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Forewor
Hello!
Many of you may know me from the other Massif Press RPG, Lancer, or from my webcomic Kill Six
Billion Demons. This is a free play test of the next game I intend to publish after completing our Lancer
kickstarter content. My ethos is to give people content, then ask them to pay for it later if they like it, so
this test is entirely free to play and distribute. Much like Lancer, the final product will have a free version
with all player facing content.
This game was born from my love of fantasy. I love that old-school mysterious, enormous-world fantasy
vibe that is reproduced so well in animation, comics, and games. This game is inspired by the feeling I
think you might get when you look at the main cover. I took inspiration from anime, the works of French
comic artist Möebius, studio Ghibli, and video games like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and
the legend of Zelda.
I love tactical combat and strategy games, but also more freeform narrative games. Here I have mashed
the two together. You can use either or both. The narrative portion is a more stripped down version of the
action system of Blades in the Dark, by John Harper, which I think is an excellent lightweight system and
probably my favorite game currently.
Feedback
This is a play test and hasn’t been hammered out quite yet. It was written, illustrated, and formatted by
one person. There might be spelling or formatting errors. stuff that doesn’t work, feel good, or certain
combinations of abilities that are too strong, weak, etc. You can send feedback to
[email protected]
Work on this game will be slow while I finish Lancer content and it probably won’t receive publishing for
a little while so there is plenty of time to test it. There’ll be regular but slow content for it.
Character sheets
I include character sheets as more of a proof of concept/for visual learners than anything. They might be a
little rough so I apologize in advance. There’s a separate .zip file you can download.
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Foreword 2
ICO 6
Legacy of The Arkenlords 6
Rolling Dice 8
GETTING STARTED 10
Narrative Pla 12
The Action Roll 12
Action Ratings 12
Clocks 15
GM Principles 16
Combat In ICON 19
Chapter 20
Play Example 22
BOND 31
The Path nder 31
The Seeker 32
The Mighty 33
The Wolf 34
The Harlequin 35
The Bright 36
The Brave 37
TACTICAL COMBA 38
Combat, step by step 39
Attacks 41
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N
S
fi
y
T
Abilities and traits 45
Combat Glossary 49
Relics 51
JOB 53
CLASS: Stalwart 54
Bastion 56
Demon Slayer 59
Head Lopper 62
CLASS: Vagabond 65
Fool 67
Freelancer 70
Shade 74
CLASS: Mendicant 77
Harvester 79
Sealer 83
Seer 87
CLASS: WRIGHT 91
Enochian 93
Geomancer 97
Spellblade 101
RELIC 105
Advanced Combat 110
FOE 127
GLOSSARY OF FOES 131
Elite 135
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S
S
S
fi
P
s
Monstrosity 137
FACTION 142
Relict 142
Scavenger 145
IMPERIAL 146
DEMON 148
LOWLANDER 150
JOTUNN 152
DEEPTOWE 155
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S
R
ICON
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underground caverns or passages mostly intact. Many in your position use it to plumb the depths
Within these preserved ruins is also buried the of the old world in search of treasure and fame.
Arkentech of the old empire - magical and Others use it to drive back the Blights and protect
technological creations and devices of terrifying the villages of the Green from the specters of the
import. The ruins themselves are so seeped in the past, or keep the roads and ways safe for the
elden sorcery of the old lords that they exude Dust young and old alike. Some work as mercenaries
- the essence of condensed raw magic highly for the city guilds and take to the sky in great
sought after by the wrights and technological airships, while others wander the land helping the
artisans of the world above. lost or forgotten. Some use their power to kill to
cut away threats to the world, others to defend
Brave or daring adventure seekers or treasure those they hold dear.
hunters often venture into these ruins in search of
wealth or power, and are frequently rewarded, Will you defend the Green Age? Will you help
despite the terrible danger that these expeditions usher in the Churning Age? Or will you cast all
pose. aside to turn the great wheel of history and allow
its stagnant blood to flow again? Whoever you are,
it is your decisions that make you who you are,
The Churning Ag and cement your place in the Tale of Ages.
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ICON has two modes of play: narrative play, When the outcome of an action is unclear, risky,
and tactical combat. The rules for these or contested, a character names their goal and
modes are different and there is next to zero makes an action roll, rolling a number of d6s
overlap between them. It’s entirely possible to equal to an action rating on their sheet and
run a game of ICON entirely in one mode or the choosing the best result. The GM tells the player
other, and rules are provided to play the game before they roll the effect and risk of their
only in narrative mode if you so desire. Typically action. On a 1-3 the character fails to accomplish
games will start in narrative play and remain their goal and suffers the risk, on a 4-5 they
there whenever there is storytelling, free role succeed but may suffer the risk anyway, take some
playing, or a need to move the story somewhere. other consequences, setback or reduced effect,
When there’s a point of tension that can only be and on a 6 they succeed with no complications.
decided through the drama and violence of There’s many more details on on action rolls in
combat, then the game swaps to a grid-based the section on narrative play.
tactical game, with more clearly defined turn
order and more structured rules. In tactical combat, characters mostly use
d20s.
Expeditions and Interlude
The two rolls in tactical combat are attack rolls
In ICON, characters are adventurers that go on and saves.
expeditions in order to accomplish a goal. On an
expedition they can camp to restore their lost Characters usually make an attack roll when they
health and ease their minds. After the expedition take a hostile action against another character
finishes, they can pause the action to take an with the attack tag. For an attack roll, a
interlude, a longer pause in the action. character rolls a d20 (and may also roll a number
of d6s, or add another number), then compares
Some goals are more long term than a single the final result to their target’s defense, beating it
expedition. Any goal that takes multiple if they match it or roll higher.
expeditions to complete is called a quest.
Characters make saves to avoid or end harmful
Chapte ongoing effects, such as dragon breath, poisonous
gas, being stunned by a boulder, or something
Campaigns of ICON are split into 3 chapters. Over similar. For a save, a character rolls a d20
the course of their adventure, characters will (usually with no modifiers). On an 10 or higher,
become increasingly more powerful, represented they save against the effect successfully, ending or
by levels. Every chapter represents four levels avoiding it.
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There’s many more details on attacks, saves, and that defeated means dead. You can decide if you
tactical combat in the rules in that section. want to run a game with a different tone that
players can decide whether to defeat or kill an
Boon and Curs enemy they reduce to 0 hp, if an enemy is always
killed when reduced to 0 hp, or if an enemy is
Some abilities give rolls boon or curse. These never killed when reduced to 0 hp unless
modifiers represent situational modifiers that can characters take some extra action.
happen during a dangerous and chaotic
adventure. Many character abilities will give Here are the game’s other setting elements:
boons built in and many enemy effects will give
curse. Setting conceit
For narrative play, when a roll has a boon, add an The game takes place in a world called Arden Eld
additional d6 to the roll for each boon. When a (old Arden).
roll has any curse, subtract a d6 for each curse.
Arden Eld is old, wild, and untamed. Where
For tactical combat, when a roll has a boon, roll civilization exists, it is green, pastoral, and
an add a d6 to the total d20 roll for each boon. If idyllic, except for the cities, which are few and
more than one boon is added to a roll, choose the far between. There are no nations the way we
highest d6 result, no matter how many rolled. For think of them today, but there are tight knit
curses, do the opposite (subtract 1d6 per curse, communities and city states.
subtracting the highest for multiple curses).
Arden Eld is post apocalyptic, and full of
Boons and curses cancel each other out, 1 to 1 ruins, dungeons, caverns, and other unexplored
(don’t even roll). and dangerous spaces. There was an ancient,
cruel, and technomagically advanced empire
For example: that collapsed under its own hubris, irrevocably
- A character makes an attack roll with two boons changing the land. In these deep and perilous
and +0 to the roll. They roll 1d20, and gets a 13. spaces there is great treasure in the form of lost
They roll 2d6 (one for each boon), and gets a 3 magic and technology.
and a 4. They take the highest boon result (a 4)
and add it to the total, for 13+4 = 17. Arden Eld is a fantastic world. The technology of
Arden Eld is roughly medieval, but the existence
- A character makes a save with 2 curses and 1 of arkentech means there are firearms, automata,
blessing. The blessing cancels one curse. They roll skyships, and other ancient machines all over the
1d20, and get a 12, then roll 1 remaining curse and place. High technology tends to be rare,
get a 4. Their total result is 12 - 4 = 8, a failure. coveted, and buried.
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‘altruistically motivated’ but fated, or larger than Characters in ICON are measured by their level,
life. starting at level 1 and max out at level 12. Each 4
levels constitutes a chapter.
ICON fits into a ‘mythic fantasy’ or ‘high fantasy’
type of game, where the heroes can perform feats Players can make their character by choosing a
of incredible strength, speed, or magic, and the Kintype, a Culture, a Bond, and putting 4 dots
beliefs and ideals of the heroes are central. in actions for narrative play (page XX). Then they
pick a combat job and two abilities (page XX).
Changing these conceit
Characters get a free fixture for their camp (page
As a game master you are welcome to change, XX) and can fill out some more details about their
add, or tweak any of this content for your own group.
setting or use. Certain aspects of ICON, however,
are core to the game and before running a game There’s more details on all of this in the
using this system, think carefully about these forthcoming sections. I’ve included the
aspects. advancement table here for ease of reference but
it is repeated again in the advancement and
If you want to run a game that is more grounded rewards section on page XX.
or low technology, it will probably not fit with the
base tone and setting of this game. Characters are
heroic and powerful and have many abilities that
give them a lot of narrative agency. Magic and
technology is everywhere.
GETTING STARTE
The GM should read through the narrative play
and tactical combat sections. Players should
also give them a read, especially if they’re jumping
into tactical combat in the first session.
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Character Advancemen
Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit
Choose a Bond, a Bond power, and gain 4
1 1 Choose a job and two abilities
dots to improve actions
2 1 Unlock Limit Break and first relic Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
3 1 Gain a Bond power
Choose a second job OR gain a
4 1 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
mastery point. Unlock first gambit.
2- Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
5 Improve an action
Stat up! master talent for an ability
6 2 Unlock second relic Gain a Bond power
7 2 Improve an action
Choose a third job OR gain a mastery
8 2 point. Unlock second gambit. Special Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
if you only have one job!
3-
9 Unlock third relic Gain a Bond power
Stat up!
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
10 3 Improve an action
master talent for an ability
11 3 Improve an action
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
12 3 Gain a Bond power
master talent for an ability
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Narrative Play
Narrative play is the default mode of play of If you roll with 0 total dice, roll 2d6 and pick the
ICON. Whenever you’re talking, exploring, lowest as your final result. This means you can
investigating, or on the move, you’re probably in never get a critical hit with 0 dice.
narrative play. It covers pretty much everything
outside of tactical combat. In Narrative play, the Bonus dic
primary goal of the players and the GM is to play
to find out what happens in the story, and the You might get bonus dice or dice penalties on a
story itself is the medium of play. roll from allies helping you, in the form of Boons
(+1d6) and Curses (-1d6). These cancel each other
Players typically say what their characters do and out 1 to 1.
say, and the game master tells them how the
world or other characters respond to them. It’s a These are sometimes written as +1d or -1d for
bit like a conversation back and forth between the simplicity.
GM and the players.
The most important rule to remember is that you
Narrative play can be very loose and unstructured, can’t get more than +2 or -2 additional dice on
and you can play a long time without touching any any roll, no matter how many dice you get
dice. However, when the outcome of an otherwise.
action is unclear, difficult, dangerous, or
contested, a player makes an action roll.
Action Rating
The Action Rol When an action roll is required, players decide
which rating best fits their action.
To make an action roll, players state their
intent, then pick an action on their character • Sneak - Move with stealth and silence. Perform
sheet that they think best describes their action. actions without notice. Spring an ambush.
Based on the action chosen, the GM judges the • Excel - Act with concentrated precision or skill.
risk and effect of that action. Then the player Hit a tiny target at range. Catch a falling coin.
makes an action roll, rolling 1d6 per dot of the Balance on a narrow wire. Squeeze through a
chosen action and picking the highest result. For tight space.
actions with a rating of 0, players roll 2d6 and • Survey - Scan and assess a broad area or
pick the lowest. situation. Spot at a distance. Look for tracks,
clues, paths, or hidden things.
Check the final result: • Channel - Sense, talk to, understand, or attune
with magical forces or creatures. Interact with,
• 1-3: The character fails to accomplish their goal alter, or dispel magical forces or constructs.
directly and suffers the full consequences Hold a ritual.
• 4-5: The character is successful, but at a cost • Charm - Sway with charisma, appeals, or
• 6: The character is successful diplomacy. Call in favors. Cause distraction or
• 6,6: - Critical Hit! The character is successful misdirection. Lie to someone’s face.
and has increased effect • Command - Use force of will and presence to
lead or intimidate. Strong-arm or intimidate
Rolling with someone. Lead or organize a group of people.
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• Tinker - Interact with, understand, or use play in ICON lies. Players can use their creativity
alchemy, magitech, or other technology. Fix, to form approaches to problems, and the GM acts
pick, or break locks or mechanisms. Craft, as the judge to set the stakes.
deconstruct, improve, or alter technology.
• Study - Look at something or someone up close
and with great detail. Discern someone’s
Risk and Effec
intentions. Perform research.
When a player suggests a course of action and
• Recall - Dredge up useful lore, history, rumor,
names their goal, the GM decides how risky the
or memory. Remember important details about
action is and how effective it’s going to be, based
monsters or ruins.
on the narrative.
• Traverse - Climb, swim, leap. Run swiftly.
Chase or flee. Pilot a vehicle or ride an animal.
Risk can be controlled, risky, or desperate.
• Smash - Overwhelm with physical or magical
Effect is usually weak, normal, or powerful.
force. Hurt someone. Throw a punch or blast
down a door with a magic spell. Wreck an object
By default, all actions are risky and have normal
or obstacle.
effect. Risky means there is some degree of
• Endure - Push yourself to your limits. Power
consequence if a character fails - this is usually
through pain, cold, heat, or harsh environments.
the case! Normal effect just means that there’s an
Lift or drag something enormously heavy.
expected outcome, i.e. what the player expects to
happen will happen.
• When you want to move quietly past the Wyrm
without it noticing you, you’re probably
Controlled risk means there are few or weaker
Sneaking.
consequences for failure. When a situation or
• When you want to kick down the heavy dungeon
action is controlled, the character usually has a
door, you’re probably Smashing it.
good position, plenty of time, or relative safety.
• When you want to figure out how to dispel the
Desperate risk means great or dire
ward over the door, you’re probably
consequences for failure. When a character finds
Channeling.
themselves in a bad situation or throws
• When you want to cut the drawstrings of the
themselves into one for a faint hope, that’s
guard’s trousers with a swipe of your sword,
desperate.
you’re probably Excelling.
When effect is weak, it’s less effective than the
You’ll notice that some of these actions have a
player expects. For example, a character tries to
little overlap, but are flavored differently. For
tinker a gemstone loose that’s powering a
example, taking someone’s purse from them could
magical trap, but only succeeds in prying it out
be cutting it from their belt (with Excel) - quick
half way, making them have to take additional
but not necessarily quietly. Alternately, it could be
action. When an effect is powerful, it’s more
taking it quietly with Sneak. You could even
effective than expected. For example, a character
perhaps Charm them to divert their attention
trying to recall or survey a way out of a maze
while you take it off them. A heavy dungeon door
with powerful effect may figure the whole thing
could be tinkered (if it has a lock). Alternately, it
out and gets the party out in one roll.
could be smashed with a fireball, or perhaps
someone could endure lifting and holding it
open for the group to pass through. No effect and superpowere
All of these different situations have different Sometimes the GM can judge an action can have
narrative outcomes and might be more risky or no effect at all. For example, the GM might decide
more or less effective depending on the situation. trying to charm monsters to persuade them that
The key thing is that players always choose the your actions are just may not have any effect.
approach and the action they want to use. The Trying to traverse by leaping up a 50 foot wall
GM is free to suggest actions, and also to decide probably doesn’t have any effect unless it’s already
whether an action is riskier or even been established your character can jump that
effective. This is where the meat of narrative high.
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here and there, as stated above), and players character’s history, or the task is far below their
always have the initiative. Non-player characters, skill).
traps, hazards, etc are not treated like individual
entities with their own ‘turns’ or action ratings, Sometimes a task is too complex or daunting to be
but rather like a part of the scene or story, with completed in one roll. Sometimes a task might
the story itself being the most important thing! take more time, or multiple steps, to complete,
Characters take action, and the GM responds by and doing everything in one roll just doesn’t feel
narrating what happens next. right.
The only way players can take consequences is In all these cases, it’s best to use a clock!
through their own actions. The extent of those
consequences are up to the GM, however, which When you have a clear challenge or goal, you can
could include them ‘losing’ the initiative by set out a clock with an even number of segments
forcing them to react to a situation. In tense (4, 6, 8, 10, 12). You can draw out an actual clock,
situations, a GM can always turn things back on split into segments, or use a tracker, or simply tick
the players and force them to react, even when off check marks if you like. The longer the clock,
players have a successful roll. Always look to ask the more complicated or challenging it will be to
the question “What do you do?” fulfill. Name the clock after the challenge or goal,
not necessarily the method. For example, you can
One Rol have a clock that says ‘Guards’, ‘Traps’, and
‘Alarm’.
Most tasks can be accomplished in one roll, but
you can decide how far one roll goes in your game. When characters take action related to a clock
that would further it in some way, they will fill in
• Will one roll let you sneak into the castle, or will segments on that clock with their actions on a
you need to take a series of actions? successful roll equal to their effect:
• Will one roll let you convince the knight of your • Fill in 2 segments for normal effect
worthiness, or will you need to prove your • 1 for weak,
mettle to them with further actions? • 3 for powerful,
• Will one roll let you fight your way out of the • and 5 for super powered actions.
monster infested flooded passage, or will you
play out tactical combat to get out instead? When the clock fills up completely, the task or
challenge it represents is complete or
Stretching the value of a single roll can let you surpassed. No further action is necessary from
control the tone of the game and how it’s framed - the characters.
how much time and action is covered - and you
can vary it from scene to scene. In the previous example, we could set out a single
clock (maybe a longer one, such as 10 segments)
for the whole castle, called something like ‘The
Clock Castle’. Alternately, we could set out a few
(shorter) clocks representing each major obstacle
as the characters come across them - like ‘Guard
Let’s think about sneaking into the castle in the
in the hallway’, ‘Big complex lock’, ‘Hidden
section above - there may be several discrete tasks
Trapped Room’, judging the characters successful
or obstacles that need to be cleared - guards,
if these smaller clocks are filled in.
locks, trapped doors, you name it. One roll may
not feel right for the purposes of this task. If the
Clocks abstract out a whole task, scene, or series
journey in doesn’t particularly matter, a character
of events. It’s certainly possible to just use a series
could make a single roll to sneak in and have to
of normal rolls for many complex tasks (and a lot
figure out how to get out. Or, if this is something
of tables will play that way). However, using
we want the story to brush past or montage
clocks to represent complicated tasks ensures
through without much further consideration or
you’re only rolling when there’s persistent
consequence, we could do the whole thing in a
narrative tension, constrains the number of rolls
single roll (perhaps this is a scene from the
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made for any given task, and creates clear whenever a PC fails a roll and fill in a single
parameters for success. It allows the story to segment as a complication if they roll a 4-5.
progress and means you don’t have to waste time
lingering on tasks that would otherwise require a
lot of rolling, all of which we find extremely GM Principle
effective for speeding up play. You can use them
to move more quickly and efficiently through Heres some basic principles for the GM to follow
narrative scenes. If you’d prefer to keep things when running ICON:
looser, then don’t worry over making clocks for • Keep away from ‘no’. ‘Yes, and…’, and ‘Yes,
every little thing. but…’ keep the story moving and keep things in
the player’s hands. You can always tell a
Project clock character an action isn’t possible given their
approach without denying them completely.
You can easily use clocks to track progress on a Offer alternative approaches or suggestions to
long term project, especially the kind that problems, and let player creativity be rewarded.
characters might try to work on during an “You can’t open that door by smashing it down
interlude. by yourself, it’s too heavy. If you could find
something strong to use as a battering ram
Progress clock though…”.
• Let players choose how to move the
You can also use clocks to track the status or time action forward. Give players choices and let
pressure of a larger ongoing situation in the world them choose how to proceed. Players should
or campaign, such as a war, a spreading Blight, a nearly always be the ultimate drivers of action in
faction’s political influence, or an assassination your story, not your NPCs, plots, or events. You
plot. These progress clocks tend to move by can always force the players to react by throwing
themselves. Tick segments on these clocks when something unexpected on at them if you want to
the story or campaign moves forward. A good mix it up. “Railroading”, or taking away player
time to do this is after an interlude. When ticking agency, only typically becomes a problem when
these clocks, tick one segment if the situation you deny players the chance to take action or
progressed a little, two if it progressed as normal, intervene in a situation.
and three if there was great progress. For • Play to find out what happens. It’s perfectly
example, if you have a clock tracking the progress fine to have a plan or outline for a session or
of a war and it’s drawing to a close, you might tick expedition. If there’s a scene or event you really
three segments on that clock at the end of want to happen, however, and the players totally
downtime. avoid it, then let it happen! You can find a way
to introduce it later. Players will often deviate
Failure state from the path you lay out for them, and the
story is often better for it.
