Wardens TTRPG Rulebook

A Game By Eoin Maguire
1
Red Ashura (Order #42552583)
A GAME
BY
EOIN MAGUIRE
Cover Art by Dinno Anugrah

Inside Art by Cakka
Book Design by Claire Handerson
Character Sheet Design by Nikra Media
Copyright 2024© by Mr. Eoin Maguire. All Rights Reserved

Special Thanks to:
Walter Maguire
Miriam Maguire
John Coates
Liam Young
Mikayla Royal
Rebecca Croy
Mitchell Casey
Josh Oliver
It wouldn’t have been possible without your time, patience, and support. Many thanks.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction�� 5 Chapter 4: Equipment��104
Foreword�� 5 Expedition Equipment��106
The State of the World�� 6 Armour��109
How to Play�� 7 Armour Types�� 112
The ‘Test’�� 10 Weapons��114
Chapter 1: Character Fundamentals�� 20 Weapon Types�� 117
Attributes�� 25 Chapter 5: Combat��126
Derived Statistics�� 29 Your Turn��128
Chapter 2: Classes�� 36 Damage�� 133
Knight�� 39 Conditions�� 140
Freelancer�� 48 Special Rules�� 147
Officer�� 57 Chapter 6: Miracles and Witchcraft�� 153
Herald�� 65 Miracles�� 155
Occultist�� 75 Witchcraft�� 161
Multi-Classing�� 87 Chapter 7: Between Expeditions�� 175
Chapter 3: Identity�� 88 Appendix A: Special Items��186
Personality, Ideals, and Flaws�� 90 Appendix B: Basic Enemies�� 198
Origins�� 98 Character Sheets��234
4
I N T RODUC T ION
Foreword
F irst and foremost, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read over these rules.
We live in a world of constant distraction, and I appreciate every second that you dedicate
to my work as opposed to the countless other (probably more important) things you could be
doing.
The main goal of this system was to create a simple tabletop role-playing game with a gritty,
visceral, and grounded feel that could be enjoyed by a group of friends. I hope that you will
find this game as enjoyable as I do.
It should be noted that everything in this book is, ultimately, a guideline more than a hard
rule. Feel free to make any considered changes that you feel are necessary to have a better
time at your table, and keep in mind that your Gamemaster is the ultimate authority on how
the rules function. Generally, however, keeping to the rules in this book will make referencing
and consistency easier, and keep everyone on the same page.
Character sheets are located at the end of this book.
5
The State of the World
T he light of the Maker has been blotted from the sky by the foul machinations of the
Darker Powers. Where the lands of humanity once stood sturdy and safe, their roads
have become dangerous and their forests filled with unsavoury creatures. From Westgard to
Letarin humanity is perpetually besieged with their stores raided, livestock slaughtered, and
many dragged back to the woods to face fates worse than death. The only semi-safe places are
the walled castles and cities, which are both few in number and far too great in population.
While the Maker once protected humanity by keeping back the Darker Powers, it has been
several centuries, and Her light seems no closer. Ageless elves scheme elaborate plans and
treacheries to crumble kingdoms. The undead rise as a tide of decay from ancient burial
cairns and battlefields to overwhelm the living. Demons spill forth from the Abyss to turn
the verdant plains and clear waters to seas of flame and rivers of blood. Worse horrors still
emerge from beyond the confines of time and space in the form of eldritch horrors, defying
every natural law by their mere existence.
In response to this growing situation, a new profession has emerged – that of the Warden.
Wardens strike at the creatures of the dark, reclaim what has been taken, and undergo daring
quests for any who can afford their services. They are the first, and many times the only, line
of defence against the horrors of the dark.
You are one of these wardens, and for whatever reason, you are dedicated to the fight against
the Darker Powers. They seek humanity’s end and grow closer to their goal with each passing
day.
Do not let them succeed.
6
How to Play
W ardens is a dice-based Table-Top Role Playing Game (TTRPG) which focuses on simple
core rules and mechanics while giving players broad options and plenty of room for
narrative and character to shine through.
Although the basic rules are simple, there are also a plethora of more advanced rules and
greater mechanical depth found throughout this book. How many of these rules you concern
yourself with is at the discretion of your own group.
To play, you will require:
This rulebook.
Other players, with one elected or chosen as the ‘GM’. The GM is a critical part of
Wardens, and has a different role to the other players.
Some six-sided dice (d6s). Although you can play with one, it is best if each player and
the GM has at least 3 of these dice each.
Character sheets, either printed or digital, and some way to view and edit them.
7
Introduction - How To Play
How Many Players?

You could theoretically have any number of players in a game of Wardens, but the recommended
player count is between 3 to 6 in addition to one GM.
Structure of Play
In general, the way in which this game is played can be broken down into four core, repeating
steps. Although the contents of these steps may vary greatly, they are the building blocks upon
which this entire system relies. These steps are:
The GM will describe a situation or environment and pass it over to the players to
make decisions.
The players will declare their intentions and actions within that context.
The players and/or GM will make their relevant tests (dice rolls) if required.
The GM will resolve those declarations or test results.
These are very broad steps, and the exact way that every game will go will change depending
on the group’s members, how involved they like to be, and many other factors. Some steps
may repeat without the others, and a step may be repeated many times before another occurs.
Furthermore, a lot of this game is going to be up to the determination of your GM and

players. For example, if you are trying to convince a shopkeeper to give you a discount, some
GMs will require you to make a persuasion test, others will want you to make a persuasive
argument bereft of rolls, and others still may use some combination of the two. It is wise to
discuss how you think things like this should function as a group before you begin playing
so that everyone is on the same page.
Although this is a rulebook, you should feel free to change, ignore, or add additional rules if
you feel it better suits your own group’s playstyle.
8
Roleplaying
In Wardens each player creates their own character, who then assume the role of as they play.
In short, roleplaying is the idea of acting as your character. Roleplaying is a core part of all
TTRPGs, and Wardens is no exception. The degree to which you and your group roleplay will
however likely be different to how other groups do the same thing. This is fine and expected
as no two groups are going to behave the exact same way.
Players roleplay, or simply ‘play’, as their characters. These characters are the roles in the story
over which they have the most agency and which they are representing and responsible for.
The group’s GM has a different set of roles. Your GM acts as both the narrator for events and
takes on the role of all characters which are not player characters. For example, if your group
is speaking to a king, your GM takes on the role of that king. If you then speak to a peasant,
your GM takes on the role of that peasant. Be it villain or saviour, your GM will take on
the ‘role’ of these characters to facilitate the story as necessary. Any characters which are not
player characters are non-player characters, or NPCs, for short.
Every person will decide the specifics of how they want to roleplay. Some players want to
fully embody their characters: taking on their traits, creating costumes, and acting entirely as
their character while playing. Others prefer to simply explain what their character is doing
and roughly how they’re doing it. Simply do whatever is most comfortable for you and your
group.
9
The ‘Test’
T he most common term you will read throughout this rulebook is some form of ‘test’.
A ‘test’ is the term used whenever dice are involved to resolve an event or action. The
rules for a test are explained in depth below. Although very simple, it is important that you
have a clear understanding of how tests work, as they are the key mechanic used throughout
Wardens.
Dice
Wardens makes use of only one type of dice, referred to as a ‘d6’. A ‘d6’ is simply a typical
playing dice with six sides. A number in front of ‘d6’ indicates how many of those dice are
involved. For example, if something read ‘3d6’, then it would mean 3 six-sided dice.
Making a Test
Whenever you attempt to do something with a chance of failure in Wardens, you perform what
is referred to as a ‘test’. All tests are performed in the same way, but receive their modifiers
from different sources.
In order to make a test, you roll at least 1d6, add your relevant modifiers, and then
succeed if the total equals 7 or higher.
In many situations you will be rolling more than one die. This can happen through your
character being trained in whatever you are testing, or having advantage on that test, or both.
Either of these benefits grant you an additional 1d6 on the roll, to a maximum of 3d6.
10
Whenever you roll more than 1d6 for a test, roll all dice involved and then take only the
highest as your result. For example, if you were rolling an attack test with a weapon you are
trained with and have advantage, you would roll 3d6. If the results are a ‘1’, ‘4’ and ‘6’, then
you would take the ‘6’ as your result, add your relevant modifiers, and if the total equals 7 or
higher it would be a success.
There are also situations in which you may have disadvantage. In this circumstance you roll
1d6 less than you normally would. The minimum number of dice that you can roll for any
test is 1d6.
Advantage and disadvantage do not stack additively; you either have advantage or disadvantage,
or you do not. If you have at least one instance of both, then they completely negate each
other, and you roll as if you had neither.
Ultimately, advantage and disadvantage are extra tools to be used by your GM to better reflect
the situation. It is important to either clearly understand when your GM would grant such
things, or to clarify before you roll.
Any test in which at least two dice show a ‘6’ is a critical success. This means that whatever
test you attempted is successful and more beneficial than it would otherwise be.
Any test in which all dice show a ‘1’ is a critical fail. This means that whatever test you
attempted fails, and in a worse way than it would otherwise be.
How many dice do we need?

Although you could theoretically play Wardens by sharing a single d6 around the group, it is
best played with every player and the GM having their own set of at least 3 six-sided dice.
11
Introduction - The ‘test’
What tests are there?

Within Wardens there are the following types of tests:
Attribute tests (referred to as a ‘strength test’ or an ‘agility test’, etc). These gain their
bonus from the attribute being tested.
Attack tests (all attack tests are considered melee unless the weapon has the range trait,
or some range is given in the attack description). The ‘to-hit’ bonus for attack tests is
listed as ‘accuracy’. Attack tests gain their bonus from your strength score. Freelancers
can alternatively use their agility in some circumstances.
Skill tests (referred to as a ‘history test’ or an ‘intimidation test’, etc). These gain their
bonus from the skill being tested and its relevant attribute.
Resistance tests (made in response to numerous effects). These gain their bonus from
your will score.
Protection tests (made in response to a source of damage unless it ignores protection

tests). These gain their bonus from your protection score.
Initiative tests (made when combat begins). These gain their bonus from your initiative
bonus.
Miracle tests (made when you attempt to perform a miracle). These gain their bonus
from your will score.
Witchery tests (made when you attempt to hit a creature with a spell attack). These gain
their bonus from your intellect score.
12
Do we always need a ‘test’ for everything?

It is called a ‘test’ because whatever you are rolling is, narratively, being ‘tested’. Whether it is
your skill at arms, your faith, your armour, your memory, etc, something has occurred which
requires your mettle to be tested.
For any basic or trivial task, such as walking or talking, you do not need to make a test. You
should only use a test when the outcome is uncertain, there is a chance of failure, or it is
dramatically appropriate.
When do bonuses occur?

You need to declare that you are using an ability which gives you a bonus on a test before
you attempt the test, unless the ability specifies that it can be used before or after. Whenever
you re-roll a test, you do so with all of the same bonuses and/or penalties as the original roll.
What’s the highest possible bonus?

The most dice you can roll on any test is 3 (1 base dice, 1 for being trained, and 1 for having
advantage). The highest bonus any roll can have is +5.
What’s the lowest possible bonus?

Whenever you attempt any test, you always roll at least 1d6 and have at least a +1 to that
test. Only protection tests (explained in Chapter 4: Equipment) are an exception to this rule.
Example of Play
The following is an example of a situation which may occur in a game group, with explanations
of how each step is being applied in the scenario. The more you play these sorts of games, the
more these events become second nature. If you are already familiar with roleplaying games
generally, then this example is unnecessary as it explains something you are likely already
familiar with.
13
Example:
• Travis is the group’s GM.
• John is the group’s Knight.
• Sarah is the group’s Freelancer.
• Lucy is the group’s Occultist.
1
Travis: “You continue through the dark mist, crows caw at 1
Setting the Scene
you incessantly from beyond your vision. You follow your
Travis, the GM, is establishing
map intently, until a dark structure seems to almost leap out the situation and surrounding
environment. This is step 1 of
at you from the fog. It is hewn from black stone and covered the 4 repeating steps.
in withered vines. A crooked wooden door is jammed crudely
into its entrance. What would you like to do?”
2
Lucy: “I want to see how old this is, can I tell?”
2
Travis: “You might be able to tell right away. Make a history test.”
Lucy has an intellect score of 3 and is trained in history. As 2

A Quick Check
such, she rolls 2d6s with a +3 bonus. Lucy rolls one ‘2’ and
one ‘4’, then adds her modifier. As ‘4’ is the highest of the This is step 2 and 3. Lucy
declares her intentions: she
two numbers, she takes 4, adds 3, and gets her new total of 7. wants to see how old it is. The
GM then determines what roll to
Because the final result is 7 or higher, she succeeds.
make: in this case history. Dice
are rolled.
Lucy: “Success!”
3
Travis: “You can tell from the markings that this is indeed
3
Results
the tomb you are looking for. You also recall that this door The history test is resolved.
Lucy succeeded, and so learns
the information relevant to her
question. This is an example of
step 4.
14
must be a newer addition, since these sorts of tombs are traditionally blocked with large
boulders instead of any conventional door.”
Roleplay
Lucy: “Great! I turn to the party and say ‘this is the place,
4
4
dark powers afoot for certain.’ Then I step back for the Everyone around the table
others to go first.” would have heard the successful
history test and its results, but
importantly their characters
John: “I take the lead and kick down the door,” don’t yet have that knowledge,
until it is shared with them ‘in
character’.
Sarah: “Hold on, before he does that, can I listen for anything
on the other side of the door?”
John: “Oh, good point, I let her do that first,”
Travis: “Sure thing, but you might be heard when you do so, make an agility test to move
silently,” 5
Negotiating
5
Sarah: “I can, but you mentioned that there were lots of Although the GM determines
what is being rolled and how,
birds making a racket before? Can I get advantage because players can of course attempt to
negotiate for bonuses or penalties
of their noise hiding my movement?”
based upon the situation. In this
case, The GM agrees, and the
Travis: “Good point, sure thing, make your test.” roll is made with advantage.
Sarah has an agility score of 2 and is trained with agility tests. She has also gained advantage. As
such, she rolls 3d6s with a +2 bonus. Sarah rolls two ‘2’s and one ‘6’, then adds her modifiers.
‘6’ is the highest rolled number, and 6 + 2 equals 8. Any result equal to 7 or higher is a
success, so Sarah succeeds on her test.
Travis: “You approach the door silently, your footsteps obscured by the birds around you. You
press an ear to the door but hear nothing on the other side.”
Sarah: “Alright John, do your thing.”
15
6
John: “I kick the door down! Do I need to make a strength test for that?”
No Check Needed
Travis: “It’s a pretty rotten door, I’d say you can just kick it
6
6
down, so I won’t make you roll.” As explained earlier, not

everything needs a test. In this
case, the GM determined one
John: “Awesome, yeah, I just shatter it apart.” was not necessary, and so John’s
character can simply accomplish
the action. Another example of
Travis: “Good stuff! You’re heading inside? What’s your steps 2 and 3.
marching order?”
Lucy: “Well I’m in the back, and John has all that heavy armour, so I think he should go first.
Sarah, you cool in the middle?”
Sarah: “Sounds good to me, means anything that jumps us from the back gets you first!”
Lucy: “Love you too.”
Travis: “It’s also pitch black in here, is anyone striking a torch, or are you just going to fumble
around in the dark?” 7
Repeat of Step 1
This is the first repeat of the full

Sarah: “I’ll strike a torch since I’m in the centre. I’ll mark cycle. The GM has established a
it off on my sheet, let me know if an hour passes and we scene, the players have clarified
information and decided their
need another.” course of action. Relevant roles
(or lack thereof) have been called
for and resolved, and the GM has
7
Travis: “Will do. You descend into the dark abyss, nothing described that resolution. The
game continues on in this rough
but the flickering torch light dancing along the walls to
structure.
accompany you. Its subtle warmth is a nice companion,
but you notice that it seems to get fiercely cold the further
down you go. As you descend, you all see a bunch of strange markings over the walls. They
seem vaguely familiar to all of you. If you would like, you can make a history test to learn
more.”
16
8
Lucy: “You mentioned they were strange markings? Could I do an art test instead to see if
I’ve seen something like this before?”
8
Travis: “Sure thing, that fits.” 8
Alternative Test
Lucy has suggested an alternative

8
Sarah: “I’m trained in art too, can I help her with that?” test to make. The GM agrees
that it works, and so she rolls
8
Travis: “Certainly can, Lucy, make that test with advantage.” her preferred test. Sarah is also
trained in this test, and can
therefore ‘help’ Lucy, giving her
Lucy has an intellect score of 3 and is trained with art. advantage.
Because Sarah is also trained with art and is helping her,

she has also gained advantage. As such, she rolls 3d6s with
9
Class Focuses
a +3 bonus. Lucy rolls two ‘2’s and one ‘3’, then adds her Class focuses (explained in
modifiers. ‘3’ is the highest rolled number, and 3 + 3 is 6. Chapter 2: Classes) are modular
bonuses which your characters
As 6 is less than 7, she fails. accrue over time. It is important
to remember and use these
benefits to make the most of
9
Lucy: “Damn! I can’t believe that failed. I’m going to use my your character’s potential.
Fortunate class focus to re-roll that.”
Travis: “Sure thing.”
10
Lucy rolls her dice with advantage again. This time, she rolls one ‘4’ and two ‘6’s. With two
‘6’s, the modifier is not necessary: this is a critical success. 10
Critical Success
Lucy: “Critical success!” In any test in which at least

two dice show a ‘6’, the test is a
critical success. When a critical
Travis: “Damn, alright, well, you immediately recognise success occurs, it is just like a
regular success, but with better
the script as belonging to the old Unitary Empire. Before
or additional outcomes.
the Great Obscurement, all humans had the ability to
instinctively read this, but since then it’s become nearly
impossible to decipher. Even so, you get the gist that it’s talking about raising the dead. Because
of your critical success, I’ll say that you also get a name out of it: ‘Baxrei the Despoiler’.”
17
Lucy: “Baxrei? Do I know who that is?”
Travis: “No, it’s not a name you’re likely to have read or heard before,”
Lucy: “Huh, interesting. Okay, I pass that on to the others,”
John: “Undead? Despoiling? Don’t like the sound of that. On we go!”

Negotiating further
11
Travis: “You continue yet further, that cold air around you
Negotiating rolls with your
growing colder and colder. You enter into a wide open area GM is an expected part of the
with several potential pathways ahead of you, all hewn Wardens experience, but not a
necessary one. In this case Sarah
from stone. Can I have everyone make a resistance test?” was hoping to gain advantage in a
similar manner to last time, but
it was turned down. Your GM
11
Sarah: “Hey, I know it’s probably not giving off too much is the ultimate authority on any
heat, but since I’m holding the torch, can I make the test questions like this.
with advantage?”
11
Travis: “I wouldn’t say it’s giving off enough to heat your entire body. Sorry, not this time.”
Sarah: “Worth a shot. Wish me luck.”
12
The party all rolls resistance tests. All characters are always
12
Critical Failure
trained in resistance tests. All players roll 2d6 and add their In any test in which all of the
will scores to the result. After calculation, John’s total is 8 (a dice show a ‘1’, the test is a
critical failure. When a critical
success) and Sarah’s total is 5 (a failure). Lucy rolls two ‘1’s. failure occurs, it is just like a
Since Lucy has rolled only ‘1’s, it is a critical failure. regular failure, but with worse or
additional outcomes.
Lucy: “Oh, that’s upsetting. Critical fail.”
Travis: “Alright. John, you are unaffected by this. Lucy and Sarah: both of your characters
are really not coping with this freezing temperature. You’ll both suffer 1 wound and have
your movement speeds reduced by 10 metres until you can warm up. Lucy, because of the
critical fail, I’ll deal you another wound, so you’ll receive 2. Just as you begin to react poorly
18
to this cold, you hear the distinct rattle of animated bones approaching you from multiple
directions.”
Lucy: “None from behind us, right?”

13
Roll initiative!
13
Travis: “Glad you asked! – But no, just in front, coming
A fight has broken out, and
from each of the hallways. Everyone: initiative tests. so the party is required to
make initiative tests (explained
further in Chapter 5: Combat).
13
The party all roll their initiative tests. John and Lucy are Succeeding on this test puts
not trained in initiative tests, but Sarah is. John and Lucy players in Player Phase 1, and
failing puts players in Player
have a +2 initiative bonus, but Lucy has a +1 bonus. After Phase 2. All NPCs act in
between these two phases. Once
all dice are rolled and calculated, John and Sarah have Player Phase 2 concludes, the
succeeded while Lucy has failed. round begins again, until the
combat is over.
The Golden Rules

There are two golden rules to remember when playing Wardens which govern all rule
interactions:
1. A more specific rule overrides a general rule.
2. Always round down to the nearest whole number. If it involves movement or distance,
round down to the nearest 2 metre interval.
19
CH A P T ER 1
Character Fundamentals
W hen building your character, consider what sort

of personality and playstyle you would like to
emulate. These decisions should guide your attribute
allocations, your skill choices, and your general character
creation. For example, if you want to be a rugged warrior,
then you should probably allocate points to your strength
and will, a social skill choice to Intimidation, and choose
the Knight class.
Basics of Character Creation

The following is the broad steps for creating a character,
listed in the order they should be considered. The
fundamental aspects of every character are explained
within this chapter, with the rest being explained
throughout this rulebook.
In addition to providing a broad outline, the following

can be useful for player more familiar with the system to
quickly create characters.
20
Step 1: Determine Concept

First and foremost you should determine the idea of your character. These are the things
which define them outside of the mechanics, such as their personality, ideals, and flaws
(explained in Chapter 3: Identity). Who is this character? Why are they the way that they are?
What do they want? What do they fear or hate? It also refers to things like height, weight, hair
and eye colour, and other such factors. Although these have no bearing on the mechanical
capacity of your character, they should be considered before anything else.
Step 2: Choose Starting Class

Your character’s class (explained in Chapter 2: Classes) is the most important starting decision
you will make within Wardens. Your character gains a wide array of benefits from their
chosen class at level 1, listed for each class as their ‘Training’.
A class’s ‘Training’ determines:
Your character’s base health.
Your character’s death threshold (equal to base health in negatives).
Your character’s bonus to initiative.
Your character’s trained attribute.
Your character’s training in weapons and armour.
Your character’s starting knowledge skill, social skill, and additional free skill choices.
At your GM’s approval, you may multi-class for later level ups, but you do not gain their
‘Training’ features if you do so.
21
Chapter 1 - Character Fundamentals
Step 3: Assign Attributes

Attributes (explained in the ‘Attributes’ section in this chapter) are the core building blocks
of your character. There are five attributes in Wardens: strength, agility, will, intellect, and
communication. During character creation wardens begin with two attributes at +3 (great), two
attributes at +2 (good), and one attribute at +1 (average).
All characters may improve their attribute values at levels 4 and 8.
Step 4: Pick Origin

All characters have some origin (explained in Chapter 3: Identity) which outlines their life
before they became a warden. Origins are simply suggestions, and their specifics can be
altered to better suit what you’re looking for in a character. All origins grant you a single
knowledge skill or social skill. Just as you can change the flavour of your origin, you can also
exchange any skill one gives for another knowledge skill or social skill.
If your class and your origin both grant you the same skill, then simply pick another from
the same type. For example, if you select the class ‘Officer’ and origin ‘Noble’, then you would
gain the History knowledge skill twice. In this case, simply choose another knowledge skill to
become trained with instead.
Step 5: Determine Derived Statistics

Derived Statistics (explained in the ‘Derived Statistics’ section in this chapter) are passive
benefits that you gain from your strength, agility, and will. While you could work these out
earlier, it is generally best to wait until you have gained the base values/skills from your class
and origin before adding these in.
Your health maximum increases by an amount equal to your strength score.
Your death threshold is equal to your base health in negatives. For example, if you had a base
health of 3, your death threshold would be -3.
22
Your movement speed is equal to your agility score multiplied by 10. Your fall threshold is
equal to your agility score doubled.
Your resistance bonus is equal to your will score. You are always trained in resistance tests.
You become trained in additional knowledge skills equal to your intellect score.
You become trained in additional social skills equal to your communication score.
Step 6: ‘Purchase’ Equipment

All characters begin play with common clothes, a backpack (or similar storage), and a coin
purse. In addition, all characters start with a certain amount of silver pieces (determined by
class) to ‘purchase’ their starting equipment (explained in Chapter 4: Equipment). These items
are ‘purchased’ because they do cost their value in silver pieces, but you get to determine
specifically how your character came into their possession. Any remaining silver pieces are
added to your character’s inventory as starting money.
The amount of money each class begins with to ‘purchase’ their equipment is listed in Chapter
4: Equipment, but also listed here for quick referencing:
Class Starting Money

Knight 200sp
Freelancer 130sp
Officer 180sp
Herald 130sp
Occultist 70sp
23
Chapter 1 - Character Fundamentals
Step 7: Apply Equipment

Once your starting equipment and remaining silver has been determined, apply the traits of
your gear. Your armour will indicate its protection score, and noisy penalty (if it incurs one).
Your weapons will list their traits in their respective sections.
A weapon’s accuracy (the ‘to-hit’ bonus used in attack tests) is equal to your strength score.
Freelancers may use their agility score instead in certain cases.
Medium and heavy armour apply noisy penalties.
24
Attributes
Although someone can be made up of any number of different characteristics, there are five
key distinctive attributes which are most pertinent to wardens. Those are: strength, agility, will,
intellect, and communication. They are all listed below and will form the foundation for any
character which you create, as well as any creature you come across in the wastes.
All attributes are given a numerical value. The most relevant values for wardens are between
+0 (poor) and +4 (extraordinary). During character creation wardens begin with two attributes
at +3 (great), two attributes at +2 (good), and one attribute at +1 (average).
Although there are values above +4 (extraordinary), it is impossible for humans to reach such
levels. You may have other bonuses which push your tests to have a +5 modifier, but your
character can never have an attribute above +4. Possible Attribute
Values (High to Low)
Although throughout this section each score will have its +4 (Extraordinary)
descriptor next to it (such as ‘+2 (good)’), what is important
is not the adjective, but the number, which is what should be +3 (Great)
written into your character sheet. The adjective exists simply +2 (Good)
to give a clear understanding of what that number means
+1 (Average)
narratively.
+0 (Poor)
Your strength, agility, and will are your broad physical attributes.
They do not have specialised skills associated with them – someone who is strong is generally
strong, someone who is agile is generally agile, etc. The specific situation does not significantly
25
Chapter 1 - Attributes
alter these attributes. Whenever you are doing a test with any of these attributes, you simply
make a test and add their value to the result.
Your intellect and communication are your mental attributes. These attributes both have a
specialised skill list (knowledge skills and social skills respectively). A doctor can be as smart
as they come, but without some expertise they will not know very much about architecture,
ancient history, or the customs of a particular country. You do not usually test your intellect or
communication by themselves, but do so with their subset of skills. As usual, you can attempt
to test a skill you are not trained with, but will not gain the trained bonus if you do so.
Strength
Strength is the combination of all your raw physical brawn. Whether it is kicking open a door,
carrying an unconscious ally, or striking with a heavy weapon, it uses your strength.
A person with POOR or worse strength would commonly be described as “weak”, “scrawny”,
“frail”, or “feeble”. Such a person has difficulty carrying heavy objects, resisting injury,
physical exertion in general, or possibly has some physical disability.
A person with GREAT or better strength would commonly be described as “sturdy”, “mighty”,
“imposing”, or “powerful”. Such a person can easily perform physical labour, achieve feats of
athleticism, stave off illness, and physically impose on others.
Your character’s strength also affects your health maximum.
Agility
Agility is the combination of all your fine motor skills. Whether it is picking a pocket,
performing a dance routine, or balancing on a beam, it uses your agility.
A person with POOR or worse agility would commonly be described as “clumsy”, “awkward”,
“unbalanced”, or “oafish”. Such a person has difficulty with their balance, is unaware of their
size, can’t walk straight, or possibly has some physical disability.
26
A person with GREAT or better agility would commonly be described as “dextrous”, “graceful”,
“agile”, or “lean”. Such a person can move silently, squeeze through small places, perform
impressive sleight of hand, and moves with a lightness of foot.
Your character’s agility also affects your movement speed and fall threshold.
Will
Will is the combination of your determination and force of spirit. Whether it is pushing past
pain, resisting the effects of magic, or going without food for days, it uses your will.
A person with POOR or worse will would commonly be described as “lazy”, “ineffectual”,
“cowardly”, or “pathetic”. Such a person has difficulty with challenging tasks, living outside
of their comfort zone, staying calm when afraid, or has no ambition.
A person with GREAT or better will would commonly be described as “dedicated”, “courageous”,
“stern”, or “energetic”. Such a person pushes themselves to do better, embraces new risks,
stares down terror, and remains focused.
Your character’s will also affects your resistance.

