Artistry

The Artistry Skill represents the character’s ability in creative pursuits, such as making artistic works or performing for an audience.

When using Artistry to impress someone with creativity through performance or creating a piece of art, add Presence.

When using Artistry to remember important facts about the history of performance, famous poets and authors, or music, add Intellect.

When using Artistry to recognize an obscure art object, date an artwork, or detect a forgery, add Cunning.

Athletics

The Athletics Skill represents the character’s physical proficiency, from endurance running to tumbling and jumping.

When using Athletics to forcefully act, such as jumping, throwing, sprinting, or pushing, add Might.

When using Athletics to take precise action, such as balancing on a narrow space, performing gymnastic feats, or throwing a knife, add Dexterity.

When using Athletics to endure physical hardship, such as long travel between rifts, climbing, or falling, add Stamina.

Close Combat

The Close Combat Skill represents the character’s ability to fight at Close range.

When using Close Combat to attack bare-handed or with a melee weapon, add Might.

When using Close Combat to analyze someone else’s combat skill, add Intellect.

When using Close Combat to antagonize someone into tak- ing an ill-advised swing, add Manipulation.

Culture

The Culture Skill represents one’s working knowledge of a cultural subgroup, including the ability to analyze other cultures and blend in.

When using Culture to remember something culturally significant or understand a cultural cue, add Intellect.

When using Culture to blend into a social group, convince others of your character’s authenticity, or code switch with ease, add Manipulation.

When using Culture to impress others, show off, or make a compelling argument, add Presence.

Empathy

The Empathy Skill represents the character’s ability to understand and engage with people in varied social situations.

When using Empathy to calm or soothe another person or to give support to someone by listening to them, add Presence.

When using Empathy to discern someone’s emotional state, learn something about them, or understand their feelings, add Manipulation.

When using Empathy to stay calm in a high stress situation or defuse a tense situation within a group, add Composure.

Enigmas

The Enigmas Skill represents the character’s ability to understand and solve complex problems, puzzles, and high-level mathematics.

When using Enigmas to crack a code, solve a puzzle, or work out the solution to a complex problem, add Intellect.

When using Enigmas to craft a diversion, confuse an enemy, or set a trap, add Cunning.

When using Enigmas to understand complex social interac- tions, add Manipulation.

Esoterica

The Esoterica Skill represents a character’s knowledge about Kaos and other strange things in the world and the ability to apply that knowledge when necessary.

When using Esoterica to research a strange phenomenon, look up occult lore, or delve into a conspiracy, add Intellect.

When using Esoterica to recognize an occult symbol, discern a ritual based on its components, or recognize a specific Kaos spell, add Cunning.

When using Esoterica to perform an occult ritual, craft a conspiracy, or resist the effects of a Kaos spell, add Resolve.

Larceny

The Larceny Skill represents a character’s ability to perform sleights of hand and hide their misdeeds from others.

When using Larceny to hide an object or remain hidden, add Cunning.

When using Larceny to pick a lock, break into a space, or pilfer something without being noticed, add Dexterity.

When using Larceny to craft a disguise to fool others or to imitate another person, add Manipulation.

Leadership

The Leadership Skill represents a character’s ability to take authoritative action and get people to work together.

When using Leadership to command a group of people, get a disparate community to work together, or get the attention of everyone in a room, add Presence.

When using Leadership to exert authority over someone else or convince someone your character should have authority, add Manipulation.

When using Leadership to discern the social dynamics of a group, figure out who is in charge, or figure out a tough social problem, add Intellect.

Medicine

The Medicine Skill represents a character’s medical knowledge and capacity to treat wounds.

When using Medicine to perform first aid, patch someone up, or otherwise mend someone on the fly, add Cunning.

When using Medicine to diagnose an illness, recognize a rare disease, or determine the best medicine to apply in a situation, add Intellect.

When using Medicine to patch someone up, self-diagnose a problem, or otherwise try to treat your own character, add Composure.

Persuasion

The Persuasion Skill represents the character’s ability to get others to act.

When using Persuasion to make a compelling argument, either emotional or logical, add Presence.

When using Persuasion to lie, seduce, or trick a person, add Manipulation.

When using Persuasion to intimidate someone with physical prowess, add Might.

Pilot

The Pilot Skill represents a character’s ability to handle beasts of burden, ride an insect mount, or navigate long distances while riding in any sort of vehicle.

When using Pilot to perform a stunt or outrageous maneuver or navigating a mount safely through a dangerous environment, add Dexterity.

When using Pilot to use a boat, operate a complex vehicle, or to understand how to operate a vehicle your character has never seen before, add Intellect.

When using Pilot to win a race, navigate through a strange environment, chart a course while in the saddle, or keep a mount moving despite exhaustion, add Resolve.

Ranged Combat

The Ranged Combat Skill represents a character’s aptitude with weapons designed to be used at range.

