Bay 12 Games Forum

Damian Lowell:
HP: 7/7
BP: 1/1

Battlechips:
AirShot, Bubbler, RockCube, Repair

Talents:
American Football

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Kauko Lehtonen:
HP: 6/6
BP: 2/2

Battlechips:
AirShot, Attack +1, Sword

Talents:
History Buff (Net)

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Lumi Lehtonen:
HP: 7/7
BP: 2/2

Battlechips:
AirShot, Barrier, Bubbler, Cannon

Talents:
Parkour

Score.EXE:
HP: 10/10
BP: 2/2

Battlechips:
AirShot, DashAttack, Sword

Reductions:
None.

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ShroomMan.EXE:
HP: 8/8

Reductions:
None.

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Snowman.EXE:
HP: 8/8

Reductions:
None.

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WindKnight.EXE:
HP: 8/8

Reductions:
None.

Resolution:
The basic resolution mechanic of this game is simple. Every action has a stat tied to it. The stat determines the size and number of dice to roll for the action. A roll greater than 4 on a dice counts as 1 success. To succeed at an action, you must roll more success than the target number (TN), which determined by the type of action you are performing and what your target is. Certain traits may grant you additional successes on a roll or bonus dice which you add to your dice pool before rolling. Your Degree of Success (DS) is the number of successes you have rolled over the TN. Thus, succeeding at an action will always result in a DS of at least 1.
 
Example:
Alice has a stat of 6d8 and is attempting an action with a TN of 4. She gets +4 dice and +2 successes from various bonuses and traits. Alice thus rolls 10 d8s. On her roll, 6 dice show 5 or greater and she adds +2 from her bonuses to get 8 successes. She thus succeeds at the action with a DS of 4.
 
Bob has a stat of 4d8 and is attempting an action with a TN of 4. He gets +1 dice and +1 successes from various bonuses and attributes. Bob thus rolls 5 d8s. On his roll, 3 dice show 5 or greater and he adds +1 from his bonuses to get 4 successes. Since this is equal to the TN, he fails at the action.

Mech Stats:
The five basic mech stats are:

• Health: How much damage your mech can take before suffering ill effects.
• Special: How much energy your mech has for special actions.
• Attack: How much damage your mech can inflict. Attack has a focus of Melee or Ranged, picked at creation.
• Defence: How little damage your mech takes from attacks. Defence has a focus of Armour or Evasion, picked at creation.
• Support: How good your mech is at supporting its allies and determines protection against status effects.

Each stat can be Strong, Normal or Weak. Strong stats roll d12s for their actions, Normal d8s and Weak d6s. At character creation you can select your mech’s stats to be all Normal, or 1 Strong, 3 Normal and 1 Weak, or 2 Strong, 1 Normal, 2 Weak.
 
At character creation you distribute 20 dice among your stats, with each stat requiring at least 1 dice in its dice pool.
 
Finally, you pick whether your mech's Attack is focused on Melee or Ranged, and whether their Defence is focused on Armour or Evasion. This will affect certain TNs, abilities and actions. For example, attacking with a weapon with the same type as your Attack stat grants +1 success.
 
The two derived stats are Maximum Health Points and Maximum Special Points.

• Maximum Health Points is based on your Health stat. The number of dice in your Health stat is multiplied by (4 if Strong, 3 if Normal, 2 if Weak) to get your Max HP. When your HP is reduced to 0 in combat your mech isn’t destroyed. However, at 0 HP you become vulnerable to enemy finishers. Being hit with a finisher fully recovers your HP but in return you take Major Damage, which is a trait which applies penalties for the rest of combat. Major Damage cannot be removed but its penalties may be reduced by certain actions.
• Maximum Special Points is based on your Special stat. The number of dice in your Special stat is multiplied by (6 if Strong, 5 if Normal, 4 if Weak) to get your Max SP. SP is used to power various actions and abilities your mech can perform.

Traits:
Traits are what makes your mech special compared to everyone else. Traits are divided into four categories. Weapons, Finishers, Actions and Passives.
 
At character creation your mech has 1 weapon, 1 finisher, 1 action and 1 passive for free, and 4 extra traits to be divided however you wish.
 
Weapons:
Weapons are what your mecha uses to attack things. Every player mech has the two following basic weapons:
 
Basic Melee [Melee]:
Attacking with fists, feet or, in a pinch, trees uprooted from the ground.
SP Cost: 1
Range: 0
Attributes: Movement Allowed.
 
Basic Ranged [Ranged]:
Attacking with basic rifles, pistols or, in a pinch, throwing rocks.
SP Cost: 1
Range: 1
Attributes: None.
 
You can invest one of your traits to make better weapons for your mech. A player-created weapon has the following stats:

• Type: Whether the weapon is melee or ranged. If the type matches your Mecha’s attack focus, you gain +1 success when attacking with it. Note that some enemies may have extra defences against certain attacks, so investing in only a single type will make it difficult to damage them.
• SP Cost: Starts at 1 and increases by 1 for every extra Attribute you give it. Attacking with the weapon costs this in Special Points.
• Range: Up to how many areas away this weapon can attack at. Starts at 0, meaning that it can only attack enemies in the same area as you. Attributes can increase this stat.
• Free Attribute: Every weapon made from a trait gains either the Movement Allowed (allows this weapon to be used in the same turn as movement) or Range +1 attribute for free.
• Attributes: Extra Attributes increase the SP cost of the weapon by 1 but offer various bonuses. Unless said otherwise, Attributes stack with each other.

Attributes are made up by the player on creation of the weapon, subject to GM approval. The following is a short list of pre-generated attributes, to act as guidelines for making your own.
 
Example Attributes:
Movement Allowed: This weapon can be used in the same turn that this mech uses a movement-based action (Move, Double Move, Trudge, etc, etc). Non-movement allowed weapons cannot be used in the same turn as movement, regardless of the order in which actions are taken.
Range +1: The range of this weapon increases by 1. Can be taken multiple times.
Devastating: Deal an extra 3 damage whenever you successfully hit with this weapon. Can only be taken once.
HP/SP Recovery: Whenever you hit with this weapon, regain 1 HP/SP for every two DS. Can only be taken once.
Debuff: Whenever this weapon hits, until the start of your next turn the target suffers -1 success to a stat, picked at weapon creation.
Area of Effect: Whenever you attack with this weapon you may declare that it is an AoE attack. The SP cost increases by 5 and instead of targeting an opponent for the attack you target an area, rolling against all enemy units within it.
Easy Conditional: Conditional bonuses which are easy to achieve, such as attacking enemies in the same area as you or attacking an enemy on the ground. These easy conditionals grant either +1 success or +2 dice to the dice pool, selected at trait creation.
Difficult Conditional: Conditional bonuses which are difficult to achieve or dependent on the map, such as attacking enemies underwater or attacking an enemy at range 3 or more. These difficult conditionals grant either +2 successes or +4 dice to the dice pool, selected at trait creation.
 
Finishers:
Finishers are awesome attacks which your mecha breaks out in special circumstances to finish off the enemy. Finishers can only be used against enemies with 0 HP and will either destroy them or inflict major damage. Major Damage are debuffs which affect enemies until they are destroyed but hitting an enemy with Major Damage also recovers their HP to full.
 
Finishers have the following stats:

• SP Cost: Starts at 4 and increases by 2 for every extra Attribute you give it. Attacking with this finisher costs this in Special Points.
• Range: Up to how many areas away this finisher can attack at. Starts at 0, meaning that it can only attack enemies in the same area as you, but can be increased by Attributes. Unlike weapons, the range of a finisher is either 0, 2 or Infinite.
• Attributes: Extra Attributes increase the SP cost of the Finisher by 2 but offer various bonuses.
• Recommended Damage (Optional): The types of major damage this finisher inflicts and the penalties they give. See the section on mech combat for more explanation.

Attributes are made up by the player on creation of the finisher, subject to GM approval. The following is a list of suggested attributes to keep in mind and limit them to similar power levels.
 
Example Attributes:
Movement Enabled: This finisher can be used in the same turn that this mech declares a movement-based action (Move, Double Move, Trudge, etc, etc).
Range Increase (First): The range of this finisher increases to 2. Can only be taken once.
Range Increase (Second): The range of this finisher increases to Infinite. Can only be taken after Range Increase (First).
Amazing Pose: If you successfully inflict major damage with this finisher, all allies in the same area are inspired and gain +1 success to all rolls until the end of the next turn.
Area Debuff:  If you successfully inflict major damage with this finisher, all enemies in the same area are debuffed and lose -1 success to all rolls until the end of their next turn.
Absorption: If you successfully inflict major damage with this finisher, mitigate a piece of major damage on your mech which has not been mitigated yet. Its effects are mitigated until the end of combat.
 
Actions:
In combat every mech has the same set of basic actions but you can use traits to create more actions to perform. Actions thus encompass a broad range of potential effects given what the players wish to accomplish when creating this type of trait.
 
Actions have the following stats:

• AP Cost: Using this action costs this in Action Points. You have 2 AP per turn, so most actions will have a cost of 1 AP. Some particularly strong actions will require 2 AP.
• SP Cost: Using this action costs this in Special Points. Some actions will have a flat cost while others will have dynamic costs.
• Range (Optional): Up to how many areas away this active can be used at, if applicable.
• Effects: What this active does when used.
• Augmentation (Optional): The action that this one changes or improves upon, so that you can add on additional effects onto it. Only relevant for certain actions.

Note that the same action cannot be used multiple times in a turn.

As mentioned before, effects are made up by the player on creation of the action, subject to GM approval. The following is a list of extra actions to keep in mind and limit them to similar power levels.
 
Example Actions:
Double Attack:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 2x.
Range: Weapon’s.
Effects: If you have already used an attack action this turn, you can use this action. Attack an enemy like normal but any SP Costs are doubled.
 
MegaGuard:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 0
Augment: Guard
Effects: Until the start of the next turn or after this mech moves, the area this mech is currently in counts as Difficult Terrain for enemy mechs. Additionally, enemy units cannot move out of the area this mech is currently in until the start of the next turn or after this mech moves.
 
Cheap Heal:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 0 SP
Range: 0
Effects: Roll Support vs 0. Every DS heals yourself or an ally in range by 1 HP.
 
Regular Heal:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 3 SP
Range: 0
Effect: Roll Support vs 0. Every DS heals yourself or an ally in range by 2 HP.
 
Mitigate Damage:
AP Cost: 2
SP Cost: 10
Range: 0
Effect: Mitigate the effect of major damage from yourself or an ally in range. Its maluses are halved for the rest of combat. You cannot use this on a piece of major damage that is already mitigated.
 
Energy Burn:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 3
Range: 1
Effect: Roll Support vs target’s Support. Every DS reduces the target’s SP by 2.
 
Recharge:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 0
Range: 0
Effect: Roll Support vs 0. Gain 1 SP for every DS.
 
Recharge Ally:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 3
Range: 0
Effect: Roll Support vs 0. Every DS recovers 1 SP for you or an ally in range.
 
Single Debuff:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 3
Range: 1
Effect: Roll Support vs Support against an enemy. Every 2 DS reduces a stat, picked at creation, by 1 until the end of their next turn.
 
Area Debuff:
AP Cost: 2
SP Cost: 7
Range: 1
Effect: Roll Support vs Support against an area. For every enemy in that area, 2 DS reduces a stat, picked at creation, by 1 until the end of their next turn.
 
Passives:
Passives are effects which are always active on your mech without needing any actions or abilities to use them. As such they generally don’t cost any SP but have smaller effects than weapons or actions.

