Beyond the Veil Draft Pt. V - Adversaries, Denizens, Encounters and Spoils

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Adversaries, Denizens, Encounters, and Spoils

A fair fight is a fight you are willing to lose. The Adversaries that an adventuring party encounters would very much like to stay alive, and live in places full of dangerous terrain, intelligent leaders, cruel beasts, perilous traps and scarce resources. From the best-forgotten underbellies of port-cities to crypts and barrows and every environ in between, Adversaries want, first and foremost, to protect themselves and their offspring, guard their resources and so on. They can potentially be bribed or bargained with to ensure safe passage or trade. They will not fight to the death unless they feel they must to protect something or some place, as a rule. Surrender and retreat are common when things get dire for them; it should be for Player Characters as well.

Denizens have no such fears. They are beings of inhuman motive and desire, originating Beyond the Veil. Monsters. Remorseless, dire, beings that spring into the world when the right conditions arise. All true monsters arise with good reason. Something wrong with the world, a transgression against the natural order and flow of the Veil. They cannot be defeated easily, not with steel and bullets. Knowing their weakness is little refuge, though, as exploiting it often means putting yourself or others in grave risk.

Adversaries Breakdown

Adversaries are the most common sort of opponent one might come across in the world, in or out of a combat scenario. They should have some level of agency in that they desire to live and be successful in their own right. The stat breakdown for an adversary is as follows:

• Name,  Aspect and Score
• Armor
• Attacks (if any)
• Active Turn (K, 10, 5, 2)
• Spoils Tier (None, Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent, Unique)
• Abilities (1 + Aspect Score number of abilities)
  
  

Example Adversaries

Poacher, Smarts +0

Armor: Leathers (HeALT, AV1)

Attacks: Shortbow (2H, 40yds), Knife (1H)

Turn: 10

Spoils: Poor

Abilities:

• Hunter - Attacks against animals are Brutal

Brown Bear, Health +2
Armor: Tough Hide (All, AV 1)
Attacks: Maul (Brutal)
Active Turn: K
Spoils: (examples) 4 food rations, 1 large pelt (3 Flakes), 100 pounds of fat, other animal bits
Abilities:

• Roar - All characters not allied  and within 10 yards must succeed on a Determination Check or become Scared.
• A Mother's Fury - If the Brown Bear perceives a threat to its young, it acts on K and 10 for initiative
• Animal Nature - Animals will always flee from combat after taking an injury, unless they are defending their lair, offspring, cornered, or sick.

 

Denizens Breakdown

In contrast to Adversaries, Denizens are, and should be, less common than standard encounters. An unsuspecting party of even the most prepared adventurers will meet their end at the hands of a Denizen if they are not approached correctly. They have no desires that can be used to bribe or extort them. They do not want anything in the way that is understood, and they most certainly do not want to make nice. Denizens are imbalances in the world, and often require some level of investigation to discover the cause of, and solution for, their presence on this side of the Veil. Someone, somewhere, knows about each Denizen, as they are caused phenomena, repeatedly; some scholars dedicate their lives to understanding where the most common varieties come from and how to quell the number of occurrences. All Denizens follow this template:

• Name, Aspect and Score
• Condition of Destruction and Limitations
• Cause of Manifestation
• Attacks
• Description
• Abilities (1 + Aspect Score number of abilities + Denizen)

Example Denizens

Drowning Mildew, Health +2

Condition: Drowning Mildew can only be destroyed by burning the corpse it originates from. It will not spread to areas exposed to sunlight. It will not willingly approach fire.

Cause: When a human is killed via drowning and not given a proper burial, there is a chance it invites the presence of the Drowning Mildew.

Attacks: Drown (Brutal, Ignores Armor, 0yd)

Turn: K, 10, 5, 2

Description: Wispy, like spider's silk, slime mold that undulates to an unknown rhythm. It is blue-grey and smells of sea air, rank cellars, and spoiled myrrh. It clings to surfaces lightly, and has no weight until it attempts to make a kill.

