (see page 24). The gang 
  will fight until it is obvious that they cannot 
  win, after which they will attempt to flee. 
  Hrolf will be the first to run, yelling “the boss 
  will hear about this! You’ll be sorry!”
   
  • Hrof’s stats can be found to the right.
   
  • There are a number of Ruffians equal to 
  the number of PCs. They all share the same 
  stat block, found on the next page. Note 
  that they are all minions (see sidebar).
   
  • The refugees who accompany the party will 
  try to help, but they’re not fighters. Don’t 
  worry about making flips or tracking indi-
  vidual actions for them. Instead, during the 
  NPC turns, simply describe how as a group 
  they’re trying to help—such as by pelting 
  the ruffians with small rocks, shouting 
  encouragement or getting in the way of the 
  gang’s attempts to flee. This might grant � 
  to attack a particular enemy, impose a � on 
  a foe’s Defense flip for a round or simply 
  stop fleeing ruffians from getting away.
   
  • On his first turn, Hrolf will attempt to 
  intimidate the nearest party member. To do 
  this, he will give his most evil glare while 
  yelling, “Oh, you really must be new here! 
  You have no idea what trouble you've 
  gotten yourselves into!” For a description of 
  the Intimidate action, see page 29.
  Hrolf the Fist
  Troll, Whipjack (Common 4)
  Ambition: Be feared and respected more than 
  anyone else in Shantytown.
  Bonds: Ackon Darko (patron)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  7
  6
  4
  6
  5
  5
  5
  6
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  4
  5
  2/1
  13
  5
  0
  5
  Club: +5 � vs. Defense (8/7/6/5/4 sm). Parry 3.
  Skills �: Athletics, Persuade, Streetwise, Thievery
  Hrolf is a hulking troll with a short temper 
  and fists the size of hams. Despite his size, he 
  has a fragile ego and always has to feel that he 
  is the most feared person in the room. The 
  fact that he is only second in command of the 
  Darko Gang grates on him constantly.
  
  Adventure
  38
  Ruffians
  Human, Scalawag (Common 1)
  Ambition: Look tough in front of the others.
  Bonds: Hrolf (patron)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  5
  6
  4
  6
  4
  5
  4
  6
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  4
  5
  0/0
  0
  5
  0
  5
  Club: +5 vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 sm). Parry 3.
  Skills �: Streetwise, Thievery
  Traits: Minion (see sidebar)
  The men and women following Hrolf are all 
  members of the Darko Gang. They are bullies 
  at heart and quick to turn tail when it appears 
  the fight isn’t going their way.
  Aftermath
  Chances are the ruffians will be quick to 
  break and run. They’re here for easy pickings, 
  not because they want an extended fight. 
  If any manage to flee the initial battle, the 
  party can optionally chase them down with a  
  successful Per/athletics-12 flip.
  Searching the bodies turns up their clubs, 
  bloody clothes, 5 bronze pennies and the 
  gambeson armor that Hrolf is wearing (too big 
  for anyone except Danso, who has better armor 
  anyway). One  of the ruffians is also carrying 
  an odd-looking metal tool with a spike. A 
  successful Int/tradecraft (machinist)-10 flip 
  will identify it as a pritchell, a device used to 
  dress millstones. This is a clue that the gang 
  operates out of an old mill (see page 42).
  If Hrolf hasn’t yet spoken his threats about 
  “the boss,” he will croak them out as he lays 
  there dying: “the boss will hear... you’ll be 
  sorry...” If he’s captured alive, the party can 
  persuade him to name or lead them to Ackon 
  Darko by calling upon Selma’s Bond or with 
  a successful Det/persuade vs. Willpower flip.
  Minions
  Minions are weaker opponents that 
  the party can cut down in large numbers. 
  Being a Minion has the following effects: 
   
  • All minions use the same Defense card. 
   
  • Minions never take reactions, so don’t 
  bother to track minion AP between 
  turns; any unspent AP is simply lost.
   
  • A minion always begins with 0 HP, 
  meaning that any damage dealt results 
  in a Grave Wound. Don’t bother using 
  the table—just narrate some appro-
  priately bloody result. Afterward, the 
  minion either dies, falls unconscious 
  or runs (GM’s choice). Any further 
  damage immediately kills the minion.
  GM Goals
  The players should face this scene 
  as soon as they leave the gate and are 
  somewhat isolated. Your goal is to 
  familiarize the players with the combat 
  system and to drop another potential 
  plot hook relating to Hrolf’s boss and 
  the identity of the ruffians.
  
  Adventure
  39
  A Simple Request
  If the group is following Kip, he will lead 
  them to a clearing just west of Shantytown. 
  Rocks surrounding the clearing provide cover 
  and the contour of the mountains makes 
  anyone approaching the clearing easy to 
  notice. This, he says, is a safe enough place to 
  spend the night.
  If the group isn’t following Kip, they 
  can locate this spot with a successful  
  Per/survival-10 flip. On a failure, they’ll find a 
  spot which is much less comfortable (ignore any 
  healing under “Resting for the Night” below).
  The Request
  Once the group is settled, Speaker Bandu 
  will approach the party and make a request. 
  He asks them to help solve the situation for 
  the refugees. Maybe if they can prove their 
  worth, the city officials will let them stay. Their 
  situation might also be helped by showing that 
  they won’t be a burden or threat to the city.
  If any of the characters suggest just 
  sneaking into the city, Bandu will look grim 
  and reply that doing so isn’t a long-term 
  solution—it doesn’t help them become 
  accepted in their new home.
   
  • Bandu’s stats are in the upper right.
   
  • If at anytime the players seem lost, feel 
  free to have Speaker Bandu track them 
  down and make specific suggestions on 
  what to do next. Perhaps they can make 
  Shantytown safer by tracking down 
  Hrolf’s boss or call on their contacts to 
  find work for the refugees?
  Speaker Bandu
  Human, Refugee (Common 1)
  Ambition: Protect the refugees and make new home 
  for them in Melanoc.
  Bonds: Refugee Group (contact)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  4
  6
  5
  4
  6
  4
  7
  7
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  6
  4
  7
  0/0
  8
  4
  0
  5
  Dagger: +6 vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 pi). Close.
  Skills �: Expression, Language (Standard)
  An elderly human man with a slight limp, 
  Speaker Bandu is the de facto leader of the 
  refugees. He helped the group flee Gail before 
  it was sacked and burned by Kattanz.
  City Consequences
  For the group to become accepted and 
  make a new home in the city, the players will 
  need to accumulate three “Refugees Aided” 
  consequences. These can be acquired by 
  performing tasks that help the plight of the 
  refugees—for example, obtaining sponsorship 
  from Bralin the Merchant, finding the refugees 
  work building an aqueduct or proving their 
  worth by defeating the Beast of Helix Peak. 
  How the party goes about doing this is up 
  to them. The next few scenes cover many of the 
  possibilities and can be approached in any order. 
  The players are also sure to have ideas of their 
  own. As the GM, you should explain to the 
  players how acquiring “Refugees Aided” conse-
  quences works, and go over the relevant rules.
  Resting for the Night
  If anyone in the party is injured and 
  chooses to rest for the night, she will recover a 
  number of HP equal to her Endurance.
  
  Adventure
  40
  Word on the Street
  Players looking for ways to help the refugees 
  will likely start by asking around Shantytown. 
  If they don’t think of this on their own, have 
  Speaker Bandu suggest it.
  Tracking Down Bonds
  Each of the five pregenerated player charac-
  ters has two Bonds, most of which can be found 
  in and around Melanoc. It is likely that at some 
  point the players will want to seek them out.
  Locating most Bond NPCs requires 
  several hours spent asking around Shanty-
  town and a Chr/socialize-10 flip. Success 
  results in either directions to the NPC or an 
  idea of how to contact them. Failure results 
  in a complication of some kind, such as 
  tipping off the party’s enemies or a required 
  bribe to find the character in question.
  Of note, Warlord Kattanz isn’t in the area 
  and Bralin the Merchant makes her home 
  within the city walls (see page 44).
  Rumors
  The party might hear any number of 
  rumors as they go about their business in 
  Shantytown. Alternatively, they may seek out 
  rumors by making a Chr/socialize-10 flip. 
  Choose a rumor or flip on the table below.
  Shopping
  If the party wants to do some shopping, 
  their options in Shantytown are limited. The 
  only full-time shopkeeper outside the city 
  walls is Cheryl Brut, although other merchants 
  Card
  Rumor
  A – 2
  “I hear there’s some sort of monster living up on Helix Peak. It’s been preying on 
  the aqueduct workers, and recently drunkards at the fringes of Shantytown have 
  been disappearing in the night!” (Partially true, see page 47)
  3 – 4
  “If you want to move goods into or out of Melanoc without the Guard knowing, 
  then Ceren Azam is the one to see.” (True, see page 44)
  5 – 6
  “The problem with building a city in a mountain pass is that it’s not on a major 
  river. During the dry season, fresh water is always in short supply. That’s why 
  they’re building an aqueduct. Unfortunately, I hear its run into some problems.” 
  (True, see page 46)
  7 – 8
  “Careful in Shantytown, friend. The Guard doesn’t patrol here, so the gangs 
  have taken over. The Darko gang pretty much runs things right now.” (True, 
  see page 42)
  9 – 10
  “Tensions have been high between Melanoc and Graundaur, ever since Melanoc 
  seceded. Unless Melanoc gives up its claim of sovereignty, I think war may be 
  coming.” (The tension part is true; the rest is speculation)
  J – Q
  “Melanoc has two organizations that keep the peace: the Guard and the Legion. 
  If you have to report something to the authorities, try tracking down a band of 
  Legionnaires. The Guard are all corrupt.” (Partially true, see page 33)
  K – Jo
  “I hear that some warlord attacked Gail a few weeks ago and burnt most of the city 
  to the ground. I hope he doesn’t come this way.” (True, see page 53)
  
