Perks and Flaws
Character Perks and Flaws can only be gained or lost after Character Creation with appropriate story and spending Personal Achievement points.
Common Perks
Renowned (3)
Dramatic stories of your reputation precede you. Whether as a hero or a villain, your deeds inspire some level of awe that fuels the fire of your notoriety, and when it matters, your stature lends extra weight to your presence. Whether as diplomatic peacekeeper, orc-slaying knight, feared pirate captain, most fanatical of priests, or oft-quoted scholar, define your remarkable reputation in a short statement, which will be listed in the Scriptorium. In any scene where someone (even you) brings up your reputation, all of your Obey calls gain Power if they relate to the topic of your notoriety.
Professional (1)
You are a professional in a trade and have been at it long enough to have acquired tools of your craft. You may swap out any pieces of your starting equipment for pieces that relate to your profession.
Backbone (5)
There is something in you that rises in rebellion against being commanded or coerced. Words that would inspire submission or groveling in others stoke the embers of resolve within you. You have one free use of Discipline against Obey per Rest.
Wealth (2)
Gain an additional 20 silver that can be spent in starting equipment or saved for starting silver. This can be taken multiple times.
You may wish to visit the World Prices Section to investigate what items you might wish to purchase.
Well-Equipped (1)
You may choose an additional starting item from your Social Classes’ starting equipment list during the Equipment step. This can be taken multiple times.
Boon (1-7 Points)
You have some sort of advantage or beneficial circumstance that isn’t represented elsewhere by other Perks. This could be a special writ of allowance by a local power like a noble, a quirk that makes you able to function with less sleep, or something else. The exact nature of this boon and how it works, whether it can be lost, what it costs and other details require express approval by staff, and the benefit you have in mind may not be allowable at all.
Favored (1,2)
Someone looks upon you favorably.
1 point: Instead of selecting the favor yourself, Staff will select an NPC at their discretion. This might be an NPC that is not well-known at the start of play (not on the initial list), but will have comparable power.
2 points: One of the Prominent Figures in the town likes you and starts out viewing you favorably. This favor can increase or decrease as normal once your character begins play; this perk defines their initial perspective only.
You may not purchase this Perk more than once.
Studied (1-5)
You have spent time studying and have a strong grasp of an area of knowledge. You may enter play with two study per perk point taken. Rare studies such as lores require glory to enter play.
Unusual Perks
Heirloom Relic (5)
15 Glory
Your family has lived in the ruins of the ancient battles of Witchkings, and either through valor or graverobbing, your family has passed down a relic from those terrible times. It may be nothing more than a trinket, a symbol of your family’s resilience, but you grew up hearing stories of strange happenings surrounding the heirloom. You are the inheritor, and while it’s mostly a reminder of your family, you feel that it may help you in strange ways. Staff will work with you to create an effect for the heirloom based on your character’s family history and background.
Anacrusis Resistant (5)
5 Glory
For a reason that remains unknown, you are unusually resistant to the reality warping effects of Anacrusis, the spell sickness that accompanies heavy use of magical forces. You always take one less Anacrusis Point than normal from any spell.
This Perk is not purchasable if you are a Magician, and is refunded automatically if you become one
Traits
Traits have both a positive and a negative element, and thus neither grant or cost experience.
Alcoholic
Alcohol is not a luxury, it is a necessity. You use it to escape the shambles that have become your life and you feel more in control when you’ve washed away your worries with drink. When you are not Intoxicated, you cannot gain Inspired from any source or benefit from the Performance Skill, however, whenever you become Intoxicated, you also become Inspired.
Death Wish
You are the grim husk of a man. It is arguable that you have nothing to wish for, because you are already dead. You are immune to Fear and Obey calls that would make you leave or refuse a fight, but you cannot flee or exit any unwanted combat situation you become engaged in. No combat is unwanted.
Gain the Belief: Never turn down a fight
Venerable
The glories of youth have passed you by, but left hard, lived experience in its wake. Your body has grown weak, but your spirit has grown strong. You may never have a Combat or Physical Skill above Rank 1, and you may never have a Physical Attribute (Strength, Speed or Fortitude) above Ordinary. However, you immediately gain 20 Experience Points to spend toward this character in any way you wish, and you may negate 15 Glory toward the costs of any Perks, Flaws, or Secrets due to your long and eventful life.
Regardless of your real age, you must wear age-related makeups or prosthetics in the costume for this character.