Abilities:

• Metastasis - Any living creature killed with the Drown attack becomes a new instance of Drowning Mildew.
• Creeping - Speed is 2 yards. It cannot move and take an action on the same turn. It cannot be flanked and fully occupies any space it has moved through or onto. It cannot be moved forcibly.
• Fire Avoidant - Any space it occupies that is hit with a source of open flames clears that space until the fire leave that space. Attacks  it makes against characters bearing open flames are instead Red/Black Checks
• Denizen - This creature knows nothing of remorse or fear and is obviously supernatural. It will not flee nor surrender and is immune to Scared.

 

Bean Sidhe (Banshee), Charisma +1
Condition: Can only be injured by implements made of pure gold. Only perceivable by the family they have attached themselves to. They only appear at night.
Cause: When a first-born daughter is killed in a violent manner, her spirit may not be able cross the Veil to the Other Side. 
Attacks: Keening(30 yds, Unavoidable)
Turn: K
Description: Lithe, nearly skeletal, wearing what they had on when they perished. They are pale, ephemeral beings that are often seen near water or swamps at night, futilely attempting to wash the fabric of the Veil and weeping. They do not pursue their prey; there is no need once they Keen into the night.
Abilities:

• Baleful Wailing - Any who hear the Keening of a Bean Sidhe become Scared and are frozen in fear if they cannot flee. The Bean Sidhe fades from view after Keening.
• Omen - The target fated to die after hearing the Keening of a Bean Sidhe suffers a heart attack after seven days unless the Bean Sidhe is destroyed.
• Denizen - This creature knows nothing of remorse or fear and is obviously supernatural. It will not flee nor surrender and is immune to Scared.

Encounters and Spoils

Balancing combat can be a daunting task in any game, so I thought it would be a good idea to talk about that a bit with the disclaimer that I haven't had a group to test with and playing by myself has its own biases. The intent is that getting into a fair fight is foolish. Death comes quickly, and attacks are strong. For a party of four, a full on brawl with an equally well equipped group of bandits should be a tossup at the first few levels of play. Encourage players to ambush, use the terrain, bring hirelings, position themselves advantageously or at the least deny adversaries the same. 

Denizens, on the other hand, shouldn't need any backup to be a threat. They are centerpieces in their own rights; they are the sort of things that either exist in the environment or have adventures constructed around. The Bean Sidhe is not meant to be fought in a traditional sense- it is only a danger to those that can perceive it. Drowning Mildew is something that can be driven off and destroyed once you know how to do so, but it is most likely encountered incidentally, or perhaps as the result of a missing person case or some such.

Spoils

Loot is the bread and butter of adventurers, tomb robbers, mercenaries and thieves. Usually, this is in the form of valuable objects, weaponry, ancient currency, art pieces and the like. Adversaries, and sometimes Denizens, also carry many things that might be considered valuable to the right buyer. Depending on the tier of those spoils, they will have valuables up to a certain amount. Some exceptions exist, being animals or even just occasions where you want to have specific items for whatever reasons.

• None - Self explanatory, nothing of value here.
• Poor -  Up to 1 Flake's worth of valuables.
• Fair - Between 2 and 29 Flakes worth of valuables. 
• Good - Between 10 and 50 Chips worth of valuables.
• Excellent - Between 51 Chips and 2 Plates worth of valuables.
• Unique - Determined on a case-to-case basis. See the above brown bear for an example!

What's Next?

Camping and Downtime things probably, unless some other inspiration strikes!

Beyond the Veil Draft Pt. IV: Combat and Conflict

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Initiative, Actions, Injury and Gear

I think I have teased enough about how to play the game that it is time to actually talk about how to take part in combat. Engaging in combat is deadly, and being flanked or caught off guard is a good way to cross to the other side of the Veil quickly. At the same time, not all weapons and armors are made equal. If you are lucky, or maybe cursed, you'll find something truly special.

Initiative

Adversaries take actions either on the King, 10, 5 or 2 for their initiative, depending on their adversary blocks. Fast adversaries typically take turns at higher values, slow enemies go later. 

Players draw a number of cards equal to their Aspect score at the start of each round of combat. They may take an action on whatever values they draw. All suits are treated equally here, so four players drawing sixes results in 4 actions where the order is determined by the players deciding amongst themselves to then be executed simultaneously. After a turn put the corresponding card into your discard pile.