  Adventure
  41
  occasionally visit the refugees and might be 
  accosted entering or exiting the city.
  Below is a table of goods, representing what 
  Cheryl has in stock when the scenario begins. 
  How many she has of each item is up to you. 
   
  • Cheryl Brut’s stats are to the right.
  Item
  Cost
  Ale (keg)
  120 bp
  Arrows (bundle of 12)
  6 bp
  Backpack
  30 bp
  Black Powder (12 charges)
  25 bp
  Boots
  50 bp
  Bread (loaf)
  2 bp
  Cloak
  60 bp
  Eye Patch
  1 bp
  Hat
  30 bp
  Hood
  10 bp
  Kalid Part
  15 bp
  Lunar Device
  20 bp
  Mask
  20 bp
  Oil (1 flask)
  3 bp
  Paper (1 sheet)
  2 bp
  Rope (10 yards)
  20 bp
  Sack
  1 bp
  Wine (bottle)
  25 bp
  Cheryl Brut 
  Tinker Gnome, Shopkeeper (Gentle 2)
  Ambition: Become wealthy and prosperous.
  Bonds: Lanstrin League (membership)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  4
  4
  5
  4
  6
  6
  6
  5
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  5
  5
  0/0
  8
  4
  0
  5
  Dagger: +5 vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 pi). Close, Parry 2.
  Skills �: Persuade, Tradecraft (merchant)
  Cheryl Brut is a struggling merchant by day 
  and an enthusiastic inventor by night. At first 
  she moved her business outside the city walls 
  because of the tendency of her inventions to 
  explode, but then she found her niche selling 
  goods to the residents of Shantytown.
  Kip’s Angle
  As the party goes about its business, Kip 
  will attempt to tag along, occasionally asking 
  questions or offering basic suggestions. If the 
  party insists on leaving him behind, he will 
  instead follow the group subtly, keeping to the 
  shadows as much as possible.
  While he first singled out the refugees as 
  easy marks, the party’s defeat of Hrolf the Fist 
  has captured his interest. Clearly, new arrivals 
  as capable as the characters will make waves in 
  Shantytown. He wants to know as much about 
  them as possible. He figures this information 
  ought to be worth something to someone. He 
  plans to sell them out to either Ackon Darko 
  or the Guard at his first opportunity.
  During the night Kip will sneak away 
  and report to Ackon or, if the party has done 
  anything blatantly illegal, the Guard. His 
  reports will include anyone who the party has 
  spoken with or who aided them significantly. 
  In the days that follow, the characters may 
  notice that their contacts start disappearing.
  Money and Labor
  Common coins include the bronze 
  penny (bp), silver peso (sp) and gold piece 
  (gp). These trade at the rate of 10 bp per 
  silver and 20 sp per gold.
  A day’s wages is based on a character’s 
  Status—bronze for commoners, silver for 
  gentry and gold for nobility. For example, 
  a Common 2 peasant usually makes about 
  2 bp per day, while a Gentle 3 merchant 
  makes about 3 sp per day.
  
  Adventure
  42
  The Darko Gang
  In his earlier attack, Hrolf the Fist 
  mentioned working for “the boss.” This boss 
  is Ackon Darko, a notoriously cruel bandit 
  leader who has left the wilderness to prey on 
  the hapless residents of Shantytown. 
  In the past few months, his gang—the 
  Darko Gang—has taken over most of Shanty-
  town and started to extort protection money 
  and favors from the locals. Ackon hopes to join 
  the Modin crime syndicate and sees his control 
  of Shantytown as a means to buy his way in.
  Meeting the Gang
  The party may decide on their own to seek 
  out this mysterious “boss.” If they do, they can 
  make an Int/streetwise-10 flip to ask around. 
  On a success, one of the characters learns 
  that Hrolf worked for the Darko Gang. With 
  Margin 2 or more, the character also learns 
  that the Darko Gang controls much of Shanty-
  town and that the gang operates out of an old 
  mill northwest of the city.
  If the characters don’t seek out the Darko 
  Gang on their own, it is only a matter of time 
  before the gang comes looking for them, 
  hoping to get revenge for Hrolf’s defeat. 
  If two days into the scenario Kip is still in 
  the party’s good graces, he will return one 
  morning and offer to lead the group to the 
  mill under the pretense of finding jobs for the 
  refugees. There the Darko Gang will by lying 
  in wait for the characters.
  Should Kip be discovered, or should the 
  party simply not take the bait, the gang will 
  instead leave the mill to track the characters  
  down on their own. They will approach under 
  the cover of darkness, as the refugees get ready 
  to bed down for the night.
  Threats & Offers
  Unless the party has done something to 
  anger him above and beyond defeating Hrolf, 
  Ackon Darko will first attempt to make a deal 
  with the group. After all, his primary concern 
  is maintaining control of Shantytown by 
  projecting strength. If he can turn their presence 
  to his advantage, then so much the better.
  Ackon begins his pitch with: “Welcome 
  to Shantytown. Your arrival has made quite a 
  splash. I apologize for the actions of my man, 
  Hrolf. He often gets ahead of himself… I hope 
  there’s no bad blood between us. In fact, I want 
  to extend to you an offer. I’m a man with a 
  great deal of sway in Shantytown, and with  
  connections throughout city. As such, I’m 
  always on the lookout for new talent. Come 
  work for me as enforcers. Together there’s 
  much wealth we can wring from Melanoc.”
  The players are free to make counteroffers, 
  following them up with a Chr/persuade-10 
  flip, if they wish. However, Ackon won’t 
  accept an offer unless it either results in the 
  party being subservient to him or they appeal 
  to his Ambition and offer something that he 
  feels will let him buy his way into the Modin 
  crime syndicate.
  If Candan is being played, his Bond with 
  Ackon might be called upon to gain � on 
  an attack against him, see through any false 
  promises he makes in the negoiation or glean 
  insight into Ackon’s current Ambition.
  Kip’s Betrayal
  If Kip hasn’t yet overtly betrayed the 
  party, he will as soon as it looks like the group 
  won’t take Ackon up on his offer. Kip begins 
  by drawing a dagger, stabbing the nearest 
  character and then fleeing the scene.
   
  • Kip’s stats are found on page 49.
  
  Adventure
  43
  Combat
  If the team angers Ackon, takes hostile 
  action against him or outright rejects his offer, 
  he will mutter “Disappointing…” and then 
  direct his gang to attack. 
   
  • Ackon Darko’s stats are to the right. Note 
  that he is a Villain (see sidebar).
   
  • There are a number of Ruffians equal to 
  the number of PCs. They all share the same 
  stat block (see page 38). Note that they are 
  all Minions.
   
  • To begin with, Ackon will let his gang 
  soften the party up while he draws an 
  arquebus, aims and fires at the most heavily 
  armored character. After this, he will switch 
  to his handaxe and join the fray.
   
  • If the players are having too easy of a 
  time in the fight, a couple more Ruffians 
  may join the fray at the beginning of the 
  second round.
   
