Well, there seems to be enough interest that I'd like to start this Recruitment thread for a demo game of 13th Age Second Edition by Pelgrane Press. As I mentioned in the "interest check" thread, I am going to be largely AFK from July 20th to August 11th and won't start the IC game until I get back. It would be great to finish player selection and character creation before I leave, plus I can help folks without access to the 2E rules to discover the differences between 13th Age and other d20 games.
I'll be posting the character creation rules soon, but in the meantime folks can start thinking about what kinds of characters they'd like to play. To help you with those thoughts:
1) Automatically allowed Kin: humans, dwarves, elves (high, silver, and wood), gnomes, half-elves, halflings, troll-kin, dragonics (aka dragonborn), forgeborn (aka warforged), tieflings, and holy ones (aka aasimars)
2) Automatically allowed classes (in order of increasing complexity): paladin, barbarian, fighter, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, cleric, wizard, and bard.
You may also want to start thinking about what your One Unique Thing will be. To quote the 13th Age SRD:
Your character’s One Unique Thing (their unique) is a special feature invented by you, the player, which sets your character apart from every other hero. It is a unique and special trait to your PC, and markedly unusual. The intent is that it provides a special flavor to the campaign and can assist the GM in determining how your character can interact with characters and story in the campaign.
Your character’s unique should not provide general practical value in combat. That is not the intent. The intent is to open up story arcs and fun roleplaying opportunities.
You're welcome to refer to the 13th Age SRD in general (especially if you don't otherwise have access to the rules), but know that the SRD has not been updated from the 1E to the 2E rules, and there will be discrepancies between the two.
Pelgrane Press has published several 2E pregens on their website for those who are interested. The filled-out character sheets that you can download from links on the pages give you some insights into the game mechanics as well, as most of the powers on them are summarized.
Bulwark Paladin
Gallant Paladin
Pyroclastic Dragon Sorcerer
Guardian Cleric
Blazing Cleric
Fanatic Barbarian
Bloodbath Barbarian
Additionally there are 9 more pregens, but each of these links only to the PDF of a 2nd-level version of the character and not a web page explanation of the class (we'll be starting at 1st level to keep things simpler). If you want to use one of these, we can "rewind" these easily to 1st:
Flexible Vanguard Fighter
Stalwart Protector Fighter
Endless Volley Ranger
Woodland Warrior Ranger
Shadow Assassin Rogue
Thief Acrobat Rogue
Pain Battery Sorcerer
Omi Poly Wizard
War Monger Wizard
Dot.
Interested In playing that Dwarven Guardian Cleric.
Thorm is his name :)
Dot.
Interested In playing that Dwarven Guardian Cleric.
Thorm is his name :)
Sounds good. Beware that the level indicators in the PDF files of this pregen are incorrect. The 1st level version is actually labeled "9th level".
If you have general questions about the 13th Age 2E game, you can check out the FAQ on the Pelgrane Press website.
Hi!
I'm have a look at the dragon sorcerer, it looks interesting.
Let me know if you are interested in creating a character from scratch. We'll be using the standard method described in the 2E Heroes' Handbook, but if you don't have access to that I will walk you through it. It's fine if you use the information provided in the 13th Age SRD as a general guide, but remember that's a 1E source and there are many changes in 2E.
Okay, here's Victoria.
Party Role: Front-line defender.
Character art: Victoria
Victoria is a high elf, though many would say that she carries herself more like a human. She wears an elegant gown, but it is woven of spun mithral. Despite it's elegance, it is sturdy enough to resist a blade. At one hip rests an arming sword, at the other a wand and athame rest one over another. When traveling, she covers her shiny gown with a cloak patterned with leaves, each a different shade. With the hood up, she fades into the forest.
The Marchioness de Courtenay maintains the Dire Marches - the lands southwest of Horizon and south of Axis. This includes the Dire Wood and portions of the Giantwalk from the Kneedeep to the Koru Pass. It does not quite reach to the Abyss, but it does include the hellhole at the Dire Wood. Their charge is to keep threats from migrating toward Horizon or Axis.
As the Koru pass through the Giantwalk, there is a concavity where many of the behemoths scratch their sides. They have a trade town, High Hold, to handle commerce with those who ride and this is a popular place to board or disembark. They have siege engines in the mountains above when the riders are belligerent. A trebuchet won't harm a behemoth, but it's reaction tends to be unpleasant for those riding. These siege engines also discourage giants from passing through the gap from Cloudhome.
Given the nature of their charge, the family is known for their prowess at skills more often seen in travelling adventurers than nobility. They keep a steady presence in Axis and Horizon to ensure that the cities know that they are protected and to recruit adventurous types to join the wardens. Their relationship to other noble houses is strange. They are more practical and hands-on than many nobles, which some interpret as being a bit more common. But their experiences mark them as significant and dangerous. The family makes sure that the children are skilled enough to handle themselves in social combat as well as facing dire bears.
The accusations of being more common than most nobles is true in one way. They often marry for adventuring skills rather than noble blood. This requires paperwork from the Imperial Genealogists, but the family maintains close ties to the group. An important stage for any potential mates is meeting the family. They will be expected to prove themselves in a series of challenges to prove that they are worthy additions. The potential mates are not expected to win all of the challenges, but they are expected to at least give a good showing. Their reactions to a loss are also part of the challenge.