You can also create clocks that fill up as a result of • Foreshadow consequences and threats. If
failures, rather than successes, establishing fail you’re going to shoot someone with a crossbow,
states for situations. These clocks get filled in as show the players a glint of it from a window
consequences of failed rolls or complications of first. If the fall off the mountain is going to
Risky or Heroic rolls. For example, if a group of inflict critical harm, you should probably tell
PCs were trying to flee from a band of players how steep and dangerous the mountain
mercenaries, you might set out two clocks: one path looks. The game has a very easy way to
that represents the PCs’ safe escape and one that foreshadow threats built in with risk.
represents the mercenaries catching up to them • Make characters look good. Characters are
and forcing a fight. The Escape clock fills up when heroes. If they fail, they should never fail due to
PCs successfully put some distance between them incompetency.
and their pursuers, while the Capture clock fills
up when they either fail those actions or have to
make trade-offs. You might fill in two segments
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- the GM decides that the character acts out at an second half of this book. This system is only for
inopportune moment. when the stakes or the tension are high and must
be resolved through combat. In tactical combat,
When getting into trouble or invoking a burden characters can actually be hurt or killed, and
means changing a character’s behavior or making they are going to use the full extent of their
them act out-of-character, the GM can say what might - all their destructive magical and physical
happens but it can be up to the player to act it out. power. If the scene doesn’t warrant that, or the
characters don’t have the ability to go all out, it’s
If you invoked a burden at least once during a not worth tactical combat. For most situations
session get 1 xp at the end of that session per involving violence, assess whether it’s important
separate burden you invoked. enough to dip into tactical combat. If you get into
other situations, it might be better to play it out as
Healing Burdens and strai a narrative scene, using clocks. This is a way you
can set the tone and pacing for your game.
Characters can heal all strain when they camp
or when they finish an interlude. • Is a bar brawl a tactical combat, where the
stakes are high and characters will use the full
Burdens can only be healed during an interlude, extent of their powers and abilities, or is it a
during the special Heal Burdens step. Burdens narrative scene using Excel, Smash, Endure,
are represented with a clock of 4, 6, or 8 and Command to overwhelm and outwit your
segments, and characters can only heal them rowdy opponents?
slowly. Characters can fill in any burden they like • If the local militia shows up to arrest the
when they take one. players, is that a tactical combat or a
negotiation? Can it degrade into a tactical
3 burden combat or can players make other rolls to avoid
fighting?
• If the characters find a large Arkogre guarding
A character with 3 burdens can still break,
the entrance to a dungeon, can they talk to it, or
clearing all strain, but doesn’t mark an extra
will they have to fight it in tactical combat if
burden. Instead of recovering and returning to
they fail to sneak past?
themselves at the end of the scene, however, they
remain broken until the expedition is over (they
Transitioning into tactical combat is usually done
can still push or receive aid to act normally).
smoothly out of narrative scenes or as a tension
break when things go sour. When the characters
A character with 3 burdens is in bad shape
fail to sneak past the Relict, when they burst into
emotionally and physically and can often be
the baron’s hall hell bent on confronting them, or
‘retired’ or take a break from adventuring - they
when they stand in defense of the town as the
can still heal burdens during interludes and can
wave of monsters approaches.
return to expeditions after healing.
Narrative Comba
Combat In ICO
As an alternative or companion to tactical combat,
ICON has a tactical combat system, but this you can play combat scenes out exactly like you’d
system doesn’t have to get used to represent every play out any other narrative scene - using action
occasion when violence breaks out. You have a rolls, clocks to track challenges, etc.
couple options, including not playing with tactical
combat at all! Combat action
If using narrative combat, you can use a
character’s combat ratings when they inflict
Use tactical comba violence in narrative play. There are three ratings:
By default, ICON assumes GMs and other players
will be using the tactical combat system in the
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• Skirmish: Act with mobile, fast, and quiet Chapter is a rough approximation of power level
violence. Powerful against numerous foes, but in ICON, and narrative play is no exception. The
Weak against larger, tougher, or armored foes. following rule applies for Chapter in narrative
• Snipe: Act with long range, precise, but slow play:
violence. Less Risky at a distance. More Risky
up close. When the players come across a challenge, assign
• Crush: Act with strong, loud, and close a Chapter to it. Chapter 1 is for threats and
violence. Powerful against larger, tougher, or challenges characters could be expected to handle
armored foes. Weak against numerous foes. as beginning adventurers. Chapter 2 is for
established adventurers, and Chapter 3 is for
Characters start with one rating at 2, one at 1, legendary adventurers.
and one at 0, and can improve them like any
other action rating. The flavoring and theming of Character’s actions are more effective and less
a character’s action and attacks is up to the player, risky against threats and challenges 1 chapter
and any rating could be used for physical or lower than them. Against threats and challenges 2
magical combat. chapters lower than them, characters can surpass
them without rolling at all, or in one roll.
In a narrative combat situation, characters don’t
have to just use combat ratings, but can use any The opposite is true. Character’s actions are less
action to progress a clock, as long as its effective. effective or more risky (or both!) against
challenges 1 chapter higher than them, and have
In this situation, don’t treat monsters or foes like reduced effect twice and increased risk against
you would in a traditional rpg, but instead use challenges 2 or more chapters higher, which could
clocks, risk, and effect to represent them. The GM mean they have no effect at all!
can adjudicate or adjust these based on the
qualities of the foes characters are facing, deciding Characters can tackle higher Chapter threats by
which actions in the moment would be more or mitigating risk and effect as normal, such as
less effective. through using Superpowered actions.
For example, characters are fighting a Wyrm in In the above example with the Wyrm, the GM
open combat. The Wyrm itself might be might rule that the Wyrm is a Chapter 2 foe, a
represented with a 10 or 12 segment clock (a powerful monster, and players will be less
pretty powerful foe!) with segments filled in as effective against it (and take more risky actions) if
characters take actions against it. A character they want to tackle it now. Or they could rule it’s a
flinging daggers at a mighty armored wyrm with legendary monster and players have no current
Skirmish might have no effect, or be a weak and recourse against it without special preparation or
desperate action. A different character trying to superpowered actions.
hit that wyrm’s weak scale with a snipe action
might have normal effect and the action might What constitutes chapter appropriate depends on
merely be risky. However, another character using the tone of your game, and what superpowered
Survey might try and spot openings for the effect can do in your game. Here’s some examples
rapier-wielding player, changing their effect, or a for a game I’d run, however:
character might use Smash to topple a pillar onto
the Wyrm to immobilize it, Endure to grapple its Chapter 1
jaws and hold its attention, Charm to distract it, • Fighting a small band of bandits or an average
etc. All these actions can key into each other and monster
all of them could potentially fill out the Wyrm’s • Scaling a high manor wall
clock to defeat it. • Swimming across a river
• Surviving in the wilderness for a few weeks
• Sneaking into a camp undetected
Chapte • Charming a merchant into better prices
• Commanding a few lackeys
• Deciphering odd runes from a ruin
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If you’re broken in a scene (you maxed out on All characters can make an action roll to set up
harm and took a burden), if you push or receive another character - for example by distracting the
aid, you can act normally for a single roll. You merchant while your ally sneaks up behind them,
don’t get the bonus die or effect, however. studying a monster for a weak point, or charming
a mercenary your ally wants to hire. Your roll has
Bond Power no effect by itself, and you can still take
consequences, but your ally gets +1 boon or
increased effect on the action you set up if your
Bond Powers are special abilities that either give
roll is successful. Some bond powers give more
you the ability to do something without rolling, or
powerful set ups or key off setups.
boost your existing actions or abilities. They are
very powerful and help distinguish your character.
You can further define what your characters’
specific powers look like and where they come
Play Exampl
from.
Here’s a quick play example.
• Scene: Some powers or Bond features (like
stress relief) apply until the end of the current Play example: The hall of deat
scene, or can only trigger once a scene. A scene
is a contiguous series of events where we don’t The GM is playing with two players, Alice and
‘cut away’ from the action. When we enter a new Marco. Alice’s character has the Bond of the
sequence of action or dialogue (like a new room Mighty, James’ character has the bond of the
in a dungeon, a new challenge, a different Pathfinder.
conversation happening in a different place) the
previous scene is over. This is pretty easy to The character are exploring a ruin and reach a
judge naturalistically. hallway. The GM knows this hallway is trapped
• Limited Powers: Certain Bond Powers can with pressure plates (on the floor) which will
only be used by spending Stress, and many can cause poison darts to fly out from the far wall. A
only be used a certain number of times per tough scenario!
game session. You get these powers back at the
start of a new session. The GM can do a couple things here. If characters
• Range: A few powers have a loose effect range - take action without checking the hallway out, the
these are hand (within hand’s reach), close traps end up being an obvious consequence for
(within speaking distance), far (within shouting their actions, and their actions are probably risky,
distance), and vision (within distance of vision) if not desperate! If characters take a moment to
survey the hallway and get good information, the
Gambit GM can make their actions more effective or more
controlled moving forward, since they know about
Normally you can only take powers from your the traps.
own Bond. However, once you have four powers
from your own bond (including your starting The GM can also decide to let the whole thing get
power), you can take a Gambit, which is a power covered in one roll. Or, if the trap is more
from any bond.
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dangerous or complicated, they can set up a clock The scenario plays out as above, but the risk for
for it. Alice’s character’s action is now controlled, since
she knows about the trap. Now she only takes 1
The GM can use good practices and foreshadow strain when she’s hit by the darts, which she
threats here by showing the players that the hall spends resistance to ignore.
might be trapped.
Using a Clock, gathering information
Let’s see some permutations of each of these
scenarios. The GM decides this trap is a bigger threat,
something they want to spend a short scene on.
The introduction: They set out a 6 segment clock to represent the
GM: You come to a long stone hallway, chocked hall.
with dust, and probably only wide enough for one
person at a time to move down. It’s pretty long Marco: I have a bad feeling about this hall. I’m
and the far end is too dark to see. Propped against going to get closer to study the stonework
the wall on your side is an old rusty breastplate, a GM: Ok, give me a roll. It’s a little riskier to study
piece of armor long abandoned, as though since you have to get close, but I’ll say its more
someone took it off in a hurry. It’s pock-marked effective. I’ll say its still controlled.
with small holes. Marco (rolls study, gets a 1 ): Ok, I’ll take it. I
have 0 in survey so I’d rather use study. Ah, a 1.
One roll, players don’t gather information: GM (Inflicting strain): Oh yeah, it’s definitely
Alice: I forge ahead, carefully. trapped. A flurry of darts shoot out through the
GM (taking the initiative): Ok! There’s a click as darkness right at you. Since your action was more
you step on a pressure plate. You hear the soft powerful, I’m giving you some progress on this
hiss of air at the other end of the room, and you clock (The GM ticks 2 segments on the clock.
see a flurry of darts heading your way! What do Normally they’d tick 1 or none on a ‘1’ roll).
you do? Your action is probably going to be pretty However, you’re still getting shot, for only 1
risky. strain, and you’re sure there’s more plates in the
Alice: Damn. Ok… I’m going to bring my shield up hall.
and try and endure the darts. Marco: I’ll take it.
GM: Great, I’d say that’s pretty effective but Alice: Can I boost Marco’s character on my shield
desperate. to get them across the hall and give them a bonus
die?
Alice rolls 3 dice for her character’s Endure action GM: Sure. You can make a roll to set up Marco if
and rolls a 1,2, and 5, a mixed success. Darts shoot you like, or just tick a stress to aid him.
into her character, inflicting 3 strain on her. Alice: Ok. I’m going to roll for it. Is… excel a good
Alice’s player chooses to spend 1 stress for action for this?
resistance to reduce the strain by 1. The darts GM: Probably, or smash, I think, since you’re
having activated, the hall is clear and the using force.
characters can move on. Alice: My smash is better, so I’ll use that.
GM: Ok, it’s going to be controlled risk for you I
One roll, gathering information: think
Alice: I’m going to check this hall out. Alice (rolling a 4): A 4.
GM: Ok, give me a fortune roll for that, since you GM (putting her in a worse spot): Great, you
seem safe where you are. boost Marco in the air. However, you have to take
Alice (rolls survey, gets a 4): I’m going to survey a couple steps forward, and now you’re in the
the hall for threats. A 4. middle of the hallway. Anything you do from here
GM: Squinting your eyes, you can just make out is going to be way more risky.
strange cracks in the floor ahead of you. It’s hard Marco: Let’s do this. I’m going to traverse by
to tell, but you’re pretty sure this hall is trapped, kicking off the walls. I’m also going use my
with pressure plates. pathfinder power Windrider to push myself for
another die and choose to not touch the floor.
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GM: Great, that’s two bonus dice, one from Alice’s Think about how this scenario might change
character and one from your push, and you have depending on the tone of game you want to run.
better effect from your cool power. I’ll say since In a more grounded game, maybe getting riddled
you don’t have to touch the floor, your action is with darts is more strain, or even critical strain on
going to be less risky, so instead of being risky it’s a desperate action. Maybe diving down the
going to be controlled. hallway, bouncing off the walls, isn’t possible
Marco (Rolling 1,2,2,3): Great. Oh shit, a 3. without powerful or superpowered effect (Marco
GM: No problem. You still get two ticks on the did use an ability there to justify it, so keep that in
clock from your better effect (The GM ticks two mind).
more segments, bringing the clock to 4/6).
Marco: Ok, but I’m a dead man, right? If the characters are in a higher chapter than the
GM (offering a choice): Your action was treat, a hall like this, in the fiction, may not pose
controlled thanks to your power, so you don’t get much of a threat. The GM can ignore it, make it a
riddled with darts, but you’ve got a tough choice. single roll, or make it a shorter clock. If the
You don’t make it quite down the hall, and you’re characters are in a lower chapter than the hallway,
close enough to see the mechanism. Do you try maybe it poses a huge threat and is super risky,
and leap forward disable it now, and maybe get and the character’s actions are less effective.
poisoned for your trouble, or do you try and make
another roll? I’ll let you finish the clock right now
if you want.
Marco: I’m going for it.
GM: Ok! You dive forward and jam your blade
into the mechanism. A vaporous cloud of poison
pours out from the dart holes as the trap
deactivates. You’re going to take 2 strain from the
poison.
Marco: Ouch. That would give me a burden.
Alice: Can I use my stress ability to take the strain
instead by pushing Marco aside?
GM: Yeah… but you’re not close enough - you
were put in a bad position, right?
Alice: Ah, ok. Can I just throw my shield and
smash the mechanism before it manages to poison
Marco?
GM (Avoiding saying ‘no’ to this creative
solution): Sure, I think that would reduce the
strain, but give me a roll. Risky, since you’re
trying to do it quickly from far away!
Alice: Ok, I’m going to use 1 stress to push this.
(Rolls 2, 3, 6). A 6!
GM: Cool. You hurl your shield and crumble the
wall, sealing off the vapor. Marco only takes 1
strain.
Marco: Nice.
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Folk of Arden El
The collective peoples and folk of ICON are
collectively referred to as Kin. Kin have lived in
Arden Eld since time immemorial.
Thryn
When you make a character, choose what Kintype
you are. There’s no statistical or mechanical The Aethrynn, or Thrynn (most commonly) are
differences in game terms for whatever Kin you found everywhere across Arden Eld. They are an
pick. It’s true, for example, that Troggs as a whole adaptable, diverse people with a strong sensitivity
are larger and stronger than most Thrynn. to Aether and a strong connection to arkentech,
However, each individual is different, and more some say because they are direct descendants of
importantly you are a hero. the Arken that survived or fled the Doom and the
dark age that followed. They make up a large part
Your bond is more important for determining the of airship crews and captains in the great Guilds
kind of person you are. If you want to play up the due to their potential for aether sensitivity making
unique attributes of your Kin, you can pick a bond them excellent pilots.
that fits that fantasy, and pick actions that fill out
what you want your character to be strong at. A Thrynn are made up of a dazzling swathe of
strong, physically powerful Trogg may want to backgrounds that span the continent. They tend to
pick the Mighty Bond. An agile Xixo who is an live in clans that cluster into villages, towns, and
excellent swimmer may pick the Pathfinder bond. city associations. Symbology and culture of the
ancient Thrynn clans, called the Seven Families,
Broadly speaking members of all Kin can be found are present in many modern cultures of Arden
in every part of the world and every walk of life in Eld, and some draw strength and purpose from
ICON, and none have any ancestral nation, their ancient texts and teachings.
‘homeland’, or monoculture, especially due to the
ancient influence of the Arken Empire. Some Thrynn will occasionally have small glowing
‘star-marks’ on their body, especially when
attuned to or channeling strong sources of Aether.
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These can form constellations of stars or twisting with tails. The Troggs reproduce slowly, have few
branch-like patterns under their skin. children, and treasure them greatly. Trogg
Occasionally these marks are strong enough that children spend a long time maturing and only
even being near to a strong source of Aether is reach adulthood around forty years old.
enough to light them up.
Like other Kin, Troggs are hugely diverse in their
Very rarely, Thrynn are born with delicate backgrounds and cultures but due to their small
vestigial insect-like wings, not capable of flight. number tend to be loners or outsiders to the
Children born this way are given special attention, communities they join. In legends, they are
having been divinely marked, and often have roles supernaturally tolerant of heat and can handle
in the community leadership or priesthood even molten metal with their bare hands, though
prepared for them. They may grow into these how much this holds up in real life varies from
roles or eventually reject them. Trogg to Trogg. Very traditional Troggs worship
the Elden Flame, the primal force of creation, and
give themselves over to the study of smithing or
the aetherial arts. Since Trogg artisans live a long
time, they can accumulate several lifetimes of
knowledge that Kin from a similar background
could accumulate.
Trog
Troggs, also called Ogres, are horned demi-giants
that are few in number but outsize in stature.
Legend has it that the Troggs descend from the
Titans who originally kept the four pillars of the
world stable before they were slain by the Arken,
Beastfol
or at least have some titan blood running through
their veins. Adult Troggs typically stand anywhere
The variety of animal-like Kin found across Arden
between six and eight feet tall, and never stop
Eld can be broadly called Beastfolk. They are the
growing throughout their very long lifetimes,
most common Kin and the most diverse
sometimes living four or five hundred years and
physically. There are many clans of beast folk:
growing to truly enormous stature. All have horns
of various size and shapes, and some are born
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yearly harvests. Neighboring villages tend to commerce with the mainland. Islanders have
depend on each other for trade, safety, and strong taboos about going back on promises, and
information, and come together for festivals (of value someone’s word very strongly.
which there are many, especially in the summer
months). The villages typically are run by a city Respect for strength, a healthy sense of
elder, or a council of elders and have a strong humor, reliability, and independence are all
connection to nature and its cycles. Faithful strong values for Islanders. Outsiders can
villagers tend to pay their respects to the spirits or sometimes see them as insular, surly, or loud.
the Titans at local forest shrines or holy sites such
as pools or groves.
Leggi
+1 to two: Excel, Tinker, or Survey
Villagers tend to be proud of their local traditions,
festivals, and gods. Most villages have a regional
The villages of the Green rely on a healthy
cooking or craft specialty, and people will often
network of trade caravans, peddlers, crafts-kin,
visit from many towns over just to sample them.
menders, and healers of all kinds. Parts of these
One village might specialize in iron and smithing
networks are made up of local farmers and
work, another might be known for the quality of
traders, but over time some of the caravans have
its steamed buns, and another might have miles of
grown into permanent residences and a quasi-
beautiful grazing pastures and be known for the
religious way of life for the people that crew them,
quality of its milk and dairy products.
who have come to be known as the Leggio. Their
massive, colorful caravans make seasonal
Regional village councils sometimes will gather a
rotations around Arden Eld, stopping in the cities
militia to defend against a surfacing ruin or a
to resupply, and are broadly welcome wherever
blight, and those towns very close to the ruins
they show up, since it means a chance to buy,
typically have a wall to keep out roaming
repair, and indulge in all the necessities and
monsters. Many villages, especially those deep in
luxuries so sorely missed. The Leggio always eat
the wilderness, will train some or most of their
well and trade fairly with the towns, and will often
members in old and secretive martial arts
take on travelers who are seeking safe passage to
techniques unique to each village that can be used
the next village, post, or city.
to defend the village in times of crisis.
Nearly all Leggio have some sort of family trade or
Community, hard work, respect for nature,
skill they are specialized in (sometimes multiple),
and family are strong values for Yeokin.
and many famous or legendary artisans, smiths,
Outsiders can sometimes see them as parochial,
and weapon makers come from old Leggio
stubborn, and uncultured.
families. Leggio Grand Caravans can be two (or
sometimes three!) stories high and are carved
Islande with family histories. They are pulled by draft
+1 to two: Smash, Endure or Command beasts and sometimes captive monsters, who are
kept docile by Leggio beast tamers.