Jokers of either color are wildcards and can go at any turn in the round.

Each turn is three seconds long. A round is thirteen turns long. 

You may at any point on your turn transfer other cards you have drawn and not already used that round to your Baize.

Actions

Combat has a lot going on, and turns are numerous. As such, there is usually a lot to do as well. Notably, combat takes place on either a square, hex, or grid-less map made up of one-inch increments. Facing is important in this game as noted in the description of "Flanking" below.

Action	Description
Move	A character may Move up to 5 yards per round on their turn without taking an action. A character cannot Aim and Move on the same turn. Choose a facing after Moving. You may choose to Move 0 yards.
Brace	Gird yourself for an oncoming blow. Attacks from a Bracing character’s front suffer a -1 card penalty until their next turn.
Sprint	Characters may Sprint as an action. The distance Sprinted in a round cannot exceed 5 * Health yards (minimum 5). Choose a facing after Sprinting.
Aim	Take time to size up an opponent and land a decent blow. Can be used for ranged and melee attacks. Characters that Aim receive a +1 bonus on their next Attack or until they Move. This is cumulative up to +3. Characters cannot Move and Aim on the same turn.
Attack	Attacking Characters make an Aspect Check against a target within their weapon’s reach. On success, deal one damage increment.
Make a Check	Characters may take an action to make Checks as normal (look around for hidden things, break down a door, pick a lock, etc.)
Retrieve/Grab an Item	Characters may take an action to sheath or wield a weapon, grab an easily reachable item, remove a backpack, pull a lever or similar.
Special Actions	Characters often have specific actions they can take depending on their gear, Class, or enemy template.
Make Something Up	If you think of something not on this list, pitch it to your GM!

When a player inevitably pitches an idea not on the above list, see if it fits one of the categories already listed. If not, it a good guideline is to have them make an Attribute Check while keeping in mind that a +1 Card bonus or -1 Card penalty is slightly more impactful than +2 or -2, but not as impactful as +3 or -3. +2 Cards is in between +3 and +4. +3 Cards is in between +4 and +5. You should not give penalties that reduce card draw to zero, or bonus that result in drawing more than 5 cards.

Injury

Death comes easily in this game. Without armor, you are usually only a couple of good hits away from a painful death. By default, a character has the Healthy status, meaning there isn't anything immediately concerning about their physical well being. Getting hit with an attack moves a character from Healthy to Injured. Getting hit while Injured makes them Critical. Getting hit while Critical means the character has become Dead. Death is permanent, and returning from beyond the Veil is, as far as scholarly science and mysticism can tell, impossible in any meaningful way. Remember that retreat and escape are almost always options!

Recovery

Wounds typically can only be recovered while resting with adequate medical supplies on hand. This can be anything reasonable, but usually comes as medical supplies (1X). If you are recovering in a town, it is assumed you will be able to acquire adequate supplies. In the wilderness or elsewhere, a Health Check is necessary to recover if no medical supplies are available.

Flanking

A character is Flanked if they are Attacked from the direction of a square, hex or angle not in a 45 degree arc of their front. Flanking an opponent provides a +1 Card bonus and ignores the armor and Bracing benefits provided by shields. After being hit with a Flanking attack a character may choose to face the direction of their attacker.

Gear

As unique as a character may be in their Class, none of that matters if you don't have the gear to survive an expedition until you can get paid! In addition to whatever starting gear a Class receives, all player characters start with 2 Flakes, five days of rations, twenty feet of hempen rope, and a set of modest clothing.

Armor

Armor is vital to the long term survival of most folks that end up in a combat environment. It provides a couple of benefits in the mechanical sense and is worth getting ahold of should you be able to wear it. Firstly, armor reduces incoming damage by an amount equal to its value. Second, it applies a -X penalty to attackers trying to hit you.

Armor Damage

If you get hit, you decrease the armor value (AV) of the armor by one. If AV reaches zero, it is useless until you get it to a craftsman of the appropriate type. If it is only damaged, each piece can be repaired at camp or similar. You may be thinking "But wait, doesn't armor cover multiple parts? How do I know what was hit?" Fair question! That's up to the creature being hit. Track each armor piece individually, but its effect holistically.

