Fantasy #

For our purposes, fantasy is any genre that has magic, or something so inexplicable it might as well be magic. The sort of core default of this type is Tolkienesque fantasy, also known as second-world fantasy because it includes a completely new world not our own. Big fantasy epics like those penned by J. R. R. Tolkien (hence the name), C. S. Lewis, George R. R. Martin, Stephen R. Donaldson, David Eddings, Ursula K. Le Guin, and others are indicative of this genre. It usually involves swords, sorcery, nonhuman species (such as elves, dwarves, helborn, and half-giants), and epic struggles.

Of course, fantasy might also involve the modern world, with creatures of myth and sorcerers dwelling among us. It might involve mythic traditions of any number of cultures (elves, dwarves, and the like, usually being decidedly European) or bear little resemblance to anything on Earth, past or present. It might even involve some of the trappings of science fiction, with spaceships and laser guns amid the wizardry and swords (this is often called science fantasy).

Fantasy can also be defined by the amount of fantasy elements within it. A second-world fantasy filled with wizards, ghosts, dragons, curses, and gods is referred to as high fantasy. Fantasy with a firmer grounding in reality as we know it in our world is low fantasy. (In fact, low fantasy often takes place in our world, or in our world’s distant past, like the stories of Conan.) No single element indicates concretely that a given fantasy is high or low. It’s the prevalence of those elements.

The point is, there are many, many types of fantasy.

Suggested Types For A Fantasy Game #

Basic Creatures And NPCs For A Fantasy Game #

• Bat: level 1
• Dog: level 2, perception as level 3
• Dog, guard: level 3, attacks and perception as level 4
• Hawk: level 2; flies a long distance each round
• Horse: level 3; moves a long distance each round
• Rat: level 1
• Viper: level 2; bite inflicts 3 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor)
• Warhorse: level 4; moves a long distance each round
• Wolf: level 3, perception as level 4
• Blacksmith: level 2, metalworking as level 4; health 8
• Farmer: level 2, animal handling as level 3; health 8
• Merchant: level 2, haggling and assessment tasks as level 3
• Villager: level 2

Additional Fantasy Equipment #

In the default Medieval Europe-style fantasy setting, the following items (and anything else appropriate to that time period) are usually available.

Inexpensive Items #

Moderately Priced Items #

Expensive Items #

Very Expensive Items #

Exorbitant Items #

Medieval Fantasy Equipment #

Fantasy Artifacts #

In many ways, fantasy is the genre for artifacts. All magic items—wands that shoot lightning, magic carpets, singing swords, rings that make the wearer invisible, and so on—are artifacts. Below are a few sample artifacts to give a template for GMs to follow. Those running a fantasy campaign will likely want to create many magic artifacts.

Angelic Ward #

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Tiny figurine of a winged angel

Effect: Once activated, the figurine’s spirit emerges and becomes semisolid as a glowing, human-sized winged angel. It follows within 3 feet (1 m) of the figurine owner. Anything within long range that attacks the owner is attacked by the angelic ward, which sends out a bolt of flesh-rotting energy, doing damage equal to the artifact’s level. Once activated, it functions for a day.

Depletion: 1 in 1d10

Ring Of Dragon’s Flight #

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Green iron ring that appears like a dragon wound around the finger

Effect: When the wearer activates the ring, dragon wings unfurl from their back, and for one minute the wearer can fly up to long range. The ring does not confer the ability to hover or make fine adjustments while in flight.

Depletion: 1 in 1d10

Soulflaying Weapon #

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Weapon of any type, with engraved glowing runes denoting soulflaying

Effect: This weapon functions as a normal weapon of its kind. The wielder can use an action to activate its soulflaying magic for one minute. During that time, if the weapon scores a hit, it inflicts normal damage, plus 3 additional points of Intellect damage on all creatures that have souls (not automatons, mindless undead, or the like).

Depletion: 1 in 1d100

Spellbook Of The Amber Mage #

Level: 1d6

Form: Weighty tome bound in amber filled with pages of spell runes

Effect: When the user incants from the spellbook and succeeds at a level 3 Intellect-based task, the user can attempt to trap a creature within long range inside a block of amber. Only creatures whose level is equal to or lower than the artifact’s level can be targeted. A creature successfully caught is preserved in perfect stasis until the encasing amber is broken away (the amber has 10 points of health per level of the artifact).

