1. Pick a class.

barbarian-- tribe or horde
bard-- college of bards   TAKEN
cleric--order   TAKEN
Fighter: Mercenary company
paladin--order   TAKEN
druid--circle    TAKEN
mage--guild or university   TAKEN
monk--order   TAKEN
thief--guild or gang or bandits

BUT WAIT!

Will you be MOBILE, or STATIONARY?

barbarian: tribe or horde (based in a village, or migratory/on horses?)
bard: college of bards (based in a city, or roaming/wandering minstrels/performers?)
cleric: order (based in a city, or roaming/wandering clerics?)
Fighter: Mercenary company (based in a city, or roaming/travelling around?)
paladins or knights: order (based in a city, or roaming/travelling around?)
druid: circle (based in a particular section of forest/desert/whatever, or roaming around?)
mage: guild or university: (based in a city, or roaming/travelling around?)
monk: order (based at one location, or roaming/travelling around?)
thief: guild or gang or bandits (based in a city, or roaming/travelling around?)


2. Now that you know that, give the leader of your group a name (and other details-- species, gender ("no gender" or "both genders" also count as a gender), look, etc.

You start out YOUNG... unless you don't want to.


Young:
Health: +2
Respect: +1
Experience: 0

Middle-aged:
Health: +1
Respect: +2
Experience: +1

Older:
Health: -1
Respect: +1
Experience: +2

We'll circle back around to what these three stats mean later.


3. Choose two ADVANTAGES for your group: What does your group have?:

--The love of the locals OR some locals
--Your group is intimidatingly Unsettling OR Creepy
--You have a lot of money
--You have a powerful reputation
--You are well-equipped
--You are well-prepared (hideouts, favors, etc)
--You have a lot of discipline
--You are very good at being mobile-- if you had to move the whole group in a hurry, you could
--You are Well-Staffed (larger than average, like 30 people instead of 15)
--You have Legal Authority
--You have Edge (your people are psyched for anything)
--You have Bonhomie (band of brethren, united, high morale, zeal/fervor)
--You are Independent (you can delegate stuff to your group well instead of you having to supervise everything)
--You have Headquarters
--You have a useful Alliance (with an NPC group)
--You have useful Hangers-on (people who aren't actually part of the group but who will do stuff for it, like run messages, serve as lookouts, etc.)


4. Choose two DISADVANTAGES for your group: What does your group really LACK?:

--Love from the locals
--Money
--Rep
--Equipment (you might have stuff, but it's in poor repair...)
--Preparations
--Discipline
--Mobility
--Numbers (understaffed, barely 10 people)
--Legal Authority (might even have legal disapproval)
--Edge (your people are rusty right now)
--Bonhomie (desertion is a problem, low morale-commitment)
--Freedom (we have a demanding patron or owe one or more favors)
--Dependent (you can't delegate to them well)
--Headquarters
--Enemy Organization
--Hangers-on (you need people who aren't actually part of the group but who will do stuff for it, like run messages, serve as lookouts, etc.)


By default, your group consists of about 15 people (not counting you) with scavenged and makeshift weapons and equipment, and only moderate discipline.

Obviously, that sentence changes if you chose to have more or less people, or good equipment, or good or bad discipline...


5. Once you start playing... the GM will tell you about opportunities or other things that come up, and your group will deal with them.


Things that may happen: (GM may roll 1d20 IF he's undecided about what to have happen next):
1-8--You learn of a juicy target that will get you something you'd probably want (If undecided, GM might roll 1d12: 1-3 money, 4 magic, 5 supplies, 6 secrets, 7 monster, 8 business-establishment, 9 talented-person, 10-12 some other Advantage/Opportunity)
9-13--You learn of a dangerous threat (or a challenge of Honor)
14-16--You learn a rich and/or powerful patron is interested in you (could be good or bad)
17--Something magical is unleashed
18--You hear of a dangerous schism within your group
19--leadership challenge
20--You or someone has a divine vision (roll again to see what it's about)
--You have to get a new crew (this won't come up in rolls, this is the result of special circumstances)

YOUR MOVES:


FOR ALMOST ALL YOUR MOVES:
--IF YOU ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING BY YOURSELF (A.K.A. THE ALL-PURPOSE MOVE):
The GM will roll randomly amongst your advantages and disadvantages, and give you one of each. You will then roll 2d6, and add 1 point from the total for each advantage and subtract 1 point for each disadvantage. (Also, if need be, subtract 1 for each PC or NPC group who works against you.)
--10 or higher: The GM will either explain how you totally succeed and get something useful... or he'll let YOU explain how you totally succeed and get something useful...
--7 to 9: The GM will explain how you barely succeed... for now... but there's also a complication.
--6 or lower: It doesn't go well at all! You may lose an advantage, or gain a new disadvantage... or you might just have one or more of your crew die!!


(The All-Purpose Move is also used for Recruiting more members, but you can only attempt it after you lose people in your crew.)


--IF YOU ARE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING (A.K.A. THE ALL-PURPOSE MOVE) IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONE OR MORE PC ALLIES:
The GM will roll randomly amongst all of your advantages and disadvantages, twice. You will then roll 2d6, and add 1 point from the total for each advantage and subtract 1 point for each disadvantage. The GM will do the same for each ally group helping you. (Also, you will add 1 for each PC group who attempts to help you (maximum of +3).)
--10 or higher: The GM will either explain how you totally succeed and get something useful... or he'll let YOU explain how you totally succeed and get something useful...
--7 to 9: The GM will explain how you barely succeed... for now... but there's also a complication.
--6 or lower: It doesn't go well at all! Each of you may lose an advantage, or gain a new disadvantage... or you might just have one or more of your crew die!! (Not you personally, though.)


TO CLARIFY:

If you go solo, I will roll to determine which of your Advantages and/or Disadvantages affect the situation.

If you add more help, I will add THEIR Advantages and/or Disadvantages as randomly appropriate.

AND the roll will get +1 for each of them.

BUT... however the math affects the roll, the math will max out at +3. It may not REACH +3, if other people's Disadvantages start countering things, but the total bonus will never go ABOVE +3.




For Personal Challenge or Dangerous Schism: Depending on how you intend to solve it, roll 1d6 +1 die for each bonus you have (Health, Respect, Experience) (Note: the GM may tell you that one method is off-limits).
--If any die result is a 6: explain how you succeed in solving the problem in exactly the way you planned.
--If the best result was a 4 or 5: The GM will explain how you barely succeed... for now... but you'll need to consolidate your hold fast.
--If the best result was a 3 or lower: You're kicked out! The GM will give you the details... but in general, you'll have to spend years getting a new crew.

"What if I'm already getting elderly?" Two or three times every century, rumors arise about the existence of a Youth Potion... If you're getting elderly, maybe you should investigate any rumors you may hear along those lines...!
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:36, Fri 24 Sept 2021.