Economically, they supply exotic meats and fur from culling the monsters there, and trade through High Hold. They also provide guides and escorts for the nobles and wizard who have business in the region. While it's not required, there is a notably higher success rate when employing the House's Wardens.
Family Relations with the Icons.
The Emperor: Srtongly Positive. As a Noble house, they have strong ties to the Emperor. They protect the southern flank of Axis, and have always answered the Emperor's call to arms. Their relationship is shared loyalty and trust.
The Archmage: Positive. They also protect Horizon from the worst of the Dire Wood. When wizard need to come to the Dire Wood, the Wardens often provide the practical support that the more academic types lack. The Archmage sees the family more as a service provider, though one that has been quite useful over time.
The High Druid: Conflicted. The family managed the Dire Wood, which is repugnant to the Druidic. But they do so with respect. For example, they often try to redirect threats back into the Dire Wood instead of eliminating them. There is a grudging admission that whoever replaced them would likely be worse.
The Great Gold Wyrm: Slightly Positive. Their relationship is mostly about preventing demons and demon cultists from travelling between the Abyss or Red Wastes and the Hellhole in the Dire Wood.
Crusader: Calculated Neutrality. They allow the Crusader's forces access to the Hellhole in the Dire Wood because they help keep it contained and they keep the Diabolist mostly at bay. While the family doesn't always approve of their actions, they stay out of each other's way.
Family members
Eleanor. Marchioness de Courtenay (mother, paladin)
Richard, Consort (father, wizard, (half-elf))
Stephan de Courtenay, (Firstborn brother and heir, paladin)
Lisbeth, (wife, Lisbeth is a bit of an oddity as she is not a skilled adventurer, but rather noble-born)
Charlie, (Son, age 16, squire Paladin)
Edward, (Son, age 12, undecided)
Alicia (Deceased secondborn sister, half-elf)
Theresa de Courtenay, (Thirdborn sister, ranger)
Alfric, (husband, cleric, half-elf)
Susanna, (Daughter, age 8, half-elf)
William, (Son, age 6)
Wolfgang de Courtenay, (Fourthborn brother, wizard)
Alexander (Deceased Fifthborn brother, half-elf)
Franklin (Deceased Sixthborn brother)
Victoria de Courtenay (Seventhborn, swordmage, high elf)
Victoria is the seventhborn daughter of the house, and one of four surviving children. Though born to a human and half-elf, she emerged with pure Elven bloodline. While there are tales of this happening at other times, it is something that happens once in a century. Shortly after the birth, the Elf Queen sent her gifts and congratulations, and an open offer for Victoria to visit the Queen's Wood and learn of her heritage. Some found this suspicious, but it is always wise to accept The Queen's generosity gracefully.
Naturally, she was trained from a young age the ways of the Wardens. She travelled with them into the woods, at first merely learning to avoid the worst, but eventually participating on hunts. She was also shown the mountains and assisted in the defense of High Hold. She has also learned the family funeral traditions. She has buried three siblings and many Wardens along the way.
Over the years, she made several visits to the Queen's wood, where she was taught elven ways. It was on one of these trips that she discovered her skill with blade magic and that she had the talent to weave magic into material forms. Still, she was always happy to return home. The queen sent a tutor back with her so that she could continue mastering the art. Her last trip to the Queen's wood was riding on a Behemoth.
As a noble, she was expected to hold a ball to announce her introduction to society. At her ball, the Elf Queen appeared to induct her as a Mage-Knight of the Opaline Order and bequeath her a gown of mithral before taking her leave. Though it was not planned, the night finished with the Emperor appearing for her last dance.
She is now expected to travel the world. To practice her arts and grow in skill and power before settling down to the family business. Unstated is the expectation that she find a husband along the way. Though as a youngest daughter, she has some flexibility. Two of her older siblings have heirs and spares, so there is less pressure for her to continue the bloodline. She also has the expectation of having an elven lifespan. Should she survive, she could spend a century as Warden, so she feels the need to savor her exploration.
If character creation doesn't differ too much from the books, here is her stats. I used the "good at everything" stat array.
Character Name: Lady Victoria de Courtenay
Titles:
Warden of the Dire Marches
Defender of High Hold
Rider of Behemoths
Artificer Mage-Knight of the Opaline Order
Class: Swordmage | Level: 1
Kin: High Elf| One Unique Thing (OUT): She was born a high elf to human and half-elf parents.