Depletion: 1 in 1d20

Wand Of Firebolts #

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Wand of red wood 8 inches (20 cm) long, carved with intricate flamelike images

Effect: When activated, the wand looses a blast of fire at a chosen target within short range, inflicting damage equal to the artifact’s level.

Depletion: 1 in 1d20

Fantasy Species Descriptors #

In a high fantasy setting, some GMs may want dwarves and elves to be mechanically different from humans. Below are some possibilities for how this might work.

Variant Rule: Two Descriptors #

By having dwarf, elf, or other species take the place of a character’s descriptor, it creates a situation where only human characters have the variability of choosing a descriptor that suits their personality. The GM might instead allow all human characters to have two descriptors, and nonhuman characters to have a standard descriptor in addition to their species descriptor.

Sometimes contradictory descriptors might weaken or negate each other’s benefits and drawbacks. If one descriptor gives training in a skill and another gives an inability in that skill, they cancel each other out and the character doesn’t have any modifier for that skill at all.

Descriptors As Species #

If a player wants to play a nearly human species without any exceptional or unique special abilities, it’s easy for a GM to pick an appropriate descriptor and use it as that species’ descriptor. A greyhound-like species might have the Fast descriptor.

Catfolk #

You are unmistakably feline. Your people have fur; large, pointed ears; sharp teeth and claws; and even tails. You are nimble, graceful, and quick. An ancient and sophisticated culture, your people have their own language, customs, and traditions developed in relative seclusion over the centuries. Neither conquerors nor conquered, the success of your society has come from the fact that you have given most others a wide berth. As a people, you almost never get involved in wars or similar matters, which has given other cultures the idea that you are aloof, unapproachable, or mysterious. As long as they leave you alone, what they think is fine with you.

You gain the following characteristics:

Agile: +4 to your Speed Pool. Skill: You are trained in climbing and balance tasks.

Bared Claws: Even unarmed, your claws are light weapons that inflict 4 points of damage.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You were curious as to what the other PCs were up to.
2. You needed to get out of town, and the PCs were going in the same direction as you.
3. You are interested in making a profit, and the other PCs seem to have a lead on doing just that.
4. It seemed like a lark.

Dragonfolk #

You have scales, fangs, claws, and magic—gifts of the dragons. You might have been born of dragonfolk parents, willingly transformed in a magical ceremony, or chosen by a dragon to be their agent or champion. You have a great destiny before you, but it is your choice whether to make it your own or bend to the will of those who made you what you are. Some people mistrust or fear you, and others consider you a prophet or wish to exploit your power for their own goals.

You gain the following characteristics:

Sturdy: +2 to your Might Pool. Skill: You are trained in intimidation

Dragonbreath (3 Might points): You breathe out a blast of energy in an immediate area. Choose one type of energy (arcane, cold, fire, thorn, and so on); the blast inflicts 2 points of damage of this kind of energy (ignores Armor) to all creatures or objects within the area. Because this is an area attack, adding Effort to increase your damage works differently than it does for single-target attacks. If you apply a level of Effort to increase the damage, add 2 points of damage for each target, and even if you fail your attack roll, all targets in the area still take 1 point of damage. Action.

Draconic Resistance: You gain +2 Armor against the type of energy you create with your dragonbreath.

Scaly: +1 to Armor. Inability: You have difficulty relating to non-dragons. Tasks to persuade non-dragons are hindered.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You believe the other PCs can help you solve a mystery about your heritage.
2. You needed to get out of town, and the PCs were going in the same direction as you.
3. Your creator, master, or mentor told you to help the PCs.
4. You want to make a name for yourself, and the other PCs seem competent and compatible.

Dwarf #

You’re a stocky, broad-shouldered, bearded native of the mountains and hills. You’re also as stubborn as the stone in which the dwarves carve their homes under the mountains. Tradition, honor, pride in smithcraft and warcraft, and a keen appreciation of the wealth buried under the roots of the world are all part of your heritage. Those who wish you ill should be wary of your temper. When dwarves are wronged, they never forget.

You gain the following characteristics:

Stalwart: +2 to your Might Pool.