The islands around Arden Eld are an oddity, in
that most of the arkenruins out there are sunken Leggio are nearly all armed and trained in fighting
beneath the ocean. Unfortunately, this has only since they were young as they often have to pass
made them more active. The island chains are through dangerous or blighted areas in order to
beautiful, sun-soaked places that seem paradise- reach a town in need. They regard their duty to
like to many Kin, but the people that live there are keep towns supplied as sacred and pray to the
tough and disciplined, having to constantly Titan of chance to give them safe passage.
defend their idyllic-seeming homes from horrors
that rise unendingly from the sea. Islanders are Craft, sociability, discipline, and
prolific sailors, strong drinkers, and prodigious hospitality are all strong values for Leggio.
fighters. They tend to have a dark sense of humor Outsiders can sometimes see them as brash,
and more than a touch of bravado. Most of their overly friendly, or nosy.
living is made through fishing, carpentry,
mercenary work, and through trade and
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BOND
The Pathfinder
Discover new things, meet new people, learn new • Freesoul - You can escape from any restraint,
things. The Pathfinder is always looking to grab, shackle, hold, or prison cell without
horizon. They’re the first to clamber up the rolling. You can conceal this ability if you wish.
mountain, leap across the river, or dash down • Lay Burdens - 1/session, When you enter a
the slope. The road is their friend and they can’t populated location, tick 1 segment on up to two
wait to see what’s around the corner. burdens of your choice.
• Airfeel - When you camp or start an
+2 Traverse expedition, you can ask any of the following
questions about the next day or so of travel and
Ideal get a yes or no answer from the GM:
- I addressed challenges with curiosity, discovery, • Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous
or understanding journey?
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • Is the journey defended or contested?
through my actions • Are you currently being pursued, tracked,
- I saw, heard, or tasted something truly unique or hunted?
• Colortongue - You can understand and speak
Max stress: 1 all languages and read all scripts.
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you enter a • Horizon Sweeper - When you’re outside, your
new scene. survey actions have increased effect and aren’t
Stress special: Leading traverse or sneak affected by weather or time or day.
actions doesn’t cost stress for you • Memory of the Sole - Name a location you
Strain: 4 last set up camp. The GM will determine the
difficulty of the journey there by answering the
questions below. When the next scene starts,
POWER you and up to ten other willing people can
• Saddleborn - Get a knack for riding animals choose to be safely there if you take 2 strain for
or piloting vehicles each ‘yes’ answer, which could cause you to
• Windrider - When you push yourself to take a break. Work backwards to figure out how you
traverse or sneak action, you also get got there (the scene doesn’t necessarily have to
increased effect and choose one of the following take place the next hour or day, for example).
for the action: you don’t touch the ground, you • Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous journey?
don’t make a sound, you can’t be touched while • Is the location defended or contested?
moving. • Are you currently being pursued, tracked, or
• Dabbler - Get +1 point to put in any action hunted?
rating. At the start of an interlude, you must • Lightspeed - 1/session - Your next traverse
swap this point around to a new action. It can’t action has superpowered effect
take any rating higher than 4. • Gambit of Momentum (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond
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s
The Seeker
Uncover forbidden knowledge, untangle people, • Darksight - You can see in the dark, which
teeter on the edge of sanity. The Seeker wants could make your risk and effect better. Your
answers - about the world, about magic, about study and channel actions get increased effect
monsters, about themselves - all of it. Their keen in darkness.
wits let them cut through any situation, even if • Unhinge - Your desperate actions have
they may not like what they uncover. increased effect
• Dark Clarity - 2/session - Close your eyes and
+2 Study study the ambient emotional state of someone
in close distance from you (make a roll). If your
Ideal action is successful, your next action against
- I addressed challenges with investigation, that person gets +1 boon and increased effect. If
intuition, or instinct your action fails, take 1 strain and regain a use
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs of this ability.
through my actions • Possession - 2/session - Ask a presence inside
- I questioned my own understanding of the world you for advice. The GM will answer. Get +1d on
the next action to follow the advice as if the
Stress: 2 presence aided you.
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you discover • Instinctive - 2/session - Describe a course of
something hidden, forbidden, or secret. action to the GM you plan to take in the same
Stress special: When stressed out, you get +1d scene. You will receive an answer that is
on study, channel, or recall and can aid in those truthful, if unclear, that comes from a feeling.
actions without spending stress. The GM can choose from the following options:
Strain: 4 Wheel (good/positive outcomes), Stone (bad/
negative outcomes), and Chaos (a mix of good
and bad outcomes).
POWER • Geist - When you touch someone skin to skin
and tick 2 stress, even if you break contact, you
• Heartsight - 1/session - Close your eyes. You can see through their eyes and experience their
can view a location within far distance for 1 sensations and ambient emotional state, though
minute as if you were there as an invisible you can do little but observe, and they are not
observer, hearing and seeing everything. You aware of your presence. The effect lasts until the
cannot move your point of vision, and your body end of the scene, or until you use this ability
is immobile and vulnerable while taking this again, and while you’re concentrating on it, you
action, and you can end it any time. You don’t cannot do anything yourself except sit in quiet
have to be able to see the location you’re trying focus, otherwise the effect breaks. A player
to view. character must be willing.
• Library Organ - 1/session - Get +1d on study, • Living Tome - 1/session - Increase the effect of
channel, and recall actions for the rest of the your next Recall or Study action to
scene, but -1d on all other actions Superpowered
• Argus - You get a knack for sensing danger, • Gambit of Knowledge (requires 4
hidden traps, or ambushes, and can use this powers): Take a power from another Bond
knack on any action when surprised.
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The Mighty
Use your prodigious physical or magical that (you have 3 burdens for example) this effect
strength to destroy obstacles and help your ends at the end of the scene.
friends. The Mighty revels in strength and • Iron jaw - You can’t suffer critical strain (take
power, and presents an unbreakable front to the 4 strain instead)
enemy, but uses that power not to oppress and • Volcanic - 2/session - When someone or
control, but to protect the vulnerable and stand something harms an ally in your presence, you
against evil. can trigger this ability to get +1d or increased
effect (choose) on all actions against them for
+2 Smash the rest of the scene
• Hammersoul - Your Smash actions have
Ideal increased effect when you’re stressed out
- I addressed challenges with strength, leadership, • Overpower - You can push by taking 2 strain
or force instead of spending stress for Endure and
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs Smash actions
through my actions • Stoneskin - The first time you take strain in a
- Someone challenged me or my friends and I session, reduce it to 0
didn’t back down • Force of Will - 1/session - You can choose to
automatically treat your next Command action
Stress: 2 roll against another character as a 6. The GM
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you take strain can decide a character is too strong willed for
for others, or take strain while aiding others this to work on them, but if they do, heal 2
Stress special: When an ally close to or closer stress.
suffers strain, you can take the strain for them. • Half Light - When you gather information
You can resist it as normal. about violence or possible threats, you can use
Strain: 5 Endure, Smash, or Command
• The Wall - 1/session - This scene only, reduce
all strain suffered by 1, to a minimum of 1
POWER • Make Total Destroy - 1/session - Increase the
effect of your next Smash action to
• True Grit - When you break, you remain in superpowered
control of your character for the rest of the • Gambit of Strength (requires 4 powers):
scene. If you would remain broken longer than Take a power from another Bond
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The Wolf
You are a tough exterior covered in scars. Your • Blood Scent - You get a knack for tracking or
competency makes you strong, but you also can’t intimidating anyone or anything that’s wounded
let anyone see where you’re vulnerable. The wolf • Go for a Walk - 2/session - When you act
stands strong alone, but can’t forget that they completely alone, you can trigger this ability to
ultimately rely on the pack. get +1d or increased effect on your action
• Cornered - When you are clearly outnumbered
+2 Excel in a hostile situation, reduce all strain you suffer
by 1, to a minimum of 1
Ideal • Viper - If there’s any question about who acts
- I addressed challenges with precision, coldness, first in a scene, its you. If there’s multiple
or intimidation characters with this power, roll off.
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • It’s Nothing - During Heal Burdens, heal 2
through my actions extra ticks on a burden of your choice if nobody
- I let my mask crack helps you heal burdens. Heal 1 tick on two
burdens if someone does help you heal, instead
Stress: 4 of just one burden. You can’t help other people
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you fix heal burdens.
someone else’s mistakes. • Crack Shell - When you’re stressed out, you
Stress special: You cannot take or benefit from can benefit from aid actions and team actions
aid or team actions. normally, and can take aid actions without
Strain: 4 spending stress.
• Bishop - When you set someone up, that
person gets both +1d and increased effect on the
POWER set up roll.
• Clarity - If you break, clear all stress, and you • Wick - 1/session - Increase the power of your
can push your next action for free next Sneak action to superpowered
• Scarcoat - +1 max strain per Burden you have • Gambit of the Fang (requires 4 powers):
Take a power from another Bond
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The Harlequin
Trick, humiliate, and dance around the powerful. • Mockingbird - You get a knack for mimicking
The Harlequin despises those who take sounds or voices
themselves too seriously, and delights in slipping • Fast Friends - 2/session - You can choose to
in and out of conversations, roles, and situations. automatically treat your next charm action roll
as a 6. If you do, its effects only last a minute
+2 charm until its target(s) realize they were manipulated.
• The Big Show - Critical hits on excel,
Ideal charm, or sneak actions relieve 1 stress for all
- I addressed challenges with cunning, subterfuge, party members who witness your feats
or deceit • Habitual Line Stepper - 2/session - You
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs instantly disappear from sight and re-appear
through my actions somewhere nearby in close distance. You don’t
- I talked my way out of a charged situation have to see your destination, but you are
shunted back to your starting point if it’s
Stress: 3 occupied or obstructed (like trying to hop into
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you get in solid rock, for example).
trouble with someone or something powerful • Quickfingers - 1/session - Name an object
Stress special: When you’re stressed out, get nearby that you can see that could fit or carry in
+1d on sneak one or both hands. By the start of the next
Strain: 4 scene, you have possession of it. If you stole it,
the person you stole it from will find out within
the hour
POWER • Ridi Pagliacci - You can invoke each of your
burdens instead of spending a stress, once a
• Mirrormask - You can always tell if someone session for each burden
is lying if you can see their face, though the • Exuent - When you lead an action to flee or
nature of the lie is unclear escape trouble, don’t spend stress.
• Mercurio - You can change your appearance • Tongue of the Bards - 1/session - Increase
completely by spending 1 stress, including the power of your next Charm action to
height, weight, gender presentation, etc. You superpowered
must appear as Kin (a person), but you could be • Gambit of the Laughing Titan (requires 4
a different Kintype, and otherwise everything powers): Take a power from another Bond
else is up to you. This effect lasts until you
camp, or until you eat or drink something, and
while active you get a knack for impersonation.
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The Bright
You gather your group with cheer and good effect with or against characters or creatures
attitude. You use your power to fix, heal, and that trust you.
mend. You can be quiet, but when you’re loud, • Untangle - When you help someone else lift
people listen. burdens, you increase their segments healed by
+1, and heal 1 segment yourself
+2 Command • Pangloss - When you fail a desperate action,
your next action can be pushed for free.
Ideal • A Better Way - When you channel to
- I addressed challenges with diplomacy, understand how something or someone is hurt
positivity, faith, or empathy or broken, get +1d and increased effect
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • Mender - 2/session - You can channel or
through my actions tinker to heal someone’s strain. Check the final
- I defused a potentially violent situation result:
• 0-3 - Characters can gain 1 stress to heal 1
Stress: 5 strain
Stress relief: You can’t relieve stress outside of • 4-5 - Character heals 1 strain
camps or interludes. • 6 - Character heals 2 strain
Stress special: You can relieve someone else’s • 6,6 - Character heals 4 strain
stress by 1 by spending 1 stress. • Encourage - 2/session - Spend a use of this
Strain: 4 ability to use aid without spending stress or
exposing yourself to consequences
• Push through - You can spend 1 strain instead • Take Hope - When you critical hit on an action
of spending stress to take aid actions roll, you can tick a segment on one of your or a
• Divine Luck - When you take strain as a single ally’s burdens
consequence, roll a 1d6 fortune roll. On 6, • Gaia - 1/session - Increase the effect of your
reduce the strain suffered to 0. next Channel or Command action to
• Illuminate - Your Charm, channel, and superpowered
tinker actions have +1 boon and increased • Gambit of the World Soul (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond
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The Brave
Use your courage, luck, and wits to smash head aided you or were in a team action) also reduce
on into problems. The Brave is always at the incoming strain by the same amount
front line, hurling themselves at problems, and • Luck as a Constant - When you critical hit,
hoping their allies will pick up the pieces. They’re lose 1 stress and 1 strain
at their best when relying on fate, teamwork, and • All in - Using Aid to help a character taking a
the power of perseverance. desperate action costs 0 stress for you
• Joyluck Wind Thrower - When you take a
+2 Endure desperate action, you can take +1d on the
action. If you do, you can’t resist, gain aid, or
Ideal reduce or transfer strain suffered in any way.
- I addressed challenges with perseverance, • The Sun- 1/session - Gain increased effect on
friendship, and passion all actions for the rest of the scene
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • Coordinate - Aiding you on team actions costs
through my actions 0 stress
- I trusted someone with my life • Heart of Hearts: 1/session - You can flash
back to a scene from your past or hometown and
Stress: 3 describe how your memory of that time inspires
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you charge you in the current moment. You can treat your
forth without a plan next roll as though you rolled a critical hit (6,6).
Stress special: When you lead a team action, get You can only use this ability three times ever,
+1d on the action and when you expend its third use, replace this
Strain: 4 power with another one.
• Team Player - When any ally sets you up,
you have increased effect on your next roll
POWER • Brave Destiny - Your critical hits have
• Strike the road - The first team action you superpowered effect
lead in a session costs you 0 stress • Gambit of the Wheel Smashing King
• Stronger Together - When you reduce (requires 4 powers): Take a power from
strain (from resistance or otherwise), allies another Bond
that suffer strain from the same action (if they
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TACTICAL COMBAT
When you go into a situation in ICON where high- alternate taking turns. When everyone (allies and
stakes violence is about to break out, it’s probably foes alike) have taken their turn, a round passes,
time to go into tactical combat. Combat is ICON is and a new round begins.
for answering the tensions or questions that
words alone can’t solve - when the outcomes are This section is basic combat rules. For
important, and true mettle is tested. Typically advanced combat rules (with more detailed
heroes fight against the monsters and horrors that explanations of some statuses, effects, and each
clamber within and without the sunken chambers section), you can see further down this section.
of the arkenruins, but sometimes you may find Each class and subclass has the combat rules,
yourself fighting against other people when an statuses, and effects most relevant to it explained
argument can’t be solved any other way. at the start of its section.
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Run (1 action): Move half your speed, rounded attacks, which are melee or ranged depending on
up. job.
Dash (2 actions): Dash your speed.
Interact (1 action): Interact with something on To make any attack, including basic attacks,
the map that takes more than a few moments, choose a hostile character in range and line of
such as pulling a lever, opening a heavy door, sight. Roll 1d20 plus any boon or curse, plus
picking up a heavy object, etc. your attack bonus. This is called a to-hit roll.
Rescue (1 action): Help an adjacent defeated If your total equals or surpasses your target’s
ally. They end the incapacitated state on defense, you hit. If not, you miss. Attacks have
themselves and heal to full hit points, minus any different effects depending on hit, miss, or critical
wounds they’ve taken. hit.
Basic attack (1 or 2 actions): Make a basic
light or heavy attack Attack weigh
Whack (1 action): Kick, punch, or throw
something from the environment. Deal 1 physical Attacks can be light, heavy, and superheavy.
damage as an effect to a character in range 3.
Basic Attack
That’s it! These actions seem rather limited • Light attack (1 action): On hit: deal light
because all characters in ICON, including the foes damage. Miss: 1 damage
you will face, also have powerful abilities they • Heavy Attack (2 actions): On hit, deal heavy
can use. If you do want to improvise, use the damage. On miss, deal light damage.
constraints of the rules offered here or in your • Superheavy attack (2 actions + move): The
abilities. For example, if you want to knock over a same as a heavy attack, except you must also
heavy boulder so it smashes into your enemy, the spend your standard move - your whole turn! -
GM might rule that it’s a basic heavy attack. to use it.
• If you roll a 20+ on any attack, your attack is a
No repeat critical hit! On a critical hit, boost your
damage to the next level. By default, light
When you take an action, you can’t repeat it in attacks become heavy damage, and heavy and
the same turn. You can only run, rescue, or superheavy attacks become critical damage.
whack once on a turn regardless of how many
actions you have left, for example! This also Let’s break down attacks a little more:
applies to all abilities.
Targeting and Rang
Free and limited Action
You can only make attacks against foes in range
Some abilities take Free Actions. These abilities and line of sight, unless specified. Range can be
don’t take an action slot to use and must be used measured in any direction, including diagonally.
on your turn, but still follow the No Repeats rule.
Attacks can be either ranged or melee.
Other actions, often free actions, are limited. • For ranged attacks, a character must be at
These abilities are written as X/turn or X/ least partly within the listed range of the attack
round (like 1/turn, 2/turn, etc). These abilities to be a valid target. Make ranged attacks with
can break the no repeats rule but can only be +1 curse if there’s a foe adjacent to you.
used a specified number of times a turn or round Ranged attacks also care about cover
instead. • For melee attacks, a character must be
adjacent to be in range for an attack, unless a
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Nothing is strong against godly damage. Godly If an ability triggers off or empowers an ability, it
damage ignores all armor, resistance, and empowers the whole action (attack and effect).
vigor. For example, and ability that gives you bonus
damage on your next ability increases all damage.
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Sav
Some attacks or effects require a save from the
character they target to avoid some nasty effect,
like extra damage or a status. To make a save, roll
1d20. On an 10 or higher, you save successfully,
usually ignoring the effect.
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• Cross X: X spaces in every orthogonal in the job descriptions and in the advanced
direction, drawn from the origin space. Attack combat section. Non-attack abilities can only be
space is the first character (attacker’s choice used on specified character in range and line of
if there’s a tie) or the origin space if the attack sight (the same rules as attacks).
has a listed range.
A character can only take 6 available abilities and
If the origin space is not listed, or is listed as one limit break with them on any given
(self), the origin space is the user of the ability. expedition, even if they’ve learned more abilities.
Abilities with no listed range or a target of They can swap them out before each expedition if
(self) don’t affect the caster. If the ability has they choose, so some characters may choose to
a range, the origin space can be anywhere in that have a larger tool kit available to them.
range, and the ability can affect the caster, so be
careful! Targetin
Each job has traits from both their class Many abilities apply effects, including some
(Stalwart, Vagabond, Mendicant, Wright) and attacks. Effects simply take place when specified
their job. Traits are passive abilities that are and don’t require a to-hit roll. Even if abilities
always active. They are unique to your job and deal damage, they don’t count as attacks unless
class and depend on the current job you have they have the attack tag.
equipped.
Some effects can take place out of turn, and
Every job also has abilities, including additional don’t take an interrupt slot to activate, making
light or heavy attacks, specified in each job. them quite powerful.
Each ability can only be taken once per turn,
and only one attack can be made per round. Statuses and Blight
Abilities have an action cost, a listed range, and Many effects apply a status or force a save to
might have tags, indicating special properties avoid gaining a status. Statuses apply ongoing
(such as inflicting a status or dealing damage), or negative effects to a character.
the type of ability they are. These tags are all listed
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Blights are similar to statuses but are more you play and can draw again at the start of your
elemental in nature and cause certain abilities to turn.
become stronger. Characters take damage equal to
the number of unique blights (burning, poisoned, Like they sound, interrupts have a trigger which
frostbite, electrified) they are affected by at the interrupts any action currently being taken, and
start of their turn, ignoring armor. This damage then immediately apply effects.
cannot reduce a character past 1 hp.
Some abilities and many relics have a % chance Personal resolve is gained at a rate of 1 after every
for something to occur. When that happens, use a combat, and resets to 0 after you camp. You
random number generator to generate a number might want to push on instead of resting in order
between 1 and 100. The effect happens on the % to get the most out of your abilities.
number or less. You can also roll 2d10, taking one
d10 as the ‘10s’ and one as the digits, ie rolling a 6 When you spend Resolve to use a limit break, you
and a 3 would be 63. can use any combination of party or personal
resolve, but party resolve is shared between all
Some abilities ask you to roll a random d6 to see if members of the group, so any use of it must be
an effect occurs. If that’s the case, it occurs on the used with the consent of your your team
listed number or higher (4+ effects would happen members. Resolve is always spent at the
on a 4, 5, or 6 for example). beginning of the action.
Special State
Victory and Defea
There are two special states that also can’t be
removed and don’t count as statuses - bloodied When any character (hostile or player character)
(when a character is under 50% hp), and is reduced to 0 hit points, they are defeated.
incapacitated (when character is reduced to 0 Defeated characters clear all statuses, marks,
hp) vigor, and other effects on them.
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Defeated foes are incapacitated, don’t cause Impassable - Blocks movement of all kinds
engagement or obstruction, and are immune to except phasing, and always blocks line of sight.
damage and effects. Depending on the tone of Could be a pillar or a solid rock wall that goes to
your game or the scene, defeated could mean slain the ceiling.
or killed, or merely beaten and unable to fight any Terrain - Categorized by height, 1-3. Blocks
longer. Battles in ICON typically aren’t to the movement. Provides cover if you’re the same
death, unless monsters are involved. height. Blocks line of sight if you’re smaller.