Initiative: +3
===============================================
ATTRIBUTES & DEFENSES
===============================================
Stat Score | Mod | Check
STR: 12 | +1 | +2
CON: 17 | +3 | +4
DEX: 15 | +2 | +3
INT: 17 | +3 | +4
WIS: 14 | +2 | +3
CHA:
AC: 19
PD: 16
MD: 16
Hit Points (Max / Current): 30/30
Recoveries (Max / Current): 8/8
Recovery dice: 8 (1d8+3)
===============================================
ATTACKS & POWERS
===============================================
Basic Melee: +4 vs. AC | Dmg: 8 (1d8+3) | Miss: 1
Combat Powers/Attacks/Spells:
. . Dancing Blade Ranged; At-will
. . . . Attack: +4 vs. AC | DMG: 8 (1d8+3)
. . Sword Burst Melee; At-will
. . . . Attack: +4 vs. AC vs. each engaged enemy | DMG: 5 (1d8) | Miss: 1
. . Mark with Sigil Close; At-Will; Quick
. . . . Opponents marked by sigil take -2 to attacks not including me
. . . . Sigil of Shielding Close; At-Will; Interrupt: nearby marked enemy hits ally
. . . . . . Triggering attack deals half damage.
. . . . Sigil of Vengeance Close; At-Will; Interrupt: nearby marked enemy hits ally
. . . . . . Teleport to engage enemy; Attack: +4 vs. AC | DMG: 6 (1d10)
. . . . Explosive sigil Close; 2/arc; Interrupt: nearby marked enemy hits ally
. . . . . . dmg 11 (2d10) fire
. . Highborn teleport 1/Battle; Move
. . . . Teleport to nearby location
. . Clouded Step 1/Battle; Move
. . . . Teleport to nearby location; can engage enemy; Until end next ranged attacks with natural odd automatically miss
Noncombat powers
. . Tricks of the Traveler 3/Arc; Interrupt
. . . . Reroll skill check. 2 uses for +3 to the roll.
===============================================
BACKGROUNDS & ICON RELATIONSHIPS
===============================================
Backgrounds:
. . +4 . . Warden of the Dire Marches
. . +3 . . Noble of the House de Courtenay
. . +4 . . Mage-Knight of the Opaline Order
Icon Relationships:
. . Emperor 1 Positive
. . Elf Queen 1 Positive
. . Crusader 1 Conflicted
===============================================
TALENTS & FEATS
===============================================
Talents:
. . Flexible Style - Use item in off hand to enhance swordmage warding
. . . . Athame | Two-weapon fighting, hit on natural 2
. . . . Wand | Increase Swordmage warding by 1; +1 all defenses
. . . . Shield | no attack penalty
. . Magesmith - Enchant 2 items per quick rest
. . . . Non-magic item | counts as rune or gives basic effect for that item
. . . . Magic Item increase 1 tier, requires additional attunement
. .Sigil Mastery - Targets marked with sigil take -2 penalty to attacks not including her
Feats:
. .Magesmith - enchant 2 items per short rest
Tentatively planning on making a Trollkin Ranger, once I get a copy I can decide what to do
Anyone have any questions?
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I'm still slowly working my way through the Hero's Handbook and figuring out what's what. I'm going to build something from scratch rather than use on of the templates. But, whatever I decide on will be very simple, Paladin, Barbarian, Fighter level simple.
I might go crazy and build a Wood Elf Archer Ranger if I'm feeling very ambitious. More likely a Paladin though.
Anyone have any questions?
Yes actually - what is it you like about the system GM BrOp? Or you are just wanting to give it a try?
13th Age addresses what for me are the weaknesses of PF/d20 and allows me to run a d20-based, combat-focused high adventure fantasy game that feels similar enough to PF/D&D 3.5 but which isn't those games. I have a LOT of d20 adventures that I'd love to run, and even non-adventure materials can be incorporated with minimal adaption.
Combats are quick and are IMO more exciting. This is a major drawback of PF/d20 for me. I'm tired of spending 90 minutes on a single combat. I'd much rather spend 15 minutes on the combat and then have 75 minutes for RP, problem solving, and immersing the players in a world we create together.
The Background system allows any PC to make relevant skill checks, not just the PCs who sunk the most skill points into a skill, creating more participation and increasing RP opportunities (i.e. everyone doesn't wait for the Bard to make their Diplomacy check).
Monsters are much easier to create from scratch and to run in combat and can even be created on the fly, making the GM's job a lot easier and giving them flexibility to focus on creating interesting stories. Also using average damage rolls for monsters makes combat much less swingy and leads to less TPKs.
Mooks are fun for players.
The Escalation Die is very fun and makes combat more cinematic while adding player strategy.
The introduction of Icons and Icon Relationship rolls allows players to contribute to the creation of the story within a game framework and allows for fun opportunities like retroactively finding the solution to problems similar to how it's done in "Blades in the Dark" (if you're familiar). They have more "flavor" than a generic action point system because the bonuses they provide the PCs come from something within the campaign world. Icons can also be used to create themed adventures that fit into an ongoing campaign and which place the PCs and their actions within a wider campaign world. Icon Relationship twists and fun for the GM in creating an interesting story.
In an ongoing campaign, GMs don't have to worry if the PCs have enough magic items for their level, as most of the bonuses come from their class abilities.
TLDR: 13th Age allows me to play d20-type high powered, combat-focused fantasy games without the stuff I don't have the patience for in my old age plus has some fun new additions.
Thank you for the explanation! The game seems to have several unique systems to make it different enough from 3.0/3.5/PF1e.