Skill: You are trained in Might defense rolls.

Skill: You are trained in tasks related to stone, including sensing stonework traps, knowing the history of a particular piece of stonecraft, and knowing your distance beneath the surface.

Skill: You are practiced in using axes.

Skill: You are trained in using the tools required to shape and mine stone.

Vulnerability: When you fail an Intellect defense roll to avoid damage, you take 1 extra point of damage.

Additional Equipment: You have an axe.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You found the PCs wandering a maze of tunnels and led them to safety.
2. The PCs hired you to dig out the entrance to a buried ruin.
3. You tracked down the thieves of your ancestor’s tomb and found they were the PCs. Instead of killing them, you joined them.
4. Before dwarves settle down, they need to see the world.

Elf #

You haunt the woodlands and deep, natural realms, as your people have for millennia. You are the arrow in the night, the shadow in the glade, and the laughter on the wind. As an elf, you are slender, quick, graceful, and long lived. You manage the sorrows of living well past many mortal lifetimes with song, wine, and an appreciation for the deep beauties of growing things, especially trees, which can live even longer than you do.

You gain the following characteristics:

Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.

Long-Lived: Your natural lifespan (unless tragically cut short) is thousands of years.

Skill: You are specialized in tasks related to perception.

Skill: You are practiced in using one bow variety of your choice.

Skill: You are trained in stealth tasks. In areas of natural woodland, you are specialized in stealth tasks.

Fragile: When you fail a Might defense roll to avoid damage, you take 1 extra point of damage.

Additional Equipment: You have a bow and a quiver of arrows to go with it.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Before putting an arrow in the forest intruders, you confronted them and met the PCs, who were on an important quest.
2. Your heart yearned for farther shores, and the PCs offered to take you along to new places.
3. Your home was burned by strangers from another place, and you gathered the PCs along the way as you tracked down the villains.
4. An adventure was in the offing, and you didn’t want to be left behind.

Gnome #

You are curious and love discovering ways to turn found things into art, tools, or weapons. You might be a sculptor, smith, artist, chef, storyteller, or inventor. Alchemy, magic, and engineering fascinate you. Other beings may see you as a strange mix of a nature-loving elf and a craft-obsessed dwarf, but you and your kind are unique people with a passion for life, exploration, and creation.

You gain the following characteristics:

Genius: +2 to your Intellect Pool.

Skill: You are trained in two skills that suit your creative nature, such as alchemy, smithing, poetry, cooking, woodcarving, or pottery.

Skill: You are practiced in using hammers.

Natural Affinity: You gain one of the following abilities: Communication, Eyes Adjusted, or Minor Illusion.

Inability: Your small size makes some physical tasks difficult. Might-based tasks are hindered.

Additional Equipment: You have a bag of light tools or a bag of heavy tools.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You think an object or material you’ve been looking for can be found where the other PCs are going.
2. You were recruited because of your knowledge on a particular subject.
3. You were bored and it sounded like the PCs were going to do something interesting.
4. You owe one of the PCs a favor for a useful gift in the past.

Half-Giant #

You stand at least 12 feet (4 m) tall and tower over everyone around you. Whether you are a full-blooded giant or merely have giant heritage from large ancestors, you’re massive. Always large for your age, it became an issue only once you reached puberty and topped 7 feet (2 m) in height, and kept growing from there.

You gain the following characteristics:

Tough: +4 to your Might Pool.

Mass and Strength: You inflict +1 point of damage with your melee attacks and attacks with thrown weapons.

Breaker: Tasks related to breaking things by smashing them are eased.

Inability: You’re too large to accomplish normal things. Tasks related to initiative, stealth, and fine manipulation of any sort (such as lockpicking or repair tasks) are hindered.

Additional Equipment: You have a heavy weapon of your choice.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You fished the PCs out of a deep hole they’d fallen into while exploring.
2. You were the PCs’ guide in the land of giants and stayed with them afterward.
3. The PCs helped you escape a nether realm where other giants were imprisoned by the gods.
4. You kept the PCs from being discovered by hiding them behind your bulk when they were on the run.

