Character Creation

Always Prepared
This character often has unusual but helpful objects at hand. The character may spend a Fortune Point to have any item he might have reasonably procured along the way provided it could fit in his bag.

Beloved Village Fool
Every village needs its fool; he is a strange fellow, both beloved and scorned. This character always takes the last turn when using the ‘Tales of Years’ rules for downtime detailed on p.54. If the fool is consistently narrated as embarrassing themselves during the other players’ downtime events, the following things happen: the GM adds +3 to the event table roll for the fool, this character receives a -4 penalty to their own livelihood check but will never fail by 10 or more (use the preceding table result for a typical failure instead), and the group gains an additional Hearth Point when the next season begins. Before choosing this trait, be sure that your group plans to use the downtime and Hearth Point rules, and that you don’t mind being comic relief.

Fast Healer
Such a great hero cannot be held back for long. This character recovers two hit points when receiving a full night’s rest instead of the usual 1 hit point.

Friendly Face
This character’s good nature and honest face cause strangers to trust her more than they otherwise would. The character gains +2 on all Charisma rolls with strangers.

Gifted Climber
While anyone can climb a rope or rocky outcrop with a simple Dexterity check, this character has the uncanny ability to climb almost any surface, including seemingly sheer rock faces. The character must make checks as normal when climbing in this manner, but is able to attempt climbs impossible to others without special equipment.

Gift for Business
Whether due to a particular acumen or an almost supernatural luck, the character is naturally blessed when it comes to business. When using the ‘Tales of Years’ rules for downtime found on p.58, the character always gains a +5 bonus when making the livelihood check for a season.

Great Bravery
While this character certainly becomes frightened, she will not back down because of fear. The character automatically passes any saving throw or ability score check related to fear.

Horse Master
The character is beloved by horses. They naturally take to him, and he receives a +3 bonus on any rolls to influence or tend to them, as well as on any rolls to ride or control them.

Impossible Perseverance
The character may stay on her feet and continue to act or fight until reaching -6 hit points instead of the normal 0. Note that he still loses a single hit point per round as usual when at 0 or fewer hit points, and still perishes at -10 hit points.

Leader of Men
Like the heroes of past ages, the character commands respect by his bearing alone. By spending a Fortune Point, this character can give all of his companions +2 to all of their rolls during the next round.

Linguist
Due to study and a gift for languages, this character knows twice as many languages as she normally would.

Pure of Heart
This character loves his friends and comrades and would never betray them. No mental control of any sort can make this character harm his allies, important characters from his background, or the other PCs.

Reassuring Presence
While Fortune Points ordinarily only return after a full adventure, this character’s presence is so warm and tinged with the simple pleasures of home that she and her companions all regain a single Fortune Point after a good night’s sleep, such as when resting in a safe inn and not having to keep watch.

Survivalist
This character is at home in the wilds. He can always find enough food and water for himself, though still must make foraging or hunting tests to feed others. This trait has no effect when facing the harshest of conditions, such as a scalding desert or the Dark Lord’s domain.

Tavern’s Favorite
The character has the uncanny ability to get free drinks in taverns, inns, and public houses. When in such a situation, assume that he gets his personal drinks (and a bit of food, if he wants it) without spending any coin. His companions are not so lucky.

Tenacity
Some heroes don’t know when to quit and will stay in the fight against all odds. The character gains an additional hit point per level, including any past levels if this Trait is chosen later in a character’s career.

Toolless Craftsman
When using one particular skill, the character ignores all penalties for having poor quality tools, or even for lacking them completely. It still must be feasible for the character to accomplish the task; a thief might be able to pick locks with a dagger or splinter of wood, but not with his fingers, while a blacksmith might be able to make due with a small hammer or large rock, but not his bare hands.

Unassuming
This character has an uncanny knack for escaping notice. At the beginning of any encounter she may spend a Fortune Point to be automatically hidden without any roll, provided that the surroundings would allow it.

Unburdened
The character ignores penalties for being encumbered or weighed down in all but the most extreme circumstances. The GM is the final arbiter, but, if her hands are free and the load is even slightly reasonable, she can bear it with no ill effect. See p.27 of Further Afield for more on encumbrance.

Very Helpful
When this character helps a friend by spending a Fortune Point, that character gains an additional +2 to his roll. If this character helps another without spending a Fortune Point (for example by using a skill) there is no additional benefit.

Careful Tactician
Whether acting as an advisor or leading the army personally, the character may protect his side from losses. When using the ‘War and Battle’ rules described on p.21 of Dangers Near and Far, the character’s side may ignore the effects of a single failure during the aftermath stage.

Cavalier
Trained to fight from horseback, the character receives a +1 bonus to AC and to damage when making melee attacks while mounted.

Cleaving Blow
If the character is armed with a great weapon and facing a group of man-sized, humanoid foes in melee combat and slays one of them, any excess damage from the attack carries over to one of the other enemies.

Combat Mastery
This character’s skill at arms is unmatched. Provided that her level is more than double the hit dice of her strongest opponent, she gains an extra attack each round.