Common Flaws
Corpse in the Closet (1 or 3)
You have a secret that you do not want anyone to ever find out about. Maybe you were responsible for a tragedy, involved in the murder of a friend’s father, or once worshiped one of the Triumvirate. By taking this flaw it means that while whatever it is remains basically secret, it was not a perfect crime and there are witnesses, conspirators or other lingering evidence that a dedicated person might still discover if they really looked into it, and thus, you are more at risk of it being brought up. For this flaw to be effective, the secret must be something that will cause you serious hardship should it be found out. For 1 point, your close companions would consider parting ways with you. For 3 points, there would be no choice but to ostracize or kill you. You must be guilty of wrongdoing to take this flaw.
Craven (4)
You are unused to danger, or perhaps a little too used to it, and when danger arrives, you look out for number one. You will never willingly enter a combat situation and must attempt to exit immediately if you find yourself in one, and you must spend a Discipline vs Insanity to attempt to enter an area or circumstance that might have other dangers or participate in combat. If you do join a dangerous situation, you automatically gain Fear.
Cursed (1-3)
Something horrible afflicts your character, some lasting ailment or malady that the character perhaps acquired through previous events or possibly was born with, some flaw passed through the blood or perhaps on your entire lineage. The details and severity of this affliction are variable in nature, though there may be further repercussions than just the curse itself as people’s reactions to one bedeviled can vary wildly. Alternately, you can use this flaw to describe some other severe defect with your character not covered elsewhere by another flaw.
A 1 point Curse is something that is a serious inconvenience to you, and may occasionally prove dangerous.
A 2 point Curse is something that is a serious defect of your character, and might frequently put you in peril.
A 3 point Curse is anything that is critically the matter with your character, having a high likelihood to be the way your character ends their sad story.
Staff reserves the right to deny or revise any suggested Curse flaw, based on its practicality or other factors, and may suggest a similar, existing flaw instead.
Haunted (2, 4)
Either through your own actions, or by some unfortunate twist of fate, you are innately tied to a Malefic entity. It follows you no matter where you run and interferes with your life in ways both small and deadly.
2 points: There is some way this Malefic can be resolved, if you are but strong and wise enough to find it.
4 points: This being seeks your death, and no other resolution will lay it to rest for good.
The storytellers will work with you to write a malefic and tie it into your Personal Story
Dainty (3)
You are not one for rough treatment and hard work. Taking an Injury to any of your limbs is enough to Down you.
Dirt Poor (3)
Perhaps you are down on your luck, or never had any to begin with. You may also begin the game as a captive or in some other dire circumstance, but in either case you lack all but the most basic property. You begin the game with no items, equipment or property and no starting money save the clothes on your back. You cannot take this flaw if you purchase a Character Perk for joining an Organization such as Knighthood.
Dirt Poor still allows you to take perks that give a special piece of equipment such as Well-Equipped, Pistolier or Ancestral Moorsword, but you may not take Wealth with this flaw.
Finesse Fighter (3)
You have a light touch and quick hands which are fine for small, precise movements, but lack the strength for heavy blows or vigorous striking. You may learn to fight with Light Weapons but you have no talent at all for Arming or Heavy Weapons, and may never learn those skills.
Heavy Handed (3)
You don’t know your own strength. You’ve never learned control and handing you something delicate is an invitation for you to break it. Your hamfisted approach doesn’t lend itself well to anything but Heavy Weapons; you can’t get the hang of Light or Arming Weapons and may never learn those skills.
Hedonist (4)
Be it through curiosity or some black attraction, you are at one with the dark side of your soul and feel entitled to all the temptations that others normally deny. You must spend Discipline vs Insanity to avoid indulging in any of the level 1 Sins when the opportunity arises.
Honor Code (1-5)
The character is honor sworn to a specific set of principles or rules. You determine a number of Beliefs, which are “Always” or “Never” statements with no qualifiers such as “unless or” “except when” about your character’s personal ethics. Each tenet should also be “above and beyond” what a normal person would already do. For instance, “Never eat human flesh” would not be acceptable because most people would not do that anyway, whereas “Never eat meat” would be entirely suitable. Violating these precepts works exactly as if you were violating your Devotion, causing a Personal Failure. For each point this flaw awards, 2 Beliefs are required.
(Read more about Beliefs)
Note that Honor Code often requires some additional discussion during character creation, so allow some extra time to make sure that the tenets of this flaw are acceptable.
Memorable (3)
Your bombastic personality, your exaggerated dress, or some other feature about you makes you impossible to forget. Anyone looking into you with the Streetwise Skill spills all of your details, as if they had used Streetwise 5, and you do not gain any resistance to Streetwise from any Skill you possess. In addition this flaw may add rumors about you.
Naive (3)
You’re very trusting of people. It’s adorable. You may never counter a use of an Obey to cause you to believe something.