Halfling #

Three feet tall and proud, you are fond of the comforts of home but itching for a little adventure now and then. Small and quick, you have a way of getting along with everyone. You might have been raised in a halfling village, a mixed community where humans and the small folk work and eat side by side as friends, or a less welcoming environment where your people get things done using deception and criminal activity. You and humans have a lot in common—you’re just more compact and efficient about it.

You gain the following characteristics:

Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.

Skill: You are trained in pleasant social interactions.

Skill: You are trained in stealth.

Skill: You are trained in Intellect defense.

Advantage: When you use 1 XP to reroll a d20 for any roll that affects only you, add 3 to the reroll.

Inability: Your small size makes some physical tasks difficult. Might-based tasks are hindered.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You were fleeing someone and literally ran into the other PCs.
2. You were invited (or invited yourself) as a good luck charm.
3. You were tricked into going with the other PCs or were brought along despite your very reasonable objections.
4. You’re very protective of another PC and want to make sure they get through the upcoming challenges.

Helborn #

Demons of the underworld sometimes escape. When they do, they can taint human bloodlines. Things like you are the result of such unnatural unions. Part human and part something else, you are an orphan of a supernatural dalliance. Thanks to your unsettling appearance, you’ve probably been forced to make your own way in a world that often fears and resents you. Some of your kin have large horns, tails, and pointed teeth. Others are more subtle or more obvious in their differences—a shadow of a knife-edge in their face and a touch that withers normal plants, a little too much fire in their eyes and a scent of ash in the air, a forked tongue, goatlike legs, or the inability to cast a shadow. Work with the GM on your particular helborn appearance.

You gain the following characteristics.

Devious: +2 to your Intellect Pool.

Skill: You are trained in tasks related to magic lore and lore of the underworld.

Fire Adapted: +2 to Armor against damage from fire only.

Helborn Magic: You are inherently magical. Choose one low-tier ability from the Abilities chapter. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, you gain that ability as part of your helborn heritage, and can use it like any other type or focus ability.

Inner Evil: You sometimes lose control and risk hurting your allies. When you roll a 1, the GM has the option to intrude by indicating that you lose control. Once you’ve lost control, you attack any and every living creature within short range. You can’t spend Intellect points for any reason other than to try to regain control (a difficulty 2 task). After you regain control, you suffer a –1 penalty to all rolls for one hour.

Inability: People distrust you. Tasks to persuade or deceive are hindered.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You were nearly beaten to death by people who didn’t like your look, but the PCs found and revived you.
2. The PCs hired you for your knowledge of magic.
3. Every so often you get visions of people trapped in the underworld. You tracked those people down and found the PCs, who’d never visited the underworld. Yet.
4. Your situation at home became untenable because of how people reacted to your looks. You joined the PCs to get away.

Lizardfolk #

You are from a long line of fierce reptilian predators. You show your fangs and scales proudly. Your people survive and thrive in the wetlands, guarding their eggs, raising their hatchlings, and protecting their territory. City-builders may call you a savage and your culture primitive, but there is grace in your hunting, artistry in your crafting, joy in your songs, and reverence in your worship.

You gain the following characteristics:

Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool.

Skill: You are trained in balancing, jumping, and swimming.

Skill: You are trained in hunting and tracking.

Skill: You are practiced in using javelins and spears.

Scaly: +1 to Armor.

Inability: Your slightly clawed hands make fine detail work difficult. You have an inability with picking locks, picking pockets, and other manual dexterity tasks (but not crafting).

Additional Equipment: You have a spear and a pair of javelins.

Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. The other PCs were lost in your territory and you were sent to escort them out.
2. Something has been attacking your community and you want to find and destroy it.
3. You were exiled from your community and need to prove your worthiness before you can return to it.
4. You or your priest had a vision of you traveling with the other PCs.

Optional Rule: Spellcasting #

Fantasy settings prioritize magic as an essential ingredient. But why restrict that magic to just wizards and similar characters? It’s not uncommon in fantasy literature for a thief or warrior to learn a few spells as they steal or brawl through their adventures. Leiber’s Gray Mouser knew some spells, Moorcock’s Elric knew a lot, pretty much everyone in Anthony’s Xanth books knew at least one, and so on. Of course, wizards and sorcerers specialize in spellcasting, which gives them clear superiority in magic use. But whether a character is a fireball-flinging wizard or a belligerent barbarian, anyone can learn some spellcasting under this optional rule.