I will get into it, but I am definitely not heavy into narrative or RP personally, so whenever I hear about 'narrative tools' I get a bit nervous. But those mechanical and tidbits of strategy grab me. Also not obsessed with 'builds' but some crunchiness is nice.
I find that quick and interesting combat is usually hard to achieve, but very much necessary for PbP. My main inclination these days is to older systems like Swords&Wizardry - some tactical depth, but keep combats fast and simple. And if you die, you can quickly create another character. So I am very curious about the fast paced combat in this case. And also if it is fast to create a new character if you die.
Also interesting to hear about the monsters reduced 'complexity' - I think that is probably a win for PbP.
A shame about the magic items, because I am a complete sucker for them :)
I mean, most everything in RPGs is a matter of preference so YMMV.
Oh, and magic items are definitely still part of the game, they are just not a REQUIRED part of the game to keep PCs viable in combat. I will try to introduce a "true" magic item into our game so that you guys can see what they are like.
Yes of course. And wohooo! Magic items :)
I have been reading some more about the rules and the system, and if I am being completely honest, I am really enthusiastic about giving it a try.
I am even liking the One Unique Thing RP fluff thing, and already have an idea for my Dwarven Guardian Cleric. Should we just blurt it out, or spoiler it?
Read a bit about the simplified weapon damage, the background as skills, the Escalation Die (oh boy) - so curious to see how this 'triggers' some abilities, not only from players but also bad guys.
One specific thing really caught my eye as really very flexible, and that is using an alternative effect for criticals, instead of the 'straightforward' double damage.
Still a bit unclear on what exactly is to be accomplished with the Icon Relationships though.
I am even liking the One Unique Thing RP fluff thing, and already have an idea for my Dwarven Guardian Cleric. Should we just blurt it out, or spoiler it?
I'm generally of the opinion that your "One Unique Thing" should be public among the players even if the other PCs don't know about it. It's generally simpler that way and allows others to interact with your character background, rather than having to pass "secret notes" between the player and GM whenever you want to deal with it.
the Escalation Die (oh boy) - so curious to see how this 'triggers' some abilities, not only from players but also bad guys.
Some abilities only work at higher escalation dice or have different effects at various escalation dice, while some players like to hold on to their most powerful limited-use abilities or spells until the escalation die is higher so that they have a higher chance of succeeding (because PCs add the escalation die to all attack rolls).
Still a bit unclear on what exactly is to be accomplished with the Icon Relationships though.
Let me talk about Icon Relationships a bit more. I know, it's a lot.
There are 12 Icons in the game. Each Icon is a very powerful NPC who is one of the big movers and shakers in the campaign world and your PC has a relationship of some kind with up to three of them. If we were to look at Golarion, we could easily pick a number of NPCs that could be Icons including the Whispering Tyrant, the living Runelords, the Elf Queen of Kyonin, Ahriman, Lord of All Divs, Arazni (before she became a goddess), or Kortash Khain, High Priest of Kabriri. Basically, any NPC with mythic levels (in PF1 terms) that is not a mindless beast could be an Icon.
In game terms, you are given 3 icon relationship points during character creation. These can be spent on one, two, or three icons (meaning you can assign 1 point each to 3, or 3 points to only one, or 2 to one and 1 to another). You only very rarely interact personally with an Icon (most likely when you are high level), but their influence can be felt and their followers can be theoretically encountered pretty much anywhere. The number of points you spend on a relationship is a measure of its overall usefulness.
After assigning the points you "define" your relationship to each of the 1-3 icons you have chosen into one of three categories: positive, negative, or conflicted. A positive relationship means that you basically see eye to eye with your icon and they will do their best to support you through their agents or by other means. A conflicted relationship means you have a past with them but don't see eye to eye anymore, or only see eye to eye on certain subjects, or one of you has betrayed the other (but not to the point where the relationship is totally destroyed). You can sometimes get good things out of the relationship, but sometimes it bites you in the ass. A negative relationship means you are in the icon's bullseye, but have an understanding of the icon or a connection to their organizations that allows you to take advantage of them from time to time. Rivals of that icon may also treat you as an ally.
While alignment is not part of 13th Age, there are some Icons that are more heroic and others that are more villainous, while a third group is between the two, they are mostly ambiguous. The mostly heroic icons are the Archmage, the Emperor, the Great Gold Wyrm, and the Priestess. The mostly villainous icons are the Diabolist, the Lich King, and the Three. The largely ambiguous Icons are the Crusader, the Dwarf King, the Elf Queen, the High Druid, and the Prince of Shadows.
Because PCs are generally heroic, there are max points you can assign to certain Icons depending on whether your relationship with them is positive, negative, or conflicted, but that's more complicated so I'm going to gloss over that for now.
Here are short introductions to the 12 Icons:
ALLIES
The Archmage is allied with the Emperor (as they both protect the Empire) and the Priestess (who supports its people). He sometimes comes into minor conflict with paladins of the Great Gold Wyrm (because they can differ on what the "great good" is), but they generally get along. He is also the only heroic icon who will sometimes ally with the Crusader when their goals coincide. While officially allied with the Dwarf King and the Elf Queen, the Archmage desires their hidden knowledge, sometimes putting them at odds with each other.
