A vulnerability is a specific disadvantage that the character has in certain situations, such as having a Poison Sensitivity, Periodic Brain Fog, or a Sunlight Reactive Body. Many vulnerabilities come from the character’s species or ancestry, but some, like Intermittent Chronic Pain, are unique to the character. In addition, certain vulnerabilities are negative traits, like a Character Flaw, or positive traits, like a Vow of Honesty, but most are simply facts of the character’s life, like a Weak Body Part. The thing that all vulnerabilities have in common is that they make life more challenging for the character. In order to balance this challenge out, each vulnerability also comes with an extra species trait.

Because vulnerabilities can be hard to keep track of, some of them involve the Injury System laid out in “The Details,” and they also require more involvement from the game manager, they are optional. If you want to give your character a vulnerability, it is best to have a conversation with your game manager. Both the setting and game style have a big effect on how often certain vulnerabilities will come up in gameplay, so be sure to talk about this. For example, a character with a Cold Sensitivity will face many challenges in a snow and ice adventure, while a character with a Heat Sensitivity could face none. Similarly, a game style that goes from one action scene to the next without pause will have a big effect on a character with an Easily Fatigued Body, while a game style with pauses between every action scene might have no effect on them. Ideally the character’s vulnerability will affect them sometimes, without becoming overwhelming.

Many characters with vulnerabilities can take preventative measures to protect themselves. For example, a slime-person with a Water Absorbent Body, can use an umbrella, waterproof coat, and galoshes to prevent themselves from absorbing rain. This same slime-person can wear a drysuit in order to travel under water. Similarly, a character with a Cold Sensitivity can wear thick, insulated clothing to keep themselves warm. All characters with vulnerabilities start out with any non-magical protection and recovery gear that is helpful for their vulnerability.

Another reason that game managers need to be comfortable with vulnerabilities is that some vulnerabilities only come up on failed rolls. This is because many vulnerabilities, like a Sunlight Reactive Body, can be effectively addressed by the character using proper protective gear. While the use of protective gear is great, if the vulnerability never comes up in gameplay, then it won’t feel real. This is where failures come in, because protective gear can get knocked off or damaged as a consequence of a failed roll, creating new challenges for the characters. If involving vulnerabilities in failed rolls is hard for the game manager, players can help by suggesting outcomes for failed rolls that include their character’s vulnerabilities.

When a character’s vulnerability comes into play, the character won’t be able to start recovering until the situation that brought up their vulnerability is resolved. For example, if a character with a Cold Sensitivity falls into an icy lake, they can’t start recovering until they are somewhere warm and out of their wet clothing. Recovery takes time, but it is possible to speed recovery up with effective gear or the clever application of skills and abilities. For example, a character with an Easily Fatigued Body can always carry a fabric pad and blanket so that they can speed up their recovery by having a comfortable place to rest after intense physical exertion. Similarly, a character that has a Heat Sensitivity can carry extra water so that they can wrap a wet cloth around their neck and cool down faster.

Some vulnerabilities are long-term, like Intermittent Chronic Pain, while others can be grown out of, like a Character Flaw. Long-term vulnerabilities can be used to represent specific experiences of disability. Please be aware that there are many ways to represent disability, and vulnerabilities are just one option. You can find a more complete set of options in the “Custom Mechanics” section.

Which vulnerabilities a character can grow out of is left to the player and game manager to decide. However, be aware that it is considered disrespectful to have a character grow out of a long-term disability. When players choose to have their character grow out of a vulnerability, steps must be taken to keep things balanced. Upon removing one vulnerability, the character must give up one ability, two skills, or one species trait. For games where the characters advance their capabilities after major plot events, a vulnerability can be given up instead of the character gaining a new ability or species trait.

 

Vulnerability Summaries

For easy reference, this summary lists all vulnerabilities with a one sentence summary of each.