An Example

Alex has Leathers (HeALTF AV1) and they get hit. Alex marks their left leg's armor as AV0, meaning the armor is damaged. They takes another hit, and decides it was in their right leg. Then their left and right arms, then the torso, both boots and finally the helmet. Now, after eight hits, Alex is able to become Injured and their armor is fully destroyed! It is easy to see why you might want to grab yourself a buffer as useful as this on your journeys. 

Now, GMs, be sensible. If Alex sticks their hand in a jar of acid with a gloved hand, it may spare their delicate fingers and damage the glove. It won't, however, let them get away with it a second time by marking down their boots as damaged.

Layering Armor

Armor can be layered, and damage to that body part has to break the highest value armor before damaging lower value armor in the same Slot. a Breastplate (2T, AV3) over a Chain Shirt (2T, AV2) provides hefty damage reduction to the Torso, but you cannot assign damage to the Chain Shirt before the Breastplate is destroyed.

Shields

Shields provide further benefit to the wielder's front side, acting as a passive increase to AV from that side as well as always being hit if a character decides to Brace. Taking a shield off requires 1 minute of time, unless it is a buckler that may simply be dropped.

Weapon Ranges

One-handed melee weapons have a maximum reach of 1 yard. Two-handed melee weapons have a maximum reach of 2 yards. Ranged weapons specify their maximum effective range and cannot be used in combat past that value.

Gear Tags

This list is not comprehensive and is likely to grow in the future. However, it should be enough to provide inspiration for the sorts of things  one could apply to weapons.

Tag	Description
Armor Breaking	Hitting an armored target with this weapon instead deals damage twice to the same location.
Brutal	Hitting a living target with this weapon instead deals damage twice.
Long	This weapon’s reach is 1 yard longer than normal.
Firearm X	This weapon takes X turns to reload. Consider carrying spares. Reloading may be stopped during any turn but cannot be resumed until you take another turn to do so from where you left off.
Rapid	This weapon can be drawn or sheathed without taking an action.

What Comes Next

Now that the basics of combat rules are laid out, it might be useful to have something and someone to fight against. Next up: Adversaries and templates to spice them up After that will be Camping and Downtime. I want to go ahead and thank the folks that provide me feedback on these posts after I post them; you are greatly appreciated. One of these days when I have all the posts I can think of written I will compile them into a .pdf in a more organized matter. 

Beyond the Veil Draft Classes Pt. II - Tour-Guide and the Stalwart

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The Tour-Guide

"You understand I can't just let anyone walk around here like they own the place right? I'm willing to help, kid, but you need to do something for me first." The corpulent Gerrard taps his crystal glass full of dark spirits, probably rum, addressing the excitable newcomer across from him at the table. The room smells of tobacco smoke and liquor mixed with overcooked meat.

"Right, sir, I understand sir, but I gotta say that after last week at the horse races, you did lose the bet we had and-"

"Be quiet. What are you playing at?"

The hawkish young man smiles wickedly, "Oh, nothing in particular. I just happen to know that your boss's brother was there too, and the two of us really hit it off, if you're catchin' my drift. Drinks at the estate and a tour of the side of town with the vineyards, I'm sure you know the deal." Gerrard looks uncomfortable but doesn't speak. "Anyway, turns out his dad met me at Port Royal a few summers back and I had shown him some local spots he took a liking towards. Long story short, he owes me a favor, you owe him a favor, and I have me right here a letter saying now you owe me his favor." Gerrard takes the letter slowly, skeptically, and curses under his breath when he sees the seal.

"Fine, but just this once. Don't think I will forget this little stunt of yours, Erwin."

Erwin smiles, knowing already that it doesn't matter if he forgets or not... He is as much part of the city as Gerrard now.

