Archaic Careers

Alchemist (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: herbalism, alchemy

Attributes: LOG +1, END +1, MAG +1, REP +1

Skill choices: cooking, brewing, alchemy, concentration, healing, animal handling

Alchemists mix potions and substances, and transforms substances from one to another. Creating elixirs of life in bubbling cauldrons and seeking the secrets of magical chemistry, alchemists are true creators. Many make a living selling their concoctions. Unlike herbalism, alchemy involves a touch of magic.

For each alchemical concoction, you should roll and note down an Alchemical Science result. This describes the nature of the concoction, whether it requires you to dilute amber in a jade keg, or cool mercury in a ruby flute.

• Explosive alchemy. You can create an explosive concoction using your alchemy kit. This takes a full round (two actions), and the concoction can be thrown (range increment 3, radius 5', damage 3d6 fire). The concoction can only be stored for 5 minutes before it stops working.

• Healing potion. You can use your alchemy kit to heal 2d6 HEALTH in yourself or any creature you can touch. No creature may benefit from this more than once per day.

• Gaseous concoction (requires Concoction, alchemy 5). Your concoction can be thrown in a glass bottle which breaks on inpact, causing a 10' radius area of gas.

• Greater healing potion (requires Healing Potion, alchemy 3). Your healing ability using your alchemy kit improves. You may now restore 3d6 HEALTH.

• Concoction. Choose one condition. You can spend five minutes to create a concoction which, when drunk (and a MAG vs. the appropriate DEFENSE attack is made), gives the target that condition. You may take this exploit multiple times, choosing a new condition each time.

• Strong concoction (requires Concoction, alchemy 3). One concoction you can create using the Concoction exploit now gives the target the severe stage of the condition.

• Sticky concoction (requires Concoction, alchemy 3). You may turn your concoction into a substance which can be delivered via a blade or an arrow. Apply an already-created concoction to an edged weapon. The next successful damaging attack made by that weapon will deliver the concoction to the target as though it had drunk it. This only lasts for one successful attack or for five minutes, whichever comes first.

• Protective oil. You may spend 5 minutes to create a an oil which, when smeared over a creature, grants it SOAK 2 against one damage type. This is enough to protect against climate-based effects.

Archer (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: AGI 3+

Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, LUC +1, REP +1

Skill choices: bows, perception, carousing, survival

You joined the army as an archer, manning walls and front lines in times of war.

• Long shot. You have an eye for distance. You can double the range increment of a bow.

• Bowyer. You know how to maintain your equipment. One standard quality bow becomes a high quality weapon, as long as you spend an hour maintaining it every day.

• Careful aim. When aiming, your bonus to hit increases to +2d6.

• Rapid shot. Your rate of fire increases; once per turn you can fire two shots instead of one.

• Stand your ground. As long as you do not move, you can plant arrows in the ground and loose two shots every action.

• Double shot. You notch two arrows and let both fly simultaneously. Each must be directed at a different target, and both targets must be within 10' of each other. You cannot combine this ability with any other exploits.

• Intercepting shot (requires INT 8+; Rapid Shot). You can shoot another arrow out of the sky as a reaction. Roll an opposed attack roll against that of the attacker's arrow; if you succeed, the arrow is split and falls harmlessly to the ground.

Assassin (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: stealth

Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, WIL +1, REP +1

Skill choices: stealth, thievery, perception, intimidate, disguise, [melee weapon], [ranged weapon], herbalism

A killer for hire, you mastered the skills of assassination.

• Surprise attack. If you successfully hit a target before it becomes aware of you, you gain a +2d6 damage bonus.

• Death blow (requires Surprise Attack). Your damage bonus for attacking unaware targets increases to +4d6.

• Poison resistance. You become resistant to poisons, gaining SOAK 5 poison and an additional die in your countdown die pool when poisoned.

• Quiet kill. You are a master of silent death. Any target you kill during the ambush turn dies silently and without obvious visible signs. Nobody will notice that the target is dead for one minute, and will require a Strenuous [21] INT check to realize it thereafter.

• Weak point. Once per enemy you may ignore any SOAK score it possesses by targeting a weak spot. You can never use this ability on the same enemy again.

Barbarian (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: None

Attributes: STR +1, END +1, AGI +1, INT +1

Skill choices: swords, axes, spears, [physical], [outdoor], hardy, herbalism

Tribal warriors from the very fringes of civilization, barbarians are wild and uncouth. Barbarians exemplify physical prowess and natural prowess, but can feel uncomfortable in enclosed spaces.

• Fleet of foot. In an outdoor environment, you gain a +2 bonus to your SPEED.

• Mighty leap. Your horizontal free jump distance increases by 5' (one square).

• Set in the old ways. You gain +5 to your MENTAL DEFENSE.

• Primal charge (requires Fleet of Foot). When charging, you howl and screech, moving twice your SPEED and gaining +2d6 to damage.

• Hides & skins. You know how to make the most out of basic gear. Hide armor worn by a barbarian counts as one quality level higher than it actually is.

• Leathery skin. You gain +2 natural SOAK from hard, conditioned, leathery skin.

• Iron skin (requires Leathery Skin). Your natural SOAK bonus increases to +4.

• Sacred terrain. Choose a terrain type, such as forest, plains, ocean, or mountains. When in that terrain, you gain a +1d6 to all dice pools; however, when not in that terrain, you suffer a -1d6 penalty to all dice pools.

• Beastly visage. You have modified your body in various ways (scars, tattoos, piercings) as to make yourself as intimidating as possible. With a CHA vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack, you can give a target within 30' who can see and hear you the Afraid condition.

• Scarred visage (requires Beastly Visage, Leathery Skin). You are covered in scars. You are immune to the Bleeding condition.

• Keen senses. You gain +1d6 to perception checks.

• Trophy collection (requires Set In The Old Ways). You collect gruesome trophies from your vanquished foes – teeth, skills, bones, etc. Each trophy replenishes one LUCK die in your LUCK dice pool, and loses its power once the LUCK die is spent. You may only claim a trophy if you delivered the killing blow to a creature of Medium size or larger.

• Reap the whirlwind. You may spend two actions to make one melee attack against every adjacent foe. You cannot add additional exploits to these attacks.

• Feral. You gain a bite attack; your natural damage increases by +1d6 and becomes piercing damage.

• Natural serenity (requires Sacred Terrain). In your chosen sacred terrain, you may pause for five minutes once per day, reflecting on nature and speaking to the Old Gods, to recover your full HEALTH.

Battle Mage (1d6 years)

You trained for the battlefield, learning to fight alongside soldiers on the field of war.

Prerequisites: MAG 6+, tactics

Attributes: LOG +1, AGI +1, END +1, MAG +1

Skill Choices: tactics, evocation, abjuration, transformation, staves, leadership

• Arcane Shield. You gain SOAK  6 from a permanent arcane shield, which surrounds you while you are awake. This does not stack with other forms of SOAK .

• Area Specialist. You are expert at area-of-effect battlefield spells. You pay half the normal MP price for area of effect.

