Warlock! - Compendium 3
Warlock! - Compendium 3
Warlock! - Compendium 3
COMPENDIUM 3
Compendium 3 for tables to roll on when
Warlock! contains optional things go bad, and a single
rules and random tables one to roll on when things
that can add colour and go right – such is the way
weight to your games. The of things. Again, unless
content is arranged into otherwise stated, roll a d20
three parts. on the fumble and critical
success tables to see what
Part one, About the fate holds for you.
Kingdom, contains a
number of random tables Many of the tables
that can be used to spark in parts one and two
adventure ideas, add colour were submitted by the
to your games and fire awesome Warlock!
your imagination. Unless Discord community,
otherwise stated, roll a d20 whose imagination and
on each table to generate a wicked cunning knowns no
random result. bounds.
4
ABOUT THE
KINGDOM
WHERE DID THE CHILDREN GO?
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Kingdom
6
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE…
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Kingdom
1. The charred and smouldering corpse of a troll lies
on the ground. There are trails in the dirt: footsteps,
blood and the drag marks of something heavy being
pulled away.
2. Smoke rises from the chimney of a well kept
hovel. Two peasants inside will share their meal. A
teenager watches malevolently from the corner.
3. The encampment of a group of maimed veterans
of the battle of Pomperberg, their limbs and spirits
broken. They offer entertainment for pennies, and
will shuffle awkwardly while one of them ‘sings’. It is
the saddest thing you’ve seen.
4. A gang of goblins sit by a dying fire, chattering in
animated voices. They are making ink from the black
embers and etching tattoos on each other with a
crude needle while they cackle.
5. Two blight catchers sit on their horses, they stare
intently if you approach. Their attendants are
working silently, piling firewood into a cart.
6. The body of an unman lies in the middle of a
pentagram, its eyes burnt from its head and its guts
incinerated at its feet. The birds here do not sing.
7. A crude drying shed has been set up by a gang of
trappers. They occasionally feed the fire and will
swap fruit brandy for tales and gossip.
8. A small group of young dwarves are hurriedly
working the bellows of a makeshift forge while
an older dwarf watches on, scanning a scroll. As
they pour molten metal into a mould, he starts an
incantation, and blue sparks crackle.
9. An abandoned hamlet of shattered homes, destroyed
in the war against the Traitor. A pot simmers on a
stove in one of them, but there is no one to be seen.
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10. A group of unusually skinny halflings with vacant,
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Kingdom
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About the
Kingdom
19. A troupe of itinerant entertainers are practicing their
acts in seclusion, fire-breathing and simple illusions.
Does one of them have a tail?
20. Three cloaked brigands in large hats are resting by a
fire, a blunderbuss and wicked axe leaning against a
chest. A small girl sleeps peacefully under a blanket.
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WHO'S IN THE JAIL?
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About the
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12. Gussie Dieters, a fence who’s ended up on the wrong
side of the local criminal gang. He got himself locked
up on purpose: it’s safer in here.
13. Brancepeth van Zuylen, perverted scion of a local
noble family. Condemned to death for unspeakable
acts with nuns of the Thrice Blessed, his family’s
bribes mean his execution keeps getting postponed.
14. The Graks, a family of carnival goblins. Everyone in
town lost money on their games, and they seem to
have hidden their takings somewhere before they got
arrested.
15. Mansel Gincks, a peasant farmer. His neighbour
claims to have heard him conversing at night with
his goat, blight-catchers have been sent for.
16. Kalir Viga, a degenerate elf with an out-of-control
dragon dust habit. His nostrils are cracked and
bleeding, his clothes ragged, he mumbles and
coughs incessantly, but keeps muttering about ‘rats
that walk on two feet’.
17. Rosalie de Wald, a trader in knick-knacks and
trinkets, accused of selling the local lord a goblet
which turned out to be cursed. She refuses to say
how she obtained it.
18. Otto Klepzig, a dancing bear handler. His bear’s
dancing got a bit too “enthusiastic” in the town
square, and several people got injured. He’s playing a
mournful tune on the squeezebox.
19. Biffy, a dancing bear, currently sleeping soundly.
20. Semund Stoltz, a pasty student who’s been accused
of using arcane scrolls and artifacts for a demon-
summoning ritual. It’s unclear if it was successful.
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WEIRD NATURE
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Kingdom
8. Clouds of faintly glowing spores drift through the air,
released by pulsing, misshapen fungi. Breathing in a
little causes unsettling dreams of physical change.
Breathing in too much actually causes physical
change.
9. A giant wild-eyed bull, shaking and slick with sweat.
It escaped part way through a demon-summoning
sacrifice gone wrong: the robed torso of a cultist
is impaled on one of its horns, while the trapped
fiend whispers in its broken mind. Killing it will end
its misery, but what of the demon? Where are the
cultists?
10. A dragon has died and its body lies on the side of a
mountain. The air for miles is filled with the stench
of decay. Dire wolves, ghouls and a pair of trolls are
all scavenging the colossal corpse, ignoring each
other while they feast on the rotting bounty.
11. In a clearing is a dense expanse of fragrant, swollen
mushrooms that are slightly warm to the touch. A
search will reveal limbs and body parts of animals
and humanoids have been buried just under the soil
to feed these strange fungi.
12. A beaked bear [Phantasmagoria] is in winter torpor/
hibernation. It is deeply asleep, and hard to disturb. If
it is roused, it is initially sluggish, but soon it will feel
the maddening hunger of its long rest.
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13. A horse lies unconscious and barely alive, its
diseased body strangely taut and distended, its
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About the
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THE LOCAL THIEVES ARE..
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Kingdom
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12. Doomed, now that the ruthless Thief-Taker Manus
Kuge has arrived at sunset declaring “This is no
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night for knaves”.
13. Actually just a single Face Stealer (Phantasmagoria).
Many innocents have been tried for its crimes.
14. Three rival gangs, outwardly maintaining an uneasy
peace. Each is seeking to carve into the others
territories by using the characters as pawns.
15. Whispered to be divine aspects of the nameless
god of shadows. Possibly a rumour spread by local
guards to explain their inability to catch anyone.
16. Enterprising nuns driven to crime to raise funds to
aid veterans and orphans.
17. Far too old to be leaping across roofs and dodging
traps. They wish to take on some apprentices to
carry out ‘the biggest heist in Fesselmark’ for them.
18. Non-existent. A bogus crimewave has been
arranged to consolidate the Guard Captain’s power
and resources. Locals are persuaded to report
false crimes. Suspicion falls on any strangers or
outsiders.
19. Goblin agitators carrying out an elaborate plan
where a cursed item is planted in a councillor’s
house until ill-fortunate befalls them, then stolen
and planted in another’s house to similar effect.
20. A rival adventuring party who will try to pin the
blame on one of the characters.
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HOW DO THEY TREAT
THEIR DEAD?
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REMNANTS OF THE PAST…
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Kingdom
1. The rubble of an old Golethan temple, hidden in the
woods. The remaining carvings seem to depict elves
slaughtering other races.