  • If Hrolf the Fist escaped earlier, he will be 
  present as well. His stats are on page 37.
  Ackon Darko
  True Elf, Bosman (Gentle 4)
  Ambition: Join the Modin crime syndicate.
  Bonds: Darko Gang (ally)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  5
  6
  6
  6
  4
  6
  6
  4
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  6
  5
  4/2
  22
  6
  0
  6
  Arquebus: +5 � vs. Defense (8/7/6/5/4 pi). 
  Firearm, Hands 2, Range 12, Reload 10.
  Handaxe: +5 � vs. Defense (10/9/8/7/6 cut). Parry 3.
  Skills �: Deception, Persuade, Survival
  Traits: Villain (see sidebar)
  Ackon Darko is a hardened bandit who has 
  grown tired of the wilds and now aims to 
  dominate Melanoc’s criminal underworld. He 
  has a scar over one eye where he was once bitten 
  by a monkey. He claims that the scar was from 
  a duel, but to this day he still hates monkeys.
  Aftermath
  Searching the bodies turns up the ruffians’ 
  clubs, bloody clothes, 10 silver pesos and Ackon’s 
  personal gear: an arquebus, handaxe, armor and 
  a key. His arquebus will still have powder and 
  bullets for another 5 shots. His boiled leather 
  armor will fit either Candan or Yagmur (although 
  it just barely fits in the latter case).
  If the team searches the old mill, have 
  someone make a Per/investigate-10 flip. On 
  a success, that character finds a steel lockbox 
  that the gang uses to store its ill-gotten gains. 
  Ackon’s key opens it. Inside is a gold piece, 12 
  silver pesos and 22 bronze pennies.
  Defeating Ackon, either by killing him 
  or otherwise eroding his power base in 
  Shantytown, results in a “Refugees Aided” 
  consequence, as it helps provide safety. This 
  gets the party a third of the way towards the 
  refugees being accepted.
  Villains
  Villains are particularly dangerous 
  opponents intended to challenge the 
  entire party. The Villain trait has the 
  following effects:
   
  • Double the villain’s maximum HP 
  (already factored into Ackon’s stats).
   
  • Villains are not restricted to one attack 
  per turn, and may use the Focus action 
  in the same turn as an attack.
   
  • At the beginning of her turn, a villain 
  gets to remove one consequence for 
  free. This does not apply to long-lasting 
  consequences, such as Grave Wounds 
  or Exhausted (GM’s discretion).
  
  Adventure
  44
  Into the City
  There are a variety of reasons why the 
  party might want to make it past the walls 
  and into the city itself, even if only tempo-
  rarily. Among these are looking for housing 
  or other opportunities, contacting Bralin the 
  Merchant and better shopping.
  Ways Past the Walls
  Several ways the party might circumvent 
  the city walls are noted below:
   
  • Scaling the walls might seem like the 
  obvious solution, but this is more difficult 
  than it seems. After all, walls exist specifi-
  cally to make this hard. Climbing the walls 
  requires three consecutive Str/athletics-10 
  flips. The difficulty increases to TN 14 if the 
  characters don’t have a rope and grapple. 
  Failure results in a fall and 3 damage.
   
  • Stealthy characters might be able to 
  sneak their way past the walls by hiding 
  in a merchant’s wagon or other vehicle 
  entering the city. This requires waiting 
  for the right opportunity and a successful 
  Spd/stealth-12 flip.
   
  • Characters of a more social nature can 
  achieve the same thing by bribing those 
  same merchants with 3 sp and making a 
  successful Chr/persuade-12 flip.
   
  • Players wanting a legal way into the 
  city might be able to accomplish this by 
  calling upon Bonds. Yagmur could hire a 
  messenger (for 2 bp) to request an audience 
  with Bralin the Merchant, and by calling 
  upon that Bond, obtain a writ allowing 
  him one day in the city. Mina might also 
  be able to accomplish something similar by 
  calling upon her Lanstrin League Bond.
   
  • Finally, a smuggler’s route into the city 
  exists (see right).
  Smuggler’s Route
  Characters looking for someone with an 
  illicit way into the city or seeking criminal 
  connections will eventually be pointed at 
  Ceren Azam. She lives in a shack adjacent 
  to the city wall, with an attached stage and 
  space for seating. During the day she performs 
  puppet shows here that call for revolution 
  or ridicule the city council. At night she’s a 
  smuggler, moving goods under the wall
  Both Selma and Mina have Bonds with 
  Ceren—Selma as a contact and Mina as a rival. 
  If both are being played, this can make for a 
  complex and interesting interaction.
  Ceren can be convinced to smuggle the 
  party into the city with a 3 sp bribe and a 
  successful Chr/persuade-10 flip. Alternatively, 
  Selma could call upon her Bond and skip the 
  need to make a flip entirely.
   
  • Ceren Azam’s stats are below.
  Ceren Azam
  Tinker Gnome, Puppeteer/Smuggler (Gentle 1)
  Ambition: Create clockwork puppets with real skin!
  Bonds: Thieves’ Guild (membership)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  5
  7
  6
  4
  5
  4
  6
  3
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  6
  5
  4
  2/1
  9
  5
  0
  5
  Dagger: +6 vs. Defense (8/7/6/5/4 pi). Close, Parry 2
  Skills �: Streetwise, Tradecraft (clockwork)
  Ceren is a smuggler in the guise of a traveling 
  puppeteer. She works with the Melanoc 
  Thieves’ Guild and in her free time designs 
  clockwork puppets. However, she wishes her 
  puppets were more lifelike and dreams of one 
  day creating a puppet with real skin!
  
  Adventure
  45
  Obstacles Inside
  Unless the group is there legally, once within 
  the city walls they will need to avoid discovery. 
  As long as they remain in the Merchant District 
  this will be as easy as avoiding attracting 
  attention to themselves. Should they attempt to 
  cross into Upper or Lower Melanoc, however, 
  they will need to avoid the guards at the inner 
  gates. Depending on the approach the characters 
  are taking, this could be achieved with either a  
  Chr/deception-10 or Spd/stealth-10 flip.
  Kip Acts
  If the party is in the city illegally and Kip 
  has managed to follow them, he will see this 
  as his opportunity to betray them, slipping off 
  and find the Guard as soon as possible. He will 
  claim that the party are ruffians who forced 
  him into the city. He will give the Guard the 
  characters’ names, descriptions, where he last 
  saw them and how they managed to make it 
  into the city. In return, he will ask the guards 
  for asylum because he fear’s the team’s reprisal 
  should he be sent back to Shantytown.
  It won’t be long after that before the Guard 
  comes searching for the team.
   
  • Kip’s stats are on page 49
  Business Deals
  Anyone seeking business connections or 
  jobs for the refugees will be pointed to Bralin, a 
  prominent merchant in the city. She invests in 
  many businesses and projects around Melanoc, 
  including the aqueduct which is currently being 
  constructed west of the city (see page 46).
  Securing a meeting with Bralin requires 
  either calling upon a Bond or succeeding at an 
  Int/socialize-10 flip. Have the players roleplay 
  making a pitch to Bralin. Can the party vouch 
  for the refugees? What are their skills? What are 
  their plans for the future? If the players make 
  a good pitch, Bralin will agree to speak for the 
  refugees and offer them employment working 
  on the aqueduct. If their pitch wasn’t that good, 
  have the player who did the most talking make a 
  Det/persuade-10 flip. On a success, Bralin will 
  hesitantly agree to employ the refugees.
  Securing a deal with Bralin results in a 
  “Refugees Aided” consequence, as having 
  a prominent merchant vouching for them 
  carries a great deal of weight. This gets the 
  party a third of the way towards the refugees 
  being accepted.
  Bralin the Merchant
  Human, Merchant (Gentle 4)
  Ambition: Maintain her upstanding reputation in 
  and around Melanoc.
  Bonds: City Council (contact)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  4
  5
  5
  5
  6
  5
  6
  6
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  5
  5
  0/0
  9
  5
  0
  5
  Dagger: +5 vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 pi). Close, Parry 2
  Skills �: Persuade, Tradecraft (merchant)
  Bralin is one of the most influential merchants in 
  Melanoc, responsible for the import of numerous 
  goods into the city. She maintains a reputation 
  for dependability and high quality merchandise.
  
  Adventure
  46
  The Aqueduct
  Melanoc needs fresh water. The combina-
  tion of its growing population and the fact 
  that the city isn’t located on a river, makes 
  this need increasingly urgent. Things may be 
  easier now during the wet season, but if the 
  dry season arrives and its water requirements 
  aren’t met, the city may suffer riots or worse. 
  This is one reason that refugees are being 
  turned away at the gates.
  To meet the growing demand for water, 
  a new aqueduct is being constructed west 
  of the city. Once completed, it will channel 
  snowmelt from the mountains down to the 
  gates. Unfortunately, construction of the 
  aqueduct has run into difficulties and is 
  significantly behind schedule.
  Finding Jobs
  Since the aqueduct is in need of workers, 
  it is an ideal place to find jobs for the refugees. 
  If the party has already spoken with Bralin the 
  Merchant, those jobs may have already been 
  secured (see page 45). If not, the group will 
  need to trek out to the construction site and 
  convince the foreman.
  Characters volunteering to work for a day 
  can impress the foreman with a successful  
  End/athletics-10 flip. Otherwise, have the 
  players roleplay their request for jobs, then 
  have one of them make a Det/persuade-10 
  flip. A good pitch provides �, while a badly 
  thought out pitch imposes �.
  Making Progress
  The aqueduct is behind schedule and its 
  construction is facing a number of setbacks. Not 
  only is it short on workers, but several faulty 
  trestles have been installed and a ridge stands 
  between the aqueduct and the city, meaning 
  large amounts of rock will need to be removed 
  before its construction can be completed.
  Thankfully, the party has skills that can 
  help overcome these problems! A few ways that 
  the characters can help are detailed below.
   