Characters can move up and stand on top of
When any character (player character or NPC) terrain. Costs +1 movement per difference in
would be damaged by an action or ability, they height to move up a level but not down a level.
can instead surrender, becoming immune to all Terrain can represent a large object or obstruction
damage and effects from that action or ability and on the map, such a cart, a boulder, a chunk of
immediately becoming defeated for the rest of ruin, or just something like a hill.
combat. Player characters that surrender can’t Destructible terrain - By default terrain is not
be rescued, but don’t suffer a wound. destructible. If you want terrain to be
destructible, give each space 10 hp per height,
Character’s can also flee the battlefield by and attacks automatically hit.
spending 1 space of movement at the edge of the
grid, as long as there aren’t any foes adjacent to When measuring range, measure it flat even if the
them. terrain is elevated (don’t worry about doing
Pythagorean math!).
Combat ends when every character of one side is
defeated, dead, or has fled the battlefield. Size
Battlefields should be around 10x10, 15x15, or
If all player characters are defeated or dead, they 20x20 or so. Battlefields that are too large will
are totally defeated as a party. The outcome of slow the game down significantly.
this will depend on your GM and the tone of your
game, if you’re totally defeated, you’re at the Terrain advantag
mercy of your foes, but it’s up to the GM whether • Cover: Characters gain resistance to damage
your foes use the opportunity to escape, teach you from ranged attacks while they are in cover
a lesson, leave you tied up, dump you in a pit • Height advantage: +1 boon on any attack
somewhere, or merely attempt to finish you off against a target on lower elevation than you, and
(perhaps unsuccessfully). increase range of ranged attacks by +1 space for
each level of height.
Monsters and Ki • Height disadvantage: If you attack a
character in higher elevation than you, get +1
Foes in ICON are split into Monsters, which fight curse
to the death typically, or Kin, which fight for a
reason. Kin typically don’t fight to the death - Difficult terrai
they’re people and value their own lives. More
details on this in the Foes section. Difficult terrain represents mud, snow, swamp, or
water. It could also be something like a river, deep
The Battlefiel water, or rubble.
Interactable
Each space on the battlefield has a type: You can rule that certain terrain objects or spaces
are interactable, like levers, switches, heavy doors,
Ground - Flat, no special effects. force fields, traps, etc. Interacting with them (as
Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of movement an action) changes some part of the map or has
to move out of. some effect, such as dealing light damage in an
Dangerous - Take piercing damage equal to the area, creating cover, creating new terrain, or
chapter number for each space you move into. summoning foes or allies.
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Teleport - Instantly move to a free space within Counter - Deal fray damage to your attacker
range X. You cannot teleport while winded or if after being attacked, hit or miss.
your speed is 0. Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
Terrain effect - Something that creates or reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove this
modifies the terrain spaces on the battlefield. effect.
Dodge - Immune to all damage and effects on
Blight miss or successful save. Resistant to damage from
The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned, non-attack spaces of area effects.
and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage Evasion - Roll a d6 when targeted by an attack.
at the start of their turns equal to the number of On a 4+, the attack automatically misses. Check
unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4). before the attack roll.
Abilities become stronger when used against a Guardian - Special interrupt. When an ally you
character suffering from these blights, depending can see in range 3 is targeted by an attack, you can
on the ability. Blights can only be cleared by dash up to 2 spaces towards that ally, ignoring
Cleanse or other abilities that specify they can vigilance. Then, if you’re adjacent, you can change
clear blights. Blights cannot reduce a character the target of the attack to you.
past 1 hp. Pierce - Ignores armor.
Regeneration X - Gain vigor X at the end of
Statuse your turn
Blind - Can only target adjacent spaces Skirmisher - Can move diagonally
Dazed - +1 curse on attacks Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except from
Hatred of X- When taking actions against a foe, an adjacent space. Breaks on taking or dealing
must include X character as a target for the action damage.
to be valid, as long as that character is in line of Sturdy - Immune to shove, daze, stagger, and
sight and in range 3 of either you or your target. stun
Winded - Cannot dash, teleport, or fly True strike - Ignores dodge, evasion, and does
Pacified - Max damage reduced to 1. Breaks on not trigger guardian
taking damage from an ability or action. Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses and can’t
Stunned - Take 1 less action. Unlike other be shoved.
statuses, automatically clears at the end of Vigilance - Foes can’t dash in your engagement
your turn. Doesn’t stack. and can’t move through your space
Staggered - Attackers gain +1 Boon against a Vigor X - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
staggered character points, equal to X times your health value.
Slow - Must take slow turns Damage goes to Vigor before Hit Points. Vigor
Vulnerable - All damage taken increased by 1 does not stack, and when you gain Vigor you can
choose to keep the old value or gain the new
value. Lose all vigor at the end of combat.
Special state
Bloody - Under 50% hp
Incapacitated - Speed reduced to 0, can’t take
actions, movement, or use abilities. Immune to all
damage. Characters that are defeated and
incapacitated by default when reduced to 0 HP.
Player characters take a wound when they’re
defeated.
Ongoing Statuse
Ongoing statuses cannot be purged or removed
(for example, by becoming sturdy or
unstoppable).
Positive effect
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Aspect
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JOBS
CLASS: Stalwart 54
Bastion 56
Demon Slayer 59
Head Lopper 62
CLASS: Vagabond 65
Fool 67
Freelancer 70
Shade 74
CLASS: Mendicant 77
Harvester 79
Sealer 83
Seer 87
CLASS: WRIGHT 91
Enochian 93
Geomancer 97
Spellblade 101
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MOST RELEVANT RULE Damage goes to Vigor before Hit Points. Vigor
does not stack, and when you gain Vigor you can
Resistance to X - Take 1/2 damage from X, choose to keep the old value or gain the new
rounded up value. Lose all vigor at the end of combat.
Armor X - Reduce all incoming damage by X Vulnerable - All damage taken increased by 1
Bloody - Under 50% hp
Charge - When used on a slow turn, this ability
becomes more powerful.
Counter - Deal fray damage to your attacker
after being attacked, hit or miss.
Dash - Special movement that ignores
engagement and doesn’t trigger interrupts
Dazed - +1 curse on attacks
Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove this
effect.
Winded - Cannot dash, teleport, or fly
Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir
drank. Start with 2 by default.
Hatred of X- When taking actions against a
hostile character, must include X character as a
target for the action to be valid, if the character is
in range 3 and line of sight.
Guardian - Special interrupt. When an ally you
can see in range 3 is targeted by an attack, you can
dash up to 2 spaces towards that ally, ignoring
vigilance. Then, if you’re adjacent, you can change
the target of the attack to you.
Regeneration X - Gain vigor X at the end of
your turn
Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
would move into another character’s space, or a
piece of terrain, they Collide and stop, taking
fray damage.
Slow - Go after all other characters. If multiple
characters take slow turns, it takes the same order
as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
Stance - Ongoing effect. A character can only
have one stance active at a time and can drop a
stance by taking a new stance or as a free action at
the start of their turn. When a stance refreshes,
regain its effects.
Sturdy - Immune to shove, daze, stagger, and
stun
True Strike - Ignores evasion, dodge, and
guardian
Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses and can’t
be shoved.
Vigilance - Foes can’t dash in your engagement
and can’t move through your space for any reason
Vigor X - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
points, equal to X times your health value.
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stuns a character that’s immune to that effect they pass through take fray damage and are
(such as from sturdy or unstoppable), deal light shoved 1.
damage to them as an effect.
Rook: Allied characters can use you for cover SHIELD SLAM
Heavy Physical Melee Attack
Abilitie
Crash your greatshield into the earth, sending up
devastating shockwaves.
HERACULE Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
Light Physical Ranged Attack damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Range 3, True Strike Effect: All characters adjacent to your target take
light damage, then are shoved 1. Then shove your
Hurl your shield as a discus with irrepressible target 1.
force. Heroic: Increase the range of the effect area to
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1 all characters in range 2 of your target
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Effect: On hit: Shove 1. A different foe in range 3 Talents
from your target is also shoved 1. I. Charge: Primary target must also save or
Heroic: All ranges and shoves from this ability become winded
increased by +1 II. If Shield Slam’s effect shockwave shoves 2 or
more characters, gain vigor 1.
Talents:
I. Charge: Increase all ranges by +1, deal bonus Master talent: LAND WASTE
damage, and the primary target must save or Before Shield slam’s effect triggers, you tear up
be dazed the very ground, creating a terrain effect of a
II. Trigger Heracule’s effect +1 times when it height 1 piece of terrain in range 3 of you. This
triggers. terrain lasts until the end of combat.
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CATAPULT
Interrupt 1
Talents
I. Your shield becomes a valid target for allied
ranged non-AoE attacks. When targeted, you
can expend Catapult to retarget the attack
from your position to a new valid target in
range 3.
II. You can trigger catapult when targeted by a
magic attack to gain evasion against the
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Ferocious followers of Arenheir, the Wolf Titan, Head Loppers seek glory and challenge through
the Head Loppers are a martial order of battle, and will often go for only the absolute
berserkers, pankrationists, and warriors that strongest warriors and monsters, heedless of
reaches across all of Arden Eld. They travel their own safety. They fight with wild abandon
throughout the land seeking powerful foes, and and unconventional techniques that would make
taking trophies to return to their great lodges to even the dirtiest Knave raise an eyebrow.
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Talents
Valkyrie I. If you’re suffering from a status or blight when
Light Physical Melee Attack you take this ability, it gains true strike
II. If you takedown an already stunned target,
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1 boost damage
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage
Effect: Attack target must save or become Master: NECK SNAPPE
winded. If you’re at 25% hp or lower, the damage from this
Effect: You can fly 1 towards your target before ability becomes godly.
making this attack.
Heroic: Fly 2 instead and character gets +1 curse
on the save.
Colossus
1 Action
Talents
Effect: Smash the battlefield, creating a height 1
I. Charge: Increase flight by +1
space of terrain in an unoccupied space in range
II. Gain true strike if you started this ability from
3. This terrain lasts until the end of combat, or
higher elevation
until you use this ability again, in which case it
crumbles to dust.
Master talent: VALHALL Heroic: Characters adjacent to the terrain take
Attack gains Slay: gain flying until the end of your fray damage and are shoved 1 away from it when
next turn. the terrain space appears.
Dropkick Talents
1 Action I. When the terrain crumbles, create difficult
terrain in its space.
Effect: Fly 1. When you end your movement, you II. If you're bloody, create an additional terrain
and an adjacent foe must both physical save or space. Both crumble if you use this ability
take light damage and become dazed. again. A character can only be affected by the
Effect: If you fly from a higher elevation, increase heroic portion of this ability once.
the daze to a stun (on both of you).
Heroic: Fly 2 instead and foe is shoved 1 on a Master Talent: WOLFHEAR
failed save. Colossus becomes a 1/turn free action if you’re at
25% hp or less.
Talent
I. Dropkick deals boosted damage to flying foes Great Suplex
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Talent
I. While in blood rage, all attacks gain slay: fly 1
as an effect
II. If you’re bloody, your Blood Rage attack also
gains true strike
Master: Steppenwol
1/combat, you may reduce yourself to 1 HP when
entering Blood Rage. If you do, gain vigor 3.
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Chapter 3:
Meter - Finishing Blow Health: 10
Your actions with Finishing Blow become more HP: 40
powerful when they include a bloody foe as a Elixirs: 2
target. Armor: 0
Defense: 16
Vagabond Gambit: Speed: 6 (Run 3, Dash 6)
If you take a Vagabond Ability as a non-Vagabond
class, you get Finishing Blow. Attack bonus: +4
Fray damage: 3
Damage: D12/2d12/3d12
Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
4
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MOST RELEVANT RULE reduced to 0 HP, they are removed from the
battlefield instead of becoming defeated. They are
Blind - Can only target adjacent spaces also removed if their summoner is defeated.
Bloody - Under 50% hp Teleport - Instantly move to a free space within
Dash - Special movement that ignores range X. You cannot teleport while winded or if
engagement and doesn’t trigger interrupts your speed is 0.
Dodge - Immune to all damage and effects on
miss or successful save. Resistant to damage from Blight
non-attack spaces of area effects. The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned,
Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage
drank. Start with 2 by default. at the start of their turns equal to the number of
Evasion - Roll a d6 when targeted by an attack. unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4).
On a 4+, the attack automatically misses. Check Abilities become stronger when used against a
before the attack roll. character suffering from these blights, depending
Fly - A flying character has melee evasion and on the ability. Blights can only be cleared by
ignores all terrain effects and movement penalties Cleanse or other abilities that specify they can
(including vigilance) from non-flying characters, clear blights. Blights cannot reduce a character
terrain, and objects. Can move over but not end past 1 hp.
their turn in edges.
Intangible - Can be targeted, but immune to all
damage, effects, conditions, and blights. Doesn’t
cause obstruction.
Mark - Place your mark on a specific character.
You can only place one mark at a time on each
enemy or ally and each ability can only place one
mark. If you place a new mark on a character with
a mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard.
Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
through, but not end your turn in, terrain or
characters.
Pierce - Ignores armor.
Skirmisher - Can move diagonally
Slay - An effect that triggers when this action
reduces a character to 0 hp or forces them to
surrender. Can only trigger once per action.
Slow - Must take a slow turn
Stance - Ongoing effect. A character can only
have one stance active at a time and can drop a
stance by taking a new stance or as a free action at
the start of their turn. When a stance refreshes,
regain its effects.
Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except from
an adjacent space. Breaks on taking or dealing
damage.
Summon - A character controlled by its
Summoner. Abilities that target allied characters
cannot target summons unless specifically
mentioned. Summons don’t cause engagement,
take turns, actions, or movement on their own
unless specified. By default, summons have
defenses and health equal to their summoner’s
and hp equal to 50% of their summoner’s. When
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Core:
Tumbling: You can phase through characters. Talent
Moving up or down elevation costs 0 extra I. If you start the movement from a higher
movement for you. elevation, fly instead.
Curse the Eyeless: You have evasion against II. Critical Hit or Slay: Character explodes in a
blinded or slow characters blast 1 area effect, inflicting burning to
Cheap Trick: When an attack misses you, you characters other than you
can teleport 1 space in any direction.
Stack Dice: When you score a finishing blow, Master: CORAZIERR
the next random d6 you roll as part of an ability Charge: You may change the dash effect to dash 1
becomes a result of 6. This ability doesn’t stack or dash 5
with itself.
Spinning Top
Abilitie 1 action, stance
Death
A blur of cape, a flash of color, the gleaming of
Light Godly Ranged Attack
blades.
True Strike
Stance: When you take this stance, or when it
refreshes, roll 1d6+1 and immediately move that
A shard of primal elden magic, summoned with a
far. You can interrupt this movement with other
snap of the finger.
actions.
Effect: Target a line 6 area. Roll a d6, then count
When you slay a character or score a finishing
the squares out from you. The space rolled is the
blow, refresh this stance, rolling again.
attack space. Other spaces have no effect.
Attack: Autohit: deal light godly damage and
inflict burning. Talents
Finishing blow: Boost damage to critical. I. When a finishing blow refreshes this stance,
roll 1d6+3 movement instead of 1d6+1
II. You gain phasing for characters in this stance,
Talent
and moving through characters’ spaces with
I. Slay: Character releases a blast 1 explosion
movement from Spinning Top costs 0
around them, inflicting light godly damage
movement
and burning to all characters
II. If there’s a burning character in the area, roll
2d6 and pick either result. Master Talent: VORTICE DI FOLL
If you end the movement from this stance stance
adjacent to a piece of terrain, refresh this stance.
Master: ULTIMA DEAT
This effect can only trigger once a turn.
You may deal damage equal to to 25% of a non-
monstrosity character’s max HP instead.
Bamboozle
1 action, mark
Cavaliere
Heavy Physical Melee Attack
They can’t hit what they can’t see.
Mark: A foe in range 5 must save or be marked
It is not enough to rudely and plainly strike your
by you. While adjacent to your marked foe, you
foe down. One must make it entertaining.
have evasion against their attacks and ignore
Attack: On hit: deal heavy damage, Miss: Light
engagement from them. At the end of their turn,
damage. Critical hit: Critical damage.
they can repeat this save to clear the mark and all
Effect: Before attacking, dash exactly 3 spaces in
effects.
a straight line with phasing. The attack can only
target characters in cardinal directions.
Effect: The attack target and all foes you pass Talents
through must save or become slow I. While adjacent to your marked foe, you can
Finishing Blow: Boost damage teleport to any space adjacent to them by
spending 1 space of movement.
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II. Effect: Your critical hits blind your marked burning. You are immune to damage and effects
foe from your own decoys.
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Talents Talent
I. If you fire 4 or more shells, gain stealth after I. After the Ace attack resolves, roll 1d6. On a 6,
this interrupt resolves the stance refreshes.
II. Electrified characters can be hit by three shells II. When Ace refreshes, you can eject the bullets
from your gun and deal 1 godly damage to a
character in range 3 as an effect
Master: VERTIGO BULLE
Hot chamber inflicts electrified and has a range of
4 Master: SUPERNOV
Your Ace attack causes a blast 1 explosion around
your target as an area effect. Characters inside,
DIVINE BINDING
including your target, must save or become
1 actions, mark
blinded.
You lash out with Aetherial cords, lassoing your
enemy in an inescapable web.
Mark: Mark a foe in range 3 of you and lash to
Limit Break: AETHER
them with an astral chain, then end your turn.
If that target ends their turn further away from
OVERDRIV
range 3 from you while marked, the chain snaps. Heavy Ranged Physical Attack
That foe must save or they take piercing fray 3 resolve
damage and become blinded. The mark then ends, Godly
even on successful save.
If you score a finishing blow or critical hit Become one with your weapon. Smite your foes
while your target is marked, shove your marked with high caliber justice.
target 1 away from you
Empty your gun to deal godly fray damage to each
Talent foe in line of sight and range 4. then Go Beyond
I. Gain evasion against your marked foe while Gun.
the chain is intact.
II. You can plant your end of the chain in the When you Go Beyond Gun, you draw on raw
space where you stand when you take this Aether to pull bullets from nothingness. You can
action. fire an extra shell at any foe in range 4, dealing
godly fray damage. This can be the same or a
Master Talent: RIDE THE LIGHTNIN different foe. You can then choose to keep firing
Interrupt: When the chain snaps, you can fly as shells at the same or different foe, one at a time.
an interrupt in an arc AoE as far as possible Before you fire each shell past the first, roll a d6.
towards your foe until you are adjacent to them, On a 2+, you can fire normally, on a 1, your gun
by the shortest possible route. Every character you jams and overheats. This ability continues until
pass over takes piercing fray damage as an area you overheat or have fired 6 shells. If your gun
effect. overheats, you cannot attack until the end of your
next turn.
ACE
Master Talent: ULTIMA OVERDRIV
1 action, stance
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day, they must fast and train their shadow to
Shade obey them, transforming them into assassins and
Nocturnal Assassin spies of the highest order.
The legends say Shades make a deal with the The Shades say the stories are rumors, and they
Weeper, the dead Titan queen of night and air, to get along with their Darksides. They do have a
split their soul in two. Their shadow becomes tendency to appear when least expected, in
animate, bestial and hungry. Over a week and a uncanny and unsettling ways.
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Talents
Talents
I. Critical Hit: Instead of teleporting adjacent to
I. Critical hit: Increase blast size by +1. This
your foe, you may attempt to swap places with
could cause it to overlap your space (you are
them, teleporting. They can save to avoid this
immune).
effect.
II. After this attack, you may teleport to any
II. You may teleport to any space in range 2 of
adjacent space to an affected character
your target instead of adjacent.
Master talent: SHUKUCH
Master talent: NINJUTS
You can teleport 3 spaces before and after using
Has the range of the battlefield against blinded or
this ability.
frostbitten characters.
VEIL
SHRIKE
1 Action, stance
1 Action, Mark
Draw down a veil of shadows to mask your
With the flick of a wrist, you hurl a spectral
countenance. Harden your heart.
blade, marking your foe with an umbral seal.
Stance: Gain stealth. Your next attack, hit or
Effect: Flick a dagger at a character in range 3
miss, inflicts frostbite and forces a save or your
and line of sight. That character must save or
target is blinded. This stance ends after you
become marked. While marked, that character is
attack.
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DANSE MACABRE
1 action
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Health: 6
CLASS: Mendican HP: 24
Wandering Healer and Storyteller Elixirs: 2
Armor: 1
Mendicants are the wandering healers of Arden Defense: 10
Eld. They travel from town to down, healing Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
sicknesses of the body and soul, cleansing the
damage dealt by the Blights, consulting with local Attack bonus: +2
spirits, and setting up wards against evil. Fray damage: 2
Damage: D6/2d6/3d6
Many mendicants are highly learned scholars, but Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Magical Range 4
others come from folk practices, temple monks,
green witch circles, or town priesthoods. Chapter 2:
Health: 8
Mendicants are the only class that can HP: 32
consistently heal by giving out Vigor with Cure Elixirs: 2
and also end negative effects, blights, and marks Armor: 1
with Cleanse. They have many alternate ways to Defense: 12
trigger these powerful effects, as well as the very Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
potent statuses Staggered and Pacified.