Example Passives:
Adaptable: This mech’s defence focus changes to Adaptable. When attacked it always counts as the more favourable focus, Armour or Evasion, for reducing damage.
Amphibious: This mech ignores the Difficult Terrain trait and the attack malus from Enclosed X for water areas. Additionally its targets do not get the defense bonus from Enclosed X if they are in water areas.
Emergency Responder: When using a movement-based action, Move, Trudge, etc, etc, this mech can move two extra areas. This extra movement can only be used to end up in an area with an allied mech under 50% HP.
Reduced Action Cost: Reduces the cost of a specific action, including player-made actions, by 1 AP. Can be taken multiple times but cannot reduce the cost of an action below 0 AP.
Flight: This mech is capable of flying. When using any movement-based action (Move, Double-Move, Trudge, etc, etc), this mech can begin to fly or stop flying if it is already flying. While flying it ignores any traits that an area has, positive or negative. A mech can only change its flight state once per turn, regardless of how many movement actions it uses in that turn.
Generator: This mech regains SP at the start of its turn equal to a tenth of its max SP, rounded up.
Easy Conditional: Conditionals which are easy to achieve, such as being the only friendly unit in an area or being attacked by a melee weapon, grant either +1 success or +2 dice to a stat, selected at trait creation.
Difficult Conditional: Conditionals which are difficult to achieve or dependent on the map, such as being underwater, grant either +2 successes or +4 dice to a stat, selected at trait creation.

Character Stats:
While the focus of the game is on mech combat, there will be some minor sections where the player characters are on foot and must perform certain actions to progress the game. Character stats are thus simpler and more generic than mech stats, to reflect their lesser importance.
 
The four basic character stats are:

• Vigour: How strong and hardy your character is.
• Agility: How dexterous and quick your character is.
• Intelligence: How smart and learned your character is.
• Charisma: How charming and sociable your character is.

Each stat can be Strong, Normal or Weak. Strong stats roll d12s for their actions, Normal d8s and Weak d6s. At character creation you can select your character’s stats to be all Normal, or 1 Strong, 2 Normal and 1 Weak, or 2 Strong and 2 Weak.
 
At character creation you distribute 12 dice among your stats, with each stat requiring at least 1 dice in its dice pool.
 
Traits:
Like mechs, characters have traits which define them. Since characters are less important than mechs, their traits are more open. They should encompass anything important about your PC, from their skills to their equipment and anything else which might be significant. Note that character traits will only affect things they do while on-foot. Character abilities that affect mech combat should be mech traits instead.
 
At character creation you have 3 traits to make for your character.
 
Examples:
Always Alert: This character is hyperaware and will never be caught off guard or surprised. If attacked by an enemy they will always be able to perform an action first, whether it’s running away or attacking themselves.
Built-In Weapon: This character has weapon built into them, or perhaps they have honed their body to an absurd degree. When attacking they gain either +1 success to +2 dice to the dice pool, selected at trait creation. Additionally, they can never be disarmed nor lose their built-in weapon.
Familiar: This character is blessed with a familiar companion, such as a friendly robot or a talking cat. While the familiar is incapable of performing complicated tasks, perhaps due to artificial stupidity or a lack of opposable thumbs, they can keep an eye out, talk to people, and similar things.
Instant Access: This character always has access to their mech, such as teleportation or a transformation sequence. They never have to worry about being separated from their mech through nefarious evildoers.
Ready Mechanic: This character always has access to basic tools such as a screwdriver or wrench, no matter the circumstances.
Telekinesis: This character is gifted with psychic powers and can move things around with their mind. They can move objects smaller than a breadbox without rolling, while larger objects or other people requires an Intelligence roll.
Skills: Skills or knowledge which your character possesses an abundance of, such as performing music or maintaining a mech. Skills grant either +1 success or +2 dice to the dice pool, selected at trait creation.

Basic Combat:
Mech combat is divided into turns, which alternate between the players, enemies and any other factions which may be participating. Actions by the players are usually conducted first-come, first-served, but players can delay their actions if they wish. Regardless some degree of coordination is encouraged.
 
Combat Actions:
At the start of their turn, every unit gets two Action Points. These AP can be spent on various actions. Each action can only be used once during a turn. For example, you cannot use the Attack action twice in a turn.
 
Every unit in the game has the following basic actions:
Attack:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: Weapon’s.
Range: Weapon’s.
Effects: Attack an enemy within range with the selected weapon, applying its attributes as applicable. The roll is Attack vs the target’s Defence as a TN. Using a weapon with the same type as your Attack adds +1 success to the roll. Every DS deals 2 damage to the target.
 
Note that if you use a moment related action, Move, Double-Move, etc, etc, you can only use the Attack action in the same turn if the weapon used is Movement Allowed. This is true regardless of the order of the actions.
 
Finisher:
AP Cost: 2
SP Cost: Finisher’s.
Range: Finisher’s.
Effects: Use the selected finisher against an enemy within range, applying its attributes as applicable. No roll is required but the target must be at 0 HP for this action to succeed. Depending on its abilities, the target is either destroyed or suffers from a piece of major damage but recovers all HP.
 
Guard:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 0
Effects: Until the start of the next turn or after this mech moves, the area this mech is currently in counts as Difficult Terrain for enemies.
 
Move:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 0
Effects: Move to an adjacent area, if possible. (Not entering or leaving an area with Difficult Terrain. Not guarded by an enemy, etc, etc).
 
Double Move:
AP Cost: 1
SP Cost: 0
Effects: Can only be used if the Move action has already been taken. Move to an adjacent area, if possible.
 
Trudge:
AP Cost: 2
SP Cost: 0
Effects: Move into an adjacent area, if possible, ignoring the effects of Difficult Terrain.
 
Health and Damage:
Unlike in other games, being reduced to 0 HP doesn’t always defeat a unit. Instead they become vulnerable to Finishers. Hitting a unit with a Finisher inflicts a piece of major damage, which is a significant debuff, but also fully recovers their HP. Thus it is always worthwhile to try and heal yourself, instead of using Finishers to recover HP, due to the penalties involved.
 
While major damage provides significant debuffs, they can be mitigated, which generally halves its effect. This can only be done using certain actions and abilities.
 
Example Major Damage:
Damaged Actuators:
Penalty: All movement actions cost +1 AP, to a maximum of 2. Additionally, this unit can use take one movement-related action per turn.
Mitigated: This unit can use take one movement-related action per turn.
 
Broken Battery:
Penalty: Maximum SP is reduced by half.
Mitigated: Maximum SP is reduced by a quarter.
 
Reduced Stat:
Penalty: -4 successes to a certain stat.
Mitigated: -2 success to a certain stat.
 
Damaged Weaponry:
Penalty: All attack actions cost +1 AP, to a maximum of 2. Additionally, this unit can only use one attack-related action per turn.
Mitigated: This unit can only use one attack-related action per turn.
 
Enemies and NPCs:
Enemies and NPC units have the same basic stats as players. However, instead of rolling dice, these stats act as Target Numbers for the players. For example, when a player mecha is attacked, they roll their Defence to resist the attack, as opposed to the enemy rolling to hit them. Thus, a bonus which grants them +1 success instead adds +1 to their TN, while a bonus which adds +2 dice instead adds +1 to their TN.
 
Additionally, unlike players, enemy and NPC mecha have toughness as a stat. Toughness represents how many pieces of major damage they can suffer from before they are destroyed. Most units will have a damage level of 0, meaning that a single finisher is enough to destroy them. As with players, being hit with a finisher recovers all HP but inflicts a penalty to the enemy that lasts for the rest of the fight.
 
Areas:

Combat in this game is divided among various areas. Every area may have various traits assigned to it, affecting any units currently occupying it. Units may move between adjacent areas with any valid movement options. Areas connected by a black border are considered adjacent, areas connected by a white border are impassible for movement but are passable for attacks, and red borders completely prevent anything from being traced through them. Attacks many only target enemies within their range. A range of 0 means that the target must be in the same area, 1 means that the target can be in the same area or an adjacent one, and so on.
 
Example Traits:
Difficult Terrain: The terrain in this area is particularly difficult to move through. Only actions which ignore Difficult Terrain, such as Trudge, can be used to enter or leave the Area.
Defensive X: The terrain in this area is protective, due to being designed that way or having plenty of cover. If a unit in this area is attacked by a unit not in the area, the attack gains +X to their TN.
Enclosed X: The terrain in this area is enclosed, making combat in and out of it difficult. Attacks in or out of this area have +X to their TN.
HP Recovery X: This area is setup to heal those within it. Units that begin their turn in this area gain X HP, up to their maximum.
HP Damage X: This area is dangerous to everyone within it. Units that begin their turn in this area lose X HP, down to 0.
SP Recharge X: This area is infused with ready sources of energy. Units that begin their turn in this area gain X SP, up to their maximum.
SP Sap X: This area drains whoever remains with in it. Units that begin their turn in this area lose X SP, down to 0.

CHARACTERS:
Characters are represented by Stats, Reputations, Skills, Traits, Equipment.

Stats are the basis for completing tests and conflicts. The five normal stats are Physical, Technical, Synergy, Organization and Charm,. A sixth stat known as Profitability exists.

• Physical represents how physically strong, agile and tough your character is.
• Technical represents your character’s mental prowess and technical aptitude.
• Synergy represents your character’s ability to work with other people.
• Organization represents how well your character can maneuver through institutions, companies and other organizations and bureaucracies.
• Charm represents your character’s ability to interact and socialize with others.

Profitability represents how profitable your character is to the company. High Profitability means that your character has access to more funds for whatever purchases they require. Low Profitability limits your character’s wealth and their esteem in the company. Profitability of zero means that your character is in danger of committing Honourable Karoshi, unless they can fend off jealous rivals long enough to regain Profitability. Profitability can never decrease below 0.

Stats start out at 1 and have a maximum value of 4 at character creation. Profitability starts at 3 during character creation.

Reputations represent your character’s relations with individuals and organizations. The maximum number of personal reputations is equal to your Charm and the maximum number of institutional reputations is equal to your Organization. Reputations start at +1 and have a maximum value of +3. Reputations may be positive or negative, such as being rivals with someone or having the support of a decker clan. This may affect situations where that Reputation is relevant. Every character starts out with a +1 Reputation with their parent company.

Skills represent a character’s experiences and the knowledge they’ve gained from them. Skills start out at 0 and have a maximum value of 3 at character creation. Skills include but are not limited to Awareness, Leadership, First Aid, Melee, Ranged, Bargain, Diplomacy, Hacking, Bureaucracy, Courtesy, Karaoke and Subterfuge. Knowledge X is a skill where X is some limited section of knowledge such as manufacturing, engineering or economics.

Traits and Equipment represent special items and characteristics which your character has acquired. Traits are innate to the character while Equipment can be traded, stolen or lost. The effects of Traits and Equipment vary. Acceptable Traits would include, ‘Knowing several languages’, ‘+1 to multiple, related skills’, ‘Increased number of Reputations’, ‘Intense parkour skills’ and the like. Acceptable starting Equipment could provide +1 to a single skills, limited functionality like lockpicking, access to an identification database or wireless capabilities. Equipment gained during the course of the game may be stronger than starting Equipment.

TESTS AND CONFLICTS:
A test or conflict occurs whenever a character is attempting to resolve some action, either against another character or their environment. Generally test will be used broadly instead of part of a series of small actions. Thus sneaking through a facility, fighting another salaryman and the like will involve resolving a single conflict, instead of focusing on individual blows or avoiding every guard in the place.

To resolve a conflict or test, first the relevant stat is selected and modifiers are added. These include Reputations, Skills, Traits and Equipment so long as they are applicable to the task at hand. Thus a character may not use a woodcarving skill in combat or a reputation with another character if they’re on the other side of the city enjoying a hot cup of tea. The total value of stat plus modifiers is your card pool for this conflict. Your opponent in a conflict similarly tallies up their stat and relevant modifiers or, if they are a random mook or part of the environment, their card pool will be decided by the GM.

Before a conflict or test the highest ranking salaryman in a group may make a speech if they have time to do so. Afterwards they may hand out a number of Synergy Points to their followers equal to their Synergy plus Leadership skill. The maximum number of Synergy Points a character may use is equal to their Synergy stat. These Synergy Points may not be redistributed until the commanding salaryman gets an opportunity to make another speech. Needless to say, the commander may not hand Synergy Points to themselves.

Other characters may assist in a conflict by adding their skill to the stat. The maximum modifier which a character can gain from being assisted is equal to their Synergy stat.

Next the Card of Fate is drawn from a standard Japanese deck of 50 cards, divided into 5 suits (Swords, Books, Mirrors, Fans and Cups) and 10 ranks, 1 to 7 then Representative, Councillor and Prime Minister.