• Vow of Assistance: You have vowed to always help those in need.
• Vow of Honesty: You have vowed to never lie.
• Vow of Poverty: You have renounced excess and luxury.
• Vow of Restitution: You have vowed to take action to make up for a past wrong you did.
• Unwise Debt: You owe a debt to powerful person who regularly requires you to perform tasks for them
• Big Secret: There is a big secret that you are actively hiding.
• Character Flaw: You have a flaw that makes problems for you.
• Intense Curiosity: Your curiosity is so intense that you can’t let it go.
• Aversion: You have a strong dislike or fear of something that makes it hard to think when you are near it.
• Faints at the Sight of Blood: When you see blood, you become dizzy and may faint.
• Permanent Glow: You are constantly glowing, permanently limiting your stealth.
• Noisy Form: Something about your body makes a lot of noise, permanently limiting your stealth.
• Emotionally Reactive Magic: Your magic reacts to intense emotion in unpredictable and inconvenient ways.
• Danger Amplification: Something about you makes a specific type of danger worse.
• Magic Resistance: Magic doesn’t affect you as easily as it does others.
• Moist Skin: Your skin needs to stay moist and it dries out easily.
• Water Absorbent Body: Any part of your body that comes into contact with water rapidly absorbs it.
• Sinks like a Stone: Your body is so dense that you sink like a stone in water.
• Cold Sensitivity: Cold has a bigger effect on you than it does on most people.
• Heat Sensitivity: Heat has a bigger effect on you than it does on most people.
• Poison Sensitivity: The side effects of poison, such as pain, dizziness, and nausea, are more intense for you.
• Specific Damage Vulnerability: There is a type of harm, like fire, freezing, or poison, that affects you more severely than most people.
• Dietary Restriction: Even in ordinary circumstances, getting food you can eat is a challenge.
• Severe Allergy: You have an allergy that can cause a serious, potentially life-threatening, reaction.
• Poisonous Skin: Your skin, scales, fur, or feathers contain a poison that can harm people you touch.
• Limited Object Manipulation: You struggle with tasks that require you to manipulate objects in precise ways.
• Limited Body Part: You have a body part that lacks the strength or dexterity needed to perform physically demanding tasks.
• Easily Fatigued Body: Immediately after engaging in intense physical activity you become fatigued.
• Intermittent Chronic Pain: You have chronic pain that periodically flares up.
• Periodic Brain Fog: You sometimes have brain fog, which is an experience of not being able to think clearly.
• Intense Sleepiness: In specific circumstances you become so sleepy that it interferes with your ability to function.
• Sensory Sensitivity: You are easily overwhelmed by sensory input.
• Light Sensitive Eyes: Bright light hurts your eyes and makes it hard for you to see.
• Sunlight Reactive Body: Sunlight causes serious harm any time it shines directly on you.
• Location Tether: You have a magical bond to a specific location that makes it so that you can only leave for short periods of time.

 

 

Vulnerability Descriptions

Here are the details of each of the vulnerabilities. For each vulnerability that your character takes, give them an extra species trait.

 

Vow of Assistance: You have vowed to always help those in need.

Any time a person in need asks your character for help, your character must provide assistance. However, as long as the need is effectively addressed, the way your character helps is up to you. Someone is in need if there is a significant threat to their well-being, or the well-being of someone they love. This threat doesn’t have to be violent. For example, starvation and lack of shelter are significant threats to well-being. In addition, a threat can be mysterious or abstract, as long as it is specific and immediate enough that there is a clear action that can be taken to address it. For example, oppression isn’t a specific enough threat to require assistance, but a violent group planning a hate crime is.

 

Vow of Honesty: You have vowed to never lie.

The details of this vow are up to you, but it is important that it is a personal vow—there should be nothing external forcing your character to keep it. This means that others have no guarantee that your character is living up to their vow, so belief in their word is a matter of trust.

A Vow of Honesty does not mean that your character has to say everything that they think, though it can if you want it to. Generally, it is possible for characters with a Vow of Honesty to keep a secret as long as they aren’t deceptive when they do so. For example, if a character with a Vow of Honesty participated in a jewel heist yesterday, then it is fine for them to keep that fact to themselves, as long as no one brings it up. So, if someone asks that character what they did yesterday, it is okay for them to say, “I don’t want to talk about it.” However, saying, “I didn’t do anything important yesterday,” is a lie that would break their vow. Similarly, mischaracterizing yesterday as, “spending time bonding with their friends,” would be bending their vow.

Any time that your characters bends or breaks their vow, it makes them obviously uncomfortable, severely limiting any form of deception they engage in. As a result, the outcomes of any rolls made with the Deception skill are always limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

 

Vow of Poverty: You have renounced excess and luxury.

The details of this vow are up to you. Decide what it is and how it impacts your character’s life. For example, your character could vow to share everything they have, limit themselves to bare essentials, or give everything they can to people in need. A Vow of Poverty doesn’t mean that your character has to live uncomfortably or neglect their basic needs, but it can if you want it to. The goal is for this vow to affect the way the character lives their life and cause some limitations, without becoming overwhelming.

 

Vow of Restitution: You have vowed to take action to make up for a past wrong you did.

Decide what this past wrong is and who was harmed by it. Next, work with the game manager to figure out how your character is making restitution for this past wrong. Your character’s acts of restitution should affect the way they live their life and cause challenges for them. For example, restitution could include doing a series of side quests for the people they wronged. Keep in mind that restitution must center the needs and wishes of the people who were harmed.

 

Unwise Debt: You owe a debt to powerful person who regularly requires you to perform tasks for them.

Decide who your character owes this debt to and what the debt is for. This person does not have your character’s best interests at heart. Be sure to consult with the game manager, as they may want to weave this Unwise Debt into the plot. Periodically, this person requires your character to perform tasks for them, such as having your character transport a secret item, collect a rare plant, deliver a cryptic message, spy on someone, steal an innocuous object, or convince a third party to do something.

Depending on the needs of the game, these tasks could be additions to the main plot or small side missions. Either way, these tasks will cause additional challenges for your character. For example, they could be inconvenient, risk getting them into trouble, cause social conflict, or add to the difficulty of their current mission. If the character fails in their task, there will be consequences.