Maimed (2, 4 or 6)
You bear the old scars of previous conflict, having some injury from a previous encounter that haunts you to this day. You begin play with a Maim effect. This can be purchased multiple times for different body parts, but more severe maims on a body part supersede and include more mild ones. For instance, if one cannot walk because of crippled legs, they also cannot run and cannot jump.
Mild Leg Maims
Trick Knee – You have a damaged muscle that causes your knee to slip out of place at the worst moments. Any time you are the subject of the Stun, Bleed, Grab, or Pain effects to the leg, you also suffer Knockdown.
Bad Knees – You can’t trek around the wilderness like you used to be able. Moving off of the established roads involves much too many dips, hops and hurdles for you, and thus you cannot step off of ordinary paths to enter Wilderness at all.
Damaged Spine – Injury to your hips and lower back make it impossible for you to crawl on hands and knees through tight spaces, and make crouching and ducking very painful. You cannot enter Stealth or take any action that uses the Ignore sign.
Severe Leg Maims
Cannot Run – Injuries to the muscles or joints are extensive and the character cannot keep his balance while running, and needs a cane or staff to walk uphill or downhill. You may never move at a full run, and can never use Dodge.
Terrible Balance – Great difficulty coordinating your back and hips means you can’t generate the necessary foundation for proper footwork, and can never use a Combat Skill to call a Condition.
Crippling Leg Maims
Cannot Walk – Injuries to the hip, spine or nerves have left the legs useless, and the character can no longer walk at all, even with assistance. He must be moved manually, or rolled about in a cart.
Mild Arm Maims
Weak Grip – Wrist or muscle injuries cause a weak hold on gripped objects. Any strike with a Mighty or Large weapon against your weapon causes it to be Disarmed automatically.
Torn Rotator – Due to a shoulder injury, you cannot lift your arm above your eye-line. You can never climb on anything, draw a bow, or lift a shield.
Severe Arm Maims
Missing fingers – Important fingers like the thumb, forefinger or both are missing from one hand, and it makes fine manipulation with that hand exceptionally clumsy. You must tape down to the palm at least two fingers of the affected hand such that the fingers cannot be used to grip anything. Working with a mechanical device of any kind takes 2 minutes instead of 30 seconds, and you cannot fire a bow or pistol. Additionally performing Arcane Signs (unless with the Still Channeling Technique or possibly Sinistration) is impossible.
Crippling Arm Maims
Missing Hand – Your hand has been removed totally at the wrist or lower, or the hand has otherwise been rendered totally useless by injury. Crafting effort costs double, and no equipment such as weaponry or shields may be used on the affected limb.
Mild Head Maims
Headaches – You are wracked by painful headaches that get worse as you strain yourself. Resting takes a minimum of 10 minutes as it takes a while for your headaches to subside.
Hearing Loss – Injuries to your inner ear have reduced your ability to pick up certain pitches. Perception abilities that make you Alert based on sound do not work, and you don’t react to sounds from far away.
Vision Loss – Your eyes are blurry, you have some double vision, or perhaps it just hurts to look at light, but tasks that require keen use of the eyes have become very difficult for you. You cannot become Alert by any Vigilance Skill use that relies on sight, and you cannot fire ranged weapons at any target farther away than Speaking Distance.
Severe Head Maims
Scarred – Injuries to your face have ruined any hope of handsomeness or traditional beauty, and try as they might, it is difficult for people to see past your face. You cannot use the Persuade, Provoke, or Sincerity skills while your face is exposed.
Loose screws – All that pounding has broken something. You gain a permanent Severe Insanity. This can not be taken during character creation.
One Eye – One of your eyes has been completely ruined or lost and you no longer have any vision with it. You must wear an eye patch or other covering as part of your costume that must block the vision of that eye.
Migraines – After exerting yourself you are wracked with blinding pain for a good while after. Resting takes at least an hour, and bright light or loud noises reset the time.
Seizures – Whenever you suffer Trauma, you automatically fall to the ground and suffer Blackout as you struggle with fits.
Crippling Head Maims
Blinded – You have completely lost your vision. You should wear a blindfold or other sight impairing device, but for safety reasons you may take it off to navigate difficult environments, and may use a material that can be partially seen through.
Detachment – Damage to the brain has caused you to become unhinged. Gain a Crippling Insanity. This can not be taken during character creation.
One Foot in the Grave (7)
Your character is dying. Unless by some miracle, your character will die within 5 Events.
Pure of Heart (5)
There is great virtue in you, and when you fail to live up to it, it is you who is harmed most of all. Whenever you gain any new Depravity from committing a sin, you also gain that much Despair. This flaw may not be taken in conjunction with the wicked flaw.