Under the spellcasting rule, any character, no matter their role or type, can choose to learn a spell as a long-term benefit. After they learn one spell, they may learn more later if they wish, or just stick with the one.

First Spell #

Any character can gain a spell by spending 3 XP and working with the GM to come up with an in-game story of how the PC learned it. Maybe they learned it as a child from their parent and practiced it enough to actually do it; perhaps they spent a month hiding in a wizard’s library reading; it could be that they found a weird magical amulet that imbues them with the spell; and so on.

Next, choose one low-tier ability from the Abilities chapter. If the GM agrees it is appropriate, the character gains that ability as their spell, with a few caveats. The spell can’t be used like a normal ability gained through a PC’s type or focus. Instead, a character must either use a recovery roll or spend many minutes or longer evoking their spell, in addition to paying its Pool cost (if any).

Using a Recovery Roll to Cast a Spell: If the character uses a one-action, ten-minute, or one-hour recovery roll as part of the same action to cast the spell (including paying any Pool costs), they can use the ability as an action. This represents a significant mental and physical drain on the character, because the normal benefit of recovering points in a Pool is not gained.

Spending Time to Cast a Spell: If the character takes at least ten minutes chanting, mumbling occult phonemes, concentrating deeply, or otherwise using all their actions, they can cast a low-tier spell (if they also pay any Pool costs). An hour is required to cast mid-tier spells. Ten hours are required to cast a high-tier spell.

More Spells #

Once a character has learned at least one spell, they can opt to learn additional spells later. Each time, they must spend an additional 3 XP and work with the GM to come up with an in-game story of how the character’s magical learning has progressed.

Two additional rules for learning additional spells apply:

First, a character must be at least tier 3 and have previously gained one low-tier spell before they can learn a mid-tier spell.

Second, a character must be at least tier 5 and have previously gained one mid-tier spell before they can learn a high-tier spell.

Otherwise, gaining and casting additional spells are as described for the character’s first spell.

Wizards And The Optional Spellcasting Rule #

Wizards (usually Adepts) and characters with explicit spellcasting foci like Masters Spells, Channels Divine Blessings, Speaks for the Land, and possibly others are also considered to be spellcasters, and moreover, specialized ones. Their spells—abilities provided by their type or focus—are used simply by paying their Pool costs. Extra time or physical effort isn’t required to cast them. That’s because, in the parlance of the fantasy genre, these spells are considered to be “prepared.”

But specialized casters can also use the optional spellcasting rule to expand their magic further. They can learn additional spells via the optional spellcasting rule just like other characters, with the same limitations.

Optionally, specialized casters who record their arcane knowledge in a spellbook (or something similar) gain one additional benefit. The spellbook is a compilation of spells, formulas, and notes that grants the specialized caster more flexibility than those who’ve simply learned a spell or two. With a spellbook, a PC can replace up to three prepared spells with three other spells they’ve learned of the same tier. To do so, they must spend at least one uninterrupted hour studying their spellbook. Usually, this is something that requires a fresh mind, and must be done soon after a ten-hour recovery.

For instance, if a wizard exchanges Ward (an ability gained from their type) with Telekinesis (an ability gained from the optional spellcasting rule), from now on the character can cast Ward only by spending time or using a recovery roll (as well as spending Pool points). On the other hand, they can use Telekinesis normally, because now it’s prepared. Later, the wizard could spend the time studying to change out their prepared spells with others they’ve learned using the optional spellcasting rule.

A PC might choose the 4 XP character advancement option to select a new type-based ability from their tier or alower tier. If so, the ability gained doesn’t count as a spell, and the spellcasting rule limitations do not apply to the ability so gained. If the PC is a wizard and uses the 4 XP character advancement option, treat the ability as one more prepared spell.

Fantasy Creatures #

The most important element of each creature or NPC is its level. You use the level to determine the target number a PC must reach to attack or defend against the opponent. In each entry, the target number for the creature is listed in parentheses after its level. The target number is three times the level.

A creature’s target number is usually also its health, which is the amount of damage it can sustain before it is dead or incapacitated. For easy reference, the entries always list a creature’s health, even when it’s the normal amount for a creature of its level. 