2. A long-dead alchemist’s workshop, untouched
for centuries. It is filled with unlabelled bottles,
preserved specimens in sealed jars, soiled
notebooks, and choking dust.
3. An enormous spherical astrolabe, on an open air
platform. Although worn and damaged, it still stands,
and faint markings of the constellations are etched
into the stonework. Is that weathering or fresh
scorch marks on the dais?
4. High in the mountains, a cavern hides a long
abandoned dwarven Heartstone chapel. The carvings
inside leer down at you, there's something not right
about their faces.
5. A stone circle deep in the woods. The monoliths
are clearly ancient, the birds go quiet when anyone
stands in the centre.
6. A shattered magic lensing mechanism of the
Livenscar wizards. It is a giant, moss covered relic,
but perhaps if someone were to restore it…
7. The remains of an ancient temple dating back to the
spider kings. There’s a hidden entrance in the ruins
to catacombs beneath, filled with bones. Many of the
skulls seem misshapen and twisted.
8. A half-buried, colossal statue of a woman with
goat’s horns and scaly skin, only the upper portion
emerges from the ground. There is a look of fury on
her face.
9. A collapsed wizard’s tower. Dense ivy covers the
ruins, but the leaves are blistered and diseased. It
might be possible to find a way in.
10. An ancient and crumbling beacon tower on the edge
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of the mountains. Why is it here, what will happen if
it is lit?
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About the
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About the
WIZARD SEEK?
1. The fangs of a vampire, drawn before it meets its
final death.
2. A stone that has been taken from the deepest
depths of Lake Gossenham.
3. The water of life.
4. A word that has only been whispered once.
5. Gallows rope that has never touched the neck of
man.
6. Spittle from a man that truly hates you.
7. Needles from a pine that is thirteen years old,
planted in the lifeblood of a murdered man.
8. Sweet honey taken from a wasp’s nest.
9. Stones from Ruined Honheim.
10. A mangel-wurzel that served as a head for a
scarecrow.
11. Gravedust taken from a nameless burial.
12. The tears of a unicorn.
13. The tail and ears of a ratman.
14. A coin that has never seen the sun’s light.
15. A nine-legged spider.
16. Death maggots. Two or three should suffice.
17. The still-beating blackened heart of the Lich,
Bellarax.
18. Fur pulled from a werewolf as it changes. Or hair,
depending whether it is man or beast.
19. A goblin wizard. Live or dead. Preferably alive.
20. The blistered hands of a failed arsonist.
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About the
Kingdom
BAD POTION EFFECTS
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17. Sweating - Is it just me or is it hot in here?
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RUMOURS OF THE TRAITOR
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one of those family secrets no one speaks of. Mad
she was, and full of rage.
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WHAT ARE YOU
RUNNING FROM?
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Kingdom
1. The war, isn’t everyone?
2. Your parents, they wanted you to be a priest.
3. The Parsi gang, you might have to flee the Kingdom.
4. Your plague-stricken village.
5. An unrelenting black wolf.
6. Far Hissain, the heat was too much.
7. Elven bounty hunters.
8. The law, but it wasn’t your fault that Magda died!
9. A large debt to a halfling gambling ring.
10. The duke, on account of his daughter.
11. Your spouse and children, despicable.
12. Blight catchers, but they’re just pox scars, honest!
13. A furious customer, outraged by the poor quality of
your work.
14. A violent cult who you defrauded.
15. The circus: too risky and too poorly paid.
16. The local lord, life as a serf was intolerable.
17. Demonic phantoms that haunt your dreams.
18. A monastery/convent: no-one can live like that.
19. The city: life on the streets was too dangerous.
20. Thilde the wizard, you’ve got a couple of her scrolls.
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SHADOW OF THE WAR - ONE
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12. Dwarven masons have been hired by the local
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Kingdom
duchess to build a monument to the King’s victory. It
has been hidden under scaffolds for months, she is
getting impatient.
13. A company of scarred and battle-hardened
mercenaries are offering their services. They claim
they fought for the king, but seem unable to give any
firm details beyond “you know, Pomperberg”.
14. Rumour: Finastray Elven riders have been seen
scouting the country near Ruined Honheim. What or
who are they looking for?
15. Fewer than half the houses in a hamlet are inhabited.
The remaining men and women have hard faces, the
children are wild-eyed. They all stare at strangers.
16. A man in the pub slumps forward, one of his sleeves
rides up to reveal the Traitor’s crest tattooed on his
forearm. He rouses and covers it, glancing around.
17. In an empty, war-ravaged small town, a wizard’s
tower still stands, leaning alarmingly. Is there a light
in a window?
18. A grubby gang of war orphans are surviving by their
wits on the streets. They work as a team, begging
and pickpocketing. They know every alley when it is
time to dodge the guards, no-one knows where they
sleep.
19. One of the Traitor’s mage’s has been convicted and
is being led to an execution pyre, tightly gagged. Six
of the King’s agents were killed in his capture and
the guards are twitchy, suspecting an attempt to free
him.
20. Someone has nailed a screed to the church door,
praising the Traitor and decrying the Royal family for
turning on him. The guard are out in force, arresting
people for questioning.
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INSIDE THE COFFIN…
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About the
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11. The fresh corpse of a young fellow, once handsome,
terror etched on his face in death.
12. A coffin made of glass, inside is skeleton dressed in
finest garbs.
13. A small iron chest containing a still beating heart
that spills green ichor as it pumps.
14. A dark heavy slab of stone with a list of names
engraved as "Heroes of War". Calling out the name
with the stone in hand summons a ghost of the war
against the Traitor, a veteran with a tale to tell...
15. A hole has been smashed at one end, it opens onto a
tunnel, narrow enough to crawl down. Did something
get out, or get in?
16. There is nothing special about the skeleton, but
the inner side of the coffin lid is filled by desperate
scrape marks…
17. An ancient dwarf rubs his eyes, sits up and barks,
"What, even now, you won't let me sleep, after all I
did for the Queen? Does this face look happy to see
you?"
18. After the lid is prised open, gold glints within.
Anyone who climbs down to retrieve it must test
their luck: on a miss, the lid snaps shut and faint
laughter echoes from deep within the soil.
19. With an exhalation of air, the corpse within sits bolt
upright and reaches for you. Its rotten flesh writhes
and through a tear in its skin you see the movement
of maggots. Death Maggots!
20. Empty, save for a smattering of earth lining the
casket. You can see the impression of where
someone has lain within, but where they now are,
you know not.
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About the
Kingdom
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CIRCUS ENTERTAINMENT
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1. A limbless veteran, wheeled out on a cart. He tells
filthy jokes.
2. An exotic animal, with handler. It resembles a wiry
child, is covered with hair and has a prehensile tail.
It hoots and bares its teeth. If people stare, it starts
flinging faeces.
3. A goblin hedge witch. She wafts clouds of mushroom
spores into the air and starts telling spooky stories,
which soon start to feel all too real.