Finally both sides draw a number of cards from separate decks equal to their card pool.

• If a drawn card matches the CoF’s suit then it counts as an Ordinary Success.
• If a drawn card matches the CoF’s rank then it counts as an Exceptional Success.
• If a drawn card matches the CoF’s rank and suit then it counts as a Perfect Success.
• If a drawn card does not fall into any of the above categories, then it is a Failure.

The victor of a conflict is whoever has the most Perfect Successes. In the event of a tie then it’s whoever has the most Exceptional Successes. If that number is equal then whoever has the most Ordinary Success. If that is also a tie then the ranks of cards are compared to see who drew the higher ones. If both sides of a conflict drew the exact same cards then the laws of probability are fucked and reality is rebooted with the conflict being conducted a second time.

The outcome of a conflict, for failure or success depends on what exactly is being attempted during the conflict and will generally be mentioned before a conflict starts. Some conflicts may be announced well before they are resolved, such as receiving a mission from your CEO or foreknowledge of an upcoming raid. Thus characters have time to influence the outcome however they can, such as working hard to increase the profitability of their firm or injuring a rival’s reputations before an important business meeting.

DAMAGE:
Damage generally occurs when failing a conflict. Damage can apply to a character’s Health, Reputation or Profitability.

Each point of Health Damage reduces all stats by 1. If the total Health Damage is equal to or greater than a character’s Physical stat then they are severely wounded and in danger of dying. Health Damage can be healed by visiting a relevant medical professional or receiving help from another character.

Reputations are damaged individually and each point reduces their bonus by one. The maximum amount of Damage a Reputation may have is equal to the bonus it provides. Whenever a Reputation is used in a failed conflict it automatically gains a point of Damage and may gain additional damage from the results of the conflict as well. Reputations can be healed by asking for forgiveness, doing thoughtful deeds or going above and beyond the call of duty. Repairing Reputations generally involves succeeding at an Organization or Charm test.

Damage to Profitability is a temporary loss but is one which could easily become permanent. Each point of Damage decreases Profitability by 1. If the amount of Damage is equal to your character’s Profitability then all Damage is removed and Profitability is permanently decreased by 1. Profitability is generally damaged by failure to meet company expectations or profit margins, but boardroom maneuvers or other troubles that threaten output can damage it as well. Getting caught performing illegal or highly questionable deeds will also damage profitability. Profitability can be repaired by exceeding profit expectations or sucking up to your boss and performing favours for them.

FIRMS:
Firms are organizations that provide goods and services, such as a factory that produces rubber gaskets or a travel agency to the sunny beaches of the Ryukyu islands. Firms can be acquired by the players, either as gifts by another salaryman or from hostile takeovers from another corporation. Like characters, Firms are represented by Stats and Traits.

The 5 stats that represent a firm are Productivity, Expertise, Morale, Security and Defence.

• Productivity represents a firm’s ability to efficiently produce goods or provide services.
• Expertise represents the collective knowledge of the firm in the field they are working on.
• Morale represents how motivated and willing to work the employees are.
• Security represents a firm’s protection against subversive elements or infiltrators.
• Defence represents a firm’s protection against hostile takeovers or raids.

Traits represent special equipment, knowledge or characteristics of a firm. These range from special equipment to security drones and so on. Traits in a firm can be acquired or lost by the efforts of the players, their allies and their rivals.

At the end of a month, every firm attempts a Productivity test to see if they match productivity goals. The players may modify this test by their actions, succeeding at conflicts or losing them. Failure to meet profit targets will result in Profitability damage to the player characters. Exceptional Success at reaching those goals may mean promotion, a Profitability increase or some other bonus. Since meeting profit margins is the only thing that matters, running a firm into the ground while siphoning money off is a legitimate management strategy. So long as one can dump it onto some other poor salaryman before it collapses.

Name: Japanese names are in the form of Clan/Family Name, Personal Name.
Age: 18+, please. You are salarymen, not schoolchildren.
Appearance: Wild and fanciful clothing is encouraged.

Stats: The five normal stats (Physical, Technical, Synergy, Organizational, Charm) begin at 1 while Profitability begins at 3. You have 7 points to distribute among the five normal stats. No normal stat may be larger than 4 at character creation.
Physical: 1
Technical: 1
Synergy: 1
Organizational: 1
Charm: 1
Profitability: 3

Skills: You have 12 points to distribute among your skills. No skill may be larger than 3 at character creation.

Reputations: You begin the game with a +1 reputation with your parent Corporation, Raijin Power. Additionally you have 4 points to distribute among however many reputations you choose. You are welcome to create institutions and people to have reputations with. No reputation may be larger than +3.
Employed by Raijin Power: +1

Traits: You start with 1 Trait at character creation and may gain more as the game progresses.

Equipment: You start with 1 piece of equipment at character creation.

History: You may describe up to three important points of your character’s background. The description may be only a few sentences long for each part or embedded in a larger paragraph of their history. For each part of your character’s history which you highlight, you gain either +1 stat, +1 reputation, +2 skills, a trait or a piece of equipment. The bonus stat may apply to the five normal stats or to Profitability as well.

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]

[u][b]Stats:[/b][/u]
[i]Physical:[/i] 1
[i]Technical:[/i] 1
[i]Synergy:[/i] 1
[i]Organizational:[/i] 1
[i]Charm:[/i] 1
[i]Profitability:[/i] 3

[u][b]Skills:[/b][/u]

[b]Reputations:[/b]
[u]Employed by Raijin Power:[/u] +1

[b]Traits:[/b]

[b]Equipment:[/b]

[b]History:[/b]
You may copy and paste the contents of the above code block to form the basis of your character sheet.

Oshiro Japan is a country of towering skyscrapers, extensive neon and choking smog. The Oshiro Conglomerate rules through the nine prime corporations and they each offer a unique stamp to the country's architecture. NK's buildings can be identified by their bulging polymer windows while Cherry's are covered in smog-resistant greenery. Maglev lines and roads criss-cross the country, though the latter are mostly occupied by fleets of buses and swarms of bicycles. Only those wealthy or prestigious enough own electric vehicles in Japan. The Five-Fold Wall isolates the country from the rest of the world and so protects the country's extensive manufacturing industries.

At the top of Oshiro's caste system are the salarymen, their position secured by possession of 99% of the country. At one time the use of Shohen, microscopic machines, was wide-spread. Now their use is heavily restricted so as to cement the position of the salarymen. A Shohen-enhanced salaryman is stronger, faster and more intelligent than their peers. Their blade can cut down several non-enhanced men with a single strike and only cyborgs can hope to match them in single-combat. Their martial prowess is matched with a duty towards learning and earning a profit for their corporate masters. A salaryman's position and wealth comes with a sense of honour and duty that frequently sets them in conflict with their peers and sparks the many feuds that Oshiro Japan suffers from. The highest ranking salarymen live in penthouse suites or fanciful estates in what remains of the countryside. The majority live in the firms and factories where they work, to be on hand to defend them as much as possible. Excellent pay and a prestigious position ensures that a salaryman lives more comfortably than most of the population, with access to whatever they could possibly wish for. Salarymen are beholden to Rieikdo, or the Way of Profits, as an example of how to live their lives. Even if few come close to that ideal, their peers and bosses are certainly watching for every infraction.

The other castes of Japan are not as lucky as the salarymen. They live in company apartments or tenant buildings, relying on an extensive public transportation system or carbon-fibre bicycle to go where they wish to go. Long hours and few worker's rights are balanced by excellent pay, since the Oshiro Conglomerate values production above all. Even if they do not have the same rights and privileges as a salaryman, a good worker can expect a respectable lifestyle so long as they are not injured on the job or suffer a mental breakdown. Obvious signs that the salarymen are hording much of the country's wealth causes ripples of anger and outrage among the lower classes and even worker's revolutions at times. The strength of Shohen-enhanced salarymen ensures that such troubles are short-lived but highly destructive.

The population who do not work for one of the nine prime corporations are a hardy bunch living in the cracks of society, working a living however they can. Referring to themselves as Sovereigns, they have set up extensive camps in the mountains and slums of Japan. Occasionally cybernetic-enhanced bandits raid the megacities from their camps but generally they prefer to maintain their independence. Their presence is tolerated by the corporations due to the simple fact that eliminating them would be more effort than they're worth. Especially since they are a good source of manpower and expertise to be exploited however possible. Many a Sovereign, seeking a better life, has joined the ranks of the salarymen at the request of the corporations. An equal number have refused such a request too.

Most of Japan's government has been overturned and submerged by the corporate government of the Oshiro Conglomerate. What little that remains has been submerged with the country's religious life to form Judicial-Shintoism. It represents the remaining influence which civilian government has in Japan, though the efforts of Oshiro ensures that it's used sparingly. Under the Seventy Profitable Laws, Judicial-Shintoism supports the actions of the salarymen while restricting the efforts of the lower classes to do the same. Blood-feuds, dueling, raids and more can be legally sanctioned for the right price. Such is the power of a salaryman that they can escape the consequences even without these sanctions, though doing so is incredibly dishonourable. Many salarymen retire, willingly or forced, by joining the ranks of Judicial-Shintoism. Tales of wandering clerks in their orange robes dispensing justice as they see fit are equal amounts fiction and fact.

EIGHT TENETS OF RIEKIDO:
Riekido, or the way of profits, is the codified way of life for a salaryman and describes how they should live. Many conflicting writings on Riekido exist but the generally accepted eight tenets of Riekido are:

Duty: A salaryman has a duty to themselves and their corporation. They must serve and profit themselves and those above them at every opportunity. If no such opportunity exists they must seek it out unwaveringly. To fail to do one’s duty is to besmirch one’s own honour.

Integrity: Speaking and doing are one and the same to a salaryman. They do not promise. They do not try. They say that something will be done and do it, no matter what obstacles they may face. To fail to follow one’s word is a grave dishonour as a salaryman.

Honour: A salaryman cannot hide from themselves. The decisions they make and carry out reflect their true character and honour. How can a person who goes against the Seventy Profitable Laws call themselves a proper salaryman?

Courage: A true salaryman must not be afraid to take risks in the pursuit of profits. A full, wholesome life is cannot be lived without risks. Those with heroic courage are not afraid to tackle them head-on. A salaryman who undutifully flees from risks and trials is no true salaryman.

Respect: Cruelty does not benefit a true salaryman. Respect is as important out of the boardroom as it is in it. No matter how difficult the times are, an honourable salaryman can be revealed by the respect they give to their peers. A salaryman who does not give respect to their fellow salarymen is not worthy of the title.

Benevolence: To be given the gift of Shohen is to be made better than the rest of humanity. More powerful. More intelligent. To abuse this power is to abuse the respectability that comes with the gift of Shohen. A salaryman who is excessively cruel to their inferiors only brings dishonour on themselves.

Righteousness: A salaryman is beholden to themselves and their peers. To offer excessive respect and friendship to one’s inferiors dulls one’s righteousness for themselves and their profession. Those salarymen who give excessive favours to those below them prove that they are no more honourable than they are.

Success: The most important tenant of Riekido. Everything a salaryman does in the name of success. Nothing is worse than the sting of failure. Nothing can compare to the taste of success. All other violations to Riekido can be forgiven for a salaryman who earns significant profits their company.

Caste System: A class structure that is determined by birth. In theory, under the Seventy Profitable Laws, all men are equal. In practice the Oshiro Conglomerate enforces a rigid caste system. The castes are salaryman, worker, scientist and guard in order of most prestigious to least. In practice the rankings are not as rigid as the Oshiro would wish. The salarymen maintain their dominance through equal amounts of respectable and underhanded tactics rather than the innate honour and superiority of their caste.

CEO: The head of a prime corporation. Answerable only to the President themselves. The CEOs feud among themselves for power, wealth and honour at every opportunity.

Decker: Synonymous with hacker and carries connotations of someone highly skilled in operating a computer. The term derives from an old form of human-computer interface. Modern deckers use a sophisticated bio-feedback implant instead.

