Baptism of Fire (OSR)

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iii Baptism of Fire A Core rules book for adventuring in 11th Century Piast Poland Mad scribe Games LLC. Copyright 2024. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. TM

iv Credits Setting Design: RPGPundit Writer: RPGPundit Editor: Chris Miller Cover Art: Created using Midjourney AI Interior Art: Aleksandra Alekseeva, Ivan Bilibin, Albert Devriendt, Gallen Kallela, Ilya Kovshik, Frank Cheyne Papé, Nicholas Roerich, Philippe Semeria, Viktor Vasnetsov, John William Waterhouse, NC Wyeth Layout, Design and additional AI Art: Chris Miller Maps: Glynn Seal & Chris Miller Character Sheet: Matias Mortara * A note regarding the use of AI art: Only the public domain works of deceased classical artists were curated to derive the AI art in this book. The total body of work that these artists produced in their lifetimes (with specific regard to this book’s subject matter) was not sufficient to populate every page. Thus, to both meet our image quota and ensure a cohesive look to the book, specific prompts were used to reproduce their artistic style. It would have been nearly impossible to commission the number of images at the skill level needed from living artists without paying millions of dollars and waiting many years for completion. It took Michelangelo four years to paint the Sistine Chapel. If he were alive today, his services would be cost-prohibitive and the body of work in this book would be complete in approximately 1200 years. It is not our intention to use AI to replace modern living artists, but AI can be a valuable tool for use in niche indie products like this one. Baptism of Fire is published by Mad Scribe Games LLC copyright 2024 All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

Introduction 1 Poland in the 11th Century ....................................... 1 Default Setting Assumptions .................................... 2 Social Status is Extremely Important ....................... 2 Religion .................................................................... 3 Life is Cheap ............................................................. 4 Magic is Rare ............................................................ 5 Civilization is Survival ............................................. 5 Character Creation 6 Rolling for Ability Scores ....................................... 6 Social Class ............................................................. 6 Background Skills ................................................... 9 Prior History ......................................................... 11 Character Names ................................................... 24 Polish Names, Male .............................................. 25 Polish Names, Female .......................................... 26 Polish Noble House Names .................................. 26 Selecting Class (prerequisites) .............................. 31 Level 0 Generation ............................................... 32 Combat bonuses .................................................... 32 Saving throws ....................................................... 32 Alignment ............................................................. 32 Age and Appearance ............................................. 33 Sex ........................................................................ 33 Family ................................................................... 34 Starting Equipment ............................................... 35 Skill Checks .......................................................... 36 Character Classes 37 Archer .................................................................... 38 Fighter .................................................................... 39 Holy Man ............................................................... 40 Holy Warrior .......................................................... 42 Skomroszny ........................................................... 44 Thief ....................................................................... 45 Witch Hunter .......................................................... 47 Woodsman .............................................................. 48 Yotvingians ............................................................ 49 Miracles & Magic 51 Holy Miraculous Powers ....................................... 52 Divine Intervention ................................................ 57 Losing Miraculous Powers .................................... 59 Magic ..................................................................... 60 Summoning ............................................................ 60 Dominion ............................................................... 65 Demonic Attributes ................................................ 66 Special Magical Powers ......................................... 68 Minor Powers ......................................................... 69 Major Powers ......................................................... 71 Magical Skills ........................................................ 76 Astrology ............................................................... 76 Astrological Talismans ............................................ 76 Banishing ................................................................. 81 Battle Magic ............................................................. 85 Cures ........................................................................ 89 Enchantment ............................................................ 91 Contents: v

Folk Magic ................................................................. 95 Glamour ................................................................... 103 Runes ........................................................................ 107 Spirit Magic .............................................................. 114 A Note on Alchemy .................................................. 116 Economics And Equipment 117 Currency and Trade .................................................. 117 Price List of Common Equipment ............................ 118 Armor ....................................................................... 118 Weapons ................................................................... 120 Livestock .................................................................. 121 Clothing .................................................................... 122 Food ......................................................................... 122 Real Estate ................................................................ 123 Miscellaneous Equipment ........................................ 124 Dowries .................................................................... 126 Taxes & Trade .......................................................... 127 Encumbrance ............................................................ 128 Weapons and Armor Mechanics ............................... 129 Armor Effects ........................................................... 129 Weapon Effects ......................................................... 130 Non-Magical Herbs and Poisons .............................. 131 Medicinal Herbs ....................................................... 131 Poisons ..................................................................... 132 Game Master Procedures 135 Reaction Rolls .......................................................... 136 More Complex Social Reactions .............................. 137 Morale ...................................................................... 141 Travel Times ............................................................. 143 Wilderness Orientation and Survival ....................... 144 Combat ..................................................................... 145 NPC & Monster Hit Points ...................................... 145 Timing ...................................................................... 145 Random Encounter Distance ................................... 146 Surprise Attacks ...................................................... 146 Initiative .................................................................. 147 Actions .................................................................... 147 Attacks .................................................................... 148 Slashing Weapons Critical Table ............................ 150 Piercing Melee Weapons Critical Table .................. 151 Blunt Weapons Critical Table ................................. 152 Missile Weapons Critical Table .............................. 154 Sling Stones/Bullets Critical Table ......................... 155 Animal and Monster Critical Table ......................... 157 Charging .................................................................. 159 Parrying ................................................................... 159 Firing Into Melee .................................................... 160 Aimed Shots ............................................................ 160 Mounted Combat .................................................... 161 Visibility and Cover ................................................ 162 Opportunity Attack .................................................. 162 Prone and Helpless Opponents ............................... 162 Grappling ................................................................ 163 Injury ....................................................................... 164 Saving Throws ........................................................ 164 Healing & Recovery ............................................... 165 Aging & Illness ....................................................... 165 Drowning and Strangulation ................................... 169 Extreme Cold .......................................................... 169 Experience ............................................................... 171 Treasure and Valuables ........................................... 171 Treasure Tables ....................................................... 173 Magical Gems ......................................................... 179 Special Items ........................................................... 185 Minor Magic Items ................................................. 186 Magic Items ............................................................ 193 vi

Monsters 204 Animals ................................................................... 205 Demonic Creatures .................................................. 211 Dragons ................................................................... 214 Fairy Creatures ........................................................ 216 Fantastical Creatures ............................................... 225 Other Humanoids .................................................... 231 Humans ................................................................... 235 Golems & Homunculi ............................................. 236 Undead .................................................................... 238 Piast Poland 239 Campaign Timeline ................................................. 247 Important Offices of the Piast Crown ..................... 258 Elements of General Culture in Poland .................. 259 The Piasts ................................................................ 261 Map of Poland ......................................................... 263 The Polish Gazetteer 257 Greater Poland ........................................................ 265 Masovia ................................................................... 271 Vistula (Lesser Poland) ........................................... 277 Silesia ...................................................................... 285 Pomerania ............................................................... 290 The Veleti ................................................................ 295 Czerwien, the Red Lands ........................................ 296 Pagans & Pagan Magic 298 Pagan Magical Times and Practices ........................ 299 Magical Places ........................................................ 301 Pagan Magical Objects ........................................... 302 Pagan Deities .......................................................... 307 Appendix I: Road, Trail & Wilderland Encounters ..................... 313 Road, Trail & Wilderland Tables ............................ 314 Encounter Descriptions and Tables ......................... 315 Appendix II: Creature Lists by Terrain and Region ........................ 327 Creatures by Terrain Type Tables .............................. 327 Monsters Specific to Regions .................................... 329 Appendix III: Random Events in Towns and Cities ......................... 330 Random Town/City Event Table ............................... 330 Random Town/City Event Descriptions .................... 331 Random Jobs Table ................................................... 337 Rumors Table ............................................................ 338 Appendix IV: Pagan Magician/Shaman/Witch Class ....................... 341 Appendix V: Social Encounters ...................................................... 343 Animal Handling ....................................................... 343 Gossip or Information Gathering .............................. 344 Seduction ................................................................... 346 Appendix VI: Smallholding and Domain Rules .............................. 348 Standard Domain Actions ......................................... 353 Appendix VII: Legend and Infamy ................................................... 365 Acts that Generate Legend ........................................ 365 Acts that Generate Infamy ........................................ 367 Pagan Virtues ............................................................. 369 Benefits of Legend/Infamy ........................................ 371 Character Sheet ......................................................... 373 vii

Baptism of Fire is an OSR RPG set in the dawn of the Polish monarchy in the early medieval period. It is a complete rulebook and setting. As a setting, it is “medieval authentic,” meaning it is set in our own historical Earth rather than a fantasy world. However, this is the world as the people living in the setting envisioned it. That is to say, religion, magic, and monsters all exist and function as the paradigm of the early medieval world imagined. The setting is dedicated to presenting the “Piast” Polish world, culture, and events as they historically occurred, but the focus is on playability as a focus of RPG adventuring. As a system, those who have purchased the Lion & Dragon RPG will recognize the rule set. However, Baptism of Fire has a few modifications and expansions from the L&D setting. Lion & Dragon is set in the late medieval period, whereas Baptism of Fire is set in the early medieval period, meaning there will be important differences in culture and equipment. Additionally, the character classes are different from those of Lion & Dragon, partly because of setting and game choices. Most notably, the “Cleric” class, which was more of a traditional OSR class and was somewhat anachronistic to medieval authenticity, has been replaced by two separate classes: the Holy Man and the Holy Warrior. At the same time, the Early Medieval nature of the setting means that the Magister is not included as a class, but the Witch Hunter class has been added as a replacement. Several sections have had slight revisions, and sections like the backgrounds, critical hit tables, and magic items (among others) have been expanded. The magic selection differs from Lion & Dragon, but techniques from either book can be used interchangeably. Overall, it is a more complete edition, but the fundamental system has been expanded rather than mechanically altered. Poland in the 11th century The default setting of Baptism of Fire is in a society that is transforming from a Dark Age culture to an early Medieval culture. Poland in the early 11th century was moving from a sedentary tribal system (what until recently might even have been called “barbarians”) to the beginnings of a feudal society, united under a monarchy (the Piast kings, who were the first to unite disparate tribes into a single people, the Polish). As part of the process of successfully making this shift, the Piast rulers introduced the unifying force of Christianity to the land. The process of unifying disparate people (albeit of a common general ancestry) into a single nation was predictably met with resistance. There were several possible candidates for potential kingdoms, and the Piasts’ Greater Poland was neither the wealthiest, the most populous, nor the most militaristic of territories. But the Piast dukes were clever enough to make good alliances, including with the more powerful Christian kingdoms that had risen up from the ruins of the previous borders of the Roman Empire. Duke Mieszko I realized that Christianity could help cement a common culture for all the local tribes that descended from Lech, smoothing over countless ancient divisions and rivalries and legitimizing the Crown. But while Christianity had many progressive ideas that appealed to many people, there would Introduction 1

nevertheless be a great many who would refuse to give up their age-old gods and heathen traditions without a fight. All of this was taking place in a setting that was wild and magical. After the fall of Rome and the barbarian invasions that contributed to that apocalypse, the population of Europe declined dramatically and failed to grow for five centuries (it would only begin to recover significantly in this century). The population density of Poland in this century was only 7 per square kilometer. Population centers (the largest of which had only a few thousand inhabitants) were tiny islands of stability surrounded by huge tracts of untamed wilderlands. Monsters, fairies, demons, and dark magic ran wild in these places outside the safety of human order. The Christianization of Poland was also the taming of that land, purifying it of the dangers of the dark wild and bringing the light of civilization and its accompanying stability and prosperity. In the standard Baptism of Fire campaign, the player characters are agents of that civilizing force. Default Setting Assumptions Baptism of Fire is designed to be used in the setting of early Piast Poland. Still, it can be used in any setting that emphasizes fundamental “medieval authentic” assumptions. Here is a list in brief of some of the most important assumptions that differ from a typical OSR setting: 1. Social Status is Extremely Important In most OSR games, peasants and princes are treated generally as equals and would interact as equals in a party (at least, in the same sense that in the modern era, it is presumed that the upper classes might have more money and power but 2