Knowledge Skills
Intellect Architecture
Art
Intellect is the combination of all your intellectual faculties. Commerce
Whether it is committing knowledge to memory, recalling Folklore
History
obscure facts, or studying an object, it uses your intellect.
Investigation
Law
A person with POOR or worse intellect would commonly be
Mechanics
described as “slow”, “stupid”, “foolish”, or “simple”. Such a Medicine
person has difficulty understanding complicated information, Nature
is a slow learner, does not consider the consequences of Occultism
Religion
their actions, or has never had to think for themselves.
27
Chapter 1 - Attributes
A person with GREAT or better intellect would commonly be described as “smart”, “wise”,
“learned”, or “perceptive”. Such a person can easily learn and recall information, think through
a complex problem, spot natural inconsistencies, and envision their future.
Your character is trained in a number of knowledge skills of your choice equal to your intellect
score in addition to those granted to you by your class’s training and your origin. If your
intellect score is increased at later levels, you learn additional knowledge skills equal to the
amount it was raised.
Communication
Communication is the combination of all your interpersonal skills.
Social Skills
Whether it is listening to and understanding others, structuring your
Deception
own argument, or inspiring others, it uses your communication.
Discernment
A person with POOR or worse communication would commonly be Intimidation

described as “frustrating”, “anxious”, “uncouth”, or “shy”. Such a person Performance
is commonly stumbling over their own words, rambles constantly, is Persuasion
utterly tactless, or has never seen another living person. Subtlety
A person with GREAT or better communication would commonly be described as “charismatic”,

“suave”, “smooth”, or “concise”. Such a person is able to effectively communicate even
complicated ideas, can well understand social cues, is able to interpret body language, and
can detect even subtle lies.
Your character is trained in a number of social skills of your choice equal to your communication
score in addition to those granted to you by your class’s training and origin. If your
communication score is increased at later levels, you learn additional social skills equal to the
amount it was raised.
28
Derived Statistics
The following statistics for your character are determined based upon your primary attributes.
All derived statistics can be improved as your advance through Wardens. This is primarily
done through Class Focuses.
Health
Your character’s health is an indication of their vitality and is reduced whenever they receive
wounds. Your health maximum is equal to the base gained from your starting class and your
strength score added together.
Wounds are inflicted by sources of harm, such as a sword, a trap, or magic. Minor injuries,
such as a papercut, a pin prick, or tripping over is not harmful enough to be counted as a
‘wound’. The baseline damage of a weapon (such as a sword, spear, or bow) is 1 wound.
Movement Speed
In the heat of battle your ability to move can be heavily reliant on your co-ordination,
especially in poor terrain. Your movement speed determines how far your character can
move in their turn. Your movement speed is equal to your agility score multiplied by 10. For
example, if you had an agility score of 2, then your movement speed would be 20 metres.
If a creature’s agility score is ever less than 1, it has a base movement speed of 10 metres.
29
Chapter 1 - Derived Statistics
Fall Threshold
Pitfalls, both great and small, can easily spell disaster for wardens of all ability. Your fall
threshold determines how far you can fall before you receive damage. Your fall threshold
is equal to double your agility score. For example, if you had an agility score of 2, your fall
threshold would be 4. This would allow you to fall 4 metres without taking any damage. For
every 2 metres you fall beyond your fall threshold you receive 1 wound.
In addition to traditional falls, there are some creatures which will attempt to throw you. The
damage you receive from these attacks is determined by how far you travel before landing..
Resistance
Your character’s resistance is their ability to tolerate and overcome the hazardous situations
which they are placed in. It is usually tested by witchcraft, but other effects can also test your
resistance.
You are always considered to be trained with resistance tests. A resistance test bonus will
always be a minimum of +1.
Skills
Within Wardens, there are 4 categories of skills. These are Strength, Agility, Knowledge Skills,
and Social Skills.
Your strength and agility do not have specialisations and are simply performed as a roll using
the relevant attribute. For example, if you were trying to kick down a door, throw a heavy
object, or barricade a door, in all situations you would simply make a strength test.
Your knowledge and social skills, however, are split differently, and require more specific
training. Being trained in a skill indicates that your character is well versed in that skill and
understands how to apply the techniques or information regarding that skill to the world
around them.
30
There is no ‘intellect’ or ‘communication’ test, determination, and other associated traits, is

all such tests with those attributes fall under used reactively as a defensive attribute. Your
knowledge skills or social skills. character gains a bonus to all resistance tests
equal to their will score.
Your will is a special case. A character’s will,
as it represents their strength of character,
Knowledge Skills Explained

The following is a set of example cases for each of the knowledge skills within Wardens. These
examples are not exhaustive and are meant to be used as guidelines. If you wish to use a
skill beyond the scope of these examples consult with your GM. At times there may be
multiple applicable skills to a situation. For example, you may be trying to learn about an
ancient plague which has reappeared – is this a history or a medicine test? In such situations,
discuss it with your GM and use whichever skill they determine is more appropriate.
Architecture also includes how the art was composed,

Architecture is a knowledge skill used who its creator might be, the techniques
whenever you are trying to glean more involved in its creation, the source of its
information about a structure, whether it be components (such as where the paint was
a small house or a mighty fortress. This also mixed), and its value.
includes information about the components
which make up its construction, locating Commerce
hidden passages, determining weak points, Commerce is a knowledge skill used whenever
or which culture the building comes from. you are trying to consider money, whether at
the small scale of a village or the economy
Art of an entire nation. This also includes the
Art is a knowledge skill used whenever you are market value of an item, whether the payment
trying to gather information or understand for a task is standard or not, or discerning if
a piece of art, whether a portrait, novel, a ledger hides embezzlement.
musical piece, or other such creation. This
31
Folklore scene are most pertinent, or methodically

searching a room.
Folklore is a knowledge skill used whenever
you are trying to infer or recall information
Law
which is considered ‘common knowledge’
for the general populace, whether it be the Law is a knowledge skill used whenever you are
best place to eat or the secret paths only the trying to remember or apply the laws within
locals tread. This also includes rumours, a given area, be it the agreed upon rules of
recognising famous individuals, or customs. a merchant caravan or the underpinning
You can also use this as a general knowledge constitution of a nation. This also includes
test, if you feel it is necessary. understanding who has legal authority where,
the punishments for crimes, the way laws are
History enforced, or arguing a case based upon the
law or evidence.
History is a knowledge skill used whenever
you are trying to glean or recall information
Mechanics
about specific past events, whether it be an
obscure piece of lore from a lecture or the Mechanics is a knowledge skill used whenever
specific date that a battle was fought. This also you are trying to apply mechanical or
includes ancient mythology, creation stories, tool-based knowledge to a task, be it
ancient civilisations, the origin of customs, understanding how to put together a
and much other such information. cupboard or reinforcing a castle gate. This
also includes learning what sort of tools
Investigation certain trades would employ, how to use a
set of equipment, the quality of such tools,
Investigation is a knowledge skill used
or finding a creative method for a tool
whenever you are trying to learn more about
which doesn’t fall under its usual purview.
something generally, whether it’s locating a
book in a library or deciphering an ancient
Medicine
relic. This also includes decrypting ciphers,
determining which factors of a crime Medicine is a knowledge skill used whenever
you are trying to apply any level of medical
32
knowledge, whether its how to clear an Occultism

airway or determine a cause of death. This
Occultism is a knowledge skill used whenever
also includes any sort of medical treatment
you are trying to either remember or learn
(applying bandages, suturing wounds, etc),
about the occult, whether that’s reciting
determining how injured an opponent is, or
a superstition or detecting traces of the
diagnosing an illness.
paranormal. This also includes determining
if an effect is magical or not, finding out
Nature
if something (or someone) is cursed, or
Nature is a knowledge skill used whenever discovering what a magical item does.
you are attempting to recall information
about the natural world, whether that’s Religion
identifying tracks or traversing the Fey
Religion is a knowledge skill used whenever
Paths. This also includes constructing
you are trying to apply your understanding
simple traps for animals, determining
of the Maker’s teachings, whether that’s
if food is safe to eat, and navigating the
remembering a prayer or interpreting
wilderness.
divine will. This also includes citing holy
texts, determining if an effect is divine if
not, arguing theology, or attempting to
proselytise someone else.
Social Skills Explained

The following is a set of example cases for each of the social skills within Wardens. As with
knowledge skills, these examples are not exhaustive, and are meant to be used as guidelines. If
you wish to use a skill beyond the scope of these examples consult with your GM. At times
there may be multiple applicable skills to a situation. For example, you may be pretending
to be a famous dancer and perform for a king – is this a deception or a performance test? In
such situations, discuss it with your GM and use whichever skill they determine is more
appropriate.
33
Deception Performance
Deception is a social skill used whenever Performance is a social skill used whenever you
you are trying to employ deceit to prevent are trying to impress others through some
another creature from seeing the truth, pursuit or another, whether it’s through a
whether that’s through an outright lie or simple card trick or a pitch-perfect serenade.
omitting key pieces of information. This also This also includes causing a distraction,
includes forging documents, passing yourself telling stories, capturing the attention of
off as somebody else, or running a scam. audiences, and busking for spare coins.
Discernment Persuasion
Discernment is a social skill used whenever Persuasion is a social skill used whenever you
you are trying to gain an insight into the are trying to manipulate another creature
true motivations of another creature, through reasoning and charm, whether it’s
whether that’s through simply asking or offering a humble suggestion or challenging
observing minute twitches as they speak. their life-long beliefs. This also includes
This also includes gauging a creature’s mood debating, requesting greater pay for a job,
or detecting lies. convincing somebody of an unlikely truth,
or any form of negotiation.
Intimidation
Subtlety
Intimidation is a social skill used whenever
you are trying to manipulate another creature Subtlety is a social skill used whenever
through invoking fear, whether it’s pulling you are trying to communicate a specific
rank or threatening loved ones. This also meaning to another creature with tact,
includes interrogations, roughly handling whether it’s using an in-joke or speaking in
someone, or glaring at people until they fall code. This also includes giving a particular
in line. meaning to a single creature while talking in
a group, flirting with somebody, or slipping
a codeword seamlessly into conversation
without arousing suspicion.
34
Impression
Sometimes something happens at the table which is hilarious, utterly genius, or narratively
interesting. In these situations, your GM may choose to award you with an ‘impression point’
(so named because the event ‘left an impression’). Each character may only ever have a single
‘impression point’, but can pass one gained to another player if they so wish. Players can also
freely trade or move impression points between themselves at any time.
An impression point can be spent at any time to either gain advantage on any test or to re-roll
any test.
Impression points are a bonus entirely within the purview of the GM, to use or not use as
they wish.
35
CH A P T ER 2
Classes
Core Classes
T here are five core classes within Wardens, each with their own unique strengths. Although
you can certainly play with only one or two classes in a party of wardens, it is generally
more advantageous to have a good mix of different classes within your group.
Although each class is different, they will all give you their initial training, their key abilities
at certain levels, and grant you class focuses to further specialise and improve them in your
own way as you advance throughout the game.
Classes are listed in complexity order, with simpler classes earlier in this rulebook, and more
complex ones further down.
36
Class Description Primary

Attribute
Knight Time-honoured warriors of a martial caste, dedicated to Strength
the defence of humanity through force of arms.
Freelancer Cunning individuals who emphasise skill and guile to Agility

avoid or overcome any obstacle in their path.
Officer Academically trained leaders taught to rally their allies and Communication
push them beyond their perceived limits.
Herald Zealous members of the True Faith who utilise powerful Will
miracles to aid friends and harm foes.
Occultist Humans who consort with the Dark Domains, delving into Intellect
the arcane for humanity’s interests, or their own.
37
Chapter 2 - Classes
Level Advancement
Throughout your adventures in Wardens your characters will change and grow. On the
narrative side of play, this is determined by your group, how you play your character, and the
events they experience. On the mechanical side, this is determined by your character’s level,
and gaining levels throughout a campaign.
Leveling Up
Wardens does not use ‘experience points’. Instead, your GM determines when you level up
based upon character milestones. Anything can be a milestone, but general examples include:
Completing an important and impactful quest.
Finding an important and impactful item of great power.
Defeating a mighty foe.
Slaying a great aggregate number of foes.
Completing a major story arc.
Early Levels
In Wardens, not all levels hold equal importance. Level 1 is designed to teach brand new
players the very basics of the system. Level 2 is designed to teach brand new players how
class focuses work, give them the opportunity to experiment with some, and make changes as
appropriate. Levels 3 and onwards are the core experience of Wardens. Levels 1 and 2 should
be very brief in a campaign, or skipped entirely for gaming groups which understand the core
mechanics.
38
Knight
S
Overview:
ir Gilford sauntered towards the cracked
door of the abandoned hovel. He could
hear the creatures within whispering hasty
plans of ambush against him. He paused
a moment for his foes to ready themselves
properly before kicking straight forwards
with a steel-clad leg, crashing through the
barrier and launching himself into the room.
Immediately three strikes thudded against
his armour, sliding off the stern steel with
little more than a loud clang. His own blade
struck far truer, cleaving one fetid goblin
in twain and striking another’s right arm
from its body.
He noted, between his brutally efficient

attacks, the small form of the missing
child he had been sent to find. Her body
was unmoving and drenched in dried,
days old blood. His heart grew heavy. His
sword’s edge grew keener. He hew and cut
with unending abandon, the shrieks of his
enemies adding naught but fuel to his righteous pyre, until at last they were all undone. After the last
horrid gurgle of blood his work was complete.
“Finally,” he said, grimacing at the entrails staining his steel “they will befoul this place no longer.”
39
Chapter 2 - Knight
Knights are the frontline warriors within groups of wardens. Many hail from noble lineages
with a long history of service to the crown and kingdom, while others are simple thugs in
plate armour. Whatever their specific origin, knights are widely regarded as the pinnacle of
martial mastery. Trained in the use of any and all arms and armour, there is little a knight
cannot face down in direct combat with enough experience and the proper equipment.
The knightly spirit is further refined with their bursts of martial skill in which they throw
themselves behind key manoeuvres, ensuring that their battles are won swiftly and decisively.
Although firearms, miracles, or magic may appear to make knights obsolete, they remain as
stalwart defenders of humanity and dogged enemies for the Darker Powers.
Knights are sought after by warden parties for their mastery of armed warfare, endurance,
and sturdy resolve.
Class Table:
Level Class Abilities Maximum Exertion Points

1st Knight Training, Exertion 2
2nd Class Focus 3
3rd Extra Attack 3
4th Attribute Improvement, Class Focus 4
5th Signature Style 4
6th Withstand, Class Focus 5
7th Indefatigable 5
9th Hale and Hearty 7
10th Invincible, Class Focus 8
40
Knight Training:
All Knights start the game with the following characteristics and trained with the following
equipment and skills:
Characteristics
Pros
Health Base: 4
Hardy.
Initiative: +2 Excels in all forms of
martial warfare.
Trained Attribute: Strength
Trained in all arms
and armour.
Equipment Training
Cons
Armour: Trained
No access to miracles
Melee Weapons: All or witchcraft.
Ranged Weapons: All Starting Money

200sp
Knowledge Skills
Folklore + your selections based on intellect.
Social Skills
Intimidation + your selections based on communication.
All characters are trained in resistance tests.
41
Chapter 2 - Knight
Exertion Technique: Tap into Reserves
At level 1 your long hours of training enable Whenever you fail a strength test, you may
you to push your body beyond normal human expend 1 exertion point to re-roll that test.
limits, if only briefly. During your turn, and You must take the new result.
sometimes on other creature’s turns, you can
expend an exertion point to perform special Class Focus
abilities called ‘techniques’. At this level you
At level 2 you are beginning to specialise your
have two exertion points, obtaining more
particular way of fighting. You can choose
as you gain levels in this class (as listed in
two different Knight class focuses, gaining
the ‘Maximum Exertion Points’ column of
their benefits immediately. One of your
the class table). You regain 1 exertion point
selections must be a basic focus. The other
during a brief rest and all exertion points
can be any which you meet the pre-requisite
after a day of rest. You can perform any
for. You can choose two additional class
number of techniques per turn, assuming
focuses following these same requirements
you meet their activation conditions and
at levels 4, 6, 8, and 10.
have enough exertion points At this level you
know two techniques. You can learn more
Class focuses are listed at the end of the class
through class focuses as you advance in this
description.
class. The techniques you know at this level
are:
Extra Attack
Technique: Extension of the Self At level 3 whenever you take the ‘attack’
action on your turn, you make two attacks
Whenever you make a weapon attack you instead of one.
can expend 1 exertion point to grant yourself
a +1 bonus to that accuracy test. You can Attribute Improvement
choose to use this before or after the roll.
At level 4 your expeditions have left their
mark of experience upon you. Increase any
one attribute by one step, to a maximum
42
of +4 (extraordinary). You gain this benefit Withstand

again at level 8.
At level 6 you become more resistant to the
rigours of battle. You gain a +1 bonus to your
Signature Style
resistance tests.
At level 5 your repetitive and extensive
training has granted your methods of Indefatigable
fighting an underlying focus. Choose one of
At level 7 you are more resilient than your
the following, gaining its benefit:
peers. You regain 2 exertion points during a
Stem the Tide: You gain the ensnaring brief rest instead of 1. Additionally, you can
and harrying special rules. An ensnaring benefit from 3 brief rests in a day instead of
creature can declare attacks against 2.
creatures which leave its zone of control,

even if they took the ‘disengage’ Hale and Hearty
action. A harrying creature’s zone of At level 9 your endurance is truly exceptional.
control is treated as difficult terrain for Your health maximum increases by 1. As an
creatures of its choice. action you can choose to regain 2 health. You
cannot regain health in this way again until
Reach the Foe : You gain the deft and
you complete a day of rest.
swift special rules. A deft creature
ignores movement penalties from
Invincible
difficult terrain.. A swift creature has
their movement speed increased by 10 At level 10 you are truly able to epitomise
metres. the indomitable human spirit. Whenever you
receive any damage you may expend 2 exertion
Shatter the Defences: You gain the points to reduce the wounds received to 1. If
sundering special rule. Attacks from a the source of the damage would initially only
sundering creature impose a -1 penalty inflict 1 wound, it instead inflicts 0 wounds.
to protection tests made against them.
43
Chapter 2 - Knight
Class Focuses Fortunate
The following are your options of class Once per day you may re-roll any test that
focuses at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Whenever you make. You must use the new result.
you gain class focuses, you select two choices.
One choice must be a basic focus. The other Gritty
choice can either be a different basic focus,
or a branched focus. To learn a branched You regain an additional exertion point
focus, you must either choose the first focus, during a brief rest.
or already know the previous focus. Entries
with an asterisk can be taken multiple times, Healer
but only once per level.
Using an action on your turn, you can
consume a set of tools to restore 1 health to
Basic Focuses
a creature you can touch. If you are trained
Brave in medicine you restore 2 health instead. A
creature can only regain health from this
You have advantage on resistance tests against ability once per day.
any effect which would make you frightened.
Improved Initiative
Dual Wielding
Your initiative bonus increases by 1.
You are able to treat any weapon which does
not have the two-handed rule as though it has Quick
the light rule for the purposes of wielding
two weapons. You become trained in initiative tests.
Enduring Quiet
Your maximum exertion points are increased The penalty you incur from the noisy armour
by 1. trait is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.
44
Resilient Branched Focuses
You can benefit from an additional brief rest Guardianship

per day.
1. Technique: Deflective Motion
Resourceful
Whenever you make a protection test, you
may expend 1 exertion point to gain a +1
Whenever you consume tools or supplies,
bonus to that test. You can choose to do this
roll 1d6. On a result of 6 the tool or set of
before or after the roll.
supplies are used but are not consumed.
2. Technique: Endure Pain

Swimming
Whenever you receive damage, you may

You gain a swimming speed of 10 metres.
expend 1 exertion point to reduce the
Tough damage taken by 1 wound, to a minimum of

0. You cannot use this ability if the damage
Your health maximum increases by 1. has already been reduced from some other
source.
Unyielding
3. Technique: Steel Bulwark
Your death threshold is improved by 1.
While you are wielding a shield, you may
Knowledgeable* expend 2 exertion points to gain a +1 bonus
to all resistance tests until the start of your
Choose any knowledge skill you are not trained next turn.
with. You become trained in that skill.
Sociable*
Choose any social skill you are not trained

45
Chapter 2 - Knight
Great Weaponry Hand Weaponry

1. Technique: Cleaving Strike 1. Technique: Weaving Steel
Whenever you declare an attack with a After you resolve the ‘attack’ action on your
weapon that has the great weapon trait, you turn and all attacks are made with weapons
can expend 1 exertion point to attack your that do not have the two-handed or range
initial target and another creature within traits, you can expend 1 exertion point to
both 2 metres of your initial target and 2 take the ‘disengage’ action.
metres of you, hitting both on a successful
attack test. 2. Technique: Riposte
2. Technique: Rending Strikes If a creature attacks you while you are

wielding a weapon that does not have the
Whenever you successfully hit a creature two-handed or range traits, and that attack
with a weapon that has the great weapon trait either misses or inflicts 0 wounds, you can
you can expend 1 exertion to impose a -1 expend 1 exertion point to immediately make
penalty to the protection test of the creature a weapon attack them if they are in range.
you hit. This penalty is in addition to the You can riposte multiple times per Creature
armour piercing trait, if the weapon already Phase.
had it.
3. Technique: Fierce Strikes
3. Technique: Masterful Control
While wielding a weapon that does not have
While you are wielding a weapon that has the the two-handed or range traits, you can expend
great weapon trait you can choose to expend 2 exertion points to increase the amount of
2 exertion points to gain advantage on all daamge it inflicts on a successful hit by 1
attacks with that weapon until the start of until the start of your next turn.
your next turn.
46
Ranged Weaponry 3. Technique: Hawkeye
1. Technique: Skirmishing While you are wielding a weapon that has the
range attribute, you can expend 2 exertion
While you are wielding a weapon that has
points to increase the damage it inflicts on
the range trait, you can expend 1 exertion
a successful hit by 1 and double the distance
point to gain one of the following benefits
listed in its range trait until the start of your
until the start of your next turn:
next turn.
If the weapon does not have the loading

or reload traits, you are considered to
be in light cover until the start of your
next turn. If you are already in light
cover, you are instead considered to be
in heavy cover.
If the weapon has the loading trait,

you can load ammunition into the
weapon without using your action or
movement.
If the weapon has the reload trait, you

can reload the weapon without using
your action.
2. Technique: Keen Shooting
While you are wielding a weapon that has the

range attribute, you can expend 1 exertion
point to ignore penalties imposed by shooting
at a creature in cover until the start of your
next turn.
47
Chapter 2 - Freelancer
Freelancer
S
Overview:
asha rested one hand on the ground, stabilising her shaking
body as the elven warrior scoured the area, blade drawn.
Her opponent remained fluid at all times, twisting like a dancer
as he moved. There was a good chance he’d been alive for several
centuries of war against humanity. He was also assuredly wiser
and faster than her. Grabbing up some dirt from beside her, she
drew her dagger as quietly as she could manage.
No sooner had blade cleared leather than the elf ’s ears perked
up and he wheeled around, moving with lethal grace. Reversing
her grip she deflected his strike down her arm and away from
her body, but with preternatural speed the elf shifted his weight
to target her neck. Without reflexes as honed as hers, he would
have had her head, but the ageless foe had to settle for a nick
of her ear instead.
The elf ’s eyes widened, filled with nothing more than utter
disdain for his inferior foe. Sasha thrust forwards her left hand,
and the soil she’d gathered found its mark. He aborted his
next attack, pulling back as dirt filled his vision, but she was
faster. Throwing her entire body weight into her enemy, she managed to knock him to the ground and
plunged her blade into his neck. Ageless, wise, and fast though he might have been, surprise was a
weapon that could fell any foe.
48
‘Freelancer’ is the generous term given to rogues, scoundrels, or duellists who take up arms
against the Darker Powers with a dogged determination to never fight fair. . Be it repeated bar
brawls, back-alley knife fights, or one significant and bloody struggle for survival, Freelancers
have learned that life is not fair – so why should stealing it away be any different?
Initially martialled to support knights as auxiliary units, Freelancers have greatly changed as
the situation has deteriorated and humanity collectively grows more desperate. Fighting evil
creatures is rarely a glamourous affair, typically devolving into brutal skirmishes among the
boughs or within unlit halls. In such environments ruthless, pragmatic violence will often
win out against flashy and overblown heroism.
Freelancers are sought after by warden parties for their cunning and guile, plethora of useful
abilities, and pragmatic nature.
Class Table:
Level Class Abilities Maximum Guile Points

1st Freelancer Training, Finesse, Guile 3
2nd Alacrity, Class Focus 4
3rd Expertise, Lethal 4
5th Nimble 5
7th Lethal, Unerring 6
9th Immediate Response 8
10th Tip the Scale, Class Focus 9
49
Freelancer Training:
All Freelancers start the game with the following characteristics and trained with the following
Characteristics Pros
Cunning and evasive.
Health Base: 2
Wide array of
underhanded abilities.
Initiative: +2
Master of knowledge
Trained Attribute: Agility skills and social skills.
Cons
Equipment Training
No access to miracles
or witchcraft.
Armour: Trained
Less effective in a fair
Melee Weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Swords fight.
Starting Money
Ranged Weapons: Any 1 of your choice
130sp
Knowledge Skills
Commerce + your selections based on intellect, and any 1 other.
Social Skills
Deception + your selections based on communication.
50
Finesse Craft: Dirty Trick
At level 1 while you are wielding a weapon During your turn, you can choose one
that either has the ranged trait or does not creature within 4 metres of you and expend
have the two-handed trait, you can use your 1 guile point. If you do, that creature must
agility instead of strength when you make make a resistance test, becoming blinded until
attack tests with that weapon. the start of your next turn on a failure.
Guile Craft: Exceptional Skill
At level 1 your keen skills and cunning allow

Whenever you fail an agility test, you may
you to execute swift manoeuvres in the heat
expend 1 guile point to re-roll that test. You
of battle. During your turn, and sometimes
must take the new result.
on other creature’s turns, you may choose to
expend guile points to perform crafts. At this
Alacrity
level you have three guile points, obtaining
more as you gain levels in this class (as listed At level 2 your ability to swiftly respond
in the ‘Maximum Guile Points’ column of the to any situation has improved. You become
class table). You regain 1 guile point during trained in initiative tests.
a brief rest and all guile points after a day of
rest. You can perform any number of crafts Class Focus
per turn, assuming you meet their activation
At level 2 you develop your roguish skills.
conditions and have enough guile points. At
You can choose two different Freelancer class
this level you know two crafts. You can learn
focuses, gaining their benefits immediately.
more through class focuses as you advance in
One of your selections must be a basic
this class. The crafts you know at this level
focus. The other can be any which you meet
are:
the pre-requisite for. You can choose two
additional class focuses following these same
requirements at levels 4, 6, 8, and 10.

description.
51
Expertise Nimble
At level 3 you are well renowned for your At level 5 you gain the nimble special rule.
ability to accomplish things others cannot. All attacks targeting a nimble creature suffer
Whenever you attempt an agility, knowledge disadvantage, unless the attacker also has the
skill, or social skill test which you are trained nimble special rule. Miracles and Witchcraft
in, you can choose to make that test with ignore this special rule
advantage. You may use this ability a number
of times equal to half your level in this class Withstand
(rounded down). You regain all expended uses
At level 6 you become more resistant to the
of this ability when you complete a day of
rigours of battle. You gain a +1 bonus to your
rest.
resistance tests.
Lethal
Unerring
At level 3 your ability to target vulnerable
At level 7 your unfailing aim grants you
areas enables you to swiftly dispatch foes.
a much easier time inflicting devastating
While wielding a weapon which either has the
wounds. You score a critical hit when you
ranged trait or does not have the two-handed
make an attack test and at least two dice
trait you inflict 1 additional wound on any
show a ‘5’, a ‘6’, or a combination of at least
attack which you made with advantage. At
one ‘5’ and one ‘6’.
level 7 this becomes 2 additional wounds.
Immediate Response
Attribute Improvement
At level 9 you react with preternatural speed
to conflict. Whenever you must roll initiative,
mark of experience upon you. Increase any
if you are not surprised, you gain the benefits
one attribute by one step, to a maximum of
of surprising your opponents.
+4 (extraordinary). You gain this benefit again
at level 8.
52
Tip the Scale Fortunate
At level 10 your sheer mastery allows you to Once per day you may re-roll any test that
effortlessly excel above your peers. Whenever you make. You must use the new result.
you declare a test, before you attempt it, you
can choose to act as if all dice rolled within Improved Initiative
the test showed a ‘6’, and act accordingly.
Once you use this ability, you cannot do so Your initiative bonus increases by 1.
again until you complete a day of rest.
Night Eyes
Class Focuses
As long as there is at least some light, you
The following are your options of class are unaffected by dim or dark environments.
focuses at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Whenever Other obscurement (such as a snowstorm)
you gain class focuses, you select two choices. can still impair your vision.
One choice must be a basic focus. The other
choice can either be a different basic focus, Quiet
or a branched focus. To learn a branched
focus, you must either choose the first focus, The penalty you incur from the noisy armour
or already know the previous focus. Entries trait is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.
with an asterisk can be taken multiple times,
Resilient
You can benefit from an additional brief rest

Basic Focuses per day.
Brave
Resourceful
You have advantage on resistance tests against
any effect which would make you frightened. Whenever you consume tools or supplies, roll
1d6. On a result of 6 the tool or set of supplies
are used but are not consumed.
53
Spirited Knowledgeable*
You regain an additional guile point during Choose any knowledge skill you are not trained
a brief rest. with. You become trained in that skill.
Spry Sociable*
You can pass through a friendly creature’s Choose any social skill you are not trained
space without expending additional with. You become trained in that skill.
movement.
Weapon Training*
Swimming
Choose any two weapons you are not trained
You gain a swimming speed of 10 metres. with. You become trained with those weapons.
Thief Branched Focuses
You can attempt to pick locks without Evasion

consuming a set of tools.
1. Craft: Fancy Footwork
Tough
During your turn you can expend 1 guile
point to take either the ‘dodge’, ‘dash’, or
Your health maximum increases by 1.
‘disengage’ action without expending your
Unyielding action.
Your death threshold is improved by 1. 2. Craft: Avoid
Wit Whenever you are required to make a

resistance test, you can choose to expend 1
Your maximum guile points are increased by guile point. If you do so, then that resistance
1. test uses your agility instead of your will, and
if you are successful you can move up to 4
54
metres in any direction you wish. Movement 2. Craft: Stroke of Brilliance

from this ability ignores zone of control.
Whenever you attempt an agility, knowledge
3. Craft: Evade skill, or social skill test, you can expend 2 guile
points. If you do so, then you automatically
During your turn, if you have a noisy penalty succeed on that test. You cannot use this
of 0, you can expend 2 guile points to evade. ability more than once for the same knowledge
While evading, whenever you are hit by an skill or social skill per day.
attack, you make an agility test, and on a
success, that attack misses you instead. You Stealth
cannot attempt to evade critical hits. You
1. Craft: Sneaky
attempt to evade before attempting protection
tests. You evade until the start of your next
Whenever you attempt an agility test to move
turn.
silently, you can expend 1 guile point. If you
do so, you gain a +2 bonus on that test.
Excellence
1. Craft: Swift Implementation 2. Craft: Quiet Step
During your turn, you can expend 1 guile Whenever you are moving silently, you can
point. If you do so, then you can make a single expend 1 guile point. If you do so, you can
knowledge skill or social skill test without using move silently at your normal movement
an action. speed for 10 minutes.
1. Craft: Helping Hand 3. Craft: Ghostly Silent
Whenever you take the ‘help’ action, you can Whenever you would do something while
expend 1 guile point. If you do so, then the hidden which would reveal your location,
creature you are helping can be within 20 you can expend 2 guile points. If you do so,
metres instead of 2 if they can see or hear then you can immediately attempt an agility
you, and can gain advantage even if you are test to move silently, and on a success you
not trained in the test they attempt. remain hidden.
55
Underhanded Fighting
1. Craft: Toxin Coating
If you take the ‘attack’ action on your turn,

you can choose to expend 1 guile point. If
you do so, then any creature which receives
damage from a weapon you are wielding
until the start of your next turn must make a
resistance test. On a failure, the hit creature
becomes poisoned until the start of your next
turn.
2. Craft: Stunning Strike

you can choose to expend 1 guile point. If
you do so, then any creature which receives
damage from a weapon you are wielding
until the start of your next turn must make a
resistance test. On a failure, the hit creature
becomes stunned until the start of your next
turn.
3. Craft: The Uncaring Steel

you can choose to expend 2 guile points. If
you do so, then until the start of your next
turn all weapon attacks you make inflict an
additional wound and ignore protection tests.
56
Officer
M
Overview:
ildred gazed up at the three-eyed horror,
her mind unable to truly perceive its shape.
Every motion it made sent waves of pain blasting
through her skull. An aberrant tendril from the
creature slapped against the flesh of a companion
and, after a singular cry of agony, he collapsed into
a vomiting mess, convulsing quietly on the floor. The
two supposed kings-guards with her glanced briefly
to each other and took a step away from the creature,
their bodies turning to run.
“Hold fast!” yelled Mildred, drawing her handgun

instinctively and levelling it towards her obscure foe
as best she could. “I know not what manner of beast
this creature is, but I can say this – there is not a
monster yet which our steel and powder cannot fell!”
Punctuating her declaration with the thunder of her pistol, she proceeded to draw another and fire
again, before discarding both weapons and charging forwards. Advancing on the creature with cold
steel in hand, she parried one of its tendrils, but was beaten back by another. The being transfixed all
of its unblinking eyes upon her, and immediately blood burst from her nose and ears.
As the room danced around her, the kings-guardsmen struck true with their polearms, skewering the
eldritch beast through its two peripheral eyes. Pushing past unconsciousness, Mildred cried out as she
willed herself onwards, ending the creature’s mockery of life with a mighty thrust of her sword.
57
Chapter 2 - Officer
Warden parties are typically made up of individuals competent in their own specific fields,
but not experienced working as a coherent unit. This is where an officer comes in. Officers
are trained (typically at formal schools, but sometimes in less official capacities) to identify
the strengths and weaknesses of the groups they work with, focusing on securing more
decisive victories and mitigating defeats. This ability to manage and read people can also lead
them to being competent diplomats, or even politicians later in life.
While there has always been a military hierarchy, typically predicated upon birth, it was
far less formalised in the past, and relied upon who had the resources to raise forces. The
formation of more modern nation-states as well as the deterioration of the current situation
has changed that. The nobility has since begrudgingly accepted the reality that proficiency
with command should override the position of birth, for the most part.
Officers are sought after by warden parties for their understanding of battle, ability to rally
and support companions, and aptitude at negotiating with the various groups they may come
across.
Class Table:
Level Class Abilities Maximum Inspirations

1st Officer Training, Leadership 2
2nd Stern, Class Focus 3
3rd Martial Inspiration 3
5th Rally 4
7th Reorder Battle 5
9th Inspiring Presence 6
10th Above and Beyond, Class Focus 7
58
Officer Training:
All Officers start the game with the following characteristics and trained with the following
Characteristics Pros
Health Base: 3 Competent combatant

Powerful support
Initiative: +2 character, able to
push other others to
Trained Attribute: Strength excellence.
Cons
Equipment Training No access to miracles
or witchcraft.
Armour: Not trained Far stronger when
supporting other
Melee Weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Swords, any 1 other characters.
Ranged Weapons: Any 1 of your choice Starting Money

180sp
Knowledge Skills
History + your selections based on intellect.
Social Skills
Persuasion + your selections based on communication.
59
Chapter 2 - Officer
Leadership immediately. One of your selections must be

a basic focus. The other can be any which you
At level 1 you are able to inspire those
meet the pre-requisite for. You can choose
around you to feats of greatness. Once on
two additional class focuses following these
your turn you may use this ability to target
same requirements at levels 4, 6, 8, and 10.
another creature who can see and/or hear
you within range and expend 1 inspiration. Class focuses are listed at the end of the class
That creature becomes inspired until the start description.
of your next turn. The range of this ability is
equal to 10 times your communication score in
Martial Inspiration
metres. At this level you can use this ability
twice, and gain additional uses as you gain At level 3 you can locate openings in an
levels in this class (as listed in the ‘Maximum opponent’s defence and let your allies exploit
Inspirations’ column of the class table). You it. Whenever you take the ‘attack’ action
regain 1 inspiration use point during a brief on your turn, you can choose to expend 1
rest and all guile points after a day of rest. inspiration. If you do so, then immediately
You regain all expended uses of this ability after you complete all of your attacks you
after a day of rest. can choose a creature within range of your
Leadership class ability, granting it one attack
Stern as soon as your attacks are resolved (assuming

it has a creature it can attack within its
At level 2 you have steeled yourself against range). Once your target has resolved their
the evils of the world and know to not show attack, your turn continues as normal.
fear in front of your comrades. You gain
advantage on resistance tests against any
Attribute Improvement
effect which would make you frightened.
Class Focus mark of experience upon you. Increase any

one attribute by one step, to a maximum
At level 2 you further progress your of +4 (extraordinary). You gain this benefit
leadership style. You can choose two different again at level 8.
Officer class focuses, gaining their benefits
60
Rally Inspiring Presence

At level 5 you are able to bolster and restore At level 9 your words can inspire many
the morale of your companions. Once during people at once. Whenever you use your
your turn, you can target a creature within Leadership class ability you can target a
range of your Leadership class ability and number of creatures within range equal to
expend 1 use of inspiration. If that creature your communication score. Regardless of how
is charmed, frightened, or stunned, all those many creatures you target, you only expend
conditions end immediately. one inspiration use.
Withstand Above and Beyond

At level 6 you become more resistant to the At level 10 those who you command are loath
rigours of battle. You gain a +1 bonus to to fall short of your expectations. Whenever
your resistance tests. a creature makes a test and chooses to use
the benefit from the inspired condition which
Reorder Battle you granted to them, it can re-roll the results
of that test once, using the second result.
At level 7 you are able to recover from a
poor starting position. Once per turn, you
Class Focuses
can target a player character within range
of your Leadership class ability and expend The following are your options of class
1 inspiration. If that player acts in Player focuses at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Whenever
Phase 2 then they are moved to Player Phase you gain class focuses, you select two choices.
1 instead. If this would prevent their turn One choice must be a basic focus. The other
from occurring then they act immediately choice can either be a different basic focus,
after your turn this round, and then act or a branched focus. To learn a branched
according to their Player Phase as normal. focus, you must either choose the first focus,
61
Chapter 2 - Officer
Basic Focuses Swimming
Fortunate You gain a swimming speed of 10 metres.
Once per day you may re-roll any test that Tough
you make. You must use the new result.
Healer
Unyielding
Using an action on your turn, you can
consume a set of tools to restore 1 health to Your death threshold is improved by 1.
a creature you can touch, or 2 health if you
are trained in medicine. A creature can only Wellspring of Inspiration
regain health from this ability once per day.
You regain an additional inspiration use
Improved Initiative during a brief rest.
Your initiative bonus increases by 1. Knowledgeable*
Quick Choose any knowledge skill you are not trained

You become trained in initiative tests.
Sociable*
Quiet
The penalty you incur from the noisy armour with. You become trained in that skill.
trait is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.
Weapon Training*
Resilient
You can benefit from an additional brief rest with. You become trained with those weapons.
per day.
62
Branched Focuses Lead from Behind
Banneret 1. Tactical Acumen
1. War Banner Your maximum inspirations are increased

by 1. Additionally, you gain advantage on
You gain a war banner. Its appearance is up
initiative tests.
to you, but it can be held easily in one hand
(including your off-hand instead of a shield or 2. High Value Target
other such item). All effects from the banner
have a range of 10 metres, originating from At the start of your turn, you can choose
the banner, not from you. Once on each of any creature you can see within 60 metres
your turns you can choose to plant or pick of you. Until the start of your next turn all
up your banner. All friendly creatures within attack tests made against that creature gain
range of your banner gain a +1 bonus to their a +1 bonus.
initiative.
3. Rapid Reposition
2. Banner of Resolve
Whenever you cause a creature to become
If a friendly creature is within range of inspired from your Leadership class ability, it
the banner at the end of their turn, the can choose to move 10 metres immediately.
first instance before their next turn which Movement from this ability ignores zone of
successfully inflicts damage to them has the control.
amount of wounds inflicted reduced by 1
(minimum of 0 wounds). Lead from the Front
1. Frontline Leader
3. Banner of Resistance
Your health maximum is increased by 1.

