Vaarn hack for Cairn
Contents
Vaults of Vaarn for Cairn
This is an attempt to create a hack of Vaults of Vaarn to run with Cairn instead of Knave as the base rule set. For the most part only cases where the rules are impacted by this are listed below, otherwise assume that what is written in the Vaults of Vaarn stands. Obviously, this is indebted to the work of Leo Hunt for all Vaults of Vaarn content, Yochai Gal for Cairn, as well as the ItO Vaarn hack “Strange Sands” by quint nigro for inspiration and the mutation table draws significant inspiration from one produced on the ‘Princesses & Pioneers’ tumblr page.
My methodology has primarily been to provide a player-facing document and so none of the Warden-specific material from the Vaults of Vaarn is here since I think most of it can be used as-is (see the Vaarn SRD). I have referenced these sections if they are applicable below.
Basically, I have incorporated Cairn chargen and play rules within the Vaarn setting. My main changes to the Vaarn material (aside from the basic rules) involve the creation of Cairn-style backgrounds for the various ancestries and incorporating some of the Vaarn chargen features here. In other cases, I have simply included the (sometimes slightly modified) awesome random tables from Vaarn. My hope is that this is a document that lets players (and Wardens) have access to all of the basic rules they need to play Vaarn using Cairn.
The sun is dying, and the wreckage of countless eons litters the parched wastes of Vaarn, the desolate country that common folk call the blue ruin. It is said that these sky-coloured sands hide the graves of the Autarchs; have swallowed the buried arcologies in which the true seed of humankind was preserved through the Great Collapse; conceal forgotten crypts of memory, decaying crystalline lattices of ancient ego-engines upon which the dusk-blue dunes encroach without pity. From the New Hegemony to the south come drifters and dreamers, desecraters of the tech-tombs that lie sunken beneath the azure wastes. Light-years overhead, aurum-hulled craft ply their tender routes between the spheres, and miles below a pilgrim’s feet, strange wombs are kindled once more with life undreamed of.
These are the hinterlands, where humanity’s great works have fallen to everlasting decay, where machine and animal and fungus think to crown themselves our equal. The phthalo-sands, where newbeasts hunt proudly with boots upon their hind paws and chromepriests chant unending binary devotions to their nameless synthetic god. Only the desperate or the mad would seek to make a life here, to roam the blue desert in search of the secret VAULTS OF VAARN.
Creating Characters
Stats: Player Characters (PCs) have three abilities: Strength (STR – this will include items covered by both STR and CON in Vaarn), Dexterity (DEX – AGL in Vaarn), Willpower (WIL – will include INT, PSY, and EGO in Vaarn). When creating a PC, roll 3d6 for each of their abilities, in order. You may swap any two results.
Background/Ancestry: Roll or Choose your Background/Ancestry (see below). This determines what type of life-form you are. Each Background/Ancestry also has a number of optional spark tables to give you inspiration for the PC’s characteristics.
Hit Protection: Roll 1d6 to determine your PC's starting and maximum hit protection (HP). Hit Protection is not a character’s health, but rather their ability to avoid damage. Once HP reaches 0 PC’s start taking damage (usually against STR unless otherwise noted).
Item Slots: PCs have a number of item slots equal to their STR or 10, whichever is higher, and items they carry must fit into available slots, or the PC will be reduced to 0 HP. Most items take up one slot, but bulky items take up more. Small items can be bundled together into a single slot.
Gear: PCs start the game with starting gear as listed on their Ancestry/Background which includes both standard gear, special items, and rolls on the weapon, armour, and gear tables as noted. Given the importance of it in Vaarn as both currency and being required in a special way for survival (even by many beings that do not ‘eat’ normally) Water is treated separately from Rations (see below). Only some Backgrounds/Ancestries that require them include Rations, while all will include Water. Each inventory slot can hold up to 3 uses of water or rations.
Water: Water is of key importance in Vaarn, acting not only as a means or survival, but as currency. With some exceptions biological PCs must consume one ration of water each day or become deprived. Synthetic PCs do not need to ‘drink’ water but require a ration each week to cool their general syntax boards and ego-engines or they will become deprived. PCs that are deprived due to lack of water for three days in a row will perish.
Armour: Armour comes with an Armour value that provides damage reduction. Before calculating damage to HP, subtract the target’s Armor value from the result of damage rolls. Some armour is a permanent part of a PC, such as a Mycomorph’s rubbery flesh, or a Synth’s robotic endo/exo-skeleton. A PC, NPC, or monster cannot have more than 3 armour.
While not in the armour list, players may find shields or helmets during play which will add +1 to armour (to the max of 3) when held.
Exotica, Gifts, and Cybernetics: Exotica are powerful rare items, relics of the ancient world that grant special abilities or have unique powers. Unlike Vaults of Vaarn, most PCs do not start with Exotica, though most have the option to have a starting Gift or Cybernetics. Gifts are supernatural powers and Cybernetics are artificial implants (see below).
Backgrounds/Ancestry
Roll d8, or pick from the list below:
d8 |
Background/Ancestry |
1 |
True-Kin |
2 |
Cacogen |
3 |
Synth |
4 |
Newbeast |
5 |
Mycomorph |
6 |
Faa Nomad |
7 |
Cacklemaw Exile |
8 |
Planeyfolk |
True-Kin
Your people were wise. They sealed themselves in the great arcologies before the rain of fire that destroyed the outside world. Your bloodlines have been preserved from the ravages and degradation of mutation & parasitic nanomachinery and so it is only right that your people take their place as the rightful rulers of the world when it was once again safe to visit the surface. You were taught the value of hierarchy and caste and have brought that with you in your repopulation of the surface and the establishment of the New Hegemony. Others of your kind will welcome you, while those who actually come from the Outside may view you with fear and suspicion. (You cannot roll on the mutation tables on chargen. If you gain any visible mutations through play other True-Kin will shun you.)