Defender of Home
When the character is fighting in direct defense of his home, he receives a +1 bonus to rolls to hit, to AC, to initiative, and to all damage rolls. This benefit would come into play if the character’s village or personal dwelling were being besieged, or if a foe were attempting to poison the well, but not when fighting a ruffian in the inn, or when fighting foes at another location, even if they are planning to attack the village later.

Distracting Fighter
This character has a flashy and confusing fighting style which distracts his foes. He adds his Charisma bonus instead of his Dexterity bonus to his armor class.

Duelist
A character with this trait is skilled at fighting opponents in single combat. If the character is fighting any other single, human-sized opponent in a one-on-one duel, he receives a +2 bonus to hit and a +2 bonus to armor class. These bonuses promptly disappear as soon as the bystanders intervene.

Favored Enemy
This character bears a grudge toward a particular type of foe, such as goblins, wizards, or members of a rival house. When facing such foes, this character gains a +2 bonus to resist any of their powers or magic and does an additional 2 HP of damage when attacking them.

Fighting Finesse
Due to training or natural talent, the character uses his Dexterity bonus to modify his melee to hit rolls instead of using his Strength bonus. Note that his damage bonus remains unaffected.

Master Archer
Due to keen senses, skill, or finesse, the character may add either her Dexterity or Wisdom bonus (whichever is higher) to damage rolls from ranged attacks.

Might of the Reaver
By concentrating, screaming, or chanting, this character may enter a ritualized state of abandon, but only when at or below half hit points. Doing so takes one round of inaction, after which she gains a +2 bonus to hit and damage but may not flee or take a defensive or protective stance for the rest of the encounter.

Mighty Shot
This character can launch impossible shots with a bow, and adds 100 yards to the range of any drawn missile weapon.

Shield Fighter
This character’s training with a shield allows her to save herself even from a devastating attack. While armed with a shield, the character may choose to ignore all damage from any single attack completely, at the price of having her shield break and become useless. A magical shield used in this manner is broken but not destroyed, and may be mended by a craftsman.

Spearman
The character is well-trained and deadly with spears. When fighting with a spear, the weapon does 1d8 damage (instead of the usual 1d6) if wielded one-handed, and 1d8+1 if wielded with two hands.

Unarmed Combat
This character is dangerous even without a weapon in her hand. The character’s unarmed combat attacks do 1d4 damage.

Devoted Student
The mage is a fast reader and dedicated scholar. When using the ‘Tales of Years’ rules for downtime described on p.58, she may be assumed to have an additional two weeks of time to spend learning spells or rituals (or crafting magical items as described on p.50 of Further Afield) unless the GM determines that too much of the season was spent in active adventure for the mage to be able to spend in pursuit of arcane knowledge.

The Druidic Arts
The character receives a +2 bonus to casting rolls for cantrips and rituals when outside of a dwelling and within a forest, as well as to rolls to gather herbs, tend trees, or otherwise interact directly with woodlands.

Fast Caster
With speed and precision, this character may cast certain rituals with alacrity. Choose four rituals known by the character; she may cast those rituals in half the usual time (i.e. 30 minutes per level of the ritual instead of one hour).

Flexible Ritualist
This character casts rituals in ways different to other mages. The player may pick two rituals and change which ability score is associated with tests for casting those rituals. The player may choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma for the casting rolls, and need not necessarily choose the same ability score for each ritual. The player is not required to pick both rituals when this trait is gained, and may instead "hold" one or both of his picks for later rituals.

Gifted Healer
The character is a master of sorcerous healing. Any of his magics which heal damage directly, such as the Healing Touch spell, heal an additional point of damage per level of the recipient. Any items created by his magics which heal indirectly, such as the Goodberry or Nepenthean Drink rituals, heal a single additional point of damage, regardless of level.

Light Mastery
The character has a natural affinity for the magic of light. She may control the color and intensity of lights made with magics like the Mage Light cantrip or the spell Flash of Brilliance effortlessly. Should she choose to do so, she may additionally have any lights produced by her magic cause harm to creatures of darkness, such as goblins, the fomor, and most demons, who take 1 point of damage the round in which the lights first appear.

Potent Magic
The character’s magic is particularly potent. Any spell cast by the character which allows for a saving throw now does so with a -2 to the roll.

Shared Power
The character may grant a portion of his magical energy to another. In lieu of casting a spell, the mage may expend a single "spell slot" to grant another mage the ability to cast an additional spell of his own.

Skilled Caster
After a great deal of practice, this character has mastered a particular type of magic. Choose two rituals known by the character; this mage gains +2 on all casting rolls for the magic in question.

Student of the Arcane
Due to a studious nature or keen intellect, the character is extremely adept at learning new spells and rituals, and receives a +3 bonus on any rolls to do so.

Touched by Magic
Some have a wild, untrained gift for magic; others learn just a bit and then do not continue their studies. This character can cast a single cantrip, spell, or level one ritual. This Trait does nothing for a mage, though it may be helpful to a multiclass mage.