Attack bonus: +3
Fray damage: 2
CLASS TRAITS:
Damage: D8/2d8/3d8
Cure: 1 action, range 3 - Self or an ally gains
Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Magical Range 4
vigor 1.
Cleanse: 1 action, range 3. Target self or an
Chapter 3:
ally and choose one of the following:
Health: 10
• End all blights
HP: 40
• End a mark
Elixirs: 2
• That ally immediately saves against all effects.
Armor: 2
Bless: 1 action: Grant a blessing token to an ally
Defense: 14
in range 3
Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
Resilience - Make all saves with +1 Boon
Succor - You can use Rescue at range 5 instead of
Attack bonus: +4
adjacent.
Fray damage: 3
Damage: D10/2d10/3d10
Meter - Blessin Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Magical Range 4
Certain actions give characters a Blessing token.
Characters can only carry one Blessing at a time,
and all blessings are discarded at the end of
combat. Different Mendicant jobs interact with
Blessings in different ways.
Mendicant Gambit:
If you take a Mendicant Ability as a non-
Mendicant job, you get Bless and Blessing.
Characters can spend your blessings to Cure or
Cleanse themselves as an action.
Class Stat
Chapter 1:
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Traveling priests, monks, and mages, the Sealers In their other role, Sealers are legendary
roam the world from village to village, monster hunters and exorcists of unbelievable
performing necessary rituals, marriages, prowess and unshakeable faith. Whenever an
ceremonies, and yearly festivals. They are a especially bad blight or an arch demon appears,
welcome sight in most villages, and most the Sealers are usually there to drive it back with
perform the important function of traveling ancient sealing magic, blessed brands, and
judge, acting as an impartial party translating flaming weapons.
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Talents
GOD HAND I. Charge: Increase range to 6
Light Physical/Magical Melee Attack II. Bless all allies adjacent to the marked foe
Combo when it chooses to end the effect
Divine energy infuses you, allowing hammer-like
Master: MILK SUTR
blows that would fell a demon with even your
Interrupt 2
bare hands.
Trigger: A foe chooses to end this mark,
Attack: On hit: deal light physical damage. Miss:
Effect: You may pass it to a new foe in range 3 of
1 damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
that character. You can take this interrupt more
Effect: On hit: an ally in range 3 of you is
than once a turn.
blessed.
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Great Arcana, the esoteric practice of reading
Seer destiny itself, the Great Wheel of Arden Eld that
A fortune teller and unparalleled master of determines the final fate of all things.
fate
Through ritual, ceremony, and unrelenting
The Seers are made up of all the orders of hedge practice, Seers gain the ability to predict and
witches, stargazers, corner prophets, folk even defy a person’s fate, using their Aether
healers, shamans, and all manner of individuals infused card decks to influence the turning of the
that find themselves attracted to reading the Great Wheel and empower their allies with
foresight, precision, and uncanny accuracy.
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area of effect action, it explodes in a blast 1 aoe, You crook a finger, and pull on the threads of
extending the area effect space of that AoE to fate, casting an irrevocable curse.
encompass its area and destroying the card. Wild Mark: Mark a foe or ally in range 6 with a
cards can be triggered by other wild cards. magical card, which pulses with astral energy. At
the end of any of the marked character’s turns,
Talents you roll a d6. On a 6, the card explodes in a blast 1
I. Effect: After a Wild Card explodes, Bless an area effect centered on that character. This
ally in range 3 of the card becomes 4+ for frostbitten characters. A character
II. You can throw a Master Card instead of a can pass the card off to another adjacent character
regular card. It’s not destroyed when it (allied or hostile) as an action on their turn. The
explodes, but using this ability again will card also explodes if the character is slain.
replace the last card created.
When the card explodes, characters in the area,
Master Talent: WILD GAMBL including the primary character, must save or take
When you trigger a Wild Card with an AoE, roll fray damage and become staggered. The primary
1d6. On a 1, nothing happens. On a 2-5, it inflicts a character takes light damage instead and
random blight on all affected characters (2 automatically fails this save
burning, 3 electrified, 4 frostbite, 5 poisoned). On
a 6 it inflicts all blights. Talent
I. If you hit the target with a critical hit, the card
Sleight of Hand immediately explodes
II. If a character is defeated while under the
Light Magic Ranged Attack
effects of Doom, the card may pass to a new
Range 4
character of your choice in range 3 of the
defeated character.
A flash of bright color, and a card is stuck to your
foe, bursting with power.
Attack: Auto-hit: You attach a magical card to a Master Talent: SEAL FAT
foe in range When Doom is passed at least once, it deals heavy
Area Effect: The next attack against the target damage instead of light to its primary target.
gains +1 boon. The next time an ally hits the
target with an attack, the card explodes in a blast 1 POLARIS
area effect for light damage and grants that ally a 1 action
blessing. The triggering ally is immune to all
damage from this ability. A distant glint in the heavens, portents of the
devastation to come.
Talent Effect: Choose a space on the battlefield in range
I. You can target an allied character with this 5, which becomes visible to all characters. At the
attack to attach the card to them instead, end of every turn that passes after yours (allied or
marking them. It triggers on any attack, not foe), roll 1d6. On a 6, a meteor lands in that spot,
just allied, and they’re immune to its damage exploding for a blast 1 explosion, dealing light
II. You can throw a card in an arc 3 area effect damage as an area effect and inflicting Frostbite.
when you throw it, dealing fray damage to Frostbitten characters must also save or become
characters it passes through before it hits its winded. This effect ends at the start of your next
target. turn.
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GRAN REVERSA
1 action, stance
Talents
I. Allies gain a blessing if this effect triggers.
II. Foes this effect triggers on must also save or
become pacified.
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INFUSE X:
Many spells have upgraded versions that can only
be cast by Infusing them by spending X Aether.
Aether is consumed at the start of the action.
Wright Gambit:
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Blight
The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned,
and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage
at the start of their turns equal to the number of
unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4).
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The Enochian Orders of wrights are the most The power that condenses inside an Enochian is
chaotic of the mage orders. They have no official related to the element of fire, a wild spark that
organization, most of their members being hedge grows and wanes with their emotions and
wizards or self taught. Many Enochians disdain energy, but with control can be focused into
authority and work for hire, sleeping and eating power that can carve mountains, scorch forests,
where they can and relying on the communities and boil rivers. In times of desperation, the
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II. Infuse 1: Extend line effect by +3. You can with an attack, they release a burst of flame,
repeat this infusion multiple times. dealing fray damage as a blast 1 area effect
centered on them. They can save to remove the
Master Talent: DRAGON SLAV mark and all associated effects.
DRAGON SLAVE
Infuse 5 Talent
Superheavy ranged magic attack I. Characters affected by the flame burst are
Line 10, pierce shoved 1 away from the marked target.
Attack: On hit: deal heavy damage. Miss: Light II. The flame can be released as a close blast 1
Damage. Critical Hit: Critical Damage area instead.
Area Effect: Light damage
Effect: After the attack resolves, every character Master Talent: ELDFLAM
in the area also releases a blast 1 explosion that A character marked with Immolation takes godly
deals light damage as an area effect. A character fray damage at the start of their turn even if the
can be hit by multiple explosions. mark or blight ends. This effect cannot be saved
against or cleansed and only ends when the
SOUL BURN combat ends or if you end it as an effect.
1 action, stance
AETHERSHARD
You stoke the furnace with the very essence of 1 action, summon
your being.
Stance: Burn your own life force into a protective You crystallize ambient Aether with force of will,
shield of magical energy and gain regeneration forcing it to take a useful form
1. Refresh this stance until the end of your next Summon: Spend 1 Aether to summon an
turn if you trigger a Chain Reaction or if you Aethershard in a free space in range 6.
slay a foe. Otherwise this stance ends at the end Aethershards are intangible size 1 Summons. They
of your turn. When this stance ends and it’s not count as foes for the purposes of Chain Reaction.
the end of combat, lose 25% hp. This could cause When you target an Aethershard as part of any
you to go to 0 and become defeated. attack, they release a pulse of energy, releasing a
blast 1 explosion dealing fray damage as an area
Infuse 2: INCANDIUS effect, then roll a d6. On a 1, they disintegrate and
Your attacks deal bonus damage while you’re in are destroyed. Otherwise they remain until the
Soul Burn end of the combat.
Talent Talent
I. When Soul Burn ends or refreshes, shove all I. When you take any action that spends Aether,
adjacent characters 1 you can first teleport any of your Aether
II. While in Soul Burn, foes that hit you with a shards 3 spaces in any direction.
melee attack gain burning II. You may summons aethershards as height 1
terrain pieces instead of intangible. They still
Master Talent: MAX INCANDIU count as summons and still trigger chain
While in Incandius, you also have counter and reaction. They cannot be moved or teleported
dodge. if summoned this way.
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Limit Break:
GIGAFLAR
Superheavy ranged magic attack
4 resolve
True strike, Godly
Infuse 5: TETRAFLARE
5 resolve
Deal light damage twice instead.
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the very earth itself. They consider themselves
Geomancer physicians of the highest order - their patient
Guardian of the Pure Earth being the eternal land of Arden Eld.
Geomancers belong to an old order of mystics, These studious wrights attune themselves to
alchemists, and esoteric martial artists called the earth Aether, aligning the energy channels of
Keepers of the Elden Gate. These scholarly their body to crystalline perfection with vigorous
wrights are concerned with health and the flow exercise and sometimes bizarre health regimes.
of energy, not just through the body, but through In battle, the land itself is their ally, spitting forth
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The earth splits, excising poison from its depths, Master: CHAOS EART
belching poisonous metals and gases. Infuse 4: Chaos Earth
Attack: On hit: Deal light damage. Miss: Deal 1 Attack gains On hit: foe is inflicted with all
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage. blights.
Area effect: Fray damage
Effect: Inflict poisoned on your attack target. If Dragon Dive
your target was already, poisoned, deal bonus
1 action, mark
damage.
The earth is an old friend to geomancers, and
Infuse 2: SALTED EARTH
will allow them passage as easily as slipping into
Attack area becomes difficult terrain for the rest
water.
of combat.
Mark: Choose a foe in range 5 and become slow
(ongoing). At the start of your next turn, you dive
Talents
into the earth and explode upwards adjacent to
I. Charge: Attack gains pierce
that foe, teleporting to that space and ending the
II. Deal bonus damage to characters with any
mark. They don’t have to be in range or line of
amount of vigor.
sight.
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These effects last until the end of combat. counter, and vigor 3 until the end of your next
turn. At that point, or if this vigor is replaced, it
Infuse 2: EARTHBLOOD explodes off you, dealing light godly damage in a
Sink into the ground, remerging and teleporting blast 2 (self) area effect.
to any space in the area after the ability resolves.
Talents
I. Charge: You may cause characters in the
affected spaces to save or become slow
II. You can also create up to 3 spaces of
dangerous terrain in the area as a choosable
effect
Limit Break:
CATACLYS
3 resolve
1 action, godly
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Terrain Effect: Swipe your weapon to create a Effect: Dash in a line 6 area. You gain phasing
line 3 area of crackling winds in range 3. The area and intangible while dashing. Foes you pass
is difficult terrain for foes and foes that attempt to through for the first time on your turn take fray
move into or start their turn in the wall’s space damage and are electrified. Electrified characters
must pass a save or be unable to move into the take light damage instead.
area and shoved 1 spaces back away from it. The
area lasts until the end of the scene or until you Infuse 3: Instant Transmission
use this ability again. Becomes a free action, but cannot trigger chain
reaction.
Infuse 2: Äthersturm
Area becomes line 5 Talent
I. Moving through terrain or the spaces of
Talent electrified characters costs 0 movement
I. The area provides cover to allies II. Every character you pass through increases
II. Electrified characters take +1 curse on the the movement remaining from Sturmreiten by
save and are shoved 2 spaces instead 1. This effect only triggers once for each
character per use of this ability.
Master Talent: HELLERWIN
Allies that pass through the area for the first time Master Talent: MJÖLLNI
on their turn can fly 3 as a free action. Dash in an Arc 8 area instead.
ELECTROMAGNETISM
1 Action, Mark Limit Break: GRAN
You charge your target with unstable magnetic LEVINCROS
energy, causing unstoppable attractive force. Heavy Ranged Magic Attack
3 resolve
Mark: A foe in range 3 must save or become Cross 6, Range 6, Godly
marked, and electrified while marked. The area
adjacent to but not under the marked character is Cut through the walls between worlds and
difficult terrain and characters that end their turn unleash a roaring cataclysm.
within range 2 of the marked character must save
or be shoved 1 towards them. Effect: Deal light godly damage and inflict
electrified on all characters in the area, then
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RELIC ERYS
A horned helm or fur mantle with a demonic
pattern
I. Every third attack you make shoves 1, or
Relicts start with 1 level and take 6 dust each to
shoves +1 if it already shoves
unlock levels II and III. Infuse 1 dust into a relic of
II. Immune to shove
your choice when you complete a tactical combat.
III. Shoves shove +1 when you’re at or under 25%
Characters gain a relic at level 2, 6, and 9. Once a
hp
Relic is level 3, it can be Aspected by either
Aspected: Increase threshold of III to 50% hp
infusing 10 dust or completing a legendary task.
These tasks are suggestions and can be adjusted
Aspect quest: Take the horns of a legendary beast
by the GM to fit your game. Once at least
as your trophy
character has completed an aspect quest for a
relic, other characters can complete it for 4 dust.
MAIDEN
Here’s some additional rules about relics: A statuette of the Weeping Titan, impaled by
• Relic colors are thematic - any job can take any spears
relic. I. At 25% hp or lower, gain counter
• Relic actions that require a % dice to activate II. Counter also applies on adjacent allies
roll a d100. III. After being damaged by a hostile attack, gain
• Relic actions that are ‘every X’ actions carry over counter until the start of your next turn.
between combats. Aspected: Counter stacks twice
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Aspected: Every third charged attack can be III. After a blind target targets you with an action,
taken during a normal turn when that action resolves you can shove them
1 in any direction.
Aspect quest: Weave the aethersilk of an ancient
Ur-spider into your relic Aspected: Any foe that starts their turn adjacent
to you and no other characters is blinded and
takes piercing fray damage.
WYRMTOOTH
This weapon or armor is carved from pure
Aspect quest: Find a source of True Darkness,
dragonbone.
deep underground, and capture it with needle and
I. Take maximum 1 damage a turn from blights
thread
II. When afflicted by a status or blight, gain +1
boon on attacks
III. Also deal bonus damage HERMES
Aspected: At the start of any combat, you can Intricate, curling silver wings have been carved
choose to inflict all blights on yourself. into this artifact, weapon, or armor
I. Every third action you take that dashes, you
Aspect quest: Carve the skull or horns of a wyrm may teleport instead
and incorporate it into your relic. II. Increase range of all teleports as part of your
abilities by 1
III. Every third teleport action you make has its
ARENHEIR
range additionally increased by +4
This weapon or armor has the imagery of a great
Aspected: Increase Hermes III to every other
fierce wolf on it
teleport action
I. +1 boon on attacks against vulnerable targets
II. Piercing attacks deal bonus damage
Aspect quest: Weave a strand taken from the
III. Every third attack you make gains pierce
cloak of the Titan of trickery, the Laughing God,
Aspected: All attacks gain piercing against
into your relic
bloodied characters
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Aspect quest: Gather rubble from the pillars of the Aspect quest: Take command of an army, militia,
oldest Arkenruin or regiment in battle
SLEIPNIR ESPER
Odd wooden armor carved with the image of an This gem is a void of space within. If you stare
eight legged horse. long enough, you can see stars.
I. Every third action you take that dashes, you I. Every third turn in combat, you can cast Cure
may fly instead as a free action, targeting an allied character
II. Increase all flight as part of your abilities by in range 3
+1 II. Increase range of all Cures by 3
III. When you start a flying movement, any III. Cures can target foes and deal light magic
adjacent allies can also fly 1 as an effect damage as an effect.
Aspected: Gain flying every third turn from the Aspected: Cures against foes gain true strike
start until the end of that turn
Aspect quest: Find a shrine of the Titan of death,
Aspect quest: Tame a titansteed, one of the the Weeper, and survive the trials there
enormous legendary wild horses
MERCY
BYRAX This gold-filagreed choker or torc is surprisingly
Goat horn engravings adorn this armor, light, and includes imagery of grasping hands
weapon, or cloak, curling into intricate runes I. When you use Rescue on a character, Cure
I. When you refresh a stance, dash 1 them as a free action
II. When you refresh a stance, immediately save II. When you Cure another character with an
against a condition or end a blight affecting ability that costs 1 or more actions, gain vigor
you. 1
III. 25% chance of a stance automatically III. First Cure you cast in combat has its efficacy
refreshing at the start of your turn doubled
Aspected: You can hold +1 more stance than Aspected: First Cure you cast grants a character
normal Defiance
Aspect quest: Find the resting place of the Aspect quest: Find and incorporate a twig of the
Hundred Sword Titan, take a splinter of one of his eternal world tree into this relic
weapons, and reforge it.
SCHEHEREZADE
ERENBRASS This weapon emits a faint singing tone that can
A burnished metal helm, gauntlet, or mantle, only be heard in a quiet room
bright in the sun. I. At the start of combat, and every third turn,
gain a blessing token on yourself. You can
I. At the start of your turn, all allies marked by spend blessing tokens on yourself to grant
you can move 1 space, ignoring engagement yourself +1 boon on a save.
II. Every third turn, at the end of your turn, you II. You can also spend blessing tokens on yourself
can mark all allies unmarked by you, then to also grant +1 boon on an attack
move all marked allies 1 space, ignoring III. When you gain a blessing token or grant a
engagement blessing token to any character, 10% chance to
III. Erenbrass I and II become teleports also Cure your target as an effect
Aspected: Erenbrass works on any marked ally, Aspected: Increase III chance to 25%
regardless of whether the mark was place by you
or not. Aspect quest: Recover a genuine page fragment of
the legendary Tale of Ages
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DOMAIN
STORM LORD A sceptre, weapon, or helm embedded with a
This armor is wrapped in knotted holy cords and deeply inset gem.
imagery of the sea during a storm. Gain trait: Domain: Characters are valid for
I. When you use a combo version of an ability, Domain if they are in, on, or adjacent to your
you may deal fray damage to all adjacent foes terrain effects or created terrain.
II. When you use the combo version of an ability, I. Gain +1 boon on attacks against foes in your
dash 1 Domain
III. When you cast the base part of a combo, 10% II. Foes that start their turn in your Domain take
chance to immediately perform the second 1 godly damage.
part of the combo as a free action. This can III. 10% chance when you create a terrain effect to
ignore the 1/attack per round limit. double its size. 10% chance when you take an
action that creates terrain to create twice as
Aspected: Chance of Stormlord III becomes 25% much terrain.
Aspect quest: Ride the lightning to the palace of Aspected: Increase III chance to 25%
clouds and learn from the teachings of the long-
dead Battle Titan, the Storm Lord Aspect quest: Gain a gemstone for your Domain
relic from a ruler (dead or living).
VESSEL
This weapon or armor seems surprisingly CLOUDPIERCER
hollow, despite how durable it is. It’s cold and This bright metal weapon crackles with latent
heavy. power
I. Cure’s effect on you increased to vigor 2 when I. +1 boon on attacks against electrified foes
you’re at or under 25% hp II. When you electrify a foe, you may electrify a
II. When a foe breaks your vigor, deal piercing different foe in range 3
magic fray damage to them as an effect. III. When you hit an electrified foe with an attack,
III. Cure has no maximum range when targeting deal piercing fray damage to all other
you and doesn’t need line of sight electrified foes in range 2 of that character
Aspected: 1/round, when you’re cured, duplicate Aspected: Increase III range to 4
it on an ally in range 2
Aspect quest: Survive a day in the Hundred Year
Aspect quest: Split a part of your soul into your storm
relic at a deep shrine of the Black Blood Titan, the
Holy Body HUNTRESS
This supple leather bracer has been crafted with
APOPHIS images of Gaia, the Hunter Titan
Coiling serpents cradle the hilt of this weapon or I. Gain dodge against marked characters
curl around the base of this necklace II. Attacks against marked characters deal bonus
I. At the start of your turn, deal fray damage to damage
all poisoned foes in range 2 of you III. When you hit a marked character with an
II. Your attacks against poisoned foes gain Slay: attack, teleport 1 in any direction
Gain vigor 1
III. Your attacks against poisoned foes deal 1 Aspected: When you hit a marked character with
additional godly damage on hit an attack, teleport them 1 in any direction
Aspected: Your attacks against poisoned foes
ignore vigor and go straight to hit points Aspect quest: Take the pelt of a legendary beast
and incorporate it into your relic
Aspect quest: Infuse your relic with three scales of
the ancient Wyrm Nidhogg PLEIADES
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A set of six star-diamonds, flickering with a Aspect quest: Climb to the highest floor of the
distance light, set into earrings or a neck piece. incredibly dangerous dungeon the Tower of Barbs
I. At the start of your turn, inflict frostbite on all
adjacent characters
II. The area adjacent to you is also difficult
terrain for frostbitten characters
III. When you inflict frostbite on a character for
the first time in a round, they are also shoved 1
space away from you, or 1 space toward you if
they are not adjacent.