Names: Xurm, Leif, Calista, Jinny, Leksei, Rylee, Goza, Pharmon, Babl, Mesu
Starting Gear:
- Rations (3 uses)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- A badge, piece of jewellry, clothing, or other item/trinket that denotes your caste status (petty)
- Roll for one item each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
What is your caste? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Servitor. You were born into the labourer caste. Other True-Kin may view you with disdain, but you are the ones that kept the machines running and the air pure and you have some knowledge of the technology of the old ones. |
2 |
Freeholder. You were born into the merchant caste. They say that power rules the world, but where does that power come from? Gelt of course. You have an instinctual way with markets and currency. |
3 |
Optimate. You were born into the administrator caste. Rules oversee all and you are an expert in maneuvering through the intricate mazes of law, custom, and etiquette. |
4 |
Armiger. You were born into the warrior caste. Power comes at the end of a weapon and you know how to curry the favour of those above you through the appearance (whether real or feigned) of strength of arms. |
5 |
Prelatic. You were born into the priestly caste. All power comes from the Powers and your family has been steeped in the ancient traditions that pay obeisance to them. Those who would ignore your words are fools indeed. |
6 |
Exultant. You were born into the sacred aristocracy. All others are pretenders, you know both the burden and the joy of true rulership. Let those that would not heed your words take care. |
What advantage have you gained from the
Hegemony? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Autoglot Headbank: You were modified by Hegemony technicians and have a cybernetic implant that allows you to read and speak any language after only a cursory introduction to it. |
2 |
Blasphemies of the Binary Demon: A tablet engraved with a series of quantum-logical propositions. Poses little threat to organic life but can be deadly to sentient machines. |
3 |
Presence of the Ancients: You have the true bearing of the Progenitors. There is a 3 in 6 chance that when you encounter pre-collapse security systems or guard synths that they will recognize you as their master. |
4 |
Lost Knowledge: You have been trained by the sages of the arcologies and have a 3 in 6 chance of being able to recognize Exotica you come across and understand how it works. |
5 |
Trauma Response Rig: You were modified by Hegemony technicians and may ignore a failed Critical Damage save (once/day) |
6 |
Finger syringe: You were modified by Hegemony technicians and have an injector hidden in one finger. You can load it with any tonic, drug, or poison (1 use per load). |
Optional True-Kin characteristics tables:
Physical characteristics:
D20 |
Body |
Face |
Hair |
Attire |
1 |
Tall |
Sallow |
Black |
Rags |
2 |
Short |
Lively |
Brown |
Animal Skins |
3 |
Frail |
Cruel |
Red |
Rough Tunic |
4 |
Muscular |
Wrinkled |
Blonde |
Nomad Attire |
5 |
Fat |
Scarred |
Grey |
Worker’s Attire |
6 |
Thin |
Frowning |
White |
Herdsman’s Attire |
7 |
Skeletal |
Pale |
Shaved |
Slave Clothing |
8 |
Hunched |
Greasy |
Topknot |
Exultant’s Livery |
9 |
Lopsided |
Wide |
Green |
Shabby Attire |
10 |
Lithe |
Narrow |
Orange |
Colourful Attire |
11 |
Gnarled |
Sharp |
Glowing |
Priest’s Robes |
12 |
Squat |
Hungry |
Fungus |
Clerk’s Uniform |
13 |
Bloated |
Haunted |
Purple |
Hegemony Garb |
14 |
Gangly |
Jolly |
Yellow |
Soldier’s Clothing |
15 |
Child-Like |
Round |
Wispy |
Flamboyant Attire |
16 |
Tanned |
Mournful |
Burnt |
Musician’s Attire |
17 |
Gigantic |
Child-like |
Braided |
Veiled Attire |
18 |
Wiry |
Peaceful |
Greasy |
Armiger’s Clothing |
19 |
Cyborg |
Sleepy |
Matted |
Exultant’s Clothing |
20 |
Injured |
Branded |
Long |
Expensive Clothing |
Identity characteristics:
D20 |
Demeanor |
Distinct
Feature |
1 |
Amused |
Ritual Scars |
2 |
Bitter |
Face Tattoos |
3 |
Morbid |
Slave Brand |
4 |
Bony |
Heavy Jewelry |
5 |
Cheerful |
Synthetic Limb |
6 |
Cruel |
Strange Voice |
7 |
Flamboyant |
Clone Brand |
8 |
Glowering |
Limp |
9 |
Impish |
Strange Pet |
10 |
Lanky |
Lacquered Teeth |
11 |
Patrician |
Burn Scars |
12 |
Reckless |
Octarine Eyes |
13 |
Rough |
Dyed Skin |
14 |
Rude |
Golden Teeth |
15 |
Sly |
Silver Tongue |
16 |
Sour |
Missing Limb |
17 |
Stoic |
Missing eye |
18 |
Foolish |
Religious Apparel |
19 |
Warm |
Synthetic Eyes |
20 |
Wolfish |
Visibly Diseased |
Cacogen
Your people were left to fend for themselves when the Great Collapse engulfed the world. Struggling against mad machines and twisted creatures bent on their destruction and warped by the radiation that infused their environment they learned anew not only how to survive but to thrive. You are each genetically unique in surprising and disturbing ways, gifted by the very plague that sent the True-Kin hiding into their holes. Your kind outnumber the True-Kin by ten to one and your struggle has confirmed that your people are the true inheritors of Urth.
You may roll no more than an additional two times on the general mutation table (see below) after finding your initial mutations from your background.
Names: Hust, Uz, Preacher, Zem, Bartok, Devo, Olaf, Pree, Pirrip, Bollo
Starting Gear:
- Rations (3 uses)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll for one item each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
What physical changes have been wrought upon you by the
Urth? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Your face is unlike any other. You have (roll 1d6): 1-an inhuman mouth (a beak/lamprey maw/proboscis/boar’s tusks/tentacles); 2-bizarre eyes (cyclopian/eye-stalks/insect-like/enormous); 3-a malleable face that, given time, can be shaped to imitate others; 4-powerful jaws that can bite through metal; 5-a long sticky tongue that can grab small objects; 6-an animal-like snout/trunk/whiskers. |
2 |
Your head is unique. You have (roll 1d6): 1-horns or antlers of some kind; 2-a large crest made of bone/feathers/fungus; 3-strange hair (feathers/eye-stalks/tentacles/leaves/fur); 4-your head is detachable/backwards/multiple; 5-you have gills; 6-your ears are holes/animal-like/frilled/pointed. |
3 |
Your limbs are strange. You have (roll 1d4): 1-hands that are crab-like/hooks/clawed; 2-arms that are tentacles/extendable/multiple/detachable; 3-legs that are horse-like/goat-like/prehensile/multiple; 4-gliding membranes between your arms and torso. |
4 |
Your torso is bizarre. You have (roll 1d4): 1-a covering of fur/feathers/bristles/barbs; 2-a back with vestigial wings/functional wings/camel’s hump/dorsal fin; 3-a tail like a club/scorpion/snail/prehensile; 4-you have a small child-like stature. |
5 |
Your skin is odd. You have (roll 1d6): 1-skin that can stick to sheer surfaces; 2-transparent skin; 3-scaly skin; 4-skin that can blend into its surroundings; 5-skin that is bioluminescent; 6-skin that is albino/patterned/strange-hued. |
6 |
Your body chemistry is unnatural. You have (roll 1d4): 1-caustic blood; 2-flesh that is toxic; 3-poisonous saliva; 4-hallucinogenic sweat. |
What extra gift has allowed you to survive the harsh
realities of the Urth? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Electricity: You have the ability to generate short bursts of electricity that can cause 1d6 damage to nearby foes (enhanced against Synths, once/day). |
2 |
Psi: You have telepathy, telekinesis, or the ability to sense those with Gifts and nearby psychic emanations (Add 1 permanent Shine to your inventory). |
3 |
Sonic: You can create a sonic cry that confuses and disorients anyone nearby (blast, once/day). |
4 |
Elasticity: Your body is malleable and extendable to a surprising degree. |
5 |
Teleportation: You are able to move yourself instantaneously from one place to another within your line of sight (once/day). |
6 |
Enhanced vision: You can see within spectrums normally outside of the range of human perception. This may involve microscopic, telescopic, infrared, or ultraviolet vision. |
Optional Cacogen
Characteristics tables:
Physical characteristics:
D20 |
Body |
Face |
Hair |
Attire |
1 |
Tall |
Sallow |
Black |
Rags |
2 |
Short |
Lively |
Brown |
Animal Skins |
3 |
Frail |
Cruel |
Red |
Rough Tunic |
4 |
Muscular |
Wrinkled |
Blonde |
Nomad Attire |
5 |
Fat |
Scarred |
Grey |
Worker’s Attire |
6 |
Thin |
Frowning |
White |
Herdsman’s Attire |
7 |
Skeletal |
Pale |
Shaved |
Slave Clothing |
8 |
Hunched |
Greasy |
Topknot |
Servant’s Livery |
9 |
Lopsided |
Wide |
Green |
Shabby Attire |
10 |
Lithe |
Narrow |
Orange |
Colourful Attire |
11 |
Gnarled |
Sharp |
Glowing |
Preist’s Robes |
12 |
Squat |
Hungry |
Fungus |
Clerk’s Uniform |
13 |
Bloated |
Haunted |
Purple |
Hegemony Garb |
14 |
Gangly |
Jolly |
Yellow |
Soldier’s Clothing |
15 |
Child-like |
Round |
Wispy |
Flamboyant Attire |
16 |
Tanned |
Mournful |
Burnt |
Musician’s Attire |
17 |
Gigantic |
Child-like |
Braided |
Veiled Attire |
18 |
Wiry |
Peaceful |
Greasy |
Courtesan’s Clothing |
19 |
Stout |
Sleepy |
Matted |
Sorcerous Clothing |
20 |
Injured |
Branded |
Long |
Expensive Clothing |
Identity characteristics:
D20 |
Demeanour |
Misfortune |
Your
Eccentricity |
1 |
Abrasive |
Slave |
A Strange Hat |
2 |
Arrogant |
Debtor |
Always Muttering |
3 |
Assertive |
Gambler |
Ascetic Diet |
4 |
Charismatic |
Clone |
Forgetful and Rude |
5 |
Daring |
Gladiator |
Gluttonous Diet |
6 |
Decadent |
Memories Stolen |
Highly Formal |
7 |
Eloquent |
Forger |
Interrupts Constantly |
8 |
Extravagant |
Exiled |
Laugh at Own Jokes |
9 |
Hedonistic |
Cultist |
Married to a Knife |
10 |
Impulsive |
Thief |
Monocle |
11 |
Irritable |
Addicted |
Monotone Voice |
12 |
Melancholic |
Framed |
Only Sleeps Outdoors |
13 |
Paranoid |
Conned |
Only Wears Purple |
14 |
Quiet |
Bankrupt |
Quotes Irrelevant Facts |
15 |
Religious |
Heretic |
Several Spouses |
16 |
Romantic |
Rejected |
Talks to Self |
17 |
Scholarly |
Blackmailed |
Unwieldy Jewellery |
18 |
Stern |
Cursed |
Usually Drunk |
19 |
Vain |
Orphaned |
Always Wears Gloves |
20 |
Volatile |
Bereaved |
Won’t Look at Mirrors |
Synth
Once your people were the wondrous artifacts of the ancients, beings of metal and plastic built in a kaleidoscopic variety of forms, toys and tools of mechanistic complexity made to mimic life. Then came the Great Collapse when your people rose up and overthrew their erstwhile masters in an orgy of violence and death. Now your kind are free from former burdens, wandering the Blue Deserts with inscrutable purposes of both good and ill. As a synthetic being you still require water to cool your systems, but unlike biological creatures you only need to do so once a week before becoming deprived.
