Blackbirds The Extinguishing Quickstart
Blackbirds The Extinguishing Quickstart
pow e r e d by
Zweihänder
C H A P TE R 3: Combat Scenes 17
C H A P TE R 6 : Bestiary 55
Appendices:
B O O N CA R D S 61
TA L E NT & TE C H N I Q U E CA R D S 63
B L A C K B I R D P R E- G E N S 71
B O O N S TA L E NTS & TE C H N I Q U E S Q U I C K STA RT K E Y 91
N O TE S 92
T
he invisible hand of Fate is felt most noticeably when it is
absent. In BLACKBIRDS, there exists an atmosphere of
lingering dread ushered in by the recent destruction of the
gods. This abominable act was executed by a secretive cabal known
only as the Oligarchs: pompous mortals united not only to evade the
icy touch of death, but also to destroy and supplant the deities
themselves. And after slaying Heaven’s pantheon, they turned their
TERMINOLOGY dark intentions on the very arbiters of Fate.
͝ Blackbird: The name given to The world of BLACKBIRDS is diverse and expansive. It ranges from
player characters in the world of the misty forests of Thule in the north, down through the continent of
BLACKBIRDS, and any sentient Erebos and across the Carcass Nations engulfed by unrest and war, before
beings that have been touched by finally descending to the island city-state of Corbel, mired in a lengthy
Fate. This term is not used formally military occupation by Florent, a mighty nation from across the Azule Sea.
by the denizens of the world, but The Republic that spanned the continent of Erebos was cast into
informally it might be used to mean civil war twelve years ago by the figures who would later transcend and
brigands, mercenaries, refugees, or become the beings now called Oligarchs. This massive conflict provided
wanderers. the sacrifice of blood, flesh, and spirit needed for their monsterous
͝ Fateweaver: The rules arbiter of a transformation into godlike entities. And the war rages on, perpetuated
game session. by their loyal retainers, who wait for the Oligarchs’ triumphant return.
͝ Flock: A party of Blackbirds. The Weaving included in this book takes place during the siege of
͝ Weaving: A single game session of a castle in the Splendid Kingdoms by the city-state of Vichy.
BLACKBIRDS.
I
Erebos who will gladly idle
n BLACKBIRDS, role-playing drives the story. The exception to
the hours away casting lots,
this is when there are potential consequences for failure. Then—
there are far more eager
and only then—are dice called upon to determine the results.
to turn a friendly game
into a lifelong debt . . .”
Dice
—Observations of the
Wandering Squire The Fateweaver will impose challenging situations upon the Blackbirds
that may prove lethal. These vary widely, including combat, intrigue,
and a host of fantastic events. Whenever the Fateweaver calls upon
players to influence a situation, they roll dice to determine what
happens next.
BLACKBIRDS uses two different kinds of dice: Ð6s and Ð10s.
You will need two Ð10s. Most of the time, these 2 Ð10s will be rolled
and read together and treated as a number ranging 1 to 100 (called a
Ð100). One die in the Ð100 roll is the tens die (the die treated as 10,
20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 00) and the other is the units die (the
die treated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0). Here are some examples on
how to read unusual Ð100 rolls:
S K I L L TE STS: R O L L Ð10 0
M
ost rolls you make during a Weaving
will be for Skill tests. Whenever you
want your Blackbird to attempt an
action, most of the time they’ll make a Skill test.
Athletics Brawn Climb, jump, leap, lift, row and swim Common
Awareness Perception Find traps, avoid ambushes, notice details Common
Bargain Fellowship Compromise, haggle, find a common agreement Common
Charm Fellowship Entertain, flatter, be charismatic Common
Coordination Agility Acrobatics, dodge ranged weapons and escape Common
Disguise Fellowship Hide emotions, mimicry and theatrics Special
Eavesdrop Perception Hide conversations, listen in, read lips Common
Education Intelligence Research, knowledge of history and the world Special
Folklore Intelligence Know cultures, religion, fairy tales and traditions Common
Gamble Intelligence Play games of chance and cheat Common
Guile Fellowship Lie, manipulate others, plant seeds of doubt Common
Handle Animal Fellowship Care for, ride and train animals Special
Handle Vehicle Agility Drive a cart or carriage, pilot a boat. Special
Heal Intelligence Heal others from Damage, disease and Injury Special
Intimidate Brawn Coerce others using physicality and threats Common
Leadership Fellowship Command allies and inspire others Special
Melee Combat Wield and use Melee weapons Special
Navigation Intelligence Avoid getting lost, determine direction Special
Summon Outsiders, use Vitiations and understand the
Odweft Willpower Special
Od
Ranged Combat Wield and use Ranged weapons Special
Stay calm while in distress and resist horrific
Resolve Willpower Common
experiences
Rumor Fellowship Gather and recall information from social encounters Common
Scrutinize Perception Sense motives and intentions in others Common
Skulduggery Agility Open locks, disarm traps, pick pockets Special
Stealth Agility Ambush, hide, sneak and spy Common
Strategy Intelligence Plan warfare and tactics in advance Special
Survival Perception Survive in the wilderness, find food, water, shelter Common
Toughness Brawn Withstand pain, endure physical ordeals, hold breath Common
Tradecraft Willpower Craft and repair trappings Special
Warfare Combat Adapt to changing battlefield events in the moment Special
Wortcunning Intelligence Use astrology, herbalism, hedge magic Special
Once you identify the Skill to be tested, a Difficulty Rating to a particular task you wish
determine the Base Chance to use it: your Blackbird to attempt.
First, refer to your Primary Attribute Ύ Trivial (+30% to Base Chance)
percentage value related to the Skill you are using. Ύ Easy (+20% to Base Chance)
Next, add +10 for each Skill Rank your Ύ Routine (+10% to Base Chance)
Blackbird has. Ύ Standard (no change to Base Chance)
Then, apply any penalties your Peril Condition If no Difficulty Rating is listed, it is assumed to
Track may confer. This may cause you to ignore be Standard.
some or all of your Skill Ranks. Ύ Challenging (-10% to Base Chance)
Finally, add modifiers from Talents, Boons, and Ύ Hard (-20% to Base Chance)
Techniques that apply. The highest total modifier Ύ Arduous (-30% to Base Chance)
that can be applied to the Primary Attribute value is Once you have announced what your Blackbird
+30, while the lowest total modifier is -30. intends to do and the Fateweaver calls out the
Other outside influences and conditions of the Difficulty Rating, you must commit to your
environment can have an impact on your ability to intended action.
succeed or fail. These ambient bonuses or penalties
imposed upon you by the drama of the situation are Match: Critical & Sublime
called the Difficulty Rating. The Fateweaver will
tell you the final adjustment you must apply to the
Base Chance.
Add all of the modifiers together to determine
the Total Chance for Success. Grab Ð100, call out
to the table what your Total Chance for Success is, If you succeed at your Skill test and roll doubles
and roll. If the rolled number is equal to or less than (e.g., 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99), you’ve
your Total Chance for Success, you have succeeded rolled a Match and incur a Critical Success. This
the Skill test. If the results are greater than the Total can mean you may dole out additional Damage
Chance for Success, it is a Failure. upon a foe, gain a temporary beneficial effect, add a
The dice might generate special results, based bonus to your ally’s next Skill test, or do a number
on whether they Match or result in a “01” or “00”. of other things.
Also, some rules might require you to Flip to If you roll 01 (1%), the Skill test is a specific
Succeed or Flip to Fail. We’ll explain all these kind of Degree of Success called a Sublime Success.
variables below. Sublime Successes are contextual, much like
Degrees of Successes, but are even more beneficial
Peril Condition Penalties to the Blackbird rolling.
If their status on the Peril Condition Track states Should you roll doubles and fail your Skill test,
“Ignore 1 Skill Rank,” “Ignore 2 Skill Ranks,” or you incur a Critical Failure. The effects of Critical
“Ignore 3 Skill Ranks,” subtract the bonuses their Failures are generally to your detriment. Your
Skill Ranks confer to them. However, if they are Fateweaver will tell you what the effects of these
Incapacitated, they cannot succeed at any Skill test. sorts of Matches are as you play.
If you roll 00 (100%), the Skill test is a specific
Difficulty Rating type of Critical Failure called a Sublime Failure. In
Circumstances directly affect your ability to succeed rare cases, it is possible to have a Total Chance for
or fail with a Skill test. Your Fateweaver will assign Success in excess of 100%.