Aspected: When you inflict frostbite on a
character, they also become winded if they’re
bloodied (save avoids).
SKIPJACK
This gem-incrusted gauntlet is intricately made
and seems heavy, but is oddly light to wear.
I. Increase the range of ranged and melee
attacks against burning foes by +1 (melee
attacks with no listed range can be made
within range 2).
II. You can bounce ranged or melee attacks off
allies or foes, inflicting no damage or effects
but retargeting them to a new character in
range 3 of the original target, drawing effects
from the new location
III. 1/round, when you bounce an attack, 10%
chance that you may bounce it to a second foe
in range
Aspected: Increase III chance to 20%
TOWER OF BARBS
Coiling thorns have been set into this ranged
weapon. The barbs sometimes curl towards your
flesh.
I. Deal bonus damage if a character is at
maximum range of your ranged attack or line
or arc area effect
II. Range of ranged attacks and area of arcs and
lines increased +1
III. Every third ranged attack ignores cover
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Unless an effect says you may do something, the Characters must be shoved in straight lines. If
effect is not optional. For example, an effect that shoved on a diagonal, you can choose which line
says ‘dash 1 and repeat the attack area’, you must they follow as long as it moves them further away
dash and repeat the attack area unless it says ‘you from you.
may dash 1 and repeat the attack area’
line of sight
Damage orde
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s
For all targeting there must be line of sight (you require a hit or happen automatically go through
have to be able to see your target) and line of evasion.
effect (your ability has be able to trace a clear path Dodge is a potent combo with Evasion because it
to your target). For example, if you can see a allows a character with Evasion to ignore missed
character through a transparent magical forcefield attacks completely and also take lower damage
or a window, that forcefield or window still blocks from AoE spaces which can go through evasion.
your line of effect, so they can’t be targeted.
Counte
Immunity and intangibilit Counter deals damage as an effect and triggers
Intangible characters can be targeted, but don’t even on ranged attacks or if the character with
take damage or effects unless specified. counter can’t see their target.
Characters that are immune (to damage, effects, a
condition, etc) follow the same rule. If an effect Pacifie
relies on dealing damage, or hitting with an Pacified only breaks on taking damage from an
attack, for example, unless specified it won’t ability or action, ie taking blight damage or
trigger off an immune or intangible characters damage from terrain won’t break it.
since they can’t take damage or effects.
Stealt
Specific tag rule
Characters with stealth cannot be targeted directly
Comb except from an adjacent space, but could still be
hit by an area effect, or effects that hit a certain
Combo actions can be interwoven. For example,
range from a character. It’s a good combo with
Ability A and B both have combo. I use ability A,
dodge, since dodge allows characters to ignore
and when I next use ability B I will use its combo
areas effects.
version, since I already used a combo move with
A. This carries between turns.
Vulnerabl
Any ability with a 3 part combo can only be used Vulnerable applies +1 damage every time a
when two combo abilities of any kind are used character takes damage, for each separate
previously. If I used ability A’s base and combo instance of damage. For example, if as part of an
version, for example, I can use ability B’s 3rd action character takes light damage, then fray
combo. Alternately, I could use ability A, ability B, damage as an effect, they would take 2 extra
then ability B again to get the same effect. damage (1+1). It is not a separate instance of
damage, but increases the damage dealt.
Mark
Any number of marks from different characters
can be on one character, but each character can
only mark another character once, and only one
mark per ability causing it. For example, if I use
the ability Immolate, which marks an enemy, the
next time I use Immolate on a different character,
the mark on the first character will fade. If I use a
different mark ability on my immolate target,
immolate will end on my target.
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camps, and
If you’re expecting to encounter opposition,
danger, or uncertainty, you’re probably heading
into an expedition.
interlude
All expeditions have a clear goal at the start, even
if that goal changes.
Campin
Expedition
During an expedition, you can momentarily pause
Sessions of ICON are focused around the action to camp. Camping allows everyone in
Expeditions. Whenever you leave a place of the group to recuperate and eat and drink, healing
safety with a clear goal in mind, you’re on an all strain, statuses, blights, stress, and hit
expedition. points. It only takes an hour or so and a place of
relative safety for characters to be able to camp.
Typically in ICON this involves leaving the safety
of a village, town, or city, and setting out into the Characters can only camp a certain number
wilderness to explore some ruin, claim some of times per expedition, and when characters
artifact, or stop some force from causing harm, camp they lose any resolve they accumulated.
but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that simple.
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At camp, if characters have gained 4 or 8 xp, they it? Will the heroes track down and stop the
can also unlock abilities or talents for their mysterious stranger who has been stealing from
abilities (a sort of mini level up). the village shrine? Will the heroes put a stop to
the brewing fight between the towns of
The Camp shee Barrowglade?
Characters can upgrade their camp, name their
group, and set group ambitions when they camp 2. Define the number of camps. Before
or go into an interlude using the camp sheet. characters embark on an expedition, the GM sets
the amount of times characters can camp.
Think of the camp like a character sheet for the Supplies to camp in the wilderness are limited,
whole party - everyone benefits from it. and time is usually short. Camping lets characters
heal and fully recuperate. For a short or time
Interlude limited expedition, characters won’t be able to
camp. For other expeditions, characters should
When the goal of an expedition is accomplished, gain the ability to camp once for every 3 combat
abandoned, put on pause, or no longer relevant, encounters the GM expects them to go through
and you return to a place of safety, the (so once for 1-3 encounters, twice for 4-6, etc), or
expedition is over, and you go into an if there is no tactical combat, about once for every
interlude. An interlude is a longer period of three major obstacles GMs expect them to have to
more narrative time in which characters can rest, go through. Characters can camp at any time they
relax, and recuperate. have a few hours and enough safety in which to do
so.
During an interlude, characters can get
rewarded for their adventures, spend xp and 3. Set your job and abilities, if you expect
dust to level up or improve, can heal burdens tactical combat. Pick which combat job and
and pursue ambitions, and can freely role- which abilities you are using (up to 6). If you have
play. any bonuses from your group (see the section
below, such as elixirs or cooking), apply them
now.
Returning to an expeditio
4. Define rewards. All expeditions normally
Interludes should always aim to come back to an
reward 6 xp and 3 dust if they’re successful. If
expedition at the end of each interlude, creating a
there are extra rewards possible, define them
loop of expedition > interlude > expedition.
here. If an expedition’s not long enough to prompt
rewards, it’s probably not an expedition!
Starting an expeditio
When you set out on an expedition, take the 5. Set out! Don’t worry about how you get there,
following steps: or over-planning. Get your feet on the road and
cut to the action.
1. Define your goal. What are you hoping to
accomplish? What are you setting out in search Why Expeditions
of? Who are you trying to stop? You can pose this
as a question if you like, phrased like ‘Will the Expeditions are used in ICON so that characters
heroes do X?’. We play to answer this always have goal they are working towards, and
question. If you’re a GM, you don’t need to have they can expect the story to move at a certain pace
an answer yet, just an idea of how players might and with a certain amount of tension. When we’re
get there. on an expedition, things are probably dangerous
or uncertain. There might be combat involved.
Example goals: Will the heroes recover the Certain activities, like healing, can only be done a
mysterious arkenrelic from the ruins that’s limited amount inside an expedition (it’s not safe
rumored to be able to destroy an entire town? Will enough, or there’s not enough time!), and certain
the heroes discover what is causing monsters to actions, like getting rid of burdens, can’t be taken
pour out of the oak hill dungeon and put a stop to in expeditions at all!
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Quests take more than one expedition to Each time you go into an interlude, fully heal all
complete. You can take interludes in the middle of strain, stress, hit points, and wounds. If
a quest or take on other expeditions. characters were successful during their
expedition, they get rewarded (xp, dust, or
Each expedition can represent a small part of the other rewards). Characters can then spend xp
quest (a leg of the journey, a wing of the dungeon, and dust to level up and improve their job,
gathering allies to fight the king, etc), and bond, or relics.
characters can take interludes normally in
between. For example, characters could take a Characters always do this at the start of an
quest to explore a large dungeon. The GM decides interlude, and for more details on payout and
this will take about three expeditions to complete, leveling see the section below.
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Bringing it bac
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Aetherpearls
THE CAM Purchase: 6 Dust
Upgrade: 3 Dust
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• Empowered attunement: Dust can be • Power flask: A character can drink a power
withdrawn or deposited into the Vault from flask to gain +1 boon and bonus damage on all
anywhere. actions until the end of their next turn.
• Aether Sapphire: Increase the vault’s capacity
to 12 GMs can offer flask ingredients as rewards for
• Aether Ruby: Increase the vault’s capacity treasure collected during an expedition, or side
to 16 tasks. If that's the case, forgo the dust cost for
• Upgrade condenser: If it’s at least half full, brewing a flask if you have the ingredients.
the vault condenses 2 dust instead of 1.
Upgrades:
• Flask belt: Characters can hold on to two
Cabinet
flasks
Purchase: 6 Dust
• Improved flask belt: Characters can hold
Upgrade: 6 Dust
on to up to three flasks
Add the following to your flask brewing by taking
This dusty cabinet or traveling trunk allows you to
an upgrade for each. They cost increased dust to
keep additional gear with you.
brew and take rarer ingredients.
• Flask of Godly Speed: 3 dust. Until the end
During camp, you can swap out your abilities at
of your next turn, double your speed and gain
will.
evasion
• Flask of Godly Strength: 3 dust. Double the
Upgrades:
damage of your next action
• Soulstone: Characters can also change jobs at
• Flask of Godly Health: 3 dust. Clear all
camp
blights and conditions and gain vigor 2
• Great Soulstone: Characters are now able • Flask of Divine Grace: 2 dust. Increase the
to take a second Gambit for their Bond.
effect of your next narrative action to
• Elden Soul-stone: Characters can choose superpowered.
one ability from any job, even one they don’t
have. They can take this ability as a gambit,
and they may swap this ability out when Cooking Pot
they level up. Purchase: 6 dust
Upgrade: 3 dust
Cauldron
When you embark on an expedition, or when you
Purchase: 6 dust
camp, one character can cook a meal for everyone.
Upgrade: 3 dust
A character’s cooking skill is a unique action,
A heavy iron cauldron and apothecary where
starting at 1d6. A character can improve their
characters can brew flasks.
cooking by investing 2 xp to improve their
cooking skill by 1, up to a maximum of 4. Xp
Characters can brew one of the following flasks
invested in cooking has to be spent when you gain
during an interlude by spending 1 dust. Flasks
xp and not from your bar.
can be drunk instead of taking an action roll (in
narrative play) or as an action in combat.
Roll 1d6 per level of cooking skill and choose any
Characters can only hold on to one flask at once.
die as the final result.
• Flask of Action: A character can drink a flask
to gain +1 boon and increased effect on their
Meal effects apply to the very next combat you
next narrative action
get into.
• Phoenix flask: An incapacitated character can
spend a full turn to drink a Phoenix Flask to
Rescue themselves at the end of that turn. D6 Result
• Cleansing flask: A character can drink this
flask to cleanse themselves (clear all blights and 1 Burnt meal - No effect!
immediately save against all effects).
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D6 Result
Portable Library
3-5 Common Fish: Collect 2 of these fish
and they can be sold at market for 1 dust. Purchase: 6 dust
Dungeon guppies, cave carp, and Upgrade: 3 dust
Arkentrout are all pretty common
examples. A collection of well-worn tomes, manuals, and
scrolls.
6 Rare Fish! - Roll 1d6. Can be sold at
market for 1 dust.
Every character can add +1 to their tinker, study,
1: Glibfish - Eat to gain +1B and
or recall rating.
improve effect on all command and
charm rolls for a scene
Upgrades:
2: Musclefish - Eat to gain +1B and
• Training Manuals: At the end of each
increased effect on Endure and Smash
interlude, each character gets +1 xp.
actions for a scene
• Focused Training: Instead of healing
3: Wrightfish - Ask the fish for advice.
burdens, characters can train to gain + 1 xp.
If you follow it, gain +1B and improved
Stacks with training manuals.
effect on your next narrative action.
• Arkentomes: Characters can make rolls to
4: Elixir Fish - Can be drunk as an elixir
recall or gather information about dungeon or
5: Panaflounder - Eat as an action to
monster lore at +1 dice
cleanse and cure self
6: Golden Gizzet: Can be sold at
market for 3 dust Shrine
Purchase: 3 dust
6,6 Super rare fish! This super hard to Upgrade: 3 dust
catch fist can be sold for 2 dust at market.
Roll 1d6. Shrine to the Titans, the slain precursors. Grants
1-3: Wishfish - The fish is infused with Divine Mercy. When characters would take their
reality warping Aether. You can use the last wound and die, roll a d%. 50% chance that
fish to perform one action roll as they ignore the wound instead and miraculously
superpowered, expending it. heal all wounds and hit points. Divine Mercy can
4-6: Godfish- This magnificent only occur once for a character ever in their life
specimen sells for 3 dust at market. time.
Alternately, its scales are so tough it can
be used as a shield. At the start of combat, Upgrades:
expend the fish to give a character vigor • Commune: Once a session, a single character
3. can pray at the shrine and ask a yes/no question
about a person, place, or object. The GM will
Upgrades: answer with one of the following: Wheel (yes,
• Bait: You can spend 1 dust to add 1d6 to a positive), Stone (no, negative), or Chaos (mixed
fishing roll any number of times. outcome).
• Absolution: A broken character with 3
• Improved tackle box: Gain 1 free use of
bait an expedition burdens can pray at the shrine during camp to
• Beginner’s luck: If a character fishes that was recover from being broken.
different from the previous time, they fish with • Resurrection: A dead character (someone
+1d who took 4 wounds and died) can be returned to
• Trophy board: If you catch a super rare fish, life during an interlude by burning 10 dust, as
everyone gains 2 xp. long as they died in the last year. The character
• Catch and release: If you release a fish you is living on borrowed time as the dust is
caught back, all characters can tick 1 segment on animating their body and must undergo a
a burden. journey or expedition to make things
permanent. The GM can set up an expedition or
an ambition for this.
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Upgrades:
• Skeleton Key: 1/session you can make any
action roll to open, unlock, or activate a device
or door superpowered in effect.
• Shadow cloaks: For the first combat after you
embark on an expedition, start with stealth.
Lose stealth at the start of the second round if
you gained it this way.
• Whisper cloaks: Also gain this benefit after
you camp.
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t
Arkentec
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7 2 Improve an action
Choose a third job OR gain a mastery
8 2 point. Unlock second gambit. Special Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
if you only have one job!
3-
9 Unlock third relic Gain a Bond power
Stat up!
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
10 3 Improve an action
master talent for an ability
11 3 Improve an action
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
12 3 Gain a Bond power
master talent for an ability
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Example Arkentec
Tech Description and Effect Uses
Spend an action to wreath your ammo in shimmering frost. For
Entropy Ammo 2
the rest of combat, your ranged attacks inflict frostbite on hit
Wrap this cloak around you and blink in and out of existence to
Displacement Cloak 3
use your standard move to teleport instead
An ancient Relict weapon that still barely functions, shooting
bolts of lightning. You can make a light attack with it (line 5,
Relict Arbalest 1
heavy damage, secondary effect: light damage, effect: electrifies
all targets)
Venom from a howler beast. You can apply it as an action. Your
Howler Venom next physical attack gains bonus damage, piercing, and the effect: 1
Inflicts poisoned and dazed on hit
Wrap your armor in tough howler hide. Apply before an
Alpha Howler Hide 1
expedition. This expedition, you start every combat with vigor +1
Strap on a piece of decaying armor for extra protection. As an
interrupt when you’re hit by any attack but before damage is
Decayed Plate 2
applied, you can expend the plate to gain 6 armor against the
attack.
Point this stave at a space on the ground in range 3 as an action
Stave of Flame to release a spark of flame as an effect, inflicting burning and fray 3
damage to all characters in a blast 1 area.
Use as an action to splash the oil about, reversing gravity and
Drift Oil drifting into the air. Gain flying but also reduce max speed to 0. 3
You can use this action again to end the effect.
Step on the screecher gland as an action to make a horrible
Screecher gland screeching noise. Characters in a blast 2 (self) area, including 1
you, must save or become stunned
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h
Ki
FOES
coastal pirate clans will often organize and
maintain large hideouts, where they will
periodically raid nearby towns for loot and
captives. In the ruins themselves, some
The ruins that litter Arden Eld and churn beneath adventurers make a living not only off the ruins,
its surface are sometimes peaceful, hollow affairs - but also off robbing their fellow adventurers. In
full of dust and destroyed monuments to a dead the cities, wealthy criminal syndicates, sometimes
empire. More often than not, however, they are masquerading (or acting openly!) as guilds,
host to innumerable monsters that slither, crawl, pursue enrichment at all costs, running
and stalk through their hallways, born of the kidnapping schemes, forcing labor, or using debt
Doom that befell the Arken Empire and the grand to control large numbers of people.
technomagical projects they undertook. These
ruins can be deadly places despite the riches they Mistrust has reached the point that some towns
offer, and occasionally when a ruin surfaces, it and cities have begun eyeing the legacy of the
disgorges monsters continuously that boil over Arkenlords, arming themselves for what they see
into the surface world, called a Blight. Minor as a coming grand conflict between Kin. War
blights can deform and destroy the landscape and between city states or towns, so rare between Kin
threaten nearby villages, towns, and cities, and in the Green Age, is becoming more common and
every few decades a blight surfaces that can increasingly severe in scale. Some powerful towns
threaten large portions of the world. or city states see themselves as inheritors of an
imperial legacy, with the warlords helming them
Monster titling themselves a new Emperor, seeking to
unite the cities by force into Arden Eld’s first
The creatures that stalk the halls of the ruins are a nation. The ambitions of these self-styled
mix of mundane beasts that have been warped by Imperials remain unfulfilled - for now.
the ruins’ influence, native fauna that have grown
accustomed to dungeons, terrifying horrors from When Kin commit or threaten violence, it’s
beyond the realms of understanding, and the always motivated. Kin can be bargained
remnants of the old empire, animated by the with (even if that bargain on your end is giving
ruins’ magic. up all your money or throwing down your
weapons in surrender!), they’re people after all.
Monsters are dangerous and beyond reasoning Kin will almost never fight to the death and
with. Though some have some shred of will often flee or surrender if their lives are
intelligence, they are motivated by hunger, pain, threatened.
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• Foes save against effects on a 12+ instead of a For example, a size 2 foe can ignore height 1
10+. They’re not as fated as the heroes. terrain and a character would have to be at
height 2 to gain terrain advantage against them.
Foes may have additional or unique tags, such as
Autocure or Prowl (see jobs for more details!). Faction
Special classe You might feel that having every ‘soldier’ type
There are a few special classes for foes in ICON enemy fit one template will make things feel a
that change the gameplay of foes up slightly: little same-y, but to distinguish foes from another,
there is one more component to Foes in ICON,
• Mob: Mobs are weak, numerous enemies with 1 which is Faction. Faction allows you to put a
hp. They can be used for a more ‘heroic’ feeling ‘template’ on top of enemies to give them bonus
game where characters cut down enemy after traits, change their statistics, or grant them a
enemy. They can overwhelm characters in choice of additional actions. These faction
numbers. When you take an enemy turn, you templates help create a sense of unity among foes
can take a turn for up to 5 mob-type foes. Mobs of different jobs and can change the experience of
only have one type of damage (no light/heavy/ fighting them completely.
critical, etc) which can’t be boosted, are
removed from the battlefield when defeated, Foes can only take one faction template at
and don’t trigger slay effects when defeated. once.
• Elite: Elites are more powerful foes that take
additional turns and have increased hp. They Traits with the same name (such as those that
are akin to ‘mini-boss’ encounters in a role boost armor or hp) do not stack. For example,
playing game, representing a more powerful or foes with the Tenacious trait (+25% hp) that gain
skill enemy. it again don’t gain any additional benefit.
• Monstrosity: The most powerful foes in ICON.
Monstrosities are fights worthy of an entire Open informatio
group, and meant to represent huge or
legendary monsters, such as wyrms, giants, or All the following information about a foe is open
elder demons. They take multiple turns, have to the players if they ask:
phases (different actions and abilities based on • Job, class, and faction
different situations), have attackable locations • Special class, like mob, elite, monstrosity
that can disable or weaken their attacks, deal • Traits
high damage, and have high hp. • Effects when a player is marked by a foe
• Triggered effects, like interrupts, when they
Large Foe trigger
Some foes have the Large or Enormous trait, • If the foe is bloodied or not
making them size 2 or 3. These foes have the • If a monstrosity changes phase
following rules:
• AoE abilities they use can count any of their You can elaborate on this information if you like
spaces as an origin space. Bigger foes can choose as long as you get the basic information across. “It
whether to be affected by any of their area looks like this Knuckle is keeping an eye on you
abilities specifically. That means even his allies are going
• AoE abilities used against a large foe can only to get counter and vigilance against you”.
affect them once, even if two of their spaces are
hit. For example, a large character hit by an You can play with full information if you wish,
attack and area space of an AoE ability is only especially if some players have already fought a
affected by one or the other (the ability owner foe before. Some groups feel like this can take
can choose). some of the mystery out of fighting a powerful foe
• Large foes gain terrain phasing for terrain that for the first time, while other groups prefer having
is lower than their size, can end their turn in better tactical decision making available to them.
those terrain spaces, and ignore terrain
advantage for any terrain lower than their size. Making foes and balancing encounter
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• 5 mobs is worth 1
• 1 regular foe is worth 1
• 1 elite is worth 2
• 1 monstrosity is worth the number of players.