When using Ranged Combat to shoot a bow, add Dexterity.

When using Ranged Combat to throw a weapon, add Might.

When using Ranged Combat to analyze an enemy’s capabilities, add Intellect.

Science

The Science Skill represents the character’s grasp of the sciences, from alchemy to geology, including using the scientific method.

When using Science to perform an experiment, research a new discovery, or investigate a non-Kaos phenomenon, add Intellect.

When using Science to recall the exact ingredients in an alchemical reagent, recognize a scientific principle, or discern the purpose behind a strange experiment, add Cunning.

When using Science to impress someone with your character’s knowledge base, converse with members of the scientific community, or explain an experiment to a layperson, add Presence.

Survival

The Survival Skill represents a character’s knowledge and ability to survive in uninhabited areas, deal with dangerous creatures, and forage for food and supplies.

When using Survival to track someone or something, hide your character’s tracks, forage for food or supplies, or stay hidden from animals, add Cunning.

When using Survival to stay safe in an extreme environment, resist deadly poisons, or muscle through a situation while wounded, add Stamina.

When using Survival to get the lay of the land, keep from getting lost, use a map, or find someone or something in a remote locale, add Intellect.

Technology

The Technology Skill represents a character’s ability to work with their hands and operate complex tools and relics.

When using Technology to understand a device or operate something the character has never used before, add Intellect.

When using Technology to fix a broken machine, repair a part, or craft a new device, add Dexterity.

When using Technology to do a quick fix without the proper tools or to craft a device without the right parts, add Cunning.

Intellect: Intellect covers a character’s raw computing power. It is used for deduction, problem-solving, and processing information.

Use Intellect when trying to recall specific facts, calculate the trajectory of an object, determine how to fix a broken ma-chine, find food and water in uninhabited caverns, or understand the principles of Kaos.

Cunning: Cunning covers mental tasks that require speed over power.

Use Cunning when trying to notice something hidden, understand a political situation, solve a riddle or puzzle, apply emergency medical care, or get away from pursuers in a chase.

Resolve: Resolve measures a character’s strength of will and resistance to trickery or mental pressure.

Use Resolve when trying to study evidence, search archives, move silently, follow tracks, resist persuasion, understand scientific theories, resist Kaos spells that would alter your character’s mental state, or stay focused under pressure.

Might: Might is raw physical power and brute strength.

Use Might when trying to forge a sword, lift or throw heavy objects, intimidate, punch someone bare-knuckled, swing a sword, or climb walls.

Dexterity: Dexterity covers motor control, fine movements, and hand-eye coordination.

Use Dexterity when trying to jump over a chasm, pick a lock, dance, walk over treacherous ground, maintain balance, shoot a bow, build a delicate machine, or impress people with physicality.

Stamina: Stamina covers how well a character can resist physical threats and endure physical pain, injury, and illness.

Use Stamina when trying to run long distances, continue in a fight despite injury, recover faster, meditate, resist physical damage from Kaos, or resist diseases or poison.

Presence: Presence measures a character’s ability to con- vince other people.

Use Presence when trying to give orders, influence another person, give a speech, interrogate a prisoner, sing, act, or train an animal.

Manipulation: Manipulation measures a character’s ability to fine-tune their social skills and to analyze social cues. The “hard sell” requires a high Presence. Intricate trickery requires Manipulation.

Use Manipulation when trying to manage people, lie con- vincingly, perform sleight of hand, notice social cues, or seduce someone.

Composure: Composure measures a character’s ability to resist social manipulation. It measures a character’s ability to remain calm when being interrogated by the town guard or make sure that negotiations go their way.

Use Composure when trying to resist manipulation, stay firm under pressure, remain calm during an emergency, cut through guild bureaucracy, notice deception, or resist Kaos spells that would alter your character’s emotional state.

Aggravated Wound

The character has a grievous wound that puts them on death’s door. If the character fails an action while under the effect of this status effect, they immediately drop to Near Death, no matter how many Injury Levels or injuries they have left. Antagonists with this status effect drop to a remaining injury instead.

Resolution: The character benefits from first aid, uses an appropriate power, or falls to Near Death.

Agony

The character is suffering excruciating pain from a wound. They took damage from a weapon made to hurt more than to slay. All actions are made at +1 difficulty for the remainder of the scene.

Resolution: The character benefits from first aid.

Bleeding

The character is bleeding out from a wound or suffering in ternal bleeding. All physical actions come with a Minor Complication that, if not bought off, deals 1 injury to the character.

Resolution: The character benefits from first aid or falls to Near Death.

Branded

The recipient of this status effect has been marked with Kaos energy, making it easier for pursuers to track them. Any creature who knows the brand gains 1 Intellect Advantage on rolls made to track or locate the character, creature, or object. The creator of a brand determines the brand’s appearance, always knows the brand, and can share that knowledge with others through a brief verbal exchange.