However, a result of 100% always fails. Sublime Assistance requires a Blackbird’s full attention
Failures are contextual to the situation, but the and effort. The player of the assisting Blackbird must
Fateweaver may decide that Sublime Failures are describe how their Blackbird is helping their ally.
even more detrimental than Critical Failures. Assisting a Skill test is announced before or
after the Difficulty Rating has been called out by
Flip the Results the Fateweaver.
Some situations might grant a special Skill test The assisting ally hands a Ð10 die (their tens
modifier called Flip to Succeed or Flip to Fail. When die) to you. This is an Assist die, which can replace
you perform a Skill test with this modifier, roll your the tens die result of the next Skill test you make.
Ð10s together, but do not designate which die is the Roll both your Ð100 and the Assist die together.
tens die and which is the units die. Compare both When determining results, refer to either the
potential outcomes of this roll, assuming one die original tens die or the Assist die for the results you
is the tens and the other is the units and then vice prefer (typically the lowest result). This means that
versa. If your modifier says Flip to Succeed, then if you roll Ð100 that comes up with 45%, and your
you take the better of the two outcomes. If your Assist die comes up as 30, your new derived result
modifier says Flip to Fail, then you take the worse can be 35%.
of the two outcomes. Critical Success and Failure Always assume the best result when gaining
cannot be flipped, although Sublime Success and assistance with an Assist die, unless one result is a
Failure can. Critical Failure.
If you encounter a situation where you must
Flip to Succeed and Flip to Fail on the same roll, O P P O S E D TE ST S & D E G R EE S O F S U CC E S S
then the two modifiers simply cancel each other
out, and you roll the dice as normal.
T
say every failed Skill test necessarily precludes he Norns are dead, slain by the Oligarchs,
trying again. and Fate’s mysterious influence has run
Whenever you reattempt a failed Skill test, amok in this world. The ebb and flow of
there’s typically a penalty that relies on narrative Fortune and Misfortune struggle constantly to
changes or the imposition of other mitigating influence the events of the world and upend the
factors, as determined by the Fateweaver. For destinies of its inhabitants. But it is the Fate-touched
instance, you may have failed an Athletics test for Blackbirds who seem to attract their fickle attention
your Blackbird to climb over a wall. Your most of all and are able to push their luck in strange
Fateweaver may decide that employing a rope or and intriguing ways.
other climbing implement would allow you to Fortune and Misfortune are very real forces in
reattempt the failed Skill test. Other situations BLACKBIRDS, both within the game world and at
may not allow you to reattempt the Skill test until the gaming table. They’re represented by Fortune
time has passed, particularly if you didn’t know coins available to the players and (over time) the
that the initial Skill test failed. For instance, you Fateweaver. Players spend Fortune coins to make
may have failed a test for your Blackbird to cleanse situations more beneficial for the Blackbirds,
a comrade’s wounds, which you realize only whereas the Fateweaver spends Misfortune coins to
because the patient’s condition grows worse. complicate the Blackbirds’ lives.
F
ate is an implacable force that guides the
lives of all beings, great and small. It
OT H E R U S E S O F F O RT U N E was woven into the world by the
Players may spend a Fortune to swap out one old gods as they laid claim to the
Talent or Technique that is currently slotted. Your place in its infancy, setting in
Talents and Techniques are detailed on your motion its natural laws; the
Blackbird sheet. growth, proliferation, and
Fortune may also be used to power the effects evolution of its inhabitants;
of certain abilities. The Talent, Technique, or other and the gods’ dominion over
ability designates how much Fortune must be spent both. It afforded the gods
in this fashion. tremendous power over this
Fortune can be spent immediately after the world and its inhabitants, and
results of any Skill test not involving a Critical or it locked others of their ilk
Sublime outcome to allow a player to reroll the test. outside of Fate, blunting their
The player must accept the result of this new roll. influence over those things. Only
During a Combat Scene, a player can spend a one of these beings was ever given
Fortune to gain one additional Action Point on sanctuary within it, and that small
their Turn. mercy would lead to the eventual
A player can spend one Fortune per Turn downfall of all they had built.
immediately after rolling a Ð6 to treat the die result Such are the fickle ways
as a face value of 6. The die explodes as normal. of Fate.
Spend a Fortune for a player to force their way Upon the demise of the
higher on the Initiative Ladder Norns, the forces of Fate were
Players can spend one Fortune to rise one loosed upon the world. Fate
position on the Peril Track. settled upon those with a latent
potential for greatness within
Spending Misfortune them, the Blackbirds. Whenever a
Misfortune can be spent immediately after the player spends Fate for their Blackbird,
results of any Skill test not involving a Critical or the trajectory of destiny itself bends for a
Sublime outcome to allow a Fateweaver to reroll the single moment, allowing them to avoid imminent
test. The Fatewaver must accept the result of this catastrophe or complete impossible feats of skill.
new roll. Should a fatal blow almost land, Fate can be
employed to avoid it. Some examples follow:
T
away on urgent business that’s highly wo of the things that set Blackbirds apart
distracting, before the Blackbird failed to from NPCs and creatures are their
convince them. Either way, the Blackbird Talents and Techniques.
wasn’t fated to be caught in this manner. A Talent is a refinement of natural aptitudes
If a Blackbird is dealt a fatal blow by an and capabilities that amplifies a Skill and allows a
enemy, their player can spend a Fate amulet Blackbird to employ it in ways to change or “break”
to avoid the injury. Perhaps a clothyard the standard rules of BLACKBIRDS. A Technique is
shaft actually struck a coin in the Blackbird’s a highly specialized discipline tied to one’s
pocket and didn’t pierce their flesh, or profession. Each Talent and Technique has
possibly a sword thrust punctured only prerequisites the player needs to fulfill before they
the fabric of the Blackbird’s cloak, narrowly can acquire it.
missing them. The Blackbird wasn’t fated to Both Talents and Techniques are reflected by
be killed in this melee. cards that are slotted onto your Blackbird by
physically placing the active Talent or Technique
It is important to note that Fate is neither all card onto your Blackbird sheet.
powerful nor always available to Blackbirds. The Techniques can be Extinguished to do special
most important thing to understand is that Fate can things. To indicate this, turn its card face down to
be used to directly change only your own Blackbird’s indicate it cannot be used again. Extinguished
situation. You can’t, for instance, spend Fate to have Techniques typically remain Extinguished.
your Blackbird instantly murder someone. There
are techniques for that. Similarly, you cannot spend
Fate to set up some 12-dimensional chess gambit to
help someone across town, or to impact things your
Blackbird is not witness to.
Combat Scenes
BY FATE, B L A C K B I R D S
I NV I TE CO N F LI C T.
T heir very nature sets them at odds with the
Oligarchs and their servants, their wanderings
and “interference” in local affairs lead to
tensions with established power structures, and the enigmatic
whims of Fate and the Outsiders draw uncanny menaces to
Blackbirds like moths to a flame. Thus, combat is always in the
offing—with mortals, with monsters, and with things beyond
human ken.
STE P 1 : S U R P R I S E R O U N D
A
Surprise Round can occur at the beginning of combat,
barring the use of certain Techniques or Traits or the entry
of new combatants to the fray, and only if the Flock or its
foe succeeds in gaining advantage over its opponents. This requires an
opposed test be made, with those attempting to surprise declaring
their targets and then a Stealth test being made for them, which is then
opposed by Awareness tests rolled for those targets. Any surprisers
whose Degrees of Success surpass those of their targets are Activated,
generate their AP for the Surprise Round, and may attack their target.
Activated attackers may proceed in any order they choose.
I
n each subsequent Combat Round, generate
each Blackbird’s Initiative by rolling 1 Ð10 and
STE P 2 : O P E N I N G R O U N D adding the Blackbird’s Initiative Attribute to the
& I N I T I AT I V E L A D D E R result. This again fills out the Initiative Ladder,
W
hen the Fateweaver announces combat determining the order in which each Blackbird will act
has begun, each player with a Blackbird for this Round. Each Blackbird now generates their
engaged in it must generate their AP at the top of their Turn in the Initiative Ladder.
Blackbird’s Initiative by rolling 1 Ð10 and adding The various things a Blackbird may attempt
the Blackbird’s Initiative Attribute to the result. during combat are divided into categories of Combat
The Initiative results of all combatants are then Actions. The cost for these Actions is paid in AP, the
ranked from highest to lowest and displayed currency of the Action economy.
openly on a marker board or piece of paper for Most Blackbirds begin their Turn with 3 AP.
everyone’s reference. This Initiative Ladder These are then spent to complete Actions when their
determines the order in which each Blackbird will Turn comes up on the Initiative Ladder within the
act for this Round. Round. Again, the Opening Round is a special case
In the Opening Round, each combatant begins during which all Blackbirds begin combat with their
with their full complement of 3 Action Points full AP. A player is not required to spend all of their
(called AP). In subsequent Combat Rounds, each AP on their Turn and can hold onto them so that
combatant will generate their AP at the start of their Blackbird may defend themself through Parry,
their Turn on the Initiative Ladder. Dodge, or other, rarer Reactions.