Sick in the Head (4 or 6)
4 points.
Your character has some severe trauma in their life that has driven them mad. The character begins play with a Severe Insanity. This Insanity can be suppressed with Discipline and can aggravate to more severe levels but may never be recovered from past the point of a Severe Insanity.
6 points.
Your character’s mind is so different, or they have become so unhinged from normal processes that she is fundamentally and irrevocably insane. The character begins play with a Crippling Insanity, which as above, can never be recovered from by normal means.
Terrible Attribute (10)
You have some serious disadvantage of health, birth, or aptitude. Terrible Attributes are a serious Flaw, each with additional effects that can be found under Attributes.
Vainglorious (2)
Everyone loves it when their egos are stroked; you just like it much, much more. You may not counter any use of Obey while being complimented.
Ward (3 or 5)
You have someone who you are responsible for. This may be a family member, such as children or a spouse, or it may simply be someone you have taken pity upon or are sworn to protect. Wards can get caught up in your affairs, and might be the targets of your enemies. Your wards are emotionally important to your character, and if something tragic happened to them, you would be devastated, causing you Despair for each individual you failed. The Despair granted in this way is especially tragic, each one only able to be recovered from through a major personal victory relating to your Devotion. Many people who lose their Wards find a new Devotion in revenge for those they lost.
You spend time with your wards frequently between Chapters, and learning about your actions with Streetwise will indicate the identity and location of your Wards to the one who investigated you.
If you have a single individual as your Ward, this flaw is worth 3 points. If you have several such people, like a family, this flaw is worth 5 points and must include at least 3 people. It is possible that your Ward may also be involved with another perk or flaw, such as a Beholden. Wards require that you feed them, or they may eventually starve.
Wards must be NPC characters and not player characters.
Wicked (2)
You’ve done things in your life that some wouldn’t agree with. Moreover, you’ve done things that most would curse you for; and you don’t especially care. For each level of this flaw, your character begins with 1 Depravity in the sin of your choice for which the character is completely uninterested in forgiveness for. These points of Depravity cannot be atoned for without buying off the flaw or accepting alternate flaws as described in the atonement ritual. This can be taken more than once.
You may not take this Flaw such that it forces you to enter play above your Morality threshold and be already gaining Insanities.
Wyrd Loathing (5)
You know in your bones that magic is terrible and wrong; whether it is because wizards killed the prophet, Holy Benalus, or because of the terrible world-warping effects of magical misuse, or that magicians with their towering egos go mad and become a threat to the world and humanity, you hate magic and those who use it. You will not willingly work alongside a magician, accept magic being cast upon you, and if beneficial enchantments do get cast upon you, you gain Despair. You also gain Despair if you knowingly use any Wyrd object, touched and tainted by wicked sorceries.
Capacian Perks and Flaws
These Perks and Flaws may be taken by any Capacian character. Characters of other cultures can take these by spending additional Glory.
Romantic (1)
You have a poet’s soul, and are sensitive to feelings and emotions. You feel things profoundly, and have no trouble connecting with your heart. You may benefit from appreciation of a work of Artistry once per Scene instead of per Day. Additionally, once per Scene, when visibly demonstrating your passion or emotions, you may Bond with another person, both of you taking a Bond for for each other, though you do not choose the nature of their Bond towards you.
(Read more about Performance)
Shared Meal (3)
Once per game, while eating food or drinking with at least three other people you may discuss one of your Bonds or a Bond you would like to have, and add, change, or remove that Bond after the scene.
Luisant Pistolier (5)
You are a member of Luisant’s militia, under the command of Sir Jean-Luc Delacroix, and as such have been issued one of the House Beauchene firearms in order to protect the town. You may begin play with a pistol and twenty shots worth of black powder. You may request more from Sir Delacroix, but powder is rare, and you will have to justify its use to the frugal knight.
Fop (-3)
What’s the point of life if not to enjoy it? You try to stay away from the nastiness and filth that accompanies the things you love, and just focus on the good things. If you happen to get yourself noticeably dirty or you have to get blood on you (such as injuring another in melee or becoming injured), you are Traumatized.You are seen as a forthright and earnest individual and are respected by local peasants. Local people listen carefully to your opinion, and take your words and wisdom seriously. You know how to manage the uncomfortable class divide between yourself and your betters – know when to show deference, and when to show backbone.
When presenting issues that affect Peasants to someone presenting themselves as a member of the Nobility, you may call Obey: Trust me to speak for Peasants, and one Nerve to resist an Obey that would work against the better interest of Peasants.