• Armored Wizard. You are adept at wearing armor. If you don’t already have it, you gain 6 ranks (3d6) in medium armor. Medium armor which you wear and inscribe with battle runes gains +2 SOAK  beyond that which is would ordinarily offer.

• Artillery. One role of a battle mage is as artillery support for infantry. You pay half the normal MP price for range.

• Master of Terrain. You understand that terrain is an important factor in war. You may make a 30' diameter area within 100' difficult terrain for one minute as a single action.

• Siege Mage. Your spells ignore the SOAK of non-organic objects such as walls and doors.

Berserker (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: STR 6+, Feral exploit

Attributes: STR +1, END +1, CHA +1, LUC +1

Skill choices: sword, axe, spear, [physical], [unarmed], hardy

Some barbarians become berserkers – raging warriors of fury.

• Frenzy. You can fly into a berserk rage. When berserk, you must attack the closest enemy, and move on to the next closest thereafter. You gain SOAK +5 (even when wearing armor) and +1d6 damage. Each round you rage for, you take 1d6 damage; you do not stop raging until you pass out or until all enemies are dead.

• One with nature (requires Frenzy). When frenzied and wearing no armor, you gain a +4 MELEE DEFENSE bonus.

• Regenerate (requires Frenzy). Every time you deal a killing blow while frenzied you gain +1d6 HEALTH.

• Fearless (requires Frenzy). While frenzied, you are completely immune to fear, including the Afraid condition.

Burglar (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: stealth

Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LUC +1, REP +1

Skill choices: climbing, jumping, acrobatics, escape artist, computers, stealth, thievery, appraisal

You become a master thief, able to infiltrate the most secure of locations. Some cat burglars work for hire and conduct industrial espionage, while others prefer to steal valuable artifacts and jewels from museums and high security vaults.

• Locksmith. You gain a exceptional quality lockpicking kit. You gain a +1d6 bonus to attempts to pick locks, combinations, guess passwords, or access security panels.

• Catburglar. An expert at climbing, you do not take any die penalties in combat while climbing.

• Sixth sense. You have a sixth sense when it comes to traps, and gain a +2d6 bonus to spot them and a +1d6 bonus to avoid or disarm them.

• Climber [requires Catburglar]. Your climbing speed becomes equal to your regular SPEED.

• Grand heist. You achieve a great robbery that will be remembered for years to come. Gain a bonus 3d6 x 100gc. You may repeat this exploit, gaining 3d6x100gc each time.

Cleric [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: religion.

Attributes: WIL +1, LOG +1, CHA +1, MAG +1

Skill choices: healing, herbalism, religion, leadership. history, local knowledge, staves, maces, [magical]

The cleric devotes his or her life to a higher power, hoping to serve that power’s will. Whether the cleric serves a noble god or a vicious demon lord, he or she gains power from faith, and learns to wield powerful magic in the service of his or her deity. Clerics are also trained to be capable warriors, able to defend themselves physically if their spells fail them. Since clerics deal more in abstract realms of the soul and the spirit, their magic has a definite slant toward the intangible, generally eschewing direct offensive magic in favor of spells that affect creatures’ essence and behavior, or that make creatures more or less able to battle. Most clerics worship one specific deity from a pantheon, but still respect other members of that pantheon, even if they are not actual followers. The agendas of deities’ worshippers may conflict in the realm of mortals, but it is folly to defy even enemy deities. Thus, though a cleric may choose to change the deity he or she reveres, if the clerics truly abandons the pantheon, he or she will never be accepted by any deity, being forced to rely on mortal magic alone.

• Beatification (requires religion 6). You gain the Virtue of your god. Additionally, all damage you do is damage of that Virtue type, whatever the delivery instrument.

• Blessing/curse (requires Portfolio). You can issue a blessing or a curse. This takes one minute, lasts one hour, and affects one creature within 30'. A curse makes the target unable to access its LUC pool; a blessing grants it a bonus 3d6 to its LUC pool for the hour.

• Portfolio. Choose either the Good or the Evil virtue. If you choose the good, your touch can heal 1d6 HEALTH as a single action (although any given creature can only benefit from this once per day). If you choose the evil, it inflicts 1d6 evil damage beyond your natural damage. You may never learn the opposite Virtue to the one you chose. You may take this exploit multiple times; each time you do, your healing (or damage) increases by 1d6.

• Sense virtue (requires Portfolio). You are able to sense the presence of (but not the location of) any beings or objects within 60' with a Virtue opposite to that of the secret you chose.

Diabolist [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: religion, secret of evil

Attributes: WIL +1, CHA +1, LUC +1, MAG +1

Skill choices: [magical], religion, alchemy, concentration, [social], linguistics, knives, law

A diabolist consorts with the infernal, and dabbles in the darkest and most dangerous of magical arts – he deals with demons and devils, risking his very soul in the process. A diabolist needs a strong will, for devils and demons know the powers of temptation, deceit, and the lure of pure evil. A diabolist knows how to summon infernal creatures and bind them to his will.

• Blood magic (requires Faustian Pact). You are now able to cast spells for fewer MP by spilling your own blood. As an action, you may do either 1d6 or 2d6 damage to yourself; the MP cost of the next spell cast within one minute is reduced by the number of d6s damage you cause.

• Demonic traits (requires Faustian Pact). You begin to take on the appearance of the infernal. You may take this exploit up to six times. Each time you take it, roll 1d6 to determine the trait you gain; if a trait is duplicated, roll again.

1. Horns. +1d6 Magic Points

2. Red eyes. Darkvision 60'

3. Claws. +1d6 to unarmed damage

4. Red skin. SOAK 5 (fire)

5. Hooves. +1 SPEED

6. Tail. +1 AGILITY

• Faustian pact. Your Faustian pact begins; but power comes at a price. You gain 2d6 additional Magic Points. Whenever you cast a spell, you take damage equal to the number of MP placed in that spell. However, you know that true power comes later to those who are patient.

• Infernal mysteries. You learn the basics of diabolism. You gain the summoning, abjuration, and hexing skills at 1 rank (1d6) if you do not already have them, and learn the secret of demons.

• Imp. You gain an imp familiar which will do your bidding. It will undertake dangerous tasks, but to persuade it to do something suicidal (or near-so) requires a Difficult [16] CHA check; if you fail, your imp betrays you.

Druid [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: nature.

Attributes: INT +1, WIL +1, END +1, MAG +1

Skill choices: [outdoor], nature, healing, staves, [crafting], herbalism, [magical]

Guardians of nature, druids are attuned with the natural forces of the world. Plants and animals are their allies, and druids frequently live in the wild, deep within forests. A druid typically wields a staff or sickle.

• Animal affinity (requires Speak With Animals). With a successful CHA vs. MENTAL DEFENSE check, you can give an animal the Charmed condition for one hour.

• Animal companion. You gain an animal companion in the form of a wolf. This companion will accompany and defend you. If your companion dies, you attract a new companion in one month. However, if you abuse your companion (for example by sending it ahead to set off traps), it will leave you and you will never be able to replace the companion. The companion is bright for its species, but has no special intelligence or abilities. You may take this exploit multiple times, gaining an extra animal companion each time.