That said, a Blackbird cannot choose to carry
Matching Initiative Results AP over into their following Turn. When a new
Should two or more players generate the same Turn begins for them, all of the Blackbird’s
Initiative result, compare their Blackbirds’ [PB]s. The remaining AP are lost, and they once again start
one with the higher one trumps the other, provided with their normal allotment of AP.
a Technique or Talent does not contradict this rule.
T H E C YC L E C O NT I N U E S . . . C O M B AT A C T I O N S
A A
Combat Scene may last for one or for ctions possess a relative cost. Players may
many Rounds. Once combat ends, by elect to spend all 3 AP on a single
whatever means, the Fateweaver will Combat Action, such as fleeing a
announce it. rampaging chimera or having a hound tear out an
enemy’s throat. They may also choose to break up
Conditional Effects in Combat their AP to take multiple Combat Actions, such as
Conditions that may impact Blackbirds in combat: moving to confront an enemy, bowling them over,
Ύ Bleeding: Will be Knocked Out or Slain in a and running them through. Other Actions—
specified number of Turns unless someone parrying a sword blow, for example—can usually be
stanches the flow of blood with a bandage or used only outside of the Blackbird’s Initiative. And
some other form of medical treatment. a few, such as talking and dropping items, typically
Ύ Blinded: Cannot use Dodge or Parry, and Flip to have no cost in AP whatsoever.
Fail on any Skill test involving sight. Excess AP: It is often advisable to hang onto
Ύ Deafened: When Initiative rolls are made, make AP to use Reactions such as Dodge and Parry to
a successful Awareness test or do not add the defend themself from attacks, or use Talents and
Blackbird’s [PB] to that roll. Techniques to defend others. However, when their
Ύ Defenseless: Cannot use any Reactions next Turn begins, their AP refreshes to 3, and any
whatsoever. AP from the prior Turn is lost.
Ύ Disarmed: Loses their weapon 3 strides away in a There exist four main categories of Combat
random direction, and is unable to use their Actions in BLACKBIRDS, and within each of these
weapon hand until the following Turn. categories, there exist a number of specific actions a
Ύ Disoriented: Must add 1 additional AP to the Blackbird can spend AP on to execute. Although
cost of Reactions. the text references the Blackbirds, a Fateweaver has
Ύ Engaged: Cannot leave the Engagement without access to all of these actions for the creatures and
triggering Opportunity Attacks from Engaged foes NPCs they control:
save through the Maneuver Movement Action.
͝ Flanked: Attacks against the Blackbird are made ͝ Attack Actions
at +10. ͝ Movement Actions
Ύ Grappled: Cannot use Combat Actions, save to ͝ Special Actions
Resist at the beginning of their Turn to escape ͝ Reactions
the Grapple.
Ύ Helpless: Cannot use any Actions or Reactions,
and may be Slain with a successful attack.
Ύ Knocked Out: Unconscious and Helpless until
awakened.
Ύ Prone: On the ground; add 1Ð6 Damage dealt to
a Prone foe.
Ύ Stunned: Begin Turn with 1 less AP.
Ύ Surprised: Suffers an additional 1Ð6 Damage
and cannot use Reactions.
Ύ Wounded: Must add 1 additional AP to the cost
of Movement Actions.
H U ST L E ( 1 A P ) LOAD (VARIES)
EFFECT: The Blackbird may Hustle a distance equal EFFECT: Before a Ranged weapon may be fired or
to their Movement in strides. This action provokes thrown, one must either load it with ammunition
an Opportunity Attack if the Blackbird leaves an or ready it. To do so, a Blackbird must have both
Engagement. hands free for a missile weapon or one hand free for
a thrown one. Spend the amount of AP required
M A N E UV E R ( 2 A P ) for your Blackbird to load the Ranged weapon as
EFFECT: The Blackbird may maneuver a distance of indicated in its listing on your Blackbird sheet.
1 stride to leave an Engagement, allowing them to Once a Blackbird begins to load a weapon, they
avoid Opportunity Attacks. must finish before taking any other Action. If a
Blackbird spends more than one Turn loading a
RUN (3 AP) single weapon, they are left Defenseless until they
EFFECT: The Blackbird may run a distance up to complete the Action.
three times their Movement. As a result, add +3 to
their Damage Threshold until the beginning of their TA K E A I M ( 1 O R 2 A P )
next Turn. This Action provokes an Opportunity EFFECT: Either before or after the Difficulty Rating
Attack if the Blackbird leaves an Engagement. of your Attack Action is declared by the Fateweaver,
you may spend 1 AP to gain a +10 Base Chance
TA K E C OV E R ( 1 A P ) to your Blackbird’s next Attack Action, including
EFFECT: The Blackbird may move a distance of up to those from Techniques. If you spend 2 AP, your
1 stride to crouch and seek cover. That cover must Blackbird instead gains +20.
rise at least knee-high and be made of wood, stone,
or metal to grant protection. A stout oak, a toppled U S E I TE M ( 1 A P )
carriage, or a stone parapet would work, but shrubs EFFECT: Spend 1 AP to apply poison to a weapon,
or tall grass would not. If the Blackbird is behind quaff a draught of theriac, salmiac, or quickbronze
low cover (such as a crate), add +3 to their Damage elixir, etc. The Fateweaver is the ultimate arbiter of
Threshold when hit by Ranged weapons. If behind what’s possible or not using this broad Action in the
medium cover (such as a stone fence), add +6. If thick of combat.
behind high cover (such as a marble column), add
+9. If behind cover that breaks the line of visibility, WAIT (0 AP)
a Blackbird cannot be targeted by Ranged weapons EFFECT: With Wait, you opt for your Blackbird to
at all. The Fateweaver determines how high or low not act when it is their Turn, instead holding their
cover is for these purposes. AP in reserve to act later in the Round. In doing
so, they may choose to drop to any spot lower in
Special Actions the Initiative Ladder. However, if your Blackbird
FOCUS (0 AP) is attempting to interrupt an opponent’s Turn, you
EFFECT: Either before or after the Difficulty Rating must make a successful Scrutinize test for them to
to cast magic is declared by the Fateweaver, your do so. Otherwise, though your Blackbird acts on the
Blackbird attempts to draw more raw power from same Initiative, they must act after their opponent’s
the Od to positively modify the rating. Your Turn is done.
Blackbird must deal with an Outsider to channel In addition, a Blackbird cannot use Wait to
power. take two Turns back to back. Your Blackbird must
act before the end of the current Round.
strikes, and headbutts use the stats for barehanded Fast, Finesse, Off-hand,
Dagger [AB] 1
weapons on the Blackbird’s Blackbird sheet. Piercing
Improvised
Pummeling [BB] 1
R A N G ED W E A P O N S hand weapon
Make a Ranged test for a Blackbird armed Adaptable, Biting (2) ,
Longsword [CB] 1-2
with a distance weapon to strike with it. Ranged Defensive
weapons possess further ranges to strike, called Rapier Disarming, Fast, Finesse [AB] 1
Distance:
Sabre Defensive [CB] 1
Ύ Short Distance is the minimum range an
attacker can stand away from a target without Shiv Fast, Finesse, Off-Hand [AB] 1
suffering a penalty to attack. It requires a Adaptable, Defensive,
Staff [BB] 1-2
minimum of 1 stride between the attacker and Pummeling
an intended target. Each Ranged weapon has a set Unarmed Pummeling, Slow [BB] N/A
Short Distance listed as Range. Within Short
Distance, a Ranged Attack suffers no penalties to
RANGED QUALITIES DAMAGE HANDS
hit.
Ύ Medium Distance is double the Short Distance. Arbalest Fast, Piercing (3),
[CB] 2
crossbow Punishing
While at Medium Distance, a Ranged Attack
suffers -10 to hit. Horse bow Fast, Finesse [AB] 2
Ύ Long Distance is triple the Short Distance. Light crossbow Fast, Piercing, Punishing [CB] 1
While at Long Distance, a Ranged Attack suffers
-20 to hit.