  • The faulty trestles can be identified by 
  taking a look at the aqueduct and making a 
  successful Int/academics (architecture)-10 
  flip. Once pointed out, the problem is 
  obvious and the workers can shore them up.
   
  • The ridge in the way of construc-
  tion can be mostly removed with a few 
  barrels of gunpowder and a successful  
  Int/tradecraft (sapper)-10 flip, made 
  to pick the best spot and detonate the 
  powder without incident.
   
  • Alternatively, magic could be used to 
  remove the excess rock or provide extra 
  support. This requires a few lunar devices 
  and a Det/lore of earth-10 flip.
  Gossip
  While at the aqueduct’s construction 
  site, the workers may gossip with the group, 
  telling them about the attacks in the night 
  by the Beast of Helix Peak (see next page). 
  Other topics of gossip might include Bralin’s 
  investment in the aqueduct (see page 45), 
  the Darko Gang (see page 42) or any of the 
  rumors found on page 40.
  Outcome
  Getting the refugees jobs working on the 
  aqueduct and helping to overcome the its 
  current difficulties, grants a “Refugees Aided” 
  consequence. This gets the party a third of the 
  way towards the refugees being accepted.
  
  Adventure
  47
  The Beast of 
  Helix Peak
  For several months, the aqueduct workers 
  have been suffering intermittent attacks at 
  night. Several have reported seeing some sort 
  of large creature—like a mountain lion, with 
  metallic, knife-like teeth and a jerky gait—
  descending the mountain. They’ve taken to 
  calling it the Beast of Helix Peak. 
  More recently, vagrants sleeping at the 
  edges of Shantytown have reported attacks 
  by the same creature. This has prompted the 
  Guard to place a 5 sp bounty on the Beast.
  Tracking the Beast
  The summit of the mountain directly 
  west of Melanoc is known as Helix Peak. 
  Those who ascend the mountain can look for 
  tracks that might lead them to the Beast. This 
  requires a Per/survival-10 flip. On a success, 
  the character finds tracks, but they don’t look 
  anything like those of a large cat or any other 
  creature she’s encountered.
  From here, an End/survival-10 flip will 
  allow the party to follow the tracks back to 
  the Beast’s lair—a cave a couple miles up the 
  mountain. Failure results in the party taking 
  a number of fatigue equal to the Margin of 
  failure; the party still finds the Beast’s lair, 
  but the trek up the mountain turns out to be 
  exhausting (see page 28).
  The Beast’s Lair
  Once inside the creature’s lair, the party 
  may notice that there are no droppings or 
  other usual signs of habitation. Instead, a few 
  gears and a large turnkey are scattered in one 
  corner. Shortly thereafter, a clanking, whirling 
  quadrupedal figure lunges out of the darkness 
  and attacks the group.
   
  • The Beast’s stats are below.
  Beast of Helix Peak
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  9
  6
  5
  6
  1
  6
  5
  5
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  4
  4
  5
  3/3
  16
  6
  +1
  5
  Frightening Whistle: +5 � vs. Willpower. All foes 
  within hearing distance gain a Fear consequence.
  Knife Claws: +5 � vs. Defense (12/11/10/9/8 cut).
  ♥♦: When making a successful attack using a 
  heart or diamond, the target gains a Bleeding 
  consequence.
  Construct: This creature is a clockwork construct. It is 
  immune to metabolic hazards and mental effects. 
  In addition, it doesn’t heal, although an appropri-
  ately skilled craftsman might be able to repair it.
  Resistance (piercing): The Beast takes half damage 
  from piercing attacks.
  Weak Point: If a character makes a successful  
  Per/tradecraft (clockwork)-10 flip, she may 
  spot a weak point in the beast’s joints. This spot 
  may be targeted by making a Called Shot (see 
  page 25). Successfully hitting this weak point 
  results in double damage.
  The Beast is a quadrupedal clockwork construct, 
  covered in some sort of taxidermied animal hide.
  Aftermath
  Defeating the Beast of Helix Peak gives 
  the party a moment of fame that they can use 
  to advocate for the refugees. Doing so grants a 
  “Refugees Aided” consequence. This gets the 
  party a third of the way towards the refugees 
  being accepted.
  By inspecting the remains of the beast and 
  making an Int/tradecraft (clockwork)-10 flip, 
  Mina can recognize its design as the handiwork 
  of her rival, Ceren Azam (see page 44).
  
  Adventure
  48
  Promised Land
  By the time the party has acquired three 
  “Refugees Aided” consequences, word of 
  their exploits will have gotten around, both 
  throughout Shantytown and to the Legion. The 
  party has managed to impress the right people, 
  and they are about to be given a chance to make 
  their case for being allowed into the city.
  Come Quickly
  Shortly after the party acquires the third 
  “Refugees Aided” consequence, Speaker Bandu 
  will come seek them out. “Come,” he says, 
  “There’s someone important who wants to speak 
  with all of us.” Bandu will then lead them back 
  to whenever the refugees have been staying.
   
  • Speaker Bandu’s stats are on page 39.
  Meeting the Marshal
  Waiting with the other refugees is Marshal 
  Tralif, the head of Melanoc’s Legion. He has 
  come here personally because he’s heard about 
  the party’s exploits and he wants to size them 
  up for a possible job offer (see the next page).
  Once the characters have arrived, Tralif will 
  begin by introducing himself, saying that he’s 
  received word of the things the party has done 
  to aid the refugees and he’s heard that they are 
  looking to make a permanent home in Melanoc. 
  He will then ask the characters what they can 
  offer the city that merits a change in policy.
  This is the chance for the players to make 
  their case for the refugees. Have them roleplay 
  their reply. Players may also want to call upon 
  Bonds to somehow cement their arguments. 
  This is unnecessary, but let the players make 
  what effort they will. There are few opportunities  
  left to use them in the scenario, and this is a 
  good dramatic moment.
  Assuming they make half an effort, Tralif 
  will nod and say, “You make a compelling 
  case. I’m impressed! Let me then formally 
  welcome all of you into the city as citizens of 
  Melanoc.” He will then hold out his hand to 
  shake each of theirs, as well as the hands of all 
  the other gathered refugees.
  If the players completely botch their 
  pitch or don’t even try, you can always fall 
  back to calling for a Chr/persuade-10 flip 
  to smooth things over. Success means that 
  Tralif similarly welcomes them into the city, 
  while failure means that some stipulation 
  is attached, such as a probationary period 
  before citizenship is granted.
  Marshal Tralif
  Troll, Marshal of the Legion (Gentle 5)
  Ambition: Protect the Legion and also the city.
  Bonds: The Legion (membership)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  6
  5
  4
  6
  5
  4
  6
  7
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  4
  6
  6/3
  12
  4
  0
  5
  Staff: +5 � vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 sm). Parry 4.
  Skills �: Empathy, Investigate, Persuade
  An elderly troll, Marshal Tralif has long been 
  the leader of the Legion in Melanoc. Joining 
  it decades ago after the coup, he quickly rose 
  through the ranks, becoming the Legion’s 
  second Marshal ever. Since then, he has had a 
  significant hand in ensuring the continuation 
  of the Legion and guiding it to become the sort 
  of organization it is today.
  Kip’s Final Gambit
  If Kip is still with the party and hasn’t 
  been able to betray them yet, he will have a 
  judgment call to make: 
  If he’s observed the characters doing 
  anything immoral or blatantly illegal, he may 
  
  Adventure
  49
  take this opportunity to out them in front of 
  the Marshal, loudly decrying each such act 
  he’s witnessed. This would be a desperate and 
  ill-conceived attempt to make himself look 
  good in front of the Marshal, while making 
  the party look bad.
  On the other hand, Kip may decide that 
  the party’s star is on the rise, and that he would 
  be better served by riding their coattails to 
  acceptance and glory. In this case, he may still 
  be looking for opportunities to betray them, 
  but for the time being he will play the part of 
  a grateful toadie.
  “Kip” the Kid
  Human, Urchin (Common 1)
  Ambition: Make it out of Shantytown and become 
  someone important.
  Bonds: Darko Gang (contact)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  3
  6
  7
  4
  5
  5
  6
  4
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  6
  5
  0/0
  7
  5
  0
  5
  Dagger: +5 vs. Defense (7/6/5/4/3 pi). Close, Parry 2
  Skills �: Deception, Thievery
  Kip is a human adolescent in his early teens. Tall 
  for his age and lanky, he still has a bit of a childish 
  face. He’s been an orphan now in Shantytown 
  for a little over a year. In this time, he’s come to 
  the conclusion that the ruthless rise to power 
  and that no one should ever trust anyone. He’s 
  resolved to steal, swindle and backstab his way 
  into a position of importance.
  Job Offer
  With the good news for the refugees given 
  and Kip possibly having made a final gambit, 
  Marshal Tralif has one more offer for the player 
  characters in particular. They’ve impressed him 
  with their acts in and around Shantytown, and 
  he wants to offer them jobs with the Legion.
  Tralif will explain that the Legion is an 
  elite group within Melanoc, separate from the 
  city guard (see page 33). He will also explain 
  that the organization is divided into bands of 
  “legionnaires” and that he wants to recruit the 
  party to be one of these bands. If the players 
  have questions he will try to answer them, 
  but he doesn’t have time to answer more than 
  a few. It’s fine if the characters don’t have an 
  immediate response; he will give them a day or 
  two to mull his offer over.
   
