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Revision as of 12:51, 21 August 2019
The dangers are many on the road to death or glory. The art of staying alive in various settings and finding fun, fame, or fortune are the tasks of professional adventurers. This chapter deals with elements of the game which you'll need to master in order to survive out there in the world.
Environment
Characters and creatures aren't the only thing that pose a threat to PCs in the game; sometimes the world the characters walk in can vastly affect the success or failure of the PCs' actions or threaten their very lives.
Cities
Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded. When you amass a multitude of citizens together inside a finite space, all kinds of bad things could happen.
Crowds
Public assemblies or events that cause large groups of people to gather in one place cause crowds and crowds can slow movement or even stop it, perhaps pinning characters in place as a thrashing mob crushes and suffocates those caught in it. Crowds make it difficult to identify a single person amidst all those bodies, and they are loud and obscure other noises.
Thieves
There will always be those who want what others have, and won't stop until they get it. Money, jewelry, weapons, and gear the PCs have on them are all up for grabs, literally. Pickpockets favor crowded places to employ their devious craft, and most burglars and second-story-men strike during the night. Some thieves even steal people, so key NPCs traveling with the party might suddenly disappear as well, victims of kidnappers. Expect lots of Perception checks.
Decrepitude
The whole world seems to be falling apart some days. Gargoyles crumble, ceilings collapse, floors give way, ropes rot, and things just break down. Decrepit buildings pose very real hazards to character health. Remember too, that decrepit doesn't always mean old: inept, lazy, or cheap craftsmanship can contribute to dangerous architecture just as age and erosion can. Usually, the GM will ask you to make Dodge and/or Reaction checks to avoid harm from your surroundings.
Construction
Repair of damaged buildings or construction of new ones causes traffic jams and accidents as onlookers gawk at the site. Construction also drives current occupants and wildlife out, and it is usually loud. Construction often involves lifting of heavy beams and supports, which can crush a man flat if they were to happen to fall, which they surely will. Demolition almost certainly poses a danger to workers and anyone nearby, since explosives are frequently used.
Drought and Famine
In areas where food is not only scarce, but more or less non-existent, food and drink can be more valuable than cash and jewels. In famine and drought-stricken areas, folks are desperate and capable of things they never thought they might do if it means putting food in their belly. Without food and water, you subject yourself to the starving and dehydrated conditions.
Military Occupation
The fear of armed soldiers entering one's home at will keeps most citizens in line, but the tension inherent to that situation is palpable. A rift will usually open between the soldiers and the civilians, and the soldiers might begin to take what they want by force. Cities under occupation are also very dangerous for outsiders, active criminals, or deviants of any sort.
Plague
Nothing keeps folks indoors like a lingering plague. For fear of becoming afflicted (and gaining the infected condition), folks shun the company of strangers and sometimes put members of their own family out on the streets. During time of plague, a town or city may be under quarantine with no way in or out. Other cities may not accept visitors or goods from cities under plague. On the plus side, if characters are looking to avoid attention, posing as plague victims is a sure way to keep others at arm's length.
Wilderness
Venturing into the wild can be a dangerous voyage if you're ill-equipped for the challenges you'll face there.
Difficult Terrain
Without paved streets and without municipal workers to take care of obstructions, travel in the wilderness is subject to difficulty and slow-going, especially in the wake of storms. When you have to move through difficult terrain (like uneven rock, marshlands, or undergrowth) you gain the hampered condition. Plus, items dropped into muck, mud, and water are harder to find.
Darkness
Without the bright city lights, it's really dark after the sun goes down. Some creatures have no problems with darkness, but most of us are about as useful as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest without the use of our sight. When venturing forth in the dark places of the world, always keep a good supply of candles, torches, spells which give light, or special devices like night-vision goggles (if available).
Animals
Domesticated animals pose little threat in civilized areas, but those same animals can be quite dangerous when encountered on their home turf instead of one's own. You can use Animal Control to befriend and command critters or Intimidate to frighten them off. When beasts are hungry, terrified, or maddened by disease, they could attack — and they often have sharp pointy bits. Some are even poisonous, and you might need to Craft antivenoms.