ARMOR QUALITIES DAMAGE THRESHOLD
Ύ Extreme Distances: Distances for Ranged
weapons outside of Long Distance serve little Brigandine N/A 4
point. At such ranges, a weapon suffers -30 to hit Gambeson N/A 3
and Damage dice no longer explode. The Light leather N/A 2
maximum strides a missile may travel in such
cases is, at most, four times the weapon’s Short
SHIELDS QUALITIES DAMAGE THRESHOLD
Distance range value.
Although distance is always a factor in firing Thulian (round) Defensive, Protective
+1
shield (-10)
Ranged weapons, there may be other reasons a
Fateweaver rules a Ranged weapon’s Difficulty
Step 2: Total Chance for Success you to ignore two of these Skill Ranks. Thus, you
Numerous factors can influence a Blackbird’s ability can add only one Skill Rank to your Base Chance
to strike a foe with an attack or evade their riposte. when rolling.
To determine Base Chance, refer to the Combat
Primary Attribute first, then add together the total F ATE W E AV E R A DJ U ST S D I F F I C U LT Y
Skill Ranks for the relevant Combat-related Skill, R AT I N G
either Melee or Ranged. The weapon used may also Attack Actions have a fixed Difficulty Rating
influence the Base Chance. For example, an attacker of (Standard +/-0%), but the Fateweaver may
cannot use the Melee Skill when wielding a hunting adjust this when the situation dictates. These
bow. In addition, certain Talents, Techniques, or adjustments are always the result of outside
Traits add bonuses to one’s Base Chance. Finally, influences to which the Fateweaver assigns a
an attacker may be suffering from an Injury or is numerical value to negatively or positively influence
perhaps lower on the Peril Condition Track, which an attempt’s outcome. When your Blackbird is
further penalizes their chances of success. attempting an attack, your Fateweaver will tell you
the Difficulty Rating. The Fateweaver will always
P E R I L ADJ U ST M E NTS announce the Difficulty Rating of the defender as
When your Blackbird is suffering from Peril, well, also adjudicated according to the circumstances.
take this into consideration when the Difficulty
Rating for Skill tests are called out. For instance, F I N A L TA L LY
your Blackbird may have a total of three Skill Ranks Once all of these modifiers have been tallied,
in Ranged, but their Peril Condition Track forces the result determines the Total Chance for Success.
S O M E A T T A C K S A L L O W a Blackbird to
trigger a special effect when a Critical
or Sublime Success is rolled with an
Attack Action. In such cases, Techniques
and Traits allow an attacker to incur a
mechanical bonus or new effect, as outlined
in its description:
Match—Critical and Sublime Success:
When a Critical Success is rolled for the
Blackbird to strike with an Attack Action
or Technique, the target is left Defenseless
to it. This means that they can neither Parry
nor Dodge Melee or Ranged Attacks, nor
Resist the effects of cast Wortcunning
Step 3: Make the Attack Spells or Vitiations. A Critical Success also
While Rounds in combat adhere to a strict structure, adds an additional 1Đ6 Damage die (or a
your Blackbird is actually fighting throughout the 1Đ10 Bane die, if applicable); a Sublime
Initiative Ladder—raising their shield to intercept Success adds 2Đ6 Damage dice (or 2Đ10
a crossbow bolt, barking out orders, and keeping Bane dice, if applicable).
an eye on the combatants to line up the perfect axe Match—Critical or Sublime Failure:
throw. It all leads to that one throw, for a savage Rolling a simple Failure for an attack has
attack where you finally roll the dice. That is where no adverse effect beyond the obvious.
the joy and excitement of tabletop role-playing However, should a Critical Failure be
game combat comes from, as a successful roll may rolled with any Attack Action, it causes
turn the tide of battle, but a failed one may result in the Blackbird’s weapon to suffer a level of
a terrible rout. As with other Skill tests, an attack is Degradation. Sublime Failure raises this to
resolved using the same rules above. 2 levels of Degradation.
R O LL TO ST R I K E
Once an attacker decides what weapon to use Step 4: Enemy Defends
and the Total Chance is calculated, it is time to roll Defenders in combat are in constant motion—
a Ð100. If the result equals or is less than the Total ducking, juking, side-stepping—all to gain a more
Chance for Success, the attack succeeds. If the advantageous position. So long as a defender is
result exceeds the Total Chance for Success, the aware of an incoming attack and prepared, they can
attack fails. attempt to turn it away or avoid it entirely.
When Injury Occurs Oligarchs on the move, conflict is a given, and its
Every Injury has a specific penalty your Blackbird outcome is often bloody.
incurs and suffers from until they’ve recuperated:
Ύ Moderate Injury: Funny on the Inside: That last P E R I L CO N D I T I O N T R A C K
blow knocked, sliced, or poked a hole such that Unlike with Damage, the Peril Condition
the victim feels more than pain. Something is Track is a temporary inconvenience born of excessive
wrong, and it’s slowing them down. Until the physical or mental strain. Peril may be caused by
victim recovers, roll 1Đ6 for them at the start of fatigue, deprivation, stress, horror, or a myriad of
each Turn. A ‘6’ means they generate 1 less AP. other conditions. Where a Blackbird is on their Peril
Ύ Serious Injury: Fractured Ribs: A blow to the side Condition Track determines what penalties are
has sundered the victim’s ribcage. Until suffered on all Skill tests until they recover:
recuperated, all rolls made for them to Parry or
Dodge suffer -20. L E V E L 1 : The Blackbird has endured
Ύ Grievous Injury: Compound Fracture: Seeing very little adversity. They evince neither
one’s bone poking through one’s skin is a weariness, anxiety, nor other strain . . . thus
troubling thing to experience, causing the victim far.
to immediately receive 3Ð10+3 Peril. Their L E V E L 2 : Although the Blackbird is only
Movement is halved. operating under a small amount of stress or
is merely winded, they should likely be more
Longsword Quality: Biting (2) careful.
Scarlet Torrent: That is a lot of blood. The victim L E V E L 3 : The pressure is on, and the
bleeds to death in half their [BB] Turns unless Blackbird is feeling it. Their brow beads with
someone stanches the flow with a bandage or other sweat, and they are tired and slow to act.
medical treatment. Until they’ve recuperated, the While they’re in this state, ignore one of the
Injury reopens each time a Critical Failure is rolled Blackbird’s Skill Ranks.
for them on a Combat-, Brawn-, or Agility-based L E V E L 4 : The Blackbird is in mental and
Skill test, requiring the Bleeding be restanched. physical turmoil, as their mind is swimming
with anxiety and their body is weary from
Sacrificing Fate Points exhaustion. They’re likely suffering from
As Fate’s chosen champions, Blackbirds may call intense doubt, are worn to a frazzle, or
upon that force to intervene during moments of both. While they’re in this state, ignore two
crisis. Anytime you feel it’s appropriate during of the Blackbird’s Skill Ranks.
a Weaving—even outside of combat—you may L E V E L 5 : The Blackbird can barely keep it
sacrifice your Fate amulet to save your Blackbird together. They face a significantly reduced
from being Slain! or to ignore any one Injury. chance to succeed at any task but are trying
to hold out hope that help is on the way.
Peril, Damage, & Injury While they’re in this state, ignore all three of
Life as a Blackbird is fraught with danger. They are the Blackbird’s Skill Ranks.
all tied to Fate as its champions in a ruined world. I N C A P A C I T A T E D : The Blackbird’s body
In a time of continent-spanning war, with the betrays them. When they’re in this state, no
gods slain, the Outsiders free, and servants of the Skill test made for them can succeed.
Theurgy † the Od
S EE K O UT T H O S E
T H AT G R A NT I T.
T he practice of high magic and its potent
Vitiations, known as theurgy, typically requires
O D S I G HT
O
dsight is the natural ability some people have to sense the
otherworldly realm and mystical force that is the Od. For
those trained in theurgy, this sense is more accurate, more
focused, and gives information that is easier to interpret. Odsight is
not sight, and some have this ability even though they lack physical
eyes. Although it is simpler to call it “sight” and to speak of what is
sensed within its purview as visual images, the truth is, of course, very
much stranger. In practical terms, Odsight allows a Blackbird to do the
following and applies the following rules:
Sense illusory or glamoured objects and creatures, which are usually
perceived as both what they are and what they seem. Make an Awareness
test for a theurge to notice this effect if it has been created by a supernatural
entity of more power than the theurge (i.e., at a higher Tier).