4. A knife thrower, reeking of wine. Her partner is
nervous.
5. A grubby wizard reads from a scroll, magical
fireworks dance in the air. Pickpockets creep
through the crowd while everyone is distracted.
6. An old musician with an enormous dancing bear,
Gerta. Saliva drips from her jaws, and she looks
hungry. The crowd are nervous.
7. Goblin artificers. They set off endless dragon dust
firecrackers and laugh maniacally the whole time.
8. The old fellow pushes his cart out, packed with
stoppered glass jars. Through the murky liquid in
the jars, you can see small figures. One opens its
eyes. "Ahh, you have an interest in Prof. Holtz' most
Hideous Homunculi! Come closer..."
9. Halfling tumblers. They roll back and forth; japes
and pratfalls abound. Whilst you're watching them,
you spy their comrade, cutting away at ties of coin
purses… Test your luck. If you fail, all your ready coin
is gone. Succeed, you grab the little thief!
10. In a large cage, a giant striped cat is half asleep. For
a few coppers, her Hissaini trainer will poke her till
she roars, deafening everyone. Hang on, is that door
unlocked?
11. A clown dressed as the Traitor cavorts for the crowd,
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you can buy rotten fruit to hurl at him for pennies.
12. Someone has been dressed up as a witch and
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MERCENARIES FOR HIRE
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1. The Blue Dragoons – Fesselburg’s finest. Pistol-
packing light cavalry whose trick riding, tight
leathers and marksmanship displays always draw
a crowd of admirers. Formed after the war, they
have yet to prove themselves in prolonged battle.
2. The Righteous Lubbers – following a prophecy,
this motley crew of boozy buccaneers burnt their
boats and raised arms against the Traitor’s men,
ambushing supply caravans and reinforcements
with bloody fervour.
3. The Gossenham Pariahs – With their previous
commander now a Fallen Knight, these outcasts
have embraced their notoriety and are rumoured
to have admitted unmen into their ranks.
4. The Black Hounds – dropouts from militia and city
watch, experienced in street fighting and siege
defence. They have long-established links to the
criminal fraternities of Fesselmark.
5. Death from Below – goblin demolition crew and
spider riders, who recently breached and overran
the Cesst family stronghold. Led by a Dibnahz,
a bugbear tinkerer who always has an escape
route.
6. The Grey Ladies – enigmatic cadre of female
archers, often employed as caravan escorts along
The Great Way. After a disastrous foray into the
Royal Forest, they are anxious to rebuild their
numbers and reputation.
7. The Millers - Brawlers for hire, very effective
with improvised weapons, less so against cavalry.
Chant "we are not liked" after victories, for some
reason.
8. The Crossed Spears - Halberdier company from
Rebeck. Fearsome reputation and loathed by
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About the
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16. The Rottenburg Wolves - Captured in battle
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SHADOW OF THE WAR - TWO
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1. A company of gimlet-eyed Hissaini mercenaries are
looking for work. They helped to break the siege of
Rebeck, they now earn a living in the Kingdom by
their reputation.
2. Rusting cages hang on creaking chains from tall
posts outside a war-scarred town. Within each one is
the decayed skeleton of an unman.
3. A large flower meadow is filled with poppies. Rusted
weapons and armour are plentiful in the soil, some
still attached to the rotted limbs of their former
owners.
4. A burned and plundered church of the Red King
stands on a hill. All valuables have been looted, and
the door to the crypt has been barricaded shut.
5. A crude battle altar sits atop a hill, covered in scorch
marks and cracks. The grass does not grow around
it and a trail of bare earth leads to a nearby corpse.
6. A travelling group of refugees fled the bloodshed
around Fair Marenesse and are finally returning to
reclaim their homes, hoping they still stand. They
would welcome an escort.
7. A ransacked hillfort of the Traitor’s forces, its
remaining walls etched with arcane glyphs. The
stone has been pillaged by locals to rebuild their
dwellings.
8. A refugee camp outside the town walls is turning
into a permanent shanty town. There is a small
thieves market and lots of mud. Desperation
abounds.
9. A group of blight-catchers and royal guards ride
towards the Black Spine mountains, investigating a
rumoured sighting of the Traitor.
10. The farmhouses for miles around are destroyed and
decaying, the fields untended and overgrown. Feral
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pigs and goats forage noisily.
11. An abandoned military camp, overgrown with
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ON THE ROAD
1. Soldiers of the King, rooting out deserters hidden in
the deep woods. Best keep off the road unless you
want to be questioned and ‘processed’.
2. A priest of the Red King with a straggly band of
‘followers’. They seem more like brigands to you,
shifty eyed and malnourished. The priest is fat
though and sports a malevolent grin. There’s smoke
on the horizon behind them.
3. A group of dwarves travelling to a distant hold,
with a pony-drawn wagon containing all manner of
smithing equipment. Well-armed and capable, they
are cordial but distant. Maybe they will sell some of
their wares for the right price?
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4. A group of merchants formed into a caravan, with a
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Kingdom
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About the
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13. A goblin gang, looking to cause a little mischief.
They aren’t well armed but will hurl mud and insults.
Drawing weapons on them seriously escalates
things.
14. The corpses of several riding horses, feathered
with black arrows. There are no signs of the riders,
but marks of the ground reveal that several heavy
objects have been dragged into the surrounding
woodland.
15. A travelling circus, moving to the next city of the
entertainment route. They could be persuaded to put
on a bit of a show and are always looking to trade
gossip.
16. A King’s messenger, with a lame horse. She’s
desperate to get the message to the next town as
quickly as possible, and the sky is beginning to
darken…
17. A Blight Catcher and his entourage. Anyone with
magic on them is pointed out to the Catcher by
a henchman and becomes the subject of intense
scrutiny.
18. A lone figure walks slowly down the road toward
you. As it approaches, you realise with a start that a
skull grins out from under its hood, bone-white and
terrible.
19. Students on an expedition with their master of
geography. He’s loath to admit he is totally lost. The
students look particularly woeful and cast fearful
glances at the darkening sky and the thick woods.
20. The road is empty, and trees silent. Too quiet. A
sense of foreboding creeps up your spine. Something
is coming around the bend in the road…
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About the
FOLK SONGS
Kingdom
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9. O Drowned Halls Of Kellebrik – epic songcycle
recounting the destruction of an ancient elven town.
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Failure to master the extended lute solo is met with
much disdain.
10. My Liege Lost – a bitter lament for Fesselmark, its
conspiracy theories around the King’s absence from
public life may label the singer and audience as
agitators. Call the guards !
11. Saint Agarix And The Golden Cave – sang in a lilting
acapella, this tale of piety, courage and martyrdom
emboldens the faithful against adversity.
12. The Haunting of Crookspire Keep – not just any ghost
story set to rhyme, this chilling tale guarantees
nightmares and fitful sleep. No lost Stamina will be
regained tonight.
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13. A Beast For The Feast – being a Halfling ballad
centred on a Noble’s banquet, this will set stomachs
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‘HERE MATE, TRY SOME OF
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THIS. YOU’LL LOVE IT!’