Solitude
The wilds might be a great place to lie low, but there aren't many people around to help if one gets hurt or too deep into trouble. Not that people are guaranteed or even likely to help anyway, but the possibility is comforting at least. In the wilderness, one is totally alone and dependent on her own wiles for survival.
Shelter
It's important to keep out the elements. You either need to purchase shelter and bring it with you (which requires money), construct shelters from scavenged materials (which requires a Craft check), or locate suitable barracks from the land itself, like a thick grove of firs or a roomy cave (which requires a Search check). Without proper shelter, you might gain the exposed condition.
Sustenance
You still have biological needs in the wild. Expect Lore checks to identify edible food, Search checks to find it or track it. Hunting game may actually require combat to ensue. You'll also need to locate water. If you have mounts or a caravan, you have to worry about far more mouths to feed. If you go without food and water, you'll gain the dehydrated and starving conditions.
Weather and Disasters
Things like fire, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, violent storms, earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions are terrifying wherever you encounter them. Usually, folks within a city will band together for survival, taking precautions before and during a disaster to avert death and damage, and helping to rebuild in the wake of the wreckage. In the wilderness, the animals and trees which call that place home are not likely to be as sympathetic as all that.
Fog and Steam
In fog as thick as beef stew, visibility is extremely limited and noises are muffled, so sight-based and sound-based Perception checks are more difficult. If the fog prevents you from detecting an ambush, you gain the wide-eyed condition.
Rain and Snow
Just like fog, rain and snow affect Perception checks. Travel goes slowly due to treacherous footing and vehicles risk getting stuck. Rain washes away footprints and snow hides them. Rain and snow make building a campfire much more difficult. At least water isn't hard to find.
Storms
Lightning can kill trees, damage buildings, and kindle fires. Incredibly unlucky creatures could be struck. The sensory overload associated with thunder and lightning frightens animals and some characters. High winds can knock down trees, fling objects, kick up dust and sand, and level not-so-sturdy buildings. Storms can capsize enormous ships and batter coastlines.
Flooding
Heavy storms and spring thaws can swell rivers to the point of flooding. Floods can wash out bridges, carry off people and objects, level buildings, and change landscapes. Those who are unable to flee may be trapped for some time while they wait for the waters to recede.
Falling rocks and landslides
Tumbling rocks pelt anyone caught in the area and threaten to knock characters prone or over precipices, or pin and crush them to death. Dodge, Might, and Thievery checks are common. Climbing becomes perilous, but often necessary.
Tundra
The frozen wastes are hard to navigate with all that slippery ice. Fighting on ice requires characters to make a Gymnastics check each round or fall prone. Movement is difficult without specialized footwear, so creatures without proper equipment or physical adaptations gain the hampered condition in the ice and snow. Arctic weather is capable of chilling unprepared creatures to the core and is usually accompanied by driving precipitation. Without shelter and warmth, you gain the exposed condition and fight Stamina Drain. In the snowy peaks, you also need to watch out for avalanches.
Deserts
Desert conditions threaten characters with exhaustion, sunburn, and thirst. First and foremost, deserts are dry, so creatures must consume twice the normal amount of water while in the desert. Otherwise, creatures gain the dehydrated condition. Creatures also gain the hampered condition in sandy environments without the proper footwear or physical adaptations. Most deserts are extremely hot and bright during the day and bitterly cold at night. Creatures gain the exposed condition in very hot or cold temperatures and fight Stamina Drain. Deserts are often home to very poisonous flora and fauna.
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
When the ground itself becomes violent, death is sure to follow. Tremors require Gymnastics checks to avoid being knocked prone or off balance. Strong enough quakes can topple buildings and create landslides. An actual volcanic eruption is much worse. The skies become clouded with smoke and thick ash, which obscures vision and chokes those who breathe the air. Perception and Search checks are more difficult, prolonged exposure causes creatures to gain the suffocating condition. Lava flows poses a threat to escape routes and personal health. Embers and hot ash can ignite flammable materials. Some items could melt.