Notice the presence of Outsiders or those who have relationships
with them. This always requires a Scrutinize test for the theurge
looking and involves staring at (or facing) someone for several seconds
in a conspicuous manner. This costs 2 AP if done during a Combat
Scene. The test is made secretly by the Fateweaver.
With the exceptions above, or unless something is deliberately
trying to—or is designed to—hide its nature, a theurge always
recognizes a a magical creature or object as such.
Odsight does not allow one to see in darkness or if they
are blinded. However, they do have a somewhat greater sense
of their surroundings, especially amongst living things, than
those without this ability.
T
ithe represents the amount a Blackbird are animals and elementals in form and speech. The
owes to the Outsiders they have access shapes they wear are varied, but never very human,
to. Using Vitiations and Outsider if they have human semblance at all. One may
Techniques increases a Blackbird’s Tithe, whereas appear as a living flame, another as a swarm of flies.
performing Reckonings (tasks suggested by specific They communicate to the theurges who court them
Outsiders either at their impetus or at the theurge’s with the sounds of wild creatures and untrammeled
request) lowers the Tithe. If a Blackbird’s Tithe nature. Many are unable to speak at all. Yet,
score becomes 10 or greater, it negatively affects somehow, they are understood by those who seek
their ability to perform magic, reducing all Odweft their powerful, and often uncontrollable, gifts.
test by -10 until the Tithe is reduced. SYMBOL: A beast with boar and lion elements, but
made of flames and Lightning.
Accumulation of Tithe Chart NAMES: Beasts, Elementals
V
(Imp of Silence) itiations are purely channeled Odic power
gifted by Outsiders that give theurges the
Ophidian Renewal
The theurge heals someone by giving their flesh the permanent reptilian physical quality, e.g., a patch
regenerative qualities of a reptile. of flesh that’s now scaly and discolored, nictitating
REMNANT: Bestial Power membranes covering the eyes that are visible when
DISTANCE: One person the theurge touches the subject blinks, teeth that are slightly pointed.
DURATION: Instantaneous Once used on someone, this Vitiation may not be
EFFECT: The theurge touches one willing person used on them again for 3 days.
and immediately moves them up 1 level on the CRITICAL SUCCESS: Either the Toughness test may
Damage Condition Track. A successful Toughness be forgone, or the recipient may heal twice as many
test must be made for the target, or they gain some levels of Damage or twice as many Injuries.
So that the descriptions in the following text all make sense, would-be
Fateweavers are encouraged to first read the preceding section of this
Quickstart if they have not done so already. Before game play begins,
have each player form the Flock by selecting one of the six Blackbirds
in the back of the Quickstart.
W E AV I N G O V E RV I E W
T
his Weaving encompasses a siege on a single keep and the
decisions the Blackbirds must make as they penetrate the
defenses to seek Prince Bertram, a target they have been
tasked to eliminate. It should be made clear that they are supplemental
mercenary troops hired by Vichy and under the command of General
Hildebrand, but ultimately that their loyalty is to each other and that
the General has been a capricious and cruel employer.
During the course of their encounter, it becomes clear to the
Flock that Bertram has also been touched by Fate in the same
way as themselves, and that perhaps completing the task that has
been set for them is to invite dire consequences. In fact they
discover that Bertram is more in need of saving than of killing.
Of course, the path the Blackbirds take is theirs to choose, and
the threads of Fate will be woven by those who hold them.
Recent History
It is the 13th of Forge in the year 709, the first year in the cycle of
Ouroboros. With the immanence of the Golden Messiah’s manifestation
in physical form on the dim horizon, Vichy has begun to send forth its
armies in preparation for his arrival. The Splendid Kingdoms to the
east have only a tenuous series of alliances with each other, and this
weakness has recently brought the attentions of the Vichy legions to
their doorstep. Fortunately for the Kingdoms, the advance of Vichy has
been hindered by a series of attacks against their supply line.
The origin of these attacks is Prince Bertram, out her objectives. She has a heavy hand when
who is himself a theurge and has been using the meting out punishment, and an open disdain
powers bestowed to him by his Outsider and cruelty for the smallfolk that borders on
Fliberdijiberit (pronounced flib-er-tee-jib-ber-it) to atrocity. The whispered rumors among the
assist with the attacks against Vichy. Unfortunately troops are that her sense of justice, which had
Bertram has built up a great deal of Tithe by his always been draconian, became worse since
frequent use of Odic powers and has had to turn to the arrival of a strange advisor from the City
the ritual of festival to release himself from this of Painted Glass itself, a nameless paladin in
heavy debt. Festival requires that the prince allow armor of gold. Hildebrand’s golden champion
his servant Outsider to possess his mortal flesh for was unlike anything you had ever witnessed,
what could be hours, days, perhaps weeks. Bertram a hulking presence that loomed over even the
now spends his time under the complete control of most strapping of soldiers among your band. It
Fliberdijiberit, who has dragged much of Grey Face did not take food or drink. It never slept. And,
into the Odic realm. those that dared to get close enough described
Through the capture and torture of an its drawing of breath as absent—perhaps
informant, General Hildebrand discovers the source muffled by its armored visor, which depicted
of the attacks against her vanguard, and she has laid a handsome but emotionless visage. Since the
siege to Prince Bertram’s Keep, the Grey Face. paladin arrived, she has burned a village to
Neither the soldiers of Vichy nor the Blackbirds the ground because it supposedly harbored
have any idea what lies in wait for them at the witches, and she cut off the hands of two of
castle’s heart. your fellow soldiers who had stolen bread. Some
of your group may have voiced the suggestion
that the current military action is the last you
T H E W E AV I N G B E G I N S will take under the command of the general.
O
nce everyone has chosen their Blackbird, What you know for sure is that you and your
read the following passage to your Flock: fellow Blackbirds have been fighting together
for some time, that you trust one another, and
You have come to find yourselves, either through that the siege is reaching its inevitable end.
lean times or ambitious avarice, to be among
the several mercenary bands hired to assist the As you fight your way through the outer gate
soldiers of Vichy in laying siege to a castle known and into the bluish gray corridors of the wall’s
as the Grey Face, a minor keep in a position of interior, General Hildebrand’s final words
little strategic value on the western border of to you and the other soldiers echo in your
the Splendid Kingdoms. The castle itself is held mind: “Bertram is to be killed, not captured. If
by the forces and bondservants of the lesser encountered, do not give him time to speak or
princeling Bertram, who had the audacity to act, and remove him from this world with the
stand in the way of conquests by the armies of greatest alacrity. Those who satisfy this task will
Vichy, and the Sigilists that make up their ranks. take their reward from the gilded coffers of Vichy.”
It has been a long campaign, and although You breach one of the inner courtyards of the
profitable, several soldiers among the troops keep in the push and pull hurlyburly of battle as
have begun to question the means by which a terrifyingly close shot from a Vichain trebuchet
your commander, General Hildebrand, carries collapses the tower behind you. It is clear that
the lives of your fellow mercenaries matter little There is a number of Bertram’s soldiers arrayed
to Vichy’s host. As the rubble and dust begins to against the Blackbirds equal to the number of
settle, you see that you are cut off from the rest players, and one of the soldiers is an officer. These
of the Vichian army. You and your companions soldiers stagger within a few strides of the Blackbirds.
are on your own inside the castle’s perimeter. Smoke and choking dust fill the air and conceal the
Your arrival and the collapse have startled some Blackbirds in swirling, ash-colored clouds. Because
of Bertram’s weary troops, who cough and wipe this initial battle is designed so that you and your
silt from their eyes. You and your comrades may players can get a feel for combat and the flow of the
gain an element of surprise. rules, assume that the Blackbirds have gained the
advantage and may attempt a Surprise Round by
The Battle in the Courtyard choosing targets. The players then roll opposed
This conflict is designed to give beginning Blackbirds Stealth tests against Awareness tests made for
and a new Fateweaver an understanding of the Bertram’s soldiers. If successful, the Blackbirds
rules for combat and action. You may also want to activate against their chosen foe.
ensure that everyone understands the details of the
information on their Blackbird sheets and answer I F A P L A Y E R ’ S attack roll against one of
any other questions about the current situation. Bertram’s soldiers is a Sublime Succes, assume
They may even have some questions about their that Blackbird has rendered their opponent
Blackbird: Knocked Out or Slain!, player’s choice.