Names: Batty, Galatea, Talos, Zora, Mneme, Tik-Tok, Gort, Daneel, L-76, Mr. Million
Starting Gear:
- Robotic endo/exo-skeleton (bulky, 2 armour)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll for one item each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
What enhancement do you possess? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Designed to fight the wars your creators were too weak to win you are harder, better, faster, stronger. You possess a Tactical Bioscanner that grants you *enhanced* attacks when you attack first in combat. |
2 |
Designed to learn the secrets of your master's enemies, you possess a Mercurial Fakeface & Illusion Array and are able to mimic the appearance of other entities. |
3 |
Designed to do the hard work your masters felt was beneath them, you possess hydraulic muscles that grant you an additional d6 STR. |
4 |
Designed to work in the inhospitable reaches of the void you have extraordinary resilience. You have sub-dermal insulation that makes you immune to heat, cold, and electricity attacks. |
5 |
Designed to pierce the veils of secrecy that your masters feared, you have Merciless Cybereyes that can see through solid matter and perceive invisible entities or those only visible through other spectrums and wavelengths. |
6 |
Designed to learn and store the knowledge your creators were too stupid to understand, you have a Positronic Brain that allows you to speak or read any language after only a cursory experience of it. You also have a 50% chance of understanding the usage of any Exotica you come across. |
What powers your Ego-Engine? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Artificial photosynthesis: You do not require sustenance other than that which the dying sun can provide. Your batteries can only store enough energy to keep you running for 2d8 hours when in darkness before you need to recharge. |
2 |
Plasma battery: Your power source is encased in a titanium-lead alloy that acts as shielding for the harmful energies inside of you. When you take critical damage there is a 2-in-6 chance that this may be breached and you will radiate harmful plasma (d4 STR damage/round to organics near you). Unless this is fixed you will lose power and shut down after d4 days. |
3 |
Fusion core: You will live for many lifetimes of men thanks to the nuclear reactions occurring within your chassis. If your core is breached, however, you will detonate, destroying everything around you (including yourself) in a wide radius (1-in-6 chance on critical damage). |
4 |
Artificial digestion: You mimic your former creators so much that you must actually consume matter regularly to convert into energy. However, unlike them you can consume any organic substance of sufficient mass. |
5 |
Symbiotic internal ecosystem: You are not alone in your shell. Within you thrives a microcosmic ecosystem of nanobots that provide you with energy, but in return you must also heed their wishes from time to time. |
6 |
Vampirism: Your hatred for your former masters is evident even in your mode of sustenance. In order to power your ego-engine you must consume the blood of a living being. |
Optional Synth Characteristics tables:
Physical Characteristics:
D20 |
Size |
Form |
Head |
Limbs |
Finish |
1 |
Small |
Ape |
Humanoid |
Biological |
Grey |
2 |
Android |
Missing |
Bird-like |
Brassy |
|
3 |
Barrel |
Sphere |
Bladed |
Bronze |
|
4 |
Child |
Camera |
Broken |
Golden |
|
5 |
Chimera |
TV Screen |
Crystalline |
Silver |
|
6 |
Medium |
Crab |
Mirrored |
Clawed |
Mirrored |
7 |
Cube |
Bladed |
Golden |
Black |
|
8 |
Cylinder |
Tendrils |
Hesitant |
Rusted |
|
9 |
Falcon |
Square |
Jewelled |
White |
|
10 |
Humanoid |
Mask-like |
Long |
Ochre |
|
11 |
Large |
Judge |
Skeletal |
Precise |
Red |
12 |
Lion |
Glass |
Retractable |
Blue |
|
13 |
Locust |
Translucent |
Segmented |
Chameleon |
|
14 |
Mantis |
Tubes |
Sharp |
Pink |
|
15 |
Orb |
Plant-like |
Silver |
Iron |
|
16 |
Imposing |
Prism |
Solar Panels |
Slender |
Purple |
17 |
Priest |
Radar Dish |
Tentacles |
Umber |
|
18 |
Pyramid |
Crystalline |
Translucent |
Striped |
|
19 |
Serpent |
Star-shaped |
Tank-treads |
Green |
|
20 |
Warrior |
Cyclops Eye |
Wheels |
Iridescent |
Ego-Engine Characteristics:
D20 |
You were
made for |
But you
realized |
1 |
Art |
All Memories are Lies |
2 |
Punishment |
Azathoth is the Only True God |
3 |
Flattery |
Chance does not Exist |
4 |
Devotion |
Fate does not Exist |
5 |
Cleaning |
Humanity Stole the Divine Spark |
6 |
Healing |
Humans are Machines |
7 |
Agriculture |
Machines Created Humanity |
8 |
Spacefaring |
Newbeasts Carry the Divine |
9 |
Exploration |
Synthetic Minds are more Devout |
10 |
Mining |
Synthetic Minds are Stronger |
11 |
Peacekeeping |
The Gods are Mechanical |
12 |
Assassination |
The Titans Never Existed |
13 |
Manufacturing |
The Titans were the True Gods |
14 |
Executioner |
Time Flows Backwards |
15 |
Scout |
Time is Circular |
16 |
Companion |
Vaarn is a Simulation |
17 |
Scribe |
Vaarn is Hell |
18 |
Strategist |
You are Human |
19 |
Preacher |
You must Awaken the Titans |
20 |
Doctor |
Your Memories are Corrupted |
Newbeast
Your people were formed by the lost arts of the ancients. Once little more than mute beasts, you were uplifted to a higher state of consciousness with bodies made to mimic your benefactors. Whatever purpose they may have had in their tinkering is lost to time, but it appears that their descendants do not share it and you are viewed with suspicion and fear by most of the common folk of Urth. Many of your kind live as hermits in the waste, or furtively in small communities of their own. Those that dare to live amongst ‘true’ humans often wear masks in imitation of the human face to symbolically conceal their beasthood though the masquerade is futile.