ENEMIES/RIVALS
Because the Archmage controls the forces of magic through his magic, he is opposed by the High Druid. The Archmage doesn't like the Prince of Shadows because the latter is generally at odds with civil order, but the two do not oppose each other openly. The Lich King and the Diabolist are enemies of the Archmage because they are enemies of the Dragon Empire.
THE ARCHMAGE AND YOUR HERO
The Archmage can provide your hero connections across the Empire, arcane support of various sorts, and possibly a truly exotic origin story. Your adventuring party could do worse than to have the Archmage as a patron, either for a particular adventure or for an entire campaign. He’s the weirdest of the heroic icons, in case that suits you.
Maybe your hero is the happy graduate of an Archmage training program, a failed student from that same program, a magically “enhanced” scholar of historical and contemporary arcanism, a seen-it-all guard at the School of Imperial Wizardry, or a courtier (not to say, “spy”) with special arcane training.
ALLIES
The Crusader acknowledges the Emperor as the ruler of the land, though some suspect they would just as soon acknowledge the Lich King as such. Other heroic icons might try to work with the Crusader, but mostly these icons work around them.
The Crusader worships dark gods. The Three sponsor dark plots. Sometimes their interests align.
ENEMIES/RIVALS
If the Diabolist fears anything in the worlds, she fears the Crusader—and she should. The Priestess works to protect people from becoming the Crusader’s collateral damage, sometimes to the point of hindering their efforts. The bitter rivalry between the Crusader and the Great Gold Wyrm is unspoken but as thick as ochre jelly.
THE CRUSADER AND YOUR HERO
The magic of all the dark gods might provide the justification you need for a unique origin story, especially one your hero might not share in polite company. For a memorable twist, your hero’s story might reflect the crusader’s soft side, such as your hero being the only temple harpist who could bring tears to the Crusader’s eyes.
Your hero might have any sort of military background representing time spent in the Crusader’s forces. In addition to troops sent into hellholes, the Crusader trains spies, cult finders, scouts, arcane scholars, sorcerers, ritual officiants, battlefield physicians, danger zone messengers, and mess hall cooks.
ALLIES
The Diabolist and the Prince of Shadows are said to work together. Everyone else hopes they plan to betray each other. They hope that a lot.'
ENEMIES/RIVALS
The Crusader is the Diabolist’s worst nightmare, and she’s no big fan of the Great Gold Wyrm, either. The Priestess protects good people from corruption, which makes her a real annoyance. All the heroic icons oppose her, albeit passively rather than proactively for the most part.
THE DIABOLIST AND YOUR HERO
The Diabolist’s magic and her penchant for indulging petty whims means that you can make up all sorts of things about how she is part of your hero’s past.
Your hero with diabolical experience might have been a corrupted librarian, the bodyguard of a cult leader, the spawn of a demon, an aristocrat with an ancestral curse, or raised to be the perfect sacrificial victim. With anti-diabolical experience, your hero might have been a cult hunter; an expert on diabolical tomes, sigils, implements, and incantations; a cult infiltrator and informer; or an orator sent to rally people against the Diabolist.
ALLIES
The leaders of civilization on the surface world work with the Dwarf King on their shared project of protecting their people from corruption within and chaos without. The Emperor, Priestess, and Archmage rightly consider him a solid ally, albeit one firmly committed to his own ways.
The Dwarf King honors the ages-old truce with the Elf Queen, and hostilities between dwarves and drow are mostly kept in check.
In the underworld, the High Druid is something of an ally. Her power extends to the wild caverns and chambers below the land, and she—like the Dwarf King—opposes the abominations found there. She has no love, however, for the dwarves’ practice of taming and mining these subterranean expanses. Her
underworld followers sometimes try to drive back dwarven miners and settlers, although the High Druid herself stays out of these conflicts.
ENEMIES/RIVALS
When the drow advance their schemes in the underworld, they can be the worst sort of enemy, often allying with creatures that are second-worst.
The people of the land are grateful for the Dwarf King’s willingness to protect the Empire, particularly from giants and recently from orcs, and he is sure to be paid fairly and well for his efforts. The enmity between the dwarves and the Three goes back to before the 1st Age, although both sides are mostly prudent enough to let hostilities simmer. The Three are not
amused by the dragon-killing magic weapons the dwarves provide to surface-dwellers. The Prince of Shadows must have stolen the wrong treasure at some point, because the Dwarf King offers a princely ransom for his head.
THE DWARF KING AND YOUR HERO
The Dwarf King’s martial bent makes him a natural icon for adventuring dwarves, for plenty of adventuring non-dwarves, and for some whole parties. Feel free to elaborate on the Dwarf King’s nature and duties to give him a role that suits your hero’s backstory.
The Dwarf King oversees numerous specialized cadres, orders, cults, and societies, any of which could provide a special background for your hero. Non-dwarves with special talents could be recruited into certain of these groups, and even some dwarves would be excluded from most of them. Backgrounds related to the Dwarf King might involve military ventures, underworld exploration, alchemical secrets, dwarven religion, clan ancestors, or dragon-killing.