Obstacles
Obstacles are those things which might present no inherent threat to the PCs, but which hamper their progress. Walls, doors, locks, chests, trees, and limbo-sticks are all examples.
Water
Water is such an interesting obstacle. It's both needed for survival and unquestionably lethal. Characters might need to swim across a river, recover an object dropped into a pond, or dive from a sinking ship.
Turbulent water makes swimming and sailing very difficult and could pull unwitting characters under the surface with riptides and undertow. Creatures make Might checks to stay afloat and swim. The stronger the current, the higher the DL. Because of the physical exertion, creatures who swim are subject to Stamina Drain. When the current is strong, your Stamina checks occur more frequently. Swimmers who make a Dash check to speed up are subject to Stamina Drain (DL 15; +1 every round; tiring).
Swimming, fighting, and taking action under the surface of the waves has its drawbacks. Movement is slowed, many weapons do not work as well or at all, heavy equipment causes creatures to sink, and everything happens at the breakneck speed of… goopy molasses. On top of all that there is the drowning. On the bright side, staying about 5 feet below the surface renders you immune to ranged attacks from the air. The water itself protects you from javelins, arrows, and even bullets.
Life aboard a ship can be treacherous as well. There's no fresh water at sea aside from what sailors bring along, so when water is in short supply, those aboard gain the dehydrated condition. If food supplies run out, and no fish are caught, sailors gain the starving condition. Being stuck in a finite space with tons of other creatures makes disease particularly dangerous. Perhaps the worst event at sea is when fire breaks out. Particularly unlucky ships could run into pirates, sea monsters, and storms.
Breaking and Entering
Oftentimes, you have to put yourself in a place that doesn't belong to you. Whether it's someone else's home, a huge chest containing unknown wonderment, or a long sealed-off cave, a character must bypass the protective measures keeping people out, namely locks, gates, and doors.
Characters can employ the Machinery skill to circumvent locks. It's possible that some locks and latches are trapped, and failure to find and disable traps come with dangers of their own. Characters can use the Search skill to locate these possible safeguards.
When locks prove too secure, a character can always try to use brawn over brains. Strong characters can bend bars, or bash down doors, as well as just outright attack them if their weapon is up to par. The Might skill is used for the feats of strength, and a simple Damage Roll can be used for beating down that harmless door. Note that many piercing and slashing weapons are rarely effective for this purpose, and the most bang for your buck comes from bludgeoning weapons. Other useful items include glass cutters, crowbars, and hacksaws.
Other ways to get into a place include digging, acid, explosives, and magic transportation; also, never underestimate the power of social influence (i.e. Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate, Leadership, Negotiate, Perform, Seduce) to slime your way into a place.
It may also be worth mentioning that characters can't just break into or walk into another character's home uninvited without engendering some hurt feelings (best case scenario) or immediate and disproportionate violence (worst case scenario). Needless to say, if characters find themselves inside the boundaries of another person's property, they should brace themselves for retribution, and rightfully so. The property owner has no way of knowing whether the PCs are there to peacefully plead for assistance or murder the entire household in their sleep, and in such cases, it's shoot first and ask questions later.
Climbing, Jumping, and Falling
A frequent obstacle in one's path is a wall to scale to get to higher or lower ground. You might find yourself climbing over a wall to get into a fortress, climbing out of a pit that you've just clumsily fallen into, climbing down into a subterranean cave, crypt, or dungeon, or climbing out of a tower into which you've been (un)justly locked. Problems arise when you lack the equipment necessary to complete the task. A wall without hand-holds makes for a near impossibility if you don't have rope or climbing gear. Many adventurers keep at least a rope and grappling hook on-hand just in case.
As for jumping, you might find yourself having to cross a ravine in an underground cave, or leap between rooftops to get away from the enemy soldiers. Even alighting between crumbling ruins is not out of the realm of possibility. These are all obstacles you're likely to face. You might also need to jump vertically, for instance, to grab on to the edge of a hole in the ceiling through which you fell. Unfortunately, there aren't many items or equipment suited to help you jump. The Gymnastics skill is your best bet in this case. If your character is small enough, or you have an ally that's big enough, you may be able to get some assistance by acting temporarily as a shot put and get hurled between one place and the next.