are not inherently superior to the working classes). Knights might get bossed around by a commoner, and smart-mouthed peasants might act less than reverently toward a Bishop. But in a Medieval-Authentic game, social status may be the most important character detail! It determines the character’s place in the world. The nobility had rights forbidden to commoners like being allowed to bear arms in court and having preferential status in social situations. In a PC party, characters who have higher social status should expect that characters of lower status would, within reason, be deferential to them; of course, some characters of higher status might be smart enough to recognize knowledge and experience from lower-status characters and respect their judgment on those issues. Also, contrary to many assumptions in modern literature and media, while there were certainly some lords who were stupid or cruel, the majority of the aristocracy have a strong vested interest in caring for their vassals and subjects. Their wealth and prosperity depend on the well-being and loyalty of their subjects, after all, and they believe they were born into their status as part of a divine responsibility to govern over the lower classes wisely. 2. Religion In the Baptism of Fire setting, religion is a vital aspect of every character’s life. When Duke Mieszko I accepted Christianity in the event known as the “Baptism of Poland” in 966AD, it marked a turning point in history and was, in many ways, the birth of Poland as a nation. As the timeline of the setting reveals, the Christianization process was not smooth or easy. Christianity had many appealing features: to the ruling class, it provided a social unity missing from the disparate pagan practices of individual tribes or clans, and it brought the state into a social contract with the broader Christian European world that increased stability and promoted commerce. It also had widespread appeal to the lower social classes. In the modern era, there’s a temptation to think of Christianity as a traditionalist force, sometimes at odds with progressive ideas. Still, in the 10th and 11th Centuries, Christianity (in comparison to Paganism) introduced radical social values that greatly benefited the common man. European Paganism tended to be more transactional and hierarchical than Christianity in that heroes and Kings were favored by the gods. At the same time, the most a common man could hope for was that by performing rites and sacrifices, the gods might give them a good harvest or stave off illness. On the other hand, Christianity promoted a radical form of equality. In the mortal world, there were divisions of class and wealth; however, it was the promise of God that anyone who was faithful would obtain the promise of the same paradise. The Christian faith did not require that you win great battles or do great 3

deeds, but rather that anyone who showed faith in God and charity to his neighbor would gain heaven. Christianity’s emphasis on caring for the poor, tending to the sick, and forgiving those who trespass against you demanded the creation of a more just and humanitarian society. This was broadly appealing to all sectors of society even if, in practice, it did not always live up to its fullest promise. Christianity also placed a greater responsibility on the rich and powerful to protect the meek and to fight against evil. Even so, most pagans were not wicked or evil by nature, and their traditions and beliefs were valued by them. Particularly in the more rural areas, the imposition of Christianity was strongly resisted by people who wished to hold to the traditions of their ancestors. Their gods were real and powerful to them, and they did not wish to break away from the faith of their fathers. While there were many Holy Men who sought to bring the light of Christianity to a demon-haunted world by showing the very best of their faith (often at the cost of their own lives), there was also a clear political agenda among the ruling classes to oblige conversion and conformity to the new religion in a way that was bound to cause resentment; which often spilled over into rebellion. At the same time, the pagan priests, shamans, and wizards who had favored status in pagan society, or witches who ruled through fear, saw the new religion as a direct and existential threat. Some aspects of Paganism were directly sinister; witch cults in some regions would rule by terror, and demons would masquerade as gods, sometimes even demanding human sacrifice. To Christians, while most Paganism was viewed as an error, there were also aspects of Paganism that were overtly demonic/evil, which had to be fought. The chaos that the darker side of Paganism represented was a direct threat to both society and human survival in this life and the next. Even in the Christian world, there was a place for what we would call “magic” (there were Christian magicians who used their powers in the service of God). Still, when the supernatural was engaged outside the authority of God, it represented a danger to humanity. And this threat, in the medieval paradigm, was palpably real. The setting of early medieval Poland was a world full of elves, demons, the living dead, and other terrors. These sorts of creatures were, at best, alien and dangerous and, at worst, a direct menace to one’s immortal soul. The default setting presumes that the player characters are (mostly) Christians. Flawed and imperfect as all humans are, some will be more virtuous, and others may be more selfish or greedy. But as Christians, whether they live up to it or not, they truly believe in the promise of God and the faith and will thus fight against the forces of evil to the extent of their courage and ability. 3. Life is Cheap One-third to one-half of children won’t live to see their 10th birthday. War is brutal, but disease and infection are as likely to kill you as an arrow or a sword. There are no second chances. There is no ‘resurrection’ spell that will bring back your characters. As such, the level range is generally low. It should be assumed that most people in the world are 0-level or 1st-level characters, that anyone reaching 9th level is a great hero who would likely be very well known for their achievements, and the most powerful people in the entire world might only be 12th-15th level. 4

4. Magic is Rare Although the setting of Poland is full of magical creatures and magical practices, the type of magic involved is very different from those typical spells of OSR games. Spellcasting is complex and often requires elaborate rituals and costs. There are no ‘magic shops’. Without taking the shortcut of pacts with demons, magic is complicated and technically demanding (and often expensive). Common priests have no visible magic. Only those specially chosen by God are capable of miraculous powers. In the implicit setting of the game, these are Holy Men and Holy Warriors, who are chosen by God to manifest miraculous abilities. They are not regular priests but rather a special group of living saints dedicated to spreading the faith or fighting evil. Magic items are difficult to obtain, and only the extremely lucky or very experienced are likely to have items of any significant power. 5. Civilization is Survival The central and stable areas of civilization, the heartlands of kingdoms, are places of relative security and peace, except when the horrors of war break out. There’s crime, banditry, and sometimes rebellion or cultists, but most peasants living in a centralized area can expect to live mostly in security. But outside of those pockets of civilization, in the wilderlands, those wild areas beyond the reach of the order the King and the Church brought about, the terrible things of chaos are most likely to dwell. In those lonely places, monsters can be found. Only the truly brave, truly desperate, or truly crazy would choose to go outside the safety of civilization if they had any choice at all. For this reason, rebellion, anarchy, and war are seen as terrible threats. When civilization falters, violence and suffering ensue; if instability rages for long, the unburied dead rise again, madmen and scoundrels are drawn by witchcraft and demonolatry to spread murder and terror, and creatures that once hid in caves in the woods and mountains are emboldened to hunt in places they previously wouldn’t have dared. This is why people of all social classes generally favor the security of firm law and strict justice unless the corruption of those who rule becomes so terrible that they fail to fulfill their duty to maintain that order. A GM planning to run Lion & Dragon as a medieval-authentic campaign should carefully read the rules. Not just the mechanics but the implications of the setting-material behind it (things like currency and equipment, faith and justice, and the supernatural). Ensure the players note how the rules and assumptions differ from other fantasy RPG settings to reproduce a more authentic medieval genre. 5

To create a Player Character (PC), it is necessary to go through the following steps: ² Roll for Ability Scores ² Roll for Social Class, note background skill, roll for prior history event, and name ² Select Class ² Generate 0-level hit points, abilities and bonuses ² Select Alignment and details such as age, sex, family, and appearance ² Note initial wealth and obtain equipment Rolling for Ability Scores Players always roll 3d6, in order, for the six ability scores. These rolls are recorded, as is the ability score modifier that each result generates. Roll each stat (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA), 3d6 in order. Modifiers: 3 -3 4-5 -2 6-8 -1 9-12 0 13-15 +1 16-17 +2 18 +3 19 You cheated! Note: If a PC doesn’t have a single ability score above 8, all the ability scores should be re-rolled. Social Class Social class is an extremely important concept in any “medieval authentic” setting. Player Characters should have their social class determined at random during character creation unless the GM wishes to specifically have the PCs only be of a certain social class or range of social class. Standard characters, however, should roll on the following table: Social class (2d6) 2 Outcast 3 Servi (bound serfs) 4 Chlopy (tenant peasants) 5 Kmiec (landowning peasants) 6-7 Grodnik, Poor (city dwellers) 8 Grodnik, Rich (city dwellers) 9-10 Rycerz (Warrior/knightly class) 11 Szlachcic, boot (noble) 12 Szlachcic, landed (noble: roll 1d6: 1-4 standard, 5-6 Magnate family) Character Creation 6

Outcast: This social class are people who are outside of any community. This includes non-noble foreigners, known criminals who were exiled, and social pariahs, but also people who have voluntarily chosen a life as itinerant wanderers, like the Skomroszny or other kinds of eccentrics. Outcasts have the benefit of not being expected to act appropriately to social class, but they are also completely unprotected by family, clan, or tradition. They can often be the first to be blamed when crime or witchcraft is suspected. Servi: The Polans don’t have a slave class, but this is as close as it gets. Servi are essentially what would later be known as serfs, peasants with no property bound to the land of a noble. They live in (usually poor quality) huts on their master’s land and work his fields for a pittance of food and basic living supplies. For a Servi to leave his master’s land is a crime; they can be hunted down and returned (and possibly punished). A PC of this class would either have to have received special permission from his master to leave his lands freely or would have escaped from his lands and would be a fugitive of his native region. Chlopy: The vast majority of people in the lands of the Piasts would be of this class: tenant peasants. They are not bound to the land like the Servi, but they do not have any land of their own. They work the land owned by a noble and must give a large percentage of their crops or herd to the landowner as a form of rent. They are often as poor as the Servi. Kmiec: Landowning peasants who work their own land. Usually, their lands are quite small, just enough for subsistence, but some people of this class have considerable lands without being noblemen. Grodnik: The term for people who live inside a “grod,” a fortified town or city. The majority of these people are relatively poor, working as common laborers, but an important minority are craftsmen or merchants who are more prosperous, and some are very wealthy. Rycerz: The Warrior class, who in the Piast government are coming to be known as “knights.” Not everyone in this class is automatically a warrior, but that is the family business. Many Rycerz are bound by an oath of loyalty to a noble. Many Rycerz will live in the noble’s estate or a “grod,” but some of the most successful knightly families will be granted small manors and domains of their own. Other Rycerz are mercenary knights who have not (yet) sworn allegiance to any lord and live as sell-swords. Rycerz, who are sworn to a lord count as officers of that lord and have certain traditional privileges. These privileges include authority in their lord’s lands and benefiting from the rules of hospitality in the lands of other lords (as long as said lords are not enemies of their own lord). Sons of this class, who are not cut out to be warriors, will often become part of the clergy or other classes of ‘professionals.’ Szlachcic: This is the Nobility of Poland. Unlike in certain other kingdoms, there are no ranks of aristocracy (like Earls or Dukes, etc.). The King and his sons are princes, but all other noblemen descended from the chiefs of various Polan clans are part of the single Szlachta class. Their title would be “Hrabia,” which is equivalent to a Count. As such, there is a larger percentage of nobility in Poland than in some other medieval Kingdoms (between 5-10% of the population varying by region). There are different practical distinctions among the Szlachta. A szlachcic might be a “boot noble,” meaning a noble with no land (and usually little money), forced to earn their fortune in a profession of some kind. Alternatively, they might be a “land noble,” meaning they own property. 7