• Ageless (requires Poison Immunity). You no longer age and become effectively immortal, saving accidental death.

• Beast form. You may transform into a small or medium-sized animal (and back again) once per day for up to one hour. You cannot speak in this form, and retain your own mental attributes, but otherwise use the animal's statistics.

• Companion link (requires Animal Companion). You gain a telepathic link with your animal companion with a range of 1 mile; this enables you to send it instructions and to see through its eyes.

• Elemental druid. You gain any two of the secrets of air, earth, fire, and water.

• Greater beast form (requires Beast form). You may now change into a large or tiny animal.

• Nature's passage. You can move through woodland areas and thick undergrowth without any speed reduction, and leave no tracks or traces of your passing unless you choose to do so.

• Nature priest. You gain the secret of beasts and the secret of plants.

• Poison immunity. You become immune to all poisons and poison damage.

• Speak with animals. You may freely speak with animals, although they do not gain special intelligence or knowledge.

Enchanter (1d6 years)

A master of the mind, you seek to expand your influence and control over others.

Prerequisites: enchantment 6+, CHA 10+

Attributes: INT +1, WIL +1, CHA +1, MAG +1

Skill Choices: enchantment, compulsion, [social], hypnotism

• Deceiver. You are an expert at deception. You gain +1d6 to any attempt to verbally deceive another.

• Extended Enchantments. Your charm or enchantment spells cannot be shaken off until the spell duration expires.

• Mental Resistance. You gain +4 Mental Defense.

• Mind Reader. You are able to read the minds of those with 10' of you, immediately knowing when they are not speaking the truth.

• Mind Trick. You can impose your will on others. Make a MAG mental attack against a target within 30’; that target will perform one non-harmful action of your choosing.

• Natural Control. You are able to manipulate the minds of others easily. With a wave and a word you can move somebody who can hear and understand you one stage along a WIL status track with a successful CHA mental attack.

• Telepathy. You are able to freely send telepathic messages to those you have spent at least 8 hours with, as long as you can see them.

Firemage [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: secret of fire.

Attributes: MAG +1, AGI +1, CHA +1, LOG +1

Skill choices: [magical], [lore], [crafting], bluffing, perception, reactions, knives

Firemages are fascinated by fire. They love the way it flickers and dances; they excel at creating flames, throwing fire, and delight in creating and controlling infernos and conflagrations. Firemages can sometimes be identified by a slight sent of sulfur.

• Fiery affinity. Your focus on fire grants you +1d6 to any attribute which interacts with fire or heat.

• Firebolt (requires Flaming Touch). You can throw a bolt of fire as a single ranged attack (using your MAG attribute) which has a range increment of 30' and does 2d6 fire damage.

• Firebolt, greater (requires Firebolt). Your Firebolt's damage increases to 3d6 fire.

• Fire immunity (requires Fire Resistance). You become completely immune to fire or heat damage. Your vulnerability to cold, however, increases to 2d6.

• Fire resistance. You permanently gain SOAK 5 (fire). However, you also suffer Vulnerability (1d6) to cold.

• Firesculptor. You can 'sculpt' fire easily; any non-magical flame within 30' can be shaped or enlarged as a single action and a mere effort of will as long as it remains within 30' (things outside can catch fire as normal, but you have no control over them).

• Flaming aura (requires Flaming Touch). You gain an aura (based on your size as normal) of flame and heat, although you may suppress it easily. Creatures entering or starting a turn in this aura take 2d6 fire damage.

• Flaming touch. Your touch becomes hot enough to injure others, causing an additional 1d6 of heat damage beyond your natural damage.

• Sticky fire. Every time you damage a foe with fire, they gain the Burning condition.

Gladiator (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: None

Attributes: AGI +1, END +1, REP +1, CHA +1

Skill choices: [combat]. reactions, storytelling, intimidation, dancing, acrobatics

You fought in an arena for money and fame with a flashy combat style and a few dirty tricks.

• Gladiator's skills. You gain two of the following universal exploits: Disarm, Trip, Achilles Heel, Blinding Attack, Crippling Strike, Quickstand, Taunt. You may repeat this exploit to gain two more from the list.

• Showman. You can make a CHA vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack in combat against a single target within 30' as a standard action to put on an intimidating and flashy display of prowess. If successful, the target is becomes Afraid.

• Exhibitionist. Onlookers give you strength. If there are 6 or more non-participating people watching you fight, you replenish your LUCK pool by 1 die every time you defeat an opponent.

• Crowd's worship (requires Exhibitionist). You feed off the admiration of a crowd to the extent that if there are 6 or more non-participating people watching you fight, every time you defeat a foe, you gain 2d6 HEALTH as you bask in glory.

• Gladiator's cut. Your successful strikes give the target the Bleeding condition.

• Unusual weapon. Choose one of the following weapons: trident, net, spear. Weapons of that type count as one quality level higher when you use them.

• Signature move (requires Gladiator's Skills). Choose one exploit that you have learned from the Gladiator's Skills list. This becomes your signature move. You gain a permanent +1d6 when using that move.

• Fake wounds. Once per day, you may use your expertise in faking injuries to turn an actual blow into a pretend one. Your opponent, and all onlookers, will believe you have suffered the damage inflicted by the attack, but in fact it causes no damage at all.

• Surprise recovery (requires Fake Wounds). After using your Fake Wounds ability, you may make a single free melee attack at any point up until you make an actual regular melee attack. The free attack must be your first melee attack since using the Fake Wounds ability.

Herbalist (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: INT 4+

Attributes: LOG +1, INT +1, WIL +1, LUC +1

Skill choices: cooking, brewing, herbalism, nature, perception, gardening, healing, survival

An herbalist knows how to gather, store, prepare, and administer herbs and herbal concoctions which have a wide variety of effects. An expert herbalist can, merely from gathering resources found in nature, create ointments and mixtures which protect, heal, or ward.

For each herbal mixture, you should roll and note down an Herbal Science result. This describes the nature of the mixture, whether it is soup of the spirit-wood weed, or incense from the blue-vine nut.

• Healing herbs. As long as you have your herbalism kit on you, you can heal an ally by 1d6 of HEALTH as a single action. No creature can benefit from this healing more than once per day.

• Alleviate condition. You can automatically devise an herbal concoction to remove any condition instantly (Dazed, Blinded, and so on) by mixing the herbs you have on you and adding additional components from your surroundings as long as you have your herbalism kit on you. This takes two actions (a full turn) and removes any condition automatically.

• Herbal ward. You can create a herbal abjuration effect (equal to a 0 MP spell) at-will. It takes you one minute to prepare the herbs, and they remain usable for five minutes. Choose one creature type; any time a creature of that type attempts to come within 10' of you (or the recipient of your herbs), it is subject to a LOG vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack. On a success, it may not come any closer for five minutes, at which point it may try again. The duration of the effect is 30 minutes.

• Stimulant. You can create a herbal mixture which increases the die pool of one attribute by 1d6 for five minutes. You must choose the attribute when you select this exploit; you may select it multiple times and choose a different attribute each time. It takes one minute to create the mixture.

