Expedition
During the expedition, the characters venture into the depths of the earth in search of some reward. Raiding in caves and dungeons is not a healthy job - it takes a toll on the player characters. Time passes in a weird way down there: minutes turn into hours, and hunger and thirst are even deadlier than the monsters inside.
The expedition can be broken down in 3 phases:
- Exploration when moving between rooms, looking for treasure and solving mysteries.
- Combat when encountering enemies and resolving conflict.
- Camp when resting and tending wounds.
The story will always be in one of those phases. During each phase, the players can choose specific actions.
During the expedition, it's useful to use a map with miniatures, ideally with each tile representing around 1.5m. This map should only include what's currently visible to the players.
Exploration
During the exploration phase, characters can move to another place in the dungeon, fix their equipment, interact with their environment and other various things, but every time a player attempts an action in the dungeon, a turn passes. We measure that using exploration turns. Exploration turns are a valuable resource that the players must carefully use as a group, since every time a turn passes, some trackers will advance, usually causing problems for the adventurers.
Any action a player chooses will spend one or more turns. It doesn't matter which player does the action or if the action is done as a group - the turn is spent regardless. Players should avoid splitting up for that reason: if they are divided, they will spend many more turns. Turns during exploration are not only a measure of time, they measure the stress, fatigue and the general energy of the characters. That's why if 2 or more characters decide to simultaneously do 2 actions, they would spend 2 turns.
Decay
The decay tracker is one of main the things that will keep the players from stalling in the expeditions. It's a tracker with 6 steps. Every turn, the decay tracker should advance, meaning that every 6 turns of exploration, all player characters roll from the decay table. The GM may delay the decay tracker, if the situation is dire enough.
If the adventurers are in a safe place, outside of a dungeon and with no immediate danger or pressure, the GM doesn't advance the tracker. A good practice is to only start the decay tracker when the adventurers enter the dungeon, tomb or whatever place they are raiding.
| Roll(2d6) | Effect |
|---|---|
| 2 | Press on (No effect) |
| 3 | Fatigue |
| 4 | Terrified |
| 5 | Sleepy |
| 6 | Parched |
| 7 | Advance the doom tracker |
| 8 | Hungry |
| 9 | Hopeless |
| 10 | Angry |
| 11 | Wound (player choose location) |
| 12 | Equipment breaks/lost |
If a character would receive an affliction that they already have, keep adding 1 to the result until a valid result has been reached. After decay happens, players should also roll the usage dice for any torch, lanterns, etc.
Omens and Doom
The adventure should have a doom tracker, to which only the GM has access. The adventure should have a list of things that happen when the doom tracker reaches a certain number, but they should always involve something bad. Raiding dungeons and abandoned places wakes up things better left untouched. Reaching the maximum value of the doom tracker means certain death.
The doom tracker represents the adventurers meddling in the dungeon, making noise and awaking whatever lies inside. Advancing the doom tracker too much usually results in monsters appearing, rooms collapsing and traps being triggered. The last step on the doom tracker usually involves a very hard fight. The doom tracker is bound to a location; if the adventurers go to a new place, a new tracker should be started. If they re-visit a location, use that location's old tracker.
Every time the doom tracker reaches an effect, also advance the omens tracker.
The omens tracker is about the state of the party itself. The omens tracker has 2d6 steps: every time the omens tracker fills up, roll from the omens table and make a new tracker, rolling for the size again. Changing locations does not reset the omens tracker. If the party can't fulfill the omen effect completely, discard/break as many items as possible. Add one and only one more time.
| 1d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | The party chooses 2d4 equipped items; they are broken now. |
| 2 | The party rolls from the decay table twice. |
| 3 | The party must discard 2d4 units of water. |
| 4 | The party must discard 2d4 rations. |
| 5 | The party must discard 2d4 torches. |
| 6 | The party must discard 2d4 magical item or magical scroll. |
Exploration Actions
Here's a list of common exploration actions. When not sure which action you want, you can always perform a freeform action.
Move (1 turn)
Move to a different location, usually to a different room in the dungeon. The GM can ask the players to spend more than one turn if the distances are big enough. Moving often leads to combat encounters.