Decker Clan: A loosely organized yet fiercely loyal and tight-lipped group of deckers. Their optical-weave clad agents engage in a variety of activities, most of them illegal. While primarily concerned with hacking and computer fraud, decker clans think nothing of engaging in assassinations, blackmail and the like for the right price. The prime corporations often deal with decker clans for their espionage techniques and electronic know-how. Competition and politics between the clans are just as intense as between corporations, though injected with a dose of juvenile humour and shrouded in the greatest of secrecy.

Den-Sei: A particular form of AI, based on the theories and designs of Kyou Ueda. Den-Sei are hyper specialized to the point of absurdity, to ensure that they perform their tasks optimally and without fear of corruption. A car-driving Den-Sei knows the exact tightness its lug nuts should be set to, but has no idea that the humans it drives around are the same that walk along the streets. By law and common consent, Den-Sei are the only type of AI allowed within Japan. All other forms are illegal and to be destroyed on sight.

Executive Director: A high-ranking salaryman who reports directly to the CEO of a prime corporation or to the President himself. Executive Directors are generally given a division or large number of related industries to manage.

Five-Fold Wall: The source of Japan’s prosperity and isolation from the rest of the world. It is comprised of Den-Sei freighters, frequency jammers, secret police, the Japanese Navy and the JAF. Due to the Five-Fold Wall, contact between Japan and the outside world is almost entirely cut-off. The only official method of communication is through Den-Sei, and only to enable the prime corporations to sell their products to gaijin countries.

Freelancer: A salaryman who doesn’t belong to any corporation but takes whatever contracts they can. Their existence is technically illegal under the rules of the Oshiro Conglomerate but generally they are ignored so long as they do not cause too much trouble. Many freelancers offer their services to the higher bidder or wander Japan seeking to hone their skills.

Gaijin: Anyone who lives on the other side of Five-Fold Wall. Non-Japanese people. Gaijin materials are imported, processed, and sold to the wider world. Doing so drives Japan’s economy and the fortunes of its corporations.

Guard: In Oshiro thinking, those who do not produce are worth nothing. Thus the caste of guards and security personnel is the lowest in the caste system, since they only prevent the lost and destruction of products. In reality they are treated quite well, since they are highly useful in suppressing unions, stopping worker’s revolutions, defending firms and similar tasks.

General Manager: A mid-ranking salaryman. Usually reports to an Executive Director, though a few report to the President himself.

Judicial-Shintoism: The leading religion in Japan, whose head is the Prime Minister. It is characterised by intense ritual and organization. Court-maidens drive away bad spirits while Nomimancers use zoning laws to organize buildings and furnishings in a harmonious way. When powerful salarymen wish to retire, they do so by taking a vow of service and becoming a clerk at the nearest courthouse.

Karaoke: A form of entertainment involving singing popular songs over pre-recorded backing tracks with a group of friends. Karaoke is extremely popular with Japan’s population, especially when combined with excessive drinking. A salaryman who refuses a chance to perform karaoke with their peers is viewed as strange as best or dishonourable at worst.

Manager: A low-ranking salaryman, though still higher than regular staff. Reports directly to a General Manager.

Nuyen: Japan's currency. While contact with the outside world is forbidden due to the Five-Fold Wall, Japan's economists are confident that a single Nuyen is equal to 3.4 Euros. Assuming that such a currency still exists, of course.

Optical-Weave: A type of fabric which can assume a whole host of colours. Generally used as camouflage by deckers and other suspicious types.

President: The head of the Oshiro Conglomerate and functional ruler of all of Japan. The current President is Oshiro Katsuo.

Prime Corporation: One of the nine most powerful corporations in Japan, all directly underneath the Oshiro Conglomerate. They are Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Yamauchi Zaibatsu, Tenjin Tech Enterprises, Cherry Agriculture and Recycling, Nakamura Service Solutions, Fuji Entertainment, NK Pharmaceuticals, I/M Construction and Design, and Raijin Power.

Prime Minister: Long ago the Prime Minister was the ruler of Japan. Yet with the rise of the Oshiro Conglomerate the position has turned into a ceremonial one, with some influence remaining as the head of Judicial-Shintoism. The current Prime Minister is Saito Hideyoshi, who is legally bound to dedicate his life to ‘the study of legalism and the arts’.

Riekido: The Way of Profits, and rules on how every salaryman should live their life. While the exact details vary from writer to writer, the 8 commonly accepted tenets are Duty, Integrity, Honour, Courage, Respect, Benevolence, Righteousness and Success.

Rigger: Informal term for someone who operates remote controlled drones. While most machines and robots are operated by Den-Sei, sometimes a more human touch is needed.

Salaryman: A high-ranking and trusted employee of a corporation and the highest caste in Japan. Doing so gives them many benefits, such as access to company roads and improved housing. The most important benefit of being a salaryman is being infused with Shohen, granting increased strength, intelligence and speed as well as a variety of abilities. Even the lowest of salaryman is capable of taking on several armed men with ease. Due to the particularities of Shohen enhancement, salarymen generally favour weapons powered by their muscles such as katanas and bows. As the highest caste in Oshiro Japan, salarymen combine the martial and literary values exemplified by the samurai of centuries past.

Scientist: In the Oshiro Conglomerate, those who produce the most are thought to be the most honourable. Thus salarymen, who organize the production of many and magnify it, are given the most respect. While the efforts of scientists, intellectuals and maintenance crew are important, immaterial gains cannot compare to physical product. Even a worker, who produces only for himself, is thought to be more respectable than a scientist. Of course, in reality, most who fall into this caste are better treated than the supposedly more prestigious workers.

Seventy Profitable Laws: The remaining legal code of Japan, after being cut down at the insistence of successive Presidents. The Seventy Profitable Laws effectively legalize honour-killings, raids and similar activities to those who can afford the bribes and fines required. This limits such actions only to salarymen and their masters. While one does not need to resort to the Seventy Profitable Laws to attack one’s enemies, doing so is considered extremely unhonourable and reflects poorly on the profitability of the salarymen who engage in such things.

Shohen: Microscopic machines. Long ago Shohen were commonplace in Japan but have become rarer under the rise of the Oshiro. Except for a few traditional cases, such as the Prime Minister's Thousand Clerk Bodyguard, the possession of Shohen are illegal to all who are not a salaryman. Even then their use is strictly regulated to maintain the dominance of the Oshiro Conglomerate.

Sovereign: Slang for a person living outside of the Oshiro Conglomerate, in one of the many slums or mountain camps in Japan. They are characterized by being fiercely independent, mechanically adept and suspicious of outsiders. More respectable citizens view them as bandits and thieves but, so long as they don't cause much trouble, are largely ignored.

Street Samurai: A slang term for a highly enhanced human being, generally through the implantation of cybernetics. While not as dangerous as a salaryman they are still feared and respected by the average man.

Worker: The second highest caste in Japan, at least according to Oshiro thought. Such a position affords them some form of worker’s rights and privileges in the face of greedy salarymen eager to exploit their labour however they can. Only idols and similar stars are afforded the full respect that the worker caste is supposed to receive.

Attributes:
3 different attributes exist in the game, Physical, Cunning and Enchantment. Physical represents how strong and tough your character is, Enchantment represents your character's proficiency with magic, and Cunning represents your character's quickness of mind and body. Each attribute is divided into Dice and Keep values. When rolling an attribute, a number of D6s equal to the Dice value are rolled and a number of dice equal to the Keep value are retained. Obviously the highest values are always retained. Rolling an attribute this way is abbreviated to XkY, +XkY for bonuses and -XkY for maluses. If X is lower than Y, then all dice are retained and nothing else happens. Sometimes abilities and the like will refer to the Dice and Keep values of an attribute, in which case nothing is rolled and the straight value is used. The total number of Dice you get is equal to 4 plus 2 per level, starting at 6, and you can assign them to your attributes however you wish.

Attributes are determined to be Primary, Secondary or Ternary at character creation. Your Primary attribute is always dependent on which class you are. Paladins have Physical as their Primary Attribute, Enchanters have Enchantment and Commoners have Cunning. Your Secondary and Ternary Attributes are ordered from the remaining choices however you wish.

The values of each Attributes’ Keep and the total number of Dice you can invest in them per level is on the following table.


Health:
A character’s Health is equal to 20 plus their level times 4, starting at 24. It fully recovers at the start of each tale, unless some event prevents it from happening. When it reaches 0 a character is knocked unconscious. They cannot be dealt anymore damage but cannot gain health unless revived by a specific ability.

When an enemy is reduced to 0 health they generally die, unless they have an ability which says otherwise. This includes Calonnau and other supernatural creatures.

Abilities:
You get one ability per level, which you must design yourself. Abilities will be vetted by the GM to ensure that they aren’t too powerful or obnoxious in gameplay. Guidelines for abilities are as follows:

• Duplicate abilities are not allowed.
• Passive abilities which directly increase an Attribute in all circumstances are limited to +0k1. For example, ‘This character is innately strong so they get +0k1 to Physical’, ‘This character is a skilled wizard and gets +0k1 to Enchantment’.
• Passive abilities which increase an Attribute in combat situations only are limited to +2k1. For example, ‘This character gets +2k1 Physical when attacking with ranged weapons', ‘This character gets +2k1 Enchantment while casting healing spells’.
• Passive abilities which increase an Attribute in non-combat situations are limited to +3k2. For example, ‘This character gets +3k2 to all tracking rolls’, ‘This character gets +3k2 to playing the violin’.
• Passive abilities which increase health are limited to ‘This character’s total HP is equal to 25 plus 5 times their level’.
• Using an ability to apply a debuff/buff to a target which is already affected by it always refreshes its cooldown. The ability does not apply the same debuff/buff again so as to stack its effects.
• Passive abilities cannot allow a character to dodge attacks. Instead they should force the attacker to adjust their dice rolls. For example, ‘Anyone attacking this character must automatically discard all results which are 2 or less’, or ‘Anyone attacking this character rolls 2 less dice than normal’.
• Active abilities can allow a character to dodge a limited number of attacks when used.
• Abilities with a cooldown period start off on that cooldown. For example, an ability with a one-turn cooldown cannot be used on the first turn in combat but will be first available on the second. Abilities with a two-turn cooldown can first be used on the third turn and so on and so forth.
• Each character is limited to creating one extra stat pool to power their abilities, which can be flavoured as ‘Rage’, ‘Mana’, ‘Prayer’, ‘Luck’, etc. This stat pool is limited to a number of points equal to the character’s level and is refilled at the start of each tale. This limit can be increased to a number of points equal to the character’s level times 1.3, rounded up, by creating a passive ability with that effect. This pool does not have to be explicitly set up by spending an ability but can be implicitly mentioned in the first ability which consumes points from the pool.

Combat:
In combat, everyone gets to take a single action per turn and whatever free/simple actions they want (moving, speaking, etc). You can use this action to perform a basic attack, in which you pick an enemy and roll an attribute of your choosing. The enemy takes damage based on the roll you made, modified by whatever abilities or defenses are relevant. Attacking without a proper weapon imposes a -0k1 penalty. Alternatively you can use this action to perform an active ability, some improvised maneuver and so forth.

Tales:
Tales, scenes and so forth are a single encounter in the game, whether it’s combat, exploring a location or chatting with the locals. Some abilities are refreshed at the start of a tale, such as a Commoner’s Cunning Plan. Health is usually recovered at the start of a tale, unless told otherwise.

Classes:
Paladin (Physical):
The original Paladins were the 12 greatest warriors of Charlemagne’s court. Their number included the brave Roland, Ogier the Dane and the great Astolfo. Since then many warriors have styled themselves Paladins, modeling themselves after the great heroes of yore. While not all of them have been highborn knights, they still try to emulate the Twelve through the swearing of Oaths and impressive feats of arms on the battlefield. While the Church rightfully links the swearing of Oaths with pagan traditions of old, they tolerate the practice since they are directed towards good Christian ends.

All highborn knights in the Order of the White Branch are formally titled as Paladins, unless they have some other rank which supersedes that.