 

Big Secret: There is a big secret that you are actively hiding.

Decide what this secret is and what negative consequences will happen if it is revealed. These consequences need to be significant enough that there is a strong reason for the character to keep their secret, but also flexible enough that a small number of people learning the secret will make things more complicated, rather than ruining everything for the character.

Periodically, things will happen that risk giving the secret away to those who are observing the character. When a player character observes something that risks giving the secret away, the player rolls whichever knowledge skill is most appropriate to the secret. The result determines how much the player character can deduce from their observation. Similarly, each time a non-player character observes something that risks giving the secret away, roll a six-sided die. If the result is a five or a six, that non-player character figures something out.

There also needs to be a reason for this secret to come up in the game so there is a risk it will be revealed. The best way to do this depends on what the secret is, so there are three options: weave the secret into the plot, create a connected trait for the character to hide, or connect the secret to something the character is good at.

Weave the Secret into the Plot: The game manager can do this by connecting the secret to an important part of the adventure plot. The goal here is for some plot events to create a risk that the secret will be revealed. This creates situations where character needs to actively do things to keep their secret hidden.

A good way to do this is to involve non-player characters connected to the player character’s secret in the main plot. For example, if a player character was secretly a pirate in the past, their former pirate shipmates could now be important villains. As a result, the player character will have to work hard to keep these villains from recognizing them. Similarly, if a player character owes a secret debt to a powerful fae being, that being’s interests could be woven into the main plot so that they demand several small, inconvenient favors from the player character.

Create a Connected Trait for the Character to Hide: Here, in order for the character to keep their secret, they need to hide something else about themselves. This connected trait could be directly linked to their secret, or just something distinctive that makes it easier for others to identify them. Either way, there needs to be some challenge involved in keeping this trait hidden. In addition, any time that the character fails a roll, one of the possible consequences is that their connected trait is briefly revealed, causing suspicion.

For example, a character that is secretly in love with an important person could have behaviors that risk giving them away, such as blushing whenever that important person says something insightful. A failed social roll while the love-struck character is with that important person could mean that someone else has noticed the character’s hidden feelings. Likewise, if the player character is a famous person who has gone into hiding for their safety, there could be a distinguishing mark on their right cheek that they need to keep hidden. In this case, a failed roll could mean that the makeup which normally hides this mark has gotten rubbed off, revealing it to an onlooker.

Connect the Secret to Something the Character Is Good At: The character’s secret can be connected to one of their abilities, one of their species traits, or two of their trained skills. Any time that the character uses this ability, this species trait, or these two skills in front of someone who doesn’t know their secret, there is a chance that the secret will be revealed.

For example, a character’s secret identity as a spy could be connected to a distinctive ability, like Specialized Weapon. Then, every time that the character uses their Specialized Weapon in front of others, they risk their identity being discovered. Similarly, the sinister magical entity that secretly grants the character magic could also grant them the species trait Incorporeal Form. The catch is that the form they take when incorporeal is distinctive and looks a lot like the sinister magical entity. Consequently, anyone that sees the character transform into their Incorporeal Form or back has an opportunity to learn about this connection. Likewise, a character that is secretly the mysterious cat burglar that the guards are looking for can’t use their Climbing or Stealth skills in front of others without risking suspicion.

 

Character Flaw: You have a flaw that makes problems for you.

Choose a flaw and then check that all participants are comfortable with it. Please be sensitive to the fact that certain flaws might bring up bad memories for people. In situations where a flaw might interfere with someone’s ability to participate or enjoy the game, it is important to choose a different flaw.

Next decide how the character’s flaw creates problems for them. Then, based on this, decide which skill is most impacted by the flaw. Any time you roll the impacted skill and get a failure or partial success, your character’s flaw creates additional challenges for them. This could mean that the scale of the challenge that arises out of this roll is bigger than it otherwise would have been. It could also mean that something additional has happened that creates a second challenge for the character. This bigger or second challenge involves their flaw in some way.

For example, if an arrogant character is trying to make a deal with a merchant and fails their Diplomacy roll, not only does the deal fall through, but the character’s arrogance creates the second challenge that the merchant is offended and refuses to talk to them again. If needed, players can collaborate with the game manager to determine how their characters’ flaws are involved in the outcome.

The following list has examples of character flaws, with several options for specific skills that each flaw could impact. If you use one of the flaws from this list, choose one skill that it most impacts. Note that other flaws are possible and, depending on the character, a flaw could impact other skills that aren’t on this list.