Resolution: This status effect ends when the target is destroyed or if the brand is removed through a Sorcery that ends this status effect. A target may only be Branded by a single source at one time. If the target receives the Branded status effect a second time, the first Branded status effect ends.

Burning

The character has been set on fire, either from being in a burning area or from a Kaos source. The character takes 1 injury at the end of their turn until this status effect resolves.

Resolution: The character spends their action on their turn putting herself out, or someone else spends their action for them.

Confused

Something has bamboozled the character and left him unable to process his environment fast enough. His reaction time slows, and he cannot keep up with the action. The character suffers +1 difficulty to actions requiring thought or mental acui ty (such as presenting an argument, searching for clues, making a precise shot, or casting Sorceries). This reduces the Complication from any antagonist Special Rules by one step to a minimum of Minor.

Resolution: The character must spend his turn reorienting himself to shake the Confused effect. Otherwise, this status effect resolves at the end of the scene.

Crestfallen

Due to extreme sadness, malaise, guilt, or fear, the character is socially overwhelmed. All social actions against the character gain 1 Social Advantage.

Resolution: This status effect ends when the character gains the Refreshed status effect.

Dazed

The character has suffered a shock that leaves them with a heady sense of disorientation. The character cannot perform more than a single simple action or two reflexive actions each round until this status effect is resolved.

Resolution: The Dazed status effect wears off as time passes: 2 rounds if the effect that applied it was a Minor Complication, 3 for Moderate, and 4 if it was Major. The effect resolves sooner if the character benefits from first aid.

Deprived

Your character has not eaten anything substantial or drank in a long while. All actions suffer a +1 difficulty until this status effect resolves.

Resolution: The character eats or drinks something.

Disgraced

Your character’s reputation is tarnished because they failed their community or settlement in a significant way. Everyone who witnesses it shifts one step negative in attitude toward them. If they were already negative, this just reinforces their bad opinion.

Resolution: The character must spend time to restore their reputation.

Exhausted

The character has been awake too long and is running on fumes. Either that or she’s been under extreme duress or affected by a Kaos beast that’s put them into a dreamlike state. Whatever the cause, the character suffers a Moderate Complication on all actions until they go to sleep. Failure to buy off the Complication results in the character hallucinating, experiencing short-term memory loss, or being affected by another appropriate status effect. Antagonists cannot activate more than one Antithesis next round on failure.

Resolution: The character rests for eight hours or three scenes.

Exposure

The character has been exposed to extreme heat, extreme cold, or a supernatural extreme that has left him fighting for his life. All Complications cost one more hit to overcome. Minor Complications require 2 hits, Moderate require 3, and Major require 4.

Resolution: The character receives first aid, or the effect fades after two scenes of leaving the area where the character gained the status effect.

Fabulist

You’ve been caught out in a lie. Choose one: the target holds the lie against you and creates a 1 step bond of animosity, or he accepts it this time and gains +1 Advantage to resist attempts to lie to him for the rest of the scene.

Resolution: Only time or the truth will restore his faith in the character.

Fast-Acting Toxin

The character has encountered a toxin either through ingestion, injection, or contact. This status effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to one plus any additional hits garnered on the action roll spent to inflict the poison or the environmental toxin’s rating. For each round it persists, it inflicts 1 injury to the target.

Some fast-acting toxins are soporifics, may paralyze their target, or deal any number of other unusual effects rather than injuries. Instead of dealing injuries that persist over time, this toxin afflicts the target in the same round it’s applied.

Poisons can be administered as part of a normal attack or placed in food or drink. In the case of someone attempting to poison their target’s food or drink, make an opposed Larceny action against their action to notice.

Resolution: The character can attempt to overcome the poison by dedicating a simple Survival action, or the time lapses.

Flush with Kaos

The character has entered a high wild Kaos area or been exposed to Kaos long enough for it to cling to them. Gain a +1 Enhancement on all attempts to tether Wild Kaos.

Resolution: The effect fades when the character leaves the area or at the end of the scene, whichever comes first.

Gaseous

A gaseous character’s body has become smoke, vapor, or a cloud of mist. While in this state, they have 2 Durability Advantage against incoming attacks. The character can’t initiate any attacks other than Close Combat. When using Close Combat while gaseous, a character can only purchase Combat Tricks but cannot inflict any damage. When a gaseous character purchases a Combat Trick, they become tangible again. A gaseous creature can move through gaps as small as 1 millimeter, moving at their normal walking speed.

Resolution: If the character chose to become gaseous, the status effect lasts for the duration described in the power that inflicted it or whenever the character chooses to end it using a Survival or Esoterica action (difficulty 2).