• Depressant. You can create a herbal mixture which decreases the die pool of one attribute by 1d6 for five minutes. You must choose the attribute when you select this exploit; you may select it multiple times and choose a different attribute each time. It takes one minute to create the mixture.

Ice Mage [1d6 years]

You mastered the cold, able to manipulate snow and ice, with a demeanor as chilling as your heart.

Prerequisites: secret of ice, evocation

Attributes: END +1, LOG +1, WIL +1, MAG +1

Skill Choices: [magical], sculpting, insight, knives, hardy

• Chilling Touch. Your very touch is icy. Your unarmed damage becomes cold damage.

• Cold Immunity. You become completely immune to cold damage; you also gain vulnerability 1d6 (fire).

• Freeze (requires Chilling Touch). Your Chilling Touch freezes your target, immobilizing them (they can shake this off). The target must be medium-sized or smaller.

• Freezing Breath. You can breathe a 15' cone of icy breath, making a ranged MAG attack against all in the area. The breath does 2d6 cold damage.

• Howling Blizzard (requires Chilling Touch). You create a localized blizzard for one minute, with a diameter of 30' centered on you. Any creature which enters or starts its turn in the blizzard takes 1d6 cold damage. The area becomes difficult terrain. The blizzard moves with you.

• Ice Javelin (requires Icicle). Your icicles can be thrown, and gain the stats of a javelin which does piercing/ cold damage.

• Ice Slick (requires Chilling Touch). Touching the ground, you create a 30' diameter slick ice sheet centered on you. You can walk on the sheet normally, but for everybody else it is difficult terrain. Anybody who moves at more than half Speed across the ice must make a Challenging [13] AGI check or fall prone.

• Icicle. You can create a sharp icicle in your hand and use it like a knife which does piercing/cold damage. This icicle is a high quality knife. You can take this exploit multiple times, increasing the quality of the knife each time.

• Icy Skin (requires Chilling Touch). Your very skin becomes cold and hard to touch. You gain natural Soak 10, but now have vulnerability 2d6 (fire) if you didn’t already have it.

Illusionist [1d6 years]

Your goal is deception. You weave complex illusions designed to baffle or confuse your foes. You are a master of deceit.

Prerequisites: illusion 6+

Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, CHA +1, MAG +1

Skill Choices: [artistic], perception, illusion, divination, disguise, stealth, bluffing, insight

• Change Self. You can make superficial changes to your appearance at will: hair color, clothing, facial hair, and so on. You cannot change race or gender, or impersonate a specific person.

• Illusory Attack. You make a ranged or melee attack against a target, but it targets their Mental Defense and does psychic damage. You can describe the attack how you wish; it does 2d6 psychic damage. You can take this exploit a second time to increase the damage to 3d6 psychic damage.

• Illusory Perception. You can’t fool a fooler. You automatically recognize illusions for what they are.

• Invisibility. Once per day you may become invisible for one minute.

• True Sight (requires Illusory Perception). You automatically see through illusions and disguises, you can see invisible creatures, and you can discern the true shape of a shapechanged creature.

Inquisitor [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: law, divination.

Attributes: END +1, INT +1, WIL +1, MAG +1

Skill choices: religion, law, interrogation, intimidation, tracking, divination, compulsion, abjuration, knives.

Inquisitors are magical bodyguards and interrogators skilled in uncovering plots and opposing enemy magic. Inquisitorial magic is subtle in its effects, with few sensory cues, but very distinctive with regard to its caster. Inquisitors learn to use their force of will to intimidate foes, and so they typically growl their spells loudly and gesture clearly at their spell’s targets. They use few directly offensive spells, though many can create flaming barriers for defense or to trap foes. Inquisitors are easily recognized for their masks, which they claim protect their souls from enemy magic. Most Inquisitor masks are wood or stone carved in the shape of bearskulls, and many Inquisitors favor bearskin cloaks. They seldom arm themselves with more than a claw-shaped dagger.

Inquisitors learn their spells from copies of old spellbooks, scribed by the founders of the Inquisitorial order centuries ago. These spellbooks are written in a civilized form of Orcish, and are closely protected by the order that owns them. Experienced Inquisitors also usually study the magic of other groups to be better able to counterspell it.

• Dispel magic (requires Sense Magic). You are able to dispel magic within 30' as a single action by making a MAG vs. MAG check against the effect you are trying to dispel.

• Inquisitor's mask. You can protect yourself from spells by hiding your soul behind a special mask. You create the mask yourself. While you wear that mask you gain a +4 MENTAL DEFENSE bonus. Also divination spells that directly target you take a -1d6 die penalty.  You must make the mask yourself, and it must be specifically designed to protect your soul. You can take this exploit a second time to create a Greater Inquisitor's Mask, which gives you +6 MENTAL DEFENSE and inflicts a -2d6 penalty to divination spells targeting you.

• Inquisitor's sight. You gain the secret of humanoids, and gain one rank in the compulsion, divination, and abjuration skills.

• Magic resistance. You gain SOAK 5 (magic). This applies to any damage caused directly by magic; it does not apply to indirect damage.

• Sense magic. You are able to sniff out magic within 60'.

Knight (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: heraldry

Attributes: STR +1, CHA +1, LUC +1, REP +1

Skill choices: lances, swords, heraldry, animal handling, riding, bravery, leadership, tactics, carousing, law

You became a knight – a mounted warrior proficient in lance, shield, and sword.

• Bonded mount. You gain a loyal warhorse. The warhorse is bonded to you, and gains +2 SPEED while you are riding it. If the warhorse dies, you can replace it after a week of mourning.

• Jouster. You can charge an enemy from horseback using your lance. This attack gains +2d6 to both attack and damage, and requires you to move on horseback at least 20' in a straight line.

• Jumper. Your horse's free JUMP distance increases by 5' horizontally, and 5' vertically.

• Honorable. Your courage and honor are such that you are immune to the Afraid condition.

• Squire (requires Bonded Mount). You gain a free squire. You must protect your squire; in exchange, one weapon or one suit of armor you possess increases by one quality level (to a maximum of artisan). If your squire dies, he is replaced in one month.

Loremaster (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: INT 4+

Attributes: LOG +2, WIL +1, MAG +1

Skill choices: [Artistic], [lore], [gaming], [magical]

A loremaster is a scholar and academic expert; years spent in libraries studying ancient texts makes loremasters amongst the most knowledgeable in the world. Loremasters even pick up some minor magical spells which help them in their studies.

• Secrets. You learn four secrets.

• Experienced. Your knowledge and expertise borders on the prophetic. Your entire party gains a +1d6 INITIATIVE bonus if they are within 30 feet of you when they make their check.

• Identify. You can automatically identify a magical item, its name, and its properties.

• Language lore. You gain the scholastic ability to speak or read any unknown language with a Difficult [16] INT check.

• Language mastery (requires Language Lore). You can now speak or read any unknown language automatically.

• Anatomist. You automatically know the resistances and vulnerabilities of any creature you encounter.

• Wise counsel. You can spend two actions to offer advice and counsel, giving one ally within 30' a +2d6 bonus to a single attribute check. Any given target can only benefit from this once per day.