ALLIES
The High Druid is figuratively the Elf Queen’s half-sister of the woods, which might lead to collaboration or rivalry. The blood truce with the Dwarf King has created a long and prosperous peace, but the truce is technically temporary. The Emperor is a trusted ally, but the Emperor’s Priestess and Archmage can weary her with their short-sighted view of the past and future.
ENEMIES/RIVALS
The enmity between the Three and the Elf Queen is deep and ancient. They consider the Great Green Wyrm to be her captive, a victim of her illusions and mind control. The Lich King hates her for summoning the original Orc Lord to kill him when he was the Wizard King. She can be a rival to the High Druid and the Dwarf King, and she is the enemy of any villainous icon that
would threaten her people.
THE ELF QUEEN AND YOUR HERO
The Elf Queen is an attractive icon for your hero to be connected to because of how far her power extends, but she’s more mysterious than other icons, such as the Emperor or the Archmage. The nature of the Elf Queen invites elaboration and even paradox, making her a fruitful icon for imaginative players and GMs. Elves and half-elves might naturally be connected to her, but there’s plenty of story potential for non-elves who are connected to her, as well elves who are not.
Your hero might have a history of training in one service or the other, either connected directly to the Queen or related to elven activities in general. The Queen and her elves train and employ magical researchers, mundane diplomats, envoys to spirits or mystical creatures, underworld rangers, various guards and soldiers, renowned entertainers, and spies.
ALLIES
The Archmage and Priestess work closely with the Emperor and are frequently responsible for tackling Imperial problems in their areas of expertise. The Crusader and Great Gold Wyrm are ostensibly duty-bound to the Emperor, but they each interpret that duty as they see fit. The Dwarf King and Elf Queen are united with the Emperor in the pursuit of peace and security—and sometimes that’s clear to everyone involved. The Blue Dragon is the Emperor’s sworn ally, but most people aren’t sure what to make of that fact.
ENEMIES/RIVALS
Before his death, the Lich King ruled the land as the Wizard King. He considers the Dragon Empire to be rightfully his, which makes him the Emperor’s devoted enemy. Earlier in this age, the Orc Lord sought to kill the Emperor, like the first Orc Lord killed the Wizard King, but it was the Orc Lord who died. The Prince of Shadows defies the Emperor’s laws, but some
argue that there must be some sort of secret pact between them. The Diabolist, Black Dragon, and Red Dragon are all enemies of the Emperor to the extent that they threaten his people.
THE EMPEROR AND YOUR HERO
The Emperor is a good connection for a law-abiding or martial hero. Your hero might be an Imperial Knight of Justice, a dropout from the cadre of Imperial spies, or an Imperial diplomat (on indefinite leave).
ALLIES
The Great Gold Wyrm’s chief ally is the Dragon Emperor, whom he considers a peer, not a superior. Over the ages, he has always supported the Emperor,
so long as they remained true to their oaths. All the heroic icons respect the Gold and his Golden Order. The Crusader is mostly an ally, although the Gold’s people are more likely to compete with the Crusader’s people than to coordinate efforts with them.
ENEMIES/RIVALS
The Gold’s chief enemy is the Diabolist. He has seen them come and go over the ages, and he knows that in some age there might come a Diabolist who finally
defeats him. He has also been an enemy of the Three since back in the days when they were the Five. The Five and the Gold made common cause fighting the
Wizard King, and the Great Red Wyrm helped drive back demons when the Abyss first opened, but those times are long past, and so is the truce between the
Gold and the Three.
THE GREAT GOLD WYRM AND YOUR HERO
For a truly heroic character, the Great Gold Wyrm is a promising icon—albeit a demanding one. Your hero might be the chosen vessel of an ancient war spirit, the first graduate of the Cathedral’s daycare mission, or an honorably discharged Imperial legionnaire. Alternatively, you may have had rougher origins; something like former street tough turned bodyguard, reincarnated cultist back to set things right, or reformed Crusader assassin. A hero associated with the Gold is probably trained as a cultist hunter, demon finder, or sacred guardian. Alternatively, your hero’s background might represent their past career as a diabolical cultist, a past that the Gold has saved them from.
ALLIES
The High Druid is a force unto herself. She is figuratively half-sister to the Elf Queen, but there’s more sibling rivalry there than love. She works with the Emperor to resist incursions from the Iron Sea, but she does so to protect her own lands rather than to protect the Empire.
RIVALS/ENEMIES
The High Druid challenges the Emperor’s authority in territory the Empire has claimed, but the conflict has not yet developed into bloodshed. The Archmage restrains the tempestuous forces of nature to protect civilization, and the High Druid can feel nature’s pain in her bones.
THE HIGH DRUID AND YOUR HERO
As an icon with an ambivalent relationship to civilization, the High Druid works for heroes or adventuring parties that have unusual stories. Troll-kin are associated with the High Druid, but your troll-kin hero doesn’t need to have a relationship with the High Druid. Short of being a druid, heroes with a background related to the High Druid might have special knowledge of animals, potent herbs, wild lands, or nature spirits. Your hero might have a
background as a former bear with wolf-like senses [yes, we know], clan hunter, speaker with winds, chief shaman scout of the short-lived Axis druidic revival, or underworld explorer.