CREATURES AND NPCs BY LEVEL

* Creature or NPC found in the Cypher System

BIGGER AND TOUGHER

If you need a larger or tougher version of a creature, such as a dire wolf or a giant crocodile, you can just increase the creature’s level (and all of its modifications) by 1 or 2. If the creature has a damage or health stat that isn’t the default for its level, take that into account at the modified creature’s new level.

A simple rule of thumb is to double a creature’s size (length, width, and height) for every level it increases.

**OTHER CREATURES AND NPCs FOR A FANTASY GAME

Bat:** level 1

Black bear: level 3, attacks as level 4

Blacksmith: level 2, metalworking as level 4; health 8

Cat: level 1, Speed defense as level 3 due to size and quickness

Catfolk: level 3, balancing and climbing as level 4; damage inflicted 4 points

Centaur: level 4; health 15; moves a long distance each round

Crocodile: level 4; Armor 1; swims a short distance each round

Dire wolf: level 4, attacks and perception as level 5; Armor 1

Dog: level 2, perception as level 3

Dog, guard: level 3, attacks and perception as level 4

Elephant: level 5; health 20; Armor 1

Farmer: level 2, animal handling as level 3; health 8

Gargoyle: level 3; Armor 5; damage inflicted 5 points; flies a short distance each round

Giant ape: level 3, climbing and attacks as level 4

Giant crab: level 6; Armor 4; pincer attack holds prey and automatically inflicts damage each turn until the target succeeds at a Might or Speed defense task

Giant frog: level 3

Giant octopus: level 5, Might defense and stealth as level 6; health 25; attacks four times as an action

Giant scorpion: level 4; Armor 2; damage inflicted 4 points plus 4 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) on a failed Might defense task

Giant snake: level 4; health 18; Armor 2; damage inflicted 4 points plus 3 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) on a failed Might defense task

Gnoll: level 2, Speed defense as level 3 due to shield; health 8; Armor 2

Gorilla: level 2, attacks as level 3; damage inflicted 3 points

Griffon: level 4, perception as level 5; Armor 1; flies a long distance each round

Grizzly bear: level 5; health 20; Armor 1

Hawk: level 2; flies a long distance each round

Hippogryph: level 3, attacks as level 4; flies a long distance each round.

Horse: level 3; moves a long distance each round

Leopard: level 4; climbing, jumping, stealth, and attacks as level 5; Armor 1

Lion or tiger: level 5, attacks as level 6; Armor 1

Lizardfolk: level 3; Armor 1

Merchant: level 2, haggling and assessment tasks as level 3

Mummy: level 6; ancient history, ancient religion, climbing, and stealth as level 8; health 24; Armor 2; damage inflicted 7 points

Nymph: level 3, stealth and positive social interactions as level 6

Pegasus: level 3, Speed defense as level 4; moves or flies a long distance each round

Pterodactyl: level 3; Armor 1; flies a long distance each round

Rat: level 1

Roc: level 6; health 25; Armor 2; flies a long distance each round; attacks twice as an action

Shark: level 3, attacks as level 4; health 15; Armor 2

Undead claw: level 1, attacks as level 3, Speed defense as level 3 due to quickness and size; health 5; Armor 1

Unicorn: level 4; Might defense, perception, and attacks as level 5; health 15; Armor 1; makes two attacks as its action; once per hour can teleport up to 1 mile; once per hour can heal a creature for 4 Pool points (or health) and remove poisons up to level 4

Villager: level 1

Viper: level 2; bite inflicts 3 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor)

Warhorse: level 4; moves a long distance each round

Werebear: level 5, attacks as level 6; Armor 1; damage inflicted 6 points; regenerates 2

health per round (unless recently wounded by silver)

Wererat: level 3, Speed defense and stealth as level 4; regenerates 2 health per round (unless recently wounded by silver)

Wereshark: level 4, attacks as level 5; health 15; Armor 2; regenerates 2 health per round (unless recently wounded by silver)

Weretiger: level 5, attacks as level 6; Armor 1; damage inflicted 6 points; regenerates 2 health per round (unless recently wounded by silver)

Wolf: level 3, perception as level 4

Yeti: level 3; attacks, perception, and stealth as level 4; Armor 1

Basilisk

5 (15)

Motive: Hunger 

Environment: Forests and plains 

Health: 15 

Damage Inflicted: 5 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Perception and stealth as level 6 

Combat: A basilisk bites like a snake, inflicting 5 points of damage and injecting a poison that moves the target one step down the damage track if they fail a Might defense roll. 