While moving in the exploration phase, the players don't need to worry about movement speed and may move their miniatures freely, as long it makes sense for the GM and to the other players.
When opening doors, turning corners or revealing something, the GM should always ask the players to position their adventurers on the map, just in case something awaits them on the other side. It's also important to always pay attention to where the character holding the light source is.
The GM may consider this a free action if moving to somewhere already explored and that is close to where the party current is.
Loot (1 turn)
Looting a location does not require a test; the GM just lists what they find in that location and the adventurers can choose what to pick up. Looting can only be used on a safe location, with no enemies or traps. If the players want to try something riskier, it's a freeform action, and may require a test.
If the location has a trap, the adventurers may fall for it.
Parley (1 turn)
When you find someone in the dungeon, it's usually trouble, but players might try to defuse the situation with a more diplomatic approach. The GM plays the role of the NPCs and the players should play the role of their characters.
If the things get heated, the GM may require a presence test to keep the dialog from scaling to combat.
If trying to lie, deceive or fool someone, a presence test may be required.
Start Combat (1 turn)
Most things in the dungeon want to kill the adventurers. Combat starts if the adventurers start attacking someone or if they are attacked by someone.
If the players have the upper hand and the other side is unaware of their presence, they don't need to roll the initiative test, and are all considered fast during this combat.
The whole combat only counts as one exploration turn.
Catch your breath (1 turn)
Like in combat, the party can stop for a while and catch their breath, restoring up to one point of fatigue for each attribute. Players may also choose to use any items tagged as quick, too, such as bandages, light torches and drink water.
Look for traps (1 turn)
Looking for traps requires the infiltration skill, and explanation on how they look or at least some kind of tool, like a pole. The players may roll an intelligence test trying to find a trap. On a critical failure, they will trigger any traps they find. On a great success they get to disarm it for free.
Finding a trap allows one player to try to disarm it; it requires a dexterity test, failing which will trigger the trap.
Use a quick item (free)
Any item tagged as quick can be used without using a turn.
Use a slow item (1 turn)
Each character can use one item that is tagged as slow. Items tagged as camp cannot be used.
Cast a spell or prayer (1 turn)
Choose an available spell or prayer and perform the appropriate tests specified in the description. Execute that effect upon success.
Even if the spell uses 2 actions in combat, it only uses one exploration turn.
Concentrate (1 turn)
By concentrating on the dream world, a wizard may try to refresh their knowledge of one spell they forgot if they succeed an intelligence test. If the test fails, roll from the spell mishap table, but do not add previous mishaps or count this as a mishap.
Freeform (1 or more turns)
This allows the adventurers to do pretty much anything they want and requires some improvisation from the GM. Freeform actions usually involve interacting with the surroundings, creative thinking and solving puzzles.
Set up Camp (1 turn)
Sooner or later the adventurers will need some proper rest: camping will allow them to recover some wounds and afflictions. Adventurers can only camp in safe places without any imminent danger.
Camping starts the camp phase.
The whole camp phase counts as 1 exploration turn.
Take a free action (free)
Some actions will not trigger a turn.
- Players may rearrange their adventurer's equipment, equipping and un-equipping items.
- Adventurers may use any item tagged as quick.
- Snuff out torches or other equally simple actions.
- Talk to each other.
Exit the expedition
If the adventurers are near an exit and there is nothing blocking their path, they can choose to leave the expedition and return to the interlude. Leaving the dungeon to the interlude will always advance the doom tracker 2 steps. When returning, at the GM's discretion unwarded corpses may be brought back as undead (or ghosts), living enemies might have constructed barricades, traps or prepared for the return of the adventurers.
Combat
Fighting monstrous things in the dark is terribly costly and dangerous for the adventures. Ideally, players should be afraid of fighting and try to avoid all the fights they can, but more often than not, fighting can't be avoided.
The combat mode starts when a character attacks another. It is played in turns: the order of character is decided in the setup, after which the order remains the same, unless something changes during combat.
During combat, the decay tracker should not be advanced.