Honour: At character creation and anytime they are not in the midst of combat, Paladins may swear up to 3 different Oaths. For example, these Oaths could be ‘Never tell a lie’, ‘Never retreat against even odds’, ‘Protect the weak’. For each Oath they swear, Paladins gain a point of Honour. Every point of Honour they have adds a bonus to all Physical rolls equal to half of their Physical Keep (up to 1.5 times their Keep at 3 points of Honour).

Paladins lose Honour by breaking their Oaths or failing to follow them. Ultimately they are responsible only for their own actions but using others to circumnavigate their Oaths may cause them to lose Honour as well. For example, a Paladin with an Oath to not steal would lose Honour for using or profiting from items which they know to be stolen. They do not lose honour by failing to prevent others from using or profiting from stolen goods, though they should follow their conscious and make at least a small effort to do so. Once they lose a point of Honour by breaking an Oath, a Paladin will not lose additional Honour by failing to follow that particular Oath. For example, a Paladin who loses Honour for breaking an Oath to always tell the truth can then tell as many lies as they want without losing any more Honour.

Paladins may regain honour by performing heroic deeds or performing an appropriate penance for their misdeeds. The exact process depends on the situation and the Oath sworn. At any time Paladins may change broken Oaths to different ones if they judge it prudent. These changed Oaths are still broken and so no Honour is gained until they are repaired by penance or heroic deeds. Ideally these changed Oaths should prove to easier to follow once they are repaired.

Enchanter (Enchantment):
The knowledge of magic can be traced well into humanity’s past, well before Aristotle or Hermes the Thrice-blessed were even born. Over the generations, experimenters and philosophers have refined their understanding of the world and turned sorcery into an exact science. As such apprentices must undergo rigorous examinations to prove their knowledge before they are certified to use the title of Enchanter. Many students prefer to travel from university to university and so Enchanters in Galwalas can come from anywhere in Europe, from universities as close as Oxford or Swalen or as far away as Vicenza or Salamanca.

The title of Enchanter functionally supersedes other titles in the Order of the White Branch, reflecting the prestige and honour which are given to those who attain their certifications. Of course, with the Kingdom in disarray, no one will notice if one's credentials are not what they actually are.

Ritual Enchantment: Every Enchanter knows a number of Runes equal to their level divided by two, rounded up. Thus they know a single Rune at level 1 and learn an additional Rune every odd level.  These Runes take the form of single words such as ‘Stone’, ‘Make’, ‘Unmake’, ‘Move’, ‘Water, and so forth. Enchanters may combine up to three of these Runes into a Ritual with powerful and far-reaching effects. Multiple Enchanters may contribute Runes to the Ritual, so long as the total does not exceed three. For example, three different Enchanters may contribute three different Runes which only they know and so form a single Ritual.

The effect and preparation for a Ritual depends on the Runes used and its intent. When making a Ritual, Enchanters should always state what they are trying to accomplish, lest they end up with an outcome which is drastically different from their intent. The amount of preparation needed for a Ritual varies on its effects. Even small Rituals take hours to prepare and so starting one in the middle of a battle is ill-advised since the fight will be over before the Ritual is ready. Large Rituals may require exotic ingredients, placement on the intersection of leylines, or esoteric knowledge before preparation can begin. For example, creating a stone bridge over a river by magic may require permission of the river’s Calon or situation of the Ritual in a place of power to overcome its will.

Due to bans against the practice of blood magic, necromancy and other dark magics, certain Runes cannot be learned via leveling up. These include but are not limited to, ‘Blood’, ‘Death’, ‘Bone’, ‘Demon’, etc, etc. These Runes may be taught by others, though their acquisition will be quite difficult. Knowing even one of them is enough to be burned at the stake as a heretic and devil-worshipper.

Commoner (Cunning):
More than nine tenths of Galwalas’s people are commoners, either serfs tied to the soil they till or freemen able to go where they please. As such commoners occupy a wide range of professions, from lowly farmers to skilled blacksmiths to respected merchants. Theoretically the meanest knight is higher than the wealthiest merchant, but money has a power of its own and so the burghers of the cities and towns are a formidable political force. Outside of the cities many freemen and serfs earn their daily bread tilling the soil, under the protective gaze of their local lord.

The Order of the White Branch has plenty of room for those of lowly birth. Men with cunning, intelligence, and the ability to think on their feet, who have needed and sometimes shady skills. While not as honoured as their noble comrades, they are richly rewarded nevertheless.

Cunning Plan: What Commoners lack in breeding they make up for in wit and quick-thinking. Once per tale they may declare that they have a Cunning Plan as an action. A Cunning Plan represents forethought and careful preparations conducted beforehand and not any magical or superhuman efforts. Thus using a Cunning Plan enables the Commoner to retroactively succeed at an action carried out before the current tale, so long as it is reasonable for it to have occurred. Thus you cannot use Cunning Plans to steal the crown jewels, travel to Rome and back, or lead an entire army through enemy lines. What you can use Cunning Plans for include pickpocketing the keys off of an inattentive guard, earn a favour from the Lord Mayor by cheating at cards, or drugging the wine given to other knights in the tournament.

Kingdom of Galwalas:
The Kingdom of Galwalas used to be a prosperous and peaceful nation, nestled between the mountains and the sea, until the Tyrant Iorwerth tore it asunder. When King Illtyd the Wise died his only heir was his twelve year old daughter, Princess Eirwen. But his jealous brother was not content to leave the Kingdom to his niece and stole it in a bloody coup. Eirwen managed to escape her assassins with the assistance of her guardian, Baron Rheinallt the Lame, and fled the Kingdom. After several years and many adventures she returned to Galwalas at the head of a large army, ready to face her uncle for the throne.

After a series of battles the Tyrant Iorwerth retreated to Castle Camlann with the remnants of his forces, soundly defeated no matter what stratagems he attempted. Once it became obvious that his vassals had deserted him and the final assault was underway, Iorwerth retreated to the top of the castle’s tower. There he began to tear up the Kingdom’s Garden, the symbolic and magical heart of the land, having decided that if he could not rule as King then no one could. Eirwen confronted her uncle at the top of the tower and with a single cast of her ancestral spear ended his life. But the damage was done. The land of Galwalas was swallowed up by the primordial fog from whence it came, entire villages disappearing into the aether. Yet Eirwen did not suffer for years in exile to give in to dismay so easily. Knowing that some of her subjects still survived in isolated pockets and that the healing of the land could be hurried, she created the Order of the White Branch to restore her birthright to its former glory.

Order of the White Branch:
By the command of Queen Eirwen the Brave, the Order of the White Branch was created to right the wrongs caused by her disposed uncle. The primary task of the Order is to retrieve the Wybyd and return them to the Kingdom’s Garden. The Wybyd are formed as the land tries to heal itself and after several years they will eventually grow large enough to succeed at this task. By planting them in the Kingdom’s Garden, the work of the Wybyd can be accomplished in a few moments. Unfortunately this also leaves it vulnerable to being uprooted, else the Tyrant Iorwerth would not have been able to descend the Kingdom into turmoil so easily.

After the Wybyd have been retrieved and the Kingdom is restored, the members of the Order are expected to continue their good deeds and assist the Queen in every endeavour. This includes classic tasks such as keeping the land peaceful and orderly, enlisting the help of the Calonnau, and slaying wandering monsters.

Calonnau:
The Calonnau (singular: Calon) are embodiments of the land’s power and essence. Their assistance, gained through diplomacy, enchantment or force, is vital to the running of any orderly and prosperous Kingdom. In the times of the Druids they were appeased with sacrifices of animals and gold, worshipped as if they were gods. With the advent of Christianity such behavior is not tolerated, for they are servants of men and not their masters. Instead they are given wages of coin and livestock for their services and honoured as if they were Kings.

With the turmoil which the Kingdom has undergone the Calonnau have vanished, lacking the land to draw strength from. They will return only once the Wybyd have done their work and healed the Kingdom of its primordial scarring. However their old bonds will no longer apply to them and so their assistance must be enlisted anew. Slaying a Calon, especially when the land is still recovering from its wounds, will have terrible and drastic consequences. The aspect which it represents will weaken, regaining its vigor after several generations have passed. Until then the people will have to suffer without its blessings.

A Calon can assume any form or shape, whether man, beast or monster. However, no matter what they look like, no Calonnau can disguise the sense of primal power radiating from them. Calonnau which represent the civilized aspects of nature generally take the form of humans, while those which personify the mountains, rivers and the like prefer the form of monsters to intimidate others. Regardless of their size they all know the common tongue and will readily converse with those who are willing, and occasionally those who are not.

Otherworld:
Every person knows, from the highest king to the lowliest peasant, that another world lies beside the one in which they inhabit. This Otherworld is a place of mystery and magic, where monsters roam and time and space flow in bizarre ways. With the Kingdom of Galwalas being fractured many connections to the Otherworld have formed, serving as pathways for malicious creatures to use. These pathways can also be used by adventurous humans to journey to the Otherworld but they do so at great risks to themselves, perhaps fated to never again touch the soil where they were born even if they survive its dangers.

The Kingdom of Galwalas used to be inhabited by the Tuatha Dé Danann, whose kingdom stretched over many great islands. However they were eventually defeated by human invaders from the sea and retreated to the Otherworld, using mystical arts which they were adept in. The descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann became the lords of the Otherworld and are known as the Aes Sidhe, People of the Mounds, and the Fair Folk. The Sidhe are divided into the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, depending on their views of humanity. The Unseelie Courts plot the recovery of their ancestral lands and the destruction of the human invaders. The Seelie Courts, in contrast, are content with ruling over the Otherworld and can be quite friendly to humanity. Unfortunately it can be impossible to figure out which Court a Sidhe belongs to, since members of both courts are prone to mischief and place a high value on politeness and honour even towards their hated enemies. Those meeting a Sidhe are advised to be as respectful as possible and evaluate any offers or deals thoroughly before accepting them. The Unseelie Sidhe take great amusement posing as their friendlier kin when dealing with humans to bring their downfall.

Name: Given that this is Medieval Fantasy, last names should be relating to some trait which the character has, their parentage or the place where they come from.
Age: The youngest a character can be is 16 years old, while any age over 60 is rather unreasonable.
Appearance (Optional): Humans are the only race you can play as, for obvious reasons, so your character’s appearance should reflect that.
Backstory (Optional): Feel free to make shit up in your backstory, so long as it’s appropriate to a Arthurian Romance or Medieval Fantasy setting. Given that the Kingdom is in disarray and the very land is in turmoil, the specifics should not factor heavily into the game. Ideally your character will be at Castle Camlann when it is taken, so that they don’t have to travel through the formless void to join the Order.

Class: Which class you want to be.
Primary Attribute: Determined by your class.
Secondary Attribute: Selected from whichever attributes remain.
Ternary Attribute: Selected from whichever attributes remain.
Other: Any Oaths taken by Paladins, or Runes known by Enchanters. Commoners have nothing needed to go here.

Dice (0/6) You get to assign 6 dice at character creation to your three attributes however you wish.
Physical Dice: How many dice your character has invested in physical abilities.
Enchantment Dice: How many dice your character has invested in magic.
Cunning Dice: How many dice your character has invested in being less than honest.

Weapon: What weapon your character is equipped with. It offers no bonuses or effects, so any ancestral swords will have to be repaired or retrieved from safekeeping.
Armour: What armour your character is wearing. It also offers no bonuses or effects.
Other: Basic supplies will be provided, so include any knickknacks, mementos or other items important to your character’s identity here. They will have no mechanical effect in combat but could be useful in diplomacy or problem-solving.

Ability:
Your character’s starting ability. See the appropriate spoiler for the guidelines on making one.

[u]Name:[/u]
[u]Age:[/u]
[u]Appearance:[/u]
[u]Backstory:[/u]

[u]Class:[/u]
[i]Primary Attribute:[/i]
[i]Secondary Attribute:[/i]
[i]Ternary Attribute:[/i]
[i]Other:[/i]

[u]Dice (0/6)[/u]
[i]Physical Dice:[/i]
[i]Enchantment Dice:[/i]
[i]Cunning Dice:[/i]

[i]Weapon:[/i]
[i]Armour:[/i]
[i]Other:[/i]

[u]Ability:[/u]If needed, you can copy and paste this into a spoiler for your character sheet.