The basilisk can spit its poison up to short range, inflicting 1 point of damage and moving the target one step down the damage track if they fail a Might defense roll. 

The basilisk’s venom affects its breath, and on its turn, anything within immediate range of it must make a Might defense roll or take 1 point of poison damage. Because of this constant invisible cloud of poison, a basilisk’s lair is surrounded by a stinking area of dead vegetation, blasted earth, and etched stone. 

Basilisk venom is so potent that even creatures that are immune to poison can still be harmed by it, taking 5 points of Speed damage instead of moving down the damage track. (A creature that is immune to poison and acid is fully immune to the venom.) 

Anyone within short range of a basilisk who meets its gaze and fails a Might defense roll turns to stone. In combat, when a character within short distance attacks a basilisk, they must either avert their gaze to attack safely (which hinders their attack by two steps) or make a Might defense roll. On a failed Might defense roll, the character takes 5 points of ambient damage as their flesh partly mineralizes; if the character is killed by this damage, they are turned to stone. 

Interaction: Basilisks act like simple animals and respond threateningly if disturbed or provoked. If not hungry, a basilisk avoids conflict and hides in its lair. 

Use: A blighted area in a field, briar, or forest suggests that a basilisk has moved into the area. Swarms of snakes enter a village, fleeing an approaching basilisk. 

Loot: Basilisk venom is valuable, but it must be stored in a strong, sealed container or the bearer will succumb to the poison. Its blood has alchemical properties relating to transmuting metals.

Blackguard

6 (18)

Motive: Power, domination of others, slaughter 

Environment: Almost anywhere, either alone or as part of a cult or evil organization 

Health: 30 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points 

Armor: 2 or 3 

Movement: Short; long when mounted 

Modifications: Perception and Intellect defense as level 7 

Combat: Blackguards use high-quality armor and weapons (usually decorated with symbols depicting death, demons, or evil gods). Many wear heavy armor and prefer weapons that inflict bleeding wounds, but some take a more subtle approach and act more like assassins than knights. A blackguard typically has two or three of the following abilities: 

Fiendish Beast: The blackguard has a companion creature such as a dog, horse, or raven with an eerie, unnatural look (in the case of small animals, the creature may also be an exceptionally large specimen of its kind). The creature is actually a semi-intelligent fiend in animal shape (and therefore immune to abilities that affect only normal animals) that can understand the blackguard’s commands, and may even be able to speak. If the beast is a horse or similar creature, the blackguard might ride it as a mount. 

Necromancy: The blackguard uses a ten-minute ritual to animate a human-sized corpse as a zombie under their control. The zombie becomes a corpse again after a day. 

Poison: The blackguard coats their weapons with a level 6 poison; a foe who fails a Might defense roll moves one step down the damage track. 

Spells: The blackguard knows several spells granted by an evil entity, typically spells that cause a foe to flee in fear for one minute, restore 10 health, create an eerie darkness or fog in long range, or grant +5 Armor against energy and magical attacks for an hour. 

Surprise Attack: When the blackguard attacks from a hidden vantage, with surprise, or before their opponent has acted in combat, they get an asset on the attack and inflict +4 points of damage. Unholy 

Aura: Defense rolls by foes within immediate distance of the blackguard are hindered. 

Unholy Blessing: The blackguard’s defense rolls are eased. 

Interaction: Blackguards enjoy killing righteous paragons of good and are often cruel for the sake of cruelty itself. 

Use: A blackguard has united various groups of bandits into a small army. An evil wizard sends her blackguard lieutenant to kill the people interfering with her plans. 

Loot: Blackguards usually have treasures equivalent to three or four expensive items, a few useful manifest cyphers, and an artifact weapon or armor.

Cambion

5 (15)

its brow, and the tips of fangs emerge from between its dusky lips. Its eyes, absent iris and

pupil, are the color of driven snow. Cambions are cursed creatures, born of mortal and

demonic parentage, and are also sometimes called helborn. Most cambions give in to what

everyone expects of them, and embrace evil.