Whenever a friendly creature within range of
Additionally, you become trained in armour.
your banner makes a resistance test against
an effect which would make them charmed,
frightened, or stunned, they gain a +1 bonus to
that resistance test.
63
Chapter 2 - Officer
2. Fighting Spirit 2. Charismatic
Whenever you take the ‘attack’ action on When you are talking with someone outside
your turn, you make two attacks instead of of combat, you can expend 1 inspiration
one. to gain advantage on all social skill tests you
make against them for 1 minute.
3. Bastion of Courage
3. Tactful
You become immune to the frightened
condition and gain advantage on resistance Your diplomatic manner means even hateful
tests against any effect which would make foes will negotiate with you, at least for a
you terrified. Additionally, any friendly time. Whenever combat is about to start with
creature within 10 metres of you also gains creatures you can see and/or hear, but has
these benefits. not yet begun, you can expend 1 inspiration
and roll 1d6. If the total on the die is equal
Negotiation to or lower than your communication score,
then you enter discussion with the opposing
1. Surface Reading
group instead of combat for at least 1 minute.
You have learned how to discern interests, After this time, the GM determines if they
beliefs, or group affiliation which are at would still attempt to fight you, or if the
least somewhat visible. Whenever you are conversation would continue, etc. Acting in
interacting with a creature, you can expend an overtly hostile manner during this time
1 inspiration to learn something about that may cause the fight to begin before the
creature which could help to sway its opinion minute is up.
on something. For Example, it may reveal

that a town guard is exceptionally hungry,
making a bribe of food unusually effective
In addition to this information, you learn the
creature’s current mood.
64
Herald
T
Overview:
revor tended to the wound of his comrade,
divine light knitting an otherwise mortal blow
closed. He turned back to the villain who caused
such a strike to see his companion being hurled into
a deep crevice. In an instant he focused his will to
his falling friend, and gravity loosened its previously
lethal grip upon them. They were still out of this
fight, but at least they weren’t dead. With a heavy
breath, he pulled himself to his feet and stared down
the one responsible.
The blazing demon stood at least two men tall and

four abreast. The blood of Trevor’s ally sizzled and
popped along the devil’s black iron axe. It licked its
lips and strode forwards, exuding abyssal hubris.
“You need not pray, you will meet your god soon
enough,” spat the creature.
The demon raised his weapon to strike again. Trevor stood stock still, unwavering in his devotion to
the Maker. He clutched his holy symbol – a palm-sized hammer surrounded by laurels – and bellowed
fearlessly for deliverance. Once more She would provide him a miracle. The demon’s weapon drew
close, about to strike squarely against Trevor’s chest, before a beam of brilliant sunlight engulfed it
entirely. With unearthly howls, the foul creature’s form was unmade. A moment later the dark axe
clattered harmlessly to the ground at Trevor’s feet.
65
Chapter 2 - Herald
Ever since the Maker gifted humanity with life, she has employed Heralds to carry out her
divine will throughout the world. Since the Great Obscurement this role has become far more
impactful, with much fewer people able to hear the Maker or her intentions. The Herald is
never without faith, however, and can see through the darkest night onto the inevitable dawn
to follow.
In the past, Heralds were united in their understanding of the Maker. In those days they could
communicate directly with her, so there was little room for disagreements. Since the Great
Obscurement however, calling miracles is challenging, and is not guaranteed to succeed even
in the best of circumstances. In the present age many Heralds follow differing interpretations
of the Maker’s will, focusing on certain aspects and disregarding others. Be it as a branch
of the church, or a Herald’s independent assessment, it has led to great variance despite
observance of the same deity.
Heralds are sought after by warden parties for their unfaltering will, powerful miracles, and
dedication to the cause.
Class Table:
Level Class Abilities Maximum Miracles

1st Herald Training, Miracles 2
2nd Class Focus 3
3rd Chosen Path 3
5th Path Feature 4
6th Divine Sigil, Class Focus 4
7th Cure, Path Feature 5
9th Path Feature 5
10th Resurrection, Class Focus 6
66
Herald Training:
All Heralds start the game with the following characteristics and trained with the following
Pros
Characteristics
Access to powerful
Health Base: 3 miracles.
Unique access to
Initiative: +1
magical healing.
Cons
Trained Attribute: Strength
Miracles, though
powerful, are limited
Equipment Training
in use.
Armour: Not trained Starting Money
130sp
Melee weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Maces, Spears.
Ranged weapons: None
Knowledge Skills
Religion + your selections based on intellect.
Social Skills
Discernment + your selections based on communication.
67
Chapter 2 - Herald
Miracles be avoided by a successful protection test as

usual, unless the miracle says otherwise.
At level 1 your faith and devotion have been
rewarded. You gain access to miracles, small The miracle you know at this level is:
pieces of the Maker’s great might and power.
During your turn you can attempt to perform Miracle: Divine Conduit
a miracle. To do so, you choose which miracle
you are attempting to perform and make a Choose one creature you can see within 2
miracle test, which uses your will. You are metres of you, and choose ‘enlightenment’,
trained in miracle tests. ‘judgement’, or ‘mercy’.
If you fall unconscious or die, then any ongoing If you choose ‘enlightenment’:
miracles you have performed immediately
end. That creature gains a +2 bonus on its
next strength, agility, knowledge skill or
Attempting to perform a miracle requires social skill test, if it happens within 1
you to use an action, unless the miracle minute of this miracle being used.
states otherwise. On a success, your miracle
takes effect, and one use of your miracles is If you choose ‘judgement’:
expended. If you fail to perform a miracle,
That creature receives 2 wounds.
then the action is still spent, but it does not
Damage from this miracle ignores
expend a miracle use. At this level you have 2
protection tests.
miracle uses per day. As you gain levels in this
class your maximum miracles will increase,
If you choose ‘mercy’:
as listed in the ‘Maximum Miracles’ column
of the class table. You regain all expended That creature regains 2 health.
miracle uses after a day of rest. At this level
you know two miracles, and can learn more Class Focus
through class focuses.
At level 2 you are beginning to embolden your
Any damage dealt from a miracle is considered faith in a personal way. You can choose two
blessed. Any damage dealt by a miracle can different Herald class focuses, gaining their
68
benefits immediately. One of your selections Divine Sigil

must be a basic focus. The other can be any
At level 6 your connection to the faith has
which you meet the pre-requisite for. You can
brought out a powerful symbol upon your
choose two additional class focuses following
body. Choose one of the following seals,
these same requirements at levels 4, 6, 8, and
gaining its benefits:
10.
Seal of Enlightenment: You gain a +1

bonus to your resistance tests.
description, after the Crusader and Emissary
paths.
Seal of Judgement: Resistance tests made
against miracles you perform suffer a
Chosen Path -1 penalty.
At level 3 you manifest your faith into one
Seal of Mercy: Whenever you restore
of two core paths – that of the Crusader, or
health to a creature using a miracle,
that of the Emissary. Your choice grants you
you can choose a different creature
benefits at this level, as well as levels 5, 7,
within 10 metres of you. That creature
and 9.
also regains 1 health.
Both paths are listed at the end of the class
description, before class focuses. Cure
At level 7 you can use your healing miracles
Attribute Improvement more precisely, to revitalise the sick and
At level 4 your expeditions have left their cure them of diseases. You become immune
mark of experience upon you. Increase any to diseases. Whenever you use your ‘Divine
one attribute by one step, to a maximum Conduit’ miracle to restore health to a
of +4 (extraordinary). You gain this benefit creature, you can also cure that creature of
again at level 8. any one disease affecting them.
69
Chapter 2 - Herald
Resurrection Chosen Path: Crusader Training

At level 10 you have been granted the secrets At level 3 you become trained in armour.
of resurrection – the power to bring someone Additionally, the interference penalty for
back from the dead. By performing a 1-hour performing miracles while wearing armour
ritual with the body and expending 5 miracle is reduced by 2. Finally, whenever you take
uses, the targeted person returns to life. Once the ‘attack’ action on your turn, you make
you use this ability, you cannot do so again two attacks instead of one.
until after a week of rest. This can only be
used on someone who has died within the Path Feature: Holy Warrior
last week. Each person can be brought back
At level 5 holy power is channelled through
to life in this manner only once.
your strikes. Your attacks are always
considered to be blessed. Additionally, once
Path of the Crusader
per turn whenever you successfully hit a
Crusaders hold that the Maker’s will is the creature with a melee attack, you can expend
destruction of the Darker Powers and that 1 miracle use to inflict 2 additional wounds.
humanity itself is the tool to accomplish The extra damage dealt by this ability is
that goal. A crusader takes the fight to the blessed and ignores protection tests.
enemy directly, steadfast in the belief that
without their actions the Obscurement may Path Feature: Radiant Burst
never end. The Maker has done her part –
At level 7 your faith can literally shine
now it is that of the Crusader. Crusaders are
through at the most dire of moments.
walking beacons of devotion, using their own
Whenever a creature within 2 metres of
actions to both demonstrate proper conduct
you makes an attack against you, you can
and inspire the masses. They act as both the
force that creature to make a resistance test,
shield and spear of the people, defending
becoming blinded until the start of your next
them from harm and striking fiercely at
turn on a failure. You can use this ability
encroaching evils.
once per Creature Phase, and a maximum
number of times equal to your will score. You
70
regain all uses when you complete a day of ability a number of times equal to your will
rest. score, regaining all expended uses after a day
of rest. Additionally, your maximum miracles
Path Feature: Bastion of Faith are increased by 1.
At level 9 your boundless confidence inspires

Path Feature: Faith’s Shield
those around you. All creatures of your choice
within 6 metres of you gain a +1 bonus to At level 5 if you are wearing no armour or
their resistance tests if you are not frightened, wearing armour that does not impose an
terrified, unconscious, or dying. interference penalty, you gain a +1 bonus
to your protection score. Additionally, your
Path of the Emissary maximum miracles are increased by 1.
Emissaries believe that their purpose is to enact

Path Feature: Holy Messenger
the Maker’s will through the performance of
miracles. Every miracle performed reaffirms At level 7 your connection with the Maker
the faith of the populace, and allows the grows stronger. You gain advantage on miracle
Maker to act upon the world as she wishes tests. Additionally, your maximum miracles
herself, without human fault. These clergy are increased by 1.
members focus on spreading the word of the
faith and become master miracle workers. Path Feature: Interpretation of Will
Emissaries are relied upon agents of divine
At level 9 you have a keener understanding
power, and can perform miracles more often
of the Maker than all but the most devout.
and with greater consistency than any other
Whenever you fail a miracle test, you can
herald.
choose to succeed instead. Once you use
this ability you cannot do so again until you
Chosen Path: Emissary Training
complete a day of rest. Additionally, your
At level 3 your miracles are more readily maximum miracles are increased by 1.
heard than your peers. If you fail a miracle
test, you can choose to re-roll that test. You
must use the second result. You can use this
71
Chapter 2 - Herald
Class Focuses Hand of Mercy
The following are your options of class As an action on your turn you can touch
focuses at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Whenever a creature which is dying. That creature
you gain class focuses, you select two choices. immediately stops dying and becomes
One choice must be a basic focus. The other unconscious if it was not already. If you expend
choice can either be a different basic focus, 1 miracle use when using this ability, it does
or a branched focus. To learn a branched not require an action.
focus, you must either choose the first focus,
or already know the previous focus. Entries Healer
but only once per level. Using an action on your turn, you can
Basic Focuses a creature you can touch. If you are trained
in medicine you restore 2 health instead. A
Brave
creature can only regain health from this
ability once per day.
You have advantage on resistance tests against
Improved Initiative
Fervour
Once per day you can regain 1 miracle use

Quick
during a brief rest.
You become trained in initiative tests.

Fortunate
Quiet
Once per day you may re-roll any test that
you make. You must use the new result. The penalty you incur from the noisy armour
trait is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.
72
Resilient Weapon Training*
You can benefit from an additional brief rest Choose any two weapons you are not trained
per day. with. You become trained with those weapons.
Swimming Branched Focuses
You gain a swimming speed of 10 metres. Martial Faith

1. Swift Strike
Tough
Whenever you use your action to attempt to

perform a miracle on your turn, after it is
Unyielding resolved you can make a single attack against
a creature within range.
Your death threshold is improved by 1.
2. Hammer of the Maker
Warrior Faith
Whenever you successfully hit a creature
The interference penalty for performing with a weapon attack, you can choose to
miracles while wearing armour is reduced expend 1 miracle use. If you do so, then all
by 1. protection tests against your weapon attacks
suffer a -1 penalty until the end of your turn.
Knowledgeable*
3. Strike True
Choose any knowledge skill you are not trained
with. You become trained in that skill. Whenever you are making an attack which is
influenced by disadvantage, you can choose to
Sociable* expend 1 miracle use to ignore all instances
of disadvantage and instead make the attack
with advantage.
73
Chapter 2 - Herald
Teachings of Enlightenment 3. Speaker of Judgement
1. Initiate of Enlightenment You learn four additional miracles of your

choice from the Teachings of Judgement.
You learn the ‘Divine Perception’ miracle,
and two other miracles of your choice from
Teachings of Mercy
the Teachings of Enlightenment.
1. Initiate of Mercy
2. Acolyte of Enlightenment
You learn the ‘Mend the Body’ miracle, and
You learn three additional miracles of your two other miracles of your choice from the
choice from the Teachings of Enlightenment. Teachings of Mercy
3. Speaker of Enlightenment 2. Acolyte of Mercy
You learn four additional miracles of your You learn three additional miracles of your
choice from the Teachings of Enlightenment. choice from the Teachings of Mercy.
Teachings of Judgement 3. Speaker of Mercy
1. Initiate of Judgement You learn four additional miracles of your

choice from the Teachings of Mercy.
You learn the ‘Arm of Judgement’ miracle,
and two other miracles of your choice from
the Teachings of Judgement.
2. Acolyte of Judgement
You learn three additional miracles of your

choice from the Teachings of Judgement.
74
Occultist
R
Overview:
obert flung himself forwards, moving as fast as his
goat legs could carry him. With each step he drew
in as much air as his lungs would allow, before finally
arriving and exhaling a fierce barrage of flame into the
undead horde arrayed against the church.
The blaze liquified their rotting flesh from the bone,

leaving naught but skeletal remains in its wake. With
heavy breaths, he scanned for the source of the attack,
his keen eyes swiftly locating an agent of dread a few
houses back. With similar foul sorcery as his opponent he
cast out his fingers, raising the bones against their former
master with necromantic power.
Realising that he was outmatched, the dread caster

attempted to flee, only for Robert to raise great walls
of flame to bar his escape. Despite his own fell magics,
the witch could not survive his own minions turned
against him, and succumbed to their stilted but weighty
bludgeoning. Robert wiped the putrid sweat off his feathers and turned to the villagers whose lives he
had just saved.
It took only moments for the first stone to be cast against him.
75
Chapter 2 - Occultist
Long has humanity sought to understand that which cannot be understood. Since the dawn
of the species there has been a drive to learn that which should probably be left unknown.
Occultists are a rare breed who make grim pacts and bind themselves to the Darker Powers
for the purpose of using their own power against them. So they say, at the very least. Whatever
their motivations, occultists are gifted with powerful witchcraft, but undergo horrendous
bodily alterations as the powers which grant them strength forever shift their form until they
can no longer truly be called human.
Originally completely outlawed and cause for burning, hanging, or any number of other
execution methods, there has come an understanding that such arcane and villainous powers
may be a necessary evil. It could indeed be that the salvation of humanity lies in the darkest
of waters. Whatever the justification, witchcraft and magic is almost universally reviled by
anyone with a shred of decency.
Occultists are sought after by warden parties for their knowledge on the Darker Powers, their
powerful witchcraft, and to ensure that such powers are used for humanity’s greater interests.
Class Table:
Level Class Abilities Witchery Point Maximum

1st Occultist Training, Mark of Sin, Witchcraft 0 + Intellect Score
2nd Malleable Magic, Class Focus 1 + Intellect Score
3rd Dark Gift (Lower) 2 + Intellect Score
4th Attribute Improvement, Class Focus 2 + Intellect Score
5th Dark Gift (Upper) 3 + Intellect Score
6th Arcane Might, Class Focus 3 + Intellect Score
7th Dark Gift (Torso) 4 + Intellect Score
8th Attribute Improvement, Class Focus 4 + Intellect Score
9th Dark Gift (Head) 5 + Intellect Score
10th High Arcana, Class Focus 7 + Intellect Score
76
Occultist Training:
All Occultists start the game with the following characteristics and trained with the following
Pros
Characteristics Performs witchcraft,
granting access to
Health Base: 2 powerful magic.
Gain animalistic
Initiative: +1 features as they increase
in power.
Trained Attribute: Agility
Cons
Fragile.
Equipment Training
Vulnerable without
witchcraft.
Armour: Not trained
While powerful,
Melee Weapons: Clubs, Daggers their witchcraft and
transformations draw
Ranged Weapons: None the ire of the common
folk, and many others.
Knowledge Skills Starting Money
70sp
Occultism + your selections based on intellect, and any 2
others.
Social Skills
Subtlety + your selections based on communication.
77
Mark of Sin magical abilities. During your turn you can
At level 1 your dark pact has placed a physical choose to perform witchcraft. To do so,
mark of sin upon your body. Choose one of choose a spell which you know and spend the
the following marks, gaining its benefits: number of witchery points required to cast
it. You regain 1 witchery point at the start of
Mark of Change: Your maximum health your turn. Your maximum witchery points
increases by 1. at level 1 are equal to your Intellect score.
As you gain levels in this class, you gain a
Mark of Dread: Your death threshold is bonus to your witchery point maximum.
improved by 1. Additionally, you gain This bonus is listed in the ‘Witchery Points
advantage on resistance tests against Maximum’ column of the class table. The
becoming poisoned. minimum witchery point maximum you can
have if not maintaining any spells is 1. At
Mark of Ruin: The interference this level you know two spells, and can learn
penalty for performing witchcraft more through class focuses.
while wearing armour is reduced by
1. Additionally, you gain advantage If you fall unconscious or die, then any ongoing
on resistance tests against becoming witchcraft you have performed immediately
drained. ends.
Mark of Trickery: During your turn Whenever a spell asks you to make a witchery
you ignore zone of control. Additionally, test, you do so with your intellect. You are
you gain advantage on resistance tests trained in witchery tests. Any damage dealt
against becoming charmed. from a spell is considered ensorcelled. Any
damage dealt by a spell can be avoided by a
Witchcraft successful protection test as usual, unless the
spell says otherwise.
At level 1 you have made an unholy pact,
binding your soul to the ephemeral dark in
exchange for mysterious powers. You gain
access to witchcraft: arcane and formidable
78
The spells you know at this level are: you are able to bend magic to accomplish your
goal without the needed tools. You complete
Spell: Arcane Bolt (Cost 1) whatever task the tool or supplies were being
used for, but they are not consumed. You can
As an action on your turn, you generate a
use this ability twice, and regain all expended
bolt of arcane force. Choose one creature you
uses of this ability when you complete a day
can see within 30 metres of you and make
of rest.
a witchcraft test. On a success, that creature
receives 1 wound. If you gain the ability to
Class Focus
create multiple bolts with this spell, then you
choose targets for each bolt independently. At level 2 you begin to focus your arcane
studies. You can choose two different
Spell: Detect Sorcery (Cost 1) Occultist class focuses, gaining their benefits
immediately. One of your selections must be
As an action on your turn, you feel out the a basic focus. The other can be any which you
flow of magic. For 1 minute you can see meet the pre-requisite for. You can choose
any magic within 40 metres of you, what two additional class focuses following these
domain it is from (if applicable). Additionally, same requirements at levels 4, 6, 8, and 10.
whenever a creature within 40 metres of you
performs witchcraft, you learn what spell Class focuses are listed at the end of the class
they are about to cast before it is performed. description.
You may only cast this spell a number of
times per day equal to your intellect score. Dark Gift (Lower)
At level 3 you receive your first twisted boon.
Malleable Magic
Choose any one of the following benefits,
At level 2 you have gained a greater which take effect after a night of agonising
understanding of the flow of raw magic, transformation:
enough to occasionally shape it to unorthodox
Avian Legs: You gain the thin legs of
or unintended purposes. Whenever you
a bird. You gain advantage on agility
would consume a tool or supplies, you can
tests to move silently or retain your
instead make a witchery test. On a success,
balance.
79
Amphibian Legs: You gain the mighty Dark Gift (Upper)

muscles of a frog or toad. You gain a
At level 5 you receive your second dark gift.
swimming speed of 20 metres, and
can additionally use 10 metres of
which take effect after a night of agonising
movement to leap up to 10 metres in
transformation:
any direction.
Avian Wings: Your arms become black

Cloven-Hooved Legs: You gain the legs
wings. You gain a flying speed of 20
of a goat or similar animal. Your
metres. You can no longer use these
movement speed increases by 10
limbs as normal, but can still use them
metres.
to perform witchcraft.
Rodent Tail: You gain the tail of a rat.

Amphibian Air Sack: You gain a large air
You can use this tail as if it was an
sack in your throat like an amphibian.
additional hand, but cannot use it
You can hold your breath for 1 hour.
to hold a shield, use magic items, or
perform miracles or witchcraft. You
Cloven-Hooved Fists: Your arms become
can only use weapons with the tail if
furred and your hands shift into
it has the light trait, and tail attacks
cloven-hooves. You become trained
follow the same rules for wielding two
in unarmed attacks, they inflict 1
weapons.
wound on a successful hit and have
the armour piercing trait. Creatures do
Attribute Improvement not gain the +2 bonus to protection
At level 4 your expeditions have left their tests against your unarmed attacks.
mark of experience upon you. Increase any You can no longer use these hands as
one attribute by one step, to a maximum normal hands, but can still use them
of +4 (extraordinary). You gain this benefit to perform witchcraft.
again at level 8.
Rodent Claws: You gain the dextrous
claws of a rat or mouse. You get
advantage on agility tests involving
80
sleight of hand, picking locks, start of your next turn. Damage from
pickpocketing, etc. this ability ignores protection tests.
You can use this ability a number
Arcane Might of times equal to your intellect score,
regaining all uses after a day of rest.
At level 6 your arcane powers have grown
more formidable. Resistance tests made
Furred Skin: Your skin is covered in a
against witchcraft you perform suffer a -1
thick, tough fur. You gain a +1 bonus
penalty. Additionally, whenever you cast the
to your protection score.
‘Arcane Bolt’ spell, you create an additional
bolt. Rodent Body: You gain the collapsible
form of a rodent. Your entire body
Dark Gift (Torso) can flex itself to fit through any space
At level 7 your entire torso is altered to better that your head can fit through without
align with the will of the Darker Powers. effort. Additionally, you gain advantage
Choose any one of the following benefits, on escaping grapples or throws.

transformation: Dark Gift (Head)
At level 9 you receive your last transforming
Avian Torso: You gain the light body of
dark gift – one that changes your entire head.
a bird. Your fall threshold is increased
Such a level of dark power is rarely attained.
by 20 metres.
Amphibian Skin: Your skin becomes
transformation:
coated in a dangerous toxin, like many
frogs. Whenever you touch a creature,
Avian Head: You gain the head of a bird.
or when a creature hits you with a
You can see clearly up to 1 kilometre away
melee attack, you can choose to force
and breathe in high altitudes without issue.
that creature to make a resistance test.
When you roll initiative, you can choose to
On a failure, that creature receives 1
automatically succeed. Once you use this
wound and becomes poisoned until the
81
ability you cannot do so again until you witchery test. On a success, you learn 1 secret
complete a day of rest. about that creature. Once you use this ability
you cannot do so again until you complete a
Amphibian Head: You gain the head of an day of rest.
amphibian. You can breathe and see normally
while underwater. During your turn you can High Arcana
make an attack test against a creature you
At level 10 you have been gifted with a high
can see within 6 metres of you without using
arcana – a piece of witchcraft closely tied to
an action, using a coiled tongue to strike
the four main pillars of the Darker Powers.
them. This attack is made with advantage.
After casting an arcana, you cannot do so
This attack inflicts 2 wounds, and creatures
again until you complete a day of rest. Choose
who receive damage from this attack also
any one of the following spells, learning it
become poisoned until the start of your next
immediately:
turn. Once you use this ability you cannot
do so again until you complete a day of rest.
Spell: Arcana of Change (Cost 8)
Goat Head: You gain the head of a goat or

As an action you revitalise the foundational
similar creature. You can see through smoke,
structure of a creature. Choose a creature
ash filled air, fog, hail, heavy rain, or other
you can see within 10 metres of you. That
similarly obscuring environmental factors. As
creature is restored to its usual health
an action you can exhale flame. All creatures
maximum, it recovers all critical wounds,
in a 6 metre cone starting from you must
and all conditions currently affecting that
make a resistance test, receiving 2 wounds
creature immediately end.
on a failure, or 1 wound on a success. Once
you use this ability you cannot do so again Spell: Arcana of Dread (Cost 8)
until you complete a day of rest.
As an action you call upon the spirits of
Rodent Head: You gain the head of a rodent. the damned to aid you. Within 40 metres
You can see normally regardless of light level. of you in places you can see, you can either
As an action you can choose a creature you summon, up to 6 minor threat creatures, 2
can see within 20 metres of you and make a moderate threat creatures, or 1 moderate
82
threat creature and 3 minor threat creatures. wounds which ignore protection tests, and
All summoned creatures must be from the does not receive the ongoing damage.
domain of dread. During your turn, you may
issue a simple command to any number of Spell: Arcana of Trickery (Cost 8)
these summoned creatures. The creatures
As an action you begin to blur the lines
obey your commands and act on your turn,
between illusion and reality. For 1 minute,
carrying out the given instruction until it is
whenever you would suffer any number of
completed or they die. The creatures remain
wounds from any source, you can choose to
for 1 hour, at which point they are reduced
receive no wounds instead. You can use the
to ash. Your witchery point maximum is
ability from this spell once per day without
reduced by 4 while any remain.
any penalties. Each additional time you use
Spell: Arcana of Ruin (Cost 8) the ability from this spell your witchery
point maximum is reduced by 1 until you
As an action you draw upon the black flames complete a day of rest.
of the abyss to scorch your foes. Choose a
creature you can see within 100 metres of Class Focuses
you. That creature must make a resistance
The following are your options of class
test as black flames sprout over its body. If
focuses at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Whenever
the creature fails, then it receives 4 wounds
you gain class focuses, you select two choices.
which ignore protection tests. Additionally,
One choice must be a basic focus. The other
if it fails the initial resistance test, it must
choice can either be a different basic focus,
attempt additional resistance tests at the
or a branched focus. To learn a branched
beginning of each of its turns, receiving an
focus, you must either choose the first focus,
additional 2 wounds which ignores protection
tests on a failure. It must continue to make
these tests at the beginning of its turn until
it either passes a resistance test against this
effect or dies. If the creature succeeds on the
initial resistance test, it instead receives 2
83
Basic Focuses Quick
Brave You become trained in initiative tests.
You have advantage on resistance tests against Quiet

The penalty you incur from the noisy armour
Fortunate trait is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.
Once per day you may re-roll any test that Resilient
you make. You must use the new result.
You can benefit from an additional brief rest
Healer per day.
Using an action on your turn, you can Swimming

a creature you can touch. If you are trained You gain a swimming speed of 10 metres.
in medicine you restore 2 health instead. A
creature can only regain health from this Tough
ability once per day.
Improved Initiative
Twin Cast
Whenever you cast the ‘Arcane Bolt’ spell,
Unfettered Sorcery you create an additional bolt.
The interference penalty for performing Unyielding

witchcraft while wearing armour or holding
a shield is reduced by 1. Your death threshold is improved by 1.
84
Knowledgeable* Domain of Dread
Choose any knowledge skill you are not trained 1. Initiate of Dread

You learn the ‘Spectral Hands’ spell, and two
Sociable* other spells of your choice from the Domain

of Dread.
with. You become trained in that skill. 2. Acolyte of Dread
Weapon Training* You learn three additional spells of your

choice from the Domain of Dread.
with. You become trained with those weapons. 3. Speaker of Dread
You learn four additional spells of your choice

Branched Focuses
from the Domain of Dread.
Domain of Change
Domain of Ruin
1. Initiate of Change
1. Initiate of Ruin
You learn the ‘Subtle Alteration’ spell, and
two other spells of your choice from the You learn the ‘Ruinous Rebuke’ spell, and
Domain of Change. two other spells of your choice from the
Domain of Ruin.
2. Acolyte of Change
2. Acolyte of Ruin
You learn three additional spells of your
choice from the Domain of Change. You learn three additional spells of your
choice from the Domain of Ruin.
3. Speaker of Change

from the Domain of Change.
85
3. Speaker of Ruin

from the Domain of Ruin.
Domain of Trickery
1. Initiate of Trickery
You learn the ‘Foggify’ spell, and two other

spells of your choice from the Domain of
Trickery.
2. Acolyte of Trickery
You learn three additional spells of your

choice from the Domain of Trickery.
3. Speaker of Trickery

from the Domain of Trickery.
86
Multi-Classing
At your GM’s approval, you may multi-class in Wardens. There are a few important rules to
keep in mind when multi-classing, which are explained below:
Firstly, your character level is equal to all of your class levels combined, and your character
level can never go above 10. For example, if you made a character with 2 levels in Knight
and 1 level in Herald, then it would have a character level of 3. A character with 9 levels in
Knight could take an additional level in Herald, making them a level 10 character, but could
not take any more levels afterwards.
You write your character’s levels in the order which you got them, and list them after a ‘/’
between each class. For example, a character with 2 levels in Knight and 1 level in Herald
would be written as Knight 2/Herald 1.
You can multi-class between as many or as few classes as you wish, as long as they do not
exceed a character level of 10. For example, our Knight 2/Herald 1 could take a level in
Freelancer. This would make them a Knight 2/Herald 1/Freelancer 1.
When you multi-class, you gain levels and all abilities from the class you are multi-classing
into as normal, except your new class’s ‘Training’ class ability at level 1. You only ever get the
‘Training’ class ability from your starting class.
Additionally, when choosing class focuses, you cannot choose the same basic class focus
from different classes, unless they are able to be taken repeatedly by that class. For example,
if your Knight 2/Herald 1 gained another level in Herald, and already had the ‘Quiet’ class
focus, then you could not choose that focus again. If, however, you had already chosen the
‘Knowledgeable’ class focus as a Knight, then you could choose it again at Herald 2 since it is
repeatable for both classes.
87
CH A P T ER 3
Identity
W ardens are more than just their ability to slay monsters. All of these people are
unique, have their own unique identity. The following sections outline suggestions for
a character’s personality traits, ideals, and flaws, as well as a list of potential origins which
defined their earlier life.
Whatever you decide for your traits, ideals, and flaws, it should be something that you pay
attention to and consider carefully. You will have a much easier and more enjoyable experience
roleplaying as your character if you understand these aspects of them well, and nothing makes
a character boring faster than ignoring these things.
Personality Traits
A character’s personality trait or traits represent what is most immediately apparent about
that person, or their most notable characteristic. It should not be taken as their single defining
trait, but rather as their most defining trait. Players may choose from the given suggestions,
determine their personalities randomly, or create their own. This is the section of the rules
in which players should be granted the utmost freedom.
Keep in mind that some personality traits may not suit certain stories. For example, if your
group is playing a campaign about putting heathens to the sword and slaking the land with
blood, it is unlikely that a character who is obsessed with flower arranging will be a good fit.
It’s not impossible, and in many cases these contrasts can also be intriguing and fulfilling.
88
Be sure to discuss character personalities with your GM and group to come up with suitable
and interesting ideas.
When writing personality traits, try to come up with two distinct traits. This gives your
character much more depth than a single trait.
Ideals and Goals