• Ritual. You can cast a specific spell of 3 MP or less as a ritual; this takes one minute per MP, but costs no MP. Devise one spell and note it down. You may take this exploit more than once, creating a new ritual each time.

• Greater ritual (requires Ritual). You can now cast spells of up to 5 MP or less as a ritual.

Mage [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: one [magical] skill.

Attributes: MAG +1, LOG +1, WIL +1, REP +1

Skill choices: [magical], [lore], [academic], staves

You are practiced in the arcane arts, able to wield spells with ease. A mage is a trained magic-user – sometimes known as a wizard, or sorcerer. Able to cast a variety of spells, and well-versed in a range of lore, the mage is a generalist.

• Broad knowledge base (requires Arcane Knowledge Base). Choose two more [magical] skills and two elemental or creature secrets. You gain these two skills at 1 rank (1d6). This does not increase the rank of an existing skill.

• Arcane knowledge base. Choose four [magical] skills and one element secret. You gain these four skills at 1 rank (1d6). This does not increase the rank of an existing skill.

• Arcane secret. You have learned or discovered an arcane secret - either an element, creature type, or virtue. You can take this exploit multiple times, learning a new secret each time, but you may know no more secrets than your LOG attribute.

• Attuned. You are able to detect magic easily. You do not need to make any kind of attribute check to detect magic within 30', and are aware of its existence automatically.

• Familiar. You gain a familiar, which is a tiny-sized creature (cat, bat, owl, mouse, rat, etc.) You can speak to your familiar, which is able to report back things it has seen or heard.

• Learned. When using any [lore] skill as part of a dice pool, you may reroll any 1s.

• Specialization (requires Arcane Knowledge Base). Choose one secret that you already know. You are specialized in that secret. You may exceed your MAG attribute by 2 points when using that secret. You may only ever specialize in one secret.

Magician [1d6 years]

A master of magical entertainment, you perform on stage for money.

Prerequisites: MAG 1+, prestidigitation

Attributes: AGI +1, CHA +1, MAG +1, REP +1

Skill Choices: prestidigitation, thievery, perception, [performance], creation, displacement, illusion, movement, summoning, transformation, hypnotism

• Arrow Catch. You may catch one small missile fired at you as a reaction. You must be aware of the attack.

• Card Trick. When gambling with cards, your dice pools explode. However, if you roll three ones, your cheating methods are exposed.

• Escape Artist. Once per day you may automatically escape from any restraints or open a lock.

• Levitation. You can levitate, moving at a speed of 20' per round vertically. This does not enable you to move horizontally.

• Rabbit from a Hat. Three times per day, you may produce a small object from nowhere, up to a total value of 100 gc per day. Any item you produce in this way disappears after one minute.

• Rope Trick. You cause a rope to levitate. You can climb the rope. At the top of the rope is a tiny pocket dimension with room for one person. You may pull the rope up after you. The dimension and effect lasts for up to one hour.

• Rope Trick, Greater (requires Rope Trick). As Rope Trick, but you can fit a number of people equal to your LOG attribute in the pocket dimension.

• Vanishing Act. You can teleport short distances (5' per point of INT) to a location you can see.

Man-at-Arms (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: None.

Attributes: STR +1, END +1, WIL +1, LUC +1

Skill choices: spears, swords, [unarmed fighting], carrying, running, leadership, tactics, carousing, survival, healing

An infantryman, you fought in battle on the front lines.

• Equipped. You start play with a high quality sword, spear, or suit of chainmail.

• Hold the line. When standing adjacent to an ally, you both gain a 1d6 cover bonus.

• Advance! Proficient at charging across poor terrain or mud, you ignore terrain when charging.

• Shield-bearer. Any shield you wear increases its DEFENSE bonus by +4.

• Shield wall. When standing between two allies, all three gain a +2d6 cover bonus. This does not stack with itself or with Hold the Line.

Minstrel (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: CHA 4+

Attributes: INT +1, WIL +1, CHA +1, REP +1

Skill choices: carousing, [performance skills], [lore], [social]

You used the power of your music to earn a living.

• Instrument. You start play with a high quality musical instrument. You can make money by playing at taverns and doing local performances. You can automatically make 1d6 x 10 gc per day by doing this. This ability cannot be used during downtime.

• Song (requires Instrument). You can take this exploit multiple times, learning a new song each time. Your songs affect sentient beings who can hear and understand them. Each time you learn a song, choose one condition; that song allows you to inflict or remove that condition (e.g. Song of Cheer, Song of Courage, or Song of Tiredness). Unwilling targets require a CHA vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack.

• Beastsong (requires Song). Select a song that you know. That song will now affect beasts.

• Projection (requires Song). You use the power of your voice to increase the radius of your songs to 60'.

Musketeer (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: AGI or INT 5+

Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, CHA +1, LUC +1

Skill choices: swords, muskets, heraldry, perception, intimidate, carousing

Wielding musket and sword, you became a swashbuckling musketeer.

• Cloak flourish. You can use a cape or cloak with a flourish to distract your foes; the garment counts as a small shield, but does not require a free hand to use it.

• Musket charge. When charging with a melee weapon, you may begin your charge with a single musket shot, switch weapons, charge, and end it with a single melee strike.

• Pistol-whip. You can use a firearm as a club by striking with the butt once per turn as a free action as long as you are currently wielding only that weapon.

• Swashbuckler. Your swashbuckling swordplay gives you any two of the following universal exploits: Disarm, Sidestep, Taunt.

• Whites of their eyes. You are accustomed to standing your ground as oncoming hordes charge, firing only when you see the whites of their eyes. When charged by an opponent, you may fire a free musket or pistol shot when they come within 10' of you.

• Quick reload. You can fire your musket every action, rather than just once per turn.

Necromancer [1d6 years]

Prerequisites: secret of undead.

Attributes: LOG +1, WIL +1, CHA +1, MAG +1.

Skill choices: [magical], religion, alchemy, healing, [social], knives

A master of the dark arts, a necromancer is able to summon, bind, and control the undead. Eventually, a necromancer turns into a terrifying lich, the most powerful of undead. A necromancer knows the ways of disease, poison, and the power of fear.

• Corpse visage (requires Eyes of the Dead). Your skin and visage alter slightly, becoming more like the undead you surround yourself with. You gain 5 natural SOAK, but become Vulnerable 1d6 (Light) and your CHA attribute is reduced by 2 points (to a minimum of 2).

• Eyes of the dead. You share the senses of the undead, gaining darksight 60'.

• Necromantic Lore. You gain the skills of summoning, affliction, and creation at a rank of 1 (1d6) if you do not already have them. You also gain the secrets of death and shadow.

• One of us (requires Corpse Visage). Undead of a lower grade than yourself are unable to attack or harm you in any way.

• Touch of the grave. Your touch gains the foulness of death, doing an additional 1d6 death damage. You also kill any small (non creature) plants you come into contact with.

• Undead servant. You gain an undead slave – a skeleton or zombie – which obeys your every command until destroyed. If destroyed, you may summon a new one with a 24 hour ceremony and access to an appropriate corpse. You may take this exploit multiple times, gaining a new servant each time.