The mechanics for RotMG:Ghost Hunters is based on the FUDGE system. It is a light, freeform system suited for loose and quick play. The mechanics are as follows,

Attributes:
Four attributes exist in Ghost Hunters. Fitness, Coordination, Magic, and Mental.

• Fitness (FIT) reflects a character’s physical strength and fortitude. It is the attribute for enduring attacks, lifting objects, and sprinting long distances.
• Coordination (COO) reflects a character’s control over their body. It is the attribute for acrobatics, dodging attacks and fine manipulation.
• Magic (MAG) reflects a character’s ability with magic. It is the attribute for casting spells, using supernatural equipment and resisting magic.
• Mental (MEN) reflects a character’s strength of mind. It is the attribute for using knowledge, perceiving your surroundings and deducing information.

Attributes can have one of 7 values, depending on the options selected at character creation and various level-ups.

• Superb
• Great
• Good
• Fair
• Mediocre
• Poor
• Terrible

There exists levels above Superb, called Legendary, Legendary +1, Legendary +2, etc. Levels below Terrible as known as Terrible +1, Terrible +2, etc. However these levels cannot be achieved by a character except in extreme circumstances and can mostly be ignored.

Additionally every character has a Mana Pool of 5 charges, which can be expended to power magical artifacts or magic spells.

Wounds:
10 levels of health exist in this game. Attacks and failing actions can inflict injuries in this game. The effects of being wounded are cumulative. So if you are suffering from Bleeding, you take -2 to all attributes and cannot be healed with First Aid or Minor Healing.

• Healthy
• Bruised
• Scratched
• Minor Damage (-1 to all attributes at this point)
• Wounded (First Aid/Minor Healing cannot fix wounds at this point)
• Bleeding (A further -1 to all attributes for -2 in total)
• Significant Bleeding
• Incapacitated (Only the most basic actions allowed)
• Near Death (Unconscious; certain death without medical help)
• Dead (Cannot be revived without powerful and dangerous magic)

Skills:
Skills reflect knowledge which your character has learned. These are associated to an attribute, and grant a bonus of +1 to all rolls using that skill. In the case where a skill can be associated with more than one attribute, the player picks the attribute which is most relevant for their character. Players are to make up skills for their character, but are cautioned to pick ones that might be relevant. When hunting ghosts, basket-weaving is not in high demand.

Gifts:
Gifts reflect something special or important about your character. They do not have to be physical items, but can be things like a special heritage or the ability to use magic. Gifts are subject to GM approval.

Magic:
Magic Gifts are divided into two types. Minor Magic can be used as many times as desired by a character, but have limited effects. For example, minor pyromancy could create a small flame anywhere around the caster for light or to set something on fire. Regular Magic is limited by a pool of Mana that every character has. Each use reduces the mana pool by one, and the pool only regenerates after an hour has past in-game. In return, Regular Magic have stronger effects than Minor Magic. Regular Pyromancy could create a large fireball or pillar of flame, as an example.

Characters must take a Skill called Control Magic if they choose a Gift that grants Magic. This reflects their ability to safely control their powers and abilities. The skill must be chosen for each type of magic they have control over. Thus having two Pyromancy Gifts (as a Minor and Regular Magic) would require only one Control Magic Skill, while two would be needed if you wanted to cast Pyromancies and Illusions. Characters may take a Fault to remove this requirement, but that could easily get them into trouble with the law and will result in some additional drawback or complication when using their magic.

Faults:
Faults reflect significant problems that a character has. They may be taken at character creation to pay for an extra Gift. Like Gifts, Faults are subject to GM approval. Generally, the bonuses gained from a Gift should be balanced by the maluses in the Fault that pays for it.

Action Resolution:
Actions are resolved by picking the relevant attribute, adding in the appropriate modifiers such as skills, situational bonuses and equipment, and rolling 4dF. 4dF stands for 4 FUDGE dice. These dice have 1 side marked [+1], 1 side marked [-] and 1 side marked [-1]. These bonuses and maluses are added to the attribute to get your final roll, which is compared to the difficulty of the action to determine the outcome.

For example, say that you had Fair Fitness and were performing an Athletics test, which you are skilled in. Before 4dF are rolled, your Fitness counts as Good. The roll is equal to [-1][+1][+1][-]. The [-1] and [+1] cancel, leaving you with [+1] for a final result of Great. If the difficulty of that action was Great or lower, then you have succeeded at your action. Otherwise you fail.

Name: What your character is called.
Age: Children under the age of 18 need their guardian’s permission to hunt ghosts.
Gender: Should be obvious.

Appearance: What your character looks like.
Biography: What your character did before they decided to hunt ghosts.

Attributes:
Every attribute starts at Mediocre. You gain 2 free points to increase an attribute by 1 level. Additionally you can reduce an attribute to increase another one by the same amount. Attributes cannot be less than Terrible or more than Superb.
Fitness (FIT):
Coordination (COO):
Magic (MAG):
Mental (MEN):

Skills:
You may select up to five skills at character creation. Control Magic must be taken as a skill for each type of Magic that a character has, unless modified by another Gift or a Fault.

Gifts/Faults:
You start with one free Gift. Additional Gifts may be taken at the cost of Fault. Gifts and Faults are subject to GM approval.

Creation of the World:
Long ago two beings of unfathomable power formed together, glowing Shy’sm Caes and mysterious Kau. The twins quickly became lovers but destiny decreed that they could not remain together. As they developed they discovered that a mere touch would harm both of them, to the point where prolonged contact would be lethal to their powerful forms. Eventually Shy’sm Caes could take no more of this situation and sealed herself away in a universe of her own creation, leaving Kau to rule the empty Void and the few beings that lived in it.

Without the love of Kau, Shy’sm Caes ultimate power in Creation was not enough to cure her of her loneliness So she made devils and demons to amuse her and provide companionship, imbuing them with a chaotic nature so that they may continuously entertain her. She separated Hell from the rest of her creation, so that the infernal creatures might have a land of their own and granted them the power to change this place as they saw fit. Yet in time even this amusement was not enough to distract her. So she separated the Mortal Realm and Heaven from creation, filling both with an infinite amount of dimensions. She made Gods to rule the Heavens and granted the inhabitants of the Mortal Realm souls so that they might have true knowledge. Shy’sm Caes set Angels to tend to the multiverse, so that they could correct it in her absence. Then she divided herself into an infinite amount of pieces, so that she might fully explore and enjoy her new toy.

Creation:
Creation is divided into several layers, set in a way beyond the comprehension of three dimensional creatures. At the centre of Creation, such as it is, is the Core. The Core was made before all others parts and forms the foundation of Creation. Shy’sm Caes’s Angels swarm thickly in the core, tending to its functionings so that the universe might proceed smoothly. One of the most important function of the Core is the generation of Souls, for only its powers are capable of such things.

Around the Core is the Mortal Realm, where an infinite number of universes exist. Some are small and known as World Bubbles, easily created by those knowledgeable enough in magic lore. Others are infinitely large in size and contain unfathomable wonders. Transdimensional Empires with secrets learned from the creator herself rub shoulders with realms whose inhabitants are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea. In such a stew of universes Shy’sm Caes’s infinite parts wander and play, enjoying the worlds they have set into motion.

A thin coating of Limbo surrounds the Mortal Realm, the destination of all Souls that pass through that layer. In Limbo they are judged, with some sent to the Heavens, where the Gods of the Mortal Realm live, and some to the Hells, full of demons and devils. In Hell the acquisition of Souls is of great importance, for in the ever-changing landscape the permanence of the soul grants it immense value and prestige. Only the presence of the Angels prevents them from directly tampering with the workings of Limbo.

Beyond Hell lies the Wall of Stars, the border between Creation and Void. The constant destruction of these two elements generates the raw mana which all beings may take advantage of. Angels constantly patrol its parameter, repairing any breaches made by parasites or unscrupulous mages. The Wall of Stars can be used to predict the future but only by those who know the true art of Astrology.

Void:
The Void is the ultimate nothingness. The touch of Creation and Void is mutually destructive, enough to even harm one’s immutable soul. Far in the depths of the Void, beyond a multitude of infinities which a creature of Creation could hope to reach, lies other Creations. Only Kau knows what these other Creations are like and whether they were made by other beings like him or his twin.

Clinging to the Wall of Stars are the worlds of the Sultans, mysterious and terrible beings, half-Void and half-Creation. Their existence should be impossible, yet they live. Driven out of Creation by Shy’sm Caes and her Angels, they have made incomprehensible structures on the Wall of Stars that exist in the Void. The most famous of these is Tower of Belkelel, filled with unknowable machinery and mechanisms. As ruler of the Void Kau is their master, but his touch is light and he shows no interest in interfering with their plans.

Earth:
Earth is just one world in the infinite multitude of the Mortal Plane. Magic ebbs and flows in the dimension that it inhabits. When it is weak, monsters, mages and other magical creatures hide and wait for it to return. Unable to cast spells without burdensome mana collectors they are easy prey for superstitious peasants or cunning nobles. As civilization on Earth was leaving prehistory, as the great civilizations of China, Egypt, and Babylonia rose, magic began to ebb from the dimension as it always does. In a scant hundred years, those who followed the magical arts had almost vanished and the monstrous races had either gone into hiding or were absorbed into the human population. A few mages and hedge-wizards passed along what knowledge and skills they had from generation to generation, but much was lost or forgotten.

By the 1900s, magic began to return to Earth. World War II saw the first major, if limited, use of magic in warfare. Occultists, tattooed with special runes needed to work their magic, rediscovered the knowledge of their predecessors and fought over the Ark of the Covenant. Their secret organizations continued to operate after the war, developing their magics and dabbling in the creation of artifacts and monsters.

Yet Earth was not the only world with intelligent life in this dimension. In the late 2000s, an alien race called the Layar suddenly appeared in the skies. With magic returning, their ships were once again able to explore the cosmos and extract its treasures. One of the planets they encountered was Earth and Layar soldiers were swiftly deployed to the surface. The invasion did not catch Earth entirely unprepared. The nations had their occultists and soldiers, yet the most help came from the most unlikely of sources. The flow of magic had increased to the point far more than it had ever before. Many people suddenly found themselves in possession of magic and with the rise of the magic girls the Layar excursion was repelled.

Quickly realizing that Earth was not a nation of primitives as they had thought, the Layar made peace and became to trade with the various nations on it. The Layar War, ultimately brief and contained, spawned many heroes on the side of Earth. The most famous of which were the Northsdale Five, who fended of an entire platoon of alien soldiers by themselves. With the war over, these heroes became celebrities for the growing class of magical citizens. As peace returned to Earth, magic was quickly regulated and controlled for the good of society.

Angels:
Angels are divided into two types. The first and most powerful type are those angels who serve Shy’sm Caes, ensuring that Creation proceeds smoothly in her absence. They are forged in the Core of Creation, and venture outside of that realm only to correct problems which they detect. Their shapes vary greatly, depending on their position in the hierarchy of angels.The more mundane ones look like flaming wheels covered in eyes and wings, with their colleagues assuming stranger and more bizarre shapes. Thankfully they have not been seen in the Mortal Realm for centuries and sensible mortals hope they will not be seen for centuries more.

The other type of angels are those serving the various gods and goddesses of the multiverse. They tend to look more humanoid and less frightening than the angels that serve Shy’sm Caes, generally with perfect features and long slender wings sticking out of their back though more exotic forms are possible. Their masters have a renewed interest in Earth with magic returning to the planet, so angels are a more common sight than they used to be. Often they are checking up on the smattering of young demigods which have been produced, a side effect of the gods and goddesses’ increasing curiosity with mortal affairs.