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12. You feel increasingly nauseous and wracked
with cramps, before spectacularly and copiously
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projectile vomiting.
13. You see beyond the hideous veil: the shadows and
whispers of demons, trying to defile your mind.
Stumble around as if blind for 1d6 minutes.
14. Your hands feel as those of another and you
constantly stare at them, confused. Pass a
Persuasion test or they will not fight for you for 1d3
hours.
15. After 1 hour, your guts start rumbling. It gets worse.
And worse. Better find that privy, ditch or tree.
16. Hideous visions of the fall of Honheim: fire, demons,
rot and death. Sob and whimper uncontrollably for
1d6 minutes.
17. You’re my best mate, you are. You feel overly friendly
to everyone, will not fight until you next sleep.
18. So, so tasty: all you want is more. Nothing else
matters.
19. Feel the hot breath of the Dragon: you drip with
sweat. Slippery hands mean a penalty of 2 to weapon
skill tests.
20. The dragon calls! Raging desire to fight all enemies:
you take enormous insult at perceived slights, and
will turn brief interactions into physical assaults in
an instant.
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OBJECTS FOR A
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DARK RITUAL
Kingdom
1. A ceramic jar, sealed with wax. It is filled with
organs and body parts, maybe human? They're warm
and wet if you touch them.
2. A piece of red chalk that draws a line of fire when
used on a smooth surface. The fire is not hot and
lasts for one day.
3. An impressive stone altar, with intricate carvings of
dragons and demons wreathed in flames. It would
fetch a good price at auction but is very heavy.
4. A bronze censer, hanging on a chain. Pained,
screaming faces are carved into its surface, and it is
filled with herbs and incense, ready to be lit.
5. A large icon of the Thrice Blessed, defaced with
obscene, heretical images and daubed with dried
blood and charcoal.
6. The horned skull of an unman, flecked with dried
flesh. Jet black pebbles have been jammed into the
eye sockets, and a sigil carved into the crown.
7. Thick candles, spluttering and spitting as they burn,
the little light they give occluded by the clouds of
fatty smoke they put out. Best not dwell on the
origins of the fat…
8. Large cushions are scattered around a hookah pipe.
Characters who take a smoke can test their Luck – if
they fail, they experience a disturbing vision akin to a
‘See’ spell. All smokers will feel sick for an hour.
9. Seven bestial masks hang from the walls. Donning a
mask will transform a character into a unman for 1d6
hours. One use per mask.
10. Under a thick layer of dust is a heavily rusted iron
head, with a clockwork mechanism that moves the
mouth. If is cleaned, oiled and wound, it starts to
recite an ear-splitting incantation. This summons a
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demon in 1d3 minutes, unless it is interrupted - no
easy task.
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About the
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A TWISTED UNMAN
Table 1
1. A man with the head of a [Table A or B]…
2. A hunched man with skin [Table C]…
3. A normal man with [Table E]…
4. An humanoid thing with eyes of [Table G]…
5. A diminutive man covered in [Table I]…
6. A brutish man with [Table K]…
Table 2
1. …and the legs of a [Table A or B].
2. …and oozing [Table D].
3. …and arms ending in [Table F].
4. …and it's spine [Table H].
5. …and one arm ending in [Table J].
6. …and spewing [Table L].
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Table A Table B
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1. Plucked eagle. 1. Oversized, wailing
2. Slavering wolf. baby.
3. Mangy goat. 2. Hideous, oozing leper.
4. Horned ram. 3. Horned devil.
5. Chromatic lizard. 4. Bloated, melted man.
6. Infected rodent. 5. Grinning cadaver.
6. [there is no head].
Table C Table D
1. Covered in fine fur. 1. Puss from its eyes.
2. Etched with shifting 2. Acidic phlegm.
sigils. 3. Maggots from open
3. Folds hiding more wounds.
mouths. 4. Bile from its mouth.
4. Armoured with 5. Reeking slime on its
exoskeleton. skin.
5. Seeping with boils and 6. Blood from its claws.
sores.
6. Like a snake's scales.
Table E Table F
1. Two faces. 1. Screaming mouths.
2. A toothless hole for a 2. Diseased rotted hands.
mouth. 3. Elongated human
3. Enormous stag antlers. fingers.
4. Compound fly eyes. 4. Dirty talons.
5. Too many teeth, way too 5. Bony clubs.
many... 6. [Table A]'s extremities.
6. D6 extra eyes.
53
Table G Table H
1. A blasphemous goat. 1. Sprouting bat wings.
About the
Kingdom
Table I Table J
1. Rat fur. 1. A fleshy biotech gun.
2. Crawling bugs and 2. A crustacean claw.
vermin. 3. A monkey's paw.
3. Armoured chitin of an 4. A tentacle.
ant. 5. Another head [Tables A
4. Tattoos that hurt to or B].
behold. 6. A bony scythe.
5. Moaning, fleshy holes.
6. A few extra tentacles.
Table K Table L
1. Comically large 1. Streams of puss and
muscles. maggots.
2. A bull's head. 2. Inky, black smoke.
3. Gigantic fangs instead 3. Flies from its face.
of teeth. 4. Stomach acid.
4. A voice like a thousand 5. Magic beams from its
whispers. eyes.
5. A booming, demonic 6. Hellfire from its
voice. mouth.
6. Crown of sprouting
fingers.
54
About the
Kingdom
UNMAN BANNER
See what banner the foul 1d20 twice for first and last
unmen march with, roll words of their warband.
1. Bloody… 1. …Claw
2. Hated… 2. …Tooth
3. Pallid… 3. …Murder
4. Eaten… 4. …Chain
5. Deathly… 5. …Leech
6. Tortured… 6. …Hate
7. Blackened… 7. …Knife
8. Shrivelled… 8. …Cut
9. Wicked… 9. …Blight
10. Venomous… 10. …Scar
11. Foul… 11. …Bane
12. Nauseous… 12. …Maw
13. Vile… 13. …Wing
14. Evil… 14. …Moon
15. Blighted… 15. …Razor
16. Bloody… 16. …Blade
17. Unholy… 17. …Death
18. Cursed… 18. …Eye
19. Ichoric… 19. …Leech
20. Poisoned… 20. …Snarl
55
A BLOODY
BUSINESS
OPTIONAL
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COMBAT RULES
The following optional lethality of fights if that’s
rules can be used to add what suits the table. Pick
a little more interest and and choose which options
drama to combat, and also to employ, assuming
to reduce or increase the everyone agrees.
STANCE
Sometimes a player round, whether initiated
character might wish by the player character or
to push aggressively in their opponents. The same
combat, at the risk of stance can be chosen for
becoming more exposed. consecutive rounds.
Conversely, defence might
be the goal, sacrificing the Note that the effect of a
ability to hurt the enemy stance as detailed below
as a result. This can be counts regardless of
applied using stances. whether you initiated the
Player characters are attack or were attacked
automatically assumed to yourself. The games
be in a neutral stance. They masters does not pick
may however select to stances for non-player
adopt the reckless or timid characters, instead a the
stances at the beginning player character’s choice
of each combat round. This of stance effects all
stance then applies to all attacks they are involved
combat exchanges in the in.