If the character was gasified against their will, the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus any additional hits garnered on the action roll spent to inflict the gasification. Restoring gaseous characters to solidity required a Medicine or Esoterica action (difficulty 3).

Grappled

Your character is held in a grapple and must take actions to attempt to maneuver, and they cannot take Defense actions against their attacker. This includes a reflexive action to increase their Defense. You may purchase the following Tricks on attacks against your character’s opponent.

Overwhelm (2 hits): Gain control of the grapple. Resolve this status effect and apply it to your character’s opponent.

Disengage (1 hit): You leave the grapple. Resolve this status effect.

Resolution: Purchase either the Overwhelm or Disengage Trick, or someone else breaks up the grapple.

Guilty

Your character feels guilty for her actions and believes she must atone for her misdeeds. Every time your character takes an action that is not in the effort to atone, she suffers a Minor Complication. Failure to buy off the Complication increases her attitude toward the person or institution she feels guilty about. If the attitude is already positive, she forms a new bond of sympathy at 1 point toward the character or increases an existing bond by 1 step.

Resolution: The character buys off the Complication, successfully atones, or at the end of the session.

Immobilized

The character is stuck in place and cannot move. This may be because they’ve been tied up, injured, trapped in mud, etc. They cannot take any movement actions predicated on physical movement (teleportation is permitted).

Resolution: The character spends an action freeing herself from whatever prevented her movement.

Infected

The character struggles against an infection. Whether mystical or biological, the infection devours them from within and can lead to a terrible demise unless stopped. The infection starts at 1. Each round thereafter, the target must overcome a Moderate Complication on any physical or mental action. Failure to buy it off increases the infection rating by 1 step. If the infection rating reaches 5, the target gains the Taken Out status effect or a similar devastating status effect, depending on the nature of the infection.

Resolution: The character benefits from medical or occult aid.

Insensate

This status effect applies when people are struck (or, more rarely, operated on) by a deep stone weapon. Though the damage remains the same, the character cannot feel it (and may not notice it) and gains no Path Skill dice due to dropping Injury Levels, nor does pain act as a distraction or compulsion for any reason for this character. If under this status effect, a character cannot gain the Agony status effect, and they lose it if they already suffered it.

Resolution: The character benefits from first aid, or the scene ends.

Inspired

Your character has been inspired to act by another. Gain +3 Enhancement when taking the action that the inspiring character dictated.

Resolution: This status effect resolves after the character takes the action dictated.

Kaos Locked

The creature, object, or area is under the persistent effects of a Kaos Sorcery. The Sorcery cannot end while the Kaos Locked status effect remains. Once the Kaos Locked status effect is applied, it can’t be applied again until the original effect and the Kaos Locked status effect both end. Some powers can be added to an existing Kaos Locked status effect by spending 2-4 hits on an additional Trick, as detailed in the Sorcery’s description.

Resolution: Many Sorceries that impart this status effect have specific resolutions included in their descriptions. If none of those are met when the story ends, this status effect is resolved. If no resolution condition is listed, this status effect persists until the end of the story.

Kaos Warped

Imbued with raw Kaos, corrupted by terrible affliction, or cursed through arcane methods, the character’s body rebels against them. This status effect lasts for rounds equal to one plus any additional hits garnered on the action spent to inflict it. For its duration, the character suffers a Major Complication on all actions. If not bought off, the character loses access to their Theses, Syntheses, and Antitheses on their next action.

Resolution: The character can attempt to overcome the effect by dedicating a simple Survival action (difficulty 2), or the time lapses. Other characters can likewise end the status effect with a Medicine action (difficulty 2).

Liquified

A liquified character’s body has become viscous fluid. While in this state, they have 2 Durability Advantage against incoming attacks. The character can’t initiate attacks other than Close Combat. When using Close Combat while liquified, a character can only purchase the Knockdown/Trip Combat Trick. Even Universal Combat Tricks are denied to them. When a liquified character purchases Knockdown/Trip, the target falls onto the character. Depending on the nature of their form, such contact may cause additional injury or inflict status effects.

A liquified creature can move through gaps as small as 1 millimeter and may slide across floors or down walls or stairs at will, moving at their normal walking speed. A liquified creature cannot gain the Grappled status effect.

Resolution: If the character chose to become liquified, the status effect lasts for the duration described in the power that inflicted it or whenever the character chooses to end it using a Survival or Esoterica action (difficulty 2).

If the character was liquified against their will, the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus any additional hits garnered on the action roll spent to inflict the liquification. Restoring liquified characters to solidity requires a Medicine or Esoterica action (difficulty 3).

Petrified

The character was exposed to a freezing effect and risks turning into a solid block of inert matter. This status effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 plus any additional hits garnered on the action roll spent to inflict the petrification. For its duration, the character suffers a Major Complication on all actions except tethering Wild Kaos. If not bought off, the character’s Physical Attributes are reduced by 1 until each round until the status effect ends. Should they all reach 0, the character turns into an inanimate statue until they receive help.