Luisant Specific Flaws
Ancestral Debt (-3)
At some point in the distant past one of your ancestors swore an oath to one of the ancient spirits of the forest. Whether or not you yourself hold to the old ways of Vecatra, you are bound to pay their debt in blood each day, or else suffer the consequences of the broken oath. You must perform a ritual sacrifice each day or else be Traumatized until you complete it. An observance of your sacrificial rite involves ceremonial blood be spilt, chants be used, and other ritual behavior lasting at least 5 minutes. This can be done privately or publicly, the spirit cares not which, but it must involve at least a prop of an animal to be killed, and stage blood must be visibly left on the site of your ritual as an offering.
For those characters who are not Vecatran, this Flaw does not automatically grant Heresy 3 Depravity, as it is an act of abasement rather than worship, though other supplications and prayers for aid from the forest spirits will.
Outspoken Heathen (-3)
Out in the secluded forests and isolated towns of the Throne, some folks still hold respect for the old ways, the ways of Vecatra. Whether you still cling to that ancient religion or not, you respect it fiercely, and cannot bear to hear Vecatra or those who follow Her slandered. You will speak up against any such disrespect and demand satisfaction before you relent.
You gain a Belief: Never allow anyone to speak ill of the old ways.
Beholden (3)
You are beholden to one of the Prominent Figures of Luisant. You may owe this character a great deal, or or they may hold an emotional significance to you like a family member, if applicable. It could also be that this debt is professional in nature, or even comes in the form of blackmail or another form of coercion if that fits the character. When they ask, however, you feel the need to do as they request. The consequences for refusing the requests of those you are Beholden to is typically a loss of Favor, but other more extreme reactions may be warranted. This occurs if your character is not able to fulfill the request the same Event that they receive it.
Enemy (2-5 Points)
There are few enemies to be had in a small town. This perk is condensed to the following options. You may not purchase this perk more than twice (up to once each for the 2-point and 4-point version).
2 points: One of the Prominent Figures in the town actively dislikes you. It is nearly impossible for you to earn their favor, and they will advocate against you when the opportunity presents itself. See the list of Prominent Figures.
4 points: You have offended a major power, knowingly or unknowingly. One of the powerful and dangerous entities in the ancient woods actively dislikes you. You are in greater danger when you venture into the forest. It may seek to hurt you and your friends, and will not hesitate to kill you if given the chance.
+1 point: For either option: instead of selecting the enemy yourself, Staff will select an NPC or major power at their discretion. This might be an NPC or entity that is not well-known at the start of play (not on the initial list), but will have comparable power.
Luisant Specific Lineage Perks and Flaws
These Perks and Flaws can be taken by any character of the specific lineage mentioned, but not by others.
Rocheaux
Perks:
The Defiant (3)
You see the monster’s screeches and howls for what they are: desperate attempts to matter, to project its horrid essence upon the world, and it fills you not with fear, but with pity and anger.
Once per Scene, you may call Discipline vs any Call with the Hideous quality.
Flaws:
Undead Loathing (3)
The natural cycle of life and death must only flow in one direction. When faced with aberrations in that cycle, your disgust compels you to fight them, even at great risk to yourself and others.
You gain Belief – “Always destroy undead at any cost.”
Dubois
Perks:
Woodcutter(3)
Navigating the dark and terrible depths of the wood is second nature to you. You sense the stinking breath of a Bog Ghast or the heavy dragging footsteps of the Night Malefic well before they arrive, and it is the work of a moment for you to make yourself scarce- or position yourself to hunt your quarry down.
You may submit a Task once per Action Cycle to learn of dangers in the Forest during the next Action Cycle.
Flaws:
Counter(3)
The burden carried by the Counters of your Lineage weighs especially heavily on your shoulders. Without your careful oversight and management, you fear that the precious lumber of the Forest would be stripped entirely, inviting disaster on all the inhabitants of Luisant.
You gain the Belief “Never allow the forest to be overexploited”, and take Despair if the Forest becomes Exploited.
Jovienne
Perks:
Good Host (3)
You love to spread happiness and community connection, and are never more joyful and content than when others are appreciating events and creations of your design. Once per scene, when at least five other characters are benefitting from your Performance art or Etiquette function, you become Inspired.
Flaws:
Fragile Joy (3)
Laughter and celebration are the only thing that keeps you going. When it’s disturbed, the reality of the dark world crashes down on you. Whenever you see a Holiday celebration or Folkwise tradition being disrupted by violence or tragedy, you gain Despair.
LeBlanc
Perks:
Talebearer (3)
Whenever you unveil an ill-gotten secret previously unknown to the listener in an attempt to use an Obey call, you may add Power to that call.