• Arrogant: Impacts Communicating with Animals, Diplomacy, or Insight.
• Awkward: Impacts Diplomacy, Deception, Intimidation, or Performance.
• Blunt: Impacts Diplomacy, Deception, or Performance.
• Careless: Impacts Arcana, Culture, Technology, Communicating with Animals, Deception, Performance, or Survival.
• Distracted: Impacts Intimidation, Performance, Insight, Perception, or Survival.
• Dour: Impacts Communicating with Animals, Diplomacy, or Performance.
• Impatient: Impacts Communicating with Animals, Diplomacy, Insight, Perception, or Survival.
• Indecisive: Impacts Communicating with Animals, Intimidation, Deception, or Performance.
• Inexperienced: Impacts Knowledge Skills (Arcana, Culture, Nature, and Technology) or Awareness Skills (Insight, Perception, and Survival).
• Meek: Impacts Communicating with Animals, Intimidation, Performance, or any Body Skill that you find daunting.
• Nosy: Impacts Diplomacy, Deception, or Performance.
• Naïve: Impacts Deception, Intimidation, or Insight.
• Oblivious: Impacts Insight, Perception, or Survival.
• Overconfident: Impacts Knowledge Skills (Arcana, Culture, Nature, and Technology), Survival, or any Body Skill that you are overconfident in.
• Reckless: Impacts Communicating with Animals or any Body Skill that you regularly take risks with.
• Rigid: Impacts Knowledge Skills (Arcana, Culture, Nature, and Technology) or Awareness Skills (Insight, Perception, and Survival).
• Self-absorbed (constantly thinking and talking about yourself): Impacts Communicating with Animals, Diplomacy, Insight, and Perception.
• Selfish (focusing on getting what you want without concern for others): Impacts Communicating with Animals, Diplomacy, or Insight.
• Spiteful: Impacts Communicating with Animals, Diplomacy, Performance, or Insight.
• Zealous: Impacts Diplomacy, Deception, Insight, or Perception.

 

Intense Curiosity: Your curiosity is so intense that you can’t let it go.

There is always something specific that your character’s curiosity is fixated upon. Decide what they are curious about at the start of the game. It is okay for this initial curiosity to be broad and general, like being curious about a new place or new people. When something more curiosity provoking comes up in the course of play, your character will switch their curiosity to this new thing. Any time your character fulfills their curiosity, they either find a new one or go back to a previous one.

Your character must always be taking an action to pursue their curiosity, but frequently this action will be waiting. For example, they could be waiting for everyone to fall asleep, waiting for a chance to talk to someone, waiting for the reply to a letter, or waiting for a friend to lend them a specific item. In some cases, waiting will last multiple days. What matters is that they are waiting for something specific, such as waiting for a masquerade ball that will make it possible for them to sneak into a house. If at any point your character is unable to take an action to pursue their curiosity and has no actions planned, their frustrated curiosity gives them a one die penalty to all mental skills.

Most of the time, fulfilling your character’s curiosity should be a side project to the main action of the game. While it should create occasional twists and complications, it shouldn’t drive the action of the game unless their curiosity is part of the main plot.

 

Aversion: You have a strong dislike or fear of something that makes it hard to think when you are near it.

Decide what object, animal, or behavior your character has an aversion to. This should be something that will come up in the game, without constantly happening. When choosing this thing, be careful to avoid perpetuating stereotypes.

Next, decide how your character feels when they encounter this thing. For example, they could be disturbed by precariously balanced objects, afraid of fire, overwhelmed by dogs, disgusted by slurping noises, or alarmed by people who don’t cover their coughs.

Your character’s aversion is so strong that while they are near this thing, they take a one die penalty to all mental rolls.

 

Faints at the Sight of Blood: When you see blood, you become dizzy and may faint.

Any time your character sees blood, roll a six-sided die. The result determines how bad this particular episode will be.

• 5-6: Your character is able to look away and focus on something they can do to make the situation better. They can act normally as long as they don’t look at the blood or do something that makes them think about it. If they do look a second time or think about it, they will have to do something to avoid fainting as if they rolled a 3 or 4.
• 3-4: Your character feels dizzy. By getting their head as low as possible, lying down and putting their legs up, or tensing all their muscles, they avoid fainting, but are unable to move from their current spot for a few minutes. If your character doesn’t take one of these preventative measures, they can do a quick action, but will then faint as if they had rolled a 1 or 2.
• 1-2: Your character briefly faints. When they go unconscious, they drop anything they were holding and collapse. If they were flying, they have just enough warning to change course for a crash landing.

 

Permanent Glow: You are constantly glowing, permanently limiting your stealth.

The aesthetics of this glow are up to you. Regardless of how the glow looks, it makes hiding and sneaking around anything that can see nearly impossible. As a result, the outcomes of any rolls made with the Stealth skill are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

 

Noisy Form: Something about your body makes a lot of noise, permanently limiting your stealth.

Decide what it is about your character that makes noise. For example, your character could be a clockwork person with noisy gears, be large and heavy, be clumsy, or be cursed with a constant music soundtrack. This noise makes hiding and sneaking around anything that can hear nearly impossible. As a result, the outcomes of any rolls made with the Stealth skill are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

 

Emotionally Reactive Magic: Your magic reacts to intense emotion in unpredictable and inconvenient ways.

Choose a type of magic that your character can cast. This type of magic spontaneously reacts to each emotionally intense situation your character experiences in a way that expresses their emotions. This is a moderate effect determined by game manager and it will vary from situation to situation. For example, a character with Emotionally Reactive Fire Magic might get angry and scorch anything they touch, get sad and glow deep blue, or be happy and emit a shower of golden sparks.