  • If the party accepts, each character will 
  receive a new title: Legionnaire (Gentle 1). 
  The full Age of Ambition rules has more 
  information on titles.
  Many Thanks!
  Once the party has had a moment to 
  consider Tralif’s job offer, they will be thanked 
  by each of the refugees, who are overjoyed at 
  the prospect of having a new home in the city. 
  There will be hugs and cheers and celebra-
  tion. The characters have just saved lives and 
  changed the city for the better!
  Ending the Session
  It’s time to bring the scenario to a close. 
  Resolve any danging threads and then thank 
  everyone for playing. 
  In the full Age of Ambition rules, players 
  would now have a final opportunity to claim 
  Ambitions and you would then hand out  
  experiences. Succeeding at making a new home 
  for the refugees is also probably worth handing 
  out a free Favor to each of the players, as the 
  refugees are grateful and the party may be able 
  to call upon them in the future.
  That concludes the “Questionable Refuge” 
  scenario. We hope that you have enjoyed it and 
  support the full game!
  
  Adventure
  50
  Further Adventures
  The end of this quick-start scenario 
  doesn’t have to be the end of your adventures. 
  Many more are possible with the purchase of 
  the Age of Ambition core rules. It  includes a 
  full Lifepath-style character creation system, 
  expanded social rules, more combat options, 
  inventions, fighting styles, arcane lores, traits, 
  equipment and more!
  To help get you started, below are a variety 
  of plot hooks that can be used to expand this 
  scenario, providing additional challenges or 
  following up on loose threads introduced in 
  the course of the adventure.
   
  • Marshal Tralif’s job offer with the Legion 
  is an obvious jumping off point for future 
  adventures. Should the party accept, they 
  will find themselves tasked with protecting 
  the city of Melanoc from enemies both 
  within and without—criminals, spies and 
  villains of all stripes. In particular, they 
  will find themselves tasked with defending 
  those whom the Guard refuses to protect. 
  This allows the GM to play up the bitter 
  rivalry between the Legion and the Guard, 
  as the party exposes the corruption that 
  runs rampant in the city.
   
  • One looming question that remains unan-
  swered is: Why was the Beast of Helix Peak 
  preying on aqueduct workers? Why was 
  it there at all? Clearly it was a clockwork 
  creation of Ceren Azam, but that doesn’t 
  explain its presence. Is Ceren some sort 
  of sinister mastermind? Does she want 
  to bankrupt rivals who invested in the 
  aqueduct? Did she sell the Beast to someone 
  else who set it against the aqueduct? Or was 
  it stolen? Furthermore, how was it able to 
  act so autonomously? Is it just the cutting 
  edge of clockwork technology, or was the 
  Beast possessed by a spirit or similar entity?
   
  • The party may have defeated Ackon Darko 
  and removed his gang from power, but the 
  underlying conditions that let them seize 
  control of Shantytown—the fact that the 
  Guard doesn’t patrol it—remain. It may 
  only be a matter of time until the next 
  gang steps in to fill the power vacuum. 
  If Hrolf survived the scenario, he will see 
  this as his golden opportunity. To begin 
  with, he will rally what remains of the 
  Darko Gang and seek a new hideout. If 
  the Beast of Helix Peak’s former lair is 
  empty, it makes a good candidate. Once 
  his power is secure and he has a rebuilt the 
  gang under his command, he will seek his 
  revenge on the party.
   
  • If Kip survived the scenario, he is sure to 
  show up again while in pursuit of another 
  scheme. He might be using a different 
  name or have changed his appearance, but 
  he will remember the characters and their 
  actions during the adventure. What he 
  wants of the party largely depends on how 
  he was treated. He might want anything 
  from making amends to cold-blooded 
  murder. If the party never uncovered his 
  treachery, he might still be tagging along 
  with them, biding his time until he can 
  profit from his access to the group!
   
  • There’s a war brewing in Melanoc’s 
  criminal underworld between the Thieves’ 
  Guild and the Modin crime syndicate. The 
  party may already have encountered each 
  of these organizations: Ceren Azam being a 
  member of the Thieves’ Guild, and Ackon 
  Darko being a prospective candidate for 
  the Modin. How the characters are viewed 
  by these criminals depends on the actions 
  they took over the course of the adventure. 
  Regardless of whether they made friends of 
  enemies of each organization, the party may 
  soon find themselves caught in the crossfire.
  
  Adventure
  51
   
  • The party has just made life better for the 
  refugees in Melanoc, but not everyone is 
  happy about this change. The truth is that 
  there are vested interests in the city who 
  benefit from a have large and desperate labor 
  force with few employment alternatives. 
  These include the Bronzebeard Mining 
  Company, which both has allies on the city 
  council and more shady connections. The 
  company may seek to make an example of 
  the party, or of the refugees they helped, in 
  order to cow others from following suit.
   
  • Ceren Azam really, really wants to create a 
  puppet made from real skin. In fact, she’s 
  taken a liking to the of skin of one of the 
  heroes! All she needs to do is come collect 
  it. The only problem is that the character 
  is still using her skin. Of course, Ceren has 
  never let a little thing like that stop her. 
  And she has plenty of connections in the 
  Thieves’ Guild to call upon!
   
  • The party may have helped solve the aque-
  duct’s current woes, but the project is 
  still far from completed. In fact, a whole 
  new set of troubles seem to have cropped 
  up almost overnight. Is the problem 
  just shoddy engineering or is something 
  more sinister at work? Does someone out 
  there want to undermine the security of 
  Melanoc by undermining the aqueduct’s  
  completion? Graundauran spies, perhaps?
   
  • Bralin the Merchant did the party a favor 
  when she vouched for the refugees, and 
  now she wants a favor in return. One 
  of her business rivals, Ye, has recently 
  acquired an exclusive contract to import a 
  rare drug called Aguam from the country 
  of Eoris. She wants that exclusivity voided. 
  It’s up to the party whether this means 
  convincing the Eorans to renege on their 
  deal, convincing Ye that cutting Bralin 
  out of the Aguam market isn’t in his best 
  interest, or whether it means acquiring a 
  steady supply of Aguam from elsewhere.
   
  • For the most part, the refugees helped by 
  the characters have been content to sit on 
  the sidelines as the party figured out how to 
  become accepted in Melanoc. Most of the 
  refugees where simply too overwhelmed or 
  exhausted to be of much help, but at least 
  one, Petri Kallio, stayed in the background 
  because he has something to hide: He’s the 
  scion of a noble family from Gail who long 
  ago made war on the region now claimed 
  by Melanoc. There are old-blooded families 
  here who may not be happy to have a Kallio 
  inhabiting the city.
   
  • Cheryl Brut has a new invention—a way 
  to transport workers and cargo up the 
  mountain using a sort of carriage and a 
  long, metallic cable. Now she just needs 
  several brave souls to climb the mountain, 
  install an anchor point for the cable and 
  then test it all by riding the carriage down. 
  Who does she know that’s brave and has 
  the right skills? The party, that’s whom!
   
  • This scenario begins with the party fleeing 
  Warlord Kattanz. Danso, at the very 
  least, is concerned that it may only be 
  a matter of time until Kattanz turns his 
  attention westward towards Melanoc. To 
  bring things full circle, the party could 
  receive word that Kattanz and his army 
  are on their way. The characters may need 
  to convince the powers that be to take the 
  threat that Kattanz represents seriously. 
  Otherwise, when his army lays siege the 
  city, the party may find themselves fleeing 
  as refugees yet again. If the group took 
  Marshal Tralif up on his job offer, they may 
  even be put in charge of defending the city.
  