Flaws:
Self-Made (3)
You must spend Discipline in order to accept a gift, invitation, or offer that the giver does not apparently gain anything from.
Mervaille
Perks:
With Me! (3)
By speech or example, you rally others to your cause. Your words ring with conviction and righteousness, and those who follow you find new heart in them. While you are Devoted, you may Inspire all others immediately working alongside you for the same purpose with a brief speech or radical action.
Flaws:
Firebrand (3)
You are uncompromising when it comes to your ideals, and passionate in making your visions of the future reality. When an action is proposed within your hearing that contradicts one of your Beliefs, you must spend a Discipline or immediately show them the error of their ways with a passionate speech.
Veneaux
Perks:
Abstruse Curiosity(3)
Ever since you were a wee child, you remember hearing the stories of the fantastic exploits of your family members and ancestors. Now that you are old enough to venture into the dark places of the world yourself and satisfy your itch to observe the workings of the strange, you find that the esoteric fragments of knowledge gleaned from those childhood stories are coming in handy. For the purposes of Trial Tags, all your skills are treated as one level higher.
Flaws:
Untethered (3)
The ancestral longing in your blood makes it hard to resist powers beyond the mundane world. You may not use Discipline against any call with the Hideous, Sacred, Lightning, Stone, Flame, or Water Qualities.
Outcast
Perks:
Rugged (3)
After an hour of being Exhausted, you lose Exhausted.
Flaws:
Omega (3)
Survival has forced you to accept deference to your “betters”. You may never use the Authority gesture, and you cannot resist Social calls from a character who is using the Authority gesture.
Peasant Perks and Flaws
Respected (1)
You are seen as a forthright and earnest individual and are respected by local peasants. Local people listen carefully to your opinion, and take your words and wisdom seriously. You know how to manage the uncomfortable class divide between yourself and your betters – know when to show deference, and when to show backbone.
When presenting issues that affect Peasants to someone presenting themselves as a member of the Nobility, you may call Obey: Trust me to speak for Peasants, and one Nerve to resist an Obey that would work against the better interest of Peasants.
Diligence (3)
Your lifestyle living on the land gives you hands-on training that you can put to good use. When you successfully gather from every Common and Uncommon Gathering Node for a given Gathering Skill, you also receive 1 Folkwise Achievement. You may only accrue one achievement per game even if you have multiple gathering skills. Folkwise Achievements may be spent to increase the following skills, even if the requisite Attribute is not at Sound for Locked Skills: Zeal, Grit, Survival, Archery, any Gathering skill
Pillar of the Community (3)
You are a well-known and distinguished member of the local community, when there is conflict, people look to you for advice. Whenever you are attempting to mediate your peers or trying to bring the community together in unity, you may use the Authority gesture, forcing everyone present to be silent and listen to you, unless they also use the Authority gesture.
Hardy (5)
Living off the land has made you tough and strong, and your family has been doing it for centuries. Normally, when Downed, after 5 minutes a character will bleed out and die. Instead, after five minutes, you become Battered and may regain consciousness. Furthermore, once per Event you may Exploit a single node once.
Hayseed (-3)
You were born in some backwater town and don’t have the head for any kind of refinement or sophistication. You may never gain the Academics or Etiquette skills.
SCUM PERKS AND FLAWS
Light Sleeper (1)
It usually just means you’re grouchy for the first hour of every day. You automatically awaken from any natural sleep at the slightest noise when danger approaches. Before an intrusion on you while you sleep at night, you will be woken up individually; the intruder must leave, then re-enter. You must denote that you have this perk on your door with a door-hanger or note so that the invader knows who to awaken, or it does not work.
Thug (3)
Sometimes it seems your entire life has been just this one lesson, over and over – the strong get what they want. You’ve had to remind others of that as often as it’s been beaten into you. When you’re interacting with other characters that are presenting themselves as Scum, you gain one use of Obey: I’m in charge and one use of Nerve against their Obey calls when you’re trying to determine the pecking order.
Scorn (3):
After years of rejection and abuse from society, you embraced their hostility. You disdain their approval and find satisfaction in their insults.
Once per rest, you may call Discipline against any Obey call that would require you to follow laws, traditions, or social orders.
When a person of higher social standing (i.e. not visibly Scum) insults, rejects, or belittles you, you may become Inspired by reacting harshly and acting against them; insulting them back, intimidating them, or anything else to show your disdain.
Street Savvy (5)
The dirty sprawls and bastard alleys know something and you know what it takes to make them talk. You may take the Investigation Action in addition to any other kind of Action during each Action Cycle. The Investigation Action may not be taken twice in a single Action Cycle. Furthermore, you automatically know when someone uses Investigation to spy on you, and who used it.