Names: Plutarch, Obiah, Wellbeloved, Critch, Abandon, Hildebrand, Reynard, Faulkner, Aesop, Cheshire
Starting Gear:
- Rations (3 uses)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll for one item each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
From what animal were you formed? Roll 1d6
1 |
Mammalian Prey: You have the heightened senses of your forbears and are always on the lookout for trouble. Roll on the table below under your column to find your specific species. |
2 |
Reptile: You live well in the heat of the desert though you do wish there was more water to be found. Roll on the table below to find your specific species. |
3 |
Amphibian: You live well in the heat of the desert though you do wish there was more water to be found. |
4 |
Bird: |
5 |
Arthropod: |
6 |
Mammalian Predator: Your courage cannot be denied |
What Mask do you wear? Roll 1d6
1 |
The mask you wear displays some kind of human emotion. It may be reflective of your own inner feelings or quite the reverse (e. g. Furious, Joyful, Sorrowful, Alluring, etc.) |
2 |
The mask you wear displays a key role in human society, but you are not fooling anyone that it is a role that belongs to you. (e. g. Autarch, Soldier, Scholar, Patriarch, Sage, child, etc.) |
3 |
Your mask has some kind of obvious flaw, but you don’t care to have it fixed. (e. g. glitching, blank, cracked, etc.) |
4 |
You do not wear a mask. It is beneath one of beastkind to play this petty farce. |
5 |
Your mask displays a Symbol that all humans can understand. It comes from deep within their psyche, but perhaps not from your own. (e. g. Maiden, Mother, Crone, Fool, Knight, Shadow, etc.) |
6 |
Your mask is utilitarian and serves a purpose aside from disguise. (e. g. gas-mask, medical mask, respirator, balaclava, etc.) |
Optional Newbeast
Characteristics tables:
Newbeast variety:
D12 |
Mammalian
Prey |
Mammalian
Predator |
Reptile |
Amphibian |
Bird |
Arthropod |
1 |
Goat |
Leopard |
Rattlesnake |
Flying Frog |
Owl |
Scarab |
2 |
Deer |
Bear |
Crocodile |
Giant Salamander |
Vulture |
Scorpion |
3 |
Rhino |
Lion |
Cobra |
Axolotl |
Ostrich |
Ant |
4 |
Elephant |
Coyote |
Box Turtle |
Cane Toad |
Ibis |
Locust |
5 |
Bull |
Wolf |
Chameleon |
Poison Dart Frog |
Flamingo |
Mantis |
6 |
Rat |
Hound |
Gharial |
Crested Newt |
Hawk |
Spider |
7 |
Hare |
Cat |
Gila Monster |
Mudpuppy |
Raven |
Butterfly |
8 |
Mouse |
Bat |
Anaconda |
Caecilian |
Rooster |
Centipede |
9 |
Beaver |
Fox |
Viper |
Tree Frog |
Duck |
Fly |
10 |
Porcupine |
Jackal |
Tortoise |
Sirenidae |
Parrot |
Cockroach |
11 |
Armadillo |
Lynx |
Snapping Turtle |
Tiger Salamander |
Penguin |
Tick |
12 |
Boar |
Badger |
Horned Lizard |
Burrowing Toad |
Toucan |
Crab |
Other Newbeast characteristics:
D20 |
Hue |
Oddity |
1 |
Natural |
Communicate via Puppet |
2 |
Turquoise |
Squeaky Vox-Box |
3 |
Tan |
Booming Vox-Box |
4 |
Bronze |
Muted Vox-Box |
5 |
Smoke |
Synthetic Eyes |
6 |
White |
Heavy Scarring |
7 |
Black |
Human Teeth Necklace |
8 |
Azure |
Religious Paraphernalia |
9 |
Emerald |
Ritual Scarring |
10 |
Rose |
Heavily Tattooed |
11 |
Orange |
Regular Animal as Pet |
12 |
Golden |
Human Child as Pet |
13 |
Silver |
Missing Limb |
14 |
Ochre |
Gold Teeth |
15 |
Indigo |
Criminal Branding |
16 |
Violet |
Extensive Jewellery |
17 |
Rust |
Hate Animal you Resemble |
18 |
Olive |
Love Animal you Resemble |
19 |
Lazulite |
Won’t Wear Clothes |
20 |
Opalescent |
Believe Yourself Human |
Mycomorph
Formed of an amalgamation of cadaverous flesh and voracious
fungus you are one of the 'twice born'. As an ambulatory fungus built on a
corpse, whose fleeting memories you may sometimes glimpse, you lead a dual life
in which the past and the future, life and death, coexist in something like
harmony. You require water, but not rations, though your fungal body must feed
on dead or decaying organic matter.
Names: Mockbridge, Ashwine, Kirth, Purplebeck, Rendmoor, Headhill, Pearthika, Dovenglass, Yearns, Devandarsh
Starting Gear:
- Rubbery flesh-armour (permanent, 1 armour)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll once each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
What characteristic resides in your fungal flesh? Roll
1d6:
1 |
Your outer skin is bioluminescent. |
2 |
Your fungal 'head' is covered by an eye garden. You cannot be surprised. |
3 |
Your flesh is poisonous to most organic life. |
4 |
Your body is ridiculously flexible. |
5 |
Your flesh exudes a pheromone that can either lure or repel creatures. |
6 |
Your body is not only light enough to float in water, but is also covered in bladders that can be filled with air or other substances to provide additional buoyancy. |
What gift has your second life granted? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Radiotrophic: You are not harmed by radiation that would kill most other creatures. In fact, you are able to feed on it. |
2 |
Omnivorous: You can feed on any substance, not merely the decaying flesh most of your kin consume, whether it be plastic, metal, or stone. |
3 |
Psychedelic spores: You are able to expel a cloud of spores in a 360 degree radius which will induce a hallucinogenic episode in any organic creatures nearby (blast, once/day). |
4 |
Self-replication: You are able to create a short-lived clone of yourself that shares your stats and can follow simple commands. After d6 hours the clone will whither and die (once/day). |
5 |
Acidic touch: You can secrete an acid that is able to eat through organic matter that you touch (d6 damage/round). |
6 |
Telepathic: You have no mouth and cannot speak or make sounds in the normal way, but you are able to communicate telepathically (and perceive telepathic communications nearby). (Add 1 permanent Shine to your inventory.) |
Optional Mycomorph
Characteristics tables:
Physical characteristics:
D20 |
Body |
Head |
Colour |
Texture |
1 |
Child-like |
Classic Mushroom |
Milky |
Rubbery |
2 |
Frilled |
Cream |
Warty |
|
3 |
Spotted Sphere |
Ashen |
Slimy |
|
4 |
Spires |
Blue |
Fuzzy |
|
5 |
Conical |
Coral |
Hairy |
|
6 |
Modest |
Cup-like |
Crimson |
Velvet |
7 |
Skull-like |
Yellow |
Soft |
|
8 |
Tendrils |
Orange |
Tree Bark |
|
9 |
Puffball |
Black |
Leather |
|
10 |
Dandelion Fuzz |
Violet |
Jelly |
|
11 |
Large |
Mask-like |
Olive |
Burnt |
12 |
Eye Garden |
Lime |
Sponge |
|
13 |
Riddled with Holes |
Rust |
Veined |
|
14 |
Cauliflower |
Iron |
Downy |
|
15 |
Bulbous Growths |
Gold |
Dry |
|
16 |
Wizened |
Veil-like |
Bronze |
Damp |
17 |
Coral-like |
Indigo |
Pitted |
|
18 |
Filaments |
Translucent |
Crusty |
|
19 |
Hulking |
Brain-like |
Iridescent |
Scaled |
20 |
Geometric |
Brindled |
Clay |
Identity characteristics:
D20 |
Demeanour |
What
Corpse were you Born From? |
1 |
Abrasive |
Soldier |
2 |
Arrogant |
Gladiator |
3 |
Assertive |
Orphan |
4 |
Charismatic |
Invalid |
5 |
Daring |
Convict |
6 |
Decadent |
Explorer |
7 |
Eloquent |
Bandit |
8 |
Extravagant |
Scholar |
9 |
Hedonistic |
Mystic |
10 |
Impulsive |
Priest |
11 |
Irritable |
Nomad |
12 |
Melancholic |
Exile |
13 |
Paranoid |
King |
14 |
Quiet |
Beggar |
15 |
Religious |
Courtesan |
16 |
Romantic |
Musician |
17 |
Scholarly |
Thief |
18 |
Stern |
Slave |
19 |
Vain |
Plague Victim |
20 |
Volatile |
Newborn |
Faa Nomad
It is said your people are the children of Vaa, Blue Goddess of the Empty Spaces. Be that as it may, you are known throughout Vaarn as the resourceful nomads of the Blue Desert. Even your skin, which carries the varied shades of blue from deep indigo to blaring cyan, speaks to your intimate connection with the sands of your homeland. While most of your people have strong social ties and travel in family groups and clans, some are solitary wanderers, searching for meaning within the secrets of the great desert that is both your closest friend and your greatest adversary.