  The Party
  52
  
  The Party
  53
  T
  wo weeks ago the Warlord Kattanz sacked 
  and burned the city of Gail, where Our 
  Heroes resided. Rising to the challenge and 
  helping a score of refugees escape the city, the 
  party deftly avoided Kattanz’s army and led 
  the refugees across the wilderness to the city 
  of Melanoc, where the group hopes to find 
  safety and begin a new life.
  Before the start of the scenario, each 
  player should choose one of the included 
  characters and have time to familiarize 
  herself with that character’s abilities. None 
  of the information is private. The GM can 
  simply print out the following pages and let 
  the players read through their options before 
  each settling on a character to play.
  If the group owns the full Age of Ambition 
  core rulebook, it is possible to run this scenario 
  with custom characters, just alter the NPCs 
  that match the party’s Bonds.
  A Note About 
  Character Gender
  The following player characters are all 
  written in second person. As such, they have 
  no assigned gender, and it shouldn’t matter 
  for the purposes of the included scenario. Just 
  pick a character and use whatever pronouns 
  you most feel comfortable with.
  Weapon and Armor Properties
  A variety of weapons and armor appear in 
  the included scenario. These frequently have a 
  number of properties listed alongside the attack.
   
  • Armor X/Y: Indicates how much to subtract 
  from damage. Use the first value against 
  cutting and piercing attacks, and the second 
  value against all other types of damage.
   
  • Close: This weapon may be used in a grapple 
  or other close combat without penalty.
   
  • Firearm: Damage from firearms always 
  uses the second Armor value, despite being 
  piercing damage.
   
  • Hands 2: This weapon requires two hands 
  to use effectively.
   
  • Parry X: The listed bonus is added to 
  Defense when the Parry reaction is taken.
   
  • Range X: May attack targets up to the 
  listed range in yards. Attacking at up 
  to twice the this range is possible, but 
  imposes � on the attack flip.
   
  • Reach X: This weapon is designed to 
  attack targets at the indicated distance in 
  yards, and cannot attack targets at a lesser 
  distance—those who have moved within 
  the weapon’s reach—unless the wielder first 
  takes an action to adjust her grip.
   
  • Reload X: Requires the indicated number 
  of actions to reload.
  The Party
  In which five heroes of sundry disposition are 
  presented and their capabilities explained
  
  The Party
  54
  Candan Torres
  Unlike most of the refugees, you’re from 
  this area—a small farming village named 
  Yed—although you left so long ago that you 
  suspect that no one there remembers you.
  Once upon a time in Yed, you were 
  apprenticed to an elderly kalid mage, but you 
  just weren’t that good of a student. After your 
  second year, you ran off with a group of kalid 
  hunters and never looked back.
  The last couple decades you’ve spent mostly 
  in the wilderness, hunting game and occasion-
  ally contracting as a guide. Along the way you 
  even rescued Chichi, your pet monkey, who was 
  locked in a cage and being abused by bandits.
  You had just decided to retire in Gail, when 
  Warlord Kattanz sacked the city.
  Candan Torres
  Human, Kalid Mage/Pioneer (Common 4)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  5
  5
  5
  6
  4
  7
  3
  6
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  4
  6
  4
  2/1
  11
  5
  0
  5
  Attacks
  Dagger: +5  vs. Defense.         Close, Parry 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  8
  7
  6
  5
  4
  pi
  Sword: +5  vs. Defense.                     Parry 4
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  10
  9
  8
  7
  6
  cut
  Ambitions
   
  • Find something strong to drink and gossip 
  with the locals.
   
  • Purchase a new set of clothes for yourself 
  and your monkey.
   
  • Help the refugees find a permanent home 
  in Melanoc.
  Bonds
  Chichi (ally): A small pet monkey that 
  rides on your shoulder and wears a hat. He has 
  been trained to perform simple tasks.
  Ackon Darko (enemy): A bandit leader 
  who preys on travelers in this region. You rescued 
  Chichi from abuse at the hands of his gang.
  Skills
   
  • Academics (kalid magic)
   
  • Animals
   
  • Athletics
   
  • Awareness
   
  • Language (Standard) � (literate)
   
  • Lore of Divination (see next page)
   
  • Stealth
   
  • Survival �
  Traits
  Danger Sense: You have a sixth sense 
  when it comes to danger. You gain � to notice 
  ambushes. When surprised, you may also take 
  defensive reactions as normal.
  Human Hope: Humans possess a sense of 
  hope that can get them through even the most 
  difficult situations. When you play a card from 
  hand as a �, you gain a +1 bonus to the flip.
  Mystic Affinity (Kalid Magic): You have 
  received training in kalid magic. You may 
  draw arcane energy from kalid parts, call upon 
  second sight and learn arcane lores. See page 22  
  for the magic rules.
  Equipment
  Backpack, Bandages ×10, Bedroll, Belt 
  pouch, Bronze pennies ×4, Dagger, Gambeson 
  (Armor 2/1), Handaxe, Kalid parts ×10, 
  Rations ×1, Sack, Tattered clothes, Tent.
  
  The Party
  55
  Lore of Divination
  Divination is the magical ability to gain 
  insight into a situation through arcane means. 
  This ranges from fortune telling by reading 
  palms, to prophetic dreams, to reading the 
  omens written in the entrails of slaughtered 
  animals or astrological alignments.
  To target a person or other subject 
  with divination, you must first have a 
  sympathetic connection to the target. This 
  involves obtaining a physical piece of the 
  target or a prized possession. For example, 
  a lock of the target’s hair or a piece of stone 
  from the city whose omens you are reading. 
  Having the subject present is also accept-
  able, such as with reading the target’s palm 
  when fortune telling.
  Dreaming
   
  • Action: Per/lore of divination-10
   
  • Time: 10 minutes.
  To use this spell you must prepare a 
  sleeping space for dreaming, first meditating 
  on a particular subject or question. You, 
  or a willing target, then go to sleep in the 
  prepared space.
  Make the required flip. On a success, 
  the target dreams about the subject, 
  gleaning insight into the matter at hand. 
  The GM should come up with the contents 
  of the dream, which should be relevant, 
  albeit still somewhat cryptic. 
        
  Fortune
   
  • Action: Per/lore of divination-10
   
  • Time: 10 minutes.
  This spell allows you to tell the target’s 
  fortune. Doing so provides insight into 
  the target’s personality and potential 
  future. To perform this spell, you need 
  access to a suitable chaotic pattern created 
  by the target. Common patterns include 
  a deck of cards shuffled by the target, tea 
  leaves at the bottom of a cup drank by the 
  target or lines on the target’s palm. 
  On a success, the GM should pick a 
  personality trait or Ambition of the target, as 
  well as a likely future event and tell you these.
  Omens
   
  • Action: Per/lore of divination-10
   
  • Time: 1 hour
  This spell allows you to interpret 
  whether the omens are especially auspicious 
  or inauspicious for a particular subject or 
  course of action. Reading an omen always 
  involves either observing the natural 
  world—such as by observing flights of 
  birds—or involves slaughtering an animal 
  and reading the spots on its entrails. 
  On a success, you witness a relevant 
  omen. The GM should let you know 
  whether the omen favors or disfavors the 
  particular subject or course of action.
  Scry
   
  • Action: Per/lore of divination-10
   
  • Time: 1 action to cast. May be main-
  tained up to 24 hours.
  With this spell you may see events 
  happening far away. First you need a sympa-
  thetic connection to the target, and either a 
  reflective or translucent surface in which to 
  gaze. Usually this takes the form of a mirror, 
  crystal ball or bowl of clear water. 
  On a success, you see reflected in the 
  surface an image of the target as well as what 
  is happening around her. With Margin 5 or 
  more, you may hear events as well.
  
  The Party
  56
  Danso Noori
  You never wanted to be a soldier. You 
  wanted to be a scholar, a philosopher, a poet. 
  But you were conscripted the moment you 
  became an adult, and off to war you went.
  The years that followed you don’t like to 
  remember. It was bad. You never did become a 
  scholar, but you did eventually become a 
  chaplain, which is as close as you could 
  manage—you’d always been devout.
  When Warlord Kattanz attacked Gail, you 
  were in the city between mercenary contracts. 
  Your services weren’t paid for, but you saw 
  desperate people who needed help. So along 
  with Speaker Bandu, you helped them escape 
  with their lives The two of you also organized 
  the group that’s now headed to Melanoc.
  Danso Noori
  Canny Minotaur, Sellsword/Missionary (Common 3)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  7
  5
  3
  5
  5
  6
  6
  4
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  4
  5
  4/2
  18
  4
  0
  5
  Attacks
  Arquebus: +5 �  vs. Defense.
          Firearm, Hands 2, Range 12, Reload 10
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  8
  7
  6
  5
  4
  pi
  Dagger: +5 �  vs. Defense.     Close, Parry 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  9
  8
  7
  6
  5
  pi
  Horns: +5 �  vs. Defense.       Close, Parry 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  9
  8
  7
  6
  5
  pi
  Pike: +5 �  vs. Defense. 
                               Hands 2, Parry 2, Reach 3
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  10
  9
  8
  7
  6
  pi
  Ambitions
   
  • Give an inspiring speech to the refugees.
   