The distinct phases of the combat happen in a loop, until the fight is resolved. They are:
- 0. Setup (only on the first turn)
- 1. Fast players turn
- 2. Enemies turn
- 3. Slow players turn
- 4. Evaluation and cleanup
0. Setup
The GM starts by placing all the visible enemies on the map.
Players must roll initiative, which is a simple dexterity check; adventurers that pass the test are now considered fast and will act before the enemy. Adventurers that fail are considered slow and go after the enemy. Be aware that some enemy abilities may influence that.
1. Fast players turn
Here, adventurers that were considered fast can act in the order that they want. Each one takes 2 actions. Some adventurers may have special rules that allow more actions or limit those actions. Check the combat action list for which actions an adventurer can take.
2. Enemies turn
The GM now takes charge of acting for the enemies. They can also act in the order the GM sees fit and usually has 2 actions, just like the players. Enemies do not take combat actions like the adventurers - they can only move and perform one of the enemy actions described on their enemy sheet.
Enemies also do not roll to hit, but instead players roll a check to dodge. This keeps most combat decisions in the hands of the players. Check the enemies section for more information on how enemies work.
3. Slow players turn
In this phase, adventurers that were considered slow will act, in a specific order, determined by the GM. That order may change between the turns. Each one can take 2 actions, as usual. Some adventurers may have special rules that allow more actions or limit those actions. Check the combat action list for which actions an adventurer can take.
4. Evaluation and cleanup
Remove any unused dodge tokens from all characters; shield markers stay in place.
If the combat continues, go to fast players turn again, resuming the combat loop.
Combat Actions
This is a list of the common combat actions a character can take. Many special abilities and traits will either change how this works, or limit or expand this list. Players can also take freeform actions at the GM's discretion; the cost of those actions is also decided by the GM.
If the player has one or more stunned tokens, they can only do a recover action until there are no more stun tokens left.
Attack (1 action)
Choose a weapon and a target. Read the weapon description for any special rules.
Test the weapon attribute to hit.
For each dodge and shield token the defender spends, they may choose a die and force the attacker to reroll it.
On success, apply the wounds specified in the weapon notation. On a great success, it's a critical hit; add the critical wounds, too.
Weapons can only attack units within their range: if a weapon description doesn't specify a range, it can only hit Close targets.
Check taking damage in the enemy section to see how enemies receive and reduce wounds. Check the attack notation section for how weapons and attacks work.
Recover (1 action)
You may remove one shield token or dodge token; if you do so, also recover one fatigue point from a chosen attribute. You may remove one stunned token from the character.
Move (1 action)
Move to a new position. The maximum number of tiles is your current number of dexterity available die x 2. Adventurer's cannot move diagonally. Moving will remove any unused shield tokens, but will keep dodge tokens.
After moving out of a square adjacent to an enemy, the adventurer must immediately stop the movement.
The character may change their facing direction after moving.
Catch breath (1 action)
Recover one fatigue point from each attribute.
Defend (1 action)
Requires a shield or something that can be used as a shield. Place the number of shield tokens noted on your equipped shield. Characters can't have more than 5 shield tokens at any time.
Dodge (2 actions)
Make a dexterity test; place 2 dodge tokens on success. Upon a great success, add another token on your character.
Cast spell, invoke a prayer or perform a combat manoeuver (1 or 2 actions)
Choose an available spell, prayer or manoeuver and test the appropriate attribute specified in its description. Unless specified in the description, this costs 1 action and has close range. Execute that effect upon success.
Use item or change equipment (1 action)
Equip and/or use an item for its effect. If changing equipment, remember to return that character's previously equipped item to the inventory.
You can also give or use an item on someone in the same tile if they have inventory space. Throwing an item to someone up to two units away is also possible, but requires a dexterity test for both characters. Receiving an item doesn't cost an action.
Help another (2 actions)
Next turn, an ally will receive an extra die from you in all their actions, and this can only be used on allies that are in the same or adjacent positions. Check Receiving Help for more information.