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Berserker
Skirmishe Traits: Skirmisher, Extended Dash, Dodge,
Health: 5/6/7 Finishing Blow
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siegewright's turn, any spaces created by this Traits: Overdrive 3, Slow, Arrowsense
ability disappear.
Entrench (1 action, stance): Aetherwall grants Hurried shot (1 action, ranged attack 4): +1
damage immunity to ranged attacks instead of curse. On hit: light damage.
resistance. Ends if the wright moves, is shoved, Aim (2 actions): Boost damage of next ranged
dazed, staggered, or stunned. attack, and double range.
Heart Seeker (2 actions, range 5, pierce):
Attack: On hit: heavy physical damage. Miss:
Alchemist
light damage. Cannot target adjacent characters.
Traits: Overdrive 3, Aetherwall
Improved armor: Armor +1
Acid Splash: Attacks deal piercing fray damage
on hit or miss to all foes in range 2 of the target as
Elit
an area effect
Insulated: Ignores dangerous terrain, difficult
terrain, and terrain effects
Archo
Spray (1 actions, ranged attack, close
blast 1, repeatable 2): On hit: piercing fray Health: 6/7/8
damage and inflict blight. Miss: fray damage. HP: 48/56/64
Area effect: fray damage. Blightboost or Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
Overdrive: increase all damage to light Defense: 6+ chapter
Sticky solution (1 action, arc 3recharge Armor: 2/3/4
5+): Area becomes difficult terrain for the rest of Attack: +0/+2/+4
combat. Fray Damage: 2/3/4
Flash (1 actions): A character in range 8 must Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
save or take magic fray damage and be blighted 3d6+chapter
Damage type: Physical
Summoner
Traits: Defiance, Guardian, Vigilance
Traits: Overdrive 3, Aetherwall Elite: Takes 2 turns
Strength: All attacks have shove 1
Bolt (1 action, ranged attack 4, +1 boon): Poise: Sturdy when bloodied
On hit: light magic damage. Rage: Under 25% hp, gains unstoppable
Summon (1 action, repeatable 2): Summon
two mobs (of any type, by default the chaff mob) Head Crack (1 action, repeatable 2): Effect:
with the summon type in unoccupied space in Deal fray damage to an adjacent foe. They must
range 3 of the Summoner. They take a normal save or be dazed. If a foe is already dazed, increase
turn this round. If overdrive has triggered, damage to light.
summon 4 mobs with this action instead. Great Fortify (1 actions, stance): Reduce max
Puppetmaster (1 action, stance): An allied speed to 0, but gain cover and sturdy, and apply
summon in range is marked. While marked, it to all allies while adjacent. Ends at the end of their
gains vigor 1, regeneration 1, pierce and boosted next turn.
damage on all its abilities, and doubles its speed. Great Bash (1 action): Dash forward up to 3
Great Summon (2 actions, recharge 6): spaces, then an adjacent foe must save or take
Summon a soldier with the Summon type and light damage and be be shoved 3 spaces. Collide:
25% max hp. Summon can act as a normal foe of foe is winded.
its type on the next round. Becomes 1 action if Blackheart (1 action, melee attack): On hit:
overdrive has triggered and has no recharge. Deal heavy damage. Miss: light damage. Effect:
Gains +1 boon and true strike if character is
Arbalest stunned, dazed, or winded.
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Phase I: Slasher
Hunter: Deals boosted damage to characters
with no adjacent allied character or summon
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Clinging mists: The Nocturnal is intangible and physical damage. On a failed save, they are
not visible on the map unless in range 3 of a foe or reduced to half their current hit points, or 1
summon controlled by a foe. hp, whichever is higher, and the Nocturnal
Rake (1 action, repeatable 2): Fly in a line 4 gains vigor 1.
area effect. Characters along the path take fray
damage.
Amygdala (1 action, recharge 4+): A
character in range 3 must save or be forced to flee, Brood Lor
become Vulnerable, Winded, and shoved 4 in a
direction of the Nocturnal’s choice.
The Brood Lord represents a monster that
The Horror (1 action, melee attack,
commands a legion of lesser minions, such as an
pierce): Attack: On hit, deal light damage. Miss:
enormous spider, a Relict Necrolord, or a insectile
fray damage. Effect: May teleport up to 3 spaces
Demon.
towards target before the attack.
Health: 5/6/7
Phase II: Night lord
HP: [10/12/14] x # of player characters
Take to Wing: Flying in this phase
Speed: 3, run 2, dash 3
Rake (1 action, repeatable 2): Fly in a line 4
Defense: 7+ chapter
area effect. Characters along the path take fray
Armor: 1/2/3
damage.
Attack: +1/+3/+5
Amygdala (1 action, recharge 4+): A
Fray Damage: 2/3/4
character in range 3 must save or be forced to flee,
Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
become Vulnerable, Winded, and shoved 4 in a
3d6+chapter
direction of the Nocturnal’s choice.
Damage type: Either
Great Fell Shot (1 action): Mark 2 unoccupied
spaces in range 8. Foes or allies that pass through
Traits: Shelter, Autocure
these spaces take piercing magic fray damage as
Large: Size 2
an area effect. Disappear at the start of next
Monstrosity: Takes 1 turn after every player
round.
character turn. If slow, only one of its turns is
Blood drain (2 actions, melee attack): On
affected.
hit: Heavy damage. On miss: Light damage.
Colossus: Has phasing for characters and terrain
Effect: If made against a character with Vigor,
smaller than it and can end turn in those spaces.
removes all Vigor before applying damage.
Ignores engagement from smaller characters.
Ignores movement penalties for terrain.
Phase III: Blood frenzy
Juggernaut (1/round, free action): Once a
Blood scent: Gains Hatred of bloody characters
round, at the start of its turn, can save against all
Frenzy: 1/turn, when hitting with an attack,
statuses and marks and clear all blights as a free
gains +1 action.
action.
Swat (1 action): Adjacent foe must save or be
Legion: The Broodlord starts combat with 5 of its
shoved 3 and staggered. Collide: also Stunned
unique summons per player character, which can
Death Grasp (1 action, range 4): A foe in
be placed in any space on the battlefield not
range must save. On a failure, they take light
within range 2 of players.
magic damage and are shoved up to 3 spaces
towards Nocturnal. On a successful save, shove
Brood Minions: The Brood Lord creates unique
them 1 space.
summons with its abilities. It can summon any
Blood drain (1 action, melee attack.
combination of the following minions, which all
Combo): On hit: Heavy damage. On miss: Light
have defense 7+chapter and 1 hp by default. They
damage. Effect: If made against a character with
can move 3 spaces when the Brood Lord takes
Vigor, removes all Vigor before applying damage.
their turn, otherwise cannot take actions by
Gains a combo in phase 3
themselves unless specified.
• Combo: Embrace (2 actions): Adjacent
• Clawing Brood: Foes treat spaces adjacent
character must save. On a successful save,
clawing brood as engagement
they are shoved 1 and take light piercing
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Monstrosity: Takes 1 turn after every player Rake (1 action, repeatable 2): Fly in a line 3
character turn. If slow, only one of its turns is area effect. Characters along the path take fray
affected. damage.
Colossus: Has phasing for characters and terrain Spitfire (1 action): Mark a character in range 6.
smaller than it and can end turn in those spaces. At the end of that character’s turn, if that
Ignores engagement from smaller characters. character is still marked, the Wyrm shoots a blast
Ignores movement penalties for terrain. of blight at them for a blast 1 explosion area effect.
Juggernaut (1/round, free action): Once a Characters within must save or take light damage
round, at the start of its turn, can save against all and be blighted. The ball destroys any rock spires
statuses and marks and clear all blights as a free in the area.
action. Scorch (2 actions, ranged attack 8, blast 1):
Blightheart: Wyrms deal one of the four blights On hit: light damage: Miss or area effect: light
exclusively, except for in their God of Destruction damage. Blightboost: Increase all damage to
phase. Pick one when creating the Wyrm. heavy.
Tail Lash (1 action, melee attack, Arc 4):
Body Parts Attack: On hit: Heavy damage. Miss: Light
Wings (15 HP): Cannot fly (all flying turns into damage. Area effect: Light damage and Shove 1.
dashes) Must target a character in its area. Destroys any
Heartscale (10 HP): Loses all armor. rock spires in the area.
Horns (15 HP): Wyrm gains permanent hatred
of the player that destroyed the horns Phase III: God of Destruction
Tail (15 HP): Tail lash costs 3 actions. The Wyrm loses flying in this phase
Characters can sell a Wyrm tail for 4 dust.
Pulse of Destruction: The Wyrm’s max speed
Phases: is 0 this phase. Every turn but the last turn this
Enters a new phase at the start of every round, in phase, the Wyrm must take the radiance and
order (looping back to phase I after phase III). spitfire actions. The Wyrm is unstoppable and has
Since the Wyrm enters God of Destruction the resistance to all damage in this phase. The
round its Overdrive triggers, characters should Wyrm’s last turn is slow, and it always takes Elden
aim to end the fight by then. Chaos and Aftermath in order.
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Wight
Networked: +1 boon on all attacks if another
Relict is adjacent to their target
Deathblow: When defiance triggers, deal
piercing magic fray damage to an adjacent
character
Heavies or Leaders
Idol
Some Relict are walking statues powered by an
amalgamation of feeble souls.
Large: Increase size to 2
Combat subroutine: Has hatred of the closest
foe
Dire Hide: Resistant to physical damage when
Relict are the most common danger that not bloody
adventurers face in the ruins of Arden Eld. They Imbued strength: All melee damage is boosted
are the spectral remnants of the Arken Empire, and gains shove 1.
souls bound in an Aetheric network that runs Shambling: Permanently staggered, slow and
through the ruins by an ancient Eldmage as a winded
last ditch effort to save a dying people. The Heavy: Immune to shove.
process was technically successful, but most relict
have been left mindless husks - souls harnessed
Fused
and stored in lightning powered sarcophagus-
Some relict have become fused due to damaged
like nodes nestled throughout the ruins. Relict
networks. The result is a large, fused mass of
armor sits eerily still, or crumpled into a corner,
tormented souls.
until its a node senses intruders, the Relict within
Tenacious: +25% hp.
rippling out through conduits to manifest in
Large: Increase size to 2
crackling undeath.
Deadsoul: Has evasion and dodge vs magic
Shambling: Permanently staggered, slow and
There are some Relict - a priest class - that have
winded
retained more sense of themselves and work at
Release passengers: When defeated, summon
dark purpose to resurrect the old empire and
4 relict chaff mobs in its space.
bring back the arkenlords.
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Skirmishers or Artillery The ruins are full of wildlife that has adapted to
Ghoul their unique environment over time - or have
been changed or warped by it.
Some relict have learned to survive by absorbing
their brethren to boost their sense of self.
Monsters: Beasts do not flee or negotiate.
Sparkfeed (2 actions, 1/combat): The relict
Faction Blight: Poisoned
absorbs an adjacent defeated relict, destroying its
Ferocity: On the first round of combat, beasts
ally, gaining vigor 1, and doubling its speed for the
double their speed.
rest of combat.
Flank: While two or more beasts are adjacent to
Electrostatic death: When destroyed, this
a character hostile to them, that character takes
character explodes in a blast 1 area effect for light
+2 damage from their attacks
damage. If it used sparkfeed, boost this damage to
Feral: Always have hatred of the character that
heavy.
damaged them last, or the closest character (can
choose either).
Heavy Beasts:
Stone Lizard
Thick hides and stony camouflage make these
large beasts almost impossible to tell from
boulders.
Dire Hide: Resistant to physical damage when
not bloody
Heavy Armor: Immune to Pierce when not
bloody. Cannot dash or run.
Rolling Boulder: Gains character phasing, and
when moving through foes for the first time in a
round, they are shoved 1 to the side and take fray
damage
Flank: If two or more hostile characters are
adjacent, lose all armor
Halitoad
Wraith: The enormous and foul-smelling Halitoad uses its
Tethered to the network, relict can float on the long tongue to strangle and digest its prey.
air with eerie grace, flickering in and out of Large: Increase size to 2
existence. Stench: Melee attacks have +1 curse. Characters
Immortal rage: When defeated, instead become starting their turns in an adjacent space are
Intangible for one round. At the end of that poisoned.
round, evaporate from the battlefield. Tongue lash (1 action): A foe in range 5 must
Ethereal: Flying, phasing, and intangible unless save or be shoved 4 towards the Halitoad
there’s a foe in range 2. Reduce hp by 50% Tongue Constrict (2 actions, stance,
Slip (1 action): Teleport 3 recharge 4+): Adjacent foe must save or have
max speed reduced to 0, be stunned, and take
light piercing damage at the start of the beast’s
Ruin Beas turns. Beast cannot move while in this stance and
it ends if beast is stunned, staggered, winded,
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This parasitic creature has a symbiotic fungus easier to have others do the hard work for them,
that it uses to control other creatures. then rob them blind on the way out.
Spore (1 action): The Creeper puts down two
intangible summons in free spaces in range 3. Kin: Scavengers are kin, can be bargained with,
Characters that pass through these spaces gain and will flee or surrender if heavily outnumbered
spore infestation for the rest of combat. While or heavily losing a fight
they have a spore infestation, they are staggered • Motivations: Scavengers are typically after the
and gain regeneration 1 if bloody. Spore wealth in the ruins and won’t fight if terms can
infestations can be Cleansed (even from foes). be reached
Spore detonate (2 actions, recharge 6): A • Flee: If a Scavenger has 4 or more valuables
character with a spore infestation explodes, tokens, they attempt to flee the battlefield,
dealing heavy damage in a blast 1 area as an area fleeing successfully if they start their turn in an
effect. Characters within the area can save to edge space of the battlefield with no hostile
reduce damage to light damage. The host fails this characters adjacent
save. The spore infestation on the targeted Faction Blight: Any
character then ends. Valuables: If fighting scavengers, place 3
Puppet (1/turn, free action): A staggered valuables tokens on the battlefield. Valuables are
character (foe or ally) in range 5 is shoved 3 intangible tokens that can be picked up by any
spaces in a direction of the creeper’s choosing. character by moving over their space. Characters
drop them when defeated, or can drop them
Artillery Beasts voluntarily as 1 action. At the end of an
expedition, all characters gain 1 dust for every 2
valuables tokens the party has as a whole.
Ruin Centipede
These huge, man sized insects are a potent
All scavengers have the ruffian template by
symbol of bad luck in most villages.
default:
Acid Splash: Attacks deal piercing fray damage
on hit or miss to all foes in range 2 of the target as
an area effect Ruffian
Toxic spines (1 action, recharge 6): A Corner fighting: At the start of their turns,
character in range 5 must save or become ruffians can dash 1 as a free action
poisoned and instantly lose all vigor. Bounty (free action, 1/combat): A foe in
range 5 gains a valuables token
Greed: Deal +2 damage against characters with
Gulper
at least one valuable token
This amphibian exudes a thick layer of slime
when threatened, which it can spit as a weapon.
For every 1 points worth of Ruffians, one of the
Slime Lob (1 action, recharge 6): The Gulper
following templates can be applied to any job
creates a blast 1 area of difficult terrain.
instead:
Characters in the area when it’s created must save
or become winded. The area lasts for the rest of
combat, or until the Gulper uses this ability again. Toe-taker
Slippery: Gains evasion when bloodied. Dust congregates under the fingernails and toes
Venomous: Inflict poisoned on any adjacent of travelers in the ruins, with predictable
character that damages them influences on the truly desperate.
Drop valuables: When reduced below 50% hp,
toe takers drop 1 valuables in an adjacent space,
Scavenge plus any valuables they are already carrying.
Consumptive Greed: Toe Takers have hatred of
any character with a valuables token and deal
Scavengers is a particular term in Arden Eld,
boosted damage against them.
referring to the scions of the Churning Age -
those who rush into the ruins in search of relics to
extract for a quick profit. Many find that it is Looter
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Kin that care little for what they carry out, only • Motivations: Imperials have orders they are
that it glitters. following from whatever guild master, warlord,
Loot sack: When defeated, a looter drops any or under-baron they serve. Usually this is to
valuables they have, plus 2. capture a location, object of power, or person of
Mug (2 action, recharge 4+): An adjacent interest. If characters can work around those
character must save or become stunned. On a orders, Imperials can usually be bargained with
failed save, the Looter also steals all valuables or even be helpful.
from the character +1. • Flee: When the commanding officer of an
Imperial detachment is defeated, there’s a 20%
Quickfinger chance at the start of each round the remaining
Trained thieves from city guilds often find imperials will attempt to flee or will surrender
comfortable homes with scavenger bands. on the spot.
Prowl: Gains stealth at the start of their turn • Faction Blight: Burning
Decoy (Interrupt 1, recharge 5+): When hit • Commanding Officer: Designate one foe the
by an attack, turns that hit into a miss and commanding officer of the imperial detachment.
teleports 3 spaces to an unoccupied space it can They get a special template.
see, which is its ‘real’ location.
Pick pockets (1 action, recharge 4+): An Special Mob: Auxiliary
adjacent character must save or become dazed as
their loose change is pilfered. The quick finger
Auxiliary
gains 1 valuables, even on a successful save.
Made of of levies pressed into service from
captured villages and towns and armed with
Shank heavy arquebuses.
Rough and tumble street fighters, come to the HP: 1
ruins to turn a quick guilder. Speed: 3, run 1, dash 2
Backstab: When a shank makes an attack Defense: 8
against a character adjacent to one of their allies, Attack: +1/2/3
their attacks gain true strike or pierce (they can Damage: 2+chapter
choose). Mob: This character doesn’t trigger slay effects
Sucker punch (1 action): An adjacent
character must save or become winded. They drop Firelance (2 actions, superheavy ranged
1 valuables, plus any valuables they were carrying. attack): Attack: On hit, deal 1 damage. Increase
to full damage if in the command aura of an
IMPERIA imperial officer.
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Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in teleports 3 spaces to an unoccupied space it can
range of a command aura, it recharges all its see, which is its ‘real’ location.
abilities.
Rifle (2 actions, recharge 6): Ranged attack, Imperial Demolitionist
range 8. On hit, deal light piercing damage and Laden with explosives, demolitionists blow doors
inflict burning. in ruins, gatehouses of cities, or collapse tunnels
below armies.
For every 1 points worth of Legionnaires, one of Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in
the following templates can be applied instead: range of a command aura, it recharges all its
abilities.
Heavy Imperials Arkentech mine (1 actions, recharge 6): The
Praetorian Demolitionist places an intangible size 1 summon
Armed with Arkentech armor, these heavy in a space in range 3. If any character moves or is
imperial troops are a fearsome sight. shoved more than 1 space over or adjacent to the
Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in mine, it explodes for heavy damage in a blast 1
range of a command aura, it recharges all its area effect and inflicts burning.
abilities. Detonate mines (2 actions): All mines laid by
Improved armor: Armor +1 the demolitionist explode as if triggered.
Heavy Armor: Immune to pierce when not
bloodied. Cannot dash or run. Leader Imperials
Flank: If adjacent to 2 or more foes, lose all
armor
Drillmaster
Flame hurler (1 action, recharge 6): Line 3.
Retired officers that sometimes go into battle to
True strike. Inflict fray damage and burning as an
complete the training of levies and legionnaires
area effect on all within.
with brutal discipline.
Tactics Aura: Staggered, dazed, winded, or
War Beast stunned enemies in range 3 take +2 damage
This large, bear-like imperial beasts are bred for Discipline (Interrupt 1): Trigger: an ally in
war and fitted with armor. the tactics aura misses with an attack. Effect: The
Improved armor: Armor +1 Drillmaster can use this interrupt to cause them
Large: Increase size to 2 to re-roll the attack with +1 boon, taking the
Frenzy: 1/turn when hitting with an attack, second result as the final result.
immediately gain +1 action.
Leashed: Designate another character the
Artillerist
handler. Can only take 1 action maximum, loses
Furnished with the latest scopes and tech,
all armor, and cannot trigger frenzy unless
Artillerists bring the imperial firepower to bear.
adjacent to the handler or in a command aura.
Firing Drills: The ranged attacks of allies in
range 3 ignore cover
Skirmisher Imperials Spotter (1 action, recharge 4+): Mark a
character in range 8 and line of sight. That
Imperial Spy character becomes Vulnerable (ongoing) to
Top line imperial operatives, trained at a guild ranged attacks while marked and cannot gain
academy stealth. A character can repeat the save at the end
Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in of their turn to end this effect.
range of a command aura, it recharges all its
abilities. Artillery Imperials
Disguise (1 action, recharge 6): A foe in
range 5 must save. On a failed save, the Spy
Imperial Sniper
switches places with them, teleporting both
A college-trained wright or gunwright with a
characters.
pedigree in precision combat
Decoy (Interrupt 1, recharge 5+): When hit
by an attack, turns that hit into a miss and
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Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in Special Mob: Natal
range of a command aura, it recharges all its Natals are immature demons, smooth, pale-
abilities. skinned humanoids. Wherever demons appears,
Brace: When adjacent to cover, increase the breaching the veil between worlds, they
range of all ranged attacks with a listed range by inevitably pour forth.