Your character can attempt to control their Emotionally Reactive Magic, but doing so risks the magic going awry and causing a bigger problem. For example, if a character with Emotionally Reactive Fire Magic tried and failed to control their magic, it would go awry and do something more extreme, like surrounding them in a raging storm of brilliant, swirling colors that makes it impossible for anyone in the area to see.

When your character attempts to control their Emotionally Reactive Magic, roll the same number of die you would for them to cast this type of magic. The results of this roll will determine how effective your character is at controlling it.

• 3 successes: An outstanding success means your character completely stops the magic from reacting. Nothing happens.
• 2 successes: A full success means that your character can direct this magical reaction into a mild form of their choosing.
• 1 Success: A partial success means that your character’s attempt to control the magic doesn’t work, but doesn’t make things worse. The magic takes on a standard moderate effect determined by the game manager, as if the character hadn’t tried to control it.
• 0 Successes: A failure means that the magic goes awry, creating a significantly worse outcome.

 

Danger Amplification: Something about you makes a specific type of danger worse.

Danger amplification can be intentional, such as a troublemaker that can’t resist spilling upsetting secrets, or an activist who feels compelled to speak out against injustice regardless of personal risk. It can also be unintentional, such as a curse that intensifies nearby anger, or a fire mage’s magical resonance that amplifies large fires. Decide what type of danger your character amplifies and how your character amplifies it. Danger can take a wide range of forms, including storms, fires, extreme cold, turbulent currents, unstable magic, fights, fear, grudges, misinformation, and miscommunications. Talk with the game manager to make sure your chosen type of danger is clearly defined and will come up regularly, but not overwhelmingly often.

When this kind of danger arises during gameplay, your character’s presence makes it worse as if you had gotten a full success on a roll to make it worse or failed a role to make it better. Work with the game manager to figure out how your character makes this danger worse. After the situation is worse, your character can attempt to make it better, but they have a one die penalty to this action.

Be sure to talk with the game manager to figure out who is going to keep track of when this vulnerability is triggered, especially if the danger is something without a clear beginning, like a fight, or abstract, like misinformation.

 

Magic Resistance: Magic doesn’t affect you as easily as it does others.

When you take this vulnerability also mark it down as a species trait. Anytime magic would affect your character, roll a six-sided die. If the result is a 5 or a 6, the magic has no effect on them. This happens regardless of whether the magic is beneficial or harmful. Be sure to talk with your game manager and work out who will keep track of when this trait activates.

 

Moist Skin: Your skin needs to stay moist and it dries out easily.

Anything that dries out your character’s skin injures them. For example, if they stay close to a hot fire for a scene, their skin will dry out and they will become injured. This is based on the Injury System laid out in “The Details.” The Survival skill can be used to apply first aid to injuries. Non-magical healing takes time, but is reliable. In contrast, magical healing is fast, but unpredictable.

• If your skin dries out for a few seconds, you are at Stage 1 and have a Moderate Injury. Until you are healed, you take a one die penalty to Dexterity Skills.
• If your skin is dried out for a few minutes, you are at Stage 2 with a Serious Injury. Until you are healed, you take a one die penalty to all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use your body number.
• If your skin is dried out for a few hours, you are at Stage 3 with a Critical Injury. Until healed, you take one die penalty to all of your rolls.
• If your skin is dried out for a day or longer, you are at Stage 4 and are Unconscious. Until you receive medical treatment, you stay unconscious and are unable to take actions.

 

Water Absorbent Body: Any part of your body that comes into contact with water rapidly absorbs it.

Wet body parts weigh much more than dry ones, slowing your character down and reducing their strength. Any part of their body that absorbs a large quantity of water moves at half speed. In addition, all Strength Skill rolls that significantly involve a wet body part take a one die penalty.

 

Sinks like a Stone: Your body is so dense that you sink like a stone in water.

Any time your character is unsupported in water, they sink. Successful swimming will slow their descent, but not stop it. To rise up to the surface, they need a person or object to help support their weight. For example, they could climb up a rope tied to a boat or a strong swimmer could help pull them up.

Talk to your game manager to make sure this vulnerability will come up in the game without becoming overwhelming. Characters with in games with significant water travel can have items from the Diving Gear list as needed for their safety.

 

Cold Sensitivity: Cold has a bigger effect on you than it does on most people.

When in a moderately cold environment, like winter in a temperate region:

• If your character has at least partial protection from the cold, such as holding a warm beverage while wearing a warm jacket, there is no penalty.
• If your character has no protection from the cold, take a one die penalty to all Dexterity Skills.

When in an extremely cold environment, like a mountain blizzard or an arctic winter:

• If you character has complete protection, such as a warm shelter, there is no die penalty.
• If your character has partial protection from the cold, like wearing appropriately insulating clothing while having no additional source of warmth, take a one die penalty to all Dexterity Skills.
• If your character has no protection from the cold, take a one die penalty to all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use the body number. This penalty is in addition to any harm and penalties an average character would experience from being unprotected in this extreme cold.