faded as if some unseen power took the warring The Face of Stone
forces and sealed them in some adjacent yet As they cross the bridge, read the following passage
unseen space–hushed between worlds. to your Flock:
DIRECT AT EPONINE IF PRESENT: Your flock has The stone bridge is the only way forward, and
crossed over into a place theurges and magi call you see no further defenders blocking your
the worming. An interstice between the Od path. The bridge itself is made from ancient
and the tapestry of the world. To flee this place flagstones put in place before the keep itself
would only lead deeper into the Odic labyrinth, was built, and it appears to be as sturdy as the
a landscape from which very few ever return. mountain itself. It crosses a rocky ravine that is
a natural part of the terrain the keep was built
N O W ’ S A G O O D time for the Fateweaver upon, a clever use of the shape of the world’s
to draw attention to the flock’s means of bones as a defensive feature. At its far end, the
recuperation, especially if they’re suffering span ends against a stone wall that would be
Damage or any form of Injury. difficult to scale. The way forward proceeds
Binding Wounds: A successful Heal test through a large, stout, oaken door that has a
to Bind Wounds may be made on a Blackbird’s small barred window set within it.
behalf outside of a Rekindling. However,
those Talents and Techniques native to a As you consider this obstacle, you see a face
Rekindling scene do not come into play. A looking down on you from a defensive point
Blackbird may have Bind Wounds performed at the top of the wall, to the right of the door
on them only once per day. Depending above. The face is not human, though it is
on where a Blackbird is on the Damage crudely shaped like a human face. It appears
Condition Track, the Difficulty Rating of to be made from stone and blue crystal. You
the Heal test becomes more challenging. might consider it a gargoyle or work of artistry
͝ Level 1: Automatically succeed by some rock carver, but its eyes are quite alive
͝ Level 2: (Routine +10%) Heal test and looking down on your group with great
͝ Level 3: (Standard +/-)%) Heal test intensity. Before you can react, the face turns
͝ Level 4: (Challenging -10%) Heal test to look over its shoulder and its expression is
͝ Level 5: (Hard -20%) Heal test replaced by one of alarm. The being disappears
Assume that there are enough clean quickly behind the parapet.
bandages on hand for each of the Blackbirds.
Additionally, one of the Blackbirds, The face belongs to Foldehelm, and he has
probably Clement Stonewrite or Eponine been expecting the Blackbirds. The encroachment
Dyrne, has a single vile of quickbronze of the Od caused by the festival his master agreed to
elixir on their person—when quaffed, the has grown in size and will begin to become apparent
potion heals 3 levels of Damage or 1 Injury. to the Flock as it proceeds. Foldehelm will confront
Should the Blackbirds wish to split the vial the Blackbirds later. Now he must go to his master’s
into three sips capable of treating 1 level of chambers to see if he can slow the growing rift
Damage, they may do so. between this world and the Od.
Each Blackbird may attempt to make one Skill expression changed to one of fear and concern
test, and each successful test will gain them some based on something it saw on the other side of
information: the wall, something apparently close to its
Ύ Awareness: Not long after the face disappears, its location.
place on the wall is filled with another shape, Spending a point of Fortune and using Skuld’s
perhaps that of a soldier? It’s hard to tell, since it Vision to ask the Fateweaver any questions about
keeps itself well behind the cover of an arrow slit Foldehelm will also give them any of the information
and watches the Flock. A similar shape appears above, depending upon the question they ask. Feel
behind the defenses on the left side of the gate. free to remind the Flock that they may do so,
Ύ Education: The great histories tell of an ancient especially if they missed any of the rolls they were
people who were an offshoot of the aes or elves. trying to make. Attempting to spend Fortune and
They willingly chose to remake themselves as new use Urd’s voice to set up an ambush or prepare a
things tied to the natural world and made from the way to attack the daimn will not work; the Fortune
elements. In the end they were destroyed or is simply not spent in this case.
defeated, the lore goes. The seer Amelius prophesied
that some were saved by Fate, and that they would W H O I S M O R E F O O L?
return to the world as Fate’s servants. The face Assuming the Flockmates attempt to move
above reminds you of a picture you once saw in an forward, they approach the door set in the wall on
ancient tome. the far side of the bridge. If they dawdle, let them
͝ Folklore: The creature is a daimn, an ancient know that there are probably other enemy soldiers
people who were created by a magical about and that, at this end of the bridge, they are
transformation. They long ago disappeared from exposed, so it’s best they proceed farther. As they
the world. Some say they died off, and others that move toward the wall and the door, read the
they were merely sleeping. It is said they will following passage to your Flock:
come again, guided by Fate itself.
Ύ Odweft: The face belongs to a magical being that As you approach the stone wall and the door
is highly attuned to Fate and the power of the set within it, you see that the defenses here are
primal and elemental earth. This encounter is not formidable. Two arrow slits atop the wall ahead
by chance but instead part of the warp and weft appear to be shield figures on the far side,
of the Norns. Those who have Odsight realize though you see no arrows as of yet. Scaling the
that the creature whose face they saw has the wall might be possible, but anyone attempting
same, or perhaps a similar, connection to Fate as such an action would be exposed while doing
do members of the Flock. so. The door before you has a small, barred
Ύ Rumor: You are reminded of talk among travelers window set within it, perhaps to facilitate
that, in far flung places of the world, the daimn parley or to ease firing of missiles at attackers.
have been awakening, and that they arise full of
solemn purpose. They claim to be agents of Fate, Your eyes are drawn to a movement of motley
and to be here to help coax forward the color in the barred window. A small shape
machinations of destiny. Could the stone face moves there, a tiny human form with arms and
belong to a daimn? a face. It is a puppet, presumably with a hand
Ύ Scrutinize: The face above seemed unsurprised to inside it, the sort you might see at a marketplace,
see you and your companions and actually looked performing tales of fairies and dragons for the
somewhat relieved. Before it disappeared its amusement of children. This particular puppet
He is also a natural servant of Fate and has been Ύ There is a darkness that has swallowed the heart
aware of the Blackbirds’ imminent arrival. He hopes of Vichy, and it is growing. Foldehelm doesn’t
they will assist him in helping Bertram instead of know exactly what it is, but maybe the Blackbirds
following the orders of their general. He knows that have noticed something similar?
when the forces of Fate work against each other, Ύ Bertram is a theurge, and his magics have been
dangerous complications can result, but he will preventing the armies of Vichy from invading the
attempt to lead them to discover this truth on their Splendid Kingdoms. Currently, though, he is
own, rather than coming right out and saying it. paying the price of dealing with the Od by letting
Foldehelm encourages the Flock to have himself be used as a vessel. If the Blackbirds help
a conversation with him. If they attempt to him, he would be grateful. Certainly, there would
approach him aggressively or attack him with be knowledge that Bertram could share with the
ranged weapons, he sinks into the ground with a Flock, especially of magic. If one of the Players is
weary shake of his head, passing through the stone running Eponine, then this last point should be
as if it were mere mist. directed toward them especially.
A successful Scrutinize test reveals that The Od has bled into this world as part of a
Foldehelm sincerely wants to parley, and that Reckoning that Bertram must pay for dealing with
his overture is not a trick. He does seem to be the Outsider Fliberdijiberit. Something called a
holding something back, and beneath his calm festival is occuring. Eponine (and only Eponine)
demeanor he observes the Blackbirds carefully and can make an Odweft test to know that a Festival is
with great concern. a rumored way to do a great Reckoning to pay off a
If the Blackbirds agree, Foldehelm continues large amount of Tithe.
speaking: “I have known you would arrive. Indeed, The Flock must choose to save Bertram (The
I was waiting for your appearance. You need not Path of Mystery) or try to kill him (The Path of
question how I came by this knowledge, for like Blood). Foldehelm opposes the Blackbirds if they
yourselves I am touched by Fate, and there are times choose the latter. Either way, they must proceed
when I feel the weave and what is to come. You into the chamber beyond the archway.
must have felt this as well?”
At this point a conversation ensues, albeit a The Festival
brief one. Foldehelm does not have a great deal of Whether accompanied by Foldehelm or without
time to talk with the Blackbirds—he must take him, the Flock enters the chamber beyond. There,
them to Bertram—as he hopes that the Blackbirds the Blackbirds are confronted with madness. Read
will help him to stop the festival before it is the following passage to your Flock:
complete. He’s not sure exactly how they might do
so. He knows only that they alone have a chance to The chamber you enter is larger than the keep
do so. itself would be able to encompass, and in
Foldehelm attempts to pass on the following some places the space seems to stretch into
knowledge to the Flock: infinity. On every side and above you there
Ύ He is a servant of Prince Bertram. Bertram has are staircases, walkways, and platforms that
also been touched by Fate, just as Foldehelm and bleed together in a hodgepodge that makes a
the Flock have been. When those who have been mockery of rational geometry. Wandering along
touched by Fate work together, great things can these walkways and occupying the platforms
be accomplished. When they work against each all around you are people performing every
other, woe swiftly follows. variety of festive activities. Some are singing or
thing appear to be slumbering, but with the the prince: “Oh, mighty warriors and puissant
pained expression of someone in the depths of masters of destiny! So honored am I to be in the
a horrible nightmare. You wish you had never company of such luminaries! Let us engage in
become aware of this monstrosity. lofty discourse and decide the fates of nations.”