A character’s ideals can represent either a philosophical belief that they hold or an overarching
goal. The purpose of ideals is to ensure that your character has something that they fight
for or are striving to achieve. Proactive characters are usually more engaging in a story and
easier to cater to as a GM. It can also help add much needed direction to stories which may
otherwise be lacking it. Your character’s ideals and goals should become a shorthand to know
how they would behave in a given scenario, what they would do if left to their own devices,
and what occupies their productive free time.
Flaws
No-one is perfect. A character’s flaws highlight their largest deficiency or weakness. It is
important to note that character flaws are not meant to be tied strictly to their mechanical
scores. For example, a character should not generally have a flaw such as “I am very weak”.
This is already covered by the attributes, and is also much less interesting than a flaw such
as “I’m terrified of things I can’t understand”. The latter example gives the GM and players a
much more interesting set of potential situations to test this flaw. It’s a good idea to consider
your character’s flaws and play into them during the game. A flawed character is generally
much more interesting than one without them.
89
Chapter 3 - Personality, Ideals, And Flaws
Personality, Ideals, and Flaws
Wardens is designed to permit you great flexibility in your character concept and execution.
Even so, it can help to have a springboard as a starting point to better refine your character.
This appendix lists several tables with potential personality traits, ideals, and flaws, for your
characters.
You can choose any of the following, or one of your own creation.
If you wish to randomise your starting personality traits, ideals, and flaws, then you may roll
two 6 sided dice and consult the following tables. It is important to note that these are not
2d6 tables, but rather a ‘d66’. To roll on such a table, either roll both your d6s separately, or
designate one as the ‘tens’ and the other as the ‘units’. Combine the first and second dice for
your result. For example, if you rolled a ‘2’ and then a ‘4’, your result would be ‘24’.
Personality Traits
First, roll 2d6. If you roll a ‘1’, ‘2’, or ‘3’, then roll your d66 on the first table. If you roll a ‘4’,
‘5’, or ‘6’, consult the second table. If you roll the same result twice, re-roll it until you get
another.
90
Table ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’.
11 I do whatever I think is right in the 41 Everyone should be addressed as befits

moment. their station, no higher, no lower.
12 Life is challenging and dour. Why do 42 You should strive to look on the bright
we even bother clinging to it? side of life. Things could always be
worse.
13 The truth is more important than a 43 I spend most nights reading by
person’s feelings. candlelight.
14 I admire ancient heroes and think of 44 I’m a proud multi-tasker, it isn’t even
their exploits often. that hard if you give it a proper try.
15 I always try to find the diplomatic 45 I’m early to rise and early to bed.
solution first. Excessive drinking and parties were
never my thing.
16 I often think about what lies beyond 46 I’ll drink anyone under the table, and
the horizon, or across the crest of the enjoy every moment of doing so.
sea.
21 I’m jovial and joking, even when it isn’t 51 Only within numbers is there proper
really appropriate. order.
22 I love putting my talents to use. 52 If you are not someone I already know
of, you’re probably not worth knowing.
23 Lies and deception are the tools of 53 I’m a recluse, and rarely leave my own
cowards – I do not use them. quarters without good reason.
24 I will always give a piece of my bread 54 It always pays to be prepared.
to the starving or a coin to the beggars.
25 I always put on a brave face, no matter 55 I structure every day in the same way,
what I’m actually feeling. and am loathe to break the structure I
have devised.
91
26 My expression is unreadable and stoic. 56 The buffoons around me would be far

more useful if they’d just do what I
told them to.
31 Words are cheap and I care not for 61 I’ll always lend a hand if one is needed.
them. Actions are what I listen to.
32 ‘Fair’ is a concept made by the mighty 62 The world is so much larger than the
to remain so. I don’t care for it. cities most people spend their whole
lives in.
33 Knowledge is the greatest form of 63 I’m always the life of the party.
wealth a person can have.
34 If a villain sins once, it is enough to 64 If there’s money in it, I’ll do it.
condemn him. If permitted he will
only do so again.
35 I was born lucky. 65 I’ve already dodged the hangman’s
noose once. I’m not risking it again.
36 I always look to what others have 66 Any problem can be overcome
achieved and compare myself. with enough thought and careful
consideration.
Table ‘4’, ‘5’, ‘6’.
11 Creativity is the single most important 41 I live and die by my honour. Insult it at
human trait. your peril.
12 I enjoy crushing my foes ruthlessly 42 My heart is already taken, and I would
and utterly. do anything for the one who holds my
affections.
13 My experiences have granted me 43 I’m not above deception or cheap tricks.
much wisdom, which I spout at any
opportunity.
92
14 My mind is constantly constructing 44 The brave and the stupid die young. I
plots and schemes to further my own intend to live a long life.
goals.
15 My word is my bond. 45 I am best when I am co-operating with
others, working together for a common
goal.
16 The straightforward approach is 46 The only people who don’t care about
usually the best one. appearances are the ugly ones.
21 I love being the centre of attention, 51 I love to learn new things. The more
and find it tough to stay out of the obscure, the better.
limelight for long.
22 The most interesting people are the 52 I’ve been known to stare at people.
passionate ones, I could listen to them
for hours.
23 Every meal is better when shared 53 I try my best to lead by example, whatever
with friends. the issue at hand.
24 Everybody deserves a second chance, 54 I despise violence, but I fight so that my
no matter who they are, no matter descendants do not have to.
what they have done.
25 I consider myself to be firm, but fair. 55 I will always place myself in front of
harm before any others.
26 Cards, dice, horses, dogfights, 56 Erudite individuals such as myself best
whatever it is, I’m placing a bet! discuss matters with a certain decorum.
31 There is bloody work that needs to be 61 I’m always willing to lend an ear and
done, and I am here to do it. listen to someone’s problems.
32 I play my cards close to my chest. You 62 My voice can be heard clearly across a
never know what could go wrong or packed beer hall.
who’s listening.
33 I will succeed or fail on my own 63 My clothes are far too expensive to
merits. tolerate mud or muck.
93
34 I’d sell my own mother for a few 64 My curiosity regularly gets the better of
pieces of silver, if she was worth that me.
much.
35 Once you have betrayed my trust, you 65 Everything is an opportunity waiting to
will never earn it again. be seized.
36 Most people frustrate me. 66 Love is my greatest driving force, its joys
and hardships a wellspring of purpose.
Ideals
Roll your d66 and consult the following table.
11 I will die old, fat, famed, and rich. 41 I was wronged a long time ago. I will see
it righted.
12 I’m going to write the greatest novel 42 My exploits will become the greatest
the world has ever seen! source of inspiration the bards have ever
had.
13 I’m on the verge of some great 43 There’s got to be some cause out there
scientific discovery, I can just feel it! that needs me, somewhere I can make a
difference.
14 The love of my life is engaged to 44 I’d love to settle down and become a
another. I must win their heart. humble shopkeep, selling all sorts of odds
and ends.
15 I am bound by something beyond my 45 A member of my family is suffering from
power. I only want to taste a breath a stubborn illness. I must see them better.
of free air.
16 People should not be divided by 46 My station comes with both privileges
kingdom or country. We are all as and responsibilities. I must prove I am
one to the Maker. worthy.
21 The True Faith is all that matters. I 51 The heist of the century is calling to me,
must preach it proudly. I can feel it.
94
22 I gave a terrible order in the past and 52 The map of the world remains incomplete,
many people died. I have to make and I want to make a significant
recompense. contribution.
23 Education is the surest path to 53 I will secure for myself the highest station
enlightenment and betterment of in the land.
one’s self.
24 My body is a weapon. My purpose is 54 My family’s name has long been raked
to slay the monsters others flee from. through the mud. I will see it restored.
25 Our understanding of history outside 55 Someone stole an important heirloom
our borders is severely lacking. I will from me. I must reclaim it.
fix that.
26 I was born with nothing. I will make 56 So long as one damned creature of the
something of myself, no matter the Darker Powers remains, my work is
cost. unfinished.
31 I’ll consider myself successful once 61 The secrets of the world must be mine, by
the greatest halls are full of applause whatever means.
for my deeds.
32 The powers that be are old and 62 My companions will succeed together, or
decrepit. They must be swept aside die trying.
for a new path.
33 My best years are behind me. I must 63 My family depends on me. If I don’t put
now aid those who remain. bread on the table, who will?
34 Occultists are unfairly maligned by 64 A parent left me with a clue to a ‘heretical’
society. I must improve public opinion. text. I must find it.
35 Wealth is the best measure of success. 65 I was posed a question by a now deceased
colleague. It remains unanswered.
36 I have uncovered a terrible secret 66 The ultimate authority is force, and I
about my sovereign. It must be wish to have as much of it as can be had.
brought to light.
95
Flaws
Roll your d66 and consult the following table.
11 I’m uncompromising in my beliefs. It 41 I can never leave something alone. If it’s

has lost me many friends. there, I’ll mess with it.
12 I’m quick to anger and slow to calm 42 I’ll argue over just about anything for
down. just about any reason.
13 I am immensely superstitious, black 43 I rarely, if ever, make up my own mind.
cats and broken mirrors are my worst
enemies.
14 I’m never the one at fault. 44 I speak plainly and find it difficult to
modify my speech.
15 Other people’s privacy is not something 45 I don’t care if you’re a peasant, a noble,
I care much about. or the king. I’m not bowing.
16 When presented with any significant 46 I always have something to complain
choice, I become paralysed with about.
indecision.
21 I really couldn’t care if humanity as a 51 I’m easily confused by complex orders
whole survives or perishes. or long words.
22 My enemies are less than human 52 Nothing is more important to me than
anyway, why shouldn’t I enjoy drawing my own wellbeing.
out their death?
23 I can’t stand waiting around. What is 53 I’m my own harshest critic. I am never
taking so damn long? enough.
24 I lie as easily as I breathe. 54 I’m immensely clumsy, don’t trust me
to carry anything important.
25 I rely on the views of others to derive 55 I am incredibly petty.
my self-worth.
96
26 Don’t ask me to remember anything, it 56 Once my mind is made up, my decision

will be forgotten. is final.
31 I’m as stubborn as an ox and twice as 61 Though I mingle with others, they are
crude. far, far beneath me.
32 Be it from an open treasury or a beggar’s 62 My moods change like the wind.
hat, if there’s an unguarded coin, I’ll
take it.
33 The opposite sex terrifies me more than 63 If I don’t have to do something, I won’t.
any beast or monstrosity.
34 Some say I am too fond of the bottle. 64 I’m always anxious about meeting
new people and interacting with large
crowds.
35 I can’t keep a secret. Anything and 65 Violence is always the correct response.
everything becomes gossip.
36 I have my worldview. You can either 66 I always get the last word in. Always.
agree with it, or you can hang for all I
care.
97
Chapter 3 - Origins
Origins
Wardens don’t simply begin their journey at the point where they don the mantle of Knight or
Officer. Rather, most of them have something that they did or someone who they were before
shifting to their current occupation or path. This is your character’s origin.
What is written within an origin does not need to be set in stone, and the general assumptions
made about individuals of a given origin could be different depending on your campaign and
personal preferences. The following origins are simply suggestions, all granted to help you
better define your character. If you wish, you can skip over origins, or make your own.
Each origin grants you one knowledge skill or social skill. If you feel as though a different skill
would better fit your character, you can simply switch them out. Origins are also useful tools
for working out if a character would know how to do something not outlined in a class. For
example, a sailor can obviously control a ship to some extent and tie knots. A performer
knows areas that are more likely to attract attention, and a bureaucrat likely knows if a
contract is misleading. In general, common sense is used as the main defining aspect as to
whether a character would or wouldn’t have experience with something. As always, your GM
is the ultimate authority on this matter.
If an origin grants you the same knowledge skill or social skill that you already gain from your
class, then simply pick a different skill to become trained with instead.
If you wish to make your own origin, you can easily do so. Be sure to mention the idea to
your GM before finalising the character, so that they can help you expand on it and make it
better fit the game you’ll be playing.
98
Artist Bureaucrat
Overview Overview
You are a somewhat skilled artist, proficient All but the most primitive societies have
in one or more creative fields. Be it in prose, some form of bureaucracy. Permissions,
poetry, music, portraiture, or some other discussions, and signing the dotted line are
pursuit, you both understand and appreciate all required components for running a system
art. Although your role does not produce of government. Even those who intend to
bullets or put food on the table directly, art subvert the proper methods must understand
is the flair that sustains and nurtures life that which they want to evade. Whether
beyond the bare minimum. Your creativity you were a career politician, propogandist,
is not channelled into entertaining or assistant, or simple note-taker, you have a
performing for others, but rather to create familiarity with the moving gears of society
that one masterpiece or heighten your field. that others cannot truly appreciate.
Knowledge Skill: Art Knowledge Skill: Law
Builder Courtier
Overview
Overview
You are a member of a royal, noble, or
One of the oldest jobs in the world,
mercantile court. Though far fewer in
builders are needed to construct anything
numbers than before the current calamity,
from a small house to a centre of mass
there are still movers and shakers behind the
production. Whether a bricklayer, labourer,
scenes who lean on gossip and subterfuge
or architect, your experience around
to advance the agendas of their clients or a
building sites, considerations of building,
personal aim. Though definitely places of
and hours of construction have left you more
business decisions, this is not the realm of
knowledgeable about structures in general.
dull paperwork. Rather, you understand how
important your word selection can be, and
Knowledge Skill: Architecture
are able to say exactly what you mean to
99
Chapter 3 - Origins
exactly who you want, always conscious of your reasons behind why you do what you
unwelcome listeners. do, and are not one to adhere to any kind of
regulation with strict discipline.
Social Skill: Subtlety
Social Skill: Deception
Craftsman
Overview
Delver
You are skilled in some productive activity. Overview
Be it smithing, cooking, carpentry, or some Within the darker corners of society and
other discipline, you have honed your skills through its black market underbelly there
to the point that you can make something are those who pursue the forbidden forms
decent and appreciable by others. Regardless of knowledge. Whether for the betterment
of your chosen pursuit, you employ tools of others or for more selfish purposes, these
in its execution, and thus have a keener individuals may find themselves learning
understanding of how things mechanically a great deal about the Darker Powers and
function, which tools do what, and how to the arcane forces prevalent throughout the
apply them than others. world, and kept as secrets for a reason.
Knowledge Skill: Mechanics Knowledge Skill: Occultism
Criminal
Envoy
Overview Overview
You are a criminal of some description. You Diplomats and negotiators are a rare
regularly breach the accepted laws of the commodity, and thus highly prized. Being
land, be they officially set in stone, or the skilled with words can usually get you
commonly accepted cultural agreements of further than the implementation of force, and
a tribe. Your crimes could be minor, such appeasing political opponents can even grant
as theft or anonymously publishing scandal, yourself more power. You are a smooth talker,
or they could be major, such as arson and messenger, or in the employ of a government
murder. Whatever your crimes, you have tasked with discussing affairs with others or
100
passing along messages. Whatever manner of skilled with medical practices and proficient
your experience, you are adept at diplomatic in stemming bleeding, treating wounds, and
negotiation. identifying ailments. In many cases the role
of medic is thrust upon someone when a
Social Skill: Persuasion family member or friend is gravely injured,
and their immediate actions become critical.
Farmer
Overview
Knowledge Skill: Medicine
Working the land is not an easy occupation Merchant

– but a necessary one. The larger population Overview
centres of the world rely on farmers to provide
their food, and although often overlooked, You made your living buying and selling
farmers are an integral part of society. Your wares within a storefront or marketplace.
time as a farmer, cattle rounder, or simple Be it groceries or luxury goods, you have a
helping hand, has shown you that life is keen understanding of how money works,
difficult, and that nothing comes without and better yet how to make it work to your
honest, hard work. You have also learned a advantage. You might have been a hard
great deal about the customs and beliefs of working market hawker, crying out your
the common people, a great deal of which bargains in competition with others, or a
hold some wisdom or kernel of truth. refined salesperson, adept at tailoring your
service to your high-class clientele. Either
Knowledge Skill: Folklore way, the core of your history revolves around
money and profit.
Medic
Overview
Knowledge Skill: Commerce
Humans have a tremendous ability to Noble

recover from injury, but a great many of Overview
those wounds would be fatal or crippling
without dedicated medics and their skills. Be You were one of the lucky few to be born
it as a nurse, doctor, or first-aider, you are into one of the upper castes – a noble. While
101
Chapter 3 - Origins
most have minimal access to healthcare, Performer

schooling, or wealth, you likely have it in Overview
spades. Nobility is a complex thing, however,
and you have numerous responsibilities You are an entertainer of sorts. You utilise
pressed upon you. You could be a member feats of strength, dance, or voice, to perform
of a new noble family, or an ancient lineage. for audiences. You might be a travelling
Either way, your actions and the way you musician, a member of a circus, or a part
carry yourself do not simply reflect you, but of a troupe of other skilled individuals.
also your family, and should be weighted as Throughout your time performing you
such. have learned tricks to win over a crowd or
sell a performance. Whether you’re invited
Knowledge Skill: History to courts as a jester, or simply move from
hamlet to hamlet, the applause is your truest
Outlander
form of payment.
Overview
Social Skill: Performance
You live on the fringe of the civilised world, or
entirely in the wilderness, far from any large Preacher
population centres. You may be a member of Overview
a tribe, an outcast, or a wanderer. Regardless
of your circumstances, you’re much more in While the few chosen Heralds are direct
tune with nature and the world around you conduits for the divine, the vast majority of
than others. Perhaps you shun the bigger those that administer to the population are
cities, and would much rather spend your simply preachers and priests. You’re learned
nights under the stars, hunting for meals in the ways of the True Faith, its tenets,
day by day. Whatever your relations with the its rites, and its ceremonies. While being a
world, your long time outside of the general preacher does not grant you holy powers, it
populace have granted you certain skills. does make you an authority of the faith. You
could be a wealthy, higher ranking member
Knowledge Skill: Nature of the clergy, a village priest, or a pilgrim
undergoing a journey. Regardless of your
102
circumstance, faith is an essential aspect of hardship. You might have been a mercenary
your life. or a palace guard. Whatever the specifics, a
past life filled with violence is useful when
Knowledge Skill: Religion you want to get your own way, or just scare
someone you don’t like.
Scholar
Overview
Social Skill: Intimidation
You are a dedicated scholar. A learned

Urchin
individual focused on the accruement of
Overview
knowledge and expanding your mental
horizons, you’ve read many a book in Below even the peasant class, you are a street
your time. While the specifics of complex urchin. The poorest of the poor, surviving as
mathematical theory may sound boring to long as you have is a rarity, and only possible
most people, you find them charming. You because of your cunning, guile, or will to
might be a tutor, a wizened librarian, or a thief live. A beggar or a pauper, you somehow
who obtains rare information. Regardless of scrounged together the resources to escape
your speciality, you understand keenly the your life of poverty, and would be loath to
importance of a reliable source, and are an return there. You do not have a connection to
expert with the written word. nature like outlanders do, as it never helped
you survive. You have a keen set of eyes and
Knowledge Skill: Investigation
ears, and exploit any opportunity you get.
Soldier
Social Skill: Discernment
Overview
You’re a member of a militia, army, or

other military organisation. You might have
been an armed combatant, or part of their
supporting crew. Either way, you’ve been in
your fair share of fights, and know a thing
or two about managing groups and enduring
103
CH A P T ER 4
Equipment
T he human body is impressive in many ways, but the defining strength of humanity is
their ability to craft tools, thus granting themselves enormous advantages in whatever
pursuit they choose. Expecting frequent peril, it is prudent for wardens to arm and armour
themselves appropriately for the threats which they readily face.
Carrying Equipment
There are no rigid rules for carrying capacity within Wardens, and the final say is the purview
of the GM. In general, if somebody wants to carry equipment, then within reason they simply
can. A Knight, for example, may carry two main weapons, a shield, a spare dagger, several
dozen coins, some rations, torches, tools, and other supplies without great issue. It is only
when the amount of equipment begins to become absurd that it should be considered. For
example, if the same Knight from before wanted to also carry fifteen arquebuses and four
thousand coins on his person, he would be unable to. If a player can reasonably explain how
their character is carrying their equipment, then it is fine.
Although there are no hard rules, characters with higher strength scores should be able to
carry more than characters with lower strength scores.
104
Currency
Coin CP SP GP
1 Copper 1 1/10 1/100
1 Silver 10 1 1/10
1 Gold 100 10 1
All currency within Wardens holds a value in copper pieces (CP), silver pieces (SP) or gold
pieces (GP). The standard unit of currency is silver, but peasants may trade in copper and
the nobility may do so in gold. Although different nations do mint different coins, a piece of
silver is a piece of silver wherever you go.
10 copper pieces make 1 silver piece, and 10 silver pieces make 1 gold piece.
It is both difficult to carry large amounts of coinage, and to convert it if not in a city with a
bank capable of doing so or accommodating merchants. Players should be well-aware of these
potential challenges.
Starting Gear
When you create your character, you receive a certain number of silver pieces (determined by
class), with which to ‘purchase’ your starting equipment before the game:
Class Starting Money

Knight 200sp
Freelancer 130sp
Officer 180sp
Herald 130sp
Occultist 70sp
You decide how your character came by this starting equipment. Your equipment might
have been purchased very recently, or could be an ancient family heirloom. It might be
105
Chapter 4 - Expedition Equipment
stolen, or otherwise obtained outside of the realms of the law. You spend as much of your
starting money as you wish, and once you have completed this stage of character creation, any
remaining money is placed in your inventory.
In addition, all characters start with a set of common clothes, a backpack (or equivalent
storage), 10 rations, 2 torches, 2 tools, and 4 supplies.
If you start at level 4 or higher, you begin with an additional 70sp per starting level above 3.
Expedition Equipment
The world cannot be conquered by thick armour and keen steel alone. Humans need food and
rest. Specialised tools are necessary to accomplish a variety of specific tasks, and good torches
are a must when facing down the sheer darkness arrayed before any group of wardens.
Fortunately, with enough preparation, wardens are more than capable of tackling these
myriad challenges.
Rations
Rations represent your accumulated food and water which will last for several days. Within
a town, a warm meal can usually be purchased for between 1 to 3 copper pieces. While
such food may be hearty and delicious, without refrigeration it is also liable to go bad rather
quickly. Add in the commonplace rough and tumble wardens go through, and it becomes an
even less appealing option. Instead, wardens purchase, gather, and prepare food which will
last for a long time.
Your character must either narratively eat (such as purchasing a meal at an inn), or consume
1 ration, in the following circumstances:
Once per day (generally recorded at the end of that day).
Whenever they benefit from a brief rest.
106
Failure to eat for a day applies the exhausted condition to the warden. If gained in this way,
the warden must consume at least 1 ration before the condition can be removed.
A single ration costs 1 silver piece. Local food supply may alter this value.
Torches
Torches are an indicator of how many expendable light sources your warden has access to.
Torches are critically important piece of a warden’s toolkit. Unlike most creatures of the
Darker Powers, humans require light to see and remain effective.
Torches require a free hand to hold. When you consume a torch, you gain it as a held item
which burns for 1 hour, and illuminates an area up to 10 metres away in every direction.
In combat, a torch acts as a light improvised weapon with flaming damage. You can drop a
torch on your turn, causing it to land in your space. If you do so, roll a d6. On a result of 1,
the torch is smothered and goes out. A torch on the ground can be picked up without any
action as long as you have a free hand to hold it.
A single torch costs 5 copper pieces.
Tools
Tools encompass all kinds of tools or similar items which a warden may conceivably use. They
can represent a hammer, rope, lockpicks, carving knives, rock pitons, pulleys, etc. Among all
intelligent creatures, humanity remains the masters when it comes to using tools, particularly
in creative, non-intentional ways.
Tools do not represent anything specific until they are used. When a tool is used, it narratively
becomes whatever you want it to become, and is consumed after providing its function.
A single tool costs 2 silver pieces.
107
Chapter 4 - Expedition Equipment
Supplies
Supplies represent a warden’s camp equipment, such as tents, ropes, cooking utensils, alarm
bells, camouflage netting, etc. Wardens regularly set up camp in actively hostile environments,
and as such require special camping gear.
Consume a set of supplies whenever you set up camp for the night. Any character who does
not use supplies during a night in the wilderness has one of the following penalties applied
to them, at the GM’s discretion:
The character slept poorly or on something hazardous or uncomfortable. The character

becomes exhausted when the next day starts.
The character’s rations were raided by wildlife. The character loses 1d6 rations.
The character’s torches were not properly stowed. The character loses 1d6 torches.
The character’s tools were not properly maintained. The character loses 1d6 tools.
Some of the character’s money was blown away by wind, stolen by subtle thieves, or
magicked away by tricksy fey. The character loses 1d6+4 silver pieces.
The night was uneventful, and while not the best night they’ve ever had, they have
suffered nothing adverse. Nothing happens to the character.
A single set of supplies costs 4 silver pieces.
108
Armour
It is prudent for those expecting trouble to seek

additional forms of protection beyond skin and
bone alone. For the sake of simplicity, armour
is broken down into light, medium, and heavy
categories. These can be stylised as you wish, and
impart universal benefits. All characters can wear
all forms of armour, although it may interfere with
casting spells and performing miracles.
Armour Training
Though armour can passively protect you, it is
far more effective for people trained with it and
comfortable in its use. You do not get training in
different levels of armour – you are either trained in
the use of armour, or not. You can gain training in
armour through certain class focuses. Being trained
with armour lets you roll 2 dice instead of 1 when
making protection tests.
Protection
Armour protects its wearer from attacks. The armour you wear influences how much
protection you have. Whenever you receive damage you may make a protection test, unless
109
Chapter 4 - Armour
the source of damage ignores them. You attempt protection tests for each instance of damage,
resolving it in order from first to last.
A protection test is done in the same way as any other test – you roll 1d6 (2d6 if you are
trained, and potentially 3d6 if you also have advantage) and add your bonuses. If your total is
7 or higher then you negate that instance of damage, being protected from it by your armour.
For protection tests the bonus you use is granted to you from your armour and/or shield.
The lowest protection score any creature can have is +0, and the highest protection score any
creature can have is +5. No matter how many factors may come into play, it is impossible to
have a protection score lower than +0 or higher than +5.
Some weapons, certain spells, and other effects may either reduce or ignore protection tests.
Noisy
While some armours do not make much noise, the heavier the armour, the louder it becomes.
You suffer a penalty to all agility tests to move silently equal to the value listed here while
wearing this armour.
Interference
While armour is useful for protecting yourself, it can also interfere with both the delicate hand
movements required for witchcraft and the clear utterances needed for miracles. Interference
applies whether you are trained with armour or not. If you are attempting to perform a
miracle, the penalty reduces your miracle test by 1 for light armour, 2 for medium armour,
or 3 for heavy armour. If you are attempting to perform witchcraft, then the witchery cost of
any spell you are attempting to cast increases by 1 for light armour or a shield, 2 for medium
armour, or 3 for heavy armour. Certain class abilities can reduce this penalty.
Protection Tests Without Armour
110
You do not make protection tests unless you have at least a +1 protection bonus. This can
occur without armour if you are using a sword and are attacked in melee (as swords have
the parry trait), if you are attacked by an unarmed attack or with an improvised weapon, or
if you are affected by magical items, miracles, or witchcraft which confer benefits to your
protection.
Armour Table
The following is a quick reference table for all armours and shields:
Armour Protection Noisy Interference Penalty Cost

Light Armour +1 0 1 50sp
Medium Armour +2 -1 2 100sp
Heavy Armour +3 -2 3 300sp
Shield +1 0 0 (miracles) / 1 (witchcraft) 20sp
111
Chapter 4 - Armour Types
Armour Types
The following are the different kinds of armour and shields in Wardens. They all have their
price listed next to their name, a description, and their different defensive bonuses. It’s up
to you to describe exactly which kind of each armour you’re using. Think about how your
character came across these pieces of armour, why they chose to use it, what it looks like, and
what it means to them.
Light Armour 50sp

Light armour is commonly used by poorer wardens to provide a modicum of protection. It
offers only minor protective benefits, but doesn’t weigh down its wearer or cost very much.
It is generally constructed of layered fabrics and some tougher materials.
Light armour has the following trait:
Protection: While wearing this armour you have a +1 protection score.
Medium Armour 100sp
Medium armour is seen with some frequency amongst wardens. It offers somewhat of a
compromise between heavy and light armours, being more affordable than heavy armour but
also more effective than lighter armour. It is usually made of chainmail, a coat of plates, or
partial plate.
Medium armour has the following traits:
Noisy: While wearing this armour you have a -1 penalty to agility tests made to move silently.
112
Heavy Armour 300sp
Heavy armour is rarely seen due to its price, but it is sought after by many. It grants the
best protective benefits, but at the cost of weighing down its wearer more substantially. It is
usually made of full or composite plate armours, layered with chainmail and tough fabrics
underneath.
Heavy armour has the following traits:
Noisy: While wearing this armour you have a -2 penalty to agility tests made to move silently.
Shield 20sp
Shields are a simple yet invaluable construction, generally cheap but reliable. A shield occupies
your off hand, and assists in defending you while held. A shield is generally made of sturdy
wood, metal, or some combination of the two.
A shield has the following trait:
Protection: While wielding a shield you gain a +1 to your protection score. This is added to
your protection bonus from other sources (such as armour), but you can only benefit from
one shield at a time.
113
Chapter 4 - Weapons
Weapons
Almost every adventurer will utilise weapons for self-

defence. The following lists the general rules for weapons,
and on the next page it will discuss the different kinds of
weapons themselves, as well as their unique traits.
Weapon Rules
Changing Weapons: You can draw, stow, or change weapons
freely on your turn, but can only do so once, and must do
so before you declare your attacks.
Accuracy: Your accuracy is your ‘to-hit’ bonus. You add

this bonus to your die roll whenever you make an attack
test. All weapons make attack tests with your strength
score as their accuracy bonus by default. The Freelancer
class can, in certain cases, use their agility score instead.
Other sources, such as miracles or special weapons, can
also affect this number.
Damage: All weapons, unless indicated otherwise, inflict

1 wound on a successful hit in which the target does not
succeed on a protection test.
114
Training: Each class provides you with reach attribute increase this area to 4 metres
different weapon training. As you progress in every direction. Certain creatures also
in character levels you can use Class Focuses have an increased zone of control based upon
to gain additional weapon training options either their size, abilities, traits, or special
if you choose. All classes have training with rules. If a creature tries to leave your zone of
clubs and daggers at minimum. As with all control without taking the ‘disengage’ action,
training, if you attack with a weapon you then you can make an immediate attack
are trained with, you roll 2d6 instead of 1d6 against it before it begins its movement. You
as your base roll. Training only effects your can only attempt this zone of control attack
accuracy, not your damage. once per Creature Phase.
Wielding Two Weapons: You can wield two Forced movement (such as from miracles or
weapons if at least one of them has the light witchcraft) does not trigger a zone of control
trait. The light weapon must be in your off attack.
hand. Wielding a second weapon permits you
one extra attack, using the off-hand weapon, If a mounted creature leaves your zone of
whenever you take the ‘attack’ action on control without taking the ‘disengage’ action,
your turn. No matter how many attacks you then you can choose to target the mount or
are permitted in your turn, you can only the rider with your attack.
ever make a single attack with your second
Ranged Weapons in Melee: If you attempt a
weapon (so, if you were a Knight that could
ranged weapon attack while within a hostile
make 2 attacks, you would make 2 attacks
creature’s zone of control, you do so with
and then an additional attack with your
disadvantage.
second weapon, for a total of 3 attacks, but
would not be able to attack 2 times with
both).
Zone of Control: Every creature has a zone of

control around themselves. This zone of control
extends 2 metres in every direction around
every creature. Weapons which grant the
115
Chapter 4 - Weapons
Melee Weapon Table

The following is a quick reference table for all melee weapons:
Weapon Damage Traits Cost

Axe 2 wounds Keen 60sp
Great Axe 3 wounds Great Weapon, Keen, Two-Handed 100sp
Club 1 wound Ubiquitous 5sp
Dagger 1 wound Concealable, Light, Thrown 20sp
Mace 1 wound Armour Piercing 60sp
Warhammer 2 wounds Great Weapon, Armour Piercing, Two- 100sp
Handed
Spear 1 wound Reach 60sp
Halberd 2 wounds Great Weapon, Reach, Two-Handed 100sp
Sword 1 wound Parry 60sp
Great Sword 2 wounds Great Weapon, Parry, Two-Handed 100sp
Ranged Weapon Table