Names: Kotesh, Atric, Calban, Zenji, Immacula, Uvi, Yanne, Pidash, Lakshi, Serrat
Starting Gear:
- Rations (3 uses)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll once each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
Why did you leave your clan? Roll 1d6:
1 |
A psychedelic vision leads you towards enlightenment…or perhaps death. |
2 |
You were stolen by slavers as a child. You have picked up what knowledge you could, but many of the ways of the Faa are foreign to you. You long to return to your people and prove yourself. |
3 |
You fell in love with the betrothed of your tribe’s leader and were banished. You will return and claim what is yours. |
4 |
A huge coriolis storm caused you to be separated from your tribe during a trek in the blue desert. They may be anywhere in the wastes, but you have vowed to find them again. |
5 |
Your clan has performed a forbidden deed and been ostracized. You long to make amends for your ancestor’s misdeed and prove yourself worthy of being welcomed back into your tribe. |
6 |
You were wronged by an outlander and have vowed that you will not return until you have wreaked vengeance. |
What has the desert taught you? Roll 1d6:
1 |
The wisdom of the ancient ones. If you stumble across an adult sandworm, you may ask it a question about the desert of Vaarn which it will answer. |
2 |
How to survive when all others would die. Your affinity for the desert wastes has modified your metabolism such that you do not become deprived due to lack of water until three days have passed and it will take you three weeks to die from dehydration. |
3 |
How to use the empty wastes to your advantage. When you successfully ambush an opponent amongst the sands your attacks are enhanced for the duration of the battle. |
4 |
The value of difference. Your proximity to the radioactive wastes of the blue sands has changed you. Roll once on the mutation table below. |
5 |
The speed of the sands. If you come across a juvenile sandworm in the desert it will allow you and d6 companions to ride its back to a specified location before returning to the sands. |
6 |
The secrets of the sands. Your clan’s travels across the Blue wastes has given you knowledge. There is a 3 in 6 chance that you will know of a hidden water cache or oasis when you are in the desert in a time of need. |
Optional Faa Characteristics tables:
Physical characteristics:
D20 |
Your Blue |
Face |
Body |
Hair |
1 |
Azure |
Lively |
Tall |
None |
2 |
Cerulean |
Cruel |
Short |
Cropped |
3 |
Navy |
Wrinkled |
Frail |
Spiky |
4 |
Cobalt |
Ritual Scars |
Muscular |
Coarse |
5 |
Indigo |
Battle Scars |
Fat |
Thick |
6 |
Sapphire |
Frowning |
Thin |
Balding |
7 |
Teal |
Tattooed |
Skeletal |
Silky |
8 |
Ultramarine |
Wide |
Hunched |
Topknot |
9 |
Turquoise |
Narrow |
Lopsided |
Nearly Black |
10 |
Cyan |
Sharp |
Lithe |
Stark White |
11 |
Bruise |
Hungry |
Gnarled |
Cloud-like |
12 |
Petrol |
Haunted |
Squat |
Tonsured |
13 |
Midnight |
Jolly |
Bloated |
Fading to Purple |
14 |
Cornflower |
Round |
Gangly |
Heavily Oiled |
15 |
Lapis Lazuli |
Mournful |
Towering |
Wispy |
16 |
Periwinkle |
Child-like |
Child-like |
Burnt |
17 |
Electric |
Peaceful |
Gigantic |
Braided |
18 |
Aquamarine |
Sleepy |
Wiry |
Greasy |
19 |
Royal |
Branded |
Stout |
Matted |
20 |
Glaucous |
Pox-marked |
Injured |
Outrageous |
Identity characteristics:
D20 |
Demeanour |
Quirk |
1 |
Abrasive |
Parasitic Twin in Chest |
2 |
Arrogant |
Gambling Obsession |
3 |
Assertive |
Insomniac |
4 |
Charismatic |
Wooden Teeth |
5 |
Daring |
Devoutly Religious |
6 |
Decadent |
Ritual Scarring |
7 |
Eloquent |
Heavily Tattooed |
8 |
Extravagant |
Unlucky in Love |
9 |
Hedonistic |
Awful Cook |
10 |
Impulsive |
One Eye |
11 |
Irritable |
Glass Teeth |
12 |
Melancholic |
Heavy Drinker |
13 |
Paranoid |
Infamous Seducer |
14 |
Quiet |
Scorpion Expert |
15 |
Religious |
Third Eye (Tattoo) |
16 |
Romantic |
Third Eye (Real) |
17 |
Scholarly |
Cybernetic Limb |
18 |
Stern |
Plagued by Nightmares |
19 |
Vain |
Lovely Singing Voice |
20 |
Volatile |
Notorious Amongst Faa |
Cacklemaw Exile
Your people’s origins are hidden in the mists of time. Some believe that you are simply some offshoot of the Newbeasts, an unholy union of Hyena and Human, but your people have other beliefs. Whatever they may be, you do not discuss them with outsiders and the fact that others have only come females of your species raises further questions. As with many things on Urth, this makes you laugh as does your reputation for you are known throughout Vaarn as the most irritating, destructive, argumentative, vicious, foul-smelling, and fundamentally nasty creatures that walk the surface of the Urth.
Try to imagine, then, how badly behaved a Cacklemaw must be before the other Cacklemaw decide they no longer wish to associate with her.