Attack Notation
When we write down an attack or weapon through this book we use an abbreviated notation, to keep things short and simple. All attacks specify a test that the player must roll, followed by the amount of damage that the attack causes and the critical damage. If the attack has any special rules, those are written in full after the notation.
Let's see a simple example:
Driftwood Club (STR 2)
This one is pretty straightforward: to use a driftwood club the player must roll a strength test; on a success, it will be cause 2 wounds on the enemy, which can be reduced by any resistances the enemy has. Since it doesn't specify a range, it can only hit targets that are close (1 tile away, not diagonally).
Some weapons have special effects on a critical hit - let's see another example:
Falchion (STR 3+1B)
To use it, the player tests strength(STR), and causes 3 wounds on a regular success. The last thing is "+1B", meaning that if the player rolls a great success (rolling a couple of 6s), it will cause the bleeding affliction and one extra wound, to a total of 4 wounds. To understand what all the letters mean, check the weapon effects table below.
Ranged weapons and attacks have the range specified in the description; if nothing is written, assume it hits only targets that are Close. Here's a ranged weapon example:
Throwing hatchet (DEX 1+1): Nearby
Meaning that a throwing hatchet can be thrown at any target within 5 tiles. At the GM discretion, line of sight can be enforced and penalties for missing ranged weapons, like hitting other adventurers, can also happen. Sometimes the range can be notated in tiles too, when a more exact measurement is needed.
Enemy attacks are also notated in the same way, but enemies do not roll dice to attack, since they don't have attributes; this means that the attribute on enemy attacks is for defending that attack. Again, it's easier to explain with an example:
Soul nibble (INT 2): Ignore shields. Add a stun token on hit.
This is an interesting one. To defend from this attack, the player must test intelligence. If the test fails, the player takes 2 wounds. Looking at the description you can see that the player cannot use shield tokens for defending this attack and if the adventurer gets hit, a stun token should be added.
Some enemies or weapons can add advantage or disadvantage to the player's roll. Those are done by simply adding a plus(+) or minus(-) sign before the notated attribute. For a last example, let's see an enemy attack with critical hits:
Rend(-STR 2+2B)
In this case, a player must roll a strength test with disadvantage to defend from this attack. Enemies trigger critical hits when the player critically fails (rolling a fail with one or more 1s). So if a player critically fails a strength test against this attack, the adventurer would take 4 wounds and the bleeding affliction.
There are a few possible effects associated with weapons, so here is a list of all of them:
| Symbol | Effect |
|---|---|
| B | Causes the Bleeding affliction. |
| P | Pierces through Armor. |
| R | Can't be reduced, except by armor. |
| N | Non-lethal. Ignore any damage that would kill or mortally wound a character. |
Camp
Delving into dungeons and tombs will often leave the adventurers wounded and exhausted. Pressing on without resting is not possible. Sooner or later, the adventurers must slow down, eat, sleep and tend their wounds.
Camping is similarly divided in smaller phases:
- Camp setup
- Camp actions
- Ambush
- Break camp
Camp Setup
The player objective in camp setup is to get as many action points they can by using their adventurers' resources, skills and traits. During the setup, the players will decide how this camp will be set.
- Add 1 action if the adventurers are camping in a dry and stable place.
- Add 1 action for each camping supply item used.
- Add 1 action for each adventurer with the survivalist skill.
- Add 1 action if the players decide to make a fire. This requires camping supply or firewood.
- Add 2 actions and advance the doom tracker if the players decide to take a long rest.
- Subtract 1 action if the location is particularly filthy or unhealthy. (Cold, flooded, littered with corpses, etc.)
Camp Actions
With all the actions now accounted for, the group decides on how they should spend their actions.
Keep a lookout (1 action)
Remove 1 ambush die.
A well deserved rest (1 action)
Recover all fatigue points from the whole party.
Removes the Shaken affliction.
Un-exhaust all prayers.
Use items (free)
Adventurers may use as many items tagged as Slow or Quick as they want.
Use camp items (1 action)
Each adventurer can use one item tagged with Camp for its effects.