Ultimate Enchantment
This mage may draw on his inner strength to cast a spell as a last ditch effort. After the mage has exhausted all of his spells for the day, he may still cast another, but immediately drops to 0 hit points and falls unconscious.

War Wizard
Through martial training and practice, this mage has learned how best to harness the destructive powers of magic. The character may add +1 damage per level to the effects of all direct damage spells and rituals.

Fae Blood
Sometimes humans have trysts with strange creatures, and such was the case for one of this character’s ancestors. This character has any one advantage of one of the fantastic creatures from p.30 of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures. The group may want to consider allowing other abilities for different types of heritage.

Faerie Paths
The character is either at home on the paths of the fae or is somehow resistant to their confusing magics. She receives a +4 bonus to any rolls to resist becoming lost or to find a path or shelter in faerie places. She also receives a +2 bonus to any saving throws to see through faerie illusions.

Friend to Mice
Whether because of heritage, a mystical pact, or an unknown gift, this character has a great affinity with mice. She may speak with mice, has a rough sense of when they are nearby, and gains a +2 on any rolls involving them. Note that this trait is very specific; the character has no special bonus with rats, squirrels, or any other rodents.

Ghost-Touched
This character is marked in some way by the dead. After the sun has set, the character may see any ghosts in his presence. Note that this trait does not allow the character to see spirits or other invisible or incorporeal creatures.

The Homeward Call
The character has the uncanny ability to sense when his home is being threatened. Regardless of where he is, he will have a premonition or dream weeks, days, or just moments before his village, town, or estate is under attack.

Insight
This character has the frightening ability to look into another’s soul. When this character first encounters any important creature with a true name, she may spend a Fortune Point to gain a 1 in 12 chance that the creature’s name will come to her that night in a dream.

King’s Touch
This character’s hands have the power to heal the sick and wounded. Once per day this character may lay hands on another and heal him of 2 HP of damage per level of the recipient.

Oathkeeper
When this character witnesses an oath or makes one herself, fate binds the oath taker to see it done. Anyone who makes an oath in the character’s presence, including the character herself, must keep his word or find himself unable to regain Fortune Points or HP unless he is working towards fulfilling his oath.

Rope Song
The character has a strange gift. If she sings to a rope for a minute or so, she may have it tie itself into a tight knot or have an already existing knot in the rope untangle itself. Under most circumstances, this power is automatically successful, though the GM may call for a roll of some sort for exceptional or magical ropes or knots.

Shapechanger
Whether because of magic, a curse, or unnatural heritage, this character has the ability to take the shape of any one small, ordinary animal chosen at the same time as this Trait. However, doing so is very difficult. The character must spend a Fortune Point to change into this shape. Changing back either costs another Fortune Point or the character may wait and automatically return to human form at the next sunrise.

Sixth Sense
With unerring accuracy, the character can tell when he is being targeted by magic or other supernatural effects. He does not necessarily know the source or nature of these magics, but he always knows that something unusual is happening.

Song of Ease
The character has a great musical gift, and her songs bring respite to the weary. Once per day, she may sing a song of ease. This performance must last for at least fifteen minutes, and her audience must be at rest, such as in a camp, inn, or home. All who hear the song regain 1 hit point per level of the recipient.

Spirit Friend
For some reason, spirits are naturally disposed to like or obey this character. Perhaps she is more real to them than other physical beings, or has a mystical heritage of some sort. The character gains +2 on all social rolls involving disembodied spirits and on all rolls to summon or bind them.

Unusual Companion
The character has a remarkable ally, such as a spirit companion, a ghostly protector, or a magical and extremely loyal mount. This ally functions much in the same way as a mage’s familiar.

The Winter Court
Many of the fae are sworn to the court of one season or another. Some mortals are as well, whether due to faerie heritage, an ancient pact, or strange magics. During winter, the character receives a +2 bonus to all saving throws and regains an additional hit point when resting. However, during summer, she suffers a -1 penalty to all saving throws. Groups should feel free to make other versions of this Trait for spring, summer, and autumn, each providing a similar bonus, as well as a penalty during the opposing season.

Breaker of Chaos
Characters must have a Lawful alignment in order to take this Trait. The character’s touch is anathema to supernatural creatures of Chaos, such as demons and certain spirits and undead. If this character somehow has the opportunity to hold such a creature and concentrate for a full minute, it is wholly unmade. Be very careful: demons are unlikely to cooperate.

Defender of the Balance
Characters must be of Neutral alignment to take this Trait. This character stands apart from the eternal struggle between Law and Chaos and gains a +4 bonus to all saving throws to defend against the magical powers of supernatural creatures of Law and Chaos, such as angels and demons.

Mercurial Will
Characters must be of Chaotic alignment to take this Trait. This character exerts a powerful aura of change and independence which creatures of Law find unbearable. Town guardsmen are not particularly taken by him, either. Supernatural creatures of Law, such as angels and certain spirits, must pass a saving throw versus spell or leave this character’s presence until the next sunrise. Once a given creature has passed such a saving throw it is never driven off by this character’s presence.