Being high above the ground isn't bad for your health on its own, but falling over the ledge sure as hell is. If you fail at climbing or jumping, you might plummet to your death. Fighting on the side of a mountain trail, atop the cliffs next to a sheer drop, on a rickety old bridge, or amidst boiling tar pits present danger to those who don't stand their ground. Opponents using the Trip and Slam tactics around such hazards can push targets over the precipice and into whatever waits below.
Social Skills
Sometimes your only barrier in a situation is people. It's possible that a character will need to win over a person in a position of authority, or join a group, or become a member of society in a specific locale.
Lore is often useful when you need to find out the correct or polite behavior in a situation. As mentioned previously, Bluff, Seduce, and Negotiate are often the stock-in-trade for these situations. It is for this reason that a group of players will have one designated as the "face" or "speaker" who does all the hobnobbing.
Failure at social situations has its dangers. Some etiquette failures come with resentment or hatred. It doesn't take much, usually, to earn the enmity of a person in power. Serious violations of customs or behaviors in a locale can result in a fine, banishment, imprisonment, or even execution. "I wish I hadn't kissed the princess," you think as your head rests uncomfortably on the chopping block.
Hazards
Hazards are dangers which batter, maim, infect, poison, or slaughter creatures. This includes cunningly devised traps as well as freak accidents.
Hazards require creatures to make skill checks to avoid their harmful effects. The skill check must meet or exceed the DL assigned to the hazard. The more inescapable the hazard, the higher the DL.
| Tim's character Drinnin is navigating an ancient temple loaded with treasures and traps and the floor collapses beneath him, revealing a pit lined with razor-sharp spikes. The GM tells Tim to make a Dodge check against a DL of 15. Tim rolls a 12. The GM tells Tim that Drinnin falls 20 feet into the pit and asks for a Gymnastics check. Tim rolls a 22, so he takes no damage from the fall itself, but the spikes are waiting at the bottom. The GM asks for a Guard check against a DL of 30. Tim rolls a 19. The GM explains that Drinnin grabs a handhold in the rock before he can be thoroughly impaled on the spikes. He escapes with 11 damage, a bleeding leg, and must climb out of the pit. |
Some Hazards aren't inherently or solely harmful, but make certain actions more difficult or impair characters without hurting them. Hazards like these might incur a slide down the Knockout track. A trap that throws sleeping powder into the room or noxious gases issuing forth from a fissure in the ground provide good examples of this. If the DL for avoiding the hazard is not met, the character moves to the appropriate stage on the Knockout Track (Stage One for a Level One Hazard, Stage Two for Level Two, etc). Some hazards can hurt characters and move them down the Knockout track.
Traveling
At some point, characters are going to have to get from point A to point B. How they choose to do that is an important decision. On foot or by horse? By boat? Do trains exist? Airships? What about magic transportation?
On foot
On a good day on favorable terrain and conditions, a typical person can hike or march at about 3 miles per hour. Given 8 hours of travel, accounting for breaks, food, and the like, a person will be able to move about 20 miles. Marching more than 8 hours will start inducing exhaustion. Each hour past 8, a character will need to make a Stamina check at a DL of 15. This DL increases by one for every additional hour. If failed, he moves one step down the Knockout Track. A full night of sleep will remove any Knockout penalties.
Characters can certainly attempt to double-time their overland travels, at the price of their own aching limbs. Those who decide to book it can run at a light jog with all their gear at 6 miles per hour. Characters can only move in this fashion for about 4 hours (accounting for short rest periods), and will require more water. Anything past this is extremely taxing, and characters need to make a Stamina check at a DL of 18. This DL increases by two every hour. If failed, he or she moves one step down the Knockout Track. A full night of sleep will remove any knockout penalties, but you'll be sore as hell the next day.
Mounted/Carriage
The numbers detailed in this section differ depending on the specific animal, but 90% of the time, mounted characters are on horseback. Horses are massive quadrupedal animals capable of great bursts of speed, and long endurance.