Resolution: The character can attempt to overcome the effect by dedicating a simple action using Survival or Esoterica at difficulty 2, or the time lapses. Restoring a petrified character’s physical Attributes requires a Medicine or Esoterica action at difficulty 2, or they restore at the end of the session.

Refreshed

The character has finished a Kalm in a restful manner or has eaten and drank multiple times in a day and is ready to take on the world. Gain +1 Enhancement on all actions until this status effect ends.

Resolution: This status effect ends after the character has taken their third action or after the first session of adventuring, whichever comes first.

Senses Occluded

The character’s senses are dampened by a magical effect. All the character’s senses are dulled, making it difficult for her to act normally. Any action that would require her senses to perform, such as communication, defending against an attack, attacking someone, or keeping her balance suffers a Complication. If not bought off, the character risks taking an injury, miscommunicating, losing important information, falling prone, or attacking the wrong person as is appropriate to the action. The severity of the Complication is determined by the effect that imposed this status effect.

Resolution: This effect wears off as time passes. Two rounds if the effect that applied it was a Minor Complication, three rounds for Moderate, and four rounds if it was Major.

Slowed

Something has caused the character to move at a reduced rate. They might be swimming through water, walking through snow drifts, or under the effects of a magical spell. While suffering from Slowed, the character must use a simple action to move and cannot take the run or rush actions.

Resolution: The character leaves the area causing the effect, or the magic that applied it wears off.

Slow-Acting Toxin

The character has encountered a slow-acting toxin, such as a venomous bite or food that has gone bad. In the scene in which the character encounters the toxin, they suffer a Minor Complication on any physical action. If it isn’t resolved within the first scene, the Complication increases to Major and applies to all actions. Failure to buy off the Complication can result in suffering 1 injury, one of the character’s limbs locking up, full body paralysis, and/or delirium. The consequence depends on the type of toxin.

Resolution: Within the first scene, if the character removes the toxin or has an antitoxin administered, this status effect resolves. Otherwise, the status effect resolves after the character buys off the Complication on two subsequent actions or at the end of the game session, at Storyguide discretion.

Stunned

The character is frozen in their tracks. They either took a great deal of damage or suffered a great shock. All actions suffer a Moderate Complication, and failure to buy off means the character can only take a single reflexive action on their next turn. The Complication remains in place until bought off or resolved as below.

Resolution: The character benefits from first aid, succeeds in overcoming the Complication, or the scene ends.

Taken Out

Any time your character would take an injury, you may choose to have the character Taken Out instead. The character does not take any more actions and is removed from the fight.

Resolution: The combat scene ends, or the character benefits from an appropriate action to restore her (such as a healing spell for damage, or suffering damage while asleep).

Taxed

The creature’s connection to Kaos is interrupted. If the affected party is a player character, they gain no Enhancements when manipulating Structured or Wild Kaos, and all costs detailed under Additional Tricks on a Kaos Sorcery are doubled. If the affected party is a Storyguide character, the character who initiated this status effect can remove a number of Antithesis uses equal to the number of hits scored when causing this effect.

Resolution: Circumstances that impart this condition may have specific resolutions included in their description. If none of those are met, or no such conditions are listed, this status effect is resolved at the end of the scene.

Terrified

Your character is so afraid of someone or something that they can’t help but try to run away from it. The character suffers a Moderate Complication on any action they attempt that does not involve running from the object of their terror. If they fail to buy off this Complication, they must spend their next action making a full move away from the source of their fear.

Resolution: The character moves beyond Long range of the source for longer than a single round, or the scene ends.

Unexpected Favor

Your character owes a favor to be completed in the future. The nature of the favor is determined by the player of the character, but it must be something the character is reluctant to do. It could be anything from carrying an unhappy message (making them the reluctant bearer of bad news) to training someone’s pet. Until your character performs the favor, the person they owe has 1 Social Advantage in interactions with them.

Resolution: The character undertakes the task.

Crowded (Minor)

Bodies press in on all sides as a sea of humanity moves back and forth through limited space. Apply this Complication to any attack action and any rolled movement action unless the character can fly or has otherwise unerring aim. In an influence scene, apply this Complication to all Social actions involving speech unless the character has a way to communicate directly or nonverbally (such as using sign language or telepathy).

Consequence: If not bought off on a movement action, the character risks getting lost, turned around, or pushed into another range band rather than their desired destination. If not bought off on an attack action, the results of any purchased Tricks are applied to a target or piece of scenery chosen by the Storyguide in the same range band.

Alternate Influence Consequence: If not bought off, someone important overhears the conversation, the target gets the right idea but misinterprets important aspects, or the intended target can’t hear at all — the Storyguide chooses another character in the scene to be the target of the social action instead.