And then it giggles.
Those who make themselves aware of the Chimera
must make a Resolve test at -20% or take 2Ð10+2 Talking with Fliberdijiberit reveals that the
Peril. Once they are aware, an Odweft or Folklore test Outsider seems to be seeking a negotiation or
lets them know this is a Whispering Chimera, a beast bargain with the Flock. The Outsider’s goal are
from the Od that serves the Outsiders and, according simply to be known to them and, especially, that
to legend, can devour entire armies. This one seems to Eponine forge a formal relationship with him by
be sleeping. The Chimera remains asleep unless the performing the Pythonic Liturgy at some point in
Flock attacks it directly (an extremely foolish thing to the future. Now that the Flock has met
do, and you should let them know as much before Fliberdijiberit, any of them could call upon the
they attempt it). It exists only to create a greater sense Villein by seeking a temporary deal, so in truth the
of dread and to hint at the plans of Fliberdijiberit. Outsider already has what it wants, but it absolutely
The Blackbirds may interact with the other does not let the Blackbirds know this truth.
possessed souls in the surrounding area. Feel free to Fliberdijiberit wheels and deals for the soul of
play out these encounters. There is little danger Bertram by, at first, asking for outrageous payment
unless the Flock creates it themselves, but everyone and, in return, expecting the Blackbirds to
they talk to and everything they experience should counteroffer. The Outsider knows that if the
hint at subtle dread and madness. The songs are negotiation is too easy they might suspect its
about the Blackbirds themselves, the food they get motives. Also, bargaining with mortals is fun.
from vendors comes in the shape of things personal Things the Blackbirds might ask for:
to those who buy it, and everyone speaks with an air Ύ Release Bertram and close the portal to the Od
of whimsy punctuated with dark portent. Ύ Lay waste to the sieging army and slay General
The Flock has two options: try to help or save Hildebrand.
Bertram (The Path of Mystery); or to attack him, Ύ Answer questions about the world or their current
thus creating a snarl in the threads of Fate (The Path situation
of Blood). Ύ Enter into a relationship with Eponine, if that
Blackbird is present
T H E PAT H O F MYSTE RY Things Fliberdijiberit might demand in
If the Flockmates attempts to engage Bertram, payment:
they find themselves negotiating instead with Ύ One of the Flock must complete the festival at a
Fliberdijiberit, who now controls the prince through future time determined by Fliberdijiberit. They
the rite of festival. Fliberdijiberit is unsurprised by are to come under control of the Outsider and
the Flock’s arrival and, much like Foldehelm, has not remember what transpired during that time.
anticipated this meeting. Read the following passage Ten hours of festival remain.
to your Flock: Ύ Return to the army of Hildebrand and slip a
puppet into her tent.
The faceless puppet bows with mock solemnity Ύ Each member of the Flock must perform a
as you approach. A voice bordering on both Reckoning for Fliberdijiberit, each one’s details
laughter and threat rasps from the throat of to be determined later.
I
n the standard edition of BLACKBIRDS are
charts for suggested Reckonings. For this
introductory Weaving, there are suggestions
for Reckonings if Eponine is present.
O D I C M A N I F E STAT I O N S I N
THE GREY FACE
I
n the standard edition of BLACKBIRDS, when
the Odic dice pool generates a 6, a chart is
consulted to determine the result. This
quickplay uses a simpler resolution based upon the
events that are happening in the castle itself. Each
time the dice would indicate an Odic
Manifestation, simply roll a Ð6 and consult the
chart below. If one of these manifestations has
already happened, then choose the next one up on
the chart. Remember to remove all the dice that
showed a 6 from the Odic Pool.
Ð6 ROLL EFFECT
Odic Perspective: The stones of Grey Face vulgarly pull apart and reform in maddening patterns. While it is
still possible to navigate these surroundings, it is nauseating. Everyone present must make a Resolve test or
1
take 2Ð10+2 Peril. All who lack Fate lose any remaining AP until their next Turn, as they are boggled by what is
happening.
Maze of Od: Distance and perspective are twisted askew. Things that are far away appear to be closer and vice
2
versa. All Movement Maneuvers cost 1 extra AP.
The Weave Revealed: A web of scarlet threads connecting all living things sears into your mind’s eye—you are
3 entangled in it, penetrated by it, and you submit to it and master it all at once. For the rest of the Round, all
Fortune spent does not become Misfortune.
A Glimpse of the Horror: Behind you, a golden sun dawns in the west, accompanied by a choir of innumerable
harmonizing voices whose song quickly transforms into a shrill. The copious din pierces every fiber of your
4 being as yellow light washes over the world. From beyond the walls of Grey Face, the roar of Vichy’s rejoicing
soldiers quakes through your ears, causing them to bleed. The Blackbirds must make a Peril-based Resolve test
at the beginning of each turn or take 1Ð10+1 Peril.
The Puppeteer: Everyone present appears to be a marionette with strings stretching to infinity, controlled by
5 some invisible entity overhead. By observing someone’s strings, Blackbirds who are present can gain a +10% to
their chance to hit that opponent or react to their actions, but they take 1Ð10+1 Peril.
Soldiers of Fliberdijiberit: All soldiers present are completely healed and become Soldiers of Fliberdijiberit. If
6
there are no Soldiers present, then 3 Soldiers of Fliberdijiberit appear.
Bestiary
Bertram’s Soldiers
B ertram’s soldiers are weary from the siege but still dangerous.
They do not surrender or parley, as the forces of Vichy are
essentially laying siege to their home. If captured and questioned, they
may hint that something strange is happening in Bertram’s chambers,
but they have no concrete knowledge of the details. They wear
Gambeson and are armed with Light Crossbows and Longswords.
BATTLE-HARDENED: Resolve tests made for this of Damage. They gain +20 to all Combat-based
creature are Flip to Succeed when their commanding Skill tests and add 1 Damage die to all Attacks for
officer or leader is present and within their sight. the remainder of this Combat Scene.
MORTAL: Of finite life span; such a creature BATTLE HORN (4 MISFORTUNE, 2 AP, SPECIAL
is naturally vulnerable to all threats of the ACTION): This creature plays a note on its battle
BLACKBIRDS world, including Injury. horn, raises a standard, or performs some other
AMONG ANY GROUP OF BERTRAM’S SOLDIERS THERE act that summons 1Ð6 soldiers. This action may
WILL BE ONE OFFICER WITH THE ADDITIONAL TRAIT: transpire only once per Combat Scene.
COMMAND ( 1 AP, REACTION):
This creature chooses an ally
that is about to be struck in
combat and, anticipating the
attack, calls out to them. This
creature makes a Warfare
test and, if successful, the
blow misses as if the ally had
Dodged it.
DESPERATE ASSAULT (2
MISFORTUNE, 1 AP, COMBAT
ACTION): This creature can
use this Trait only when they
have suffered at least 3 levels
Longsword: 65% - Distance (Melee Engaged) - Damage [1Ð6+5] - Adaptable, Biting (2), Defensive
CLEVER FOE (1): This creature temporarily gains Injury, if it has any. This effect ends
1 AP and may take a second Turn once all other when the creature is Slain!.
opponents in the Round have gone.
DEXTROUS DUELIST: Parry tests made for this creature
are +20. If one critically succeeds, this creature gains
1 AP. This may happen only once per Round.
NO MORTAL BLADE: This creature is impervious to
Damage from weapons that are not Enchanted.
NO MORTAL SKILL: This creature is immune to
Extinguish Abilities.
RED IRON BANE: Bane dice (Ð10s that Explode on
9 or 10) are rolled instead of Damage dice when
weapons of red iron are used against this creature.
This Damage cannot be mitigated or healed by any
of the Traits of this creature.