In most cases, these properties are relatively small, larger than those of a typical Kmiec but sometimes less than the larger landowning peasantry. The immediate family members of the chief of a clan could be termed “magnates,” owning large territories, huge numbers of peasants, and having knights sworn to their service. Note that for Holy Men and Holy Warriors, social class is only rolled to determine the PC’s origin. Whether they were born a servi or a magnate, all Holy Men (and holy women) are treated with special veneration. If they are priests or monks, they have a social standing that typically equates them to a level equivalent to a knight, with much due deference in any Christian lands (typically receiving a great deal of hospitality and being exempt from taxation or certain charges, like tolls), and Bishops are of course granted even higher status. Holy Men and women who are not clergy members will receive as much deference but only to the extent that their fame precedes them. Even a little-known Holy Man will still be well treated if they are convincingly religious and give no reason to doubt them. More details on social class for specific character classes will be noted in the description of those classes. Social class has very significant effects in the setting. If the GM runs the setting according to historical characteristics, then the division in classes should potentially mark important differences among the characters and between characters and the world itself. The difference between serfs, peasants, and grodniks is largely a question of status, inasmuch as grodniks will see themselves as superior to peasants, and peasants will hold themselves of much higher quality than mere 8

serfs. But the more significant difference will be between these classes and the nobility. It is expected in this society that commoners must respect and obey their aristocratic superiors; talking back, disobeying, or insulting their social betters in most circumstances would be grounds for at least a beating. If the aristocrat in question has some form of legal authority over their inferior, disobedience or insubordination is even more severe. In their own lands, Szlachta, being the arbiters of the law, have the power over life or death over the people who live on their lands, bound only by ancient traditions (so, for example, they could execute a Servi for attempting to leave the noble’s lands, but to do so to another class of peasant would be a violation of all traditions, and could lead to revolt). Naturally, there will be some situations where a lower social class would be of greater use: the peasantry in the countryside will behave differently to the son of a Magnate than they would to one of their own. The former would be treated with enormous reverence and respect but may not be trusted with secrets or rumors in the same way that a fellow countrydweller would be. Likewise, in the underworld of a city, a cityborn PC will be viewed with less suspicion and will naturally stand out much less than either a peasant (who would be treated as a country bumpkin) or a noble (who might be distrusted). Background Skills ² Characters receive a single ‘background skill’ at 0-level. This skill grants a +1 bonus to skill checks related to that area of expertise. ² Outcasts begin with either +1 to Wilderness Lore or +1 to Urban Lore. ² Servi get +1 to farming (which includes all matters of tending to crops and farm livestock). ² Chlopy and Kmiec also usually gain +1 to farming, though they may, in some areas, get +1 to herding or fishing instead. ² Poor Grodniks begin with a +1 to Urban Lore or in Service (the skill of knowing how to work as a servant in a keep or manor house). ² Rich Grodniks have a 30% chance of having a +1 Merchant skill, knowing how to transport and sell goods. Otherwise, roll on the Trade table: Trade (1d20) 1 Armorer/Brassworker 2 Baker 3 Barber/surgeon/dentist 4 Blacksmith 5 Bowyer/Fletcher (makes bows/ arrows) 6 Brewer 7 Bricklayer 8 Butcher 9 Candlemaker 10 Carpenter 11 Clothworker/tailor 12 Cook 13 Fishmonger 14 Goldsmith/Jeweler 15 Leatherworker/Tanner 16 Mason 17 Saddlemaker 18 Scribe (writes & notarizes documents) 19 Shoemaker 20 Weaponsmith 9

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Note that generally, the table should be rolled on once for each character unless a GM wishes to have characters have more than one major prior event. In some entries, multiple categories have been added to provide variations of the same basic scenario to more appropriately fit the PC’s Social Class considerations. Prior Events (1d10) 1-4 Roll on Subtable A 5-7 Roll on Subtable B 8-9 Roll on Subtable C 10 Roll on Subtable D Events Subtable A (1d20) 1- Animal Companion: Your PC begins the game with a pet he has trained up from infancy. The animal is a normal creature but very loyal (with a Morale score of 8+/- the PC’s CHA bonus). It has average intelligence for its species but can have been trained to follow simple commands of the sort that would be normal for its type. Companion Subtable (1d6) 1-2 dog (can fetch and guard) 3 wolf (can guard and fight) 4 hawk (can hunt and fight) 5 raven (can find owner or home to transmit messages) 6 monkey (obtained from a merchant ship, can dance or steal) 2- Banished: the character was either banished from or forced to flee his home territory. The GM should decide with the player what the cause of his banishment was; returning to the home area could still be dangerous for the character. 3- Brawler: The character has a particular background in combat for show. If he was from the lower classes, he spent time in his youth as a wrestler or showfighter. If higher class, he trained for dueling and swordfighting. The character gets a +1 bonus to CHA skill checks for the purposes of intimidation. ² Szlachcic begin with either a +1 to Military or a +1 to court, which is the skill to understand the basic workings of any lordly or royal court, etiquette, heraldry, and the mechanics and politics of the ruling class. Prior History Each player should roll once for their character on the following tables to introduce some element of a backstory to the character’s history. These results can help to add flavor to the character and sometimes serve to incorporate the reason why the PC has taken up the adventuring life. In this period of time, there were no formal trade guilds. However, anyone arriving at a new location seeking to practice the above trades would need to receive appropriate permissions from the local authorities. Those authorities may consult with any existing craftsmen of the same trade as to whether that would be desirable. This would sometimes require paying the other craftsmen a “set-up” fee to avoid trouble. ² Rycerz begin with a +1 in Military, which means they have a basic knowledge of the military practices of this period, including military camps, basic tactics, units, typical command structures, etc. 11

4- Cavalry Trained: whether as a horsebreeder, horse-racer, jouster or through military training, the PC has spent a lot of time on the saddle. The character gets a +1 bonus to horsemanship. 5- Courtier: whether as a servant, a squire, or a young noble’s son or daughter, the PC has spent time in the Court of a Magnate or even the Royal court. The PC may have people who know them, for good or ill, in the nobility. Their understanding and training in court situations grants them a +1 bonus to any reaction checks when dealing with the nobility. 6- Disinherited: regardless of social class, the character has been stripped of their birthright. They have lost their plot of land, their possessions, meager savings, or their family title. The PC will begin with wealth and equipment as though they were one social class lower than theirs (except outcasts), and neither they nor their family have any lands or holdings. The GM should decide with the player why this happened. The character’s family may have been driven out of their home or lost it as a consequence of being on the wrong side of a war/revolt, or a noble’s family may have been expelled from their clan for corruption or treason. Such a PC may have enemies (the ones who did this to them), but they may also have sympathizers who feel the PC’s family was done an injustice. 7-Heartbreak: The PCs’ great first true love was lost. Did their beau die? Reject them? Was it a forbidden romance for reasons of class, wealth, or gender? The player and GM should work out the details. Meanwhile, this failed romance may have left the PC scarred and melancholy, but the air of tragedy and romantic sadness around them will give them a +1 to reaction rolls with those who might feel romantic attraction to the PC. 8- Kitchen Trained: the PC spent time working in a kitchen in a manor house or palace. Alternately, if they are from the upper classes, they have developed a particular interest in the gastronomical arts. In either case, they are probably not sufficiently skilled to qualify as a master chef, but their cooking will be considerably above the average. They gain a +1 to the cooking skill. 9- Pious: even in a highly religious culture, this PC is exceptionally devoted to the Church. The PC will be very well-versed in theology, religious history, and symbolism. They gain a +1 to the Theology skill. The character is literate. 10- Stolen by Pagans: at some point in their youth, the PC was captured by some kind of barbarians (e.g., Pomeranians, Yotvingians, Veleti, etc.), most likely to be used as slave 12

labor (if lower class) or as a hostage (if upper class). The PC will have spent enough time in that area to gain knowledge of the region, the language of their captors, and knowledge of their former captors’ culture, religion, and traditions. If applicable, the GM may grant bonuses to skill or ability score checks based on this experience. 11- Construction Work: The PC, in childhood or young adulthood, was involved in the major construction work of a manor, keep, or cathedral. They have a +1 skill bonus in Architecture and may have contacts with a Mason’s workshop. 12- Caving experience: whether they were lost in some caves, explored catacombs, or worked as a miner, the PC has prior experience with subsurface environments. They get a bonus of +1 to any skill checks involving survival in caves (or possibly +1 to mining) and being able to orient themselves in underground locations. 13- Rebel: as a youth or young adult, the PC was involved in a rebellion, local or national. They manage to avoid the noose or executioner’s axe or even imprisonment. Still, people who know about their involvement with the rebellion will have either a +1 or -1 to reaction rolls with them, depending on their opinion of the PC’s former cause. 14- Public Service: whether as a lowly servant or the relative of an important minister, the PC has experience with the bureaucracy of either the Church or the Crown (pick one). The PC has a +1 bonus to checks related to understanding and making their way through the sometimes complex corridors of either royal or ecclesiastical administration (note that this is different than a skill in state or church law). 15- I Know a Guy: the PC has a contact for the purchase of one specific class of item: it could be weapons, armor, horses, livestock, clothing, or apothecary. The GM and player should determine why (which should involve explaining what the PC did to earn the merchant’s friendship). Using this contact, the PC can purchase that type of product at a 20% discount. The contact should be based in a specific city or town and could only provide that benefit there. If the PC in question is a thief or an outcast of any character class, they can choose that the contact would be an underworld contact instead. Underworld contacts grant them a 30% discount, but the products would be stolen or smuggled. 13

16- Lowly service: Your character worked in a very low service position in some great manor (or, if upper class, spent an unusual amount of time among the servants). Thus, they know how to blend in with the servant class, go unnoticed by people of power or authority in a place where servants wouldn’t be noticed, and know the typical layout of servants’ areas in a manor or keep. This grants a +1 to knowledge checks or reaction rolls related to any of the above. 17- Foreign Ancestry: one of the character’s parents is of a foreign origin, arrived in the Kingdom as a mercenary, with merchants, brought as a war bride, or from an arranged marriage. Most likely, they would be Bohemian, German, or Moravian, but they could also be Kiev Rus, Slovak, Hun, or even a northman Viking. As such, the PC begins with an extra language from their immigrant parent’s native land. 18- Old Family: the character comes from a particularly old and respectable family in their home territory, even if the family isn’t particularly rich or powerful today. This will generally grant them a +1 bonus to reaction rolls from people in or from their home region. However, some people might resent the family. The PC will also have to live up to the family’s weighty reputation if they don’t want to bring shame to their name. 19- Accountant: the PC had an opportunity to work with numbers, assisting the handler of books for a merchant, guild, or manor. The character is automatically literate and begins with a +2 skill in Mathematics. 20- Foundling: The PC is not the natural child of the parents that raised them. They were orphaned and adopted or abandoned, left in the care of their family. The fact that they are adopted might be known, or it might be a carefully guarded secret (the chance of it being secret is 20% unless the PC is an only child, in which case it is 80%). If it is publicly known, the PC could not inherit any of the family wealth or properties unless there were no biological heirs, and even then, if they were noble, they could not inherit the title. There is a chance the PC doesn’t know who their biological parents were, and one or both might potentially still be alive (this would be up to the GM). Events Subtable B (1d20) 1- Conscript: the PC was forcibly conscripted to serve in a lord’s army. This may have been simple obligatory service if the PC is of the landless peasant class, or intended as intimidation on their family, to amend for some legal misdemeanor, or (in the case of a higher class character) to force a demonstration of loyalty from their family. The PC was later either released from their service or is a deserter. The PC begins with one extra hit point. 14