• Undeath (requires One of Us). You perform a grotesque and elaborate ceremony and become undead yourself. You are now effectively immortal, and will never die of old age, although you will still visibly age forever unless you disguise yourself with illusions. You no longer need to breathe, eat, or sleep, and you are immune to poisons.

• Vampiric touch (requires Touch of the Grave). You are able to steal the life essence of a victim for yourself. When you use your Touch of the Grave to do damage to another creature, you gain that amount of HEALTH.

Ninja (1d6 years)

You trained in a ninja clan, and learned the power of shadows.

Prerequisites: must not have left this career, except to take grades in the shinobi career, or assassin (hitogoroshi), burglar (gōtō), and herbalist (kanpō-i).

Attributes: AGI +1, END +1, INT +1, WIL +1 or CHI +1

Skill Choices: swords, knives, reactions, meditation, [physical], [subterfuge], martial arts

• Darksight. You can see in darkness as though it were normal light.

• Natural Climber (requires climbing 3). You gain a Climb speed equal to your regular Speed.

• Ninjutsu Master (requires martial arts 3). Your base unarmed damage increases to 2d6. If it is already 2d6 or higher, you gain no benefit from this exploit.

• No Misstep (requires stealth). Your stealth skills are legendary. You always reroll 1s when making an AGI check to hide.

• Physical Skill Base. You gain the following skills at one rank: stealth, climbing, acrobatics, martial arts. This does not increase an existing skill beyond 1 rank.

• Shadow Step (requires Walk Unseen). You are able to step from one shadow to another, using an action to teleport up to 30' when in darkness. This action requires expenditure of one LUC die.

• Shuriken Flurry (requires knives). You may spend all your actions to throw a flurry of 6 shuriken at your target (only one attack roll is needed). On a successful hit, the target becomes Confused.

• Vanish Before the Blade (requires Walk Unseen). As a reaction, when an attacker is about to strike you, you become invisible. If the attack misses you, you move half your Speed. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn.

• Walk Unseen (requires No Misstep). Once per day you can spend an action to become invisible for up to one minute.

• Water Walk. Once per day, you may walk on water as though it were solid ground for up to 1 minute.

• Water Walk, Greater (requires Water Walk). You may walk on water at any time as though it were solid ground.

Pirate (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: sailing

Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LUC +1, REP +1

Skill choices: sailing, navigation, climbing, swimming, carousing, swords, knives, crossbows, leadership, appraisal, thievery, law

A scourge of the high seas, you plunder for loot and fame.

• Crows nest. You have spent many hours on the lookout. You can always access the ambush turn.

• Hook. One of your hands is now a hook. You are always considered to be carrying a knife. You also gain a bonus +1 REP.

• Keelhauled. You've been keelhauled or felt the lash of the cat at least once. You gain SOAK 2.

• Rigging. You do not suffer penalties for fighting while climbing.

• Fearsome reputation. Your reputation precedes you. With a REP vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack you can intimidate a single target within 30'. If successful, the target becomes Afraid.

• Polly. You gain a small bird (crow, parrot, owl, etc.) as an animal companion. See the druid career for information on animal companions.

• Fierce reputation (requires Fearsome Reputation). Your reputation is now so fierce that you can either make the target severely Afraid, or all targets within 30' Afraid with a REP vs. MENTAL DEFENSE attack.

Prisoner (2d6 years)

Prerequisites: none.

Attributes: STR +1, END +1, INT +1, REP +1

Skill choices: intimidation, survival, [subterfuge], [unarmed fighting], knives

Your life of crime ended you up in prison where you served time; or perhaps you were a political prisoner or a prisoner-of-war. It was a tough environment and you spent most of your time just trying to survive, although you did make one or two lifelong contacts.

• Prison tough. You are mentally and physically toughened. Each time you take this exploit you gain a permanent +1 bonus to your DEFENSE and MENTAL DEFENSE. You may repeat this exploit.

• Shiv. You are easily able to improvise weapons using your surroundings – glasses, rocks, and so on. You always count as carrying a knife or club. Additionally, you know how to use it: when you do piercing damage with a small knife, you may spend a LUC die to automatically inflict the Bleeding condition.

Ranger (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: WIL 3+

Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, END +1, WIL +1

Skill choices: [outdoor], herbalism, local knowledge, swords, bows, climbing, swimming, running, stealth, navigation, tracking

Woodsman and hunter, you are a master of the outdoors. The ranger is the quintessential outdoorsman.

• Companion. You gain an animal companion, much like the druid's. This companion will accompany and defend you. If your companion dies, you attract a new companion in one month. However, if you abuse your companion (for example by sending it ahead to set off traps), it will leave you and you will never be able to replace the companion.

• Beastmaster (requires Companion). You gain a second animal companion. You can repeat this exploit, gaining a new companion each time you take it.

• Nature's secrets. You learn the secret of plants and the secret of beasts.

• Traveller. You are skilled at wilderness travel, at home under the open sky. You increase the travel increment of a group you lead by one day. You may take this exploit multiple times, increasing the travel increment by one day each time.

• Wilderness stride. You are not affected by difficult terrain caused by plants or undergrowth.

• Nature's camouflage. You can camouflage yourself to become effectively invisible at a distance of 30' or greater. You may only move at half SPEED while camouflaged, and any attack ends the effect for anybody within sight.

• Beast whisperer. You can speak to animals. This does not grant them special knowledge or intelligence, so the information you can gain is limited by their own capabilities. Neither does it guarantee friendship or cooperation.

Ruffian (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: none.

Attributes: STR +1, END +1, CHA +1, LUC +1

Skill choices: intimidation, running, brawling, clubs, knives

You fell into the fringes of society and ended up as a thug on the street, committing petty crimes for small amounts of money.

• The filth! You have developed an uncanny ability to detect the Watch. When attempting to sniff out a watchman or similar authority figure, you gain a +1d6 bonus.

• Street tough. Life on the streets is tough. You gain a natural +2 SOAK.

Sailor (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: None

Attributes: AGI +1 INT +1 LUC +1 END +1

Skill choices: sailing, navigation, fishing, climbing, swimming, carousing, clubs, knives, crossbows, leadership

At home on the sea, you spent time aboard a ship mastering the art of sailing.

• Climb the rigging. You can climb your SPEED instead of half your SPEED.

• Sea legs. You adapt to the motion of a ship; this makes you very hard to knock down. When you are knocked prone, you may make a Challenging [13] AGI check; if you succeed, you remain standing.

• Grog. While you may well enjoy a drink, you never suffer any penalties from intoxication via alcohol.

• Swimmer. You gain a SWIM speed equal to your regular SPEED.

• Hold breath (requires Swimmer). You gain two additional countdown dice when holding your breath.

• Sea weather. You are able to ignore the effects of rain, wind, mist, and fog.

• Sea shanty. By singing a sea shanty, a sailor can combat sickness and tiredness. Anyone who hears the shanty is relieved of the Sick or Fatigued condition (the sailor must choose which of the two songs he is singing).

• Any port. You may take this exploit multiple times. Each time you take it, you may designate an additional port town. At that location, you will have one contact upon whom you can (generally) rely, and one tavern at which you can drink for free.