The following is a quick reference table for all ranged weapons:
Weapon Damage Range Traits Cost

Arquebus 2 wounds 60m Ammunition, Firearm, Range (60m), 100sp
Reload, Two-Handed
Pistol 2 wounds 30m Ammunition, Firearm, Light, Point 140sp
Blank, Range (30m), Reload
Bow 1 wound 120m Ammunition, Range (120m), Two- 80sp
Handed
Crossbow 1 wound 100m Ammunition, Armour Piercing, Loading, 80sp
Range (100m), Two-Handed
116
Weapon Types
The following are the different kinds of weapons in Wardens. They all have their price listed
opposite to their name, a description, and their different weapon traits. It’s up to you to
describe exactly which kind of each weapon you’re using – is your sword an elegant rapier, or
a large two-handed longsword? Is your spear a standard issue militia weapon, or one used by
the crown guard? Think about how your character came across this weapon, why they chose
to wield it, and what it means to them, or says about their personality. All weapons are one-
handed, unless it says otherwise.
Melee Weapons
Melee weapons are designed to be used in close-quarter combat and include axes, maces, and
swords among others. These weapons are durable and do not need ammunition, but equally
cannot be used at any great distance. All melee weapons are listed below:
Axe 60sp
Axes are made with a bladed weapon head attached to a, typically wooden, haft. They can
be comfortably wielded in one hand, or occasionally two as the situation demands. Axes
have immense cutting potential, as the force of the swing is located towards the majority of
the mass and localised over a sharp cutting edge. Axes are durable and versatile weapons
capable of breaking both lumber and limb.
All axes have the following traits:
Keen: This weapon’s base damage is 2 wounds instead of 1.
117
Chapter 4 - Weapon Types
Great Axe 100sp
A great axe is essentially an upscaled regular axe. It has a larger, heavier cutting head and a
longer haft necessitating the use of two hands on the weapon. Like other such two-handed
weapons, it can blow through an opponent’s guard with ease and inflicts much greater injury
on a successful hit.
A great axe acts as an axe with the following changes:
Great Weapon: This weapon inflicts an additional wound on a successful hit.
Two-Handed: This weapon requires you to hold it with two hands to use it.
Club 5sp
A club is a one-handed blunt instrument used to strike an opponent nearby. It is an incredibly
simple weapon, and while there are carved clubs, almost anything can be used as a club in a
pinch. Whether a chair leg, a piece of timber, or something else heavy, clubs can come in a
variety of shapes and sizes.
All clubs have the following traits:
Ubiquitous: The concept of this weapon is incredibly simple. A great many things can be
considered a ‘club’, such as a gnarled stick, a hefty chair leg, a bar of metal, a wide number
of tools, etc. Whenever you use such a weapon, it counts as a ‘club’ instead of an improvised
weapon. Your GM, as usual, has final say over what can count as a ‘club’.
Dagger 20sp
A dagger is a short, double-edged weapon designed for stabbing or cutting. Daggers are worn
by almost everyone, have a wide range of practical uses outside of combat, are light to carry,
and still readily deadly. Their biggest advantages are their ease of use, light weight, and
118
concealability.
All daggers have the following traits:
Concealable: This weapon can be easily concealed due to its construction or size. You gain
advantage on any tests made to hide it on your person.
Light: This weapon is easily held in one hand, allowing you to hold it in your off hand instead
of a shield (see above – wielding two weapons).
Thrown: You can throw this weapon at creatures within 20 metres of you, treating it as a
ranged attack test.
Mace 60sp
A mace is a short, hafted weapon with a flanged head designed to impact heavily against bone
or armour. Despite their short length, they tend to be rather heavy, with the weight localised
at their striking end. Although they can be tiring to use for longer fights, they remain an
effective counter to even the heavier armours.
All maces have the following traits:
Armour Piercing: Whenever a creature attempts a protection test against damage from this
weapon, their test suffers a -1 penalty.
War Hammer 100sp

A war hammer is a large, two-handed hammer mounted at the end of a longer haft. This
increased weight and length enables the striking end to generate far greater force than shorter
weapons. It can blow through an enemy’s guard and often times break bones even if striking
the sturdiest of armours.
A war hammer acts as a mace, but with the following changes:
119
Spear 60sp
A spear is a simple pole weapon made of a long haft and topped with a steel point. This
weapon has been used by humanity since the invention of tools, and remained popular
through both the ancient and contemporary periods. Its main strength lies in its impressive
reach, which enables those using it to strike at foes further away and control more space.
All spears have the following traits:
Reach: Your zone of control is increased by 2 metres. You may attack creatures with this
weapon if they are within 4 metres of you. Whenever a creature enters your zone of control
you can make a single attack against that creature with this weapon. You may make this
attack once per Creature Phase.
Halberd 100sp
A halberd is a pole weapon consisting of both an axe head and a spear point. It is both heavier
and more complex to use than a spear, but can deliver powerful cutting and thrusting attacks
at a good distance.
A halberd acts as a spear, with the following changes:
120
Sword 60sp
A sword is a metal blade with a handle, guard, and pommel to help balance the weight and
protect the hand. A difficult weapon to forge well, and generally used by wealthier warriors,
a sword is both a lethal weapon and a ceremonial item denoting the soldiering class. Balanced
carefully around the cross-guard to ensure swift movement and better control, the sword is
a fast and lithe weapon.
All swords have the following traits:
Parry: You gain a +1 bonus to protection tests against melee attacks while wielding this
weapon.
Great Sword 100sp

A great sword is a larger, two-handed variant of the typical sword. It is generally employed
only by highly trained professional soldiers or mercenaries, but can grant the benefits of the
sword with increased killing power and reach. The hewing cuts of a great sword coupled with
its great speed enable the weapon to strike far fiercer than its one-handed variants.
A great sword acts as a sword, with the following changes:
121
Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons are designed to be used anywhere from medium range onwards and include
arquebuses, bows, and crossbows. These weapons are limited in their use by ammunition, but
can also be used effectively at great ranges. Whenever you purchase a ranged weapon, you
also gain 10 of its relevant ammunition. All ranged weapons are listed below:
Arquebus 100sp
An arquebus is an early form of portable firearm which utilises a slow-burning match to ignite
gunpowder and propel a lead ball at great distances. Although the operation of this weapon is
loud, smelly, and slow, in the event that its shot hits home it is devastatingly effective. While
the bullet travels further than its listed range, it cannot be done so with any accuracy as it is
almost guaranteed to miss.
All arquebuses have the following traits:
Ammunition: This weapon needs ammunition to be used – in this case bullets and powder.
You can carry a maximum of 20 pieces of ammunition on your person at once. Bullets and
powder cost 1cp each.
Firearm: This weapon inflicts an additional wound on a successful hit. Whenever a creature
attempts a protection test against damage from this weapon, their test suffers a -1 penalty.
This weapon makes a very loud noise when used, clearly audible up to 200 metres away.
Range: You can target creatures within 60 metres of you with this weapon.
Reload: This weapon cannot be fired unless it has ammunition loaded. Reloading this weapon
requires you to use an action, and you cannot move more than 10 metres on the turn in
which you reload.
122
Pistol 140sp
A pistol is a one-handed matchlock firearm with a shorter effective range but no less stopping
power. Though expensive to mass-produce, it is not terribly uncommon for wealthier wardens
to employ a brace of pistols, enabling them to rapidly fire without the need to reload.
A pistol acts as an arquebus, with the following changes:
Point Blank: Being in a hostile creature’s zone of control does not impose disadvantage on
ranged attacks with this weapon.
Bow 80sp
A bow is a carved, curved piece of wood with a taut string designed to loose arrows over
great distances. The bow is not a simple weapon to learn, and requires both long training
times and physical strength to use effectively. Although it packs less of a punch shot-for-shot
than other ranged weapons, the bow has unmatched attacking speed among ranged weapons.
All bows have the following traits:
Ammunition: This weapon needs ammunition to be used – in this case arrows. You can
carry a maximum of 20 pieces of ammunition on your person at once. Arrows costs 1cp each.
123
Crossbow 80sp
A crossbow is a mechanism which incorporates a bow-like construction mounted atop a piece
of wood with a very taut string and trigger mechanism to release a bolt. Spanning a crossbow
of any meaningful draw weight requires you to use either your entire body weight, or some
form of contraption (such as a ‘goat’s foot’ loader). Their advantages include their relative ease
of training and powerful punching force.
All crossbows have the following traits:
Ammunition: This weapon needs ammunition to be used – in this case bolts. You can carry
a maximum of 20 pieces of ammunition on your person at once. Bolts cost 1cp each.
Armour Piercing: Whenever a creature attempts a protection test against damage from this
weapon, their test suffers a -1 penalty.
Loading: This weapon cannot be fired unless it has ammunition loaded. Loading this weapon
requires you to either use your action or your movement.
Improvised Weapons
At times you won’t have a weapon at hand, and in that case many common objects can be
useful in a pinch. Be it a stone, piece of driftwood, chair, tankard, or any other improvised
weapon, they all have the traits listed below. You are not normally trained with improvised
weapons. These traits also apply to ranged weapons that you are using as melee weapons:
Damage: This weapon inflicts 1 wound on a successful hit.
124
Improvised: This weapon is being improvised, and is not typically designed to inflict harm.
Protection tests against this weapon gain a +1 bonus.
If the weapon is something small, such as a rock, a dart, a mug, etc, it has the following traits:
Thrown: You can throw this weapon at creatures within 20 metres of you, treating it as a
ranged attack test.
If the weapon is large, such as a chair, a hunk of wood, a big rock, etc, it has the following
traits:
Hefty: Ignore the ‘Improvised’ trait when using this weapon.
It is important to remember that if a weapon could reasonably be treated as a form of ‘club’,

then it counts as a ‘club’ (due to the Ubiquitous trait which clubs have) and not an improvised
weapon, which can make it more effective.
Unarmed Attacks
At times you both won’t have a weapon, and won’t have something to use as a weapon either.
In such circumstances, you will have to rely on your fists. You are not trained with unarmed
attacks, and unarmed attacks inflict 1 wound on a success. Creatures gain a +2 bonus to
their protection tests against unarmed attacks. You are not considered to be ‘wielding two
weapons’ while unarmed.
It is generally a much better idea to either attempt a grapple, or grab something heavy to use
as an improvised weapon than to fight armed and armoured foes with your bare hands.
125
CH A P T ER 5
Combat
C ombat is a large part of Wardens, and is the main purview of the characters that you will
be playing. Be it fighting off a horde of orcish raiders or attempting to hunt a mighty
beast, combat is expected and should be prepared for. Combat moves quickly, and victory or
defeat can often be decided within the opening moments.
The Round
Time
Each round of combat is 10 seconds long, meaning there are 6 turns in a minute and 60 turns
in an hour. It would be incredibly hard to work to specifically a 10 second time scale, so it’s
used as a rough estimate rather than an absolute period of time. As actions would differ in
their required time to perform, they are simply listed as an “action” or something else.
Initiative
At the start of combat, all participants roll initiative. Initiative determines who moves first in
combat. Your base initiative bonus is determined by your starting class, with certain classes
having higher bonuses than others. All classes can choose to gain “Improved Initiative” with
their respective class focuses, which further increases their bonus.
Initiative establishes the turn order, and turns are broken into three brief phases:
126
Player Phase 1
Creature Phase
Player Phase 2
When a combat situation starts, all player characters make an initiative test. On a success,
they are placed in Player Phase 1 for the remainder of the encounter, and on a failure they
are placed in Player Phase 2. The specific order of who moves during the player phases is
determined by the members of that phase, but if no decision can be swiftly reached then the
GM can determine an order. Within the creature phase all creatures will act, in an order
determined by the GM.
Certain powerful enemies have ‘adversary actions’. Adversary actions are taken once per turn
before Player Phase 1. Creatures with adversary actions also take their usual turn during
Creature Phase as normal.
Any effect which has a duration which mentions the ‘start of your turn’ or ‘end of your turn’
occurs at the beginning or end of the phase you are placed within, not at the start or end of
your specific movement/actions, etc.
Delaying
Sometimes you want to react more to the enemy’s actions. If your turn is in Player Phase 1,
you can declare that you are ‘delaying’. If you do so, then you take your turn in Player Phase
2 instead of Player Phase 1. Your character is still in Player Phase 1, so you can choose to act
normally or delay freely throughout a combat.
If an effect mentions the ‘start’ or ‘end’ of your next turn, it refers to your character’s phase in
initiative. Therefore, such an effect would end at the start or end of Player Phase 1 (depending
on the effect) whether you delay or not.
You cannot delay while in Player Phase 2.
127
Chapter 5 - Your Turn
Your Turn
Each round is comprised of multiple turns. Once the game enters your phase during a round
it is your turn to act, once players have agreed to an order, or it has been dictated by your
GM if no order could be otherwise determined. On your turn you can perform a number
of things, which are broken down broadly into “actions”, “movement” and “other abilities”,
explained below. You can do these in any order. For example, if you could move 20 metres
on your turn and could make one attack as an action, then the following are all valid (this is
not an exhaustive list):
Move 6 metres, make an attack test, and then move another 14 metres.
Move 10 metres, make an attack test, move another 10 metres, and then use a non-action
ability.
Move 20 metres and then attack.
Attack and then move 20 metres.
Actions
Actions make up the main part of your turn. Your action is usually used for either making an
attack test, performing miracles, or casting spells, depending on your class. All basic actions
and their types are listed in the table below. This table deliberately does not mention class
specific abilities, as those are listed under their respective classes. It should be noted that
actions only exist within combat. Outside of combat these actions can generally be performed
freely, as long as they are not simultaneous.
128
Name Description
Attack You attack a creature within range, attempting to deal damage to them.
You perform one attack test per attack. An attack test will usually use
your strength, unless you are using the freelancer ‘Finesse’ class ability,
in which case you will use agility.
Perform a Miracle You attempt to perform a miracle. To do so, you must have remaining
miracle uses left, and attempt a miracle test which uses your will score.
On a success your miracle takes effect. Some miracles do not require
an action, which is listed in the miracle description. If a miracle does
not list its activating condition or whether it requires an action or not,
it requires an action to perform.
Perform Witchcraft You choose a spell which you know, pay the required witchery point
cost, and the spell takes effect. Some spells do not require an action,
which is listed in the spell description. If a spell does not list its
activating condition or whether it requires an action or not, it requires
an action to perform.
Dash You can use your action to move faster in combat. If you do so, then
you choose one form of movement (such as normal movement, flight,
or swimming speed). The chosen speed increases by 10 metres until
the end of your turn.
Disengage You can use your action to disengage from combat. If you do so, then
creatures are not able to make attacks against you if you leave their
zone of control.
Hide You attempt to obscure yourself from other creatures. Creatures
who could not see you hide, or could not readily deduce where you
are hiding, lose track of you. Whether or not hiding is successful is
determined by your GM, and should be based upon factors such as line
of sight, nature of the hiding location, and any noisy penalties. Hiding
is explained further in the ‘Stealth’ section later within this chapter.
129
Interact You interact directly with a creature or an object. If the interaction

is minor (such as moving through an unlocked door) then it does not
require an action. If, however, the interaction would be time consuming
or major (such as kicking down a barred door, or trying to pick a lock)
then it does require your action.
Help You attempt to aid a creature with your own skills. Choose a creature
you can see within 2 metres of you. If that creature attempts a test
which you are trained with before the start of your next turn, they gain
advantage on that test.
Grapple You attempt to grapple a creature who is within your arm’s reach.
Grappling is explained further in the ‘Grappling’ section later within
this chapter.
Make a Skill Test You attempt a skill test which would be time consuming and isn’t
covered by any other action. The skill test can be a strength test, agility
test, knowledge skill, or social skill.
130
You are attempting to move silently.

Movement Terrain movement cost is doubled
while moving in this way (moving
Movement makes up the other part of
2 metres costs you 4 metres of
your turn. A creature can move up to its
movement). If you are attempting to
movement speed each turn. This movement
move silently over difficult terrain,
does not need to be taken all at once, but you
then the movement cost is doubled
cannot exceed this limit (unless you take the
again (moving 2 metres costs you 8
‘Dash’ action, or have some other source of
metres of movement).
additional movement).
The area is occupied by a creature you
Any movement listed simply as a creature’s
are not fighting against. You can still
speed refers to that creature moving across
move through this space, but it costs
the ground. Other movement types will
you double movement while you pass
specify what movement type they are for,
through their space.
such as a flying creature having a ‘fly’ speed
or a swimming creature having a ‘swim’ The area is occupied by a creature you
speed. are fighting against. You cannot move
through a creature’s space if you are
Within Wardens, all moving distances are
currently fighting it, unless you have
measured in intervals of 2 metres. This is
some special ability (such as the deft
done for uniformity and the sake of simplicity.
special rule) which permits you to do
so.
All terrain costs 2 metres of movement per
2 metres moved, unless at least one of the
The area is impassable. In such a
following is true:
situation you simply cannot move over
the area.
The area is difficult terrain. In difficult
terrain the movement cost is doubled
If your character ever gains multiple forms
(moving 2 metres costs you 4 metres
of movement, such as a swim speed, then
of movement).
whenever you move on your turn, you can
use multiple forms of movement, but your
131
total movement cannot exceed your usual Flying

speed unless you use one source of movement
No character can attempt to fly without a
for the entire turn. For example, if you had a
flying speed of some sort. This is typically
speed of 20 metres and a swim speed of 40
granted through a miracle or witchcraft.
metres, you could choose to either move and
swim up to 20 metres, or only swim up to
Falling
40 metres.
A creature falls 500 metres within the 10
You can take the ‘Dash’ action on your turn seconds of a round. This means that in
to increase one movement speed by 10 metres almost any situation, a character simply hits
until the end of your turn. the bottom within the turn that they fall.
For every 2 metres beyond a creature’s fall
Swimming threshold that it travels before landing (or
All characters can attempt to swim, even impacting, if thrown) it receives 1 wound.
without a swimming speed. If in water deep Damage dealt by falling cannot be altered in
enough to require swimming, a character any way beyond miracles or other magic.
must make a strength test at the beginning

of their turn. On a success they may move
up to half of their usual speed. On a failure
they flounder in the water and cannot move,
using their movement just to stay afloat. If
a creature fails this test two turns in a row,
then they become submerged, and must start
holding their breath.
If a creature has a swimming speed, it

can simply move through water just as all
characters can move over land.
132
Damage
D amage is an integral part of combat – it’s how

you defeat enemies, and what you need to avoid if
you are to survive. There are multiple different kinds
of damage, all listed below.
Damage Types
Generally speaking, any 1 wound is equal to any other
1 wound. Despite this, there are a few different kinds
of damage which occasionally influence how much
damage a creature may receive, its resistance to that
damage, or how they influence the surrounding world.
Standard Damage
If a damage type is not specified, then it is simply

standard damage. This form of damage is generally
inflicted by weapons, and includes bludgeoning a
creature, cutting through its flesh, or piercing through
it with a firearm. Though generally effective, this sort
of damage cannot wound ethereal creatures and is less
effective against other creatures.
133
Chapter 5 - Damage
Flaming Damage
Any instance of flaming damage is specified in the source of that damage. Flaming damage is
dealt either by raw fire, explosives, or some other super-heated source. Like standard damage,
this sort of damage cannot harm ethereal creatures (unless it is also blessed or ensorcelled).
This damage type holds additional effectiveness against certain creatures (such as Elves and
Dryads) and less effectiveness against others (such as Demons). Flaming damage can also be
used to ignite flammable objects in the area it affects.
Blessed Damage
Any instance of blessed damage is either from a miracle or specified in the source of that
damage. Blessed damage is conferred through the searing light of the Maker, and subjects the
target to unfathomable energy in a brief, destructive moment.
Ensorcelled Damage
Any instance of ensorcelled damage is either from a spell or specified in the source of that
damage. Ensorcelled damage comes from the forces of the arcane being directed against a
target, and strikes them with some form of hostile magic.
Critical Hits
A critical hit is scored whenever a creature makes an attack test and at least two dice show a
‘6’. A critical hit means that the attack:
Is a guaranteed hit.
Ignores protection tests.
Inflicts an additional wound.
134
Additionally, whenever a player character receives a critical hit, their health maximum is
reduced by 1. This maximum health reduction is listed as a ‘critical wound’ and can be
recovered incrementally during a day of rest, or completely from a week of rest. If a player
character’s health maximum is reduced through critical wounds to 0, then that character dies
immediately.
Dying and Death

Death is more complicated for player characters than for other creatures. Other creatures
are slain once they hit 0 health, unless there is some specific reason for them not to be (such
as some form of foul sorcery, or they are a monster who can only be slain through special
means).
Once a player character is reduced to 0 health, they lose consciousness. If you received damage
to place you below 0 (for example, receiving 3 wounds when you have 1 remaining health)
then you are simply reduced to 0 health, and all excess wounds are ignored. While you are at
0 health, your character is unconscious. If the damage which reduced you to 0 health was from
a critical hit, your character is also dying in addition to being unconscious.
If a character receives any additional wounds while unconscious, they start dying, and have
their health reduced by 1, regardless of how many wounds the source of damage dealt to
them.
When a character regains health while unconscious or dying, their health becomes ‘0’, and they
regain health from that point.
If a player character ever exceeds their death threshold, they are dead. Barring the intercession
of the Maker through a very high Herald character, or other similar powerful magic, that
character is gone and cannot return. This is a persistent threat that all wardens operate under.
It is a cornerstone of their chosen occupation, and constantly facing death head on as they
do is what sets them apart from the common person. Although this can happen at virtually
135
Chapter 5 - Damage
any time and under many circumstances, such events should be treated with some reverence.
Discuss last words/acts/requests the character has in their final moments.
Being unconscious and dying are listed in the Conditions section, later in this chapter.
Immense Damage
If your character ever receives an amount of wounds equal to double their current health
maximum or greater from a single source, they are simply killed immediately.
Stealth
Whether it’s sneaking through a heavily guarded fortress or darting behind pillars in a
dragon’s hold, it can be important to move without being noticed. There are 3 main options
for stealth in Wardens:
Hiding. There is no test involved in hiding, you simply declare where and how you are
hiding, and you are ‘hidden’ within that location if it is reasonable, until something
happens which would reveal your location or you leave that hiding spot.
Making an agility test to move silently. If you succeed on this test, then your movement
does not attract untoward attention, but you will still be noticed if you enter somebody’s
field of vision. This is a very important distinction – moving in this way does not make
you impossible or even necessarily difficult to spot. Even a half-asleep guard will notice
a dart of black in the night if he’s facing it. While moving in this way moving 2 metres
costs you 4 metres of movement.
Invisibility. By using the invisible condition you cannot be seen without some form of
miracle or witchcraft. You can still be detected by noise, and so you must still make
an agility test to move silently while invisible, but it greatly opens up your options.
Additionally, while invisible, you can simply hide in place without needing any specific
location to hide in.
136
Grappling
Creatures can use an action on their turn to attempt to grapple a creature within their arm’s
reach. The creature resisting the grapple must make either a strength test or an agility test. On
a success, they are not grappled. On a failure, they become grappled by the initiating creature.
While grappled, a creature’s movement speed is reduced to 0 and it cannot use its action for
anything other than attempting to break free of the grapple. When attempting to break free
from a grapple, a creature must make either a strength test or an agility test, and is freed on
a success.
If the creature is using strength to attempt to escape the grapple, then it has advantage if the
creature it is trying to break free from is significantly smaller than them, or disadvantage if
the creature is significantly larger than them. A creature will automatically fail if it attempts
to use strength to escape from a grapple by a creature which is vastly larger than they are.
If the creature is using agility to attempt to escape the grapple, then it has advantage if the
creature it is trying to break free from is significantly or vastly larger than they are.
If it succeeded by using strength it can choose to immediately grapple the creature it just broke
free from, with that creature making a strength test or agility test to resist this new grapple
attempt. If it succeeded by using agility it can choose to move 4 metres in any direction away
from its grappler, and does so as if it had taken the ‘disengage’ action.
The initiating creature can use its action to inflict 1 wound to the grappled creature by using
its action.
Additional Factors
Combat is not a simple affair. While each individual attack is simple enough, the nature of
battle dictates that there are several other things, such as the defences and preparation of the
combatants, to consider. The most prevalent of these and their impact on combat are listed
below.
137
Chapter 5 - Damage
Flanking
During combat, if a creature has two creatures hostile to it on either side of it, the creature
in the centre is considered to be flanked. If you are unsure if a creature is being flanked, then
draw a line between the two creatures which are on either side of it. If the line passes through
the middle creature (or its space) then it is considered to be flanked. Attack tests made against
a flanked creature gain advantage.
Surprise
Occasionally one side will get the jump on the other. Whenever the GM believes that one side
has surprised the other in a combat situation, then the following occurs depending on who
is surprised:
If a player character is surprised, then that character automatically fails their initiative test,
and creatures which have surprised it have advantage on attack tests against them during the
first turn of that combat.
If a player character has surprised another creature, they can choose one of the following:
Automatically succeed on their initiative test.
Take any single action, then roll initiative as normal after it is resolved.
Examples of when you could reasonably get surprise include attacking an enemy that does not
know you are there (such as if the entire party succeeded on agility tests to move silently and
then struck from the shadows), if the attacked creatures are suitably distracted (such as being
asleep, or obsessing over a pile of gold), or attacking creatures who earnestly believe that you
are on the same side (such as backstabbing a peasant who you promised to aid). These are
just some examples, as other situations may also call for surprise. Your GM has final say on
whether or not creatures are surprised.
138
Cover
If a creature is obscured by terrain, such as a tree, brick wall, or sturdy door, they are
considered to be behind cover. Cover is considered to be ‘light’ or ‘heavy’.
Light cover includes foliage, trees, overturned tables, sand dunes, and other such forms of
protection. Ranged attack tests made against a creature in light cover suffer a -1 penalty.
Heavy cover includes fortifications, arrow slits, trench works, and other such forms of
protection. Ranged attack tests made against a creature in heavy cover suffer a -2 penalty.
If a creature is entirely obscured and/or cannot be reasonably detected (up to the GM’s
discretion, an example would be on the other side of a complete stone wall in a fortress) it
cannot be targeted by effects requiring an attack test.
Ledges/Squeezing
Unfortunately, some encounters occur when creatures are squeezing through close gaps
between rocks, shimming along a ledge, or as a room closes in around you. If a creature is
considered to be squeezing or clinging to a ledge, it is treated in the same manner. Attacks
tests made by a creature which is squeezing or shimmying suffer disadvantage and attacks
cannot be made with weapons that have the two-handed trait.
If a creature is squeezing through a tight area, or shimmying along a thin ledge, attack tests
against them gain advantage unless they are being made by a creature who is also squeezing
or shimmying.
Submerged
While underwater, all attack tests suffer disadvantage. You cannot perform miracles while
submerged unless you can breathe underwater, and you cannot perform witchcraft while
submerged unless you have a swimming speed. A submerged creature who cannot breathe
underwater must hold its breath.
139
Chapter 5 - Conditions
Holding Breath
When a creature is forced to hold its breath, it gains breath points equal to triple its will
score. Breath points are expended to simulate using stored oxygen. 1 breath point is expended
whenever a creature holding its breath does any of the following:
Takes any action.
Moves on its turn.
Ends it turn while holding its breath.
If a creature reaches 0 breath points, then it has run out of oxygen, and becomes unconscious.
Creatures who are unconscious in an area where they must normally hold their breath suffer
2 wounds at the beginning of their turn which ignore protection tests.
Conditions
Conditions are effects which alter a creature’s capabilities. Typically from miracles or witchcraft,
they can also come from class abilities or a number of other effects. Most conditions are
negative, but some are beneficial.
A condition lasts either until it is countered, or for a Duration specified by the effect that
imposed the condition. Usually whenever a creature imposes a condition onto another creature,
it remains until the start of the applying creature’s next turn.
If multiple effects cause conditions on a creature, each condition has its own duration, but the
effects don’t get any stronger. The same applies if multiple conditions give the same effect. A
creature either has a condition or doesn’t.
140
Blinded
Blindness is characterised by the loss of sight. As humans and most other creatures rely
heavily on vision, this is a devastating and effective hindrance. A blinded creature has the
following attributes applied to them for the duration of their blindness:
The creature is unable to see and automatically fails any test which requires sight.
Attack tests made by the creature suffer disadvantage.
Attack tests made against the creature gain advantage.
The creature automatically fails on attack tests against creatures more than 2 metres
away.
Charmed
Charming someone involves using magic to twist their mind and muddle their thoughts. A
charmed creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of the charm:
The creature cannot do anything to bring harm to the charmer (this includes indirectly
causing harm). It can still accidentally cause injury, but must try to avoid doing so.
The creature must answer any questions asked by the charmer truthfully if they are
able, and must answer their questions to the best of their ability.
The charmer gains advantage on all tests to interact with the charmed creature.
Receiving any damage allows the creature to make a resistance test with advantage,
ending this condition if it succeeds.
Receiving any damage from the creature which has charmed it immediately ends this
condition.
141
Drained
Certain effects may drain the spiritual or arcane powers from an individual. A drained creature
has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of the draining:
The creature suffers a -1 penalty on miracle and witchcraft tests.
The witchery cost of any spell they cast is increased by 1.
The creature makes all resistance tests with a -1 penalty.
Dying
As the dark, cold embrace of death grips at a creature, they draw closer to oblivion. A dying
creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of their affliction:
The creature suffers 1 wound at the end of Player Phase 2, regardless of their place in
initiative.
If the creature’s health exceeds their Death Threshold, then they die immediately.
If the creature receives any healing, it is healed as though its health was ‘0’, and this
condition ends.
NOTE:
The dying condition can usually only be applied to player characters. Generally, all other
creatures simply die when their health is reduced to 0. Your GM may decide to grant the dying
condition to certain important NPCs as well.
142
Enraged
Some creatures are capable of vicious fury which consumes them utterly, if only for a brief
moment. An enraged creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of
the rage:
The creature inflicts an additional wound on successful attack tests made using strength.
Attack tests made against the enraged creature gain a +1 bonus to their accuracy.
Exhausted
Fatigue takes a severe toll upon wardens, and without proper rest involving many hours
of sleep, even the most resilient can become weary, slow, and easy pickings. An exhausted
creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of the exhaustion:
The creature makes all tests with disadvantage.
If the creature sleeps for at least 8 hours, they end this condition.
If a creature has this condition applied to it for a full week, then it dies.
Frightened
Fear is a powerful psychological weapon and can greatly impair the abilities of any who fall
prey to it. A frightened creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration
of the fear:
The creature suffers disadvantage on any tests against the source of their fear.
The creature they are afraid of gains advantage on attack tests against the frightened
creature.
143
Inspired
At times creatures will be inspired to rise above and beyond their usual abilities. An inspired
creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of the inspiration:
The creature can choose to gain advantage on any test that it attempts if it does not
already have advantage.
If the creature already has advantage on that test, it can choose to ignore all sources of
disadvantage on that test.
Once it uses this effect and the test is resolved, this condition immediately ends for that
creature.
Invisible
Something that is invisible cannot be seen. An invisible creature has the following attributes
applied to them for the duration of the invisibility:
The creature cannot be ‘seen’ without magic or special senses.
The creature can still be detected by footsteps, noise, and other non-visual means.
The creature makes attack tests against creatures who cannot ‘see’ them with advantage.
Attack tests made against an invisible creature suffer disadvantage, unless they can be
‘seen’, such as with a miracle or witchcraft.
NOTE:
A creature cannot ‘see’ an invisible creature without special senses or some other such effect.
A creature may still know it’s rough location through sound, it’s scent, changes in the terrain
(splashes in puddles, footprints in sand) etc, but even so still suffers the penalties unless it can
‘see’ the creature. Creatures which do not rely on sight at all do not suffer these penalties.
144
When a creature is turned invisible, all equipment they are currently wearing or holding
turns invisible for the same duration if it remains on their person. Anything they interact
with after turning invisible remains visible if it was before they interacted with it.
Poisoned
Poison has a wide array of potentially lethal effects, but within Wardens it is simplified into
this condition. A poisoned creature is sluggish and more readily injured than its peers, as
their body struggles to maintain itself, let alone the rigours of battle. A poisoned creature has
the following attributes applied to them for the duration of the poison:
The creature suffers 1 wound immediately after receiving this condition. Damage from
this condition ignores protection tests.
The creature has their movement speed reduced by 10 metres.
The creature suffers a -1 penalty to protection tests.
If the creature becomes unconscious, they instead start dying.
Stunned
Whether a heavy hit, a sudden loud noise, or simply an unexpected occurrence, certain things
can cause a creature to freeze up and pause, transfixed or otherwise unable to interact with
the world around them. Generally temporary and fleeting, even a temporary break in focus
can prove lethal. A stunned creature has the following attributes applied to them for the
duration of the stun:
The creature is unable to perform any test other than protection and resistance tests.
Attack tests against the creature are made with advantage.
Upon receiving any damage, this condition immediately ends.
145
Terrified
Terror is similar to fear, but it is a much greater effect. Beyond the usual symptoms of a mind
consumed with fear, terror can paralyse the entire body. A terrified creature quickly becomes
easy pickings for whatever horror has intimidated it so. A terrified creature has the following
attributes applied to them for the duration of the terror:
The creature’s movement speed is reduced to 0.
The creature suffers disadvantage on all tests and cannot make tests against the source
of their terror.
The creature they are afraid of gains advantage on attack tests against the terrified
creature.
Unconscious
An unconscious creature has the following attributes applied to them for the duration of the
unconsciousness:
The creature’s movement speed is reduced to 0, and if it is flying, it begins to fall.
The creature cannot hold its breath.
The creature cannot move or take any actions.
Any ongoing miracles the creature has active immediately end.
The creature is unable to perform any test other than protection tests.
The creature makes protection tests with disadvantage.
Attack tests made against the creature have advantage.
146
Unless they are also dying, receiving If nothing happens to the creature,
any damage will end this condition if they regain consciousness after 1 hour
they have at least 1 health remaining passes (unless through natural sleep, in
after the damage is dealt. which case this may vary by creature).
Special Rules
For the sake of simplicity, Wardens utilises a large collection of ‘Special Rules’ which different
creatures have. All of these special rules are listed here in alphabetical order. These are
different to conditions because they comprise core pillars of what a creature is and how it
interacts with the world. Most special rules are very brief and simple to use, as a great many
creatures will have multiple special rules.
Beguiling wound to any creature which hits it with a