Grime (-3)
Missing teeth, layers of grime, a certain stink, maybe a weird hunch and a scratchy voice. These are some of the hallmarks of your less than trustworthy seeming. You might be a completely legitimate business man with a somewhat adventurous view of hygiene, but let’s not kid ourselves. You must costume and roleplay this flaw.
Merchant Perks and Flaws
Leverage (1)
You may begin the game with 20 Silver of additional starting funds, similar to the Wealth Perk, but this money comes as a total debt of 30 Silver. You are required to pay back at least 1 silver per Chapter in repayment or else your creditors will come with demands.
This may be taken multiple times, though each instance increases the amount necessary to repay each Chapter by 1 Silver as well.
Bookworm (3)
When you take a Research Action, you gain an additional 3 Effort.
Efficient (3)
You have 2 Effort that can be used towards any Crafting Action.
Opportunist (5)
You are excellent at using the principles of need and fulfillment to understand how to approach problems and exploit needs. You see opportunities everywhere, and with some thinking, can come up with an approach to take advantage. You may submit a special Note Taking to Staff as part of a Research Action, stating a goal and any relevant facts you know about the situation. Staff will respond with a method by which the goal can be approached in order to achieve success, or at least get closer. It will take into account any information that is common knowledge and suggest a path forward that, if not actually effective, will at least be smart given what is known.
Debt (-3)
You are constantly in debt from various sources and are constantly short on money to pay off creditors or other collectors. This works like the Leverage Perk, except the money is all gone, leaving you only with the debt. Your creditors demand a regular flow of money, and if they find out you are holding out on them, this flaw can become an Enemy flaw instead. You are in debt for 60 Silver, and must pay at least 1 Silver per Chapter to your creditors to keep them off you.
This can be taken up to three times, but for each instance, the amount that must be repaid increases as well. Work with the staff to determine the nature of your debt.
Gentry Perks and Flaws
You were raised with the best tutelage and instruction, and your childhood was spent learning about the world. You begin play with the following Basic Studies: The Throne, The Church, History, Nobility, Law, as well as a Study representing your own Organization such as your Noble House, your Ecclesiarchal Covenant, etc.
Servant (3)
You were born into the service of your betters, and know how best to anticipate the needs of those you are serving before they even realize the need is there.
By serving the needs of another character, you may Exert in order to Restore that character from Exhaustion after providing 15 minutes of restful pampering for that character.
Privileged (3)
Once per game, you may send a single piece of information to an NPC you are in the service of and they take it seriously and may act accordingly
Elitist (5)
People can be so tiresome sometimes, and you just really can’t be bothered to explain how to live to everyone who could benefit from it. You may snub someone by issuing a dismissive gesture at someone and an audible “ugh!” noise. Until you interact with them again, you may simply ignore them and are immune to any uses of Obey that they may use on you. You may use this as often as you wish.
Entitlement (-3)
Having been bred to power and purpose your whole life, you take your role very seriously. Whenever you see something not as it should be, the situation demands immediate correction. This could be an issue of injustice that you as a person of means could resolve, or someone doing their job incorrectly such that you cannot help but intervene. Furthermore, you cannot tolerate your authority being questioned. If anyone you consider to be a peer or your lesser questions your word, honor, or authority, you must immediately set them in their place and never let them forget it. To do less is to spit upon all you stand for, and by extension the entire Throne and its Emperor.
You gain the following Beliefs:
- Always Intervene when a peer or social lesser someone is acting wrongly.
- Never allow a peer or social lesser to insult you.
Other Cultural Perks and Flaws
While characters of other cultures are not ordinarily permitted for creation in Luisant, these Perks and Flaws may be taken with a Glory surcharge, or if such characters become available for play.
Njord Perks and Flaws
Ice-Hardened (3)
Ice water runs through your veins and the winter winds fill your sails. During Events the Winter season, or when outside and unarmored in below freezing temperatures, you gain +1 to the Survival, Vigilance, and Stealth Skills, as well as Great Fortitude.
Rogalian Perks and Flaws
Collected (1)
Your life of constant danger has made you rightly suspicious that danger can happen at any time. When an emergency situation happens, you remain coldly calm and ready to act. Against attacks with the Stealth Quality, you may call Alert with your Defense, even if you are not Alert, allowing you to react to defend yourself.
Veteran (3)
You have seen all the horrors of battle and there is little left that can faze you. You have long since accepted that you live by your steel and that you will surely one day die by it. You do not take Trauma as an after-effect of Fear (though still may gain it from other effects), and you do not take Despair when a close friend dies.