ALLIES
All the other icons know better than to ally themselves with the Lich King.
RIVALS/ENEMIES
The heroic icons, particularly the Priestess and the Dragon Emperor, are united in their opposition to the Lich King. The Emperor knows that he sits on the throne the Lich King wants, and the Priestess coordinates the sacred rituals that keep the Lich King at bay.
THE LICH KING AND YOUR HERO
The Lich King is a ready source for a hero’s sketchy backstory or unseemly powers, and he’s a fine nemesis for a hero devoted to life and order. Your hero might be a former death cultist or a necromancer’s apprentice. Alternatively, they might have trained as a funerary ritualist, a scholar of the undead, or a death-cult hunter.
ALLIES
Along with the Archmage, the Priestess serves the Emperor for the good of the people. She shares the Great Gold Wyrm’s altruistic goals, but her servants and the Gold’s have different styles and don’t care to cooperate. She is on good terms with the Dwarf King, the Elf Queen, and even the High Druid, and she has several true devotees among the elves, the dwarves, and the druids.
RIVALS/ENEMIES
The people fear the Diabolist, the Lich King, and the Three, so they come to the Light for the Priestess’ protection. Perhaps they end up making the Priestess stronger. Her true nemesis, however, is the Crusader. They draw citizens away from the Light and into the Dark; their gains are her losses.
THE PRIESTESS AND YOUR HERO
Of all the icons, the Priestess is the one groups most often interpret as authentically benevolent, without the dark side other heroic icons often display. She’s a bright star to follow in a troubled world. Your hero might have served the Priestess as a traveling preacher, a popular healer, a spiritual
bureaucrat, or possibly even a good-hearted security agent or spy. You might also have entered her graces after an entirely different life, so check out all the other suggestions!
ALLIES
The Diabolist profited from certain of the Prince’s “transactions,” but the Priestess believes the Prince stole more from the Diabolist than the Diabolist
suspects. Who can say? People who fear the Prince say he’s working with the Great Black Wyrm or the Lich King. Those who admire him say he has a secret deal with the Archmage or the Elf Queen. Who can say?
RIVALS/ENEMIES
The Dwarf King has offered a king’s ransom in platinum for the Prince of Shadows’ head, but no one knows why. Some say that’s just a ruse and the two
icons work together, united by their love of treasure. Rumor has it the Archmage tried to retrieve certain stolen artifacts from the Prince, but the stories are conflicted over what was stolen and whether it was recovered.
THE PRINCE OF SHADOWS AND YOUR HERO
The Prince of Shadows is a splendid icon for a hero who wants a dash of mystery—a touch of gray beside the brighter heroes. He’s also the icon best suited to covert associations. Write one of the upfront heroic icons on your character sheet. Then talk with the GM in private and clarify, “On my character sheet, when it says Dwarf King, it means Prince of Shadows.”
The Red is a living engine of destruction. The Blue is a sorceress, perhaps even the original mother of all sorcery. The Black is the master of shadows
and assassins. Unlike the Great Gold Wyrm, who must fight alone, the Three have learned to join forces. The Blue has agents that operate freely within the Dragon Empire, the Black and the Red operate where the Empire is weak.
ALLIES
The Three have no allies—they sometimes hardly seem to be each other’s allies.
RIVALS/ENEMIES
In theory, the Great Gold Wyrm is the nemesis of the Three; in practice, he’s sort of busy right now. The Three hate the Elf Queen for holding the Great Green Wyrm captive, but he’s something of a loser, so maybe it’s for the best that he’s not tagging along with them. The Lich King (then the Wizard
King) killed the Great White Wyrm in the Dawn Age, and he has a penchant for turning dead dragons into undead servants. However, the schemes of the Three and the Lich King rarely set them at odds. The heroic icons oppose the evil that the Three would do, but until the Three pose a real threat, the heroic icons have other problems. Of the heroic icons, the Dwarf King is the most eager to start chopping some wyrms, but for now he mostly provides dragon-chopping weapons to heroes who can put them to good use.
THE THREE AND YOUR HERO
These great wyrms might be evil, but there are plenty of ways to work them into your hero’s story, especially if your hero is a little sketchy. If one of your hero’s backgrounds involves the Three, they probably represent a nefarious past from which your hero has more or less extricated themselves. Maybe they were a dragontrained assassin, a sorcerer’s apprentice working under the Blue, a Three-trained secret agent, or a dragons’ physician.
ICON RELATIONSHIPS GAME MECHANICS
At the start of an arc (an arc in this game coming at the beginning of the game and at the end of the third major combat), each player rolls a six-sided die for each of their hero’s icon relationship points. Each die corresponds to a specific relationship point, so keep track when you roll. Each result of a 5 or a 6 gives your hero an icon relationship advantage with that icon to use later in the arc. There’s usually no difference between a 5 and a 6, though individual characters might possess abilities or powers that make the result matter. This advantage can provide either a narrative benefit or a combat benefit to your character.