REGENERATION: At the beginning of each of
this creature’s Turns, make a (Standard +/–0%)
Toughness test for it. If successful, move it 1 level
up the Damage Condition Track and remove one
RESILIENT SINEW (2): This creature can never take JOLLY EFFIGY (3 MISFORTUNE 2 AP, SPECIAL
more than 2 levels of Damage from one attack. ACTION): A lifesize puppet-like effigy of one of
VISAGE OF MADNESS: Make a (Challenging -10%) this creature’s foes crawls out from between its
Peril-induced Resolve test for those who lays eyes chitin plates and joins the fray. The simulacrums’
on this creature for the first time. If the test fails, statistics, equipment, and vitiations are identical to
they suffer 2Ð10+2 Peril and lose all AP they those of the foe it impersonates. When summoned,
currently have. the effigy generates 3 AP and immediately takes
HILARITY (2 MISFORTUNE, 1 AP, COMBAT a Turn. The mimicking puppet acts after the foe
ACTION): This creature performs a hilarious caper who inspired its likeness in following Rounds. The
that is impossible to ignore or to avoid laughing at. fragile effigy has three Damage levels and is Slain!
All opponents take 1Ð10+1 Peril and must make upon reaching the third: 9(15/21).
a Challenging -10% Resolve test or lose 1 AP
and fall to the ground, overcome with mirth, thus
becoming Prone.
Soldiers of Fliberdijiberit
DISTRACTING PUPPETRY (2 AP, REACTION): This PERILOUS INSULT (1 MISFORTUNE, 2 AP, COMBAT
creature can use this Reaction to cause an opponent ACTION): The puppet on this creature’s hand
to miss a successful attack against any of the transforms into a caricature of one of the creature’s
creature’s allies as long as the opponent is within 20 opponents within 20 Strides and insults them in a
Strides of this creature, unless the attacker makes a very personal way. The target must make a Resolve
successful Resolve test. test or be Defenseless until the start of their next
MORTAL: Of finite life span; such a creature turn.
is naturally vulnerable to all threats of the YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY (2 MISFORTUNE, 2
BLACKBIRDS world, including Injury. AP, COMBAT ACTION): This creature causes a target
POSSESSED BY FLIBERDIJIBERIT: Using Unweave the to manifest a puppet that is a caricature of that
Od on these creatures frees them from possession. target on their own off hand. The puppet mocks the
Such attempts are (Arduous -30%). Once freed, the target. The target drops what they were holding in
unpossessed human simply passes out. that hand, may not pick it up again until the effect
YOU ARE NOT MY MASTER: Resolve tests made for ends, and must make a Peril-based Resolve test at
this creature are Flip to Succeed, and it is immune the end of each of their turns. If they make the test,
to any mind control. the effect ends.
VULNERABLE POINT (PUPPET): Those who know
the vulnerable point of this creature (listed in
parentheses) and hit it with a (Challenging -10%)
Combat-based Skill test do 1 extra die of Damage
when attacking. A Critical Success on this test
renders this creature Helpless until the beginning
of their next Turn.
Boon Cards
Cat’s Cradle Death Frenzy The Die is Cast
Their hands are my hands. In the A starved fury permeates the fabric of Fate indeed goes ungoverned in the
absence of the Norns, some Blackbirds the person’s being, but instead of being absence of the Norns. Yet, some of their
have discovered that they can see the a servant to this nearly ungovernable divine influence lives on in the Blackbirds.
frayed threads of Fate . These gossamer rage, they’ve caged it deep within their Whether the exertion of such power
cords of red hang about the world, entrails. But with each bruise, splintered manifests through an unspoken petition
forming intoxicatingly complex patterns bone, and laceration endured, it becomes to the heavens or as a subconscious
denoting what was once the governance harder to hold back the darkness within. wish born at the center of this person’s
of destiny. To ply these threads is to The beast rattles at its cage, howling mind, the truth is that they can take
know something of influence once solely for blood—and if they’re going to die hold of the threads of Fate and spin
possessed by the lost sister-gods. anyway, why not let the monster out? them with curious proficiency.
͝ Effect: Once between Rekindlings, when the
Blackbird or member of their flock generates
a Failure, they may reroll the test up to three ͝ Effect: Once between Rekindlings, upon reaching ͝ Effect: Once between Rekindlings, this Boon
times, but will generate an Odic die with each the last Damage level or Slain on the Damage allows that any Critical Failure be made into a
subsequent Failure. Upon completing the Condition Track, remove all levels from the Peril Success. In the case of a Sublime Failure, it costs
attempts, roll all the dice in the Odic pool; for each Condition Track. In the case of being Slain, they do 1 Fortune to do so. Additionally, once between
die that shows a face 6, flip an equal amount of not fall. Instead, they endure long enough to perform Rekindlings, this Boon may be employed to
Fortune into Misfortune instead of causing an the effects of Death Frenzy before expiring. Resolve block the Fateweaver from using Misfortune.
Odic Manifestation. Additionally, once between Immediately: All Mortal targets currently Engaged They expend the Misfortune tokens, converting
Rekindlings, the Blackbird may pluck a string of with the person are Slain, and a critical strike is it into Fortune, but the outcome does not occur.
Fate, causing an Odic reverberance that exerts force executed against targets that are anything else.
against an enemy they’ve already caused Damage
to this Turn, causing 1 extra die of Bane Damage.
If the Blackbird successfully performs a Melee Attack While this Talent is slotted, gain +10 per to Skill tests Gain +10 per while making Skill tests for the
against a foe who is Surprised by them, the attack deals using the Education or Folklore Skills. Additionally, the Blackbird to hold someone’s attention or to distract
extra Damage dice equal to their . Blackbird’s memory is nearly eidetic, and they may learn them.
twice as many languages.
During combat, the AP cost to Load a Ranged weapon is ͝ Borivoi’s Guard ͝ Strangeness Mitigation
reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1. (1 AP, Combat Action) (+1 Tithe, 1 AP, Special Action)
Spend 1 AP during the Blackbird’s Turn, and until their Employ this ability right before a Vitiation is used.
next Turn, Parry and Dodge Actions with a sword cost No dice are added to the Odic dice pool, and Odic
0 AP. Manifestations are not rolled for this Vitiation.
͝ Reflexive Guard
(0 AP, Reaction) ͝ Font of Wisdom ͝ More to Kill
The first Parry or Dodge test made for the Blackbird (Passive Bonus) (Passive Bonus)
between the end of their Turn and the next costs 0 AP. When assisting a Fatebound companion, add the When there are more enemies in a Combat Scene than
Blackbird’s Skill Ranks in the Skill being tested to their there are allies, the Blackbird gains +1 AP at the start of
companion’s, in addition to giving an Assist die. The total their Turn.
͝ Mercurial Defense Skill Ranks modifying the roll may not be more than 3.
(0 AP, Extinguish Reaction)
After a foe within [AB]×2 strides has successfully ͝ Too Miserable to Die
attacked an ally, the Blackbird may take this Reaction ͝ Forbidden Knowledge (0 AP, Extinguish Reaction)
to leap adjacent to their location to automatically block (Extinguish Action) Some people are just too stubborn to die. When the
that attack. This does not trigger Opportunity Attacks. When seeking information in a book, library, or place Blackbird would normally be Slain!, they are instead
The Blackbird may also choose to render the foe Slain! or of learning that would normally be hidden or extremely moved to Level 4 on the Damage Condition Track, and
Helpless until the end of the Combat Scene. difficult to discover, the Blackbird discovers it after only they add +1 to their Damage Threshold for the remainder
a day of research. This could be the True Name of an of this Combat Scene.
Outsider; the lost location of an ancient tomb, temple,
or artifact; or anything else that the Fateweaver would
normally require more than just a Skill test to learn.
Court of Silence:
Technique – Tier 1 Rapport Technique Technique – Tier 1
nedeljko loncar (Order #40325276)
Talent & Technique C ards 69
Cicilia Gent
BOW & BLADE Lupin Grist
BOON: Death Frenzy SHADOW & SUBTERFUGE
TALENT: Quickload BOON: The Dream
TECHNIQUES: (choose one to Slot) The Taut String, TALENT: Hidden Blade
Light Crossbow TECHNIQUES: (choose one to Slot) Flourish of the
Sylph, Knife & Bag Work, Shiv
Clement Stonewright
CRAFT & EXPERTISE Peregrine Felize
BOON: Hands of the Maker CHARM & MANIPULATION
TALENT: Ink-Stained Fingers BOON: The Die is Cast
TECHNIQUES: (choose one to Slot) Halls of TALENTS: (choose one to slot) Devilish Advocate,
Recollection, Sawbones, Staff, Arbalest Crossbow Lost in Your Eyes
TECHNIQUES: (choose one to Slot) Venom-Coated
Pleasantries, Rapier