Demons:
Demons were originally made by Shy’sm Caes to amuse her and distract her from her loneliness. They are thus highly variable in their forms. Most demons can shapeshift their forms, though only the most powerful ones can do so outside of Hell. Hell itself is a chaotic place, as befitting the diverse creatures which inhabitant it. Since souls are the only thing that is immutable in Hell, their acquisition has become an important status symbol in Hell. Even the lowliest imp can great fields of gold and great palaces, but only the strongest demons have the power to collect and maintain an impressive number of Souls in their realms. Judging that the amount of souls they receive from Limbo are not enough, the inhabitants of Hell have sought out other ways to increase their collection. Since Shy’sm Caes’s Angels would prevent any invasion of the Mortal Realm, more subtle methods have been developed to satisfy their greed. Many people have made a deal with a demon and sold away their soul in return for power, gold or knowledge.

After billions of years the scheming demons in Hell have constructed an elaborate and bewildering social structure. Many devils are devoted to the task of calculating fealty, obligations, duties and the like for their masters, the result of hard-bargaining across the millennium. Even the lowest demon has a twisted set of duties and rewards across multiple masters. As such actual warfare is extremely rare in Hell. Few demons want to take the intense effort to untangle the obligations of those serving them and finding out that they are much weaker than their opponents. As such softer methods of conflict resolution are prefered. The construction of elaborate universes to host their souls can sometimes be enough to cow potential rivals.

Ghosts:
Ghosts are the souls of the dead who did not journey to Limbo. The reasons why a soul would not do so are varied. Some souls are tormented by what happened to them in the Mortal Realm, such as wrongs which they suffered or oaths which they did not fulfill. Such feelings keep them bound to the earth, to try and correct what they could not do in life. Other souls are trapped through spells or magic, or are unable to find the way to Limbo due to some fault of their spirit.

Lacking a physical form, ghosts tend to be quite weak and ineffectual. Only the indestructibility of the soul makes them a potential threat to those hunting them. The return of magic to Earth has strengthened the ghosts that exist on that planet. Sightings have become much more common than before, with actual signs of paranormal activity being displayed. Some ghosts are almost entirely passive, manifesting as apparitions that wander about in a daze. Others are more malicious, attacking trespassers on their domains. Experienced ghost hunters thus should be quick-witted and willing to adapt to anything they encounter. Magic and artifacts can drive off these spirits but not forever.

Talking and reasoning with a ghost can be quite effective in the short-term. In the long-term, ghosts will slowly forget everything that occurred after their death due to their lack of a physical form. Thus after decades they would return to their previous behavior. Even worse, their prolonged presence in the Mortal Realm makes it difficult for them to reach Limbo if they can be persuaded to do so. Thankfully the solution is simple. If the soul is bound to a properly prepared receptacle, the ghost can be transported to Limbo or anywhere else in Creation.

Name: (I shouldn't have to explain this, should I?)

Sex/Gender: (Nor this)

Age: (Ideally they should be high-school aged, but I'll take any value if you can justify it.)

Appearance: (You do know what this means, don't you?)

Backstory: (Please put your character's tragic past in here, for future reference.)

Supernatural Abilities: (What amazing things your character can do, along with less-than amazing things.)

Class Choices: (You get to pick four. Everyone gets Math, English, PE and History, so pick something else. Be aware that some classes may be postponed for the semester if interest is too low. In that case, you'll have to pick another one.)

Stats:
HP: 40
Dice Pool: 6d6

Skills:
You get to make up six Skills, which will be subject to GM approval before they are accepted.

The Universe:
Where the game takes place. No one knows why or how the universe was made, since no one was around for it. Even the spirits and gods were formed long after this event. What is well-known is that the laws of the universe are suggestions at best, and with the proper tools and powers amazing things can happen. The Pantokrator, the most powerful being in the universe, is even capable of rewriting its laws. However he does so sparingly, fully aware that the slightest mistake could erase everything from existance.

The Supernatural in Everyday Life:
With the rise of technology and cameras and the fall of organized religion, the existence of the supernatural has become a poorly-held secret at best. Between vampires hanging in clubs, wizards nuking entire neighbourhoods and government experiments running amok, the average person on the street would agree that magic and similar things exist. Only the reluctance of governments and efforts of the Inquisition prevent these things from being formally acknowledged and accompanied into everyday life. Despite this, the number of monsters moving into the cities and adopting modern life has steadily increased until only a few stick to the old ways of hiding from humans.

Red Moons Academy:
Red Moons Academy was founded in 1821 by Robert Grayson in western Ohio as a place for supernatural creatures and the like could grow and develop in peace. Inquisitive locals were kept out via the simple expedient of putting up 'Danger: Do Not Enter' signs everywhere and abducting the people who were foolish enough to ignore them. The Academy has fallen on hard times recently, as monsters have started to integrate into society and naturally send their children into less expensive and closer schools instead. Because of this the class of 200X is the smallest on record, but the principal and teachers of Red Moons are confident that they can turn this trend around and restore the Academy to its former glory. Until then, they'll simply have to tighten their belts and make do with what they have.

Belief and Gods:
Belief is a powerful and deadly drug. With enough of it you can move mountains, part seas and even alter the basic nature of the universe itself. However, it converts those who use it so that they are dependent on it to live and sustain themselves. Gods are those who have become dependent on Belief to survive. They come in many different shapes and forms, and come from a bewildering variety of backgrounds. Gods can be made, born or formed, though without much Belief they tend to be not more powerful than other supernatural beings.

Pantokrator:
The Pantokrator became the supreme god through making himself the focus of all religions on Earth and consuming all of their Belief. All other gods serve him in Heaven, not out of choice but because otherwise they would shrivel up and die from a lack of followers. It was the Pantokrator who decreed that the supernatural should be hidden from humans, so that they do not leech belief from him, and set up the Inquisition to carry out this command.

Despite being all powerful and knowing, the Pantokrator is an overspoiled dickbag. He loves playing 'jokes' on his servants or imprisioning them for percieved slights and challenges. Yet, so long as they do not draw his ire nor disobey his laws, he has been content to let them do whatever they wish. Recently the Pantokrator has grown tired of ruling, leaving his servants frightful. After all, he has ruled for several thousand years and has suffered no other god to come to a fraction of his strength. Should something happen to the Pantokrator, then the numerous factions in Heaven would start a war for his ultimate power such that the universe has never seen.

Inquisition:
The Inquisition carries out the Pantokrator's will on Earth, mostly through maintaining the Masquerade and assassinating those who sought to form their own religions. To help them in this task, the Pantokrator altered the laws of the universe and taught them the power of Al'Bet. Obviously the Inquisition is a multi-faith organization, since the Pantokrator is too disinterested in uniting them into a single religion. Despite this they have been extremely successful in suppressing the supernatural for most of their history. With the rise of cameras and the wane of the Pantokrator's interest, their efforts have quickly been eroded away. Only their stubbornness in following the Pantokrator's orders and their remaining influence in the corporations and governments of the world keeps the suoernatural from being formally recognized and used in modern life.

Characters:
Characters are differentiated by their Stats and Skills.

Stats:
Only two stats exist in this game. Health and Dice Pool. Health represents how close a character is to dying. For PCs this is equal to 40, while it varies for mooks and NPCs. If your Health reaches 0 then you are knocked out of the fight until it is over, or another character revives you with a Skill. The Dice Pool represents your character's ability to use skills, deal damage, avoid attacks and so on. It replenishes at the start of every turn and is depleted by Skills, attacks and defences. For PCs, the Dice Pool is equal to 6d6. For NPCs and mooks it varies greatly. If a character's Dice Pool is reduced to 0 or less then they are completely unable to act for the turn, even if they gain extra dice through Skills or buffs.

Skills:
Skills are special attacks or moves that your character gets due to their abilities. Skills can be active, which means that you have to spend dice to use them, or passive, which means that they are always usable. Examples of passive Skills would be a bonus to Health, extra dice to attack/defend, etc. Active Skills are used by spending dice in some form. So they could need a certain number of dice to use, or a roll to be beaten before they are activated, and so on. PCs get six Skills which they can create, either passive or active depending on their effects. All Skills will be vetted before they are accepted, and duplicate Skills are not allowed.

Every character has the two following Skills at their disposal:
Basic Attack (Action): Inflicts an amount of damage against an opponent equal to (dice roll).
Basic Defense (Reaction): Reduces incoming damage by (dice roll). Cannot reduce incoming damage to less than zero.
Improvised Skill (Either): If you believe that your ability will let you accomplish something but do not have an appropriate Skill for the task, you may declare an Improvised Skill and put dice towards it. For example, you may use shadows to stop lasers from firing or super strength to chuck allies at enemies without having a Skill for the situation. However the results of Improvised Skills are subject to the whims of the Pantokrator and thus should not be relied upon too heavily, lest their outcome be detrimental to your efforts. In other words, you have no reason to complain if Improvised Skills don't turn out how you expected. They are improvised after all...

Combat:
Combat is divided into two sections, Action and Reaction. At the beginning of every turn, every characters' Dice Pool refreshes, meaning that it fills up with a number of dice equal to the character's Dice Pool. Unused dice left over at the end of a turn are removed and not added to the Dice Pool. Thus a default PC would start the turn with 6 d6 dice in their Dice Pool.

Turn Order:
During the Action phase of the turn, characters put dice towards their Skills to attack or debuff their opponents or heal or buff themselves or their allies. Any unspent dice are carried forward into the Reaction phase.
After the Action phase, the result of Skills are determined and their effects carried out.
During the Reaction phase of the turn, characters put dice towards defending against incoming damage and negating debuffs. Any unspent dice are discarded after the Reaction phase.
After the Reaction phase, the result of Skills are determined, their effects are carried out, and damage is applied. Everyone's Dice Pool is refreshed, and the turn begins again.

Example of Combat:
Example Characters
To come later.

Notes about Combat:

• Combat is supposed to be primarily between PCs and NPCs, since it is assumed that PCs are mature enough to freeform combat without it turning into a massive argument. If freeform combat does turn out to be an insurmountable problem, then the combat system will be used to resolve disputes.
• If you wish to abstain from combat for whatever reason, make sure to list it clearly on your sheet. Otherwise misunderstandings may result.
• PC staff do not have to be stated up at the moment. Once combat has been tested, I'll submit their Stats and number of Skills if you wish to.
• NPCs may or may not have better stats and skills than PCs. Don't expect the older students to be pushovers in combat and the teachers will be functionally invincible in a fight.

Character:
Name: What your character is called.
Age: How old your character is. Preferably they should be over 18, but if your background is persuasive enough I will take ages below that.
Appearance: What your character looks like.
Background: What your character did before they joined Fusion Team.

Stats:
You get 12 points to distribute among 4 stats. The maximum you can put into any stat is 5. The minimum is 0, but generally you should put at least 1 into every stat.
Health: Each point gives you an extra point of HP.
Power: Each point increases the damage you do.
Defence: Each point reduces any damage you take.
Maneuver: Each point increases the amount of squares you can move in a turn.

Perk: What perk you want your character to start out with. Note that you will gain more perks as the game progresses, so plan accordingly.
SP Abilities: Select six SP abilities to use in combat. Note that some SP abilities have limitations where they can be used.

Robot:
Name (Single): The name of your robot when it is not combined with another mech. If you're lazy you can make it the same as the combined name.
Name (Combined): The name of your robot when it's fused with another mech. If you're lazy you can make it the same as the uncombined name. Keep in mind that combined robot names are in the form X-Y, where X is the top mech's name and Y is the bottom robot's abbreviation.
Abbreviation: A short string of letters that identify your robot when it is the bottom half of a combined mech. Keep in mind that combined robot names are in the form X-Y, where X is the top mech's name and Y is the bottom robot's abbreviation.
Appearance (Single): What your robot looks when it's not combined with another one. Generally it should take the form of a bulky jet with two limbs sticking out of it.
Appearance (Combined): What your robot looks like when it's the top robot in a combination. Generally this should be the form of a humanoid.
Background: Completely optional. If your robot was not made by Cold Fusion Labs then you should report that here.

Robot Stats:
You get 15 points to distribute among 5 stats. The maximum you can put into any stat is 5. The minimum is 0, but generally you should put at least 1 into every stat.
Health: Each point gives you an extra point of HP.
Power: Each point increases the damage you do.
Evasion: Each point reduces any damage you take. Some enemies target different forms of defence.
Armour: Each point reduces any damage you take. Some enemies target different forms of defence.
Maneuver: Each Point increases the amount of squares you can move in a turn.