Cook some food (1 action)
Cooking, different than other items, has a special action, and requires a fire and at least one camping supplies to have been used during this camp.
When cooking one ration, it can feed 2 adventurers. If someone has the cooking skill, one ration can feed 3 adventurers.
A regular ration will remove both the hungry and parched afflictions. Regular rations can also be consumed raw, feeding only one adventurer, with the use item action.
When using special rations, the ration will not remove the hungry affliction, but may cure other afflictions instead. Special rations will also remove the parched affliction.
- Tea or hot chocolate removes the angry affliction.
- Coffee removes the sleepy affliction.
Memorize spells and prayers (1 action)
Wizards and Clerics may memorize and forget spells and prayers.
Sleep (2 actions)
Recover all fatigue points from the whole party. Removes the Sleepy and Shaken afflictions. Everyone heals 1 wound.
Un-exhaust all prayers.
Add 1 ambush die.
Ambush!
Camping in a dungeon is always risky. After resolving the actions, the GM should make an ambush roll. To create a dice pool, add:
- One die if the place is particularly exposed.
- One die if a fire was lit.
- One die if the party has camped before in this expedition.
Other things can add more dice, like the sleep action or events in the doom tracker. Removing dice is also possible, like the keep a lookout action.
Roll all dice from the pool; if a 6 is rolled, a combat happens. If more than one 6 is rolled, the adventurers are surprised. Use the wandering monsters from the dungeon.
Break Camp
The adventurers snuff out any fire they had going, gather their things and press on. Return to exploration. The GM should advance the doom tracker once, and if the adventurers had a long rest, the doom tracker advances twice.
Interlude
The interlude rules are still untested, so some balancing may be needed.
Interlude is the time between expeditions; it's when the characters rest, tend their wounds and plan their next job. Most adventurers do no want to raid tombs and the horrible places, but they have no other choice. While resting in the interlude, the adventurers are actually draining their resources - Blacksalt is not a cheap place to live. Also, be aware that characters can die during the interlude, especially if they are lacking resources.
Playing the interlude depends on how much detail you and your group wants. You can play it unabridged or abridged or even mix both methods and choose what you like from each. If you are unsure, I would recommend trying abridged first, since it's much faster - if you feel it's too simple, try unabridged next time or even roll back and replay that interlude unabridged.
Unabridged Interlude
The focus is Dead Weight in the expedition, but a lot of cool things may happen during the interlude. Playing it unabridged allows new stories to unfold and character development.
Some rules change while not on an expedition:
- There is no decay tracker, but the omens and doom tracker remain.
- The party doesn't need to act as a group anymore and may act independently.
- Every day, the adventurers must consume one ration each, or get the hungry and parched affliction. If they already have the hungry affliction, roll from the decay table.
Abridged Interlude
The time in the interlude is no longer measured in turns, but in days and weeks. The adventurers may spend as many days as they want in the interlude, as long as they have the resources to spend.
Every day has the following steps:
- Blacksalt events
- Player actions
- Hunger Bites
- Sleep
Expeditions count as a whole day, so when returning from one, skip to the sleep phase immediately.
Settlement Size
Settlements are places where the adventurers can rest for a few days, tend their wounds and restock before going back to another expedition. Different settlement sizes have different advantages and disadvantages. For example, smaller settlements usually have less street violence, but are more exposed to external threats.
The sizes are:
- Small Camp: A small encampment with just a few people stationed.
- Hamlet: A few houses, usually with no official government.
- Fief: A small village, some farms and a small castle.
- Stronghold: A fortified castle, with a decent commercial center.
- City: A large settlement, with lots of commerce and crime.
1. Interlude actions
Just like the exploration phase, the interlude has a list of actions that the adventurers can take. Each day, the characters may do 1 action. Actions may have different effects depending on the settlement size. The players should all announce their actions first, and resolve them in any order, but players can't change their actions after they've announced it. Players are encouraged to discuss and plan their actions.
Specific settlements will have extra actions that the players can also choose.
Rest
Take some time to blow off steam and rest. Recover 1 fatigue from each attribute.