 

Heat Sensitivity: Heat has a bigger effect on you than it does on most people.

When in a moderately hot environment, like summer in a temperate area:

• If your character has at least partial protection from the heat, like being in the shade with a cool beverage, there is no penalty.
• If your character has no protection from the heat, take a one die penalty to all Strength Skills.

When in an extremely hot environment, like a scorching desert:

• If you character has complete protection, such as being in an underground cave system or using a spell that lets them resist the effects of heat, there is no die penalty.
• If your character has partial protection from the heat, such as wearing clothing specifically designed to protect a person from this type of heat while having no additional way to cool down, take a one die penalty to all Strength Skills.
• If your character has no protection from the heat, take a one die penalty to all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use the body number. This penalty is in addition to any harm and penalties an average character would experience from being unprotected in this extreme heat.

 

Poison Sensitivity: The side effects of poison, such as pain, dizziness, and nausea, are more intense for you.

Each time your character is poisoned, choose which set of skills is most affected by the current poison. The six options are Knowledge Skills, Social Skills, Awareness Skills, Combat Skills, Strength Skills, and Dexterity Skills. There is a one die penalty to all of the skills in this set while your character remains poisoned.

 

Specific Damage Vulnerability: There is a type of harm, like fire, freezing, or poison, that affects you more severely than most people.

This vulnerability is based on the Injury System laid out in “The Details.” Choose the type of harm that your character is vulnerable to. This needs to be something that will come up in the game. Any time your character is injured by this type of harm, the result is twice as bad as it would be for someone else. This means that your character goes up two stages in the Injury System, rather than one stage. For example, if an uninjured character that is not vulnerable to fire gets burned, they go to Stage 1 of the Injury System and have a Moderate Injury. However, if an uninjured character that is vulnerable to fire gets burned, they go to Stage 2 of the Injury System and get a Serious Injury.

 

Dietary Restriction: Even in ordinary circumstances, getting food you can eat is a challenge.

This could be due to a cultural avoidance of certain types of food, a physical intolerance to a popular ingredient, or a need for a specific food that is hard to get. Regardless of the cause, it takes more time and effort to for your character to get food than it does for the average person. This means that challenges involving getting or making food will periodically come up in the game.

 

Severe Allergy: You have an allergy that can cause a serious, potentially life-threatening, reaction.

Decide what this allergy is and what type of contact triggers it. For example, it could be an allergy to a specific food, like tree nuts, that is triggered by ingesting a trace amount of that food. Or it could be an allergy to stinging insects, like bees, that is triggered by being stung. Another example is an allergy to a material, like silver, that is triggered by physical contact. It is important for this allergy to be something that will come up in the game so that the character periodically needs to take actions to avoid or treat it.

If the character’s allergy is triggered, they will quickly progress through the Injury System laid out in “The Details.” The character has time to take one action before they progress to each stage. For example, the character can take one action before they are at Stage 1 with a Moderate Injury. Then the character has time for a second action before they are at Stage 2 with a Serious Injury, and so on.

However, just as people in the real-world can use an epinephrine autoinjector to stop the progression of allergic response and reverse the symptoms, characters in Magic Goes Awry can use a Jolt Root to stop and reverse serious allergic reactions. Jolt Roots are the woody roots of a magical plant that has been bred to induce a strong adrenaline surge in the body of anyone who holds them. This makes them a life-saving medical treatment, but also makes them dangerous to touch under normal circumstances. So Jolt Roots are stored in sealed, magically insulated tubes that can be quickly opened in an emergency.

Every character with a Severe Allergy has a Jolt Root that they carry with them. To use a Jolt Root, all the character has to do is open the tube and hold the root until their symptoms are gone, then put the root back in the tube. No roll is needed. Jolt Roots can be used multiple times, so if the symptoms return, the root can be used again.

 

Poisonous Skin: Your skin, scales, fur, or feathers contain a poison that can harm people you touch.

This has benefits, but it also causes problems. Decide what the standard effect of this poison is. The effect should in some way limit the capabilities of any person or animal affected by it, without being completely incapacitating. For example, the effect could be chemical burns, swelling, muscle spasms, paralysis of the contacted body part, debilitating nausea, intense pain, or sedation.

Next, decide what happens when the poison is mild enough to not significantly reduce the capabilities of any person or animal affected by it. Usually, this is a milder version of the standard effect. For example, if the standard effect is paralysis of the contacted body part, the mild effect could be tingling or numbness.

Now decide whether there are signs that indicate to others that the character’s skin is poisonous, such as colorful markings or a distinctive smell. If so, most people and animals will do their best to avoid physical contact. This will reduce accidents, but it may also limit some of the benefits that come with having Poisonous Skin.

Any time the character’s skin touches a person or animal, whether intentionally or not, roll a six-sided die to determine how the poison affects them.