A beguiling creature entices others. Whenever melee attack. Damage from this special rule
a creature declares an attack against a is flaming.
beguiling creature, the attacker must make
a resistance test. On a failure, the attacker Blinding
becomes charmed until the end of its turn. A blinding creature’s attacks in some way
If the beguiling creature has been overtly impede the vision of its opponents. Whenever
hostile to the attacker, then that attacker a creature is hit by an attack from a blinding
gains advantage on the resistance test against creature, it must make a resistance test,
this effect. A creature who can see through becoming blinded until the start of the blinding
illusions or has the beguiling special rule is creature’s next turn on a failure.
immune to this effect.
Celestial
Blazing
A celestial creature is imbued with holy
A blazing creature illuminates the area energy. A celestial creature gains a +1 bonus on
around it for 10 metres in every direction, resistance tests against miracles. Additionally,
is immune to flaming damage, and inflicts 1
147
Chapter 5 - Special Rules
blessed damage dealt to a celestial creature is advantage (such as heavily outnumbering

reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0 damage. their foes, or springing an ambush, etc).
Changeling Decisive
A changeling creature can flawlessly copy the A decisive creature’s critical hit bonus damage
appearance of any organic humanoid shape. is increased by 1.
Clumsy Deft
A clumsy creature moves heavily and A deft creature ignores movement penalties
awkwardly. Attacks made against a clumsy from difficult terrain.
creature gain advantage unless the attacker
also has the clumsy special rule. Defensive
A defensive creature is considered trained
Commanding
in their protection tests which use natural
A commanding creature inspires its armour.
subordinates and steels their resolve. All
friendly creatures of the same domain and Draining
equal or lower threat level gain a +1 bonus to
When a draining creature inflicts at least 1
their resistance tests when within 20 metres of
wound to another creature, that creature
the commanding creature.
must make a resistance test, becoming drained
until the start of this creature’s next turn on
Cowardly
a failure.
A cowardly creature suffers disadvantage on
resistance tests against becoming frightened Durable
or terrified. Additionally, a cowardly creature
A durable creature receives 1 less wound from
will try to retreat from combat if it does
attacks which are not blessed or ensorcelled, to
not feel as though it has an overwhelming
a minimum of 0 damage.
148
Eldritch Frightening
An eldritch creature receives an additional A frightening creature scares others. A
wound from any damage which is blessed. frightening creature is immune to the
frightened condition. During the first turn of
Ensnaring combat, a frightening creature can cause all
creatures of its choice within 30 metres of it
An ensnaring creature can declare attacks
to make a resistance test. On a failure, they
against creatures which leave its zone of
become frightened of the creature until the
control, even if they took the ‘disengage’
start of its next turn. This effect could be
action.
a terrifying roar, a cascade of whispers, or
something else entirely.
Ethereal
An ethereal creature is immune to all sources Grasping
of damage which are not blessed or ensorcelled,
A grasping creature has a base zone of control
but can also never benefit from a protection
of 4 metres instead of 2 metres.
score. Furthermore, an ethereal creature can
pass through solid objects without issue, but
Harrying
receives 1 wound if it ends its turn within a
solid object. A harrying creature’s zone of control is treated
as difficult terrain for creatures of its choice.
Fast
Huge
A fast creature makes 2 attacks whenever it
takes the ‘attack’ action on its turn. A huge creature occupies a 6 metre space
instead of a 2 metre space. Attacks from a huge
Flammable creature impose a -2 penalty to protection
tests made against them.
A flammable creature receives an additional
wound from any damage which is flaming.
149
Immobile Mighty
An immobile creature has their speed set to 0. A mighty creature inflicts 1 additional wound
Outside of magical means they cannot move with all successful attacks.
or be moved.
Mimicry
Inaccurate
A mimicry creature can flawlessly take on
An inaccurate creature suffers a -1 penalty to the appearance of any similarly sized, simple,
attack tests. inorganic material. For example, such a
creature could become a bookshelf or a chest,
Large but could not become a functioning clock.
A large creature occupies a 4 metre space

Nimble
instead of a 2 metre space. Attacks from
a large creature impose a -1 penalty to Attacks made against a nimble creature suffer
protection tests made against them. disadvantage unless the attacker also has the
nimble special rule.
Leaching
Precise
A leaching creature regains 1 health if they
inflict at least 1 wound to a creature within A precise creature can choose to use its agility
2 metres of them. A leaching creature can instead of its strength for its attack tests.
only regain health in this way once per turn.
Putrid
Lithe
A putrid creature gives off a horrendous, vile
A lithe creature can move through other stench. If another creature begins its turn
creature’s space (including hostile creatures) within 2 metres of a putrid creature, it must
without expending additional movement. make a resistance test, becoming poisoned
until the start of its next turn on a failure.
A creature with the putrid special rule is
immune to this effect.
150
Pyrophobic Resonant
A pyrophobic creature cannot willingly A resonant creature gains a +1 bonus on all
come within 2 metres of any source of witchery tests, but also suffers a -1 penalty to
fire. Additionally, if a pyrophobic creature is all resistance tests and protection tests against
attacked by anything which is flaming, it must witchcraft or ensorcelled damage.
make a resistance test. On a failure, it becomes
frightened of the source of that flaming attack Small
until the end of its next turn.
A small creature can share its 2 metre space
with another small creature without incurring
Rapid
any penalties.
A rapid creature makes 3 attacks whenever it
takes the ‘attack’ action on its turn. Sundering
Attacks from a sundering creature impose a
Regenerative
-1 penalty to protection tests made against
A regenerative creature regains 1 health at the them.
beginning of its turn if it is under its health
maximum. If a regenerative creature receives Swift
at least 1 wound from a flaming source, then
A swift creature has their base movement
it does not regain health from this special rule
speed increased by 10 metres.
on its next turn after receiving that flaming
damage.
Resistant
A resistant creature gains a +1 bonus to its
resistance tests.
151
Terrifying
A terrifying creature stuns others with fear. A
terrifying creature is immune to the frightened
and terrified conditions. During the first turn
of combat, a terrifying creature can cause
all creatures of its choice within 30 metres
of it to make a resistance test. On a failure,
they become terrified of the creature until the
start of its next turn. This effect could be
a terrifying roar, a cascade of whispers, or
something else entirely.
Undead
An undead creature does not need to eat,

drink, or sleep. It cannot be affected by any
conditions except for blinded, drained, stunned,
and invisible.
Withstanding
A withstanding creature gains advantage on
resistance tests.
152
CH A P T ER 6
Miracles and Witchcraft
W ithin Wardens there are two main forces of supernatural

aid which are readily available – miracles and witchcraft.
Though both of these forces are ‘magical’ in the common sense
of the word, they have far different origins and connotations
within the world of Wardens.
Miracles are holy demonstrations of the Maker’s power made

manifest within the world. They are learned by especially
devout and worthy Heralds, who go on to invoke the power
of their deity through the three key teachings: Enlightenment,
Judgement, and Mercy.
Witchcraft, on the other hand, is the catchall term for spells and
other magical abilities performed by Occultists. Witchcraft is
almost completely reviled by any good folk. This is because it
uses forbidden knowledge from the Darker Powers to undo the
natural order through their four key domains: Change, Dread,
Ruin, and Trickery.
153
Chapter 6 - Miracles And Witchcraft
Spell Descriptions Multiple Castings
Below are all miracle and spell descriptions, Miracles and spells operate differently
excluding those granted at level 1 to Heralds regarding multiple uses of the same miracle
and Occultists. All spells are forms of or spell. As miracles are aspects of divine
witchcraft, but witchcraft can incorporate might, and limited per day, you can have
more than these spells. multiple instances of the same miracle
active simultaneously. By contrast, spells
Damage Type
are maintained by the caster’s concentration
and use a more readily renewable resource.
Some miracles and spells inflict wounds. Any
As such, unless a spell specifically mentions
damage dealt by a miracle is blessed, and any
that multiple versions of it can be active at
damage dealt by a spell is ensorcelled.
the same time, you can only have one such
Target Range instance active at a time.
Every spell or miracle will either target the Multiple Instances

creature performing it or have a listed range.
Any creature can be affected by multiple
Every miracle and spell which has a range
instance of the same miracle or spell. Each
can also be used on the caster if they are
instance has its own duration, but the effects
within its listed range. A miracle or spell
of the miracle or spell do not get added
which requires touch can also always be
together.
cast on the creature performing it, even if
they would not otherwise be able to touch
other parts of their body (such as if they
are restrained). This is because such power
will either affect the caster or be channelled
directly into something else.
154
Miracles
Teachings of Enlightenment
Miracle: Divine Perception this miracle. While the light remains you
gain a +1 bonus to miracle tests.
You attempt to bolster your own senses with
divine power. Within 20 metres of you, you Miracle: Holy Inspiration
detect any hidden creatures, secret passages,
can see invisible creatures, and immediately Choose a creature you can see within 20
see through illusions. These effects remain metres of you. That creature gains a bonus
for 1 hour. to their next strength, agility, knowledge skill,
or social skill test equal to your will score, if
Miracle: Godspeed it happens within 1 minute of this miracle
being used.
Choose a creature you can see within 2
metres of you. For 1 hour that creature Miracle: Location Reading
has their movement speed increased by 10
metres and their fall threshold improved by Choose a location you can see within 100
4 metres. metres of you. You immediately learn a brief
history of the chosen area, as well as if it
Miracle: Guiding Light is currently inhabited. Additionally, the GM
will tell you either ‘weal’ or ‘woe’. If ‘weal’,
You create a brilliant light in the palm of then the region is likely to be peaceful or
your hand. This illuminates darkness up beneficial towards your current objectives.
to 20 metres away. The light lasts for 12 If ‘woe’, then the region is likely to be
hours, and hovers around your head for the dangerous or waste time regarding your
duration. You can choose to extinguish this current objectives.
light during your turn at any time, ending
155
Chapter 6 - Miracles
Miracle: Of One Mind miracle once per day, but it does not count
against their brief rest uses.
Choose a number of creatures equal to your
will score within 10 metres of you which you Miracle: Tongues
can see. You and those creatures enter into a
telepathic link with each other for 12 hours. Choose a creature you can see within 2
As long as you are within 1 kilometre of each metres of you. For 8 hours that creature can
other you can telepathically communicate. understand any language it hears and can be
understood by any creature which speaks at
Miracle: Premonition least 1 language.
You close your eyes and see scattered glimpses Miracle: Soul Sanctuary
of the future. Choose an event to happen
within the next week, or ask for a random Choose a creature you can see within 10
vision. Whichever you choose, you gain a metres of you. Until the start of your next
number of related visions throughout your turn that creature cannot be declared as an
mind. You can only perform this miracle attack target, cannot receive damage, and
once per event, and random visions may be cannot be targeted by witchcraft or miracles.
impossible to acquire or inconsequential.
The amount of visions you receive, how clear
or cryptic they are, their accuracy, and the
other general parameters of this miracle are
all at your GM’s discretion.
Miracle: Rejuvenate

metres of you. That creature immediately
loses the exhausted condition and gains the
benefits of a brief rest. A creature can only
gain the benefits of a brief rest from this
156
Teachings of Judgement
Miracle: Arm of Judgement something which is immediately harmful to

itself. Creatures who you have been overtly
Choose a creature you can see within 10 hostile towards can make a resistance test
metres of you. For 1 minute, that creature’s against this miracle, and on a success they
attack tests gain a +1 bonus and damage dealt are not charmed and ignore your command.
by them is blessed. If you target a creature you
can touch, then this miracle does not require Miracle: Expiate
an action to perform.
This miracle is not performed as an action.
Miracle: Chastise the Faithless Instead, if you know this miracle, whenever
a creature within 20 metres of you inflicts at
You denounce your enemies and sap their least 1 wound with an attack, you can attempt
morale. All creatures of your choice within to perform this miracle. If successful, then the
10 metres of you must make a resistance test, creature automatically receives a number of
becoming frightened of you until the start of wounds equal to the amount that it inflicted.
your next turn on a failure. Creatures that Damage from this miracle cannot be altered
have a protection score higher than yours in any way. You can attempt to perform this
make this resistance test with disadvantage. miracle once per Creature Phase.
Miracle: Compel Miracle: Gaze of Judgement
Choose a creature you can see within 40 Choose a creature within 40 metres of you.
metres of you and issue a one-word command. All attack tests against that creature gain a
That creature becomes charmed by you and +1 bonus until the start of your next turn.
carries out that one-word command to the Additionally, if that creature is invisible, it
best of its ability until the start of its next loses the invisible condition.
turn. You cannot command a creature to do
157
Miracle: Halt the Unworthy lasts for 1 minute. Damage from this miracle
ignores protection tests.
metres of you. That creature’s movement Miracle: Solar Lance
speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your
next turn and any attack tests it makes until Choose a creature you can see within 40
then suffer a -1 penalty. metres of you. That creature must make
a resistance test. On a failure the creature
Miracle: Revealing Light receives 4 wounds and becomes blinded until
the start of your next turn. On a success the
Golden light explodes from within you. creature receives 2 wounds and is not blinded.
All creatures within 6 metres of you must Damage from this miracle ignores protection
make a resistance test, becoming blinded tests.
until the start of your next turn on a failure.
Additionally, within 20 metres of you, you Miracle: Thunderclap
learn the location of any creatures you were
not already aware of, and invisible creatures You clap your hands together with the force
lose that condition. of thunder. All creatures within 6 metres of
you must make a resistance test, becoming
Miracle: Radiant Field stunned on a failure until the start of your
next turn. Creatures within 2 metres of you
You emit divine energy around you, striking make this resistance test with disadvantage.
down enemies of your choice. This energy
forms a 6 metre sphere centred on you which
moves with you. If a creature begins their
turn within the area of this miracle, or you
move so that they are within its effect, you can
choose for that creature to suffer 1 wound. A
creature can only receive damage from this
miracle twice per round, once during your
turn, and once during its turn. This effect
158
Teachings of Mercy
Miracle: Abjure the Meek Miracle: Golden Bulwark
Choose a creature you can see within 2 Choose a creature you can see within 2
metres of you. For 1 hour that creature metres of you. For 1 hour that creature gains
gains advantage on resistance tests against advantage on protection tests.
witchcraft.
Miracle: Hex Breaker
Miracle: Delay Descent
Choose a pre-existing magical effect you can
This miracle is not performed as an action. see within 20 metres of you. That magical
Instead, if you know this miracle, whenever effect immediately ends. The GM may rule
a creature within 20 metres of you is thrown that certain magical effects are too powerful
or would start falling, you can attempt to to be ended by this miracle (such as a long-
perform this miracle. If you are successful, cursed shrine, or ancient necrotic battlefield),
then that creature falls 20 metres per round and their effects are instead subdued for 1
instead of 500, and does not receive fall hour.
damage no matter how far they fall. The
miracle ends as soon as they stop falling. You Miracle: Holy Bastion
can attempt to perform this miracle once per
Creature Phase.
Instead, if you know this miracle, whenever
Miracle: Gleaming Barrier a creature you can see within 10 metres of
you would make a protection test, you can
You create a barrier of golden light around attempt to perform this miracle. If you are
you. This barrier is a 10 metre sphere centred successful, then that protection test gains a
on you, moves with you, and remains for 1 +1 bonus. You can attempt to perform this
minute. Any ranged attack test originating miracle once per creature phase.
from outside of the barrier has disadvantage
if its target is within the barrier.
159
Miracle: Mend the Body Miracle: Restoration
You call upon the Maker to repair the body Choose a creature you can see within 2
of a comrade. Choose a creature you can metres of you. If that creature is affected by
see within 20 metres of you. That creature any of the blinded, charmed, drained, frightened,
regains 2 wounds. The first time you attempt poisoned, or terrified conditions, those
to perform this miracle per turn it does not conditions immediately end. Alternatively, if
require an action. it is currently affected by a curse, that curse
ends. Certain exceptional curses may only
Miracle: Deny the Witch be dampened for a period of time (normally
between 1 hour to a day) instead of being
ended by this miracle.
Instead, if you know this miracle, whenever
a creature within 60 metres of you which Miracle: Zealous Sacrifice
you can see would perform witchcraft, you
can attempt to perform this miracle. If you Choose a creature other than yourself which
are successful, then that witchcraft attempt you can see within 2 metres of you. For 1 hour,
immediately fails and the action is wasted. whenever that creature receives any wounds,
You can attempt to perform this miracle once you can choose to have those wounds affect
per Creature Phase. you instead of the original creature. If you
do so, then you cannot alter the damage in
any way. If, while this miracle is active, you
suffer a total of 3 or more wounds in place of
another creature, you regain 1 miracle use.
You can regain no more than 1 miracle use
per day using this miracle.
160
Witchcraft
Domain of Change
Spell: Subtle Alteration (Cost 1) fabric, which is not being worn or

carried.
You invoke the forces of change to alter the
world around you in minor ways. Within 10 Rearrange or replace written words.
metres of you, you can do any one of the
following: *If you use these options their effects are
temporary and revert after 10 minutes.
Heat or cool up to 1 cubic metre of
any non-living object.* Spell: Leaden/Lighten (Cost 2)
Flavour up to 1 cubic metre of any Choose a weapon you can see within 40
non-living object.* meters of you and choose either ‘leaden’ or
‘lighten’. Whichever you choose, its effect
Recolour up to 1 square metre of any lasts for 1 minute.
non-living object.*
If you choose ‘leaden’:
Change the smell*
A weapon which normally does not
Cause up to 1 cubic metre of any non- have the two-handed trait gains that
living object to become either dry or trait.
damp.
A weapon which normally has the two-
Separate or join up to 1 square metre handed trait cannot be used.
of a thin non-living object, such as
161
Chapter 6 - Witchcraft
Attacks tests with the weapon have a Spell: Primeval Reversion (Cost 2)
-1 penalty.
You recall the ancient primordial hold of
Protection tests made against the the sea to make a creature better suited for
weapon suffer a -1 penalty. it. Choose a creature you can see within 10
metres of you. For 1 hour that creature gains
If you choose ‘lighten’: a 20 metre swimming speed, and can breathe
underwater. You can have multiple instances
A weapon which normally has the
of this spell active at once.
two-handed trait becomes one-handed
instead. Due to their construction, Spell: Instil Fragility (Cost 3)
bows are unaffected by this aspect of
this spell. Choose a non-magical weapon, shield, or set
of armour within 40 metres of you. For 1
A weapon which normally does not minute, whenever that item is struck, strikes
have the two-handed trait gains the another object, or comes under stress (such
light trait. as a bow being loosed or an arquebus being
fired), roll 1d6. If the die shows a ‘1’, the item
Attack tests with the weapon have a
breaks and is destroyed. If the item is being
+1 bonus.
worn or carried by a creature when you cast
this spell, that creature can make a resistance
Protection tests made against the
test, with the item being unaffected if they
weapon gain a +1 bonus.
succeed.
If the weapon is being carried by a creature

Spell: Corrosive Blood (Cost 3)
that does not want their weapon to be affected
by this spell, they must make a resistance
You alter the properties of blood to boil
test. On a failure, their weapon is affected.
and burn when exposed. Choose a creature
you can see within 20 metres of you. For 1
minute, whenever your target receives at least
1 wound from another creature, the creature
162
inflicting the damage receives 1 wound if it Spell: Ascendent Alterations (Cost 5)

is within 4 metres of your target.
Spell: Shatter (Cost 4) metres of you. Two feathered wings break
out of that creature’s back and it gains
Choose a point you can see within 40 metres a flying speed of 20 metres. A creature
of you. All creatures within 6 metres of cannot use these wings to fly if it is wearing
that point must make a resistance test. On heavy armour. This spell does not have a
a failure, a creature has its movement speed set duration, and you can have multiple
reduced to 10 metres until the start of its next instances of this spell active at once, but
turn, and it receives 1 wound. On a success, a your witchery maximum is reduced by 2
creature receives 1 wound but does not have for each instance which remains. You can
its movement speed affected. Any earth, dirt, end any number of instances of this spell at
rock, stone, or similar material in the area is any time, immediately removing the wings
cracked and shattered. Ground within that and reverting any penalty to your witchery
area becomes difficult terrain. maximum which this spell incurred.
Spell: Indeterminate Form (Cost 4) Spell: Aberrant Mutation (Cost 5)
Choose a creature you can see within 10 Choose a creature you can see within 10
metres of you. That creature gains advantage metres of you. That creature must make
on any resistance tests it makes against a resistance test, receiving 2 wounds on a
being charmed, poisoned, or stunned. This spell failure. If damage from this spell reduces a
remains in effect as long as you wish, but creature to 0 health, it immediately dies and
your witchery maximum is reduced by 2 is replaced by an ‘Aberrant Spawn’ from the
while it remains. You can end this spell at bestiary. This ‘Aberrant Spawn’ is hostile to
any time, immediately dispelling this effect all other creatures, attacking the closest one
and reverting any penalty to your witchery to it relentlessly until slain itself. Damage
maximum which this spell incurred. from this spell ignores protection tests.
163
Spell: Mind Crush (Cost 6)
You channel the eldritch forces of change to

shatter the minds of your enemies. Choose
a creature you can see within 80 metres
of you. That creature rolls 1d6-1. Subtract
their result from your intellect score, and the
remaining number is dealt as wounds to
the target creature. Damage from this spell
164
Domain of Dread
Spell: Spectral Hands (Cost 1) Spell: Commune with the Deceased

(Cost 2)
You conjure ghostly hands of the long-since
dead to aid you. You can use a conjured Choose a corpse or pile of bones you can see
hand as if it was a normal hand, but cannot within 2 metres of you. If the soul attached
use it to wield weapons, a shield, use magic to your target is available and willing to
items, or perform miracles or witchcraft. talk with you, you can conjure its essence to
You can maintain multiple hands at once speak with you. The essence will commune
and command them all simultaneously to with you for as long as it chooses, or is able
complete either separate tasks or single to (depending on the situation). The essence
more complicated tasks. For each hand you is able to understand and speak with you,
maintain beyond the first one, your witchery but it may not be entirely clear, and may
point maximum is reduced by 1. You can end end up being distracted by things it thought
any number of instances of this spell at any were important in life, or fall into loops of
time, dismissing the hands and reverting any information concerning its demise, or any
penalty to your witchery point maximum other such oddities, at your GM’s discretion.
which this spell incurred. Once a creature’s essence has been conjured
by this spell it cannot be conjured again in
Spell: Grave Bolt (Cost 2) this way for at least 1 week.
Choose a creature you can see within 40 Spell: Siphon Spirit (Cost 3)
metres of you and make a witchery test
against them. On a success, they receive 1 You attempt to steal part of a creature’s
wound. That creature receives an additional essence to power your own witchcraft.
2 wounds per following condition if it is also Choose a creature you can see within 30
drained, frightened, terrified, or stunned. metres of you. That creature must make
a resistance test, receiving 1 wound and
becoming drained until the end of your next
165
turn on a failure. If you make a creature to your witchery point maximum which this
drained with this spell, then your next spell spell incurred.
has its range increased by 10 metres and its
witchery cost reduced by 2. Spell: Blight (Cost 4)
Spell: Raise Undead (Cost 3) Choose a creature you can see within 40
metres of you. That creature and all creatures
Choose a corpse or pile of bones you can see within 4 metres of it must make a resistance
within 10 metres of you. Deathly energies test, receiving 2 wounds on a failure. Damage
animate your target into your choice of a from this spell ignores protection tests.
‘husk’ or a ‘skeleton’, using their statistics
from the bestiary (if you target a pile of bones, Spell: Hex (Cost 4)
you must choose ‘skeleton’). A creature raised
by you always acts in Player Phase 2 and does
metres of you. For 1 hour, if that creature
not make initiative tests. Whatever you raise,
moves within 20 metres of you it must
you can give them a single simple command
immediately make a resistance test. On a
once during your turn, such as ‘attack’ or
failure its movement ends. Each time the
‘chase’. The creature will ceaselessly attempt
creature attempts this resistance test after
to complete that instruction, until it either
the first, it gains a +1 bonus to that test. If
succeeds or is no longer able to do so. You
you cast this spell again on the same target,
can have multiple creatures raised by this
this bonus is reset.
spell at once, casting it again each time you
raise a new creature. Whatever creatures
Spell: Spectral Shielding (Cost 5)
you summon remain until they are killed or
you end this spell, but while it remains your Choose a creature you can see within 20
witchery point maximum is reduced by 1. This metres of you. That creature is surrounded
reduction applies per creature simultaneously by a barrier of deathly energies. The barrier
raised by this spell. You can end this spell has health equal to half of your intellect score.
at any time, immediately destroying your Whenever that creature receives any amount
raised creature(s) and reverting any penalty of damage, the barrier instead loses 1 health.
This spell does not have a set duration, and
166
you can have multiple instances of this spell

active simultaneously, but your witchery point
maximum is reduced by 2 for each instance
of this spell currently active. You can end
any number of instances of this spell at any
time, immediately dispelling any barriers of
your choice and reverting any penalty to your
witchery point maximum which this spell
incurred.
Spell: Terrify (Cost 5)

metres of you. That creature must make a
resistance test, becoming terrified of you on a
failure until the start of your next turn.
Spell: Hand of Death (Cost 6)
Choose a creature you can see within 2 metres

of you and make a witchery test against them.
On a success, that creature receives 3 wounds,
and you regain 3 health. Damage from this
spell ignores protection tests. You can only
regain health from this spell once per day.
167
Domain of Ruin
Spell: Ruinous Rebuke (Cost 1) worn or carried ignites. Damage from this
spell is flaming.
This spell is not performed as an action.
Instead, if you know this spell, whenever you Spell: Assault of Crows (Cost 3)
are hit by a creature within 6 metres of you,
you can cast this spell. Make a witchery test When you cast this spell, you can target a
against the creature which has hit you. On a number of creatures within 30 metres of
success, that creature receives 1 wound. You you up to your intellect score. Each targeted
can cast this spell once per creature phase. creature must make a resistance test,
becoming blinded until the start of your next
Spell: Darkflame (Cost 2) turn on a failure.
Choose a weapon you can see within 10 Spell: Consuming Fury (Cost 3)
metres of you. That weapon blazes with a
pitch-black flame. For 1 minute, that weapon Choose a creature you can see within 20
inflicts an additional wound on a successful metres of you. That creature becomes enraged
hit, and damage from that weapon becomes for 1 minute. If the creature does not want to
both ensorcelled and flaming. If you target a be affected by this spell, then it must make
weapon you can touch, performing this spell a resistance roll. On a failure, it is affected.
does not require an action.
Spell: Cloak of Fire (Cost 4)
Spell: Flame Breath (Cost 2)
Choose a point you can see within 10 metres metres of you. That creature gains the blazing
of you and make a witchery test. On a success, special rule. This cloak remains as long as
any creature between you and that location you want it to, but your witchery maximum
in a straight line receives 1 wound. Anything is reduced by 1 while it remains. You can
flammable within the area that is not being end this spell at any time, immediately
extinguishing the flames and reverting any
168
penalty to your witchery maximum which wall of flame. The wall is made out of ‘panels’.
this spell incurred. When you cast this spell you can create a
number of ‘panels’ up to 1 + your intellect
Spell: Fireball (Cost 4) score. Each ‘panel’ is a 4 metre square with a
depth of 2 centimetres. All panels are created
Choose a point you can see within 40 metres
simultaneously, and must be connected to
of you. All creatures within 6 metres of that
each other, but can otherwise face different
point must make a resistance test, receiving
directions. Any creature which begins its
3 wounds on a failure. On a success, a
turn within 2 metres of any panel receives 2
creature receives 1 wound instead. Anything
wounds. Any creature which passes through
flammable within the area that is not being
a panel receives 2 wounds. This wall remains
worn or carried ignites. Damage from this
as long as you want it to, but your witchery
spell is flaming. Damage from this spell
maximum is reduced by 1 per panel while it
remains. You can end this spell at any time,
immediately smothering all panels of the wall
Spell: Bolts of Destruction (Cost 5)
and reverting any penalty to your witchery
When you cast this spell, you generate a maximum which this spell incurred. Damage
number of bolts equal to your intellect score from this spell is flaming.
and launch them. Choose at least one creature

Spell: Toxic Cloud (Cost 6)
you can see within 40 metres of you. You can
target a single creature or multiple, using at
You conjure a poisonous miasma to choke
least 1 bolt for each target. For each bolt,
the life from your foes. Choose an area you
make a separate witchery test. Each bolt
can see within 40 metres of you. Within 10
inflicts 2 wounds on a successful hit, and
metres of that area a dense yellowish gas
targets suffer a -1 penalty on their protection
forms. Any creature which enters or ends its
test against this wound.
turn within the gas must make a resistance
test. On a failure, it receives 1 wound and
Spell: Wall of Fire (Cost 5)
becomes poisoned until the start of your next
Choose an area you can see within 40 metres turn. During your turn you can move the gas
of you. Within that area you create a fierce by 4 metres without using an action. This
169
gas remains as long as you want it to, but any time, immediately dispersing the cloud
your witchery point maximum is reduced by and reverting any penalty to your witchery
3 while it remains. You can end this spell at maximum which this spell incurred.
170
Domain of Trickery
Spell: Foggify (Cost 1) the start of its next turn. Damage from this
spell ignores protection tests.
metres of you. That creature must make a Spell: Obscure Form (Cost 2)
resistance test. On a failure it forgets one
event of your choice which took no longer Choose a creature you can see within 10
than 1 minute and which occurred in the metres of you. You can change the appearance
past hour. The creature does not form of part of or the entirety of that creature.
new memories when this spell takes effect, (for example, you could make them look like
but does not notice the blank space in its someone else, or make their age appear to
memories unless some event causes it to do change, etc). You cannot alter the appearance
so (such as being interrogated about their of something if the desired outcome is wildly
activities over the time affected by this spell). different in size or anatomy (for example,
If you cast this spell multiple times on the you cannot make a person appear to be a
same creature within the same day, it gains mouse or vice versa). The change lasts for an
advantage on the resistance test against this amount of time you specify, up to 1 hour. If
spell until the start of the next day. the creature does not want to be affected by
this spell, then it must make a resistance roll.
Spell: Jinx (Cost 2) On a failure, it is affected.
Choose a creature you can see within 40 Spell: Fey Skip (Cost 3)
metres of you. For 1 minute, whenever that
creature makes any test in which the dice Choose a location you can see within 20
show doubles (such as two dice showing a metres of you. You, or another creature
‘6’) or triples (such as three dice showing a within 20 metres of you which you can see
‘6’), that test automatically fails. Additionally, teleports to that location. If a creature does
if it failed because of triples, that creature not wish to be affected by this spell, it must
receives 1 wound and becomes stunned until make a resistance test. On a failure, it is
affected.
171
Spell: Enrapture (Cost 3) bonus, which continues to be added until the

illusion is dispelled, or they see through it.
Choose a creature you can see within 40 The illusion can last as long as you want, but
metres of you. That creature must make a your witchery maximum is reduced by 2. You
resistance test, becoming charmed by you can end this spell at any time, immediately
for 1 minute on a failure. Creatures who dispelling the illusion and reverting any
you have been overtly hostile towards gain penalty to your witchery maximum which
advantage on their resistance test against this this spell incurred.
spell.
Spell: Invisify (Cost 4)
Spell: Illusory Weave (Cost 4)
Choose a space you can see within 40 metres of you. That creature becomes invisible.
metres of you. Within a 10 metre sphere This spell does not have a set duration, and
of that location, you can create an illusion. you can have multiple instances of this spell
The illusion can be whatever you want, active at once. While this spell is active
assuming it is auditory, visual, or both, and your witchery maximum is reduced by 1 for
can fit within the 10 metre sphere. Unless a each instance of the spell. You can end any
creature has some way of discerning that it is number of instances of this spell at any time,
an illusion, they treat it as if it is real. If it is immediately ending the invisible condition
a mundane, expected illusion (such as a dirt on your target(s) and reverting any penalty
wall to obscure you in a cave) then they pay to your witchery maximum which this spell
it no attention unless they have reason to do incurred.
so. If the illusion is scary (such as a dragon
suddenly roaring in a cave) then the creature Spell: Shuffle (Cost 5)
must make a resistance test or become
frightened of the illusion. Once a creature has Choose another creature you can see within
noticed and/or seen the illusion, they can 40 metres of you. You and that creature switch
make a resistance test to discern that it is positions, teleporting to the other’s location.
an illusion. For each additional turn which If a creature does not wish to be affected by
passes between these tests, they gain a +1 this spell, it must make a resistance test. On
a failure, it is teleported.
172
Spell: Enimble/Clumsify (Cost 5) Spell: Pathway Gate (Cost 6)
Choose a creature you can see within 40 Choose a point you can see within 1 kilometre
meters of you and choose either ‘enimble’ or of you. You create a portal through the fey
‘clumsify’. Whichever you choose, its effect paths to that location. The portal remains for
lasts for 1 minute. 10 minutes and can be entered from both
sides. You can cast this spell once per day
If you choose ‘enimble’: without any penalties. Each additional time
you cast the spell, roll 1d6 and add +2 for
A creature which normally has the
each casting of this spell beyond the first for
clumsy special rule loses that rule.
the day. If the total equals 7 or more, then a
creature which uses the portal will suffer a
A creature which does not normally
‘Fey Path Peril’, which your GM resolves.
have the clumsy special rule gains the
nimble special rule.
If you choose ‘clumsify’:
A creature which normally has the

nimble special rule loses that rule.
A creature which does not normally

have the nimble special rule gains the
clumsy special rule.
If the creature does not want to be altered by

this spell, it must make a resistance test. On
a failure, it is affected.
173
Fey Path Perils (roll 2d6):
2d6 Result
2 You are whisked away by the whims of a powerful archfey. You 1d6 rations and
reappear in the world within 1 kilometre of your intended destination, totally
lost. The portal closes behind you.
3–4 Several varishy bustle past you at great speed before disappearing deep into the
paths. You lose 6d6 coins, starting at your most valuable.
5–6 Several mighty fey make you confused on your short journey and demand a
show before they will aid you. Make a performance skill test. On a success, you
move on your way as normal. On a failure, you move on your way but must
leave an item of value behind as payment. Your GM, acting as the fey, must
agree with whatever item you leave.
7 You teleport as normal, but a year of time washes over you as you take your
final step. Your character is now one year older.
8–9 A spiteful fey places a curse upon you. You are affected by the Jinx spell until
the start of the next day.
10 – 11 The unknowable magic of the fairies washes over you during your journey.
Your head turns into that of a donkey or other animal, and your hands become
hooves. This change remains until the start of the next day.
12 You become entranced with the beautiful song of a bewitching creature out of
sight. It rends your heart when you appear back in the normal world, having
never seen the source of the song. You suffer 2 critical wounds.
174
CH A P T ER 7
Between Expeditions
T he work of wardens is tiring and stressful. Between slaying monsters, rescuing prisoners,
and ending ancient rituals, sometimes they just need a break. Throughout expeditions
wardens will need to take advantage of free time to rest and recuperate. During longer
periods away from the action wardens don’t just sit around and do nothing. Most wardens
use this time to research their next potential foes, build connections, or drink the night away.
The following section breaks down the types of rest a warden can undertake, and gives some
suggestions for downtime activities to do during this piece of gameplay.
Rest and Recovery