  • Warn someone with power about the 
  danger that Warlord Kattanz poses.
   
  • Help the refugees find a permanent home 
  in Melanoc.
  Bonds
  Speaker Bandu (patron): The de facto 
  leader of the refugees with whom you are 
  traveling. His wisdom has been indespensible 
  on the road from Gail.
  Warlord Kattanz (enemy): Attacked and 
  conquered your home city. (Unlikely to appear 
  in this adventure, but this Bond may be called 
  upon to emphasize the threat he represents.)
  Skills
   
  • Academics (theology)
   
  • Athletics
   
  • Empathy
   
  • Expression
   
  • Language (Standard) � (literate)
   
  • Persuade
   
  • Tactician-style � (see next page)
   
  • Tradecraft (sapper)
   
  • Vehicles (land)
  Traits
  Minotaur Horns: Minotaurs possess a set 
  of horns which can act as makeshift weapons. 
  Stats for these have been listed under “Attacks.”
  Toughness: It takes a great deal of injury to 
  fell you in battle. Your maximum HP has been 
  increased by 50%.
  Equipment
  Arquebus, 
  Backpack, 
  Boiled 
  leather 
  (Armor 4/2), Bronze pennies ×3, Bullets & 
  powder ×10, Dagger, Holy symbol of Zuraic, 
  Pike, Rations ×1, Sack.
  
  The Party
  57
  Tactician-style
  A skilled tactician is well-versed in the 
  optimal application of numerous forms of 
  combat. To use any of these maneuvers, 
  the tactician must be able to communicate 
  freely with her target.
   
  • Compatible Weapons: Any weapon
  Coordinate
   
  • Action: Chr/tactician-style-10
   
  • Costs: —
  A team fights better when coordinated. 
  Pick an ally within a number of yards 
  equal to your Charisma. On a success, 
  the ally gains a Bolstered consequence. If 
  you do not make an attack this turn, you 
  also gain a Bolstered consequence at the 
  end of the turn.
  Evaluate Foe
   
  • Action: Per/tactician-style vs. Willpower
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  Sometimes the best way to defeat an 
  enemy is to know her capabilities. Spend a 
  Bolstered consequence and take an action to 
  observe a foe within a number of yards equal 
  to your Perception. On a success, pick two 
  statistics. The GM reveals the value of the 
  chosen statistics. These might include stats, 
  skill ranks, traits, weaknesses, combat scores 
  or the foe’s Defense card for the round.
  Rousing Words
   
  • Action: Focus action
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  Sometimes inspiring words can mean 
  the difference between victory and defeat. 
  By spending a Bolstered consequence and 
  saying a few rousing words while taking 
  a Focus action, an ally of your choice 
  within a number of yards equal to your 
  Charisma may immediately take a free 
  Focus action (see page 29).
  Teamwork
   
  • Action: Attack/tactician-style vs. Defense
   
  • Costs: —
  Successful teams fight as a coordinated 
  unit. Pick an ally within a number of 
  yards equal to your Charisma. If you and 
  that ally attack in the same phase—that is, 
  you both take fast turns or slow turns—
  that ally gains � on the attack. Addition-
  ally, if you did not use a defensive reaction 
  this round, gain a Bolstered consequence 
  at the end of the round.
  
  The Party
  58
  Mina Nacklebell
  You love new technology and you love 
  puppets. And you love combining the two! 
  But ever since Warlord Whats-his-face attacked 
  your city, you’ve been on the run with the other 
  refugees and haven’t had time to  work on your 
  inventions. This is all very inconvenient!
  You’re looking forward to everyone 
  beginning their new lives in Melanoc so that 
  you can get back to what’s really important: 
  creating creepy clockwork puppets and putting 
  them to work, both as entertainment and the 
  guardians of your abode.
  Mina Nacklebell
  Tinker Gnome, Engineer/Entertainer (Gentle 1)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  4
  5
  6
  5
  7
  4
  6
  3
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  7
  6
  4
  0/0
  8
  4
  -1
  5
  Attacks
  Arquebus: +7 �  vs. Defense.
          Firearm, Hands 2, Range 12, Reload 10
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  8
  7
  6
  5
  4
  pi
  Dagger: +7  vs. Defense.         Close, Parry 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  7
  6
  5
  4
  3
  pi
  Sling: +7 �  vs. Defense.  Range 8, Reload 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  6
  5
  4
  3
  2
  sm
  Ambitions
   
  • Find the necessary parts and craft a new 
  clockwork puppet.
   
  • Perform a puppet show to enrich the lives 
  of the unfortunates in Shantytown.
   
  • Help the refugees find a permanent home 
  in Melanoc.
  Bonds
  Ceren Azam (rival): A rival puppeteer 
  who always said that your creations weren’t 
  good enough. She is as slimy as they come, 
  with shady connections and dubious loyalty.
  Lanstrin League (membership): You’re a 
  member in good standing of the Lanstrin League 
  of Technology. While the League doesn’t have a 
  chapter house in Melanoc, you’ve met Cheryl 
  Brut, a shopkeeper who is a fellow member.
  Skills
   
  • Academics (architecture)
   
  • Deception �
   
  • Expression
   
  • Investigate
   
  • Language (Standard) � (literate)
   
  • Persuade
   
  • Skirmisher-style � (see next page)
   
  • Tradecraft (clockwork) �
   
  • Vehicles (land)
  Traits
  Gadgeteer: Once during this scenario you 
  may decide to retroactively have been working 
  on an invention. The GM will call for an 
  appropriate flip. Assuming it is successful, you 
  have the prototype already on hand.
  Scrounge: You are exceedingly skilled at 
  scrounging up old and discarded goods. By 
  exhausting a Bond and explaining how the 
  connection relates to what you’re attempting 
  to find, you may locate a common item.
  Equipment
  Bowl, Creepy puppets ×3, Dagger ×1, 
  Hammer, Rations ×1, Sack, Silver peso ×1, Spare 
  marionette parts ×10, Toolkit (clockwork).
  
  The Party
  59
  Skirmisher-style
  You have trained at making the most 
  of your mobility in a fight, moving across 
  the battlefield and keeping your distance 
  from the enemy lines.
   
  • Compatible Weapons: Any ranged
  Duck & Weave
   
  • Action: Move action; start of round
   
  • Costs: —
  You are well-practiced at ducking and 
  weaving across the battlefield to find a better 
  position. Declare that you are ducking 
  and weaving at the start of the round, 
  giving yourself � on your Defense flip 
  and +2 Move this round. Gain a Bolstered  
  consequence at the end of your turn. 
  However, you may not attack, nor take the 
  Parry or Harry reactions this round. 
  Nimble Dodge
   
  • Action: Dodge reaction
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  You are skilled at nimbly dodging out 
  of the way of your opponent’s attacks. By 
  spending a Bolstered consequence, you 
  gain � to a Dodge reaction.
  Quick Shot
   
  • Action: Attack/skirmisher-style vs. Defense
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  You are skilled at attacking quickly, 
  before your foe has time to knock your 
  weapon aside. By spending a Bolstered 
  consequence when attacking with a 
  ranged weapon, you may use that weapon, 
  even when engaged with an enemy. In 
  addition, you may take a free draw action  
  immediately after the attack.
  Triple Draw
   
  • Action: Draw action
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  You are practiced at drawing and holding 
  up to three shots at once—for example, 
  holding an arrow between each pair of fingers 
  in your draw hand or holding several sling 
  bullets in your palm. Draw these extra shots 
  when you spend a Bolstered consequence  
  while performing a draw action. This means 
  that the following two attacks require one 
  fewer action to reload.
  
  The Party
  60
  Selma Asik
  Too many cities suffer under the bootheels 
  of kings and strongmen, forced to toil in 
  support of an injust system! True power derives 
  from the masses, and it is those masses who 
  must rise up and tear down the very system 
  that keeps them oppressed!
  You proclaimed this in Gail before the sack 
  and you will proclaim this in Melanoc when 
  you arrive. You’ve read the history: the Ruling 
  Council of Melanoc are little more than thugs 
  who seized power from their predecessors and 
  who cower behind a veil of respectability.
  The watch might call you a thief and a 
  miscreant, but you know that you are the 
  vanguard of a new era. If you redistribute some 
  of the wealth of the oppressors, then who’s 
  to say that you are in the wrong? Certainly it 
  shouldn’t be the tools of the state!
  Selma Asik
  Goblin, Agitator/Ne’er-do-well (Common 3)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  3
  6
  6
  4
  5
  5
  7
  5
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  6
  6
  6
  0/0
  6
  8
  -1
  6
  Attacks
  Dagger: +6 �  vs. Defense.     Close, Parry 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  7
  6
  5
  4
  3
  pi
  Ambitions
   
  • Make contact with the local underground 
  and inquire about joining.
   