• Lookout. Crow's nest duty is a mandatory part of a sailor's life. You gain +1d6 to perception checks.

• Peg leg. One of your legs is a wooden peg. You are used to it, so it does not negatively affect you; you gain a kick attack which increases your unarmed damage by 1d6.

Shaman [1d6 years]

You have attuned yourself to a spiritual realm that most people neither notice nor interact with.

Prerequisites: nature

Attributes: INT +1, END +1, WIL +1, MAG +1

Skill Choices: [outdoors], [magic], religion

• Ghost Warrior. You can touch—and harm—incorporeal creatures such as spirits as though they were corporeal.

• Speak with Spirits. You can see and speak to spirits. There are a surprising number of spirits inhabiting the world, and you can always find one to talk to. Once per day, you can cause a spirit to truthfully answer one yes-or-no question.

• Spirit Animal. Choose an animal with a maximum dice pool equal to yours or lower. That is your spirit animal. You are able to invoke the abilities of that animal: spend two actions and gain one of that animal’s attribute scores or skills for one minute. You can take this exploit multiple times, getting a new spirit animal each time; the new one is in addition to your existing animal(s).

• Spiritual Energy. You gain energy from your companion spirits, who provide you with power to cast spells. Once per day you may cast a spell you would normally be able to cast, but you do not expend the MP needed to do so.

• Spirit Ward. You create a 30' diameter circle that spirits and other incorporeal creatures cannot enter. This circle stays in place until you create a new circle. You may only create one circle per day.

Shinobi [1d6 years]

Your ninja training specialized in disguise and infiltration.

Prerequisites: must not have left this career, except for grades in the ninja career.

Attributes: AGI +1, CHA +1, INT +1, WIL +1 

Skill Choices: swords, knives, reactions, meditation, [subterfuge], martial arts, herbalism

• Facechanger (requires Perfect Disguise). Once per day you may change your face to exactly resemble somebody else. This takes two actions and lasts for up to one hour.

• Infiltration Skill Base. You gain the following skills at 1 rank: disguise, stealth, thievery, escape artist. This does not increase an existing skill above 1 rank.

• Perfect Disguise (requires disguise). As long as you concentrate (requires one action per round) your disguise fools any but close family members.

• Poison Immunity (requires Poisoner). Your resistance to poisons increases. You become immune to poison damage.

• Poisoned Weapon (requires Poisoner). You can spend an hour per day creating 1d6 doses of poison which can be applied to a ninja-to or a shuriken. The poison, on a successful hit which does damage, continues to cause 1d6 poison damage per round for 1d6 rounds. Applying the poison takes two actions, and it lasts for five minutes once applied. If not used, poison doses become inert after 24 hours.

• Poisoner. You are an expert at poison use, and gain 5 SOAK (poison). Water Breathing. You can breathe underwater as though it were normal air.

Smith (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: STR 4+

Attributes: STR +1, END +1, LOG +1, REP +1

Skill choices: [crafting], [artistic], appraise

A smith is a master metalwork. Blacksmith, weaponsmith, armorer, a smith is able to create, maintain, and even enchant a warrior's tools. Many smiths combine traditions of smithing and alchemy to learn how to make magical weapons and armor.

• Maintenance. You know how to maintain equipment. Designate one standard quality suit of armor or a weapon; this item becomes high quality, as long as you spend an hour maintaining it every day.

• Lore of the Masters. You are able to identify rare or magical weapons and armor without making an attribute check.

• Chink in the armor. You know armor, and its styles well, including the weaknesses of each type. Once per suit of armor, you may ignore its SOAK value when attacking.

• Forge (requires weaponsmithing or armorer). You forge yourself a single standard quality weapon (weaponsmithing) or suit of armor (blackmithing), which you gain for free.

• Quality forge (requires Forge; weaponsmithing 4 or armorer 4). You forge yourself a single high quality weapon (weaponsmithing) or suit of armor (blackmithing); you must pay for the standard quality version, but it becomes high quality automatically.

• Exceptional forge (requires Quality Forge; weaponsmithing 7 or armorer 7). You forge yourself a single exceptional quality weapon (weaponsmithing) or suit of armor (blackmithing); you must pay for the standard quality version, but it becomes exceptional quality automatically. You may repeat this exploit.

• Master forge (requires Exceptional Forge; weaponsmithing 10 or armorer 10). You forge yourself a single mastercraft quality weapon (weaponsmithing) or suit of armor (blackmithing); you must pay for the standard quality version, but it becomes mastercraft quality automatically. You may repeat this exploit.

• Artisanal forge (requires Master Forge; weaponsmithing 12 or armorer 12). You forge yourself a single artisanal quality weapon (weaponsmithing) or suit of armor (blackmithing); you must pay for the standard quality version, but it becomes artisanal quality automatically. You may repeat this exploit.

• Legendary forge (requires Artisinal Forge; MAG 3+;; weaponsmithing 15 or armorer 15). You forge yourself a single legendary quality weapon (weaponsmithing) or suit of armor (blackmithing); you must pay for the standard quality version, but it becomes legendary quality automatically. You may repeat this exploit.

• Alchemical weapon (requires Master Forge, Sticky Concoction, MAG 4+). You combine the Sticky Concoction ability from the Alchemist career and Master Forge or greater from the Smith career, the weapon you created permanently gains the effect granted by the Sticky Concoction. You may repeat this exploit.

• Alchemical armor (requires Exceptional Forge, Protective Oil, MAG 2+). You combine the Protective Oil ability from the Alchemist career and Exceptional Forge or greater from the Smith career, the armor you created permanently gains the extra protection granted by the Protective Oil. You may repeat this exploit.

Soothsayer (1d6 years)

You make a living using some form of divination, whether astrology, palmistry, or tasseography; or perhaps you even speak with the dead.

Prerequisites: divination, astrology

Attributes: INT +1, CHA +1, MAG +1, LUC +1

Skill Choices: divination, astrology, insight, gambling, fortune-telling, bluffing, religion

• Cold Reading. You are adept at reading the faces and body language of others, as well as other clues, signals, and even simple probabilities. You can ask somebody a question, and get a truthful answer (even if verbally they say the opposite) with a CHA mental attack.

• Reading the Signs. Choose a fortune-telling method, whether it be astrology, palmistry, casting bones, or anything else you choose. Once per day you may use this method to find one piece of information. Ask the GM a question; the GM will answer it truthfully, although may do so cryptically.

• Speak with Dead. You may speak to corpses and ask them questions. This does not compel them to answer, or grant them knowledge they wouldn’t already have, but they can answer questions about their lives, things they witnessed while alive, or the manner of the death. They have no knowledge of events that transpired after their death.

• See the Future. Once per day you may roll an attribute check and, after seeing the result, decide whether or not to take that action.

• There Is No Fate. You can see the moment of your death, and take steps to avoid it. Once, if an attack would reduce you to zero HEALTH, you may ignore that attack and the damage it caused. Once you have used this exploit, you cannot use it again.

Squire (1 year)

Prerequisites: none.