Within Wardens there are three different forms of rest, which are:
A Brief Rest.
A Day of Rest.
A Week of Rest.
A Brief Rest
A brief rest involves a break and sit-down of at least 1 hour in which the wardens do not
engage in gruelling activities or have any combat. Upon completing a brief rest a character
175
Chapter 7 - Between Expeditions
regains 1 health. Certain class abilities also provide other small returns while having a brief
rest.
A character can be present for a brief rest but not gain a benefit from it if they do not wish
to. This generally occurs when someone is uninjured. In this case they do not expend a brief
rest use for that day.
At base, a character can benefit from 2 brief rests in a day. Remaining brief rests reset at the
start of each day. All characters can improve the amount of brief rests they can benefit from
per day through Class Focuses.
A Day of Rest
A day of rest includes a full day of little to no activity, with nothing too overwhelming,
and certainly no combat. Upon completing a day of rest a character regains all health and
all expended class abilities (unless otherwise stated in the ability) and critical wounds are
reduced by 1.
176
A day of rest can be completed while travelling, if that travel takes place over at least 1 day
without combat or excessive stress to the body, and supplies are utilised for each day.
Characters cannot perform this sort of rest without access to food and some form of bedding.
Your GM is the ultimate arbiter of what constitutes this sort of rest, and may incur some
penalty from a full rest if it is not completed properly, or is done in poor conditions (such as
performing a day of rest while in a mosquito infested swamp).
A Week of Rest
A week of rest includes a full 7-day week of little to no activity, and is somewhat rare for
wardens for purely recovery purposes. There are a few key differences between a day of rest
and a week of rest, listed below:
A character who has their maximum health reduced from critical wounds can use a
week of rest to completely remove this penalty.
Certain rare class or magic item abilities require a week of rest to be regained. These
are very uncommon.
Characters in the party who are not undergoing a week of rest may instead use the
time for downtime activities (discussed later in this chapter).
Downtime Activities
Wardens are frequently given tasks filled with stress and immense danger. Be it harsh
temperatures, days without food, or the constant risking of life and limb, there are often
times when wardens want to take some time to themselves. Downtime activities can be useful
if only certain members of the group need to have a full week of rest, but others do not – they
can use downtime activities to fill that time while their comrades recover.
Downtime activities are a good motivator to think about regarding your own character. What
does your Knight do during their time away from fighting? How does your Freelancer spend
177
all of their hard-earned or ill-gotten coin? These sorts of considerations can add an extra
dimension to your character and give them more to life than before. Downtime can also be a
good time to progress your character’s personal goals and ideals without needing to drag the
entire party along.
Generally speaking, during a day of rest you can undertake any one of the following activities.
The scope of exactly what you do with your downtime, be it with these examples or not, is
ultimately up to your own group. Sometimes a period of downtime can also lead to its own
adventures.
The following list of downtime activities are not exhaustive. If you can think of a new idea
for downtime activities, check with your GM and see what they think.
Carousing
Overview
The lifestyle of wardens is a stressful and challenging one. Most commoners will live their
entire lives without seeing beyond the next village over. Wardens by contrast travel great
distances and confront horrors beyond a commoner’s nightmares. Sometimes you just need a
cold drink. Other times, you need (or just want) a great many drinks. Carousing represents
this relaxed downtime, and the many different ways it can occur.
Rewards:
When you carouse, you go to a social area where you lose something, but gain something else.
Before deciding, roll 1d6. On a result of ‘1’ you lose two things instead of one. On a result of
‘6’ you gain two things instead of one. Choose from the following lists:
178
You lose:
3d6 + 2 silver pieces.
All of your rations.
Your reputation.
Your dignity.
Your memory of last night.
Several normal items, or one important item.
You gain:
1d6 silver pieces and several trinkets.
Romantic attention. The person you gain the attention of is at the discretion of your
GM.
A good reputation. If you choose this option after losing your reputation, then you lose
reputation with one group but gain it with another.
A new friend or contact.
A useful lead or piece of information.
An impression point.
179
Crafting
Overview
Although most wardens purchase their equipment from reputable sources, some prefer to
create their own gear. Crafting is the method by which any warden may create any normal,
non-special equipment, sacrificing time to save on costs. In addition to creating new pieces of
gear, wardens can also use this time to instead repair damaged equipment.
Rewards:
When you begin crafting, you decide what you are trying to craft. For every day crafting
you must spend 15sp, letting you make 30sp worth of items. If an item’s cost is more than
30sp, then you must spend a number of days to reach its total value in order to make it. For
example: an axe costs 60sp, which would require two days to craft. A suit of heavy armour
costs 300sp, and thus requires ten days to complete. You can also spend a day crafting to
repair an item which is broken, again costing you ½ of the item’s base price. You cannot
create or repair special items unless your GM rules otherwise.
Meditation
Overview
Warden’s face many harrowing and intense challenges throughout their tenure. Sometimes
wardens simply wish for peace and quiet in their time away from it. This is doubly so for the
more religious of their number.
Rewards:
When you complete a day of meditation, you can choose to gain any one of the following once
during your next non-rest day:
180
You may re-roll any test which you fail.
You may gain the inspired condition until the start of your next turn.
You may choose to automatically succeed on any miracle test. You may choose to do so
before or after attempting a miracle test.
Nursing
Overview
A warden’s chosen profession necessitates resiliency. Even so, someone wounded will always
recover faster with a set of caring hands close by. Wardens can use their downtime to nurse
their companions back to health, ensuring that they are more readily able to continue the
fight against the Darker Powers.
Rewards:
During a day of rest in which at least one character is recovering from critical wounds, you
can spend your downtime to hasten that recovery. If you nurse a character, they recover an
additional critical wound. If you are also trained in medicine then they recover two additional
critical wounds instead of one. You can only nurse one character during one period of
downtime, and each character can only be nursed by one character during a period of
downtime.
Performing
Overview
Wardens with a penchant for the performing arts may attempt to ply this skill when they are
away from hunting the darker creatures of the world. Indeed, the tales of a warden’s daring
do are often enough to earn a free drink or some coin. Performing involves some ability, such
as singing, dancing, playing instruments, telling stories, etc.
181
Rewards:
When you perform, explain where and how you are performing. Many taverns will accept
having a competent performer to get more customers and loosen their purse strings. When
performing, decide whether you are busking or entertaining, then make a performance test.
Consult the following for your result:
Busking
Critical fail: you are pelted with rotten food, or otherwise humiliated and driven away
from your busking place.
Fail: You earn 1d6 copper pieces. You’re not regarded very highly, but people don’t hate
you.
Success: you earn 1d6 silver pieces. If you’re performing at a tavern, inn, or other
similar location you can stay the night without cost.
Critical Success: you earn 2d6 + 3 silver pieces. If you’re performing at a tavern, inn,
or other similar location you can stay the night without cost.
Entertaining
Critical fail: you are pelted with rotten food, or otherwise humiliated and driven away
from your entertaining place.
Fail: you’re a decent distraction from the other monotony and harsh realities of life, if
only briefly. You’re not held in any longstanding regard.
Success: you have a great performance, thoroughly entertaining those who saw your
show. You are held in higher regard by those people and anyone who they tell.
182
Critical Success: you become renowned throughout the local area as an excellent
performer. Important people will try to procure your services and nobles will happily
house you if you perform for them.
Working
Overview
While not as exciting or as lucrative as a warden’s usual occupation, finding interim work
can be a way to earn some extra money at low risk, and can also offset the cost of living
somewhere. As there is no formal type of safety net for the poor, it’s important for the
common folk to find and maintain their place of work. Most work which is readily available
involves unskilled physical labour. While the pay is poor, it is easy to get such work. For those
with better skills, however, working can generate considerably more money.
Rewards:
For each day spent working, you earn 2 silver pieces. If you can find skilled work (such as
being a blacksmith, glassblower, etc) then this is raised to 10 silver pieces per day. Your GM
has the final say on whether your character has a skill which can be monetised as skilled
work, or if such work is even available. Certain origins should have better chances of finding
skilled work, such as Craftsmen and Merchants.
Researching
Overview
Anywhere which has a collection of knowledge in the forms of books, elders, or travellers,
may be a ripe environment to learn more about something. Research can be most easily done
within a large city that has access to a library, assuming you’re permitted to use it. Alternatively,
you could always try and come across information through other learned individuals, if they
care to share it with you.
183
Rewards:
For each day spent researching, you learn 1 fact about the topic you are researching, and may
learn other information which may or may not be true, or may clarify the fact that you learn,
at the discretion of your GM. If you research at a library or other institute with bountiful
information you instead learn 2 facts. If you are trained in investigation you learn 1 additional
fact. If you are trained in the relevant knowledge skill for what you are researching (such as law
to learn about obscure legal precedent) you learn 1 additional fact.
If you have a specific fact that you are trying to ascertain (such as ‘what weapons can hurt
ghosts?’) you will learn that fact before other information. Your GM may rule that such
information is not available at the location you are using or from the people you are talking
to, and instead will give you information on where you may potentially learn what you are
trying to discover. Your GM may also rule that such information is not known anywhere, and
it will require some form of expedition or adventure to uncover it.
Rumours
Overview
There’s always a way to start a rumour, and if you simply speak a falsehood with conviction
enough times, someone will start to carry it forwards for you. Rumours work much better
in well connected circles, or against someone who is already detested. Spreading rumours
can prove to be an effective way to bring someone into disrepute, or place something at the
forefront of the people’s mind, with or without any evidence.
Rewards:
For each day spent spreading rumours, you can either strengthen or weaken a pre-existing
rumour (which could be one of your own creation) or create a new rumour. New rumours
start weak and take some time, and potential help, to get going properly. At a certain point
rumours may come to be generally accepted by the populace, regardless of any actual validity.
184
Some rumours, of course, will fail to spread at all, which is most common with completely
unbelievable rumours. The exact rate at which a rumour expands is at the discretion of your
GM.
Factors which improve the spread of a rumour include:
The rumour is actually true or readily believable.
The rumour is spread through reputable sources.
The rumour is either positive about a beloved figure, or negative about a hated person.
Factors which inhibit the spread of a rumour include:
The rumour is completely unbelievable.
The rumour is only spread through untrustworthy sources.
The rumour is either negative about a beloved figure, or positive about a hated person.
185
A PPEN DI X A
Special Items
T
Arcane.
hroughout their adventures player characters may come across special items to aid them
in their journeys. Special items are broken down into three types: Mundane, Holy, and
Mundane Items are special for some reason, but are not empowered by holy or dark energy.
Generally these items are not as impactful as Holy or Arcane items, but are special because
of their rarity, advanced nature, or masterful construction.
Holy Items are blessed or empowered in some manner by the Maker. These items are usually
quite strong and safe for wardens to use, with few drawbacks, if any. Damage from a holy
weapon is blessed, unless it says otherwise.
Arcane Items are enchanted or empowered in some manner through the Darker Powers.
These items are usually powerful, but also have the potential to benefit the Darker Powers in
some manner (at your GM’s discretion). Damage from an arcane weapon is ensorcelled, unless
it says otherwise.
Items are then broken down further into the categories of:
Armour
Weapon
186
Consumable
Miscellaneous
Armour is worn as either a set of armour (light, medium, or heavy), or as a shield. You can
only use one piece of special armour at once, unless you are using both a special worn armour
and a special shield.
Weapons are used as their standard variants (spears, swords, etc). You can use as many special
weapons as you would usually be able to use (for example, you could wield two special
daggers, but could not wield a special sword and a special bow at the same time).
Consumable items are destroyed after they are used, but you can otherwise benefit from any
number of them at the same time, unless the consumable item in question says otherwise.
Special ammunition is used per attack. Excluding ammunition, you can use one consumable
item per turn, but it does not require an action to do so.
Miscellaneous items include rings, cloaks, tools, and many other pieces of equipment. You
can only benefit from 3 different miscellaneous items simultaneously, but you can otherwise
overlap with other types of items (such as wearing a special set of boots, cloak, and suit of
armour).
Special items also list their rarity:
Rare
Epic
Legendary
Special items are usually received as rewards from powerful individuals, or recovered from
dangerous environments during expeditions. Due to their rarity, it should not usually be
possible to ‘buy’ them.
187
Appendix A - Special Items
Rare Items
Ammunition Imp on your turn you can give the rope one of
Arcane Miscellaneous the following commands, which it will carry
out to the best of its ability until you fall
This small device is attached to a weapon unconscious, die, command it to stop, or issue
which requires ammunition. Once it is fed a a new command:
single piece of ammunition for that weapon,
Line: The rope becomes taught and
it will continue to spit out new ammunition
hangs in the air as a 20 metre long
whenever it is required. Ammunition it creates
line. It is not affected by gravity in this
is always of the basic mundane variety and
state and can support 300kg before
vanishes if it remains unused for 10 seconds,
failing.
or when moved more than 2 metres from the
weapon it is tied to. Ammunition created by
Grab: The rope leaps to a place or
this device is always destroyed upon use.
creature you can see within 20 metres
of it. It then wraps itself around the
Arcane Ammunition
place (if it is long enough) or attempts
Arcane Consumable to grapple the creature.
Attacks which use this ammunition inflict 1
Crush: The rope attempts to crush
additional wound on a success.
either an object you can see within 20
Arcane Rope metres of it, or a creature that it has
Arcane Miscellaneous grappled, inflicting damage as normal
to a grappled creature.
Rope imbued with some level of intelligence
and bound to its master’s will. This rope is
20 metres long and immensely strong. Once
188
Blessed Ammunition the fuse is lit and the bomb is then thrown
up to 10 metres away, or up to 20 metres
Holy Consumable with a successful strength test. Wherever the
bomb lands, it explodes, dealing 2 wounds to
Attacks which use this ammunition gain a +1
any creatures within 6 metres of the blast.
bonus to their accuracy.
Protection tests against the damage of the
bomb receive a -1 penalty.
Darksight Dagger
Ironhide Armour
Arcane Weapon (Dagger)
Mundane Armour (Heavy)

From start to finish this weapon was forged
in pitch dark. While you are wielding this
This enormously oversized set of armour is
dagger you can see normally regardless of
layered at every possible point with additional
light level, up to 20 metres away. If you throw
plates of metal and thick chain. Although
this dagger you can have it teleport back into
undoubtedly defensive, it also greatly
your hand after the throw is resolved.
encumbers the wearer. While wearing this
armour you have a +4 protection score, but
Dayrest Potion
gain the clumsy special rule and have your
Holy Consumable base movement speed reduced to 10 metres.
This clear liquid shines with silvery light. Nimblesteel Plate
Upon drinking this potion, the creature will

Mundane Armour (Heavy)
fall asleep for 2 hours. Upon waking, it gains
all the benefits from completing a day of rest.
The work of a great smith with rare materials,
this armour retains all the protective
Iron Bomb
qualities of other heavier armours while
Mundane Consumable being markedly lighter. The noisy penalty
from this armour is 0 instead of -2
This spherical iron grenade has a short
piece of fuse. When using this consumable,
189
Radiant Bulwark Ring of Repetition
Holy Armour (Light, Medium, or Heavy) Arcane Miscellaneous
This armour is infused with a spark of the This pair of rings force two fingers to
Maker’s divine light. Once per day, you can remain together. Their onyx crystals channel
perform the ‘Guiding Light’ miracle using the forces around the caster to their benefit.
the armour. Performing the miracle in this Whenever you cast the ‘Arcane Bolt’ spell,
way causes it to automatically succeed, and it you generate an additional bolt.
does not require you to expend a miracle use.
Ring of Sacrifice
Resilient Multi-Tool
Holy Miscellaneous
Mundane Miscellaneous
This ring is inlaid with a shimmering golden
This sturdy multi-tool can be reconfigured topaz. Whenever its wielder would die, they
in a great number of ways. Whenever you are instead returned to 1 health. The topaz
would consume tools, you can use this then immediately shatters, destroying this
instead. Every time this tool is used, roll ring.
1d6. On a result of 1, the tool is irrevocably
damaged and destroyed. Staff of the Apprentice
Restorative Tonic Arcane Weapon (Club)
Mundane Consumable While wielding this staff you can cast the
‘Subtle Alteration’, ‘Spectral Hands’, ‘Ruinous
This tonic is comprised of mystically healing Rebuke’ and ‘Foggify’ spells without using
herbs. Whoever consumes this tonic regains any witchery points.
2 health immediately.
190
Sundering Hammer you gain a +1 bonus to protection tests

against ranged attacks in addition to the usual
Arcane Weapon (War Hammer) benefits a shield confers. Once per turn you
can plant or pick up the shield. While planted,
This weapon’s armour piercing trait reduces
you cannot move without unequipping the
a target’s protection tests by 2 instead of 1.
shield, but also gain light cover.
Thunder Horn
Venom Blade
Mundane Miscellaneous
Arcane Weapon (Sword)
This expertly crafted horn can generate an

This curved blade shimmers like a snake’s
enormous sound despite its size. When using
scales. When a creature receives at least
the horn, it makes sounds which can be heard
1 wound from this weapon, it must make
up to 200 metres away. Using this horn in
a resistance test. On a failure it becomes
combat requires an action. Due to the great
poisoned until the start of your next turn.
sound, any creature other than the user who
is within 4 metres of the user when this horn Witch Potion
is used must make a resistance test, receiving
1 wound on a failure. Damage from this horn Arcane Consumable
This potion fizzes, pops, and shines with blue
Tower Shield light. Whoever consumes this potion regains
4 witchery points immediately.
Mundane Armour (Shield)
This enormous shield has been meticulously

engineered to be both large and somewhat
manoeuvrable, unlike other such large
protective boards. While holding this shield
191
Epic Items
Amulet of the Mystic placed within the bag, if it is less than 30cm
in any direction. A creature can reach inside
Arcane Miscellaneous the bag once during its turn to retrieve any
one item which it knows to be in the bag.
This silver amulet emits great arcane power.
If the bag is turned upside down everything
Wearing this amulet causes the user to regain
within spills out into the nearest available
an additional witchery point at the beginning
space. If a bottomless bag is placed inside
of their turn.
another bottomless bag both are destroyed,
including any of their contents.
Boots of Avoidance
Breach-Loading Rifle
Arcane Miscellaneous
Mundane Weapon (Arquebus)

These dark boots grant the wearer a lightness
of foot. Once per creature phase when the
This rifled arquebus is of incredible quality.
wearer is attacked, they can choose to make
It is both immensely accurate at great ranges
an agility test. On a success, the attack misses
and very swift to operate. This weapon’s
them. This ability cannot be used if the attack
range value is changed to 300 metres and
was a critical hit.
does not have the reload trait.
Bottomless Bag
Cloak of Decision
Arcane Miscellaneous
Holy Miscellaneous
This bag opens into an endless, airless space.

This crimson cloak is trimmed with gold
Anything which is not a creature can be
inlay and has the sigil of judgement patterned
192
into the back. While wearing this cloak you until dawn of the next day. The range of this
gain a +1 bonus to your death threshold and communication is 500 metres.
initiative.
Crescent Moon
Cloak of Protection
Arcane Weapon (Halberd)
Holy Miscellaneous
This silver halberd’s axe blade is in the
This cerulean cloak is trimmed with gold shape of an exaggerated crescent moon. This
inlay and has the sigil of mercy patterned weapon can attack through reflective surfaces
into the back. While wearing this cloak you as if the two points are connected, as long
gain a +1 bonus to your protection score. as the two reflective surfaces are within 20
metres of each other.
Cloak of Resistance
Dove of Assurance
Holy Miscellaneous
Holy Consumable
This verdant cloak is trimmed with gold inlay
and has the sigil of enlightenment patterned This pure white paper dove is warm to the
into the back. While wearing this cloak you touch and radiates serenity. Whoever hurls
gain a +1 bonus to all resistance tests. this dove into the sky will automatically
succeed on their next miracle test if it is
Communing Stone made in the same day.
Holy Miscellaneous Gauntlets of Might
This perfectly spherical orb is dotted with Holy Miscellaneous

pictures of mouths and ears. If you perform
a 1 hour long ritual with the stone, you and These gauntlets are infused with righteous
anyone else who participates in the ritual fury. While wearing these gauntlets a creature
gain the ability to telepathically communicate gains the mighty special rule.
193
Ghostly Mantle Potion of Invisibility
Arcane Miscellaneous Arcane Consumable
This thin white robe is cold and clammy to This potion appears completely translucent
the touch. Once per day a creature wearing and is impossible to detect with the naked
the cloak can choose to gain the ethereal eye. Whoever consumes this potion becomes
special rule and a flying speed of 10 metres. invisible for 3 turns.
These effects last for 1 hour, at which point
the creature returns to normal. Potion of Regeneration
Hurricane Spear Holy Consumable
Arcane Weapon (Spear) This red potion sparkles with holy light.
Whoever consumes this potion regains 2
This elegant spear shakes excitedly in the health immediately, and 1 health at the start
hand, eager to strike. Whenever you declare of their next 2 turns.
an attack using this weapon, you make two
attacks instead. Quicksilver Armour
Potion of Flight Arcane Armour (Medium or Heavy)
Arcane Consumable This armour is made of metal which appears

almost liquid, but solidifies against force.
This potion forms a whirlpool even if kept Once per Creature Phase you can choose to
completely still. Whoever consumes this automatically succeed on any protection test.
potion gains a flying speed of 30 metres and You can choose to use this ability before or
immunity to fall damage for 3 turns. after attempting the protection roll normally.
194
Ring of the Giant Staff of Fury
Arcane Miscellaneous Arcane Weapon (Club)
This ring feels tremendously heavy until This gnarled staff has a fierce demonic face
worn, and is engraved with a snarling giant’s carved upon it. It calls you to violence. Attacks
face. While wearing this ring, a creature’s with this weapon inflict an additional wound
size changes to large if it was not already, or and have the armour piercing trait. Once
huge if it was large. per day you can use this staff to cast the
‘Consuming Fury’ spell. When you cast the
Screaming Blade spell in this way, it does not require witchery
points to cast. If you have enough witchery
Arcane Weapon (Sword)
points to cast ‘Consuming Fury’, you can
also cast the spell as if you knew it while you
This sword has an exaggerated screaming
wield this item.
face on either side of its hilt. This weapon
inflicts an additional wound on a successful
Warp Boots
hit. Whenever you declare an attack with this
weapon it wails and screams in a high-pitch Arcane Miscellaneous
shriek which is audible up to 100 metres
away. When a creature is targeted with this These boots appear to shift and transpose
weapon and can hear the screaming, it must themselves short distances. Once per turn a
make a resistance test, becoming frightened of creature wearing these boots can teleport up
you on a failure until the start of your next to 20 metres in any direction.
turn. If a creature succeeds on this resistance
test it is not frightened and is immune to the
effects of this weapon until the start of the
next day.
195
Legendary Items
Alchemist’s Quickspark Gloves Monarch’s Gilded Plate
Arcane Miscellaneous Mundane Armour (Heavy)
This pair of pure white gloves are adorned This master crafted armour is worth a fortune
with glyphs which are warm to the touch. in itself, and is both superbly defensive and
The gloves are completely fireproof, and you impressive to witness. This armour grants
can touch and hold flames with them. While a protection score of +4 instead of +3.
wearing the gloves you can click your fingers Additionally, while wearing this armour you
to conjure a ball of flame in your palm. gain advantage on all social skill tests.
Using an action on your turn you can cast
the ‘Fireball’ spell. When you cast the spell in Shard of the Maker’s Essence
this way, it does not require witchery points
Holy Consumable
to cast.
This golden piece of the Maker’s own presence

Maker’s Tear Elixir
has incredible power. Whoever uses this item
Holy Consumable can choose any attribute which is currently
not +4 (extraordinary). That attribute is
Captured within a golden decanter, this improved by 1.
clear liquid is supposedly the very tears of
the Maker. Whoever consumes this potion is Thief’s Assurance
immediately gains the benefits of completing
Arcane Armour (Medium)
a week of rest. Any miracle, spell, or other
lingering effects on the consumer also end
This armour’s appearance shifts and bends to
immediately.
match its surroundings, and muffles almost
all noise from its wearer. This armour has no
noisy penalty and while wearing this armour
you automatically succeed on agility tests to
196
move silently. Additionally, while wearing successfully hit a creature with this weapon,
this armour you can hide as if you were you can cause a bolt of lightning to arc to
invisible. another creature within 10 metres of the
initial target. That creature receives 1 wound
The Bite of Winter which ignores protection tests.
Arcane Weapon (Sword) The Maker’s Will
This slender thrusting sword is cold to the Holy Weapon (War Hammer)
touch and while drawn shimmers with
crystals of ice that surround its blue-steel Crafted as a replica of the Maker’s own
blade. While wielding this weapon you can tool of creation and bathed in holy energy,
make an additional weapon attack with it this weapon is one of the few clear lines of
once per turn. Additionally, whenever you communication between the Maker and the
successfully hit a creature, that creature has world. Once per day, you can perform the
its movement speed reduced by 10 metres Solar Lance miracle using the war hammer.
until the start of your next turn. If hit Performing the miracle in this way causes
multiple times, a creature’s movement speed it to automatically succeed, and it does
is reduced by 10 metres for each time it is hit. not require you to expend a miracle use.
If a creature’s movement speed is reduced to Additionally, while wielding this weapon
0 from this effect it becomes stunned until you gain a flying speed equal to your normal
the start of your next turn. movement speed.
The Tempest Spear
Arcane Weapon (Spear)
Forged in the eye of a storm, this spear is

imbued with immense electrical power.
This weapon inflicts an additional wound.
All wounds inflicted by this weapon ignore
protection tests. Additionally, whenever you
197
A PPEN DI X B
Basic Enemies
O utside of the relative safety of cities the world is a harsh and unforgiving place. Beyond
natural hazards and concerns of clean water and food, there are monstrous creatures
which seek, above all else, to inflict harm to humanity and end the age of the Maker’s chosen.
This following section provides a sample of the many foes wardens are likely to face in their
travels, as well as brief snippets of lore and their stat sheets.
Enemies are broken into four tiers:
Minor Threat
Moderate Threat
Major Threat
Existential Threat
Minor threat creatures are generally weak by themselves, but can still pose a significant
threat when massed. These creatures include goblins, skeletons, cacklers, and mimics, among
others. Such creatures can present a threat to undefended towns or small communities, but
can generally be dealt with by local authorities and competent leadership. Minor threats are
appropriate in small groups against wardens between levels 1 to 3, or as supporting units
against higher level wardens.
198
Moderate threat creatures form the main bulk of the darker power’s directed forces. While
minor threat monsters may be included to support a war host, when the Darker Powers
form armies and attempt considered actions against humanity, these are generally what they
employ. These creatures include elves and orcs, wights and ghouls, blackguards and fiends,
wyrdway guardians and changemakers, among others. Such creatures cannot be ignored by
any small settlement, and will likely destroy such a community without the intervention of
military forces or wardens. Moderate threats are appropriate as single opponents against
wardens between levels 1 to 2, small groups against wardens between levels 3 to 6, or as
larger groups against wardens between levels 7 to 10. They can also work as supporting units
against higher level wardens.
Major threats are some of the most powerful creatures the Darker Powers can align against
humanity. Such threats generally pose significant threat even as an individual, but are usually
backed up by minor or moderate threat allies. These creatures include giants, vampires, taurdia,
basilisks, among others. Creatures such as this spell ruination for any human settlement they
set their sights on, and without intervention all but the greatest of human cities will succumb
to their machinations. Major threats are appropriate as single threats against wardens between
levels 5 to 8, or in small numbers against wardens between levels 9 to 10.
Existential threats are the greatest foes of humanity. It is fortunate that such foes are rare,
for the mere fact of their existence is enough to threaten the continued survival of humanity.
Be it through immense cunning, sheer might, or unparalleled arcane power, these enemies
are very rarely encountered, but an omen of dark tidings when they are. Existential threats
are appropriate as challenging foes against wardens of levels 9 and 10. They are usually also
supported by lesser enemies in some capacity. Even experienced wardens generally need
to complete some advanced preparation or extended campaign to put an existential threat
within reach.
An asterisk next to a value means that the creature is trained in the relevant aspect. For
example, every creature is trained in resistance tests, so all creatures have an asterisk next to
their resistance bonus.
199
Appendix B - Basic Enemies
The following list of basic enemies has 53 entries. These are broken down into 16 minor
threats, 32 moderate threats, 4 major threats, and 1 existential threat. This should be a solid
jumping off point for either creating your own monsters, or tide you over until more official
content is released.
200
Minor Threats
Agent of Change (Change)
Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* Attack (Dagger):
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Acc +1*
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: 0 1 wound
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 1 Concealable, Light, Thrown (20m)
Spellcasting: Special Rules:
Arcane Bolt (∞) Cowardly
Detect Magic (2) Swift

Lore:
Subtle Alteration (∞)
Cultists unsatisfied with either the world
Primeval Reversion (3)
or themselves, they seek change in any way
Corrosive Blood (2) possible.
Animate Armour (Change)

Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* 1 wound
Protection (Natural Armour): +3 Special Rules:
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: 0 Clumsy
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 0 | I: -2 | C: -2 Durable
Lore:
Attack (Bash):
Armour imbued with a sliver of arcane

Acc +2*
change; it takes on a life of its own.
201
Mimic (Change)
Health: 2 | Resistance: +1* Clumsy
Protection (Natural Armour): +1

Eldritch
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: 0
Mimicry
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 0 | I: -2 | C: -2
Attack (Bite): Lore:
Acc +1* Mimics will take the form of harmless

inanimate objects before pouncing on the
1 wound
unsuspecting and swiftly devouring them.
Special Rules:
Wyrd Spawn (Change)
Health: 1 | Resistance: +1* Special Rules:
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 Eldritch
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: 0 Mimicry
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 1 | I: -2 | C: -2 Lore:
Attack (Grasp): Wyrd spawns are spontaneously created

during events of create arcane power. They
Acc +2*
think of nothing but their own eternal agony,
1 wound grasping out for anything to soothe it.
Agent of Dread (Dread)

Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* S: 1 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 1
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Spellcasting:
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: -1 Arcane Bolt (∞)
202
Detect Magic (2) Concealable, Light, Thrown (20m)
Spectral Hands (∞) Special Rules:
Grave Bolt (3) Cowardly
Hex (1) Lore:
Attack (Dagger): Agents of dread either see a twisted beauty in

death or have been corrupted in their pursuit
Acc +1*
of escaping it.
1 wound
Husk (Dread)
Protection (None): +0 Clumsy
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: 0 Undead
S: 2 | A: -1 | W: 0 | I: -2 | C: -2 Lore:
Attack (Bash): Husks are the empty shells of human corpses.