• 6: The poison has an unexpected or unusually severe effect. This effect will seriously limit the capabilities of the poisoned being, possibly incapacitating them.
• 4-5: The poison has its standard effect, which in some way limits the capabilities of the poisoned being without incapacitating them.
• 2-3: The poison has its mild effect. It is uncomfortable for the poisoned being, but their capabilities are not significantly affected.
• 1: The poison has no effect.

Poisonous Skin is a useful defense—if a hostile person or animal touches the character’s skin, they risk becoming poisoned. This poison can also be used offensively with the Unarmed Fighting skill, or covertly with the Stealth skill. However, having Poisonous Skin also causes problems. Accidents are possible, especially in crowded areas, and they can lead to serious social consequences. While wearing covering clothing prevents accidents, clothing can slip or be torn as the result of a failed roll or partial success. In addition, covering up Poisonous Skin makes its benefits harder to access.

To represent this complexity, Poisonous Skin is listed as both a Species Trait and Vulnerability. Characters that will primarily receive the benefits of Poisonous Skin, without many of the limitations, should take it only as a Species Trait. Characters that will primarily experience it as a limitation should take Poisonous Skin only as a Vulnerability. Meanwhile, those characters that will equally experience the benefits and limitations of Poisonous Skin, should take it as both a Species Trait and a Vulnerability.

 

Limited Object Manipulation: You struggle with tasks that require you to manipulate objects in precise ways.

Something makes it difficult for your character to precisely manipulate objects. Decide what this is. For example, your character might be a sapient animal, like a Sapient Cat, that doesn’t have any hand-like body parts that can grasp things. Another option is for your character to be a humanoid with a disability that limits the strength or dexterity of their hands, such as a Human character with muscular dystrophy, or a disability that prevents them from using their hands, such as an Orc character with quadriplegia.

Without assistive devices or help from a service animal, your character can’t perform tasks that require precise object manipulation. This includes many everyday tasks, like opening a bottle or turning a doorknob.

Decide what assistive devices your character has, whether or not they have a service animal, and if they have coping strategies that use their other skills and abilities. Your character should be able to consistently accomplish everyday tasks using their aids and strategies, though many tasks will take them a little extra time. If you want to make fictional assistive devices, this article will help.

When your character tries to do a task requiring precise object manipulation quickly or in a stressful situation, you must roll to find out the results.

• Roll Manual Dexterity if your character is using assistive devices to do the task themselves.
• Roll Communicating with Animals if your character’s service animal is playing a key role in accomplishing the task.

Note: I have not yet consulted with someone on this species trait. If you have feedback on accuracy, especially if that feedback comes from lived experience, please contact me! I’d love to make it as accurate and respectful as possible.

 

Limited Body Part: You have a body part that lacks the strength, dexterity, or flexibility needed to perform certain physical tasks.

Choose what body part or physical capacity, like balance or coordination, is limited. Next decide how this limitation impacts your character’s daily life and what physical skills it affects.

• Option #1: If this limitation primarily affects one skill, then the outcomes of all dice rolls with that skill are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.
• Options #2: If this limitation affects many skills, then decide what circumstance causes the greatest limitation. For example, a cat-person might have hips that make it difficult to stand and walk upright. When in that circumstance, all of this character’s physical skill dice rolls are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

 

Easily Fatigued Body: Immediately after engaging in intense physical activity you become fatigued.

Until the character has a chance to rest, the outcomes of all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use their body number are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

 

Intermittent Chronic Pain: You have chronic pain that periodically flares up.

Decide what the source of the chronic pain is and what triggers it. For example, the source could be a past injury that didn’t heal properly, the toll of years of physical labor, a traumatic injury, an unusual curvature of the spine, nerve damage, arthritis, migraines, a food intolerance, or another medical condition. Examples of triggers are major changes in the weather, intense physical activity, overexertion if a specific body part, acute stress, and specific foods. After this trigger happens, the character’s chronic pain flares up and the outcomes of all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use their body number are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes. Make sure this trigger is clear, so that you know when your character has a pain flare up.

 

Periodic Brain Fog: You sometimes have brain fog, which is an experience of not being able to think clearly.

Choose a trigger, such as sleep deprivation, acute stress, eating a specific food, dehydration, or a medication. Be sure to clearly define this trigger, so that you know when your character has brain fog. Any time this trigger happens, the character has brain fog and the outcomes of all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use their mind number are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

Next, decide how long the brain fog usually lasts. To keep things balanced, the more frequently your character has brain fog, the shorter it should last. This goal is for the character’s brain fog to come up in the game and be significant, without overwhelming the character’s ability to function.

 

Intense Sleepiness: In specific circumstances you become so sleepy that it interferes with your ability to function.

Choose the cause of your character’s sleepiness. This cause should be something that will come up in the game, without being a constant problem. For example, your character could be nocturnal, strongly diurnal, have a medication that makes them sleepy right after they take it, or struggle to function any time they are woken from sleep.

Based on this cause, decide when your character gets moderately sleepy and when they get seriously sleepy. For example, a nocturnal character may become moderately sleepy if they are awake two hours after dawn and become seriously sleepy if they are awake in the middle of the day.