You may choose an additional effect:
- Spend 2 silver(size 4-5): Get some proper entertainment, remove angry and hopeless. Recover 1 fatigue from each attribute.
- Spend 1 silver(size 3-5): Get get very drunk, remove terrified and hopeless, recover all presence wounds. On a 2d!, you get nauseated.
- Get some bucolic rest(size 1-3): Recover all intelligence wounds.
Tend Wounds
Use whatever means you have to heal your wounds. Recover one strength or dexterity wound. Remove bleeding.
You may choose an additional effect:
- Spend 4 silver(size 4-5): Visit a surgeon. Recover 2 strength, intelligence or dexterity wounds. Test 1d!; on a success, remove plagued.
- Spend 2 silver(size 2-4): Visit the witch doctor. Recover 2 strength, intelligence or dexterity wounds. Test 1d!; on a success, remove cursed.
- Use a first aid kit: Recover one strength or dexterity wound. Roll 3d!; if triggered, heal 1 wound.
- Time heals all wounds: Roll 3d!; if triggered, heal 1 wound.
Sell
Getting people to buy things is very hard in Trinta, especially in small settlements. When selling something, make a perception test; if you fail, downgrade the rarity of that item for this transaction, then roll its value.
Go shopping
You may buy as many items as you want when shopping. Different settlement sizes will have different items available. To determine if an item is available, roll risk dice. For simplicity, the GM may just say an item is available or not, without rolling any dice.
When buying an item, the price must be rolled. That item price should be noted somewhere, and that item will have that price for all characters until the next interlude. For simplicity, the GM may roll once for all common items, once for all uncommon items and so on. If the group doesn't want to roll for prices, the average price can be used instead.
- Small Camp: Common (2d!), Uncommon(1d!), Valuable(unavailable), Rare(unavailable), Exotic(unavailable)
- Hamlet: Common (3d!), Uncommon(2d!), Valuable(1d!), Rare(unavailable), Exotic(unavailable)
- Fief: Common (4d!), Uncommon(3d!), Valuable(2d!), Rare(1d!), Exotic(unavailable)
- Stronghold: Common (always), Uncommon(4d!), Valuable(3d!), Rare(2d!), Exotic(1d!)
- City: Common (always), Uncommon(always), Valuable(4d!), Rare(3d!), Exotic(2d!)
Go back to expedition
Immediately finish the interlude and get back to the expedition.
Lay low
Adventurers usually call a lot of attention to themselves in the settlements of Blacksalt island. Laying low for a while may help to calm things down and redirect that attention to something else. On a 2d!, reduce this settlement's doom tracker by one.
2. Blacksalt events
Every day in Blacksalt is unpredictable. As a group, roll 1d6 against the event table.
| 1d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 - 3 | Roll from the bad events table. |
| 4 - 5 | Nothing interesting happens today. |
| 6 | Roll from the opportunities table. |
| 1d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Signs of worse things to come. Advance this settlement's doom and omens trackers. |
| 2 | Bad harvest. All food-related items prices are doubled for 1d6 days. |
| 3 | Attacked by thugs in a dark alley - receive 3 wounds and pay 2d6 silver, as a group. |
| 4 | The sun didn't rise. Everyone takes terrified or hopeless. |
| 5 | Overcrowded. All prices for rent and housing-related items are doubled for 1d6 days. |
| 6 | Prosecution. Advance this settlement's doom tracker. |
| 1d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Unexpected blessing. Reduce this settlement's doom tracker. |
| 2 | Good harvest. All food-related item prices are halved for one day. Stops Bad harvest event. |
| 3 | A naive investor. When selling items, get 50% extra silver. |
| 4 | A calm day. Everyone removes terrified, hopeless or angry. |
| 5 | Empty streets. Housing prices are halved for today. Stops Overcrowded event. |
| 6 | Refreshing winds. Everyone removes angry, shaken or 1 wound. |
3. Hunger Bites
Each player must consume one ration each, or get the hungry and parched affliction. If they already have the hungry affliction, roll from the decay table.