57
RECKLESS NEUTRAL
STANCE STANCE
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58
their opponent in the inflicts the lower result
process. The winner of the of the two. Mighty strikes
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combat rolls their total and armour then affect this
damage dice twice and result as usual.
WILD BEASTS
The critical tables in the attacks from claws, teeth
core rules are designed and stingers, you can use
to be applicable to most the following two tables for
types of attack. However, the critical attacks of wild
if you would like to add beasts and monsters.
a little more variety to
59
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60
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CRITICAL - CLAW AND STING
61
CURSED BY
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THE HELLS
Sometimes in the reckless and something bad has
swirl of melee things happened in addition to
just don’t go your way. If losing the exchange. Roll
a player character rolls on the appropriate fumble
a 1 on their skill test in tables that follow to see
a combat exchange, and how the fates have frowned
they lose the opposed test, on them.
then they have fumbled
62
8. You pull a muscle in your shoulder. All melee rolls at
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A Bloody
a penalty of 3 for the day.
9. You hyper-extend your elbow, a ligament pops. You
cannot use this arm for a week.
10. The blade lodges in the floor/wall/a tree etc. Pass an
athletics test to free it.
11. You completely overbalance and topple backwards.
It takes a round to stand up, penalty of 5 to all tests
until you do.
12. You drop the weapon straight through your boot.
Take 3 extra damage, and you can't move until you
pull it out. Then you can only hobble for 1d6 days.
13. You slice two of your toes clean off. Take 3 extra
damage, and permanently reduce your stealth by 1.
14. You opponent smacks your blade straight back into
your face, cutting you over the eyes. You can't see
because of the blood for 1d6 rounds.
15. You get too close to your opponent and your clothes/
armour get entangled. Pass a dexterity test to get
free, otherwise you can only brawl with each other.
16. You smack the pommel of your weapon into your
sensitive parts. Oooooof. Dazed for 1d3 rounds, all
tests at a penalty of 3.
17. You stumble and headbutt something hard: your nose
breaks, black eyes for a week.
18. You miss your opponent and swing completely
around. You can't attack them next round, penalty of
3 to defence rolls.
19. Your opponent sidesteps and grabs your arm – they
get an extra attack this round.
20. Your weapon transforms into a live but harmless eel
for 1d6 rounds. The backstreet pedlar you bought it
from swore it was magical!
63
BOW/CROSSBOW FUMBLE
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64
14. You’re shaking from nerves and can’t fire straight:
penalty of 3 to ranged attacks this combat.
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15. It’s no elven bow after all: it shatters when you fire,
you get hit by the debris for 1d3 damage.
16. You’ve got the yips and can’t aim reliably. Succeed
on a pluck test or permanently reduce your
crossbow/bow skill by 1.
17. You pull a muscle in your arm and can’t fully
draw your bow. You only do 1d6 damage for any
successful ranged attacks for the rest of the day.
18. You dislocate your elbow drawing the bow. You can’t
fire your bow for 1d6 days.
19. The bowstring snaps and whips you across the face
for 1d3 damage and a nasty scar.
20. Your clothing gets tangled up as you load the bow/
crossbow, it’ll take 1d3 rounds to sort this out
before you can take a shot.
65
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BLACKPOWDER FUMBLE
1. Your gun explodes but you’re somehow unharmed.
Very lucky, although you have no gun.
2. Your gun jams with wadding and shot. It’ll take 1d3
rounds to clear it before you can fire again.
3. Your blackpowder’s damp and won’t ignite. Time to
find fresh powder.
4. The blackpowder has been cut with resin which has
gummed up the barrel. It’ll take a successful repair
roll and 1d3 hours to clear it.
5. Bang! The gun explodes, you lose one of your thumbs
and take 1d6 damage.
6. Boom! Your gun explodes. The shrapnel destroys one
of your eyes and you take 1d6 damage.
7. You’ve been sold defective, crumbling shot. Halve the
damage until you replace your ammunition.
8. The muzzle is damaged by a misfire. Penalty of 3
to all ranged attacks with this gun until you get it
repaired by a suitable dwarf/goblin.
9. Hangfire: there’s a fizz and a delay before your gun
suddenly fires with no warning. Test your luck, on a
success no-one is hit, on a failure you’d moved and
pointed it at an ally.
10. Butterfingers! You trip and spill all your powder,
you’ll need to get some more.
11. You snap your ramrod and now can’t reload your gun.
12. The powder flares and your clothes catch light.
It takes 1d3 rounds to put yourself out, take 1d3
damage each round.
66
13. Too much powder! There’s a massive retort and your
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ears are ringing: you can’t hear for the rest of the
day.
14. A blinding powder flash: you can’t see for 1d6 rounds.
15. Dream of the dragon: you inhale blackpowder dust
and are overcome by vivid hallucinations for 1d6
rounds, you’re incapable of action.
16. Chase the dragon: you inhale a lungful of acrid
blackpowder smoke and have a violent coughing fit
for 1d3 rounds.
17. You fall and land on your gun, the barrel is now bent
at an ugly angle
18. You left the ramrod in after reloading! Massive
bruising to the wrist/shoulder from the huge recoil,
you can’t fire or fight with that arm for the rest of the
day.
19. Flash! The gun explodes, you smell burning flesh
as the hot shrapnel hits your face. 1d6 damage, and
severe facial scarring: permanently reduce your
persuasion by 1.
20. Shellshock: an explosive, traumatising misfire. 2d6
damage, and take a jump with shock whenever
blackpowder weapons are used near your character
from now on.
67
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BRAWLING FUMBLE
1. You’re pulled into a chokehold - athletics test to
break free, penalty of 5 to attacks until you do.
2. You break your hand punching, penalty of 5 to attack
rolls, you can’t hold a weapon for a week.
3. Your opponent throws/kicks dirt in your eyes, you
can't see for 1d3 rounds
4. You take a fierce blow to the kidneys, searing pain
and can't attack for 1d3 rounds. There'll be blood in
your pee for days.
5. Your opponent kicks your leg out from under you,
leaving you flat on your back
6. Shoulder dislocated by opponent, it needs to be
forced back in. 1d3 damage when it goes back in,
penalty of 2 to combat rolls for the rest of the day
7. Take a blow straight to the mouth, 1d6 teeth are
knocked out.
8. Vicious blow to the face, one eye closes up, penalty
of 2 to combat and social rolls for the rest of the day.
9. Hit in the solar plexus and winded for 1d3 rounds,
you can’t attack or do more than stumble around.
10. One of your cheekbones gets smashed: horrible
bruising and a permanently lopsided face.
11. Your attempted headbutt goes wrong and you knock
yourself out cold for 1d3 rounds.
12. You take a punishing blow to the leg, dislocating the
kneecap. You can’t run for 1d6 days.