Loyalty (5)
As a Rogalian, you know the true value of loyalty, both in yourself to those you serve, and from those who serve you. Loyalty burns like a flame, and when you interact meaningfully with your factors, you continually rekindle that fire.
War Haunted (-3)
Your time with tragedy has worn you down, little by little and finally, with a gasp and a whimper, it broke you. You are trying to live a different kind of life now, but the ghosts of your old story haunt you to this day. At the end of any scene when combat breaks out, or when people discuss violence around you, you are Traumatized.
Gothic Perks and Flaws
Humorless (1)
You rarely ever crack a smile or make a joke, even in good company. A stern rebuke and possibly a lecture is the only reward for guile aimed at you. In any scene in which you have remained completely stoic and serious, with no facial expression, you may gain one use of Nerve against Obey calls.
Pious (3)
Your faith in the Lord is the strong pillar that you have built your life upon, and you never falter or shake in your convictions. As a result, you feel blessed that the Lord answers your call when you pray for assistance.
You gain the following Belief:
Always cover your head with a hood or veil when in public.
While Devoted from using the Prayer ability, your Faith is considered one higher than normal.
Spiritual Prodigy (5)
For as long as you can remember, your faith has been everything to you. It is one of the strong pillars that you have built your entire life upon, and it impacts every decision you make. You may use the Prayer or the Focused ability an additional time per day.
Bigoted (-3)
You cannot suffer people who don’t see the world as you do. Godless heathens, people of opposite Devotion, those who don’t attend regular Church services, even foreigners and their backwards ways make your gut ache and your jaw set. When another character’s ways are very different from those you hold to be right, you must spend Discipline vs Insanity to resist the urge to shun or verbally debase them at each opportunity.
DUNNICK PERKS AND FLAWS
Hard Drinker (1)
Your body is used to at least a little poison coursing through your veins. You put it through too much torment on a regular basis to be overthrown by some cutter’s plant paste on a blade. You gain a use of Toughness against drugs or poisons, or anything with the Poison Quality, and can drink 3 more drinks than normal before being Intoxicated or Blacked Out.
Oral Tradition (3)
Since you were a wee child spent your life hearing stories and legends of great heroes, epic wars, mysterious creatures, and other esoterica, and you’re able to pass that knowledge on to others through the same tales.
Once per day you may ask a Staff member a single question from any Lore, and get the answer because you heard it in a story. You can share the information others only if you continue the tradition and tell it to others as a story you make up OOC that includes the answer provided.
Harsh Temper (-3)
You have a tendency to fly off the handle and it takes very little for you to become combative and belligerent. Classically, you will talk back to people that oppose you, throw the first punch, or otherwise behave in an overly aggressive manner whether or not the situation calls for it. When treated with aggression you always must respond more aggressively.
You gain a Belief:
Always respond to aggression with escalation
Hestralian Perks and Flaws
Braggadocio (1)
Somewhere between sincere generosity and sincere boasting, It brings you a special kind of joy to spend your wealth on your friends, and an even greater joy to spend it on your enemies. Whenever you give someone a personal gift or pay for something on behalf of someone else, become Inspired.
In Flagrante (3)
Your passions are who you are, and they steer you always. You love them, you hate them, you trust them, you are them. Sometimes you just let yourself go to your fiery Hestrali blood, and devils take whoever or whatever gets in your way. If you have an obvious and loud emotional outburst, followed by wild gesticulations and ranting and raving, some of it in Hestron and whatever else flies from your tongue, any Sins of 2 or lower cause no Depravity, as you are too worked up to be thinking straight. When you come back to your senses, it seems obvious why you did those things – afterall, he insulted your mother, what else were you supposed to do?
Daredevil (5)
High risks awaken your blood and you feel truly alive when attempting anything out of reach. In any situation where you stand alone, grossly outmatched or attempting something no sane person would ever attempt, you enter the Devoted condition.
Vendetta (-3)
You are the inheritor of the famous Hestralian passion, and it sometimes gets the better of you. You cannot stand to be upstaged, put down, or otherwise made to lose a competitive contest. It boils your blood to think that someone is underestimating you, and you will do anything you can to set the record straight, in an elaborate and explosive display, if need be. If you are upstaged or publicly lose face because of another, that person becomes your Vendetta. Any time you have an opportunity to act against that person and don’t take it, you gain Despair. Your acts against them should be in the same arena you were bested in, physical, social or otherwise, though you can always escalate. This person remains your Vendetta until someone else becomes your Vendetta, even if you have already proven your superiority over them.