  • Distribute leaflets proclaiming the virtues 
  of representative government.
   
  • Help the refugees find a permanent home 
  in Melanoc.
  Bonds
  Ceren Azam (contact): A traveling 
  puppeteer and smuggler who used to make 
  the rounds between Gail and Melanoc. She 
  would attend your orations about the injus-
  tices of monarchy while in town.
  Hrolf the Fist (enemy): A thug who 
  several years ago killed your brother while 
  attempting to steal from his home. He fled 
  the hangman’s noose and you’ve heard rumors 
  that has since turned up in Melanoc.
  Skills
   
  • Academics (history)
   
  • Expression
   
  • Language (Standard) � (literate)
   
  • Shadows-style � (see next page)
   
  • Socialize
   
  • Stealth �
   
  • Streetwise
   
  • Thievery
  Traits
  Goblin Dash: As a goblin, you are faster 
  than your small size would indicate. Your 
  Move score has been doubled.
  Lucky: You are known for your aston-
  ishing luck and good fortune. Your Luck 
  score has been increased by +1.
  Equipment
  Bronze pennies ×3, Boots, Cloak & 
  hood, Crowbar, Daggers ×3, Flask, Leaflets, 
  Lockpicks, Rations ×1, Sack.
  
  The Party
  61
  Shadows-style
  You are adept at fighting from the 
  shadows, using stealth and misdirection to 
  ambush and confound your foes.
   
  • Compatible Weapons: Any ranged 
  weapon or one-handed melee weapon
  Melt Into Shadows
   
  • Action: Move action
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  You’ve learned how to fade into the 
  shadows, remaining hidden until you 
  launch your next attack. By spending a 
  Bolstered consequence when moving, you 
  gain +2 Move. In addition, if you do not 
  attack this turn and end your movement in 
  a location with cover or concealment, gain 
  the Hidden consequence.
  Hit & Run
   
  • Action: Attack/shadows-style vs. Defense
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  You are adept at attacking swiftly and 
  withdrawing to strike again later from 
  the shadows. By spending a Bolstered 
  consequence when making an attack, you 
  make take a free Move action immediately 
  afterward. In addition, if the attack hits its 
  target, this Move action does not provoke 
  the Harry reaction from that target.
  Sneak Attack
   
  • Action: Attack/shadows-style vs. Defense
   
  • Costs: —
  You are adept at exploiting an opponent’s 
  openings. Gain a Bolstered consequence 
  immediately after attacking a foe that is 
  surprised, has the Stun consequence or 
  which is unaware of your attack.
  Vital Strike
   
  • Action: Attack/shadows-style vs. Defense
   
  • Costs: Bolstered consequence
  An oblivious enemy is an enemy that 
  is easy to observe for vulnerable points. By 
  spending a Bolstered consequence when 
  making an attack, you gain +2 damage. 
  This increases to +4 damage if the target is 
  surprised, has the Stun consequence or is 
  unaware of your attack.
  
  The Party
  62
  Yagmur Olgun
  Things were going so well before Warlord 
  Kattanz attacked Gail. You finished your 
  apprenticeship as a lunar mage, then saved up 
  a good deal of coin and had just fulfilled a 
  lifelong dream: opening up your own business 
  to sell your magical services. 
  You grew up in a trading family and always 
  had a keen sense for business. Your plan was 
  that your magical training might be useful in 
  mining, quarrying or even excavation.
  Alas, it wasn’t to be. Your shop was burned 
  to the ground, your business partners killed. 
  Now you’re poor and have been fleeing for 
  your life along with the other refugees, hoping 
  to start anew in Melanoc. Thankfully, you still 
  have a head for business and a few contacts here.
  Yagmur Olgun
  Orc, Lunar Mage (Gentle 3)
  Str
  Dex
  Spd
  End
  Int
  Per
  Chr
  Det
  6
  5
  3
  5
  5
  6
  4
  7
  Atk
  Def
  Will Arm
  HP Move Size Luck
  5
  4
  5
  2/1
  11
  4
  0
  5
  Attacks
  Dagger: +5  vs. Defense.         Close, Parry 2
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  8
  7
  6
  5
  4
  pi
  Sword: +5  vs. Defense.                     Parry 4
  1-2
  3-4
  5-6
  7-8
  9-10
  Type
  10
  9
  8
  7
  6
  cut
  Ambitions
   
  • Come up with a business plan and pitch it 
  to Bralin the Merchant.
   
  • Find a way to one up or humiliate Martha 
  the Guardsman.
   
  • Help the refugees find a permanent home 
  in Melanoc.
  Bonds
  Bralin the Merchant (contact): 
  A 
  successful merchant from Melanoc. You know 
  Bralin because your family did business with 
  her in years past. 
  Martha the Guardsman (rival): She grew 
  up in the same neighborhood as you and later 
  moved to Melanoc to join the city watch. 
  While you are friendly to each other’s faces, the 
  two of you are fiercely competitive.
  Skills
   
  • Academics (lunar magic)
   
  • Academics (politics)
   
  • Awareness
   
  • Investigate
   
  • Language (Standard) � (literate)
   
  • Lore of Earth � (see next page)
   
  • Socialize
   
  • Survival
   
  • Tradecraft (machinist)
  Traits
  Mystic Affinity (Lunar Magic): You have 
  received training in lunar magic. You may draw 
  arcane energy from lunar devices, call upon 
  second sight and learn arcane lores. See page 22  
  for the magic rules.
  Orc Healing: Orcs have a truly impres-
  sive natural healing ability. You heal each 
  night, regardless of the environment. In 
  safe clean conditions, you heal twice your 
  Endurance in HP.
  Equipment
  Belt pouch, Boots, Dagger, Gambeson 
  (Armor 2/1), Lunar devices ×10, Rations ×1, 
  Sack, Silver pesos ×3, Smudged robes, Sword.
  
  The Party
  63
  Lore of Earth
  Under the auspice of the Lore of Earth 
  is the ability to manipulate soil, sand and 
  stone. It is considered the most unyielding 
  of the four elemental lores.
  The earth spells below assume that you 
  are affecting an area up to Size +1 (up to 
  two yards across). Affecting a larger area is 
  possible but more difficult. You may affect 
  an area up to Size +4 (16 yards across), albeit 
  with � on the spellcasting flip.
  Earth Manipulation
   
  • Action: Det/lore of earth-10 or varies
   
  • Time: 1 action to cast. May be main-
  tained up to 1 hour.
  This spell allows you to manipulate the 
  surrounding earth in various ways, such as by 
  causing the ground to shift under a charging 
  attacker, causing sand to flow away from a 
  buried doorway or shifting stone blocks.
  When casting this spell, you should 
  describe to the GM what you are 
  attempting to achieve and the GM will 
  determine the results. Often, the effect will 
  be to impose a consequence, or give � or 
  � on a single flip. This spell will usually 
  be TN 10, but depending on the effect, it 
  might be opposed by a target’s Willpower 
  or even Defense. This spell may be  
  maintained for effects that require a lasting 
  duration to provide their benefit, such as 
  with slowly moving large stones.
  Earthquake
   
  • Action: Det/lore of earth-10
   
  • Time: 1 action to cast.
  This spell causes the earth to buckle 
  and quake, knocking over nearby objects 
  and hindering foes. Pick a target epicenter. 
  This spell affects everything within 3 yards 
  of it. Within that area the ground shakes, 
  causing general havoc. Anyone caught in 
  the blast—friend or foe—must make a 
  Dexterity flip with a target number equal 
  to your total to cast this spell. On a failure, 
  the target gains the Prone consequence.
  Earth Shield
   
  • Action: Det/lore of earth-10
   
  • Time: Reaction to cast
  Assuming you already have a lunar 
  device in hand, you may cast this spell as a 
  reaction to an attack. It pulls a column of 
  earth upward from the ground, imposing 
  itself between the target and the incoming 
  attack. This adds your Determination to to 
  the target’s Defense against the attack. It also 
  leaves behind a column of earth or stone.
  Stone Throw
   
  • Action: Attack/lore of earth vs. Defense
   
  • Time: 1 action to cast.
  This spell allows you to hurl loose 
  nearby stones at a target. It deals damage 
  equal to your Determination. Most stones 
  apply smashing damage, however, at the 
  GM’s discretion, particularly sharp rocks 
  might apply piercing or cutting damage.
  If no loose stones are available, this 
  spell is usually preceded by the Earth-
  quake or Earth Manipulation spells, in 
  order to break up the ground.
  
  7
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Age of Ambition/TAB-1300 Age of Ambition - Quick-Start [2020]/TAB-1300 Age of Ambition - Quick-Start [2020].pdf