13. Clotheslined in the throat, you are sent sprawling to
the ground, choking for 1d3 rounds.
14. Opponent delivers a blow to the tender parts,
stunned for 1d3 rounds.
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15. Sharp blow to the jaw, you bite into your own tongue
and your mouth fills with blood.
16. Eye gouged, you can only see out of the other one for
1d6 days.
17. Fingers on one hand bent back and broken.
18. Opponent pins you down and gets an extra attack
this round.
19. An elbow to the face smashes your nose, you're
covered in your own blood.
20. Opponent rips at your ear and it cauliflowers
permanently.
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70
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11. Your opponent steps in close and has a bonus
headbutt attack on you this round.
12. The head of your weapon snaps off and rebounds to
hit you in the face for 1d6 damage.
13. Your opponent roars furiously at your feeble strike:
penalty of 2 due to intimidation.
14. You smash your weapon down directly on your
own foot. Test your luck: if you fail, you crack the
metatarsals and you’ll need a crutch to walk for a
week, otherwise it is just badly bruised (no running)
for 1d3 days.
15. Your opponent smashes your hand, breaking your
fingers. You can’t use two-handed weapons until the
fingers heal (1d3+1 weeks), and suffer a -2 penalty to
all combat rolls with your weaker hand.
16. Dangling strapping/clothing gets wrapped around
the handle of your weapon. In combat you will need a
successful athletics roll to free it.
17. The head of your weapon shatters explosively as you
strike, sending sharp shards flying. Everyone close
to you takes 1d3 damage.
18. Your opponent twists your weapon out of your hand.
They use it against you if appropriate.
19. Your opponent parries your blow and ripostes with a
bonus attack this round.
20. The fury of battle fills you with fear: penalty of 2 to all
attack rolls this combat.
71
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BLESSED BY
THE GODS
Sometimes in the reckless achievd an extra effect
swirl of melee things just - something good has
go your way! If a player happened in addition to
character rolls a 20 on winning the exchange. Roll
their skill test in a combat on the following table to
exchange, and they win see how the fates have
the test, then they have smiled on them.
72
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8. A stunning blow: your opponent is knocked out for
1d3 rounds.
9. You aim straight for their ankle and damage the
achilles tendon, they can now only hobble.
10. A flying leap attack, add +3 damage.
11. You get up close as you clash, get an additional
headbutt attack (brawl) this round
12. The Red King smiles on you: you are seized by
bloodlust, add +7 instead of +5 when you attack for
the remainder of the combat.
13. The Dragon’s roar echoes in your head: you scream
bloody murder, if your opponent is an intelligent
humanoid, they will flee.
14. The adrenaline surges, regain 1d6 stamina if you
have taken damage.
15. Your blow shatters armour or shield.
16. You bowl your opponent over, they tumble backwards
and cannot attack you next round.
17. You spin past your opponent and put them in a
headlock. They are unable to attack, if you pass an
athletics check you can choke them unconscious for
1d3 rounds.
18. A vicious strike to the guts, your opponent spews
vomit everywhere, they drop to their knees, choking
for the next round.
19. Your opponent’s got the jitters: any more damage will
cause them to flee.
20. Seized by fear, your opponent collapses and jibbers
on the ground, incapable of fighting or fleeing.
73
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74
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SPOILS OF WAR
75
A BRACE
OF FOOLS
TWO’S COMPANY
A Brace of
Fools
In many roleplaying games, is unlikely for individual
including Warlock, a party characters to develop their
of characters controlled own personalities and
by a group of players take sense of depth. For that
part in adventures created reason, troupe play will not
by the Games Master. be discussed further here,
However, sometimes it instead we will focus on
is not possible to get a the solo hero or vagabond
group of players together, style of play.
sadly. This section
describes some advice and
mechanics for games that VAGABOND
involve a single player and
a games master. PLAY
In the solo hero or
vagabond mode of play,
TROUPE PLAY the player controls a
single character, some
One way to play with a characters are shared
single player and games between the games master
master is for the player to and the player, and the
control a group of player games master controls all
characters. This could be other characters in play,
called troupe play. The the traditional non-player
advantage of this kind of characters. This allows
game is that the manner the player to develop
of playing is identical their own character, the
as with a large group of vagabond, and to immerse
players. The drawback himself or herself fully in
is that with one person the game. However, it does
controlling so many require the games master
characters it can easily to handle things slightly
break immersion and it differently.
77
A BRACE OF
A Brace of
Fools
FOOLS
The vagabond style of interacting together, and
play requires some small the players will often
mechanical additions to discuss plans and ideas
the game, and a change as the game progresses
to the way that some of without directly addressing
the rules are handled and the games master. With
interpreted. Ultimately, only a single player,
there’s no right or wrong fundamentally this
here – if you are playing changes, so the vagabond
with a single player and style of game is quite
a games master and different – the player can
having fun then you are only interact with the
playing the game correctly, games master, and vice
however you are doing versa. This means the
things! But it is true that games master needs to
the content of this book be prepared to be a much
may help you get the most more prominent foil to
out of the single player, the player during play,
single games master and a sounding board to
experience. ideas and plans that the
player might develop for
their character. In this
GAME sense vagabond play can
be more intense than a
DYNAMIC typical game session. At
the same time however, it
In a typical roleplaying is much easier to keep ‘on
game with several players track’ with a single player,
and a games master, and it is likely that games
there are many people will progress much faster
78
than with a large group be a consideration when
looking to make consensus planning sessions.
A Brace of
decisions, which should
Fools
WARLOCK IN
THE VAGABOND
STYLE
The following suggestions VAGABOND
can be adopted by the CHARACTERS
player and games master
to instigate the vagabond In a normal game of
style of play. Some of these Warlock, a player will
concepts could easily be create a single character,
used in a standard game of their player character.
Warlock, but they are really In vagabond play, this
key for the two-participant occurs in much the same
game experience. Note way. However, the player
that fundamentally, the character will also be
actual rules as written of accompanied by typically
Warlock! do not change two ‘companions’ – two
with a single player characters that are closely
compared to a group of associated with the player
players. However, the way character, and form part
in which the rules are of a natural team. The
implemented and rulings rest of the characters
are considered, particularly encountered in the story
by the games master, can are either traditional
be quite different when non-player characters or
planning and running a ‘cast’, both of which are
game with a single player controlled by the games
character. master. More on this later.