Aspect: Charisma

Stock: Human

Requirements: Charisma > 2; Can wear leathers; Can use 1H weapons

Starting Gear:

• Traveling Cloak (1NT)
• Good Boots (1F)
• Decent Gloves (1H)
• Any 1H Weapon and a Belt Sheath (1T1S, fits a specific weapon)
• Notebook and Charcoal Pencil (1X)
• Messenger Bag (1T2S)
• Leathers (1HeALTF, AV 1)

Class Ability Tract

Level 0: Familiar Locale:

You may spend one week sight-seeing and carousing in a city you familiarize yourself with it. If you do, you cannot become lost there and can locate all the places locals would consider important without guidance. You may only be familiar with one city at a time, or a number equal to your level, whichever is higher.

Level 1: One With the Streets

Whenever you pass an Aspect Check in a Familiar Locale, you may take one of the cards drawn for that check and add it to your Baize.

Level 2: Friends High and Low:

You have acquired some contacts in your Familiar Locales. They may be street-level criminals, local business owners, guardsmen, gang leaders, or similar positions. These contacts are not necessarily friendly to you, but are willing to humor your presence and do a favor for you so long as you do something for them first. This may be as simple as paying a fee or giving a portion of whatever loot you recover, asking you to guide a VIP around the Locale, or even more drastic requests. You have total contacts equal to your Aspect score. Work with your GM to determine who these contacts might be. Your Baize increases in size equal to your Aspect.

Level 3: Field Guide:

You may choose locations other than cities to become Familiar Locales. Each additional week spent exploring any Familiar Local, you discover one of the following, and each option may only be chosen once per location:

• A path through it that is either Short and Dangerous OR Long but Safe
• A location suitable to set up a permanent encampment only you can find without a Red/Black Check
• A little known location or person filling a specific niche appropriate to the Locale. A refreshing hot spring, exotic animal dealer, abandoned altars and the like.

Level 4: Long Story Short...

You may make a Red/Black Check, upon success, you and one NPC in the current scene realize you know each other from a prior misadventure, family history, or other minor encounter. This may be a hostile, neutral, or beneficial history at the GM's discretion, but you may choose whether or not you owe the NPC a favor, or vice versa. On failure, nothing happens. This ability may only be used once per NPC.

Level 5: Well Traveled

You have become well traveled, nearly famously so, over the course of your adventures. People in locations you have not been to may recognize you and offer assistance or hinder you, depending on your reputation. Additionally, when entering a settled location you are not Familiar with, gain the following benefits:

• You are able to secure free lodging for the duration of your stay for yourself, companions, and any animals you may have with you.
• Your reputation precedes you and local non-specialty shopkeepers give you a 50% discount on all goods out of either fear or admiration, depending on your reputation.
• The local guard or militia are willing to ignore up to 1 Plate of crime you may find yourself involved in each month provided they are bribed a "very reasonable" 10% of whatever the bounty would normally be.

Tour-Guide Tips and Pointers

Your Baize is limited to three cards. However, you may as an action give another player a card from your Baize, represented by you providing them with some small tidbit of information that is helpful to the current situation. They cannot give you cards in return.

Hand	Useful Tip
Pair	You recall a useful piece of information regarding one Familiar Locale of your choice.
Three of a Kind	You recall a useful piece of information regarding a person, place, or thing you could have reasonably heard about before.

The Stalwart

Marline adjusts the straps of her hulking travel pack over her chainmail, making sure all the goods are secured tightly. She runs over her shopping list in her head: Fifteen days' rations, an extra bottle of wine, three waterproofed map cases full of various weather-sensitive supplies, the actual map to the destination, Pierre's tincture for the wound he got last outing... 

"Damn it, that shouldn't have happened. Folks like him don't tend to take too well when they get stabbed, and I am the one with the mail shirt... It won't happen again."

She resolves herself. She spent a whole month working on making sure no ally was out of reach should they need her. What's one more scar among dozens?

Aspect: Determination

Stock: Human

Requirements: Determination >3; Can use all weapons and armors and shields; You nearly died once and have a visible scar

Starting Gear:

• Longsword (1H/2H) with Scabbard (0T, fits a longsword) and Shield (1HA, left or right)
• Chain shirt (2T, AV 2)
• Leathers (1HeALF AV 1)
• Large Backpack (2T4S) stuffed with 4 size worth of items from the equipment list
• Travelling Cloak with Many Pockets (1T1S)

Class Ability Tract

Level 0: The Long Haul

You ignore the first injury you sustain each adventure, and start each session Blessed, Spirited and Prepared. You are an embodiment of "Let's take this one step at a time."