2- Encounter With Chaos: at some point in their youth, the PC had a horrific close encounter with chaos. It may have been an encounter with a Chaos creature, a demon, a fairy creature, or a witch cult. It is even possible that as a child, the PC was only just rescued (by brave adventurers) from becoming a sacrificial victim in a sorcerous ritual. The GM and the player should determine just what this encounter consisted of, and the player should consider how it left their character. Have they harbored an intense hatred for chaos ever since? Or were they left with a taste for the dark arts? In any case, the PC came out of the experience with a permanent +1 bonus to saving throws versus magic. 3- False Identity: for any number of reasons, the PC is not using their real name and is operating under an assumed name and identity. The PC can select either a +1 bonus to the forgery skill or the disguise skill. At the same time, there should be a reason for their false identity and consequences should certain people find out who they really are. 4- Family Vendetta: the PC’s family is embroiled in a longstanding feud with another family of roughly the same social class. This struggle has, on more than one occasion, resulted in bloodshed. It may be due to a dispute over territory, property, a perceived dishonor, or it may have been going on so long that there is no memory of why it began. The PC may find themselves embroiled in the conflict, whether they like it or not if they run across members of the feuding family. 5- Forester: Whether as a hunter, a poacher, or an outlaw (or some other reason), the PC has spent a considerable amount of time in either the woods or mountains. He has a +1 wilderness survival skill in the chosen terrain. 6- Lost Heirloom: Some particular object of value (to be determined by the GM, possibly with player input) has been lost to the PC’s family (either by the PC himself or in the past), and the family desperately wants it recovered. It could be anything from a land deed to a jewel of great price, to a magic item, to a proof of noble ancestry, to something that is evidence of a more sinister secret that could ruin the family. It should also be determined how the object came to be lost, and the GM should consider just who has it now (though, of course, the player or his character may not have any idea). 7- My Old Party Are Dead: This is not the first time the PC has gone adventuring. The last time, the PC barely got away with their life and was the only one from their adventuring party to do so. The PC starts at level 1 in their class! However, there may also be family members of their dead party-mates who blame the PC for surviving, accuse them of cowardice, or look for revenge. The player may also wish to figure out just what horrible monsters killed the PC’s former friends and what psychological scars may remain from the event (a phobia or pathological hatred?). 8- Scandalous Affair: at some point in their past, the PC got involved in a ‘romantic’ affair that was certainly scandalous. It was most likely either a case of adultery, a samesex relationship that came to light and ruined reputations, or a relationship with someone radically different in social class. The affair ended in public humiliation and possibly in threats of revenge from cuckolded partners or 15

furious family members. Within the circles the PC typically operated, the scandal is well known. It may give a penalty (or, in some cases, a bonus) to reaction checks depending on what the NPC in question would think of the character’s actions. 9- Sent to the Tower: The PC has spent time imprisoned, whether in the King’s dungeon or some local lord’s prison. This means that the PC was at least accused of some sort of crime. What remains to be determined is if the PC was later proven innocent, escaped, pardoned, or sentenced and “served time.” Regardless, the PC’s time spent in the horrific conditions of medieval prison should grant them a +1 bonus to any saving throw against diseases. 10- Traveled Abroad: the PC has spent time in their youth traveling abroad. For example, they may have spent time traveling somewhere in the Germanic lands of the Holy Roman Empire, or Bohemia, or to barbarian lands like Pomerania or Lithuania. The PC should obtain the language of the nation they visited, or Latin (the international language of any educated person), and should have knowledge of that area’s features and customs. 11- Con man: The PC was involved in some kind of fraudulent enterprise. A relative or friend may have been a spy, smuggler, or some other kind of cheat. The PC starts with a +1 skill in Forgery. 12- Went on Campaign: as a servant, porter, or young mercenary, the PC spent time around military commanders on the field. They start with a +1 bonus in Military. 13- The Healing Arts: the character apprenticed or had occasion to spend time around a healer. If they are of Servi or peasant class, the PC starts with a +1 to apothecary. If they are of Grodnik class or higher, they can choose either a +1 to apothecary or +1 to medicine. 14- Hunter: If a peasant, the PC’s family relied on hunting (or poaching) to survive. If of higher class, they may have served or participated in a Lord’s frequent hunts. The PC starts with +1 to Wilderness Lore in one particular environment (most likely forests). 15- Scriptorium: The PC served, worked as a novice/apprentice, or was tutored through a particularly learned monk or group of monks with expertise in calligraphy. The PC is automatically literate regardless of class, gains Latin as a free language, and can write formally and beautifully. 16- Player: the PC spent time with a troupe of actors or entertainers; this may have been a family profession, or they may have run away to join the players, or they may have even been kidnapped as children by a troupe of Skomroszny (a common problem in the era). The character will have knowledge and possibly connections in the dubious and sometimes sleazy world of actors and will have a +1 skill in either acting or singing. 17- Machiavellian Environment: the character was raised in an environment very high on intrigue. Their family, the family profession, or the environment were full of 16

secrets and plots, where lies were abundant and information was priceless. The character gets a +1 bonus to reaction rolls designed to obtain secrets or to convincingly fool others. 18- Infamous reputation: because of some event from their past, the character has gained a terrible reputation: either as a degenerate (a sodomite or a ruined woman), a coward, or a traitor. The character will usually have a -1 penalty to reputation checks with anyone who knows of this (which will include everyone from their local area, and if of knight or noble class, virtually everyone in that class in their realm). The player and GM should determine what the event was, and the player should consider how their character reacts to this infamy: are they ashamed of it? Infuriated by it? Or do they revel in it? 19- Intensely religious family: The PC was raised in an exceptionally religious household, even by the standards of the time. They get a +1 bonus to Theology. If their family is of knightly social class or higher, they likely have connections with important people in the Church (and the Church, in general, will know and respect their family). 20- Encounter with the Undead: the PC survived a particularly terrifying encounter with the living dead, possibly at a young age. This may have motivated or affected some of their life decisions hereafter. As a result of this encounter, the PC has a +2 bonus to saving throws versus fear. Events Subtable C (1d20) 1. Auspicious Birth: There was some kind of unusual sign or omen at the time of the PC’s birth, generally interpreted as a blessing from the divine. Throughout the character’s youth, it was assumed that he or she was destined for greatness. This may have opened doors for the PC in terms of education or access that would otherwise have been closed, and that would excuse the PC from some of the limitations of social, class, or gender roles (to a certain extent). The PC gains a +1 bonus to all saving throws. 2. Fae-Touched: In childhood or youth, the PC had a “close encounter” with a faerie being. They survived/escaped, but the fairies did something to the PC that changed them. The PC was left with a kind of “second sight,” granting them a +2 bonus to perception checks to notice things (including hidden things, secret doors, and potential ambushes or danger). Additionally, if the PC is any kind of arcane spellcaster, they gain a +1 bonus to spell checks! Note that if anyone realizes the special gifts the PC has, particularly if they know of the PC’s faerie encounter, they will view the PC with extreme suspicion of potential witchcraft or heresy. 3. Lady’s Favorite: The PC became a favorite of an aging noblewoman. Whether the PC was a common serving girl, stableboy, or a young aristocrat, the Lady bestowed patronage and favors on the PC. She may or may not have had romantic intentions toward the PC, which may or may not have been fulfilled and would 17

certainly have been secretive and scandalous. The PC has moved on, and there is a 50% chance that the Lady has died since that time. If not, she will be quite old but may be called on for some favor (she has little in the way of authority, but she does have access to wealth and connections). If she is deceased, she will have left the PC a small inheritance, meaning that if the PC is below the noble social class, they will still have starting funds and equipment equal to that class. If they are of that class or higher, they will begin with that amount as extra funds. 4. Local Hero: The PC is already known for some brave act in their own home area. The GM and player should determine what the PC did. They may have done something as simple as saving a child from drowning or scared off a bear, or they might have played some heroic role in an ill-fated local rebellion or other possibilities. The PC will have favorable reaction bonuses among anyone from their local area, and people will be naturally welldisposed to give the PC information and assistance, as long as their action didn’t act against the personal interests of the NPC in question. 5. Lost at Sea: At some point, the PC was caught in a shipwreck or riverboat accident, their survival being considered nothing short of miraculous. The PC gains the sailing and swimming skills at +1, and potentially a phobia of deep water. 6. Prosperous Family: The PC comes from a considerably wealthier family than their social class would indicate. Through good fortune or craftiness, their family has reached the higher end of the economic scale for their group. The PC gets starting funds as though they belonged to one social class higher than their actual social class; if they are from the aristocracy, they begin with double their usual funds. 7. Renaissance Person: the PC has a very high level of education by standards of the time, whether self-taught or through education from a learned tutor or at a monastery. The PC will be literate in Polish and Latin and have a +1 in the following skills: law (choose either secular or religious), philosophy, mathematics, cartography, history, geography, astronomy, music appreciation, and theology. 8. Saved a Lord: The PC saved the life of an important Noble, possibly even a Magnate. How they did this is up to the GM to decide, with player input. The PC may have taken an arrow for their lord, dragged their badly injured sire through miles of woodland to get medical attention, or obtained rare herbs that saved the ailing lord from the plague, etc. In any case, the lord in question has promised the PC a single favor. Naturally, the quality of that favor depends on the reasonable expectations for the PC’s social class. It could be a letter of introduction, help getting out of a sticky situation, or (if the PC is remarkably unimaginative) a gift of money commensurate to the PC’s social status. It could also be a job or even some minor office. It will NOT be a major office, a large keep, marriage to his daughter, or anything like that, of course. 18

9. Spared by God: the PC was actually sentenced to death at some point for a crime they did or did not commit. Whether they were truly guilty is for the player to decide, but what matters is that the execution was in some way botched. It was the judgment of the lord in charge of the execution (possibly at the insistence of the gathered crowd) that it was the will of God (or the gods) that the PC’s life be spared. They were released, and now superstitious people of any class (more commonly the lower classes, but there are those of higher classes who are equally superstitious) will believe that the PC has some special rapport with the divine. Whoever ordered the PC’s execution may still be watching to see some new evidence of criminality or culpability. The PC’s great fortune grants them a +2 bonus to any “save or die” saving throw scenario. 10. Wildling: the PC, even if not of barbarian stock, spent the formative part of their childhood living in the wilderness. This could be for any number of reasons: their parents might have been outlaws, the child might have been kidnapped by barbarians (like the forest peoples), they might have been an orphan raised by a hermit, or have gotten lost in the woods and raised by some kindly woodsman before being restored to their family some years later. The PC will have, even years later, less training in proper manners and behavior and possibly a lower level of overall education than their social class peers. But they will also have a +2 skill bonus to wilderness survival (in the terrain they were raised in). They may also know local lore about a wilderness region (including the location of its ruins or other notable sites and knowledge about dangerous monsters found therein). 11- Owler: the PC was involved in a smuggling operation at some point. The PC will have a +1 bonus to knowledge checks regarding smuggling and a +1 bonus to reaction rolls when dealing with tax agents of the Crown. 12- Beer-Soused: The PC has a mighty taste for strong drink, and is a remarkable drinker. He can drink twice as much as most people without becoming drunk. He has a +2 bonus to saving throws related to resisting intoxication. However, he is basically an alcoholic; in situations that aren’t absolutely life-and-death, he will have to make a saving throw to resist having a drink when a drink is available. When he does get truly drunk, he’ll tend to black out and do very embarrassing things. 13- Gambler: The PC developed a talent and seems naturally skilled/lucky at games of chance. They will be familiar with various popular gambling games and have a +1 or equivalent bonus to any rolls involved with such games, even if they are pure chance. 19