Tranquilizing magic, sedating substances, and magic that has gone awry can cause a character that is moderately sleepy to progress to being seriously sleepy, and a character that is seriously sleepy to progress to being extremely sleepy. Your character won’t become extremely sleepy under normal circumstances.

• Moderately Sleepy: You are tired enough that it makes some things hard to do. Choose whether Knowledge Skills, Social Skills, Awareness Skills, Combat Skills, Strength Skills, or Dexterity Skills are most affected by being moderately sleepy. The outcomes of all rolls with this set of skills are limited to a partial success. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.
• Seriously Sleepy: You are so sleepy that it is hard to do a lot of things. Decide whether this sleepiness most affects your character’s body or mind. The outcomes of all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use that capacity are limited to a partial success.
• Extremely Sleepy: You are struggling to remain conscious. This unusual state is due to magic, powerful drugs, extreme sleep deprivation, or a combination of things that are simultaneously affecting you. The outcomes of all rolls are limited to a partial success.

 

Sensory Sensitivity: You are easily overwhelmed by sensory input.

Decide on two different situations that are especially difficult sensory experiences. For example, these could be situations where the character is in an unpredictable and chaotic environment, like a marketplace, and situations where the character experiences one or more particularly intense sensory stimuli, like glaring lights or loud noises. Any time that the character is in one of these two difficult situations for an extended period of time, they become overwhelmed. When both difficult situations happen simultaneously, the character immediately becomes overwhelmed. While overwhelmed, the character has a one die penalty to all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use their mind number.

It is possible for a character with a Sensory Sensitivity to over time become accustomed to a specific, familiar environment that would otherwise be a difficult sensory situation. When this happens, the character no longer gets overwhelmed by that specific environment, even though it still affects them in some ways. For example, a character that is used to their noisy, chaotic home won’t become overwhelmed by it, but might need to cultivate a calm personal space within that environment.

 

Light Sensitive Eyes: Bright light hurts your eyes and makes it hard for you to see.

Whenever your character is in bright light, the results of Insight, Perception, and Survival rolls for visual tasks is limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

The light of the midday sun is bright light. Also, reflective surfaces, like the ocean or snow, increase overall brightness, lengthening the bright part of the day. In addition, large fires or magic can also create bright light.

 

Sunlight Reactive Body: Sunlight causes serious harm any time it shines directly on you.

The pain this causes limits your character’s mental capabilities. Any time your character’s bare skin is in direct sunlight, the outcomes of all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use their mind number are limited to partial successes. This means that you roll the usual number of dice, but full successes and outstanding successes are treated like partial successes.

Shade or a layer of fabric is enough to protect your character from sunlight. Once your character is protected, the mental penalty caused by the pain goes away and they are left with an injury. This is based on the Injury System laid out in “The Details.” The Survival Skill can be used to apply first aid to injuries. Non-magical healing takes time, but is reliable. In contrast, magical healing is fast, but unpredictable.

• If you were only exposed to sunlight for a few seconds before your skin was protected again, you are not injured. Instead, you have a superficial burn that hurts, but does not significantly affect you.
• If you were exposed to sunlight for a few minutes, you are at Stage 1 and have a Moderate Injury. Until you are healed, you take a one die penalty to all Dexterity Skills.
• If you were in direct sunlight for an hour, you are at Stage 2 with a Serious Injury. Until you are healed, you take a one die penalty to all skill, ability, and defense rolls that use your body number.
• If you were in direct sunlight for longer than an hour, but less than a day, you are at Stage 3 with a Critical Injury. Until healed, you take one die penalty to all of your rolls.
• If you were in direct sunlight for a day or longer, you are at Stage 4 and are Unconscious. Until you receive medical treatment, you stay unconscious and are unable to take actions.

 

Location Tether: You have a magical bond to a specific location that makes it so that you can only leave for short periods of time.

With the game manager’s help, decide what location your character is tethered to, how long they can be away before they need to return (their limit), and how long they have to stay before they can leave again. The goal is for this Location Tether to affect the character and the choices they make, without being a constant problem. For example, in an adventure where the characters take two-week trips, a bond that requires the character to return every two weeks would add urgency to end of many trips, without becoming a constant problem.

Any time the character is away from their tethered location past their limit, they experience magical harm that progresses through the Injury System laid out in “The Details.” Work with the game manager to decide how fast the magical harm progresses. For example, for a character with a one month limit, it might make sense for them to progress to a new stage of injury each week. So, for the first week past their limit, the character would be in Stage 1 of the Injury System with a Moderate Injury. The second week, they would be in Stage 2 with a Serious Injury, and so on. When the character returns to the tethered location, this harm goes away.

Here are some additional options for you and the game manager to consider.

• The character could get a special object from their tethered location that increases the length of time they can be away as long as they protect it and keep it with them.
• Magical treatment or clever use of other abilities could temporarily reduce the harm caused by being away from the character’s tethered location.
• If needed, the character can use a ritual to move their Location Tether to a new location, but this isn’t easy. In addition, the character must have a significant connection to the new location before this change can happen. Figure out the details of this ritual and its requirements together.