Equipment: What piece of equipment your robot starts out with. If you wish you can rename the equipment to suit the fluff of your robot. For example, you can change sword and pistol to rocket punch, lance to drill, etc. Inbetween Missions you may switch what pieces of equipment your robot has if desired.

Combat:
During combat a unit usually gets an action and a movement. The movement can be used to move the unit up to Speed squares before or after taking an action. The action can be used to activate an ability that requires an action, or attack. Unless specified otherwise every unit in the game can attack a target adjacent to them for their base Power, regardless if they're on foot or piloting a giant robot. Units may have additional attacks that affect their Power and range.

When attacking, every point of Power has a 50% chance to be converted to Damage. When defending, every point of Defence has a 50% chance to be converted to Damage Reduction (DR). After any relevant modifiers are applied, DR is subtracted from Damage. If the result is above zero, then the defending unit loses that much HP.

Examples:
Assume that a person with 3 Power is attacking another person with 2 Defence. Each Power has a 50% chance to turn into Damage and each Defence has a 50% chance to turn into DR. Rolling for Power and Defence gives us:
Attacker: [1, 0, 1] -> 2 Damage
Defender: [1, 0] -> 1 DR.
Thus the Defender loses (2 - 1) = 1 point of HP from the attack.

Assume that a robot with 7 Power is attacking another robot with 4 Defence.
Attacker: [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0] -> 3 Damage
Defender: [1, 1, 0, 1] -> 3 DR.
Thus the Defender loses no HP from the attack. With such a low Defence he may not be so lucky against further attacks.

Terrain: Most terrain has no effect in the game, but some squares may grant bonuses or maluses to various stats. You are affected by terrain for as long as you stay in its square.

SP Abilities: At the beginning of combat everyone starts with 0 SP unless they have the Extra Special perk. At the start of every turn (including the first) every player gains +1 SP. Additionally, for every point of HP you lose you gain a point of SP. During their turn, pilot may use SP abilities by spending SP. Unless otherwise noted, SP abilities do not stack if applied multiple times. Note that some abilities have restrictions in which you may use them.

Combined Robots:
During mecha combat, as an action two robots may combine to form one robot. To do so, both must be adjacent to each other and neither must have taken another action this turn. Their turn ends immediately after combining unless either pilot has the Rapid Combine perk. At any time either pilot may decide to separate, automatically splitting the robot apart. A combined robot may not take an action before it separate, but if either pilot has the Rapid Combine perk they may take an action after they separate.

When combining, one pilot is considered the top pilot and the other the bottom pilot. The top pilot controls the robot as usual, while the bottom pilot distributes any damage taken between the two combined robots. Any perks the pilots have apply to the combined robot and may stack if applicable. A combined robot is considered to have both pieces of equipment that the mechs which comprise it have, but it still may only attack once per action if it is equipped with two weapons. Both pilots may use SP abilities as normal, but using the same ability on the combined robot does not stack unless otherwise mentioned.

A combined robots stats is as follows:
HP: The HP pool of a combined robot is equal to the HP of the two robots that comprise it. Any damage taken is distributed among the mecha by the bottom pilot. Note that skills like Unbreakable apply before damage is divided.
Power: The Power of a combined robot is equal to the Power of the robots that comprise it.
Evasion: The Evasion of a combined robot is equal to the Evasions of the robots that comprise it.
Armour: The Armour of a combined robot is equal to the Armours of the robots that comprise it.
Maneuver: The Maneuver of a combined robot is equal to the Maneuvers of the robots that comprise it divided by two. Thus combining a fast robot with a slow robot would produce one with normal Speed.

Derived Stats:
HP: Equal to the Health of a unit plus three, so that you won't instantly die if you put zero points into Health. A combined robot's HP is comprised of the HP pools of the robots that are its component parts.
Damage: During an attack, each point of Power has a 50% chance to be converted to Damage. Additional abilities or effects may affect the Damage of an attack further. Negative Damage is equivalent to 0 Damage.
Damage Reduction (DR): When taking damage, each point of Defence has a 50% chance to be converted to DR. A robot's Defence is equal to its Armour, Evasion, both defensive stats or neither depending on the attack. Additional abilities or effects may affect DR further. Negative DR is equivalent to 0 DR.
Speed: A unit's Speed is equal to its Maneuver plus 2. This affects how many squares a turn the unit can move.

Equipment:
Acid Blast: This robot can attack an enemy at a range of 3 with -3 Power. Additionally the target suffers -2 DR until the end of their next turn, even if they did not receive damage from the attack.. Does not stack.
Assault Cannon: This robot can attack enemies with a range of 5.
Axe: This robot can attack an enemy at melee range with +2 Power.
Electro Web: This robot can attack an enemy at a range of 3 with -3 Power. Additionally the target suffers -1 Damage and Speed until the end of their next turn, even if they did not receive damage from the attack. Does not stack.
Lance: This robot can attack enemies up to two squares away from them orthogonally (meaning not diagonally). If another enemy is in between the target and the robot, then they are hit by the attack also and rolls separately for DR.
Radar: Once per battle this robot can use an action to reveal the stats and abilities of one enemy unit.
Railgun: This robot can attack enemies at a range of 8 with +1 Power, provided that they don't move this turn.
Rocket Boosters: This robot gains +1 Speed.
Shield: This robot gains +2 Armour.
Sword and Pistol: This robot can attack enemies at a range of 3. It can also spend an action to make two attacks, one with a range of 3 and the other at melee range. Both attacks have -2 Power and count as separate attacks for the purposes of damage boosting abilities. You may use SP abilities inbetween both attacks if desired.

Perks:
Ace Pilot: You may distribute an additional 4 points among your robot's stats. These bonus points cannot push any stat above the stat cap.
Boast: If you took no damage from an attack last turn, you may boast about your abilities, your target's weaknesses or something similar. If you do so, you gain 1 SP. You may only boast once per turn, regardless of how many attacks failed to damage you.
Coordination: Instead of attacking, you may select an enemy within range. If an ally attacks that enemy before the turn ends, you automatically add half your Power to theirs and thus overwhelm the enemy's defences. This perk cannot be used as the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Emergency Repairs: By spending an action your robot may gain a point of HP if they have not been healed by this perk before. If you are part of a combined robot, then both robots gain a point of HP by using this perk if they have not been healed before.
Extra Special: You start each battle with 2 SP, and can pick a seventh SP ability to use.
First Aid: Instead of attacking, if you are on foot you may spend an action activate this ability on yourself or an adjacent ally. Gain a point of HP if they have not been healed by First Aid before. Otherwise this ability does nothing.
Gun License: You start with a revolver during on-foot combat. The revolver has 6 rounds and infinite range. Attacking with the revolver does +1 Damage.
Intercept Attack: Whenever an ally takes damage (after rolling for defence) and you are within Speed squares of them, you may activate this ability to swap places with them and take the damage instead. Your defence is not rolled to reduce the damage taken, but other abilities can reduce it. This perk cannot be used as the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Knows Kungfu: You may distribute an additional 3 points among your character's stats. These points cannot push any stat above the stat cap.
Rapid Combine: When your robot combines or separates in combat, you may take another action during your turn. Additionally, if you have not moved then you may also do so. This perk still applies if you are the bottom pilot of a combination and the top pilot lacks this perk.
Unbreakable: Whenever you take more than one point of damage, you may declare how it won't be enough to stop you or something similar. If you do so, the amount of damage is reduced by one. This effect activates after DR has already been applied. If you are the bottom pilot of a combined robot you may activate this perk, but must do so before dividing the damage.
Yelling: Whenever you attack, you may yell the name of the maneuver/technique/weapon you're using. If you do so, then you gain +1 Damage for that round of combat.

SP Abilities:
Accel (1 SP): Your Speed increases by 3 for this turn. Cannot be used on foot.
Acrobatics (0 SP): When moving, you may choose to vault off of an ally, gaining extra movement equal to that ally’s power divided by two (rounded down). When vaulting you ignore any effects of moving through terrain. Can only be used on foot. Can only be used once a turn.
Alert (1 SP): Until the start of your next turn, a point of Defence is automatically converted into DR when you are attacked. Can only be used if you’re the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Command (3 SP): Until the start of your next turn, all allies automatically convert a point of Defence to DR when attacked.
Confuse (3 SP): Target enemy loses half of its Power (rounded up) until the start of your next turn.
Counter (1 SP): The next time you are attacked by an enemy who is within range of one of your attacks, you automatically get a free attack on them if you survive their attack.
Distract (5 SP): Target enemy loses half its Defence (rounded up) until the start of your next turn.
Enable (7 SP): Target ally gains an extra turn. Cannot be used as the top pilot of a combined robot.
Guard (4 SP): Until the start of your next turn, half of your Defence (rounded down) is automatically converted to DR when you are attacked.
Hope (4 SP): Target ally gains 3 SP. Cannot be used as the top pilot of a combined robot.
Hot-Blooded (3 SP): For the next attack you make, half of your Power (rounded down) is automatically converted to Damage.
One-Inch Punch (1 SP): The next time you hit an enemy in melee, they are knocked back a number of squares equal to your Power. If this causes them to hit another unit or obstruction, then they automatically stop and lose a point of HP. The unit they impacted against (if any) loses a point of HP too. Can only be used on foot.
Prayer (2 SP): Negate all negative effects on an ally. Cannot be used as the top pilot of a combined robot.
Rage (8 SP): Every unit on the battlefield loses 1 HP, including allies and yourself. Cannot be used as the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Riposte (4 SP): Until the start of your next turn, you get a free attack on all enemies who attack you provided that they are in range of one of your attacks. Cannot be used as the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Resolve (1 SP): Negate all negative effects. Can only be used on foot or as the top pilot of a combined robot.
Roundhouse (3 SP): Your next melee attack hits all enemies that surround you (adjacent and diagonal). Can only be used on foot.
Sprint (0 SP): Your Speed increases by 1 for this turn. Can only be used if you’re the bottom pilot of a combined robot or if you are on foot.
Snipe (1 SP): All attacks with a range greater than 1 (except for the Lance), have +1 range until the start of your next turn. Can only be used if you’re the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Targeting (0 SP): For the next attack that the robot makes, one point of Power is automatically converted into Damage. Can only be used if you’re the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Ultimate Technique (8 SP): For the next attack you make, all of your Power is automatically converted to Damage and you deal +1 Damage. Shouting the name of your ultimate technique reduces the cost to 7 SP. Cannot be used as the bottom pilot of a combined robot.
Zeal (6 SP): Gain an extra turn after you finish your current one. Cannot be used as the bottom pilot of a combined robot.

Character:
Name: Joseph Miller
Age: 19
Appearance: Tall, with short black hair and intense brown eyes. He has a sharp chin, and tends to dress in jeans and jackets.
Background: Joseph was your average, everyday student going to University when the Cold Fusion Initiative started. He was not an exceptional student, but still quite smart and very good at sports. Thanks to his grandfather, who was a major scientist working for the CFI, his application to become a test pilot was accepted. While he had to drop out of university to do so, working for the CFI pays well and will no doubt secure his future.

Stats:
Health: 4
Power: 4
Defence: 2
Maneuver: 2

Perk: Yelling
SP Abilities: Accel, Counter, Hot-Blooded, One-Inch Punch, Resolve, Ultimate Technique

Robot:
Name (Single): Xeonic Robo
Name (Combined): Ultra Xeon
Abbreviation: XR
Appearance (Single): The form of a blunt bullet, with two stubby arms jutting out of it. Its colour scheme is red and black, with a crude face on the front of it.
Appearance (Combined): A humanoid in a red and black colour scheme. Two stubby wings jut out of its back. The head of the robot appears to be wearing sunglasses, though why it'd have such a thing is not explained.
Background: Thanks to his grandfather's nepotism, Joseph was heavily involved in the design of Xeonic Robo's appearance. This probably explains some of its more odd features.

Stats:
Health: 4
Power: 5
Evasion: 2
Armour: 2
Maneuver: 2

Equipment: Xeonic Blade (Axe)