Attributes: AGI +1, CHA +1, LUC +1, REP +1

Skill choices: lances, swords, heraldry, carrying, healing, animal handling, riding, bravery

You spent time as a squire to a noble knight. While some move straight into knighthood, paying your dues as a squire is the only way to truly rise to the top of the knightly tradition. You can always tell a knight who wasn't a squire first, as he lacks some of the basics.

• Sword-sharpener. You know how to maintain your (or your liege's) equipment. One standard quality suit of armor and one standard quality melee weapon becomes high quality, as long as you spend an hour maintaining it every day.

• Etiquette. You learn the ways of court and castle; you gain a +1d6 bonus in situations which involve courtly etiquette, music, dance, and chivalry.

• Loyal guardian. You are able to protect a fallen ally. An unconscious character in an adjacent square cannot be further harmed while you remain adjacent to him; instead you take half damage (round down) from any attacks. In addition, you gain a +1d6 bonus to LOG checks made to stabilize a fallen character or to perform emergency healing on the battlefield.

• Standard-bearer. You can carry a flag or banner which grants allies who can see it +1d6 to INITIATIVE checks.

• Dress wounds. You can heal 1d6 HEALTH using a basic healer's kit; this costs two actions. No recipient can benefit from this more than once per day.

Undead Hunter (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: religion.

Attributes: LOG +1, WIL +1, CHA +1, LUC +1

Skill Choices: religion, abjuration, tracking, history, herbalism, linguistics, medicine

An expert on the undead, you have vowed to hunt and destroy them. Your academic research and knowledge are powerful weapons against your immortal foes. Many undead hunters choose to learn a little magic, also.

• Death Bane. Using an herbalism kit, you can create a death bane—an ointment or natural amulet (such as the stereotypical garlic vs. vampires). This grants

• you +4 DEFENSE vs. the undead. Death Ward. You learn the secret of undead.

• Divine Strike. Your attacks do Good damage to the undead.

• Lore of the Dead. You can identify undead creatures by sight and know their weaknesses.

• Special Enemy (requires Lore of the Dead). Choose one type of undead. You become known as a hunter of that type of undead (e.g. a Vampire Hunter), and gain +2 REP. You automatically ignore any natural SOAK that that creature possesses (although not armor SOAK).

• Stalwart. You become immune to fear effects caused by the undead.

• Stench of Death. You can sense the presence of the undead within 30'.

• Turn Undead (requires Stalwart). You can make a CHA vs. Mental Defense attack which affects all undead within 30' of you. Undead affected by this attack become Afraid.

Warrior-monk (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: religion or martial arts

Attributes: AGI +1, END +1, INT +1, WIL +1

Skill choices: martial arts, acrobatics, religion, philosophy, dancing, [artistic], staves

You became a member of a militant monastic order, and were trained in philosophy and martial arts.

• Martial technique base. You gain two of the following universal exploits: Trip, Throw, Sidestep, Flying Kick. You may take this exploit again to gain the remaining two exploits.

• Iron fist. Your unarmed damage increases by 1d6.

• Martial leap. Increase both your vertical and horizontal JUMP distances by 5'.

• Defensive stance. You gain +4 to your MELEE DEFENSE. This does not stack with Drunken Fist.

• Weapon synthesis. When using any Oriental weapon, you gain one free unarmed melee atatck whenever you make two weapon attacks.

• Drunken fist. When intoxicated through alcohol, you gain +4 to your MELEE DEFENSE. This does not stack with Defensive Stance.

• Iron skin. Your training grants you +2 natural SOAK.

• Elemental fist (requires Iron Fist, MAG 2+). Your fist is surrounded by the glow of elemental energy. The damage type becomes heat, and does an additional +1d6 damage.

• Mountain stance (requires Defensive Stance). You become as immobile as a mountain. No knockdown or knockback attempt by a creature of your size or smaller will work against you.

• Zen mind. You gain +4 to your MENTAL DEFENSE.

Watchman (1d6 years)

Prerequisites: None.

Attributes: END +1, INT +1, LUC +1, REP +1

Skill Choices: swords, clubs, perception, thievery, interrogation, tracking, intimidate, law, local knowledge

A town guard or local police force, you enforce the law.

• Vigilant. Constantly vigilant, you are hard to surprise. You gain a +1d6 die bonus to access the ambush turn.

• Chaser. When chasing someone, your SPEED increases by +2.

• Clues. If there are clues to be discovered at the scene of a crime, you automatically find them within 5 minutes.

• Sap. You gain a special sap attack, used to knock out and apprehend criminals. You use any weapon; you do no damage, but a successful attack pushes the target along the Alertness status track by one stage for each 5 points of damage you would have done.

• Troublesense. You are able to spot trouble before it happens. You gain a +1d6 bonus to INITIATIVE checks.

Witch/Warlock (1d6 years)

While many believe you dabble in dark arts, you are a practitioner of natural, although somewhat primitive, magic.

Prerequisites: none.

Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, WIL +1, MAG +1

Skill Choices: hexes, transformation, divination, compulsion, herbalism, alchemy, cooking, knives

• Backstab. You leap onto the back of a target (you must be behind the target to do this); on a successful hit, you plunge your dagger repeatedly into the target’s back, doing double damage. If the attack misses, you instead fall to the ground and land prone.

• Evil Eye. You make a MAG mental attack at a target within sight. On a success, that target is unable to access its LUC pool for one hour.

• Maniacal Cackle. You let loose a deranged cackle that disturbs all who hear it. You make a MAG mental attack against those within 30’; on a hit, targets are made afraid.

• Raven’s Flight. Once per day you may transform into a raven, with a Fly speed of 10. You immediately moves that speed. You can only use this ability once per day.

• Sacrificial Dagger. When using a knife or dagger, you automatically inflict the Pained condition.

• Torturous Curses. You make a MAG mental attack against a creature within 30’, and on a success the target becomes cursed; they can shake off the curse as though it were a regular condition.   Each time you take this exploit, choose one of the following curses:

  • Amateur’s Amnesia. Cursed creatures are unable to remember the thing they do the best—for example, for a fire mage this is fire magic; for a knight this is how to fight with a sword. Cursed creatures cannot take actions having to do with their signature talent, as determined by the GM.

  • Brainless Babbling. The cursed creature cannot communicate with anything more than gestures, grunts, and gibberish, nor understand other people’s linguistic communications. This does not prevent spellcasting.

  • Craven Coward. If the cursed creature is adjacent to an enemy and none of its allies are also adjacent to that enemy, the cursed creature is frightened of the enemy.

  • Heartless Hurts. The cursed creature cannot heal.

  • Layabout’s Lethargy. The cursed creature suffers –1d6 to all physical checks, and always goes last in the INITIATIVE order.

  • Madman’s Mirth. The cursed creature suffers –1d6 on all checks due to constant chortling and giggling. Additionally, the first time the cursed creature takes damage in each encounter, he falls prone in a sudden fit of inexplicable laughter at the pain.

  • Practitioners’ Prey. Attacks made by and spells cast by witches deal +1d6 necrotic damage to the cursed creature. Natural animals are spooked by the affected creature.