A horse walks at about 4 miles per hour, with a short break every two hours, and can generally do this for 8–10 hours. Past this point, the animal must succeed at a Stamina check at a DL of 15, and the rider must pass an Animal Control check of 15 to make the animal continue on. These DLs increase by one for every additional hour. If failed, the animal moves 1 step down the Knockout Track. A full night of sleep will remove any Knockout penalties. On a good day, a healthy walking horse can move 35–40 miles.
A horse trots at about 8 miles per hour. Typically, this is the working speed of the animal and is the pace it can generally keep for about 6–8 hours depending on its condition. It usually requires a short break every hour. The Knockout penalties are the same as noted in the walking speed. On a good day, a healthy trotting horse can cover 60 miles.
A horse can gallop at 25–30 miles per hour. Horses can generally only gallop at full speed for 3–4 minutes, after which they need to rest. For every 30 seconds past the limit, the horse needs to make a Stamina check at a DL of 18, and the rider must pass an Animal Control check of 18 to make the animal continue on. These DLs increase by two every thirty seconds. If failed, the animal moves one step down the Knockout track. At Step 5, the animal is exhausted and will cease running.
By boat
Sailing vessels benefit from the lack of a need for resting during travel. A sailing barge, typically found traversing rivers, can in good conditions sail at a speed of 10–12 knots (about 11–14 mi/h). A huge sailing war ship could reach speeds of up to 8 knots (about 9 mi/h). While speed varies depending on boat size, means of propulsion, hull construction, and load, one could safely conclude that most ships travel between 3–15 knots. Some common ship types include:
- Canoes, which are 1–10 person rowboats (called a "cog" if equipped with a sail)
- Longships, which employ a rowing team and sails
- Sailboats like sloops, cutters, and clippers
- Galleys, huge rowing ships which have been used since ancient times to carry cargo, transport passengers, and wage war
- Warships, which were built solely to beat the crap out of other ships.
Historical note: Before cannons were used in naval warfare, warships were built and utilized to ram other ships, enable crew to shoot bows, crossbows (and later, catapults) at the opposing ship and crew, and repel boarding parties armed with melee weapons. It wasn't until cannon could be used efficiently and reloaded for repeat use in the same encounter that these weapons were commonly used. Since the cannon and ammunition were so heavy, and required redesign of the ships which carried them, sails became the primary means of propulsion, and rowing fell into disuse on warships. In the years thereafter, guns and ship-construction evolved drastically through times of ironclad steamboats and into the age of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. The level of technology available in your campaign will dictate what sorts of ships are available.
Fame and Fortune
A successful career as an adventurer comes with its perks: renown, connections, wealth, and a dental plan. As your fame or notoriety grows, there's a lot to consider.
Wealth
The spoils of adventuring are often as simple as monetary reward: that which you find or receive from selling, and that which you're paid for your troubles. There are two parts to the problem of money.
Firstly, when working in a group, you need to divide it. This is really up to the characters to decide what's fair. Maybe the characters don't believe in fairness and it's "finders keepers". Whether it's distributed equally, on a system of contribution, or just whatever you can grab is yours, rewards are often the hook for an adventure.
Secondly, what do you do with it? Typically, amassed wealth is used for spending money, or stored in a bank, or perhaps even used in investment. Adventurers do well with land or other property. They can run a business or simply make a place to hang their hats (and that place could be a house, a fortress, or even a ship).
Keep in mind that even though you may have tens of thousands of coins, not all cultures trade in wealth that way. Some cultures could use acorns as currency, and won't honor your trite human coinage. Others trade in gems or fine metals, so if your coins aren't made of silver and gold, you might as well find a part-time job.
Magic Items
If the world in which your characters adventure includes the existence of magic, it is possible for those characters to uncover items touched by magic. These items are often either defensive or offensive weapons and armor, or utilitarian in nature. Magical items usually are hardier than their mundane counterparts. Magical items could be trimmed in gold and bedecked with diamonds or look plain or tarnished. Regardless of appearance, most magical items are at least very rare, possibly unique, and have long histories attached to them. They are also quite valuable.