14- Progress: as a child or youth, the PC spent considerable time traveling through the Kingdom’s main roads. This might have been as part of the retinue of a merchant caravan or that of a traveling royal or religious official. The PC will have a local knowledge/familiarity with most towns and cities on the main roads, granting a +1 to INT checks when applicable. 15- A fine horse: the PC somehow ended up with a horse of great quality. If the PC is a fighter, holy warrior, witch hunter, or Yotvingian, they can choose to either have a warhorse or a riding horse. Otherwise, it is a riding horse. They may have inherited it, tamed it in the wild, won it in a game, or received it as a reward. If the horse is a warhorse, it has a +2 morale; if it is a riding horse, it has +1 morale and has a movement rate of 5’ faster than standard. The horse is 3 years old at the start of the game. 16- Sense Weather: the PC has an uncanny knack for knowing if the weather will turn bad, when it will rain or snow, and if a storm is coming. This may be due to some old injury that acts up only when the weather turns, or it could be from their ties to nature, a strange supernatural event in their past, or just an odd quirk. They’ll be able to sense a turn in weather 1d8 hours before it happens. 17- Child Thief: Most likely from necessity, though perhaps for fun (if the character is of a high social class), the PC spent part of their childhood working as a little thief. They picked up a bit of the art of picking pockets from some other child thief. Regardless of class, they start the game with a +1 to pickpockets 18- Thief Catcher: You previously worked security, either on the street as a watchman or guarding a secular or Church facility. You get a +1 to perception checks based on vision. 19- Late Bloomer: The PC was developmentally delayed as a child. Regardless of how intelligent or educated they are now, they barely knew how to speak until they were well into school age. In their home, people will still think of them as a simpleton, whether or not that’s true now. This can modify reaction rolls appropriately: people won’t expect them to be capable of anything clever. 20- Natural Leader: Regardless of the rest of their charisma, there’s something about the character that inspires loyalty in others. All retainers, servants, or soldiers under their command will have a +1 bonus to morale (in addition to any other modifiers from charisma or otherwise). Events Subtable D (1d20) 1- Menagerie: The PC spent time studying supernatural monsters. They may have worked for a lord who kept a menagerie (zoo) of strange, wondrous creatures, studied under a sage monk who specialized in monsters or worked with a band of monster hunters. The PC has a +1 bonus to ‘monster lore,’ having a chance to identify and know some of the traits of supernatural monsters. 2- Fire Accident: The PC was trapped in a fire in childhood or youth. They survived, but the incident left them with a visible burn mark that causes a -1 to reaction rolls where physical appearance is a factor, and potentially with a phobia of fire. 3- Survived Lycanthropy: Your character was bitten by a werewolf, cursed with lycanthropy, but then miraculously cured (probably in the waters of a miraculous healing spring). People who know of this might still see the character with some sense of stigma, except for the very religious who might see them as saved by God for some purpose. The character still has 20

a special connection with wolves; they have a +2 to reaction rolls with them, and in most cases, wolves will not harm them (unless attacked). 4- Deformed: the character was born with a minor but notable deformity. It could be a cleft lip, a club foot, a curved spine, or some other sort of visible disfigurement. This deformity will cause either a -1 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma (if the GM wishes to be merciful, they could allow a +1 bonus to make up for it in either Constitution, Intelligence, or Wisdom). It will additionally cause a -1 penalty to reaction rolls in any situation where the disfigurement is judged to influence the reaction. 5-Heretical Parent: The PC’s father, mother, or both were heretics involved in a heretical cult. They were caught and slain (at least one of the character’s parents are automatically deceased), but the character himself was deemed too young to be guilty. Even so, the character will potentially be viewed with suspicion by anyone who knew of their parent’s heresy; this could be mitigated if the PC went on to become a Holy Man or Holy Warrior, but would likely be worsened if they were in a criminal career, or become a magician. The player should determine how their character was affected by this past history: are they ashamed? Do they go out of their way to try to embrace the Church to make up for their sire’s sins? Or do they resent the Church for destroying their family? 6- Famous Relative: A close relative of the PC (father, mother, grandfather, uncle/aunt, or older brother/sister) was very famous (at the GM’s choice, this relative could be already deceased unless they really want them to be alive). For characters of the peasant class, this is probably local fame (“the strongest man in the village,” “the local war hero,” “the girl who became a Holy Woman,” “the guy who killed a great bear,” etc.); for characters of higher social class, they are probably famous throughout the region or Kingdom. The PC may worship or resent their famous relative as they live in their shadow. For most people who have heard of their famous relative, the PC’s relation could grant them a bonus to reaction rolls, except if the person in question has a reason to dislike or resent their relative. 7-Arranged Marriage: the PC was married off by their family at a young age. They already have a husband or wife, and the responsibilities go along with that. Their spouse should be of the same social class, and the GM should determine them as an NPC; based on the spouse’s characteristics, it’s up to the player to determine just how well or badly their marriage is going. 8- Green Thumb: the character has always had a gift for plants and growing things. They get a +1 bonus to farming. 21

9- Tortured: The PC was horribly tortured at some point in their life. It might have been at the hand of the state or Church, or it might have been torture as a prisoner of war, or at the hands of criminals or barbarians. The horrific experience means the PC begins with 1 less hit point, but having survived, the experience means that their saving throw DC is reduced by 1. 10- Fraternity: The PC belongs to some kind of organization. This could be a membership in some religious brotherhood (or sisterhood) dedicated to a particular saint, a street gang in a particular city, a charitable association sponsored by merchants or nobles, an alumnus of a monastic school, a mercenary company, or perhaps they studied in the gymnasium of a famous swordsman, etc. They will have potential contacts from this group and (as long as they are in good standing) can expect some level of assistance or at least friendliness from fellow members. The player should decide if their PC is essentially ‘retired’ from active membership or if they are still actively involved in the organization. 11-Antiquarian: the PC had the opportunity to learn a great deal of lore about ancient relics, treasures, and magical artifacts. They may have worked with a trader in rare goods, studied under a loremaster, worked with a monastery’s chronicler, or had a powerful relative obsessed with rare objects. The character begins with a +1 bonus to Artifact Lore. 12- Plague survivor: The PC was infected with the plague in childhood or youth. They were one of the lucky survivors. There is a 50% chance the disease left them scarred, causing a -1 penalty to reaction rolls based on physical attractiveness. However, they gain a +2 bonus to saving throws versus disease. 13- Madness-Prone: the character is mentally unstable. This madness risks manifesting itself during periods of extreme emotional stress; the specific condition that can trigger madness should be determined by the GM and player, with possible triggers being things like the death of someone well-known to the character or a particular phobia (spiders, extreme dark, etc) or personal rejection, or failing at something important, or maybe just the full moon. When this condition occurs, the PC must make a saving throw to avoid going mad for a time (perhaps 1d4 days, though the GM might make it shorter or longer). During this time, the character is either catatonic, depressed to the extreme of total incapacitating apathy, or deliriously ranting. As a side effect of being touched by madness, the PC has a +1 bonus to save versus magic. NPCs who know about the character’s bouts of madness will likely be unfavorably disposed to them. 14- Lucky Charm: The PC has obtained an object, possibly through inheritance but maybe through some weird event, which they consider a lucky charm. It could be a literal talisman or some other object (clothing, ornament, or something similar to a rabbit’s foot), which should be quite old and have some kind of backstory. If the PC has the object on their person, they get a +1 to all saving throws. 15-Faction Loyalist: The PCs’ family are particularly devoted to one specific political faction in the Kingdom. In the lands of the Piast, this most likely means that they are either strong loyalists or strong opponents to the authority of the Piast Crown. The PC’s player should decide if they share this dedication or not. Regardless, unless the PC does things to make their rejection of this loyalism very evident, the family’s dedication is sufficiently well known that the character will automatically gain the trust of that faction and the enmity 22

of the opposite faction (for peasant or most villain characters, this would only apply in the local area the family is from; for richer villain families or knightly/noble families, this would be known throughout the land). 16- Occultist: Whether or not the PC is a magician, they have always had an obsession with magic. They learned quite a few things about it over time from whoever they had the chance to. The character starts with a +1 bonus in Occultism. 17- Prophecy: When the PC was still a child, a powerful Holy Man made a prophecy about them. They are destined to something: it might be that they must seek out some lost relic, confront some great evil, fight some terrible monster, or perform some other kind of holy deed. It could be very specific or vague and general; it is most likely a prophecy for good, but it might have a double meaning or implications of great tragedy. In all cases, it is the GM who determines the nature of the prophecy! In their local area, the PC’s prophecy is common knowledge, and they are treated with a certain amount of deference (but also possibly fear or wariness) on account of it. The player should decide how their character feels about this prophecy and whether they’ve embraced it or been trying to defy it or run from it their entire lives. 18- Divine Vision(s): the PC has had a miraculous experience of a divine vision from an angel, saint, or God himself. Part of these visions guided them in some of their life choices. Optionally, the player may wish to have the character still receive visions today, or it may have been a one-time thing. The player should decide if they told people about these visions. If so, they were likely scrutinized closely by the Church; depending on their social class and eventual character class, the conclusion of this inquisition may have been that the visions were potentially genuine (in which case the character would be highly respected by the Church, though still watched carefully for signs of heresy), inconclusive (in which case they may have told the PC not to share the details of these visions or preach in any other way to common people), or false visions (in which case they would have been forced to publicly recant them). Regardless, the PC is certain the visions were real. It is up to the GM whether the visions truly ARE real or are a product of some kind of mental illness or manipulation by some demonic force. Characters who know about the PC’s vision(s) would have modifiers to reaction rolls with the PC. Whether these modifiers are positive or negative would depend on whether the NPC believes the visions to be true, false, or evil. 19- Inheritance of Great Power: The PC begins with one randomly generated magic item given to them by a parent or other elderly 23

relative or mentor, with the caveat that they should use it well. 20- Escaped From the Faerie Realm: The character was either kidnapped or entered willingly into the twilight realm of the Fae and was trapped there for some time. When they escaped, even if they had only been there for a few days, weeks, or months, 2d100 years have passed. As such, their entire family might be dead, and everyone they knew gone or very old. Unless they are a Holy Man, they will probably want to keep this fact a secret from most people, as no one who has been to the Faerie realm will be seen as trustworthy and could be suspected of being a witch or monster. Being in the Fae Realm may have also left them with side effects; roll on the following table: 1d20 Side-Effects of Time in the Twilight Realm 1-9 No effects 10-12 Obtained a touch of “sixth sense” (+1 to perception checks) 13 Sees visions of the past (random, not controllable) 14 Has forgotten everything about what happened in the Twilight Realm 15 Sees visions of the future (random, not controllable) 16 Has forgotten everything about what happened in their life before entering the Twilight Realm 17 Can’t tell lies anymore 18 Can’t tell the truth anymore 19 Can only speak in rhymes 20 Has been followed by a fairy (probably a type of pixie) that will make mischief for him in secret Character Names For greater authenticity, it would be better for players to select or randomly roll a genuine Polans Slavic name for their character. At this time, only nobles had a last name, which was really the name of their clan (the Piast, for example). Commoners would usually have their name followed by their place of birth (“Dalibor of Brodno”) or by their professions (“Dalibor the Archer”) or in reference to a forefather (“Dalibor son of Bezprym”). Pronunciation: Players unfamiliar with Polish pronunciation should not be expected to worry about this topic too much. However, the two most important hints are that the letter j is usually pronounced as if it was a y (so the name “Jarand” would be pronounced “yarand”), and the pronunciations of the letters w & v are switched (so “Wolimir” would be pronounced “volimir,” and “Wojtek” would be pronounced “voytek”). 24