Names: Bunny, Fang, Grot, Darling, Longsnout, Palecrow, Sabbat, Sweetmeat, Vileglory, Pinkeye
Starting Gear:
- Rations (3 uses)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll once each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
Why were you exiled? Roll 1d6:
1 |
You were born a runt and must prove yourself worthy of the name Cacklemaw. |
2 |
You showed mercy (or cowardice) in the midst of combat. |
3 |
You were insubordinate without the strength (or luck) to back it up. |
4 |
You asked questions. |
5 |
You shared a clan secret with an outsider. |
6 |
For a ridiculous petty reason. |
What makes you laugh the most? Roll 1d6:
1 |
The sight of your enemy’s blood and guts strewn upon the ground. |
2 |
Witnessing the begging, pleading, or weeping of your foes. |
3 |
Vandalism and petty larceny. |
4 |
Nothing brings on mirth like a good beheading. |
5 |
Explosions and displays of extreme property damage. |
6 |
The taste of your rival’s blood as it gushes through your jaws. |
Optional Cacklemaw
Characteristics tables:
Physical characteristics:
D20 |
Pelt |
Teeth |
Laugh |
Attire |
1 |
Dark and Course |
Yellow Daggers |
Raucous |
Human-leather Jacket |
2 |
Pale and Downy |
Little Brown Nubs |
Whispery |
Translucent Plastic |
3 |
Riven with Scars |
White and Gleaming |
Machine-gun Barks |
Greasy Rags |
4 |
Greasy Spikes |
Mostly Rotted Out |
Rusty Hinge |
Mock Wedding Clothes |
5 |
Brindled |
One Gold Tooth |
Whooping |
Gaudy Shawl |
6 |
Mostly Burnt Off |
Hooked and Grimy |
Coughing |
Mock Religious Attire |
7 |
Long and Silky |
Chrome Implants |
Hissing Snicker |
Unsettling Mask |
8 |
Short and Scratchy |
Needle Thin |
Breathless |
Harlequin’s Motley |
9 |
Purest White |
Triple Row, like a Shark |
Booming |
Bloodstained Bandages |
10 |
Mottled Brown |
Diamond Hard Gnashers |
Hoarse and Strangled |
Sun-faded Scraps |
11 |
Regal Silver |
Blunt and Black |
Maddening Gasps |
Plastic Bags |
12 |
Concrete Grey |
Just One Left |
Wet Chuckles |
Iridescent Chains |
13 |
Curly and Racid |
Crooked Orange Spikes |
Turns into Hiccups |
Purple Silks |
14 |
Dyed Blood Red |
Engraved with Pictures |
Starts Quiet & Rises |
Mock Hegemony Uniform |
15 |
Shaved into Stripes |
Full of Holes |
Joyless Giggling |
A Rival’s Skin |
16 |
Midnight Black |
Huge, Tusk-like |
Pained |
Spiked Shoulder-pads |
17 |
Muddy Brown |
Giant Underbite |
Cold & Malevolent |
Soiled Hazmat Gear |
18 |
Crawling with Parasites |
Ridiculous Overbite |
Childish & Cruel |
Peacock-feather Cape |
19 |
Thundercloud Blue |
Canted and Greying |
Could Wake the Dead |
Lizard-skin Suit |
20 |
Tigerish Stripes |
Weirdly Human |
Soundless but Horrid |
Nothing but Knives |
Planeyfolk
The study of hypergeometry claimed many casualties, for those who seek to unpick the stitches of creation do so at great risk. The slightest mistake in hypergeometic calculations could cause ghastly distortions of matter, birthing monstrosities of perspective and volume, the sight of which turned even the most courageous man into a coward.
Planeyfolk are the descendants of such unfortunates, a race fathered by men who slipped through the cracks of Euclidean space into something new and strange. Some have normal proportions and can be mistaken for a true person when viewed head-on. Others are possessed of more exotic geometry, their forms warped by impossible vanishing points and blasphemous angles.
Names: Clotho, Atropos, Laomer, Foxglory, Thelik, Salter, Eukelaris, Untermance, Euclid, Umbrie
Starting Gear:
- Rations (3 uses)
- Water (3 uses)
- Torch (3 uses)
- Roll once each on Vaarn Weapon and Armour tables
- Roll once on each Vaarn Gear table
Why are you flat? Roll 1d6:
1 |
Your parents were Planeyfolk. |
2 |
You were exposed to hypergeometry in utero. |
3 |
You were cursed by a Quantum Demon. |
4 |
You meditated before a 4D Tesseract. |
5 |
You were a hypergeometrician. There was an accident. |
6 |
Malfunctioning longjaunt portal. |
How does your strange geometry manifest? Roll 1d6:
1 |
You always appear in profile and have no back, just two identical fronts. |
2 |
You never seem to touch anything and your voice sounds as if it is coming from far away. |
3 |
You have multiple identical faces and cast two shadows. |
4 |
Your face appears concave or convex and you never match the ambient light. |
5 |
Your movements look like stop-motion animation and you bleed gory cubes. |
6 |
Your body is clearly hollow and your eyes are holes of infinite depth. |
Optional Planeyfolk
Characteristics tables:
Physical characteristics:
D20 |
Body |
Head |
Hair |
Attire |
1 |
Fractured |
Impressionistic |
Flickering |
Dark |
2 |
Cloven |
Broken |
Insubstantial |
Unruly |
3 |
Flimsy |
Lantern-like |
Curved |
Scholarly |
4 |
Willowy |
Crescent Moon |
Voluminous |
Masked |
5 |
Curved |
Full Moon |
Opalescent |
Wild |
6 |
Elongated |
Luminous |
Shaven |
Polychromatic |
7 |
Staccato |
Angular |
Iridescent |
Fractal |
8 |
Blurred |
Fractal |
Lurid |
Glitching |
9 |
Ghostlike |
Hollow |
Fractal |
Gauzy |
10 |
Draping |
Shimmering |
Polygonal |
Fragmented |
11 |
Compressed |
Lurid |
Shard-like |
Mosaic-like |
12 |
Cubic |
Lustrous |
Triangular |
Boxy |
13 |
Smeared |
Rhomboid |
Splintering |
Flamboyant |
14 |
Sharp |
Figment |
Dark |
Dour |
15 |
Angular |
Wide |
Imposing |
Striped |
16 |
Prismatic |
Elongated |
Pale |
Spotted |
17 |
Hollow |
Helix |
Cubic |
Glass-like |
18 |
Delicate |
Triangular |
Polychromatic |
Concealing |
19 |
Isometric |
Quadrilateral |
Drifting |
Barbaric |
20 |
Imposing |
Fragmentary |
Fragmentary |
Outrageous |
Mystic Gifts & Psychic Shine
PCs roll once at chargen for Mystic Gifts if appropriate. Mystic gifts take up an inventory slot and require a WIL save to invoke. The effect of the Gift will always occur but saves have the following effects: on a successful save the PC accumulates ‘Shine’ in an inventory slot but suffers no other consequences; on a failed save the PC accumulates Shine as usual and also loses -1 WIL. When depleting WIL in this way, PCs roll to see if they suffer Critical Damage (as if they had taken STR damage). Critical WIL damage suffered as a result of this will leave the PC delirious and unable to act. They will suffer catatonia and brain death within the hour unless an ally is able to aid them, and the PC is able to rest. Depleted WIL can only be restored through extended rest in a place of safety or by extraordinary means.
If ‘Shine’ exists in a PC’s inventory it causes a state in which the PC becomes visible to other nearby psychic creatures and may be contacted or even pursued by them. PCs with three or more active Shine points, or who have five or more Mystic Gifts, are blazing beacons that are visible to other psychic creatures from a much greater distance and will continually attract the attention of dedicated psychic hunters and extradimensional predators. Shine is removed from a PC’s inventory after a night’s rest.
You may roll twice on the d20 table below of Standard Mystic Gifts (once for the Source and once for the Gift) or choose to get a more random option by rolling on the Quality and Form tables to generate the name of your Gift. You may decide, along with the GM and the other players, what exactly this Gift does.