Level 1: Hidden Cache

Your bag and clothes have more pockets and nooks than previously thought. While Resting, you may produce appropriate supplies to treat one Injury or Sickness afflicting yourself or an ally, even if you would not normally be able to do so. You must come up with a story to explain why you have the necessary supplies.

Level 2: Interdiction

Whenever an ally within 5 yards is hit with and attack, you may choose to move to their spot, taking the blow in their stead. Your ally is moved to an adjacent space of your choice as part of this action. Everyone is getting out of here today, one way or another.

Level 3: One Thousand Steps

You are accustomed to long journeys on foot or horseback, and know the best ways to pass the time and keep spirits high. While travelling at least 6 hours in a day, you may make an Aspect Check. If you pass, the party, including yourself, gains the Spirited affliction. Once per combat as an action, you may move up to 15 yards.

Level 4: Preternatural Threat

You exude an aura of power and threat to those that would assail you... you maybe your overstuffed backpack just looks ripe for the picking. Either way, adversaries will always choose to attack or rob you first if you are within their reach to do so in a hostile encounter. If they do, however, you can exploit their failure to plan with a free attack of your own one time per unique adversary in that encounter.

Level 5: Latent Potential

For as long as you can remember, you have been the bearer of burdens and the lifter of spirits for yourself and your companions. You make all Determination Checks at +2 card draw and cannot be Scared. In addition, you may willingly take any Status a target would gain within reach of your Interdiction and make a Red/Black check. If you succeed, you ignore the affliction. If you fail, you face the full brunt of it.

Stalwart Stashed Supplies

Produce equipment from empty slots in your bags with different hands. Your Baize grows in size for each point of Encumbrance you are currently ignoring.  You cannot produce medicines or non-mundane equipment. If in doubt: If it exists on an equipment list somewhere, you probably have it.

Hand	Stashed Supplies
Pair	A single non-currency size 0 object such as an arrow, strip of cloth, 10 feet of fishing line and the like.
Two Pairs	Ten size 0 objects such as arrows, feet of rope and thread, a set of lockpicks or a handful of salt.
Three of a Kind	50 size 0 or a single size 1 object that fits in an unoccupied Storage Slot; it now occupies that Slot.
Straight	Any single piece of camping supplies, a horse blanket, or spare pair of shoes and similar objects so long as you have the Storage for it.

What's Next?

This took longer than I expected, but was fun to come up with ideas for! Next time, I will be posting about Conflict resolution and Combat, so it will probably be a longer one. I also have some ideas mulling around in my head regarding Camping and Downtime I am drafting for later.

Beyond the Veil Draft Classes Pt. I - Falconeer and The Veil Piercer

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The Falconeer

A man sits astride their horse, bearing the livery of a noble's house, surrounded by retainers while on a fox hunt. The thicket muddles the group's movement, causing horses to whinny with discontent. Birdcalls fill the morning air with chirps and trills. Hounds snuffle along the underbrush before picking up a scent; the hunt is on! The retinue gives chase, hoping to exhaust their quarry before the hounds lose its sent again. Thunderous hooves trample plants underfoot and the noble rides upon the sight of Titus, his favorite hound, barking at a fox on the lower branches of a yew tree. He raises his crossbow to claim his prize and releases the bolt. Before the fox can impact the mossy forest floor, a falcon, golden-tailed and curiously wearing a ribbon about its ankle, swoops in silently, stealing the prize. The noble's stomach drops into the base of his feet. Titus snaps at the bird, catching the fox and tearing it from the falcon's grasp. A sharp whistle silences the barking, the birds, and seemingly the very breath of the noble; the falcon turns its iron gaze to the noble as it perches overhead.

"I don't deserve this." His voice is quiet, full of terror. In response, the sound of a match being lit. "I can pay more than what they gave you. I'll give you my horse! She is thouroughbr-" A thunderous shot rings out, and the noble feels their left arm turn cold as their body is whipped around and off of the horse, crashing to the ground. Stars fill their vision, and Titus runs into the woods, cowering. Shouts from the retinue cut through the thicket, the sounds of alarum. 