Furthermore, “cz” is pronounced as a “ch,” and “sz” is pronounced as “sh.” Among Polish pagans, the names of babies are often chosen by some form of augury, and sometimes, the meaning of their names is supposed to be in some way prophetic. Some of the names below are exclusively Christian names, which would only have become common in the last few decades of the setting. Polish Names, Male 1. Adoniasz 2. Becalel 3. Bezprym 4. Bogumil (dear to god(s)) 5. Boleslaw (destined to fame) 6. Bronislaw (defender of honor) 7. Chleb (‘bread’) 8. Czeslaw (hero of his clan) 9. Dalibor (‘safe from strife’) 10. Dobron (‘good’) 11. Doman 12. Gniewomir (anger & peace) 13. Jakub (Christian name) 14. Jan (Christian name, after John) 15. Jarand 16. Jaroslaw (powerful) 17. Jerzy (Christian name, after St. George) 18. Jutrowuj (dedicated to the dawn) 19. Kasimierz (destroyer of peace) 20. Kazuch 21. Kochan (beloved) 22. Konrad 23. Kutbert 24. Lech 25. Leszek 26. Ludomir (protector) 27. Maciej (Christian name, after St. Matthew) 28. Miecislaw (archer) 29. Mieszko (sword) 30. Mikolaj (Christian name, after St. Nicholas) 31. Milon (love) 32. Mir (peace) 33. Miroslaw (respected) 34. Modlisz (pray) 35. Nektariusz 36. Przemysl (thoughtful) 37. Racimir 38. Radoslaw (happy) 39. Radzimir (fighter) 40. Rasz 41. Siemowit (head of the household) 42. Slawomir (glorious) 43. Spirydon (weaver) 44. Stanislaw (famous) 45. Stylian 46. Swietobor 47. Tomislaw (troubled) 48. Trojan 25

49. Warsz 50. Wartislaw 51. Wieclaw (rich) 52. Wladyslaw (ruler) 53. Wlodzimierz (wielder of power) 54. Wojciech (joyous warrior) 55. Wolimir (peacemaker) 56. Wyrzbant (willow tree) 57. Zasz 58. Zbigniew (calm) 59. Zygmunt (victorious) 60. Zyroslaw Polish Names, Female 1. Astraja (star) 2. Barbara (Christian name) 3. Burneta 4. Czestobrona (protector) 5. Dajmira (giver of peace) 6. Druzjana 7. Elzbieta (Christian name) 8. Fedra 9. Jadwiga (warrior) 10. Jagoda 11. Jafra 12. Jagienka (little lamb) 13. Krasnuroda (fair) 14. Ladana (pretty) 15. Marusza 16. Marzanna (named after the goddess) 17. Mirogniewa (peace and anger) 18. Mirolada (peaceful) 19. Morzena (sea) 20. Najmila (heavenly) 21. Nektarija (nectar) 22. Olga 23. Piechna (beautiful) 24. Richeza 25. Rzepicha (turnip) 26. Skarbimira (treasure) 27. Styliana 28. Ursula (Christian name) 29. Wanda 30. Wislawa (grand) Polish Noble House Names These names are used only by the Polish nobility and are not the names of individual families but of houses (“dom”) of nobles connected to each other. Several local noble families might thus use the same house as their title. These families are often distantly related by blood, but not in all cases. Sometimes they are purely politically connected to each other. The title for a noble in Poland is “hrabia” (roughly equivalent to a count), and nobles will have a first name, a surname (often referring to their locality), and then a house name. For example, the Hrabia Radomir of Wislaw, House Abdank. 26

Nobles of the same house use banners with a common symbol, often an ancient rune of some kind. 1. Abdank: this is the house that are the descendants of King Krakus, of Krakow, who slew the Dragon Smok. They are still influential in the Vistula region around Krakow. Their banner looks like a stylized letter W, representing the Dragon. 2. Alabanda: This house is owned by Christian nobles allied to the Piast Crown. Their symbol is a horse head above a crescent moon. 3. Brochwicz: this house is based in Silesia. Its symbol is a red stag. 4. Ciolek: this house is based in the area around Sandomierz. Its symbol is a red bull. The members of this house have a reputation for violence and godlessness. 5. Doliwa: this house is based in Masovia. Its symbol is three red roses. Members of this house are said to have an excessive tendency toward drink and bribery. 6. Drogoslaw: this house is based in Silesia. Its symbol is an arch with an arrow pointing upward. According to legend, the house’s founder was a humble archer who, when his tribe was surrounded in battle by enemies, took up a fallen kinsman’s sword and charged the enemy, breaking their ranks and saving the day. 7. Gieralt: this house is named after the great Christian warrior Gieralt, a warrior allied to the Piast at the time of Mieszko I. Born a pagan when Mieszko converted to Christianity, Gieralt originally resisted baptism. It was only when he was chosen to escort an envoy to Rome and met with the Pope that his eyes were open, and he accepted baptism. His personal symbol was the black grouse, and on his return to Poland, he was granted authority of his own House, whose banner is the Black grouse over an eight-pointed cross with four suns on its points. He received this honor because he became the most fierce warrior of his time for Christianity, defeating many pagans and slaying a great number of monsters and witches. The members of his house continue to express fanatical loyalty to the Church and the Christianizing mission. 8. Groty: This house is based in Masovia, in the area around Brodno. Its symbol is three arrowheads. 9. Gryf: This House consists of descendants of the legendary Lech, founders of the Polans tribe. Because in Greater Poland itself, those descendants were of the house of the wicked King Popiel and were mostly wiped out, the surviving members of this House are mainly found in Pomerania. Their symbol is the Griffon. 10. Jastrzebiec: This is a new house created in 999. It is named after Jastrzebczyk, a warrior vassal of King Boleslaw the Brave, who became a hero during a battle against pagan forces gathered around Lysa Gora. The pagans challenged the Piast forces to choose a champion, representing the Christians, to fight their greatest pagan warrior. Jastrzebczyk, the son of a blacksmith, rode up the slope on a horse with horseshoes he’d shod himself. 27

He slew the pagan champion, and the King’s forces charged forward and defeated the pagans. In honor of his great deeds, Boleslaw rewarded Jastrzebczyk with his own House. Its symbol is a goshawk above an upwardpointing horseshoe with a cross inside it. The families of this house were settled in the Sandomierz area (near Lysa Gora) to rule and keep the peace over the pagan locals. 11. Kietlicz: a House based in Silesia, in the area around Legnica. They are said to be descended from three Slavic princes who were forced to flee from Bohemia when their lands were conquered and their family slaughtered. When they fled, their mother gave each of them a magical golden knot for their protection and so they would not forget their noble birth. Their banner is three golden knots. 12. Korwin: a House based in Masovia; the members of this house claim to be descended from a Roman general named Corvinus, who, in the time of Augustus, was the governor of the border area of the Empire closest to Polish lands. Their symbol is the raven. 13. Kur: This house is based around Lublin, founded by a clan of the same name. Members of the house are found in the Vistula and Masovia regions. Its symbol is the rooster, which the pagans consider a symbol of manly virtue. 14. Larysza: This house is based in Greater Poland, and it is the house to which the mother of King Mieszko I belonged. As such, they are very loyal to the Piast Crown. Their symbol is two plowshares. They claim to be one of the most ancient houses in Poland. 15. Leszczyc: This House is based in the northern part of Greater Poland and the southern part of Pomerania. As such, some of the members of the house are pagans, while others (most) are Christian. It is one of the oldest houses. Its symbol is a tent on four pillars. 16. Lis: a House based in eastern Masovia, they are known to be rustic and plain-spoken (mostly pagan) warriors who have fought many battles against the Yotvingians. Their symbol is the fox (“lis” means fox in Polish). 17. Labedz: A house based in the area between Krakow and Sandomierz, whose clans are mostly pagan. They are known to be peaceloving but resistant to any outside authorities. Their symbol is the swan. 18. Lada: This house is based in Masovia, in the area around Lublin. They are pagans, and this house’s clans worship a local war goddess known as Lada. Their symbol is a downwardpointing horseshoe with an arrow at either side. 19. Leliwa: this house is based in the Thorn Lands, the area south and east of Krakow in the Vistula region. Members of this house are found in other areas of the Vistula region, as far as north of Sandomierz. The members of this house have a reputation for being prudent to the point of caution and highly disciplined. Their symbol is the upward-pointing crescent moon with a six-pointed star above it. 28

20. Nalecz: This house is based in Greater Poland, and its members are all clans that were among the first to accept Christianity from Mieszko I. To those chiefs who embraced the new faith, the King rewarded them with land, and the symbol of that grant was his gift to them of a white scarf, the ends tied into a knot, symbolizing peace and unity. Thus, the men of this house use the knotted scarf as a symbol. 21. Nowina: This house is found around Krakow, Sandomierz and Lublin. It dates from pagan times; many of its members are still pagans. Their symbol is a cauldron and a broken sword. There is a related house further north, nearer to the border with Greater Poland, called “Nieczuja,” whose symbol is a tree trunk with a silver dagger driven into its surface. Many people of this house have converted, and in their banner, they have the handle of the dagger shaped like a cross. 22. Odrowaz: This house is found in southern Silesia and across the Moravia border. Its symbol is a mustache with an arrow pointing upward. The legend holds that the symbol takes its rise from the founder of the House, a Moravian warrior in the era where the Moravians controlled regions of southern Poland, who, in a duel, humiliated his defeated enemy by cutting off his mustache with an arrow. 23. Pobog: this house is based mainly around the area of the Bug River and areas south of it as far as the Vistula. The reputation of members of this house is that they are a combative and gruff people. Their symbol is the downward-pointing horseshoe, and as some of the clans of this house have relatively recently converted to Christianity, they distinguish the symbol by adding a cross above the horseshoe. 24. Poraj: this house consists of the Bohemian descendants of the family members of Queen Dobrawa, who married Mieszko I, and settled in Greater-Poland. They are loyal to the Piast Crown. Their symbol is the white rose. 25. Polkozic: this relatively new house was established in the time of Boleslaw the Brave, when a warrior named Stawisz defended a Piast fort against a pagan siege. Vastly outnumbered, he ordered that the men kill all the fort’s donkeys and goats and then smear the blood on ox hides to hang on the walls of the castle. The pagan attackers saw this as a sign that the fortress had so much meat that the Christians could afford to waste it and abandoned the siege. The symbol of the house is a donkey’s head. 26. Rola: A house based north and east of the Thorn Lands and as far north as Sandomierz. The house may have originated from a lesser branch of the lords of the Thorn Lands. They have a reputation for being straight-talking people with moderate tastes. Their symbol is three scythes surrounding a white rose. 27. Strzemie: this house is very recent, dating to the time of Boleslaw the Brave, when he campaigned in the Red Lands, accompanied by many southern warriors. The members of this house are found in the Vistula region, south of Sandomierz, and in parts of the Red Lands. The house originated when a brave but low-born warrior managed to kill an enemy who had fallen from his horse and set himself on the horse. 29