79
THE PLAYER and actions may occur
A Brace of
CHARACTER
the focus of our story. This
In vagabond play the player of course stands to reason
character is created in – they are the embodiment
exactly the same way of the single player in the
as a standard Warlock fictional world.
character. Just follow the
rules in the core rulebook
as normal. If vagabond COMPANIONS
play was described like a
film, the player character Essentially companions
is the protagonist – the are characters controlled
star, although perhaps not by both the player and
necessarily the hero. The by the games master –
story is described from halfway between a player
their point of view, and they character and a traditional
are going to be involved non-player character. They
in all of the action. Events are the player character’s
80
closest allies and perhaps
A Brace of
even friends, those that
Companions are created
can be counted on when
Fools
in the same way as
things are bad, who can
standard characters
be trusted to work in the
in Warlock, as if they
player character’s interest
were player characters.
when that doesn’t jar
The player and games
dangerously with their
master should think
own. In the adventuring
carefully about how the
party, the player character
player character and
is the leader, and the
their companions ended
companions their erstwhile
up together – this is rich
accomplices. During play,
for future storytelling.
much of the time the
Below are some example
player gets to say what
character motivations
companions are doing,
that could be used
just as if they were their
to describe why the
player character. However,
companion follows the
sometimes the games
player character.
master can override the
player and decide that
the companion does
Noble – love, loyalty,
something different to the
honour, obedience,
player’s wishes. This is
protection, inequality
described in more detail
later, but basically the
Basic – survival, failure,
games master can decide
peer pressure, curiosity,
on a different course of
guilt, desire, instability
action for a companion
For each companion
when the player describes
choose one motivation
them doing something that
and make a note of it on
is completely contrary
the companion’s character
to their nature or their
sheet.
goals, or when using the
companion to spur play
along.
81
A Brace of
Fools
82
COMPANIONS
A Brace of
Fools
Companions are, as period, then they stop
the name implies, being companions and may
the companions and be replaced.
compatriots of the player
character. They work
together as a team, and SUPPORTING
for much of the game the
player controls the actions ACTORS
of their companions as if
they were their own player Companions are not the
characters. However, there stars of the story. They
are some important factors may work with the player
to note. character, and they may –
as the game progresses
– leave the player
character’s side. They will
YOU AGAIN never, however, become
the star of the story except
Companions are always in in one special situation
the story. They may not be described later. They are
in every scene, for example the supporting actors to
when the player character the leading man or woman
decides to deal with the – they provide help and
local mayor alone, but they assistance and work with
are always hanging about the star, but they aren’t
and soon picked up again. directing the story.
Think of a hero in a film or
story – companions are
their sidekicks, always
dependable to accompany INDIVIDUALS
the hero and lend a
hand. If, for any reason Secondly, companions
a companion cannot be are their own people, who
around for an extended make their own choices,
83
not necessarily to the the player character but
A Brace of
84
CHANGING The games master may
A Brace of
COMPANIONS allow the companion to act
Fools
as the player wants, but at
It is possible to change the price of losing them as
companions. Firstly, they a companion. If the player
may die. Secondly, the agrees, they get what
story may take them they want but they pay
someplace else such that the price. What happens
narratively it makes sense to the companion now is
that they leave. In either up to the games master.
case that leaves a ‘slot’ Perhaps they disappear,
in the player characters or perhaps they become
entourage that can be filled just another member of
by another new companion, the cast. Or perhaps, more
should a member of the interestingly, they become
cast qualify. More on this an enemy.
later.
STEPPING UP
LOSING A
Finally, it is possible for
COMPANION companions to become
player characters. This
It is also possible to can either be when more
lose a companion. If, for players join the game (so
some narrative reason, we revert to ‘standard
the player character Warlock’), or when the
wants a companion to do player character dies.
something completely It’s always the choice of
against their character, the player whether they
the games master wish to continue with an
may override them as ‘promoted’ companion or
discussed. However, there make up an entirely new
is another option, should it character.
be narratively interesting.
85
A Brace of
Fools
86
CAST
A Brace of
Fools
Some of the non-player ‘YOU OWE ME’
characters in vagabond – DEBTS
play are called cast. These
are more persistent non- Whenever a member of
player characters, that the cast helps a player
can have meaningful long- character when it is not
term relationships with in their best interest to do
the player character. This so, that is recorded on the
is done by making use player character’s sheet
of debts and favours, as as a debt. For example,
discussed next. if a city guard caught the
player character stealing,
but decided to let them
DEBTS AND go rather than follow
FAVOURS procedure and march
them to the guard house,
Debts and favours are that would be recorded
a way of recording how as a debt to the guard
interactions with cast, that in question. Assistance
special class of long-term to companions is also
non-player character, recorded as a debt to the
has developed through player character – the
play. Whenever a player companion is part of their
character has a meaningful group, and the player
interaction with a member character is the leader
of the cast, the games of that group. Player
master should make a characters can accrue a
note of their name. This maximum of three debts
can then be used to record to the same cast member
any debts or favours that – after this, any further
occurring during the game. acts of kindness are very
87
A Brace of
pay their debts’, and the to pay them off one by one.
cast member is likely to be This will also allow you to
ambivalent at best to the incur more debts with that
player character, or even person – as long as the
become an outright enemy. total number active at any
Should a player character one time does not exceed
clear a debt, then that three, then the player
slot is free again – only character is still able to
when there are three interact as normal with
unpaid debts does the cast them.
member take issue.
‘LET ME
PAYING YOUR HELP YOU’ –
DEBTS FAVOURS
Player characters can Favours work in the same
remove debts they owe by way as debts – assist a
‘paying the debt’, i.e., doing cast member when it is not
a favour to the person to necessarily in your interest
whom the debt is owed to do so, and you can mark
when it is not necessarily a favour with them. You can
in your interests to do only ever have a maximum
so. So, in the example of three favours with any
of the debt owed to the one person, however if
guard who let you go, you you would accrue a forth,
could perhaps help them then instead of adding the
apprehend a thief, doing favour, that member of
them a favour and paying the cast is now eligible to
the debt. This is how debts become a new companion
are removed. It is certainly
88
A Brace of
Fools
– you’ve done enough for favour is an act which is
them to be a considered not in the best interests
a real friend. Remember of the person performing
that unless the games it and may potentially
master agrees otherwise, get them in to trouble
adding a new companion if discovered. It isn’t
means losing one of the something more powerful
companions you already – you can’t ask someone to
have, who then becomes sacrifice their life for you
a member of the cast. The to pay off a favour you did
player and games master for them.
can work together to
decide how these events
take place in the narrative USING DEBTS
of the game world.
AND FAVOURS
Debts and favours are
a way to tie player
CALLING IN characters into the
YOUR FAVOURS world around them, by
introducing a web of
Just like debts, you can obligations (at least moral
call in favours. If you did a obligations) that player
good deed for a member characters are committed
of the cast, you can ask to. It also allows player
them to do a good deed for characters to introduce
you in return – they are new accomplices with
‘paying their own debts’. skills and abilities that
The games master is the might lie outside those of
ultimate arbitrator of what the player character and
is reasonable here – a their companions.
89
A Brace of
Fools
90
VAGABOND
A Brace of
Fools
MASTERY
The following sections give advice applies equally to
some advice to the games standard games with an
master about running adventuring party, but it is
games of Warlock with a more specifically aimed at
single player. Some of the games with a lone player.