Darkness (Minor)

The area is pitch black. This might simply be happening in a darkened cave, or a Kaos effect could plunge everything into darkness. Apply this Complication to any actions involving movement (such as sprinting) or determining range (such as Ranged Combat attacks) unless the character is unaffected by darkness. In an investigation scene, apply this Complication to attempts to search for clues. Note that while the phenomenon known as “the Dark” always applies this area effect, a place having this area effect doesn’t automatically make it a part of the Dark.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character takes an injury, falls prone, or strikes a different target than the one they declared.

Alternate Investigation Consequence: If not bought off, the character receives one piece of misinformation (in addition to any genuine clues they may have located).

Demolished (Moderate)

The ground is strewn with large debris, either broken earth, the rubble of a structure, fallen giant fungi, or something Kaotic. Moving through the area is difficult at best, and sightlines are obscured. This Complication applies to all actions to move or make attacks at range.

Consequence: If not bought off on a movement action, the character risks taking damage or falling prone. If not bought off on an attack action, the terrain acts as heavy cover. Once the terrain has absorbed 10 damage from any source, this area effect resolves.

Extreme Temperature (Major)

Whether the frigid lands of the deeper dark or the intense heat created by a magma flow, the Area suffers from extreme temperatures. When applying this to an Area, choose Heat or Cold, as appropriate. This Complication affects all physical actions taken in the Area, unless the characters have taken specific Survival-based precautions, have protective gear, or have some kind of immunity.

Consequence: If not bought off, it inflicts the Exposure status effect.

Extreme Weather (Major)

Be it high winds, driving rain, or a blinding blizzard, the Area is immersed in a weather event that makes actions difficult to perform. This Complication applies to all ranged attack actions, Pilot actions during chase sequences, and movement actions requiring a roll, unless the character has immunity to reduced visibility or environmental conditions. It also includes close combat attacks and can be ignored if the character has specific immunities or abilities.

Consequence: If not bought off, characters who complete a rolled movement action or Pilot actions risk being unable to take another move action, being knocked prone, falling, or being pushed into another range band as they have been knocked off balance or must hunker down. Characters also risk gaining weather-related status effects. Characters risk their ranged attack or projectile targeting another character or object in the Area rather than their intended target.

Flooding (Major)

Water (or magma, or acid, or a slime mold) pours in from all sides of the Area, filling every available inch and rushing higher and higher with every minute that passes. Characters must stop the flooding or flee the Area before becoming completely submerged. This Complication applies to all physical actions (including attacks) as well as Science or Technology actions to shore up the source of the flooding.

Consequence: Characters who do not buy off this Complication risk gaining appropriate status effect or injuries, losing important weapons, equipment, or other items, or facing increased difficulty as they must now contend with the deep liquid.

Fortified (Moderate)

The Area has sturdy, defensible structures, granting an advantage to defenders and making life difficult for the attackers. Fortified might also cover an area strewn with a large amount of cover or other obstructing terrain. This Complication applies to all ranged attack actions or demolitions actions using Science or Technology.

Consequence: Failing to buy off this Complication results in ranged attack actions targeting the scenery in addition to (or instead of ) the character they intended to target. Failing to do so on a demolition action risks the shockwave of the explosion backfiring on the user, resulting in appropriate injuries.

On Fire (Minor to Major)

Flames lick at the walls and floor and rise higher and higher for every moment the characters spend in the Area. If the characters remain in the burning Area for more than a single round, the Complication’s value increases from Minor to Moderate. In subsequent rounds this increases from Moderate to Major. This Complication applies to all actions taken in the Area, unless the character has immunity to fire or environmental conditions. This area effect can also be applied to corrosive mists, acidic lakes, and similar.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks a status effect, taking injury or permanent damage to their items and equipment.

Outland (Minor to Major)

Your character is in the dream and nightmare zone known as the Obscura. Kaos here is even more unpredictable as dreams warp and twist their surroundings. The severity of the Complication represents how deep in Obscura they are. The edges are Minor, the interior is Moderate, and being within the vicinity of a Kaos portal is Major. This Complication applies to attacks using Structured and Wild Kaos. If a Sorcery or manipulation of Kaos is not an attack action, you must roll against a difficulty of 0 and apply this Complication.

Consequence: If not bought off, Kaos interacts with the Obscura in unpredictable ways beyond Kaotic Retaliations. The casting might affect another target, create an appropriate area effect, or create another entirely unrelated effect, at the Storyguide’s discretion.

Overgrowth (Minor)

Fungal growth chokes the area, making movement or observation extremely difficult. This flora might be the result of natural progression or may have been accelerated by Kaos. Apply this Complication to ranged combat actions, sensing actions involving line of sight, or movement actions requiring a roll.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks becoming entangled in mushroom tendrils with the Immobilized status effect, being unable to make additional movement actions or attack actions after completing an otherwise successful action. Characters might also risk illness or poison status effects from being exposed to toxic spores or poison from the fungus.