"I have a reputation to uphold. You, on the other hand, sullied yours bad enough to get me. May your journey to the Other Side be more peaceful than your death." Another thunderous roar, and a leaden slug craters through the noble's heart. As the world drifts away in shades of red and black, the falcon comes to rest on his killer's gauntleted arm. The Falconeer makes haste to her own steed, tearing into the woods before another soul can place an eye upon her.

Aspect: Health

Stock: Human

Requirements: Health > 2; Smarts > 1; Cannot use 2H weaponry

Starting Gear:

• 2 Matchlock Pistols (1H, Firearm 5, 30 Yards)
• 8 pre-prepared leaden shots
• Powderhorn, full (1X)
• Iron shot-mold (0H)
• Guthook knife with Sheath (1H/0T)
• Leathers (1HeALTF, AV 1)
• Falconeer's Gauntlet (1H)
• Pistol Belt (1T2S)
• Bag of Birdseed (0X)
• Trained and loyal Falcon (2X)

Class Ability Tract

Level 0: Bird of Prey

Your falcon is well trained, and it understands your intent. It cannot be targeted in combat. You may direct it to either fetch objects up to size 1, or track a specific creature. Neither option uses an action but requires a commanding whistle. It can become Hungry and Sick.

Level 1: Flank and Fire

You whistle as an action, marking a target as prey and drawing the attention of your falcon; it swoops in to distract the target as you make an attack. If your attack is flanking, you may force them turn to face you after damage is inflicted.

Level 2: Ferryman's Friend

A symbol of Death, your raptor inspires fear in the hearts of those that hear its cry. As an action, you may make a Check at -1 Card. If one card is your Aspect, regardless of value, one enemy of your choice and capable of hearing and being Scared become Scared while in your presence. If two or more are your Aspect, all enemies that meet the above conditions become Scared while in your presence.

Level 3: Raptor's Eyes

When you and your falcon are near each other, you and your allies cannot be ambushed. You can discern when people are lying or withholding information at +1 card.

Level 4: Pilfering Talons

When you command your bird of prey to fetch an object, you may choose up to 2 objects of up to size 1 each that are being worn or carried in the hands, head, or neck slots of a creature. When an item is pilfered this way the target immediately becomes aware of the theft, but cannot stop it.

Level 5: Death from Above

You let loose a shrill whistle as an action, marking a creature for death as a piercing cry fills the air. You make your next attack against that target at +5 and if it hits, it is Lethal. Describe how your raptor kills the creature after you open up their defenses.

Falconeer Tricks

Each level, choose one option from the row corresponding to your level. You may swap the options you took previously when you level up.

Hand (Level)	Falconry	Gunslinging
Pair (1)	Falcon Harrys a target ([-level] to their next action)	You reload your matchlock using a single action.
Two Pairs (2)	Falcon Blinds a target for [level] rounds.	You aim your matchlock, increasing its range by [10 x level] yards on your next attack.
3 of a Kind (3)	Falcon inspires an ally, granting Spirited.	You miraculously have another prepared shot on your person, even if you had run out.
Full House (4)	Falcon detects an Invisible enemy, removing the affliction for you and your allies.	Your next shot is over-packed and deals 2 damage increments instead of 1.
4 of a Kind (5)	Falcon opens up an enemy, exposing weak points, forcing materialization or otherwise disabling armor and damage resistances/immunity for [level] rounds.	Your next shot can bounce off solid objects [level] number of times and change its path so long as it fits within your attack range.