Connection with an automatic twist: If none of your icon dice rolls result in a 5 or a 6, your hero instead gets a connection with one icon of the GM’s choice—perhaps not one of their regular icons. When you use this connection, you automatically get a twist!
By default, the twist means that your success comes with a cost or drawback, ideally one that derives directly from the success itself. For example, if the party wins the trust of the surly innkeeper and gets information that helps them, perhaps after the party leaves, the innkeeper keeps talking
about how impressed he was with them, and thus the enemy’s informers catch wind of the heroes’ actions.
After using an icon connection, you roll a d20 to find out if there’s a twist. For narrative connections, a result of 1–5 indicates a twist. For combat connections, it’s 1–10. Twists make the results of the connection more
“interesting.”
The point of icon connections is to give players a tool to make significant additions to the action. Sometimes, these additions represent accomplishments the character couldn’t achieve through their class powers or backgrounds alone. Other times, changes to the narrative result from NPCs, supernatural beings, or unseen forces related to the icon, rather than the character’s
own abilities. The overarching story of the campaign is in the GM’s control, but icon connections give each player a voice. The GM might occasionally wonder aloud whether anyone has an icon connection they might be able to use, but it’s not the GM’s job to track who has or hasn’t used them.
USING A NARRATIVE CONNECTION
As a player, you’ll track your hero’s icon connections. When you decide to use a narrative connection, it’s your story to tell. Tell the GM and the rest of the table what you’re adding to the story. Sometimes, other players may suggest details for how the connection plays out, but it’s up to the player to decide whether to take these suggestions.
GM approval: The GM needs to approve your narrative connection. Most of the time, in a campaign that’s humming, this is easy, but sometimes the details you’re attempting to weave into the story may be oddly inappropriate or contradict too much that’s already happened. In these cases, it’s the GM’s
job to help you develop a use of your icon connection that fits the story.
Here are examples of narrative benefits:
- * You gain knowledge that helps you in some way.
- * You add a new detail to a scene, ideally something that’s related to the icon’s other followers or magical power. Don’t contradict what has already been presented as definitely true. Instead, reveal additional aspects of the situation that no one has yet noticed.
- * Insert entertaining changes to interactions and relationships with NPCs or icon-related organizations.
- * Include interactions involving aid from spirits or other messengers that are more magical than most NPCs.
- * Acquire information that sends the adventure, or even the campaign, in a surprising new direction.
- * Secure help that lets the party achieve a goal without paying the expected cost (such as time, favors, or recoveries lost or spent on a harrowing journey); allows the heroes to arrive just in the nick of time (instead of sadly, just a little too late); or gives the heroes backup in an upcoming battle (provided the help clearly relates to the specific icon providing the aid and the circumstances).
- * More rarely, avoid a specific, upcoming battle.
- * Cause an effect based on the icon’s metaphysical influence in the world—its raw iconic power.
- * Have flashbacks!
- * Develop downtime experiences your character has between adventures.
- * Add story developments set firmly in the future!
USING A COMBAT CONNECTION
When you use an icon connection as a combat connection, you get an extra d20 to roll with an attack, save, disengagement check, or other combat action that you are about to take. You decide to use the connection and get the extra d20 before you roll. After rolling both dice, choose the result you want.
I am digesting it.
Here's how I've seen icons played.
An Icon relationship may mean you are connected to some group related to the Icon. They often connect to your OUT and your backgrounds. A wizard might have a background that they trained at the Archimages' Academy. That background would cover a formal education in magic, but it also means that you have lots of contacts in Horizon, the Archmage's city.
It can also be more personal. The Emperor has lots of bastards, and the Elf Queen has taken lots of lovers. Still if you only have one point you aren't particularly close.
If your One Unique Thing impacts an icon's interest, they may be keeping an eye on you. Victoria was born an elf to a human and half-elf. The Elf Queen heard and offered gifts and education. They do this to all sorts of people who may become important later.
If this campaign involves us levelling up to higher tiers, then our adventures likely bring us more into the icon's view. Sometimes this means changing the nature of your relationship. We become more useful to the icons, or a bigger thorn in their side.
Many magic items are connected to icons. Sometimes made by them, sometimes collected, or just themed towards them.
Lots of adventures come because an organization related to an icon needs help. They've heard of you. IF the party has icons in common, this will often become a theme. Some campaigns even specify this at the start, "You will have a positive or maybe conflicted relationship with the Archmage."
In epic tier, we might be contacted by icons directly. As major movers and shakers, epic characters are needed to solve epic problems.
Something like this?
One Unique Thing - The last ember of my clan's sacred forge burns within my shield, and it has never gone cold since Underhome fell
Background - Clan Forge-Smith and Shieldwarden (+4?)
Icons:
2 Positive: Dwarf King (clan duty, reclaiming lost halls)
1 Positive: Priestess (guardian and healer of the faithful)
Something like this?
One Unique Thing - The last ember of my clan's sacred forge burns within my shield, and it has never gone cold since Underhome fell
Background - Clan Forge-Smith and Shieldwarden (+4?)
Icons:
2 Positive: Dwarf King (clan duty, reclaiming lost halls)
1 Positive: Priestess (guardian and healer of the faithful)
Sure, that looks great.