They are inhabited with the forces of dread
Acc +2* and form a literal meat shield for their armies.
1 wound
Skeleton (Dread)
Health: 1 | Resistance: +2* S: 1 | A: 1 | W: 1 | I: -2 | C: -1
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Attack (Club):
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Acc +1*
203
1 wound Lore:
Ubiquitous Skeletons are the reanimated remains of

the long dead. They are controlled through
Special Rules:
magic as a mockery of the living.
Undead
Vesper (Dread)
Protection (None): +0 Draining
Movement: 20 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 Ethereal
S: 0 | A: 2 | W: 0 | I: 0 | C: 0 Precise
Attack (Deathly Touch): Undead
Acc +2* Lore:
1 wound (ensorcelled) The last vestiges of unhappy souls who have

begrudgingly passed on. They can be heard
Draining
absent-minded complaining in the squalid
places they haunt.
Agent of Ruin (Ruin)
Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* Detect Magic (1)
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Ruinous Rebuke (∞)
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Flame Breath (3)
S: 2* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 1 Consuming Fury (2)
Spellcasting: Attack (Axe):
Arcane Bolt (∞) Acc +2*
204
2 wounds Lore:
Keen Agents of ruin seek to bring about the aims

of devils and demons: seas of blood, rivers of
Special Rules:
flame.
Decisive
Cackler (Ruin)
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Decisive
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: -1 Deft
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 1 | I: 0 | C: 1 Swift
Attack (Club): Lore:
Acc +2* Bipedal spotted hyena-men. Cacklers laugh

heartily at great fires or mass slaughter, and
1 wound
they love nothing more than a good laugh.
Ubiquitous
Cackler Blaster (Ruin)

Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* Ammunition, Firearm, Range (60m), Reload,
Two-Handed
Protection (Light Armour): +1*
Special Rules:
Decisive
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 2 | I: 0 | C: 1
Deft
Attack (Arquebus):
Inaccurate
Acc +1*
Lore:
2 wounds
205
Cackler blasters are given the ‘boom-gun’ for loud but immensely inaccurate, making them
their work. This weapon is thunderously spirited but inconsistent troops.
Cackler Matron (Ruin)

Protection (Light Armour): +1* Armour Piercing
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Special Rules:
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 1 | I: 2 | C: 3 Commanding
Spellcasting: Decisive
Arcane Bolt (∞) Deft
Detect Magic (2) Swift
Ruinous Rebuke (∞) Lore:
Darkflame (3) Cackler warbands operate under a strict

matriarchy. The matrons stand at the top
Assault of Crows (2)
of this vicious pile, directing their lesser to
Attack (Mace): greater and greater acts of violence.
Acc +2*
Agent of Trickery (Trickery)
Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* Detect Magic (2)
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Foggify (∞)
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Jinx (3)
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 1 Illusory Weave (1)
Spellcasting: Attack (Bow):
206
1 wound Lore:
Ammunition, Range (120m), Two-Handed These humans work with the fey for one
reason or another. Whatever they may think,
Special Rules:
they are little more than expendable pawns
Cowardly for their betters.
Precise
Goblin (Trickery)
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Cowardly
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Small
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: -2 | I: 1 | C: 1 Lore:
Attack (Dagger): Goblins are tiny, pathetic creatures filled

with nothing but cunning and hatred in
Acc +1*
equal measure.
1 wound
Concealable, Light, Thrown (20m)
Goblin Shaman (Trickery)
Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* Arcane Bolt (∞)
Protection (Light Armour): +1*

Detect Magic (2)
Foggify (∞)
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: -1 | I: 2 | C: 1
Obscure Form (3)
Spellcasting:
Invisify (1)
207
Attack (Spear): Lore:
Acc +2* Shamans are goblins gifted with limited

magical prowess and a modicum of backbone.
1 wound
Reach
Special Rules:
Cowardly
Commanding
Small
Varishy (Trickery)
Protection (None): +0 Special Rules:
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Lithe
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: 3 | I: 0 | C: 0 Small
Attack (Claws): Lore:
Acc +2* Clad in rags, Varishy will kill and die for
even the smallest scrap of valuable material.
208
Moderate Threats
Aberrant Spawn (Change)

Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Fast
S: 3 | A: 2 | W: 1 | I: -2 | C: -2 Large
Attack (Claws) x 2: Mighty
Acc +2* Sundering
2 wounds
Lore:
Random forces of change can strike down

Armour Piercing
the truly unfortunate in a completely random
Throw (6 metres): manner. Those altered in this way become
Replaces 1 attack once per turn. Target makes hulking masses of flesh, tooth, and bone. The
STR or AGI test, being thrown 6 metres on a pain of the transformation shatters even the
failure. For every 2 metres travelled beyond strongest of wills.
their fall threshold the creature receives 2
wounds. Damage is dealt as falling damage.
Alchemist (Change)
Health: 6 | Resistance: +2* Attack (Alchemical Bomb) x 2:
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Range 20m. All creatures within 4 metres of
the impact point receive 2 wounds.
Attack (Blinding Bomb) x 2:
S: 1 | A: 1 | W: 2 | I: 3 | C: 2
209
Range 20m. All creatures within 4 metres of Special Rules:

the impact point must make a resistance test.
Commanding
On a failure a creature is blinded until the
start of the alchemist’s next turn. Fast
Attack (Poison Bomb) x 2: Lore:
Range 20m. All creatures within 4 metres of Alchemists are learned scholars seeking to
the impact point must make a resistance test. master transmutation. Alchemists enthralled
On a failure a creature is poisoned until the by the powers of change continue to push the
start of the alchemist’s next turn. limits of both science and human decency.
Changeling (Change)
Health: 3 | Resistance: +2* Fast
Protection (None): +0 Swift
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Lore:
S: 2 | A: 2 | W: 1 | I: 2 | C: 3 Changelings are grey, featureless, roughly

humanoid figures. They are able to effortlessly
Attack (Claws) x 2:
change their appearance to any humanoid
Acc +2* they have already seen. While changed,
1 wound they can unerringly mimic their speech.
If a changeling can, it will kill and eat a
Special Rules:
person, gaining access to their memories and
Changeling knowledge in addition to its appearance if it
can do so.
Eldritch
Chimera (Change)
Health: 6 | Resistance: +2* Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: 0
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 S: 2 | A: 2 | W: 3 | I: 0 | C: 0
210
Attack (Claws) x 2: Frightening
Acc +2* Large
2 wounds Swift
Armour Piercing Lore:
Attack (Flame Breath): Chimeras are created through killing

and then recombining several creatures
Replaces 1 attack once per turn. All creatures
simultaneously with arcane forces. Chimeras
within a 10 metre line must make a resistance
are immensely loyal to their masters, many
test. On a failure, a creature receives 2
guarding laboratories long after their masters
wounds. Damage from this ability is flaming.
have died.
Special Rules:
Fast
Cockatrice (Change)
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 Durable
Movement: 20 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 Grasping
S: 3 | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: -1 | C: 0 Fast
Attack (Peck) x 2: Large
Acc +3* Mighty
2 wounds Lore:
Armour Piercing A cockatrice is born when a hen is slain

during its egg laying, and the egg then hatches
under a serpent. The creature grows quickly
to the size of a horse, is highly unruly, and
211
will kill anything it can with its fanged and

hooked beak.
Tower of Thorns (Change)
Health: 12 | Resistance: +1* Ensnaring
Protection (Natural Armour): +3 Flammable
Movement: 0 metres | Noisy: 0 Harrying
S: 4 | A: 0 | W: 1 | I: -2 | C: -2 Immobile
Attack (Branch): Large
Acc +4* Sundering
2 wounds Lore:
Armour Piercing (2), Blinding When an acorn is planted in barren soil, fed
only freshly slain livestock, and watered with
Special Rules:
only eldritch blood, it will turn into a tower
Blinding of thorns. This hellish tree showers the
Eldritch ground with blinding spores and continues
to hunger for flesh.
Homunculus (Change)
Health: 5 | Resistance: +1* 2 wounds
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 Armour Piercing
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Special Rules:
S: 3 | A: 2 | W: 1 | I: -2 | C: 0 Clumsy
Attack (Bash) x 2: Fast
Acc +4* Mighty
212
Sundering Alchemists commonly create brutish,

unthinking creatures to do their bidding. The
Swift
majority of these are based on the hulking
Lore: and subservient homunculus.
Wyrdway Guardian (Change)
Movement: 20 metres fly | Noisy: 0 Large
S: 2 | A: 2 | W: 1 | I: 2 | C: 1 Regenerative
Attack (Mind Spike) x 2: Lore:
Acc +2* Resembling an enormous eye with several

trailing tendrils, wyrdway guardians
2 wounds (ensorcelled) vigilantly patrol areas of interest to the
domain of change without regard for their
Ignores Protection, Range (40m)
own preservation.
Banshee (Dread)
Health: 6 | Resistance: +2* Attack (Deathly Touch) x 2:
Protection (None): +0 Acc +2*
Movement: 30 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 1 wound
S: 0 | A: 3* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 2 Draining
213
Attack (Banshee Screech): Fast
Replaces 1 attack once per turn. All creatures Frightening

within 10 metres of this creature must make
a resistance test. On a failure, a creature Precise
receives 3 wounds and becomes frightened
Lore:
until the beginning of the banshee’s next
turn.
Banshees are created when a mother witnesses
the loss of her child and is subsequently slain
Special Rules:
shortly after. Anguish this pure both prevents
Draining her soul from passing on, and ushers the
souls of others into oblivion.
Ethereal
Dread Mage (Dread)
Health: 3 | Resistance: +2* Terrify (1)
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Hand of Death (1)
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Attack (Dagger) x 2:
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 3 | C: 2 Acc +2*
Spellcasting: 1 wound
Arcane Bolt (∞) Concealable, Light, Thrown (20m)
Detect Magic (3) Special Rules:
Spectral Hands (∞) Putrid
Grave Bolt (∞) Resonant
Blight (2) Lore:
Spectral Shielding (1)
214
Dread mages are experienced occultists. They their victims, creating a vile and protective
drape themselves in the rotting viscera of second skin.
Dread Overseer (Dread)

Protection (Light Armour): +1* Commanding
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: 0 Mighty
S: 2 | A: 1 | W: 1 | I: 2 | C: 2 Undead
Attack (War Hammer) x 2: Lore:
Acc +2* Dread overseers organise the shambling

undead into coherent groups, slamming their
3 wounds
mighty hammer against a sturdy gong to
Armour Piercing order them.
Ghoul (Dread)
Protection (Natural Armour): +1 Rapid
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: 0 Putrid
S: 3 | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 0 Swift
Attack (Claws) x 3: Undead
Acc +2* Lore:
1 wound Ghouls are the beastly reanimated remains of

cannibals and murderers. Ghouls are eager to
eat and kill anyone they find, in that order.
215
Lederblak (Dread)
Protection (Natural Armour): +3* Frightening
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Large
S: 4 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 0 Leaching
Attack (Claws) x 2: Regenerative
Acc +4* Lore:
1 wound Lederblak are enormous bat-like creatures

which hunt livestock and man alike.
Armour Piercing
Lederblak are notoriously difficult to put
Special Rules: down, with flesh that turns away blades,
Defensive regenerative properties, and the ability to
restore themselves through killing others.
Durable
Revenant (Dread)
Protection (Natural Armour): +1 Flammable
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: 0 Regenerative
S: 3 | A: 1 | W: 4 | I: 1 | C: 0 Undead
Attack (Bash) x 2: Lore:
Acc +2* Revenants are the inevitable march of death

made manifest. When someone dies filled
1 wound
with hatred for their killer, they may return
Special Rules: to hunt their assailant all on their own as a
Ensnaring revenant.
216
Thinblood (Dread)
Health: 4 | Resistance: +2* Concealable, Light, Thrown (20m)
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Special Rules:
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: 0 Precise
S: 2 | A: 3* | W: 2 | I: 3 | C: 1 Rapid
Attack (Sword) x 3: Regenerative
Acc +3* Undead
1 wound Lore:
Parry Lesser vampires, thinbloods only have limited

vampiric abilities. Thinbloods are bound to
Attack – off hand (Dagger):
their creator, and most act as both soldiers
Acc +3* and servants to their true vampire masters.
1 wound
Wight (Dread)
Health: 6 | Resistance: +2* (adv) Attack (Crossbow) x 2:
Protection (Medium Armour, Shield): +3* Acc +3*
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: -1 2 wounds
S: 3* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 1 Ammunition, Armour Piercing, Loading,

Range (80m), Two-Handed
Attack (Axe) x 2:
Special Rules:
Acc +3*
Fast
3 wounds
Mighty
Keen
Undead
217
Withstanding When warriors of great skill are raised from

the dead, they are permitted to keep more
Lore:
of themselves, thus making them into more
effective and independent killing machines.
Blackguard (Ruin)
Protection (Heavy Armour): +3* Ensnaring
S: 3* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 0 Sundering
Attack (Halberd) x 2: Lore:
Acc +3* Former warriors who succumbed to bloodlust

or lost their souls to a devil, the body of a
2 wounds
blackguard is an unfeeling, uncaring bulwark
Armour Piercing, Great Weapon, Reach of evil which permits no escape.
Crobata (Ruin)
Health: 3 | Resistance: +2* Assault of Crows (3)
Protection (Natural Armour): +1* Consuming Fury (2)
Movement: 30 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 Attack (Hexed Talons) x 3:
S: 1 | A: 3* | W: 2 | I: 3 | C: 2 Acc +3*
Spellcasting: 1 wound (ensorcelled)
Arcane Bolt (∞) Blinding
Detect Magic (3) Special Rules:
Ruinous Rebuke (∞) Blinding
218
Commanding Lore:
Large Large humanoid crows, crobata are constantly

grooming and preening themselves. In battle
Precise
they assume a commanding position from
Rapid afar, lording over others and avoiding any
Resonant blemishes if possible.
Fiend (Ruin)
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 Fast
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Resistant
S: 3* | A: 2 | W: 1 | I: 1 | C: 2 Lore:
Attack (Claws) x 3: Fiends are born of the hellish energy in their

home domains. Though born with wings,
Acc +3*
constant battles leave them ripped and torn,
1 wound and thus fiends are very rarely seen flying.
Fiend Commander (Ruin)
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 Commanding
Movement: 20 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 Rapid
S: 2* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 3 | C: 2 Resistant
Attack (Claws) x 3:
Acc +2*
1 wound
219
Lore: knowledge of war, these fiends are kept

separate from their lesser, and thus retain
Fiends are herded towards the enemy by
functional wings.
these commanders. Born suffused with the
Fiend Hellgunner (Ruin)
Protection (Natural Armour): +2 Mighty
Movement: 20 metres | Noisy: 0 Resistant
S: 2* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 1 Lore:
Attack (Firelance) x 2: Some fiends are selected to receive the

firelance. This involves hollowing out a limb
Acc +3*
and casting a gun within the new cavity.
3 wounds Whenever a hellgunner fires, the smell of
Ammunition, Firearm, Range (60m), Reload burnt flesh accompanies the thunder and
death.
Minotaur (Ruin)
Health: 8 | Resistance: +2* Armour Piercing, Great Weapon, Keen, Two-

Handed
Protection (Natural Armour): +2*
Special Rules:
Defensive
S: 4* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 1
Durable
Attack (Great Axe):
Frightening
Acc +4*
Large
4 wounds
Mighty
220
Lore: are universally furious, and will fly into

an unquenchable rage at the slightest
Minotaurs are large muscular humanoids
provocation.
which look like bipedal bulls. Minotaurs
Pyran (Ruin)
Health: 4 | Resistance: +1* Wall of Fire (1)
Protection (None): +0 Attack (Scorching Touch):
Movement: 10 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 Acc +1*
S: 1 | A: 1 | W: 1 | I: 3 | C: 2 1 wound (flaming)
Arcane Bolt (∞) Blazing
Detect Magic (3) Resonant
Ruinous Rebuke (∞) Lore:
Flame Breath (∞) Pyrans are humanoid creatures of charcoal

and ash which ooze magma. They act slowly
Cloak of Fire (3)
and deliberately, both on the battlefield and
Fireball (3) in their role as hellish architect.
Bolts of Destruction (1)
Succubus (Ruin)
Health: 2 | Resistance: +2* Attack (Claws) x 3:
Protection (Light Armour): +1* Acc +2*
Movement: 30 metres (fly) | Noisy: 0 1 wound
S: 1 | A: 3* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 5 Draining
221
Special Rules: Rapid
Beguiling Lore:
Changeling Succubi are demonesses who gain their power

through deception and corruption. The most
Draining
delectable meal to a succubus is a truly honest
Precise and devout soul driven to debauchery.
Dryad (Trickery)
Health: 6 | Resistance: +2* Attack (Club):
Protection (Natural Armour): +2* Acc +2*
S: 2 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 3 | C: 1 Ubiquitous
Arcane Bolt (∞) Defensive
Detect Magic (3) Flammable
Foggify (∞) Lore:
Jinx (∞) Dryads are immensely territorial forest spirits

with bark-like skin. They may negotiate with
Enrapture (3)
humans if it greatly benefits their chosen
Fey Skip (3) home, but most trespassers are violently
Enimble/Clumsify (1) removed.
Shuffle (1)
Elven Warrior (Trickery)

Health: 4 | Resistance: +2* Movement: 40 metres | Noisy: -1
Protection (Medium Armour, Shield): +3* S: 1 | A: 4* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 2
222
Attack (Sword) x 2: Nimble
Acc +4* Precise
1 wound Pyrophobic
Parry Swift
Attack (Bow) x 2: Lore:
Acc +4* Elven warriors are exceptionally skilled

soldiers with decades, if not centuries, of
1 wound
experience. Masters of bow and blade, they
Ammunition, Range (120m), Two-Handed kill quickly before disappearing without
giving proper battle.
Special Rules:
Elven Spellsinger (Trickery)
Health: 3 | Resistance: +2* Illusionary Weave (2)
Protection (None): +0 Invisify (2)
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: 0 Enimble/Clumsify (1)
S: 1 | A: 2* | W: 2 | I: 4 | C: 2 Pathway Gate (1)
Spellcasting: Attack (Dagger) x 2:
Detect Magic (4) 1 wound
Foggify (∞) Concealable, Light, Thrown (20m)
Enrapture (3) Special Rules:
223
Fast Lore:
Nimble Although all elves are born with innate

magical talent, spellsingers are those within
Precise elven society who dedicate their long lives
to its study and mastery. There are few who
Pyrophobic
can match a spellsinger’s understanding of
the occult.
Swift
Orc (Trickery)
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Decisive
S: 3* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 1 Swift
Attack (Great Axe) x 2: Lore:
Acc +3* Orcs are tall, muscular, and brutish creatures

of trickery. Their methods are crude and
3 wounds
unrefined, but their results speak for
Great Weapon, Keen, Two-Handed themselves.
Orc Shaman (Trickery)
Health: 4 | Resistance: +2* Arcane Bolt (∞)
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Detect Magic (2)
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: -1 Foggify (∞)
S: 2* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 2 Jinx (3)
Spellcasting: Illusionary Weave (1)
224
Invisify (1) Fast
Attack (Club) x 2: Swift
Acc +3* Lore:
1 wound Orcs which show magical talent are raised

as shamans. Although unable to progress
Ubiquitous
throughout normal orc society due to their
Special Rules: ‘cheaty magic’, they are frequently advisors
Commanding to war chiefs.
Ogre (Trickery)
Health: 6 | Resistance: +2* their fall threshold the creature receives 2

wounds. Damage is dealt as falling damage.
Protection (Natural Armour): +3
Special Rules:
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: -1
Clumsy
S: 3* | A: 1 | W: 2 | I: -1 | C: 1
Fast
Attack (Club) x 2:
Large
Acc +3*
Mighty
2 wounds
Lore:
Armour Piercing, Ubiquitous
Ogres are solid, rotund creatures whose
Throw (6 metres): stupidity is matched only by their insatiable
hunger. A hungry ogre is fearless in battle,
Replaces 1 attack once per turn. Target makes far too eager to fill their belly than avoid
STR or AGI test, being thrown 6 metres on a harm.
failure. For every 2 metres travelled beyond
225
Sprite (Trickery)
Health: 3 | Resistance: +2* Ammunition, Range (120m), Two-Handed
Protection (None): +0 Special Rules:
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: -1 Deft
S: 1 | A: 3* | W: 2 | I: 2 | C: 1 Lithe
Attack (Spear) x 3: Precise
Acc +3* Rapid
1 wound Small
Reach Lore:
Attack (Bow) x 3: Sprites are small aggressive fey which

constantly harass their enemies. This
Acc +3*
harassment can vary from souring milk to
1 wound stealing children.
Troll (Trickery)
Health: 8 | Resistance: +2* Throw (8 metres):
Protection (Natural Armour): +3* Replaces 1 attack once per turn. Target makes
STR or AGI test, being thrown 6 metres on a
Movement: 10 metres | Noisy: -1
S: 4* | A: 2 | W: 2 | I: 1 | C: 1 their fall threshold the creature receives 2
Attack (War Hammer) x 2: wounds. Damage is dealt as falling damage.
Acc +4* Special Rules:
3 wounds Defensive
Armour Piercing (3), Great Weapon, Two- Fast

Handed Large
226
Mighty
Sundering
Lore:
Trolls are fierce large creatures with grey

stoney skin. Brutish bullies, they thoroughly
enjoy breaking bodies and hearing the
screams of their victims.
227
Major Threats
Basilisk (Change)
Health: 20 | Resistance: +3* (adv) Throw (8 metres):
Protection (Natural Armour): +3 Replaces 1 attack once per turn. Target makes
STR or AGI test, being thrown 6 metres on a
S: 4 | A: 4* | W: 4 | I: 1 | C: 0 their fall threshold the creature receives 2
Attack (Fangs) x 3: wounds. Damage is dealt as falling damage.
Acc +4* Special Rules:
2 wounds Huge
Armour Piercing (2) Mighty
Attack (Petrifying Breath): Rapid
Replaces 1 attack once per turn. All creatures Terrifying

within a 10 metre line must make a resistance Withstanding
test. On a failure, a creature receives 3 wounds
Lore:
and has its movement speed reduced to 0
until the start of the basilisk’s next turn. On Basilisks are enormous serpents which
a success a creature receives 1 wound and its possess the terrifying ability to turn flesh
movement speed is unaffected. If a creature into stone. The only known cure for this
is reduced to 0 health from this ability, it affliction is the digestive juices of a basilisk’s
immediately dies and turns to stone. belly, which revert the change and permit it
to consume its unfortunate prey.
228
Vampire (Dread)
Health: 12 | Resistance: +4* Attack – off hand (Sword):
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Acc +4*
S: 3 | A: 4* | W: 3 | I: 4 | C: 2 Parry
Arcane Bolt (∞) Frightening
Detect Magic (4) Leaching
Spectral Hands (∞) Nimble
Grave Bolt (∞) Precise
Hex (2) Rapid
Spectral Shielding (1) Regenerative
Terrify (1) Resistant
Hand of Death (1) Undead
Attack (Spear) x 3: Lore:
Acc +4* Of all the many servants of dread, none are

as threatening as the vampire. In addition to
1 wound
all of their malign powers, a vampire retains
Reach their intellect and is no longer limited by
mortal concerns such as time.
229
Taurdia (Ruin)
Health: 20 | Resistance: +4* (adv) Sundering
Protection (Natural Armour): +3* Withstanding
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: 0 Lore:
S: 5* | A: 2 | W: 4 | I: 2 | C: 3 Taurdia are hulking monstrous beasts of

ruin. Their general appearance is that of
Attack (Great Axe) x3:
a minotaur, but they stand larger, broader,
Acc +5* and with additional horns. Unlike the duller
4 wounds browns of minotaurs, Taurdia have hues of
orange and red, and exude heat wherever
Armour Piercing (2), Great Weapon, Keen,
they go. Most striking about the Taurdia is
Two-Handed
their exposed skull, and the blazing eyes of
Special Rules: fire which peer from behind the bone.
Blazing The fierce orange and red fur of the taurdia

waves much like a naked flame sparking and
Defensive
stuttering. Being anywhere near a taurdia
Large can cause great discomfort from the raw heat,
Mighty and those who are foolish enough to touch

or strike a taurdia with a melee weapon are
Rapid rebuked with hellish flames.
230
Giant (Trickery)
Protection (Medium Armour): +2* Huge
Movement: 30 metres | Noisy: -1 Fast
S: 4* | A: 2 | W: 3 | I: 1 | C: 2 Mighty
Attack (War Hammer) x 2: Resistant
Acc +4* Sundering
3 wounds Swift
Armour Piercing (4), Great Weapon, Two- Terrifying

Handed
Lore:
Attack (Boulder Toss) x 2:
The giants were the original inhabitants of the
Range 40m. All creatures within 8 metres of great mountain ranges which dot the world.
the impact point must make a resistance test Despite being massive and powerful, time
or receive 4 wounds. On a success, a creature has whittled down the giant population to a
receives 2 wounds instead. mere shadow of its former self. It is believed
that within a hundred years, there could be
Giant’s Throw (16 metres):
no more giants left. Those who do remain
Replaces 1 attack once per turn. Target makes blame humanity for their downfall and put
STR or AGI test with disadvantage, being their ponderous might to the destruction of
thrown 6 metres on a failure. For every 2 what humans hold dear.
metres travelled beyond their fall threshold
the creature receives 2 wounds. Damage is
dealt as falling damage.
231
Existential Threats
Kyran, First King of Men
Health: 50 | Resistance: +5* (adv) Mend the Body
Protection (Heavy Armour): +4* Deny the Witch
Movement: 50 metres | Noisy: -2 Restoration
S: 5* | A: 4* | W: 5 | I: 4 | C: 5 Attack (The King’s Judgement) x 3:
Miracles (6 per day): Acc +5*
Divine Conduit 3 wounds (blessed)
Divine Perception Armour Piercing (3), Great Weapon, Two-

Handed
Godspeed
Adversary Actions
Holy Inspiration
Perform Miracle: Kyran performs a
Rejuvenate
miracle he knows.
Arm of Judgement
Kingslayer: Kyran chooses a creature
Chastise the Faithless he can see within weapon range and
Compel strikes them with a critical hit.
Gaze of Judgement Unbound: Kyran moves up to his

current movement speed ignoring zone
Halt the Unworthy
of control and any effects which would
Radiant Field prevent him moving.
Solar Lance
Thunderclap
Hex Breaker
232
Special Rules: Special Equipment
Commanding Monarch’s Gilded Plate
Durable Sundering Hammer
Mighty Lore:
Terrifying They had no great problems to overcome, so

they did not think. Kyran was the man who
Rapid
would rise to become the Maker’s chosen
Sundering and unite the entire globe with him as its
Swift king. Kyran’s fate was lost to history, and the
presumption was that he had died as all do.
Withstanding
Kyran was a man of such will that he could
Unique Rules:
not simply die. The one chosen of the Maker
Boundless Glory: Whenever Kyran instead left his people and began to wander
successfully performs a miracle, he the world, experiencing that which he had
can make one weapon attack. built.
Blade Catch: Whenever Kyran critically He was appalled.

succeeds on a protection test against a
Kyran stood for strength, intellect, and
melee weapon, he catches that weapon
ceaseless determination. His people, however,
and destroys it in his open hand.
he found to be weak, stupid, and lazy. They
Magical weapons are also affected.
did not have to toil, and so they did not. They
Dark Champion: Kyran can choose to had no immediate enemies, and so they forgot
automatically succeed on resistance how to fight. They had no great problems to
tests against witchcraft. overcome, so they did not think. He hated it.
King’s Disdain: Whenever Kyran Despite all that he had accomplished, he

would be reduced to 0 health, roll turned away from humanity and went to the
1d6. On any result other than a 1 he Darker Powers to reforge his failed empire.
survives with 1 health. He has remained as their mightiest champion
ever since.
233
Appendix B - Character Sheets
Character Sheets
234
235
- Character Sheets
236

Wardens TTRPG Rulebook

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Wardens TTRPG Rulebook

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

A Game By Eoin Maguire

Cover Art by Dinno Anugrah

Copyright 2024© by Mr. Eoin Maguire. All Rights Reserved

Red Ashura (Order #42552583)

Red Ashura (Order #42552583)

Introduction������������������������������� 5 Chapter 4: Equipment�������������������104

Foreword���������������������������������� 5 Expedition Equipment��������������106

The State of the World������������������� 6 Armour������������������������������109

How to Play������������������������������� 7 Armour Types����������������������� 112

The ‘Test’��������������������������������� 10 Weapons���������������������������������114

Chapter 1: Character Fundamentals����� 20 Weapon Types����������������������� 117

Attributes����������������������������� 25 Chapter 5: Combat����������������������126

Derived Statistics�������������������� 29 Your Turn����������������������������128

Chapter 2: Classes������������������������ 36 Damage������������������������������� 133

Knight��������������������������������� 39 Conditions��������������������������� 140

Freelancer����������������������������� 48 Special Rules������������������������ 147

Officer��������������������������������� 57 Chapter 6: Miracles and Witchcraft���� 153

Herald��������������������������������� 65 Miracles������������������������������ 155

Occultist������������������������������ 75 Witchcraft��������������������������� 161

Multi-Classing������������������������ 87 Chapter 7: Between Expeditions�������� 175

Chapter 3: Identity����������������������� 88 Appendix A: Special Items��������������186

Personality, Ideals, and Flaws������ 90 Appendix B: Basic Enemies������������� 198

Origins�������������������������������� 98 Character Sheets������������������������234

Character sheets are located at the end of this book.

Do not let them succeed.

To play, you will require:

How Many Players?

 The GM will resolve those declarations or test results.

Furthermore, a lot of this game is going to be up to the determination of your GM and

How many dice do we need?

What tests are there?

 Protection tests (made in response to a source of damage unless it ignores protection

Do we always need a ‘test’ for everything?

When do bonuses occur?

What’s the highest possible bonus?

What’s the lowest possible bonus?

• Travis is the group’s GM.

• John is the group’s Knight.

• Sarah is the group’s Freelancer.

• Lucy is the group’s Occultist.

Lucy has an intellect score of 3 and is trained in history. As 2

John: “Oh, good point, I let her do that first,”

Sarah: “Alright John, do your thing.”

down, so I won’t make you roll.” As explained earlier, not

Lucy: “Love you too.”

This is the first repeat of the full

Lucy has suggested an alternative

Because Sarah is also trained with art and is helping her,

Travis: “Sure thing.”

Lucy: “Critical success!” In any test in which at least

Lucy: “Baxrei? Do I know who that is?”

Lucy: “Huh, interesting. Okay, I pass that on to the others,”

John: “Undead? Despoiling? Don’t like the sound of that. On we go!”

Sarah: “Worth a shot. Wish me luck.”

Lucy: “Oh, that’s upsetting. Critical fail.”

Lucy: “None from behind us, right?”

The Golden Rules

1. A more specific rule overrides a general rule.

W hen building your character, consider what sort

Basics of Character Creation

In addition to providing a broad outline, the following

Step 1: Determine Concept

Step 2: Choose Starting Class

A class’s ‘Training’ determines:

Introduction�� 5 Chapter 4: Equipment��104

Foreword�� 5 Expedition Equipment��106

The State of the World�� 6 Armour��109

How to Play�� 7 Armour Types�� 112

The ‘Test’�� 10 Weapons��114

Chapter 1: Character Fundamentals�� 20 Weapon Types�� 117

Attributes�� 25 Chapter 5: Combat��126

Derived Statistics�� 29 Your Turn��128

Chapter 2: Classes�� 36 Damage�� 133

Knight�� 39 Conditions�� 140

Freelancer�� 48 Special Rules�� 147

Officer�� 57 Chapter 6: Miracles and Witchcraft�� 153

Herald�� 65 Miracles�� 155

Occultist�� 75 Witchcraft�� 161

Multi-Classing�� 87 Chapter 7: Between Expeditions�� 175

Chapter 3: Identity�� 88 Appendix A: Special Items��186

Personality, Ideals, and Flaws�� 90 Appendix B: Basic Enemies�� 198

Origins�� 98 Character Sheets��234

The GM will resolve those declarations or test results.

Protection tests (made in response to a source of damage unless it ignores protection

Your character’s base health.

Your character’s death threshold (equal to base health in negatives).

Your character’s bonus to initiative.

Your character’s trained attribute.

Your character’s training in weapons and armour.

Completing an important and impactful quest.

Finding an important and impactful item of great power.

Defeating a mighty foe.

Slaying a great aggregate number of foes.

Completing a major story arc.

Exertion Technique: Tap into Reserves

If the weapon does not have the loading

If the weapon has the loading trait,

If the weapon has the reload trait, you

Finesse Craft: Dirty Trick

Guile Craft: Exceptional Skill