Overstimulating (Moderate)

An overstimulating space creates a constant barrage of stimulation that is distracting. It could be a crowd of loud people, the roar of an underground waterfall, the incessant noise of a droning insect, or the visual assault of too-bright colors or lights. Any place that creates distraction from easy conversation qualifies.

Consequence: If not bought off during an influence scene, important information may get lost in the background as the character struggles to process information. In an investigation scene, a character may be unable to acquire additional clues, as they are too overwhelmed to notice. In an action scene, characters might become distracted or overstimulated, causing them to drop their weapon or aim at an incorrect target. If focused on one person, the target must escape or take the Senses Occluded status effect.

Quaking (Moderate)

The ground is shaking, and rocks crash down from the cavern ceiling above. The area your character is in is under the effects of an earthquake, ground shake, or site of an opening fissure that makes the world unstable. This Complication applies to any attempt to movement actions that require a roll and combat actions made in the area.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks taking an injury, falling prone, or not being able to make additional move actions after successfully completing their action.

Ruined (Moderate)

The Area is in absolute disrepair—whether from age, intentional destruction, or other reasons. Any information present in the scene is incomplete or partially destroyed, making the task of piecing together clues or tracking details an uphill struggle. This Complication applies to all investigation actions to discern details or follow clues.

Consequence: If not bought off, characters can’t use evidence as Enhancement toward finding the next lead. They might also find red herrings or other data that leads to places other than their intended direction. This can potentially uncover more than the searching character bargained for.

Secured (Minor)

The information the character seeks is on heavy lockdown—trapped in a vault or hidden away in secret library stacks. It might also be encoded or encrypted into something physical, such as sewn into the fabric of clothing, hidden in the pattern of a hairstyle, or written in minuscule print around the margins of a book’s page. This Complication applies to the analysis, searching an archive, and research actions.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks further access being cut off for future actions as they destroy the evidence, alert someone to their presence, or otherwise lock themselves out of the secured area. Additionally, they may risk getting caught or leaving behind evidence of their attempts at investigation.

Sinking (Major)

Whether trapped in quicksand, thick mud, tar, or a vessel plunging into the depths of the ocean, the Area is rapidly submerging, and the characters must struggle to escape. This Complication applies to all actions involving physical activity (including attacks) as well as Pilot actions to control a vehicle or mount moving through sinking terrain or to try to salvage a sinking vehicle or mount.

Consequence: If not bought off, characters risk being unable to move or make additional attacks after completing an otherwise successful movement or attack action, losing important equipment or items to the quagmire, or gaining an appropriate status effect.

Social Code (Minor)

From a secret covenant meeting to a meeting of the leaders of a rift, characters in the scene are expected to behave a certain way. This Complication applies to social actions made in the Area, unless the character is a member of the group and understands the social code.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character makes a faux pas or otherwise reveals himself as an outsider, resulting in a negative shift in attitude. If this would reveal the character as an infiltrator (and not simply just an outsider), characters in the scene may become outright hostile.

Suffocating (Moderate)

The area fills with smoke, spores, acidic fog, or some choking substance that suffocates you. This Complication applies to all attack actions or any other actions involving strenuous physical movement unless the character does not need to breathe or can hold their breath for an extraordinary amount of time. It also applies to all spoken influence actions unless the character can communicate without speech (such as through telepathy) or chooses to write instead. Kaotic respirators enable breathing in suffocating environments, though many are tailored to filter a specific threat (e.g., spores, smoke, toxic vapor, etc.).

Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks +2 difficulty increase to their next action as they are wracked with a coughing fit. They also risk gaining other appropriate status effects due to exposure to noxious gas.

Alternate Social Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks +2 difficulty increase to their next action as they cough or choke on the suffocating air.

Tight (Moderate)

The Area has little to no room to move, making flashy moves and big weapons nearly impossible to use. Characters tangling in an action sequence fight practically on top of each other. This Complication applies to attack actions made with weapons, unless the weapon has the Concealable tag.

Consequence: If not bought off, characters risk an injury, losing or breaking their weapon, damage to the scenery or another character in the scene, or striking another target in addition to their original.

Underwater (Major)

The Area is underwater in the upper reaches of a body like a sea or ocean. Characters cannot breathe and can move no faster than a brisk walk.

Consequence: If not bought off, they risk taking an injury due to drowning. If they run out of air, they will drown without some apparatus or magic to survive. If extremely deep underwater and not in a pressurized environment, they suffer 2 crushing injuries every round.