The Veil Piercer

'Tween Here and There
A Veil ripples, Unseen

Flowing around all Things

Man and Rat woven in Time

Unable to stymie its fluttering

Weaver's Sons and Daughters

Blessed of Senses, Quick of Hand

Feel the Gossamer Curtain

Pins of Silver and Threads of Gold

Needles of Platinum most Pure

Act as the Weaver's Hand

Handling the Fabric

Our Neighbors see this and it draws them

From the Other Side, they come to gawk

The Veil is Pierced, they become stuck

Weaver's Hands free them

But not without Patching the Fabric

Forever Changed

-"The Origin of Magic" as recorded by The Cult of the Weaver's Hand

Aspect: Smarts

Stock: Human

Requirements: Smarts 5; Health < 1; cannot wear armor; can only use daggers and needles

Starting Gear:

• Serviceable Bootknife (1H/0F)
• Platinum Needle (1H)
• 10 Silver Pins (0X)
• 10 feet of Golden Thread (0X)
• Sewing Satchel (1H2S)
• Comfortable Travel Clothes (1TLFA)

Class Ability Tract

Level 0: Underpin Reality:

You can identify Piercings in the Veil and use your needle, thread, and pins to stitch it shut, repairing it but leaving it different than it once was, effectively undoing any magics happening as a result of the Pierced Veil. You leave a unique signature in your work, and are recognizable by it to other Veil Piercers- decide what that is now. You may attempt to undo stitches in the Veil as an action.

You are able to use your needle to Pierce the Veil, creating minor alterations to reality via stitching in more favorable manner; See your Pierces and Stitches table for examples and difficulty guidelines.

Each pin costs 1 Chip to replace. 1 foot of thread costs 1 Flake. Replacing your needle costs 10 chips.

Level 1: Knit and Purl:

You can undo stitches put into place by other Veil Piercers with your needle at +1 Card, and know the identity of the Veil Piercer that created the stitch.

Level 2: Cloaked by Midnight:

You may attempt to become Invisible, or remove the cloak as an action, at -3. The Veil envelops you, and you can see the denizens of the Other Side while Invisible in this way. They can also see you. 

Level 3: Laminate Veil: 

Spending 5 silver pins and an hour, you may protect a cubic area with sides up to your level in yards per side from being Pierced, indefinitely, until the pins are removed. You may use this as an action in combat to avoid Injury or Critical, hardening your being against unraveling versus one specific damage source until it occurs.

Level 4: Satin Embrace: 

You may spend your turn in combat pinning the Veil in a more favorable position. Choose either a.) You and all allies draw their next initiative with +1 Card Draw or b.) you and your allies may teleport a number of yards equal to your level at the start of their next turn, passing briefly to the Other Side in order to do so.

Level 5: Excise the Erroneous: 

At -1 Card Draw, you may attempt to remove a being from the flow of the Veil, once per year. If you fail, the being becomes Critical, regardless of it normally being able to be injured, harmed, or otherwise. If you succeed the being never existed, erased from all memories, including your own. This requires ten hours, and a mile of golden thread costing 15 Plates. If you fail, you may make an attempt against the same target at +2 cards. Failure this time removes both you and the being from reality, and all its memories.

Veil Piercer Stitches

Stitches take a number of actions, pins, and feet of thread equal to the level required to create them. Pairs count as 1 for this purpose. These table entries are non-exhaustive and serves as guidelines, not hard and fast rules.

Hand (Level)	Pierces and Stitches
Pair (0)	Open/Close a door Extinguish a light source Move small piles of size 0 objects within [level] yards
Two Pairs (1)	Ignite tinder or dust Create a minor coincidence of convenience or inconvenience Move a size 1 object within [level] yards with enough force to constitute an attack Mend clothes without materials on hand
3 of a Kind (2)	Boil/Freeze water Lock/unlock a door Eavesdrop on a conversation you can see occurring
Straight (2)	One target recalls a suppressed memory Repair a non-mechanical object so long as there are materials and a craftsman assisting, without tools. See through walls and doors up to a yard thick
Flush (3)	Suppress a single memory of a target Rot plant life in a [3*level]^3 volume Disguise the appearance of one target.
Full House (3)	Implant false memories in one person or animal Sharpen/dull bladed instruments, unwind mechanisms, weaken technology Accelerate hair growth
4 of a Kind (4)	Watch events from up to [level] days unfold in a specific location as ghostly images Walk on air as solid ground for [level] actions Cure mundane sickness
Straight Flush (4)	Shorten/lengthen distances by [4*level] yards Pass through solids as if they are air Alter someone's physical form in a non-debilitating way
Royal Flush (5)	Change local weather Appear someplace you can clearly visualize Dictate the outcome of specific future event (be VERY specific!)