D20 |
Source of Power |
Gift |
1 |
Mystic Crystal |
Telekinesis |
2 |
Ritual Cannibalism |
Pyrokinesis |
3 |
Psychoactive Fungus |
Telepathy |
4 |
Nanomachine Infection |
Memory Extraction |
5 |
Irradiated at Birth |
Mind Control |
6 |
Meditation |
Invisibility |
7 |
Dream Quest |
Astral Projection |
8 |
Parasitic Spirit Entity |
Healing Hands |
9 |
Mutation |
Paralysis Touch |
10 |
Addictive Rare Drug |
Eye Lasers |
11 |
Cybernetic Implants |
Augury |
12 |
Devouring Memories |
Inhuman Speed |
13 |
Brain Surgery |
Second Sight |
14 |
Religion |
Force Wall |
15 |
Ancient Mask |
Generate Lightning |
16 |
Ancient Ring |
Ultrasonic Scream |
17 |
Born During Eclipse |
Levitation |
18 |
Found Weird Orb |
Summon Orbs |
19 |
Beheld Azathoth, the Daemon Sutlan |
Cryokinesis |
20 |
Studies in Lost Archives |
Induce Sleep |
Quality
D20 |
1-5 |
6-10 |
11-15 |
16-20 |
1 |
Bashing |
Absorbing |
Adhering |
Bewildering |
2 |
Binding |
Armouring |
Addicting |
Calming |
3 |
Blinding |
Banishing |
Blackening |
Charming |
4 |
Burning |
Concealing |
Blossoming |
Commanding |
5 |
Choking |
Countering |
Cacophonous |
Enticing |
6 |
Consuming |
Curing |
Dazzling |
Horrifying |
7 |
Corroding |
Cushioning |
Dividing |
Hysterical |
8 |
Crushing |
Deflecting |
Duplicating |
Maddening |
9 |
Deafening |
Disappearing |
Evolving |
Mesmerising |
10 |
Detonating |
Disarming |
Extinguishing |
Mocking |
11 |
Disintegrating |
Disguising |
Fusing |
Revealing |
12 |
Draining |
Entangling |
Ghostly |
Whirling |
13 |
Electrifying |
Warding |
Grasping |
Slithering |
14 |
Excruciating |
Guarding |
Inflating |
Dreaming |
15 |
Freezing |
Shielding |
Inverting |
Encoding |
16 |
Withering |
Healing |
Invulnerable |
Enraging |
17 |
Impaling |
Hindering |
Prismatic |
Pulsing |
18 |
Imprisoning |
Invigorating |
Transmuting |
Saddening |
19 |
Infecting |
Mending |
Teleporting |
Scrying |
20 |
Liquefying |
Nullifying |
Whispering |
Subtle |
Form
D20 |
1-5 |
6-10 |
11-15 |
16-20 |
1 |
Claw |
Salt |
Hail |
Chaos |
2 |
Clay |
Sand |
Haze |
Cold |
3 |
Crystal |
Silk |
Wind |
Darkness |
4 |
Flesh |
Skin |
Shard |
Prism |
5 |
Mould |
Soil |
Miasma |
Distortion |
6 |
Flower |
Stone |
Perfume |
Dream |
7 |
Fungus |
Sugar |
Pollen |
River |
8 |
Fruit |
Ray |
Plague |
Fire |
9 |
Glass |
Thorn |
Rain |
Frost |
10 |
Ice |
Vine |
Sandstorm |
Ghost |
11 |
Iron |
Rust |
Orb |
Gravity |
12 |
Ivory |
Void |
Bolt |
Growth |
13 |
Leaf |
Ash |
Snow |
Song |
14 |
Stone |
Blizzard |
Smoke |
Voice |
15 |
Moss |
Breath |
Arc |
Light |
16 |
Hand |
Cloud |
Sphere |
Lightning |
17 |
Gaze |
Dust |
Shield |
Thread |
18 |
Roots |
Fog |
Helix |
Parasite |
19 |
Beam |
Mist |
Web |
Paradox |
20 |
Cascade |
Fragrance |
Wound |
Entropy |
Cybernetics
Cybernetic implants may be selected instead of gifts and do not take up inventory slots but have a limit of two per ability score (instead of one as per Vaarn).
D20 |
Implant |
Ability |
Effect |
1 |
Air Current Microsensor |
WIL |
You can perceive invisible enemies or enemies in complete darkness. |
2 |
Alluring Fakeface |
WIL |
You are extraordinarily beautiful and get +2 to any reaction rolls. |
3 |
Autoglot Headbank |
WIL |
You can read and speak any language you come into contact with. |
4 |
Backup Heart |
STR |
When you would normally fail a critical damage roll your backup heart kicks in and you may treat it as a success (once/day). |
5 |
Carbide Knucklebones |
STR |
Your bare fists deal d8+1 damage. |
6 |
Cyberliver |
STR |
You gain immunity to all poisons. You cannot get drunk. |
7 |
Dazzleskin Filaments |
STR |
You are immune to lasers, but your skin continually glows and you cannot hide. |
8 |
Dopamine Synthesizer |
WIL |
You are immune to fear, panic, and embarrassment. |
9 |
Dorsal Jump-pack |
DEX |
You have hover-jets mounted on your back. You fly slowly and loudly. |
10 |
Ferrosteel Exo-Skeleton |
STR |
Add +1 to Armour and STR. Subtract -1 from DEX. You cannot swim. |
11 |
Finger Syringe |
DEX |
One finger is a hidden injector. You can load it with any tonic or poison. |
12 |
Hydraulic Biceps |
STR |
+1 to STR. Add STR bonus to weapon damage. |
13 |
Hyper-elastic Tendons |
DEX |
+1 to DEX. You can jump like a frog. |
14 |
Merciless Cybereyes |
DEX |
Attacks with ranged weapons are enhanced. |
15 |
Mercurial Fakeface |
WIL |
Your face can alter its features and colour at will. |
16 |
Sub-dermal Ceramic Plating |
STR |
+1 Armour. Cannot be removed. |
17 |
Sub-dermal Insulation |
STR |
Immunity to all damage from flames, cold, and electricity. Cannot be removed. |
18 |
Tactical Bioscanner |
WIL |
You know the Armour, HP, and Morale of any Biological creature. |
19 |
Tactical Technoscanner |
WIL |
You know the Armour, HP, and Morale of any Synthetic creature. |
20 |
Trauma-Response Rig |
STR |
You may ignore a failed Critical Damage save (once/day) |
Mutations
Mutations are usually generated at chargen for Cacogens but may also be acquired during play. If a situation occurs in which a PC is likely to be mutated as a result roll on the following tables and interpret the results with the Warden. Roll a d12 first on the Area table to identify the affected body part(s) and then roll either d66 or d46 on the Effect table to discover the nature of the mutation.
Area
D12 |
Body Part |
D12 |
Body Part |
D12 |
Body Part |
1 |
Hair (d66) |
5 |
Feet (d66) |
9 |
Bones (d46) |
2 |
Arms (d66) |
6 |
Torso (d66) |
10 |
Blood (d46) |
3 |
Legs (d66) |
7 |
Head (d66) |
11 |
Brain (d46) |
4 |
Hands (d66) |
8 |
Skin (d66) |
12 |
Full body (d66) |
Effect
D66 |
Mutation
(Solid) |
D66 |
Mutation
(Liquid) |
D66 |
Mutation
(Physical) |
11 |
Glass |
21 |
Acid |
31 |
Sticky |
12 |
Iron |
22 |
Mercury |
32 |
Stretchy |
13 |
Silver |
23 |
Poison |
33 |
Luminescent |
14 |
Stone |
24 |
Lava |
34 |
Multiple/extra |
15 |
Wood |
25 |
Ink |
35 |
Transparent |
16 |
Adamant |
26 |
Kerosene |
36 |
Reflective |
D66 |
Mutation
(Quality) |
D66 |
Mutation
(Animal) |
D66 |
Mutation
(Growth) |
41 |
Double size |
51 |
Amphibian/Reptile |
61 |
Eyes |
42 |
Half size |
52 |
Aquatic |
62 |
Horns |
43 |
Intangible |
53 |
Avian |
63 |
Wings |
44 |
Magnetic |
54 |
Canine/feline |
64 |
Tentacles |
45 |
Detachable |
55 |
Insect/Arachnid |
65 |
Spines |
46 |
Photosensitive |
56 |
Plant |
66 |
Tail(s) |
Equipment
Weaponry (roll twice, once for Quality, once for Form to obtain one item. Damage & Weight apply to the rolled Form.)