Vertiginous (Moderate)

The Area sits high above the ground, a vast expanse between the characters’ feet and the safety of solid earth. They might be at the edge of a cliff or engaged in a clash on a rope bridge spanning a chasm. The Complication applies to all attack actions as well as movement actions requiring a roll unless the character has nerves of steel or an immunity to fear.

Consequence: If not bought off, the character risks moving back a range band as they scramble away from the Area’s edges or suffering a +1 increase in difficulty to their next action after being shaken from a fear of heights.

Defense Tricks

Dodge (1-3 hits): Each hit spent on the Dodge Trick adds 1 to the character’s physical Defense.

Dive to Cover (1 hit): In response to a ranged attack, the character moves up to one range band away to reach cover established in the Area. Cover utilized by this Trick absorbs injuries (p. 138).

Move Away (1-3 hits): Each hit spent on the Move Away Trick increases the difficulty for an opponent to use the Rush movement action against the character.

Roll Away (1 hit): Move one range band away from the attacker after the attack action is completed.

Universal Combat Tricks

Attention (2 hits): Your blow draws the victim’s attention, meaning they’ll target your character in the next combat round unless combat ends before then or someone hits them with this Trick after you.

Distraction (1 hit): The target suffers a +1 difficulty on all Ranged Combat and Athletics attacks until the end of your next turn.

Critical (3 hits): Deal an additional injury to your target.

Feint (1-3 hits): For every hit spent on Feint, you generate Enhancement on your character’s or an ally’s next attack against the opponent you’re attacking. You must designate the ally gaining the Enhancement bonus when you purchase this Trick.

Pull Your Punch (0 hits): You choose not to deal damage to the target and instead gain 1 hit to spend on another Combat Trick.

Close Combat Tricks

Break-up Grapple (1 hit): When targeting a character who is part of a grapple (that they are not in), use this Trick to end the Grappled status effect.

Disarm (2 hits): Your character uses their weapon as leverage, pulling or twisting their opponent’s weapon or item out of their hand. You may spend an additional hit to knock the item to a range band away from the owner.

Establish Grapple (1 hit): Force your character’s opponent into a grapple. Apply the Grappled status effect to their opponent. You may purchase any normal Close Combat Tricks on your characters’ attacks against them.

Knockdown/Trip (1 hit): Knock the opponent prone where they stand.

Seize (2 hits): Your character takes an object held by (but not strapped or attached to) their opponent. They must have a free hand to use this Trick.

Shove (1 hit): Characters may push their opponents back a single range band (up to Short range for most Close Combat attacks, up to Medium range if their weapon has the Reach tag).

Sunder (2 or 3 hits): Use your character’s weapon to damage their opponent’s gear (weapon, armor, or otherwise), making it useless for the rest of the scene. Sunder costs 3 hits when used against items with a Kaos Touched, Kaos Forged, or Kaos Bound tag.

Throw Person (2 hits): You may only purchase this Trick against someone to whom your character has applied the Grappled status effect. Your character throws their opponent one range band in any direction.

Ranged Combat Tricks

Destroy Object (2 hits): Destroy an object in the Area, such as light cover or a barrier.

Pin Down (Variable): Pin Down applies a Minor Complication to the character’s next attack. If they choose not to buy off this Complication, then they receive one automatic injury. A character can spend additional hits on this Trick to increase the Complication level on a one-for-one basis.

Trip (2 hits): You spend hits to knock your character’s opponent prone where they stand.

Investigation Tricks

Extra Evidence (1 hit): Your character gains an extra piece of evidence from her investigations.

Question and Answer (1-3 hits): Each hit spent allows you to ask the Storyguide a question about the lead you are researching. The Storyguide may suggest appropriate questions, or you may ask one related specifically to how you’re gathering information.

Perfect Specimen (1 hit): The evidence your character gains has an additional tag of your choice.

Unexpected Lead (3 hits): Your character puts evidence together in a way that brings her one step closer to solving the mystery. Gain a new lead immediately.

Influence Tricks

Deepen Bond (3 hits): Your character either forges a new bond with the character or deepens an existing bond. You may only purchase this Trick on a single target once per scene.

Encourage or Prevent Thought (2 hits): Your character changes their target’s mind about something important to them in the moment. They either provide a compelling lie or reveal evidence of a truth their target had no knowledge of prior.

Persuade (2 hits): On top of the original influence, your character persuades their target to take an additional action they would not have previously taken.

Shift Attitude (2 hits): Your character’s influence changes the heart of their target, shifting their attitude toward your character up or down one level - the acting player decides.

Integrity Tricks

Resist (1-3 hits): Each hit spent on resisting increases the difficulty of exerting the influence against the character.

Shift Attitude (2 hits): Your character plays on the influencer’s own feelings, shifting their attitude toward your character up or down one level. The defending player decides.

Cruel Intentions (3 hits): Conversations are a two-way street. Your character successfully performs an influence action on the initiator with no additional hits.