Characters can gain magic items in the course of the story, or by purchasing the Item of Value Trump. In game terms, a magic longsword might have a higher Hurt score than a regular longsword, since it is extremely and perpetually sharp. A magic axe which is very light might take less AP to use than a normal axe. A magic coin might aid a con-man if it always comes up heads. A magic breastplate which instantly heals any damage done by blunt weapons would be useful indeed. Some magic items are one-use only, like a magic potion which gives the drinker super-strength for a short period of time or a magic torch which can shoot a jet of fire at an enemy. A magic gun which never runs out of bullets, a magic mirror which can be used to view past events, or magic shoes which leave no tracks are all good ideas for magic items.
Popularity
When news of your heroic exploits reaches the streets, you'll be given adoration and thanks by the people. Successful adventurers amass a network of friends and fans wherever they perform their deeds. On the other side of the coin, if the adventurers are villainous or cruel, instead of friends and fans, they'll be amassing enemies. In stories which allow for more interpretive viewpoints, there may be some who see what the PCs are doing as heroic, while others may view the same deeds as villainous.
There's also the situation that the adventurers aren't trying to amass fame, they're a shadow group that comes in the night to right wrongs or wrong rights. In this case, the PCs have to make an active effort to stay anonymous and keep out of the spotlight.
Note that in-game reputation doesn't infer the same benefits as trumps like Famous. Trumps like these give you tangible bonuses to rolls, whereas the benefits of earned fame are usually limited to good storytelling.
The Retinue
As a character's wealth and fame accrue, there may be opportunities for PCs to pick up a retinue. A retinue is one or more NPCs who tag along with the PC and act primarily in his or her best interest (or what they think is the PC's best interest) called retainers, or "Jeeves."
Some retainers are hired and paid for, others seek to follow the PC for a chance at fame and glory, and still others have an emotional bond with a PC and an investment in helping the party and keeping the PC alive. There are pros and cons to each sort of employ. Paid retainers could be swayed by a better offer from a rival and are not predisposed to be particularly loyal to the PC. Retainers eager for glory may be tempted to steal the PC's spotlight (or treasure, or magic item, or girlfriend). Even retainers with a strong emotional connection to a PC can end up trying to help them in ways which are disastrous, or maybe they are simply inept.
Animals make great retainers in that they are usually bred for a particular role (combat, tracking, transportation, beast of burden, scouting, hunting, etc) and don't require any "in-character" speaking. Also, as creatures with simple motivations and behaviors, they aren't likely to cause too much unforeseen trouble.
Acquiring a Retinue
A player character can add members to their retinue either through the story (given as a reward by the GM), or through the purchase of certain Trumps. Some Faults, like Loved One or Pesky Sidekick, seem to add members to a PC's retinue, but actually don't since those characters aren't inherently beneficial and are controlled exclusively by the GM. The GM is the person responsible for creating a retainer's character, including attributes, skills, motivation, personality, the whole shebang. While a PC might tell a GM what they want their retainer to be like, or necessary skills the retainer should have, the GM, as always, has the final say. In fact, the GM has the final say on if a PC gets a retinue in the first place: some GMs don't allow them in their games.
Controlling a Retinue
Members of a PCs retinue can be used in different ways. If the player wants to carry on a conversation with an NPC through a retainer instead of through the main PC, the GM might allow that. It would certainly be more interesting than the GM having a conversation with himself as the retainer and the NPC. Of course, the PC might have to convince the retainer (currently being played by the GM) to undertake certain tasks. Most times, the GM will speak as the retainer and is the arbiter on what the retainer does or doesn't know.
In combat, members of a PC's retinue are most often left under the player's control. Some GMs may decide that a character's retinue is better left under the GMs control for that instance or for all instances, but since the GM usually has a slew of enemies to control, retinues are usually left under a PCs control. In this case, the retainer acts like a second character for the player to control during combat. If there are large/multiple retinues to consider in a combat, the GM might have each retinue act on the Reaction order of the controlling PC to help keep things moving quickly and clearly during combat.