SKILL TESTS
In Warlock, every player player character cannot
character has some perform well. This is in
expertise with all of the part what companions do
adventuring skills, those – they extend the range
written on the character of expertise of the player
sheet. So, it is not the character with their own
case that a single player skills and abilities.
character will find that
they come across skill
tests that they cannot ADDING DEPTH
attempt. However, in a
normal adventuring party, In a standard game of
different characters may Warlock, with a group of
have different levels of people around the table,
expertise, so that it is skill tests might come
common for one of the think and fast and might be
characters to be proficient described with a few short
at any task. With just one words on what is being
player character, there attempted. However, with
will be tasks that the just a single player, there
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is the opportunity to add to see what happens. It is
more detail and depth to not always necessary to
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continue, with the added ideas and approaches to
worry of who heard… problems. In vagabond
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play, failure in a test can
Fools
put a lot of pressure on
NO DEAD ENDS a lone player to come
up with an alternative
The most important thing solution. Clearly defining
for the games master what’s being attempted
to consider is that there and what the possible
are no dead ends – if the outcome of success might
test passes the player be helps understand what
gets their way, but if it is at stake, and the games
fails the games master master having a clear
uses that to narratively picture of what failure
move the story forward. looks like helps determine
In standard group play, how the story will progress
lots of different players once the dice are rolled.
means lots of different
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SOUNDING character’s party that are
BOARD at least partially controlled
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COMBAT
In the vagabond style of from. At the same time, the
play, combat can take on an risk of fights can be one
extra level of importance. of the most thrilling parts
After all, if there is only of roleplaying, especially
one true hero in the party, in the fantasy genre. The
the player character, then following section deals
their death can mark an with approaching combat
end to the adventure which in vagabond play.
can be hard to recover
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FIGHTING IS A that the outcome is going
to come down to luck.
LAST RESORT
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Instead, both sides should
Fools
be looking to stack the
One of the most important
odds in their favour, such
concepts in vagabond
that an actual fight is not
play is to emphasise the
necessary – the outcome
core rules of Warlock
is a foregone conclusion.
– for right-minded
For example, engaging
individuals, fighting is
an equally sized group
a last resort. Even for
of brigands in combat is
the most aggressive
extremely dangerous. If
mercenary, although
such an encounter looks
threatening violence might
like it might happen, the
be commonplace, actual
player character and
fighting should be rare –
their companions should
no one makes a career
be looking for ways to
as a hardened warrior
stack the odds in their
by actively engaging in
favour, hopefully to such
combat. Instead, player
a degree that an actual
characters and their party
fight doesn’t occur. So,
should always be looking
for example, they might
to stack the odds if they
recruit extra people from
can such that the need to
the nearby village to back
fight is mitigated.
them up. The goal is that
when the confrontation
occurs, combat doesn’t
STACKING THE – the brigands see that
ODDS their chance of winning is
low, and as like everyone
As mentioned, no one they don’t want to die, they
wants to get into a fight. simple accept defeat and
In many ways the worst the threat of combat ends.
situation you can get into For this to happen, there
when a fight occurs is the has to be an option to
two sides to be evenly escape or surrender.
balanced – then it is likely
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96
ESCAPING AND term injury or death. As
stamina drops both sides
SURRENDERING
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in a fight should consider
Fools
when they should cut their
Fighting to the death
loses and run rather than
makes sense when you are carry one fighting. This
cornered with no hope of is also influenced by the
escape. In most combats,
lack of any penalties to
death isn’t the end result, escaping combat – in many
instead the fight carries games, running from a
on until one side believes
fight opens you up to a free
they aren’t going to win, strike which makes retreat
and then they either flee even more dangerous
or surrender. So, it is in than carrying on. Not so in
the interests of both sides Warlock.
in a fight that the option
to escape or surrender
is present for everyone.
The games master should, COMPANION
if necessary, remind the DEATH
player that the desired
outcome of most conflicts Of course, death is always
is that the opponent flees an option, and any player
or surrenders. A fight to character that recklessly
the death should be a very enters combat risks dying.
rare thing. However, if the games
master wishes to feature
combat as a regular
BEATEN, NOT occurrence, and the
player character is killed,
DEAD they can allow one of the
character’s companions
The core rules of Warlock
to take the killing blow
support this idea, as it
instead, perhaps stepping
is only when stamina
in the way of the sword
reaches zero that there
swing for example.
is a real danger of long-
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INVESTIGATIVE
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PLAY
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their discovery not reliant a single clue at a single
on rolls of the dice. The location leading to the next
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clues available in a scene part of the mystery, the
Fools
can be presented to the games master can leave
player via their player multiple clues in different
character, as they would places, so that whatever
naturally discover them. happens, the player is
Often in roleplaying games, likely to come across one
the games master makes of the clues even if they
the mistake of expecting decide not to visit a place
specific questions before or do something that the
revealing clues – ‘is there games master expects.
anything strange about Another good idea is
the painting?’, whereas in to have ‘floating clues’
reality, the character would not tied to a particular
see anything immediately location or person, such
obvious without the need that the games master can
to ask – ‘you notice the introduce them no matter
painting seems to be where the player decides
of someone who looks to go or what they do.
uncannily like yourself…’.
Clues can be presented to
the via their characters for DEDUCTIONS
them to puzzle over – it is
making deductions about Finally, clues lead to
clues that is fun, rather deductions. If the games
than finding the clues master presents the
themselves. clues, the player will
need to figure out they
mystery themselves. In
REDUNDANCIES vagabond play, this can be
challenging as the player
It is also good practice has no one to bounce ideas
to bring in redundancies off. The games master
when introducing clues should be prepared to
to mysteries. Instead of lend assistance and advice
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and to act as a sounding stays on track, or at least
board to the player. The to help when the player
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companion characters can themselves become stuck
Fools
act a little here to ensure thinking where to go and
that the player character what to do next
SOCIAL
INTERACTIONS
Another area that can various social skills to
be quite different in influence other characters,
vagabond play compared and when they are
to normal roleplaying with successful at using those
multiple players is social skills, they expect to see
interaction. The reason is the outcome they wanted.
that the debts and favours However, players have to
mechanic introduced realise that using skills
previously relies on player like this cut both ways…
characters’ understanding
when they have social
debts to pay, and when they BE PREPARED
have the opportunity to
make social contracts, i.e., TO BE SWAYED
grant favours. This requires
a slightly more conscious Most players don’t like
understanding of real the idea of their player
social interactions. characters being forced to
do something they really
shouldn’t. Who can blame
them? No one likes being
CUTS BOTH forced into actions they
WAYS might regret. However,
in the real world, we are
Player characters can use all often persuaded to do
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things that on reflection player’s character? Then
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FINALLY… ACT!
As a final piece of you can do in a roleplaying
advice, many players are game is do nothing. Action,
incredibly cautious about choices and decisions
their characters, and try drive the story forward.
to avoid making any risky Inactivity, indecision and
decisions. This can lead to over-analysis halts play.
inaction, analysis paralysis, Make the game fun – do
and ultimately boring something! That’s how
gaming! In vagabond play, stories are made…
this can be even more of an
issue, as there is only one
player character acting!
Invariably, the worse thing
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