+3, and increase all line attacks by +3
Deploy cover (1 action, recharge 6, 2/
Natal
combat): The sniper creates a space of height 1
terrain in an adjacent space
HP: 1
Speed: 3, Run 1, dash 1
Imperial Powdermage Defense: 5
Imperial wrights are often fitted with the latest Attack: +0
in powder technology - rotary six guns that Mob: This character doesn’t trigger slay effects
mimic the Holy Chambers wielded by the Summon: Natals disappear when reduced to 0
Freelancers. hp and don’t cause engagement.
Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in
range of a command aura, it recharges all its Void vomit (2 actions): Deal 1 piercing damage
abilities. as an effect to a character in range 3.
Pistol (1/round, free action): The powder
mage fires a pistol at a character in range 5, Demons have no restricted sub-templates.
dealing piercing fray damage as an effect. Instead, pick a type of Demon, which limits its job
Pistol flurry (2 actions, recharge 6): The selection and gives it some traits and actions.
powder mage uses Pistol on all visible hostile
characters in range 5.
Heavy Demons
Starving Demon
DEMO These skeletal demons swell to enormous size
when they absorb their defeated foes.
The origin of Demons is a mystery, but most Flesh Hook (1 action, recharge 4+): A
scholars agree they appear to be closely related character in range 4 must pass a save or be shoved
to the Doom. They are among the most towards the demon as much as possible
dangerous and fearsome creatures that lurk in Cleave (1 action, repeatable 2): Deal piercing
the deep levels of the Arkenruins, existing fray damage as an effect to an adjacent character.
seemingly only to destroy. Whenever they Feast: Devour only costs 1 action for this Demon,
appear, they drive other creatures to the surface and it can dash 1 before using it
in a Blight. Engorge: Increase size by 1 and gains +1 action
for the rest of combat if it feasted.
Monsters: Demons do not flee or negotiate.
Faction Blight: Any Armor Demon
Legion: When fighting demons, at the start of These knight-like demons fight with no sense of
combat, place three Natals on the map in self preservation and crush all before them.
unoccupied space somewhere outside of range 2 Traits: Vigilance, Slow
of players. These don’t count for the total Improved armor: Increase armor by +1
encounter budget. Heavy Armor: Immune to pierce when not
Devour (2 actions, 1/combat): The Demon bloodied. Cannot dash or run.
devours and absorbs an adjacent Natal or another Flank: If adjacent to 2 or more hostile characters,
defeated Demon, healing 25% hp. A Natal lose all armor
devoured this way is destroyed. Crush Bones (1 action, mark): Choose an
Banish: A character can disintegrate an adjacent adjacent foe. If that marked foe is adjacent to the
defeated demon as an action, returning it to the Armor Demon at the end of any of their turns,
void from which it came. they take heavy piercing damage as an effect.
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White Strings (1 action, close blast 2): All Distort space: All Natals in range 3 are
demons and allied summons in the area can dash intangible (they cannot be devoured while
2 spaces as an effect. All foes in the area are intangible).
shoved 1.
Black Strings (1 action, recharge 5+): A
character in range 5 must save. On a failed save, LOWLANDE
they teleport up to 3 spaces to the nearest ally and
deal light damage to them as an effect. A society of rejects, survivors, and outcasts,
Detonate Natal (1 action, recharge 5+): A lowlanders are a relatively new development in
natal in range 3 is destroyed, and explodes for a Arden Eld - those that make their homes in the
blast 1 explosion area effect. Characters in range maze of dungeons under the blightlands - the
must save or take light godly damage. areas around long-emerged and active
arkenruins that are inhospitable to life and full of
Artillery Demons monsters, where the very ground might be
poison. They often live in squalor and constant
Lurking Demon danger from their harsh environment, and band
This reptilian demon’s skin constantly shifts to together for survival into loose clans.
match its surroundings.
Dodge Those that live in the blightlands are often
Chameleonic: When ending its turn adjacent to pariahs, exiled from society, for real or perceived
cover, gains stealth transgressions. Families and children are
Void rift (1 action): Create a line 3 area of practically nonexistent, and there’s usually
difficult terrain in range 5. This area lasts until the tragedy behind their stoic facades.
end of combat or until the demon uses this ability
again. Demons can use it for cover and ignore its Lowlanders are nearly all raiders, using the
difficult terrain blight as a natural barrier, attacking the towns,
farms, and lands outside when they need to
gather supplies and retreating into the blight
Unstable Demon
when pursued. Some principled lowlander clans
This demon is a barely controlled chaos, it svery
may try to avoid bloodshed and take only what
form constantly twisting and warping
they need, but the villages they take from would
Implode: If the Unstable Demon reaches its
nearly all see it differently.
overcharge counter, it explodes, destroying the
demon and dealing light godly damage as an area
Many lowlanders have developed a semi-
effect to all non-demon characters on the
religious respect for the dungeons that in its
battlefield.
worse forms can manifest as cult-like reverence.
Chaos: Unstable demon attacks inflict all four
blights
Kin: Lowlanders are kin, can be bargained with,
and will flee or surrender if heavily outnumbered
Color Demon or heavily losing a fight
This demon is a color that cannot be named. • Motivations: Lowlanders nearly always fight
Looking at it too long hurts. for territory or supplies. Negotiating for them
Distorted Soul: for passage through their territory usually
• When not bloodied, gain resistance to all involves doing a favor or payment, and they
physical damage and gain flying. All magical typically respect fair deals. They prefer to take
damage against this demon is godly. captives in battle and ransom them back later.
• When bloodied, gain resistance to all magic They are survivors and won't hesitate to back
damage and gain Absorb Aether. All physical down from a fight they know they will lose -
damage against this demon is godly. conversely, they won’t hesitate to exploit
• Absorb Aether (1/round): Gain 1 vigor weaknesses.
when a magic ability is used in range 3. Faction blight: Poisoned
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Terrain expert: Ignores terrain disadvantage, Lowlanders tasked with carving and preparing
difficult, and dangerous terrain. monster meat for consumption, an important
Lowlander Toxin: All attacks by lowlanders task in every clan, leaving their frames corded
gain on hit: inflict lowlander toxin. A character with muscle.
afflicted by lowlander toxin loses 1 hp at the start
of their turn, ignoring resistance, armor, and Round Slash (1 action, recharge 5+): All
vigor. This effect cannot be cleansed and only characters adjacent to the butcher must save or
ends when combat ends, or a character is become vulnerable.
defeated. Does not stack. Relentless hacking: 1/round, when the butcher
Suddenly!: Once a round, at the start of any hits a foe with an attack, they mark that foe. This
Lowlander turn, the GM can spring a lowlander mark cannot be cleared, and stacks indefinitely.
trap in any unoccupied space not in range 2 of a For each stack of this mark, the butcher deals
player character. The trap is a size 1 intangible boosted damage to that character. All stacks of
summon. Choose one of the following traps: this mark mark immediately end on one character
• Snare trap - A character in range 3 of the trap if the butcher hits and marks a different character
must save or be shoved towards the trap until with an attack.
adjacent and have their speed reduced to 0 until
the trap is disarmed. Mule
• Stake trap - Trap creates difficult and Strong or burly lowlanders that carry supplies
dangerous terrain in adjacent spaces. through dangerous terrain over a long distance.
• Poison trap - Trap creates dangerous terrain They can do the same with captives.
in adjacent spaces. Characters that end their Kidnap (2 actions, recharge 4+): The mule
turn in the area are poisoned and inflicted with dashes in a straight line 3 spaces, phasing through
lowlander toxin. characters. The first foe it encounters must save
or the mule moves into that foe’s space. That foe’s
All traps can be disarmed by a character taking maximum speed is reduced to 0, it shares the
the interact action adjacent. The trap remains on mule’s space, and it moves while the mule moves.
the field, but its effects are no longer active. The kidnapped foe can repeat this save at the end
of their turn to end this effect, placing them in an
Lowlanders are not affected by their own traps, or adjacent free space. It also ends if the mule is
their effects. Traps remain even if deactivated. stunned or shoved.
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Wrangle (1 action, recharge 5+): Effect: lowlander toxin on them is tripled and they are
Teleport 1, then shove a foe 1. Repeat this effect slow.
three times. Noxious World: When overdrive triggers, the
entire battlefield becomes dangerous terrain.
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their ancient lords, so long ago that even they Jotunn have no restricted sub-templates. Instead,
have forgotten. Others seek out the cities and pick a type of Jotunn, which limits its job
towns of Kin, finding purpose in labor, learning, selection and gives it some traits and actions.
or battle.
Heavy Jotunn
The slaying of the titans scattered their blood
across the land, where it sunk smoking into the
earth. The Jotunn that have emerged from the Beastblood Jotunn
earth in the millennia since then have all Jotunn born of beast titans are part or at least
emerged insane, and driven only by the pain and wholly of animal form, fanged, and blessed with
rage of their dying progenitors, going on freezing breath.
rampages until they are slain or collapse dead Ferocity: On the first round of combat, double
from exhaustion. this foe’s speed
Frost breath (1 action, recharge 5+): Target
Older Jotunn often seek out their insane kin in a close blast 1 area. Characters within are inflicted
order to put them down or out of some faint hope with frostbite and must save or become winded.
for salvation, hoping for some final end to their Winded or frostbitten characters also take light
pain. piercing damage.
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Wildblood Jotunn
This arboreal titan is more plant than kin,
shaggy with leaves and bark.
Traits: Slow
Brittle Flesh: Starts combat at only 50% hp,
with vigor 2
Adaptive bark: While it has vigor, magic
damage becomes godly and become resistant to
physical damage. While it has no vigor, physical
damage becomes godly and becomes resistant to
magic damage.
Growing Season (1/round): When damaged
by an ability or action, drops a fruit, an intangible
summon in a space in range 2. Self or allies can
pass through the space to be cleansed (end all
blights, end a mark, or save against all
conditions). This destroys the summon. Foes can
pass through the space and destroy the fruit, but
are poisoned and staggered.
Artillery Jotunn
Starblood Jotunn
A jotunn born of the multicolored blood of the
Outsider, the observer titan. Tend to be avian in
appearance.
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DEEPTOWE
Deeptower is a simple expedition for level 1 or The top of the tower broke off and was lost
level 2 characters. Try it at level 2 if you want to somewhere during its ascent from the deep earth,
test limit breaks and for characters to have more but the bottom half is still intact. The Chroniclers
options. You can use it as a jumping off point to who noted the event on their seismographs have
get people into the game and write your own named the sinister ruin Deeptower.
material.
Persons of Interest and hook
REWARDS: 6 xp, 3 dust. There’s some extra Here are some folk that players might run into in
arkentech and dust possible, and camp upgrade. town, and a quick description of each. You can use
CAMPS: 1 any or all of them as hooks for players to go to the
tower.
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Quell
Trogg, Churner, she/her
Quell is a Churner, a traveling merchant who was
in town for the night when the tower surfaced.
She has a dark sense of humor and keeps her true
intentions hidden.
Hook: Quell knows towers like this can have
powerful arkenrelics hidden deep inside, and paid
Yu’s sons to go scout it out, not expecting them to
actually enter the tower. She felt so terrible about
what happened that she pulled some strings and
hired a mercenary band, Carel’s Brigadiers, to go
get the kid out. The band is still at the tower and
hasn’t returned. She’s genuine in her remorse, but
secretly has also promised the band she’ll fence
any relics they find as payment. She’s not
planning on actually selling the relics, but intends
to split town as soon as she gets her hands on
anything. She might get the characters to go fix
her problem for her, promising payment.
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The Towe
Setting out for the tower is not a particularly hard
journey, though a lot of it is uphill. The tower,
when it comes into view, juts out of the
mountainside like a broken fang, the top split off,
leaving part of it open to the air. The earth around
its base is torn up and characters who linger in the
area will occasionally feel minor seismic tremors
in the earth.
4. The Knigh
Then fill the remaining with the following
enemies depending on your players and
preferences: A crumpled figure in ancient arkentech amor has
collapsed on an altar at the end of the room here,
lit by a sunbeam. Adjacent to the altar is a stair
Fused Brute leading down. Rows of stone pews mark the way
Wight Summoner there.
Wraith Illwright
Wraith Skulk A dark miasma has seeped from the knight’s
helmet, a curling black mist that seeps across the
floor and sinks low across the stone, which looks
corroded.
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Carel
It’s a 6 or 8 segment clock to try and move across Thrynn Guilder, he/him
this room safely and deal with the knight Well dressed, callous, calculating
somehow without touching the life-leeching • Carel is willing to talk and negotiate with the
miasma, which can inflict harsh strain on the players, especially if Quell sent them.
players. Removing the helm will cause the body • Carel knows that Gwyn is somewhere down in
within and the armor to collapse into dust. the lowest level - he can hear the boy calling out
for help sometimes.
Rewards • Carel knows there’s a patrol of Imperials from
The helm is a dangerous arkenrelic worth 2 dust if the city Encross that landed by airship about a
players take it out. It can be investigated with an day away and have entered the lower levels
action or two from the players to learn that the somewhere. He’s deciding whether it’s worth
helm is broken. It can be fixed as a minor risking his men’s lives to tussle with the
ambition during an interlude to gain the imperials. If characters can deal with the
following: imperials, he’ll let them use the key he has to get
into the pit.
Helm of Mist • Carel is planning to double cross Quell and Yu
Arkentech and try to ransom Gwyn back to the town. He
Effect: Activate this arkentech to start a combat might let this slip accidentally, or if the players
with Stealth presss him.
Uses: 3 • Carel has the key to the door to the Pit, rather
conspicuously around his neck. He also has a
The stairs lead down to area 11: THE WELL key to the cell in area 7 where Marat is being
kept.
2A: THE GALLERY, UPSTAIR • Carel and his men have already clearly looted
the top levels of the ruins
The top of this room is open to the sky and
elements. Greenery has poured in over the edges If negotiations go poorly, he’s not beyond
over the last few days. There’s a narrow corridor attempting to rob them blind (of any dust they’re
going to area 6. This room has a couple of grates carrying), knock them out, and kick them out of
with bars in them, behind which is darkness. the tower. If Carel’s band is defeated, he’ll
Investigation of the spaces shows that they were surrender and leave the tower if asked.
empty but once may have served as cells. One of
them has someone inside (7). If characters use the key to get into the pit, Carel
and his men will attempt to ambush the
5. OLD GATEHOUS characters on the way out. They will demand any
A second gatehouse juts out of the building here. treasure the players found as a finders fee,
It’s a little climb up. Climbing without alerting the fighting the players if they refuse. Canny
Relict in area 1 or Carel in area 6 is probably a 6 characters can also get away before they’re cut off.
segment clock that could end in a fight or a
confrontation. Cado is happy to point the ENCOUNTER: CAREL’S BRIGADIER
characters here.
Carel is an elite and takes up 2 points:
The gatehouse door is ajar and voices can be Shank Rogue
heard from behind it. Crumbled pillars have
almost sealed it off, but there's enough space to The rest can be filled from the following, at 1 pt
squeeze through. each:
Ruffian Arbalest
6. CAREL’S BRIGAD
Looter Sledge
The mercenary scavenger Carel and his men are Shank Assassin
here, camped out across the bridge. Ruffian Incanter
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If fought in area 6, the levers on the map can be One of the lords very obviously held a key in her
pulled with the interact action (1 action) to raise hands, but that key is missing (Carel in room 6
or lower the bridges on the map. has it).
7. MARAT, THE TRADE The entrance to room 9 is barricaded and will take
Inside this cell is a Xixo Leggio trader (upbeat, muscle to get through unless the barricades are
talkative, they/them), named Marat. They don’t removed from the other side. Characters
seem particularly concerned about being locked in attempting to get through the barricades might
a cell, telling characters they can get out any time. alert the imperial patrol in room 9.
In fact, Carel locked Marat in here after catching
them in the ruin just yesterday. 9. THE FIFTH ENCROSS LEGIO
A patrol from the Fifth Encross Legion has set up
Marat has some extra elixirs, will trade them for 1 here after landing their airship a day or so away
dust (1 dust, or 1 dust worth of goods for 1 elixir), and marching in on foot. Encross is a large city-
and will loudly try and get characters to buy, state with a cruel patrician and ambitions to
possibly alerting Carel in room 6. They will also become a nation-state. Fortunately, it is rather far
constantly hint to the characters about Carel and away, and this is only a scout patrol.
his band in room 6 and ask if they come across a
key to return and let them out (it’s no trouble, The gallery is open to the air at points. Characters
really). can climb in down the cliff face and through the
window, but it might be a tough endeavor
2C: SUBLEVEL (probably a 4 or 6 clock at least). Complications,
This level is dark, with little light penetrating it. other than falling or slipping, could involve
Sprawled across the landing here are desiccated, alerting the imperials.
skeletal remains. The stair down is blocked by
debris and climbing safely to area 3 will require The imperials arrived a day ago, trying to make it
some action by the players. down to the bottom chamber in order to retrieve
the artifact they suspect is there. They have no
The hall to the east (that would go to area 11) is idea about Cado and Gwyn, though they are aware
blocked by debris that could be cleared by a of Carel and his men. They lost a soldier to the
superpowered action. The hall to the west is open, armor demon exploring area 10, and after
but the heavy stomping of armored feet can be checking out area 11 have determined there may
heard down it. be a way down to the lower level through the well
there.
8: THE COURTYAR
The commanding officer of the patrol is Hela
Valstrakker.
In the center of this courtyard is a huge statue of
imperious looking Arkenlords, decayed over time.
Hela
Braziers set into of the stone in this room glow
Beastfolk (garou), Guilder/Imperial, she/her
with artificial green fire.
Ambitious, patriotic, confident, disdainful.
Hela wears a suit of arkentech power armor which
At the pinnacle of one of the arkenlord’s staffs is a
gives her a bulky frame and an oversized sense of
massive looking ruby, which nobody seems to
confidence.
have noticed it. Grabbing it, it can be sold later for
2 dust. On investigation, the hollow eyes of the
Hela’s orders are to secure the tower and retrieve
statues are trapped and will shoot beams of
the artifact from its lower levels at all costs. She’s
lightning at characters that venture close. It’s easy
willing to talk to the players, but may try and get
enough to skirt around the edge of the room to
them to stand down or surrender first, attacking if
avoid the traps. Climbing up the statue without
they refuse. If she defeats the players, she’ll
falling, making a ton of noise, or activating a trap
capture and interrogate them, but probably let
in the room is fairly risky, and requires a clock.
them go. If defeated, she’ll try and retreat with her
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Officer Knuckle
Ironfeather Shortbow
Howler Impaler
Fill out the rest of the encounter with the
following options, costing 1 point each: Gulper Siegewright
Legionnaire Soldier
Stalker Berserker
Legionnaire Siegewright
Artillerist Commander Clearing the toad from the well reveals a set of
Imperial Spy Shortbow stairs going down.
The pools of oil (difficult terrain) on the map can 10. BATTLE CHAMBE
be ignited by damaging them with any magic
attack (attacks auto hit) or attack that inflicts The sounds of heavy footfalls echo through this
burning. They become difficult and dangerous room, which is filled with the crumpled skeletal
terrain. remains of warriors, and the broken armors of
Relict.
Alliance: If they promise to help clear out the
courtyard for the Imperials or fight Carel for his The center of the room has a sunken
key and are successful, Hela will accompany the Sarcophagus-like structure, the relict node. A
characters in their fight with the Nocturnal. statue atop this node once held a huge gleaming
mace, almost as big as a man, but it has been torn
11. THE WEL
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from the deeps, but there’s still a thin film of which will allow characters to enter the room
water and clinging on the floor here. before attacking if it notices them.
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• If Carel and his band haven’t been defeated, and If you can deal with it, the patrician will pay you
the imperials are still active, they’ll give up and personally.
split town, taking their loot with them • The second part of the tower surfaces nearby.
• If Carel is still around but the imperials are not • Marat finds your band and has a proposal: bring
a factor, he’ll let characters leave with Gwyn, but them back to their Leggio family, a few days
demand they cut him and his brigade in on the from here. There’s a big problem though -
valuables, including the elixir stone. He can be Marat has a terrible price on their head.
convinced otherwise with a lot of effort (or
healthy intimidation), otherwise he will attack.
• If Hela and the Imperials are around and on
good terms with the players, and Carel has left,
she’ll let them go with their valuables and Gwyn,
but demand the Elixir stone before they leave,
or she’ll order her soldiers to take it by force.
She can be convinced otherwise, but it’s
difficult.
• Neither Carel nor Hela will kill player characters
if they can help it. If players are defeated, they’ll
be dumped somewhere outside the tower, with
Gwyn. Carel will rob them and split town, Hela
will take the stone, leave them with 2 dust, and
leave.
Aftermat
Hook
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