4. Sleep
Depending on where they sleep, a player will have different bonuses and penalties. Each sleep location has a price in silver or resources associated with it. When you choose a location, roll from the appropriate table. Players may choose any available sleeping location.
Also note that not all locations have all options available - a small hamlet might not have an inn available, for example.
In the interlude, if you were to receive an affliction you already have, you must choose another affliction to receive.
On the streets
Sometimes the streets are the only choice.
| 2d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | You get beaten by some nobles; take 2 wounds, become hopeless or angry. |
| 4-5 | You woke up in the rain; you are now shaken. |
| 6 | You get mugged; pay 2d6 silver or take 2 wounds. |
| 7 | You have a restless night and are sleepy. |
| 8 | You get mugged; pay 2d6 silver or take 1 wound. |
| 9-10 | Restore one fatigue and remove sleepy or shaken. |
| 11-12 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy and shaken. |
| 2d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | You slept in manure and now smell terrible; become angry. |
| 4-5 | You woke up in the rain; you are now shaken. |
| 6 | The locals don't like you here. Advance this settlement's doom tracker. |
| 7 | You have a restless night and are sleepy. |
| 8 | Someone stole 3d6 silver while you slept! |
| 9-10 | Restore one fatigue and remove sleepy or shaken. |
| 11-12 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy and shaken. |
Camp (require camping supplies)
Unlike camping in the dungeon, camping during the interlude will not always spend your camping supplies. Regardless, having 1 camping supply for each character is required to camp.
| 2d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | Your camp was attacked by a wild animal! Receive 1 wound. |
| 4-5 | Your tent finally broke down. Spend a camping supply. |
| 6 | Remove sleepy. |
| 7 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy or shaken. |
| 8-10 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy and shaken. |
| 11-12 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy, shaken and angry. |
Inn (1 silver)
Size 3 or more. Mostly safe and comfortable.
| 2d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | You have a restless night and are sleepy. |
| 4-5 | Remove sleepy. |
| 6 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy or shaken. |
| 7 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy and shaken. |
| 8-10 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy, shaken and angry. |
| 11-12 | Restore all fatigue, heal 1 wound and remove sleepy, shaken and angry. |
Proper accommodation (special)
Depending on the current story, your character might have a house in this settlement, or maybe someone allowed your character to sleep in a guest room.
| 2d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 2-5 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy or shaken. |
| 6-7 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy and shaken. |
| 8-9 | Restore all fatigue and remove sleepy, shaken and angry. |
| 10-12 | Restore all fatigue, heal 1 wound and remove sleepy, shaken and angry. |
Settlement Doom
Sometimes, the adventurers will advance the doom tracker while they are in the interlude. When that happens, create or advance the doom tracker for that specific settlement. Different settlements can have different trackers, but below, there's a default tracker for most settlements. Note that all effects are cumulative.
| Doom | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | The people here look at your group suspiciously. Increase all item prices by 1 silver. |
| 2 | You are not welcome here. The inn charges 1 extra silver per person. |
| 3 | You may only buy common and uncommon items; all item prices are increased by 1 silver. |
| 4 | You may not use the inn. |
| 5 | You may only buy common items; all item prices are increased by 1 silver. |
| 6 | You may not buy items, go to the surgeon/witch doctor or get entertainment here anymore. |
| 7 | The locals will start hunting you down. This is no longer a safe place. |
Character Progression
Unlike most RPG systems, the character progression is not always for the better. As the characters goes on adventures, they can gain experience, gold and better equipment, but they can also lose their sanity and acquire traumas, curses and mortal enemies.
During the expedition or character creation, adventurers may receive insight points. The main way to earn insight is to take actions that impact your character negatively because of your burden.
During the interlude, players may choose to spend those insight points for different things. When you receive an insight point, mark it on your character sheet with a slash. When you spend it, you can fill in the circle. Once all the 12 circles in your insight bar are filled, your character cannot earn more insight and may be retired.
Retired characters contribute to The Guild, allowing players to start new characters with more bonuses and giving them a long-term goal.
The guild is a feature that will be added in a future update of the rules.
Insight points
- Move attribute score (1 insight): You can move 1 attribute score from the hightest scored attribute to a lower one.