The enemy he slew had his leg tangled in his stirrup, so the warrior cut the stirrup off. An enemy charged the low-born warrior before he could reach his sword (as he was still holding the stirrup he’d cut). The low-born warrior responded to the attack by striking his enemy down with a stirrup blow to the head. Boleslaw rewarded the warrior’s bravery by giving him the rank of a chief and granting him the right to use the stirrup as his house’s symbol. 28. Szreniawa: This house is based in the border area of Greater Poland and Silesia, between Poznan, Wroclaw, and Kalisz. Its symbol is a swirl representing a river, originally the River Warta. The men of this house have a reputation for being gruff, disliking the finer arts (like music), but loving hunting and dogs. 29. Swinka: This is a very old house based in Silesia. It dates back to the time (300 years ago) when a warrior named Biwoj fought and slew a giant boar who was causing great harm in all the land. He delivered the head of that boar to the local queen, who rewarded him with her daughter’s hand. Their symbol is the boar’s head. 30. Topor: this house is based in the Vistula region, between Krakow and Lublin. This is one of the oldest houses in the region and is highly traditionalist. But the men of this house have a reputation for being both wise and energetic. The symbol of the house is an axe. 31. Traby: this house is widespread along trade routes, ranging from the Red Lands to Spicymierz. The men of this house are said to be honest but naive. The symbol of the house is three horns, each pointed in a different direction. This alludes to the pagan tradition that the range of a territorial grant extends to the limit of how far away one can hear the sound of a hunting horn. 32. Trzaska: this house is a very recent one, dating to the time of Boleslaw the Brave’s campaigns against the pagans. When the pagans around Lublin tried to attack the city, one of the King’s guards broke his sword in the midst of battle when an enemy surge threatened to overwhelm the King. In gratitude, the King gave the knight his own sword, and the warrior rushed forward to strike down many pagans but ended up breaking the King’s sword as well. Because of this, Boleslaw rewarded him with his own house, granting him land around Lublin and charge over the monastery next to that city. The house was named “Trzaska,” which means “a mighty blow.” Its standard is two broken swords, separated by a crescent moon. 33. Waz: this house is based in the areas of southern Greater Poland and the northern part of the Vistula region, roughly between Kalisz and Sandomierz. Its symbol is the snake, and its men are reputed to be both clever and vengeful. 34. Wieniawa: This house is said to originate from Moravian settlers in Silesia during the time that the Moravian Kingdom controlled that region. It is widespread, with clans 30

under this house operating throughout much of Silesia, in greater Poland as far north as Poznan, and in the northwest of the Vistula region. The house takes its rise from the time when a warrior named Wastek had accompanied a Duke of Moravia on a hunt, and the party was attacked by a huge wisent (a wild bison). Wastek, a man of great strength, wrestled the wisent by the horns, ran a stake of wood through its nose, and then beheaded it. The Duke granted him a reward of treasure and his own house. The symbol of the house is a wisent head with a stake through the nose. 35. Witk: A Pomeranian house. Their symbol is the three-leafed clover. 36. Zadora: this house is based between Krakow and Sandomierz. It was founded by German warriors from the Rhineland who had come to Poland as mercenaries. The men of this house are said to be bad-tempered. Their symbol is a lion’s head. 37. Zagloba: this house is based in Masovia, around the city of Plock. Its symbol is a downward-pointing horseshoe crossed with a saber. 38. Zerwikaptur: is a house based in Krakow and southern Masovia. Its origin dates to when its founder slew three enemies with one single sword-blow. The enemy clan used the goat’s head as its symbol, and so the symbol of this house is three goat’s heads. 39. Zlosz: This house is based in Pomerania, and they are pagans. Their symbol is an arrow with three feathers. 40. Zmuda: this house is based in Pomerania. Its symbol is the six-pointed star. Selecting Class Players can select their own class with the following guidelines: ² To play an Archer requires STR 7+ and DEX 9+ ² To play a Fighter requires STR 9+ ² To play a Holy Man requires WIS 9+ ² To play a Holy Warrior requires WIS 9+ and STR 9+ ² To play a Skomroszny requires CHA 9+ ² To play a Thief requires DEX 9+ ² To play a Witch Hunter requires INT 9+ and STR 9+ ² To play a Woodsman requires CON 7+ and WIS 7+ ² To play a Yotvingian requires CON 9+ Optionally, a GM might allow a PC to play a Pagan Magician, requiring INT 9+ (see appendices). 31

Note that by default, a PC will begin play as a 0-level character in that class. This means he will not yet have most of the special abilities of that class, which are only gained at level 1. The character is presumed to be young (or to have started his career late in life) and is, in essence, nearing the end of his apprenticeship period in that class. Level 0 Generation ² With very rare exceptions, every character begins as a level 0 character. ² 0-level characters begin the game with 1d6 hit points, modified by CON (Yotvingians get a further +1hp). ² Characters begin speaking Polish (Skomroszny also speak the Clever Tongue if they have INT 9+; Yotvingians speak Yotvingian, which is a Slavic language related to Lithuanian and thus has many common words with Polish. If the Yotvingian has Int 9+ he also speaks Polish). ² Characters speak one extra language for every +1 to their INT modifier. Suggested starting languages for the setting would be Latin, German, Bohemian, Moravian, Czech, Lithuanian, Danish, Kiev Rus, or Veleti. ² Much less common but potentially viable for magic users or holy men would be more distant, ancient or alien languages like Old Germanic (a language that only survives now in written form as runes), Greek or Hebrew, Frankish, or the language of Faeries, Nature Spirits, or Dragons. Combat bonuses: At level 0, PCs do not begin with any base combat bonus to hit opponents. Their melee attacks are only modified by STR, while ranged missile attacks are only modified by DEX. Saving Throws: 0-level characters start with a Base Save DC of 16 minus the value of their CHA modifier (to reflect whether or not God or Fortune favors you). For example, a character with a +1 CHA modifier has a base Save DC15, while an unlucky character with a -2 CHA modifier starts with a Base Save DC18. The Save DC is the number characters must equal or surpass to succeed in a saving throw. It is rolled with a D20 and usually modified by an ability score modifier (see the “Saving Throws” entry for more details). Alignment There are three alignments: Law, Neutrality, and Chaos. Lawful characters believe in civilization, law and order, justice, and the religion and religious hierarchy of law (and God, for Christians). Some Lawful characters will be kind, caring, merciful, and generous; others will be self-serving, cruel, violent, sadistic, or greedy (but none of these without respecting the fundamental rules of society or betraying the religion of law). Chaotic characters believe strongly in freedom and personal choice and do not place any great inherent value on authority; they may believe in God but will not always unquestioningly accept the authority of church officials. Again, some Chaos-aligned characters will be kind and 32

caring, while others will be cruel or wicked. Some Chaos-aligned characters will be drawn to the service of demons or witch-cults. Neutral characters are not strongly inclined in either direction. The vast majority of common humans are Neutral-aligned. Holy Men and Holy Warrior PCs must be Law-aligned. Skomroszny PCs cannot be Law-aligned. Characters of any other class can select any of the three alignments. Age and Appearance 0-level characters would be assumed to be starting out in life and relatively young. In medieval terms, they would be nearing the end of a period of apprenticeship in their chosen class. Thus, most 0-level characters would be somewhere between 16 and 22 years of age. Thieves, Yotvingians, and Skomroszny, could start out in the younger end of that spectrum, while Witch Hunters, Holy Warriors, and Holy Men who are priests or monks (both of whom require years of study) would likely be on the higher end. Characters can start out older than this if the player wishes. Such a character would either have had serious delays in his studies or have started his new path in life later than most. It is up to the player to select their age and general appearance. In the medieval period, most people were not very tall, and because of diet, this height varied according to social class. Average male height was around 5’8”, but most peasants would be a couple of inches shorter (and poor city-born folk shorter still), while healthy members of the nobility would likely be a couple of inches taller. These are just statistical averages; however, consider that King Edward of York was close to 6’5”! Any possible human height, from midgets to basketball-player-size, could be possible for a PC, but characters who are very tall or very short compared to the average will stand out and will generate reactions (and find things like disguise harder to achieve). In Poland, the native population is Caucasian, and any non-Caucasian would be an extreme rarity (though not completely outside of the realm of possibility). Polans are all fair-skinned, but people from southern Poland tend to be slightly darker-skinned. All natural hair colors and eye colors are present in the population. Many Polans tend toward red hair, as do other Slavs in this region, while this hair color is much less common among the Germanic peoples. Sex Characters should be able to play either sex; however, in a medieval-authentic game style, female characters would encounter many obstacles to play. It is recommended that the differences between the sexes not be completely ignored but that certain leeway be permitted to make female characters more easily playable. In the default medieval authentic setting, female adventurers are far less common than male adventurers but are not unheard of. There are women thieves of all social classes. Women can sometimes be fighters; in many tribes, there are stories of notable women warriors (though these are so rare as to be very notable). Likewise, there are women warriors among the Yotvingians. There can be women woodsmen or archers, and these are less unusual than women warriors. In the cases of all these classes, it would be considerably more unusual for a woman of these professions to belong to the upper classes. Women are less likely than men to take up the life of a Skomroszny, but it is not unheard of. Despite the name, Holy Men can also be women, though these could not be monks or 33

priests (nor would they be nuns if they were PCs because nuns live a cloistered existence only). A female Holy Warrior would be exceedingly rare but possible. The same is true of Witch Hunters. Family Worrying about determining the PC’s family is unnecessary in many games, but family may be important to some campaigns. The nature of the PC’s family can simply be determined by the GM, but if the GM wishes, a PC could generate their family randomly. If the GM wishes for the PCs’ families to be randomly determined, the GM can roll first to see if their parents are still alive: each parent is alive on 1-3 on a d6. To determine siblings, roll 1d12-1: these are the number of siblings the PC had. Subtract 1d8 from this number to determine how many are still alive; if the number rolled on the d8 is higher than the initial number, the PC was an only child. Based on the number of surviving children, the player should roll a die to determine the PC’s birth order randomly; for example, if 5 children survived, the player could roll a d6 to determine whether he was 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th born of the surviving children. Note, however, that a PC from higher nobility probably should only be allowed to start playing as the oldest male heir if you want to run a domain-level game.The player should also roll for each surviving child to determine whether they were a boy or a girl (50% chance). If the PC is the oldest male child, particularly if the father is already deceased, it would be assumed that normally, he would be in charge of the family and would be expected to provide for them. If the GM does not wish a PC’s family to be so involved in the game, he should either adjust the result so that there is an older male sibling, a living father (or step-father), or an uncle taking care of the family. Otherwise, contrive with the PC as to a reason why the PC either fled from or was rejected from his duty/ inheritance. 34

Starting Equipment Initial wealth for characters will vary wildly depending on social class. It can be assumed that characters who are of the lower social classes have a starting wealth that represents the entirety of their life savings; characters of a higher social class can be assumed to have extended families that have their own resources, and if the characters have a good relationship with their families, they may be able to appeal to them for financial assistance. Currency is rare in this setting, but it exists in the form of coins, usually mixtures of silver and iron. However, much of the common trade is based on barter, specifically with linen cloth (wherein a yard of common linen cloth is equivalent to about 4 denarii). The Kingdom of Poland has started minting currency called “Grzywna”; the Grzywna is the unit of a silver ingot, which has for some time been used in trade, shaped in the form of a long spike or nail, usually with a hole to tie together in bunches. Under Boleslaw the Brave, the Grzywna is the measure of silver of the Crown, and coins called ‘denarii’ (a Roman term) have been made from silver to represent them. 240 denarii make up one grzywna. Grzywna is abbreviated “Gr,” and denarii are abbreviated “dn.” Social Class Starting Funds Outcast 5d6 dn Servi 1d4 dn Chlopy 2d6 dn Kmiec 5d6 dn Grodnik, Poor 2d4 dn Grodnik, Rich 3d6 x 10 dn Rycerz 2d6 x 10 dn Szlachcic, boot 2d6 x 10 dn Szlachcic, landed 4d6 x 10 dn Szlachcic, magnate 3d6 Gr Note: all Holy Warriors, regardless of actual social class at birth, begin the game equipped as though they were of the Rycerz warrior class. Holy Warriors and Holy Men both begin the game with a cross. Yotvingians will begin the game with money as though they were one social class lower than their actual class, but are otherwise equipped as standard. Additional equipment: ² ALL characters begin the game with a dagger. ² Any character of Outcast, peasant (Chlopy or Kmiec), or Grodnik class will begin the game with a spear and padded armor if their class allows them to use it; if they so desire, they may also begin the game with a staff or a club. ² Any classes with at least 14dn to their name will begin the game with padded splint armor instead of padded. Any member of those classes with at least 20dn to their name 35

