Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Scarlet Heroes, Kishani and Session Zero

I've been using Scarlet Heroes a lot. A lot, a lot. So much so, I wonder why I haven't actually gamed in the setting. Khadiya and Harmony are still being written, but I wanted to get this idea on paper. What I find most intriguing is how Scarlet Heroes handles elves. Specifically, there are exactly 100,000 of them. Then there are the Scions who are elves that end up reincarnating in human bodies. They lose the ability to use magic but gain a different set of abilities. The class I chose is the Gloom Stalker from Xanathar's Guide to Everything, backported via Old School Essentials Advanced Fantasy to Simple World.

Taming the Westmark

Genre : Fantasy

Size : The Domain of Ektau

The Westmark remains largely empty, much as it has since the Ravaging almost two centuries past. Dead cities and ashen villages stand in silent memorial of that great overthrow, waiting for those souls brave enough to reclaim what their ancestors lost in fire and screams. There is no law in the Westmark beyond the strength of a man’s sword arm, and the empty land attracts many who desire a new life, or the opportunity to prey on those who do.

Shade in Summer Enclave

Heretical Strife

Enemies Clerically-empowered heretic priest, Corrupt traditionalist priest

Friends Venerable local theologian, Local seeking help for a newly-zealous relative

Complications The traditional faith is corrupted and enfeebled

Things Jeweled holy relics, Magical artifact empowered by local faith

Places Isolated shrine outside the settlement, Secret meeting of believers

Court Type Tong

Mhek Shade in Summer, Honored Sage, spy from Tien Lung

Kishgadan Shade in Summer, Elder Brother, uses Rendak to inflate his reputation

Halai Shade in Summer, Allied Merchant, attracted to Calai, Caretaker of the Meeting Hall

Thyrna Geirbjornsdottir, "Kishani Shade in Summer"

Elven Scion Gloom Stalker (archery, stalking, wyrd abilities)

Haunting amber eyes with braided golden auburn hair, her unnatural, ageless spirit marks her compact form. Kishani wears plain traveling clothes of walnut and beige covered by a pine green gambeson. An elven soul born in a human body. A changeling. Something to be distrusted. The years passed by, and Kishani grew more distant from Skandr society; eventually, she spent more time in the forests of the Westmark reminiscing about her past incarnations. That was where she found solace, a small tribe that understood her turmoil, her Creed: to be the Shade in Summer, a shield in the heat of battle, shelter in times of turmoil.

+2 Dexterity

+1 Charisma*, Wisdom

+0 Constitution, Strength*

-1 Intelligence

Archer in a Past Life : When you do something related to archery, add +1.

Umbral Sight : You have the ability to see in darkness.

Wyrd Things Happen : You have the ability to pull dreams into reality. It counts as a basic move using Charisma.

Scion Wyrds Known : solipsistic forge, walker in dreams

Gear : dagger (1-harm, hand), explorer's pack, gambeson, glass eye, handaxe (1-harm, hand), hunting trap, longbow (1-harm, 3 ammo, near, reload), necklace of black bear claws, staff, traveler's clothes, 10 gold

[:45] [:30] [:15] [:10] [:05] [--:--]

XP [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

2 comments:

  1. This looks interesting. What are "Scion Wyrds" from? And what is "[:45] [:30] [:15] [:10] [:05] [--:--]"?

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    1. The Scion Wyrds comes from https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/89888/Red-Tide-Campaign-Sourcebook-and-Sandbox-Toolkit which is the campaign guide for Scarlet Heroes. The bracketed numbers you see are my take on harm clocks. Instead of counting hours, I refer to them as minutes to midnight. When you're five minutes to midnight, the next harm may kill you.

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