- Learn skill (1 insight): You may learn one skill.
- Heal trauma (1 insight): You may remove one trauma.
- Increase lowest score (2 insight): You can add 1 attribute score to your lowest scored attribute.
- Increase score (3 insight): You can add 1 attribute score to any attribute.
- Increase proficiency (4 insight): You can add 1 attribute proficiency to any attribute.
Enemies in the Dark
A list of monsters and enemies can be found in the bestiary book.
Enemies do not have a complete character sheet; instead, they have a simplified one. Let's look at an example:
Freshly Risen Corpse - LVL 2
Wounds: 5, Armor: 1, Movement:5
Ignores morale, never flees, never dodges. Immune to PRE attacks.
Infectious bite(STR 1+1): Causes Plagued on 1d!.
Lunge(DEX 2, Nearby): Moves Close to the target and attack.
Tags: undead
Extract: Necro
Let's break it down. First, the name of the enemy, Freshly Risen Corpse, then its level - level 2 in this case. The level will help the GM to quickly know how powerful this monster is.
Next is the number of wounds this enemy can resist before being knocked out - 4 in this case. After that, we can see how many armor points they have, just 1 here. Finally, we have the enemy resistance, which is the value they will use for reducing any number of wounds they receive.
For tracking the enemy's armor and wounds, you can print this enemy page and fill them as needed, or just use tokens.
Enemy attacks and actions
Unlike player characters, the enemies can't choose from a big pool of actions. Instead, they have all their actions listed on their sheet. Besides that, all monsters also have the following actions:
Move (1 action)
Moves to another tile. The number of tiles that the enemy can move is written on the enemy sheet as the movement score. Cannot move diagonally.
After moving out of a tile adjacent to an adventurer, the enemy must immediately stop the movement.
Recover (1 action)
Remove a stun token from this enemy. If the enemy has one or more stun tokens, this is the only action the enemy can take.
Other actions
In our example, the Freshly Risen Corpse can only move or try the Infectious bite action. Let's review it:
Infectious bite (STR 1+1): Causes Plagued on 1d!.
The notation in front of the action means that this action is an attack, and it works almost exactly the same as weapon notation. The only difference is that the attribute listed is the attribute required to defend instead the attribute required to attack. If our Freshly Risen Corpse enemy tries to bite an adventurer, this would require a strength test from the adventurer to avoid the attack. The enemies cause critical damage when the player character gets a critical failure on their defense. Enemy attacks usually have a special effect described, too. Players may always choose to not roll any dice to avoid fatigue; this will cause the enemy to automatically hit.
Some enemy actions will cause a disadvantage to the attribute test related to them.
Eat (-STR 3+3): Can only be used on a grabbed character.
That minus symbol before the attribute means that the player's strength test will have disadvantage applied, allowing the GM to reroll one chosen die from that roll.
If the adventurer has one or more shield tokens or dodge tokens they can spend them to reroll that many dice of their choosing. They can roll first and spend each token, one by one as needed.
Enemies don't have attributes so they can't make attribute tests - they make an enemy test, If an enemy needs to test for anything, the GM can roll using the monster's LVL value, rolling that amount of dice. It's recommended to avoid making tests for enemies when possible. Enemies do not take fatigue.
Enemies also do not have afflictions, but some of them can bleed. If they are bleeding, roll a d6 on the start of their turn: if they get a failure (1, 2 or 3), they take one wound. Only enemies tagged with living can bleed.
When enemies cause wounds to the adventurers, the player can decide where to place that wound, unless stated otherwise.
For more information on how fighting works, check the combat section.
Taking damage
When an enemy takes damage, they will always resist wounds using their armor. Enemies' armor can break and can't be repaired. Check receiving wounds for a full explanation on how armor works. After rolling the armor test, if the enemy has any resistance points, reduce the wound by that number.
Armor and resistance can reduce the damage to 0, but anything less than 0 is ignored.
Sample Dungeon
Here's a sample dungeon for the players to delve into. Only the GM should read this section, so it's on a separate page - follow this link to access it.