will also begin the game with a short bow and 25 arrows, but if their character class is Archer, they begin with a bow and arrows automatically. ² Any character of the knightly Rycerz class will, if they are a fighter, holy warrior, witch hunter, Yotvingian, or thief, already begin the campaign with a chain hauberk, a shield, and a sword of basic quality, as well as a riding horse. They can also sell off any starting items for one-half the listed market price in cash. ² Any character of the Szlachcic class will begin with a sword and a riding horse. If the character is a fighter, witch hunter, or holy warrior, they will begin the campaign with a chain hauberk and a shield bearing their clan insignia. If they have at least 120dn to their name, they can have a warhorse instead of a riding horse. In theory, they could sell any of their items for half the listed market price, but this would be quite a socially embarrassing scandal for the character’s family if it came to light that he was selling off the family heirlooms. For the full list of equipment, see the “Equipment” section. Skill checks In this game, you will not find a single defined list of skills. All skills (including actions based on bonuses granted by class background or race) are checked by rolling a d20 and adding an ability score bonus and the skill bonus, if applicable. The base difficulty check (“DC”) number that must be equaled or surpassed for success varies according to the difficulty of the task. The flowing can be used for guidelines when no specific Difficulty is indicated: ² For simple activities with relatively unlimited time, the Difficulty is DC10. ² For tasks that are challenging or have to be done within a time limit, the Difficulty is DC15. ² For exceptionally difficult challenges, the Difficulty is DC20. Some skill checks depend on opposed rolls when two characters are at odds with each other, for example, sneaking vs. perception. In such cases, both characters roll and add their bonuses, with the higher result succeeding. Note that at the GM’s discretion, most background skill checks can be attempted by characters with no actual skill bonus in the skill if it would make sense that such “untrained” efforts could be attempted. If they have at least a +1 bonus from the relevant background skill, characters making unopposed skill checks without any time restraints can choose to “take 10” (simply assuming they rolled a 10) instead of rolling the die. Characters attempting a check “untrained” must always roll the die. If multiple characters attempt to perform a single task, the skill check is only rolled by the character with the highest skill bonus. The character checking the skill gets an additional +1 bonus for each other character who is aiding the main character that has at least a +1 bonus (be it from the relevant skill or from an ability score or miscellaneous bonus). The GM decides how many characters can theoretically “help” in any situation. 36

Each class has a starting hit point value (granted in addition to 0-level HP, plus additional hit points thereafter), a starting combat bonus (bonus to hit), and starting saving throw bonuses. After that, characters roll on the benefits table at each level, including level 1. They can roll twice randomly or choose one single result nonrandomly. Bonuses to skills, attacks with specific weapons, spellcasting checks, etc., can all be applied to the same skill/weapon/spell more than once if rolled multiple times. Character Classes 37

Archer Requirements: Archers must be of an outcast, peasant, or grodnik social class. They must have STR7+ and Dex9+ Initial Bonuses: ² Hit Points: +1d8, modified by CON, at level 1. +1 per level thereafter (not modified). ² Combat Bonus: +1 ² Saving Throw bonus: 0 ² Special: Archers begin with an added +1 bonus to all ranged attacks. Archers also have a +2 bonus to repair and maintain one type of ranged weapon (bow, sling, etc). ² Archers add half their level (rounded up) to all melee and ranged damage. Archers add their level to critical hits only when doing ranged attacks. Archer Benefits Table (1d12) 1-2 +1d8 hit points (modified by CON) 3 Reduce Saving Throw DC by 1 4 +1 combat bonus (all) 5 +1 combat bonus with one type of weapon 6-7 +1 combat bonus with any one ranged weapon 8 +1 initiative 9 +2 to one type of saving throw (poison, area effects, magic, etc.) 10 increase maximum range with one weapon by 50’ 11 +1 additional bonus to hit when taking an aim action 12 +1 extra shot with ranged weapon type (only when attacking as a full-round action) 38

Fighter Requirements: The fighter can be from any social class and must have STR9+ Initial Bonuses: ² HP: 1d10 (modified by CON) at level 1, +2 per level thereafter (not modified) ² Combat bonus: +2 ² Saving Throw Bonus: 0 ² Special: When fighting multiple opponents of 1HD or level 0-1, Fighters can attack a number of opponents equal to his level (to the maximum of the number of opponents available within 10’ of him) each round as a full-round action. If one or more opponents in the area are of higher level/ HD, the fighter must choose to either use his special ability and not attack the higherlevel opponents or attack normally without the special ability. ² Fighters add half their level (rounded up) to all melee and ranged damage. Fighter Benefits Table (d12) 1-2 +1d8 hit points, modified by CON 3 Reduce Saving Throw DC by 1 4-5 +1 combat bonus (all) 6 +1 combat bonus with one type of weapon. 7 Horsemanship: +1 to maneuvers on horseback 8 +1 to parry with a shield when fighting defensively (partial or total defense). 9-10 +1 initiative 11 +2 to one type of saving throw (choose from poison, area effects, magic, etc.) 12 +1 extra attack with one type of weapon (only when attacking as a full action) 39

Holy Man Requirements: To play a Holy Man, the PC must have a WIS9+ and be of Lawful alignment. Types of Holy Man: A Holy Man can be a Priest, Monk, or a lay person. Contrary to the name, a woman can also be a “Holy Man” class, but they can only be a layperson, Holy Man. Priests and Monks have taken religious vows and are under the authority of the Church. They have taken vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity. They do not own personal property, but the Church is responsible for taking care of all their needs. Priests and Monks are exempt from taxes or tolls and can get lodging in any church or monastery (and would likely be welcome in any good Christian’s home or keep). Presumably, PC Priests and Monks would need to have been assigned by the Bishopric or their Monastery to serve a noble or the Crown or would be assigned to a particular region to spread the word of God. An entire PC party may be working for the Church, for example, as witch or monster hunters or even to assist in missionary work. In the monastery, a Priest or Monk PC could have been defrocked, which would give them the liberty of movement, but they would lose all the benefits of being in the Church and would likely cause negative reactions from most Christians. Layperson Holy Men are independent operators but do not have the same privileges. Their treatment by authorities or common people will depend on their legend or how well they present themselves as holy people. Obviously, Holy Men (or Women) of any kind are constrained to be Lawful in alignment and devout in their Christianity. This means they must follow very strict codes of Christian conduct in their own lives. They cannot steal, kill a Christian (except in immediate selfdefense), defile sacred places of the Church, congress with demons, or do anything else in opposition to the faith. They will not necessarily require that other party members have equally perfect conduct, but in most cases, they should not be present when their party breaks fundamental religious tenets. 40

Initial Bonuses: ² HP: +1d4 hit points, modified by CON, at level 1. +1 hit point per level thereafter. ² Combat Bonus: +0 ² Saving Throw: +2 vs. Magic ² Special: (see below) ² Priests: Priests begin with literacy in any language they know; if they do not know fluent Latin, they still know enough to recite all Christian rituals. They begin with a +2 in performance of religious ceremony (this includes an ability to repeat the religious language in ceremony, but not fluency in that language otherwise, which has to be taken as a language option if possible). They also begin with a +1 to Law (religious), Theology, and Court. They have the social benefits of being ordained members of the Church hierarchy. They do not begin with a free miraculous power but may gain it from the benefits table. ² Monks: Monks are fluent and literate in Polish, Latin, and any other languages they know. They begin with a +1 bonus to Law (religious), Philosophy, Mathematics, Cartography, History, Geography, Astronomy, Music, and Theology. They do not begin with a free miraculous power but may gain it from the benefits table. ² Layperson: Laypersons begin with a +1 in Theology. They also get a +1 bonus to reaction rolls when dealing with Christian servi, peasants, or grodniks. They also automatically begin the game with one random miraculous power in addition to their rolls on the benefit table. Miraculous powers (1d8) 1 Blessing 2 Dispel Sorceries 3 Divine Inspiration 4 Holy Light 5 Laying Hands 6 Sanctuary 7 Turn Undead 8 Vision SPECIAL: a Holy Man who has acquired all 8 basic miraculous powers will also be capable of directly appealing to the divine for assistance in the form of Divine Intervention. See the Miracles section in the following chapter for more information. Holy Man Benefits Table (1d12) 1-2 +1d6 hit points, modified by CON 3 Reduce Saving Throw DC by 1 4 +2 bonus to Theology OR +1 to any current skill 5 +1 to Medicine OR Apothecary OR 1 new Language 6 +1 to Demonology OR +1 Occultism OR +1 to any current Skill 7 +1 to Farming OR +1 Brewing OR +1 Cooking OR +1 Court 8 +2 to Save vs. Magic OR Disease OR +1 to another saving throw category (i.e., poison, reflex, area-effect, etc.) 9 +1 to-hit with one type of weapon (i.e., staff) 10-12 1 new Miraculous Power or +1 to Prayer Check for a current Miraculous Power 41

Holy Warrior Requirements: Wis9+ and STR9+, and must be of lawful alignment. The Holy Warrior is a Christian fighter pledged to God to spread Christianity and defeat the pagan enemies of the Church. Although many soldiers and knights would say, they are good Christian warriors loyal to the Church, the true Holy Warriors are rare individuals gifted with the blessings of the almighty in their noble cause. They are mainly dedicated to protecting Christians in regions of pagan influence but also often engage in fighting against monsters and pagan sorcery or witchcraft. Holy Warriors have sworn to dedicate their lives to God and the Church, and as such, they have forsworn lands or titles, personal wealth or comforts (donating 90% of any riches they obtain to the Church, excepting money spent for equipping themselves for service) or any of the sinful luxuries of the profane world. They will not take a wife or fornicate outside of marriage (though some Holy Warriors might have married or had children before swearing their lives to the cause). They will never sell their services or demand rewards for their acts, nor will they engage in mundane commerce of other kinds. Holy Warriors who become known for their deeds or who can demonstrate miraculous gifts are treated with enormous respect. Regardless of any former social class, they will be generally granted all the social honors due to someone of Rycerz knightly class (if they were not already of the noble class). They will typically be exempted from paying taxes or tolls and will likely be given free food or housing by the Church or any Christians who know their reputation or witness their power. Initial Bonuses: ² HP: 1d8 (modified by CON) at level 1, +2 each level thereafter (not modified) ² Combat Bonus: +1 ² Saving Throw Bonuses: +2 vs. magic ² Special: Holy Warriors get a +2 bonus to hit and damage against any enemies of the Christian faith. This includes any hostile pagans, any Christians who are actively defying the laws of God (criminals, heretics, or blasphemers, but not common soldiers or rebels unless they are attacking the Church or its properties), demons, and the undead. 42

Holy Warrior Benefits Table (1d12) 1-2 +1d8 hit points, modified by CON 3 Reduce Saving Throw DC by 1 4-5 roll to gain a new miraculous power OR a +1 to the spell check for any one power 6 +1 Combat Bonus (all) OR +1 to all melee and ranged damage 7 +1 to theology skill OR +1 to demonology skill OR +1 Horsemanship 8-9 +1 combat bonus with one type of weapon (e.g., long sword) 10 +2 saving throws versus magic, OR +1 to any other type of save (area effects, poison, etc.) 11 +1 initiative OR +1 parrying with a shield when fighting defensively 12 +1 extra attack with one type of weapon (only when attacking as a full action) Miraculous Power Table (1d8) 1 Defender of the Faith 2 Divine Blow 3 Divine Inspiration 4 Grace of God 5 Holy Light 6 Holy Weapon 7 Protector of the Faithful 8 Turn Undead SPECIAL: a Holy Warrior who has acquired all 8 basic miraculous powers will also be capable of directly appealing to the divine for assistance in the form of Divine Intervention. See the Miracles section in the following chapter for more information. ² When fighting multiple opponents of 1HD or level 0-1, Holy Warriors can attack a number of opponents equal to their level (to the maximum of the number of opponents available within 10’ of him) each round as a full action. If one or more opponents in the area are of higher level/HD, the fighter must choose to either use his special ability and not attack the higher-level opponents or attack normally without the special ability. 43