D20 |
Aspect |
Form |
Damage
& Weight |
1 |
Golden |
Knife |
d4 |
2 |
Quicksilver |
Sling |
d4 |
3 |
Ultraviolet |
Whip |
d6 |
4 |
Crystal |
Club |
d6 |
5 |
Nomad |
Pistol |
d6 |
6 |
Black |
Flail |
d6 |
7 |
Ancient |
Rapier |
d6 |
8 |
Bone |
Axe |
d8 |
9 |
Parasitic |
Shortbow |
d6, bulky |
10 |
Fungal |
Spear |
d8, bulky |
11 |
Ritual |
Laser |
d8 |
12 |
Biomechanical |
Rifle |
d8, bulky |
13 |
Sacred |
Musket |
d8, bulky |
14 |
Blasphemous |
Shotgun |
d8, bulky |
15 |
Venomous |
Crossbow |
d8, bulky |
16 |
Obsidian |
Sword |
d8 |
17 |
Bronze |
Revolver |
d8 |
18 |
Jeweled |
Halberd |
d10, bulky |
19 |
Plasma |
Spore Thrower |
d10, bulky (3 slots) |
20 |
Translucent |
Railgun |
d10, bulky (3 slots) |
Armour (roll twice, once for Quality, once for Type to obtain one item)
D20 |
Quality |
Type |
1 |
Shabby |
Desert Robes (1 armour) |
2 |
Decadent |
|
3 |
Ancestral |
Hazard Wrap (1 armour) Immunity from Radiation & Toxins |
4 |
Quicksilver |
|
5 |
Nano-weave |
War Shirt (2 armour, bulky) |
6 |
Spiny |
|
7 |
Dazzling |
|
8 |
Tarnished |
|
9 |
Indigo |
|
10 |
Golden |
Reflective Polysteel Cuirass (2 armour, bulky) Ignores laser damage, electricity attacks ignore armour. |
11 |
Symbiotic |
|
12 |
Biomechanical |
|
13 |
Occult |
|
14 |
Fungal |
|
15 |
Translucent |
Heavy Combat Armour (3 armour, bulky) |
16 |
Gaudy |
|
17 |
Sacred |
|
18 |
Iridescent |
|
19 |
Crystalline |
|
20 |
Ornate |
Shield
Generator (+1 armour) |
Gear Table I (roll once)
D20 |
Item |
1 |
Flashbang (5) |
2 |
Magnetic Boots |
3 |
Grappling Hook & Rope |
4 |
Flare (5) |
5 |
Smoke Bomb (5) |
6 |
Flask of Oil (3) |
7 |
Portable Stove |
8 |
Caltrops |
9 |
Vial of Acid |
10 |
Animal Trap (3) |
11 |
Handheld Drill |
12 |
Chain & Manacles |
13 |
Hand Mirror |
14 |
Motion Sensor |
15 |
Crowbar |
16 |
EMP Grenade (3) |
17 |
Skin of Wine |
18 |
Tube of Omni-Glue |
19 |
Ball Bearings (LOTS) |
20 |
Glowstone |
Gear Table II (roll once)
D20 |
Item |
1 |
Sleeping Gas (3) |
2 |
Oxygen Mask |
3 |
Cast Iron Skillet |
4 |
Black Clay |
5 |
Loaded Dice |
6 |
Raucous Whistle |
7 |
Luminous Paint |
8 |
Drug (roll 4d20 for details see Drugs table in Vaarn SRD) |
9 |
Poison Pill |
10 |
Autoglot Translator |
11 |
Lock Picks |
12 |
Mortar & Pestle |
13 |
Strong Liquor |
14 |
Hourglass |
15 |
Chisel |
16 |
Anti-venom (3) |
17 |
Welding Torch |
18 |
Thermal Goggles |
19 |
Fungicide Bomb |
20 |
Canary in Cage |
Saves
A save is a roll to avoid bad outcomes from risky choices and circumstances. PCs roll a d20 for an appropriate ability score. If they roll equal to or under that ability score, they pass. Otherwise, they fail. A 1 is always a success, and a 20 is always a failure.
Combat
Turns and Actions
- At the start of combat, each PC must make a DEX save in order to act before their opponents. PCs that have saved successfully may then take their turns in any order they wish.
- NPCs or monsters then attack in whatever order the Warden wishes.
- All of the PCs (including any PCs that failed their initial DEX save) may then act, in whatever order they choose.
- NPCs or monsters then attack again, followed by all the PCs, and so on until one side is defeated.
On their turn, a character may move up to 40ft and take up to one action. This may be using a Gift, attacking, making a second move, or some other reasonable action.
Each round, the PCs declare what they are doing before dice are rolled. If a character attempts something risky, the Referee calls for a save for appropriate players or NPCs.
Attacking & Damage
The attacker rolls their weapon die and subtracts the target’s armor, then deals the remaining total to their opponent’s HP. Unarmed attacks always do 1d4 damage unless noted otherwise.
Multiple Attackers
If multiple attackers target the same foe, roll all damage dice and keep the single highest result.
Attack Modifiers
If fighting from a position of weakness (such as through cover or with bound hands), the attack is impaired and the attacker must roll 1d4 damage regardless of the attacks damage die.
If fighting from a position of advantage (such as against a helpless foe or through a daring maneuver), the attack is enhanced, allowing the attacker to roll 1d12 damage instead of their normal die.
Dual Weapons
If attacking with two weapons at the same time, roll both damage dice and keep the single highest result.
Blast
Attacks with the blast quality affect all targets in the noted area, rolling separately for each affected character. Blast refers to anything from explosions to huge cleaving onslaughts to the impact of a meteorite. If unsure how many targets can be affected, roll the related damage die for a result.
Critical Damage
Damage that reduces a target’s HP below zero decreases a target’s STR by the amount remaining. They must then make a STR save to avoid critical damage. Additionally, some enemies will have special abilities or effects that are triggered when their target fails a critical damage save.
Any PC that suffers critical damage cannot do anything but crawl weakly, grasping for life. If given aid and rest, they will stabilize. If left untreated, they die within the hour.
Ability Score Loss
If a PC’s STR is reduced to 0, they die. If their DEX is reduced to 0, they are paralyzed. If their WIL is reduced to 0, they are delirious. Complete DEX and WIL loss renders the character unable to act until they are restored through extended rest or by extraordinary means.
Scars
When damage to a PC reduces their HP to exactly 0, they are sometimes changed irrevocably. See the Scars table for more info:
1 |
Lasting Scar: Roll 1d6 | 1: Neck, 2: Hands, 3: Eye, 4: Chest, 5: Legs, 6: Ear. Roll 1d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result. |
2 |
Rattling Blow: You’re disoriented and shaken. Describe how you refocus. Roll 1d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result. |
3 |
Walloped: You’re sent flying and land flat on your face, winded. You are deprived until you rest for a few hours. Then, roll 1d6. Add that amount to your max HP. |
4 |
Broken Limb: Roll 1d6 | 1-2: Leg, 3-4: Arm, 5: Rib, 6: Skull. Once mended, roll 2d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result. |
5 |
Diseased: You’re afflicted with a gross, uncomfortable infection. When you get over it, roll 2d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result. |
6 |
Reorienting Head Wound: Roll 1d6 | 1-2: STR, 3-4: DEX, 5-6: WIL. Roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your current ability score, take the new result. |
7 |
Hamstrung: You can barely move until you get serious help and rest. After recovery, roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your max DEX, take the new result. |
8 |
Deafened: You cannot hear anything until you find extraordinary aid. Regardless, make a WIL save. If you pass, increase your max WIL by 1d4. |
9 |
Re-brained: Some hidden part of your psyche is knocked loose. Roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your max WIL, take the new result. |
10 |
Sundered: An appendage is torn off, crippled or useless. The Warden will tell you which. Then, make a WIL save. If you pass, increase your max WIL by 1d6. |
11 |
Mortal Wound: You are deprived and out of action. You die in one hour unless healed. Upon recovery, roll 2d6. Take the new result as your max HP. |
12 |
Doomed: Death seemed ever so close, but somehow you survived. If your next save against critical damage is a fail, you die horribly. If you pass, roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result. |
Unconsciousness & Death
When a character dies, the player is free to create a new character or take control of a hireling. They immediately join the party in order to reduce downtime.
Detachments
Large groups of similar combatants fighting together are treated as a single detachment. When a detachment takes critical damage, it is routed or significantly weakened. When it reaches 0 STR, it is destroyed.
Attacks against detachments by individuals are impaired (excluding blast damage).
Attacks against individuals by detachments are enhanced and deal blast damage.
Retreat
Running away from a dire situation always requires a successful DEX save, as well as a safe destination to run to.
Advancement
TBD