Motive: Defense, conquest, revenge on a world that’s rejected them

Environment: Anywhere, often hiding in plain sight

Health: 25

Damage Inflicted: 6 points

Armor: 1

Movement: Short

Modifications: Disguise as level 7

Combat: Cambions sometimes wield heavy weapons in combat, especially if they come across an artifact that can enhance their attacks. Some cambions develop their natural and magical abilities to become powerful sorcerers, but most can call up hellish energy merely by willing it at least once per day, as follows.

Finger of Torture: A ruby ray lances out from the cambion’s finger to strike an enemy prone with torturous pain on a failed Might defense task. The target automatically takes 6 points of damage each round until they can escape the effect with an Intellect task.

Soulfire Blast: An explosion of soul-rending black and crimson fire explodes around up to three targets standing next to each other within short range, inflicting 4 points of damage and stunning the targets so that they lose their next action on a failed Speed defense task.

Interaction: Cambions are bleak, depressed, and misunderstood. Most have turned to evil, but a few can be redeemed.

Use: A great fire is seen burning on the horizon. The next day, travelers come across a burned region with a crater that has destroyed a farmhouse. At the center of the crater is an unconscious human with hornlike growths on its head.

Loot: Powerful cambions sometimes wield artifacts as weapons.

Corrupt Mage

7 (21)

Motive: Magical knowledge at all costs 

Environment: Almost anywhere, usually with fleshbeast minions 

Health: 35 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: All tasks related to knowledge of arcane lore, demons, and altering bodies as level 8 

Combat: Corrupt mages blast opponents with beams of energy that blister, slash, and rot flesh, attacking up to three creatures as an action. Many of them have given themselves long claws and teeth that they can use to make up to three melee attacks per action. 

A corrupt mage knows many spells, such as the following:

 • Armor: Covers a creature with ugly scales, granting them +3 to Armor for an hour. 

• Madness: Wracks the brain of one creature within short range for one hour, reducing them to a babbling catatonic state in which they can’t recognize friend or foe. If disturbed or harmed, the creature is likely to lash out with lethal force at what it perceives as its tormentors. 

• Organ Request: Extracts a handful of internal organs from an opponent within short range, moving the creature one step down the damage track if it fails a Might defense roll. 

• Polymorph: Transforms one foe within short range into a tiny, helpless creature such as a cockroach, fish, or snail for one hour. 

• Summon Demon: Summons a demon to serve the mage for one hour. 

• Teleport: Moves the mage up to 100 miles (160 km) away, or less far if they bring additional creatures with them. 

• Twist Flesh: Reshapes the flesh of a creature within close range, turning it into a hideous monstrosity for one hour. The transformed creature’s actions are hindered, but its physical attacks inflict +3 points of damage. The mage’s control over the creature is limited to indicating which target it should attack. 

A corrupt mage usually has several cyphers useful in combat and perhaps an artifact as well. 

Interaction: Corrupt mages generally can’t be trusted and see other creatures as things to experiment on and vivisect. They might negotiate with someone who brings them a rare specimen or spell. Many are mentally disturbed by their research and self-alterations and may fluctuate between calm clarity, obsession, paranoia, and rage. 

Use: The strange hybrid monsters emerging from the forest are said to be the creations of a corrupt mage. A corrupt mage in a calm state presents themselves as a neutral or benevolent wizard seeking assistance on a task. 

Loot: A corrupt mage has 1d6 cyphers and perhaps a wizardly artifact.

Cyclops

7 (21)

Motive: Hungers for flesh 

Environment: Almost anywhere 

Health: 32

Damage Inflicted: 8 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Attacks targets within immediate range as level 5 due to poor eyesight; Speed defense as level 5 due to size; Intellect defense as level 4 

Combat: A cyclops can always resort to using its fists in melee, pummeling opponents with knuckles the size of large hogs. However, most cyclopes carry a tree trunk and use it to sweep enemies from their path. Due to its massive height, a cyclops can make a melee attack against creatures within short range. 

Cyclopes can pry up boulders from the ground and throw them at targets within long range. A thrown boulder inflicts 8 points of damage to all targets in an immediate area. 

Killing a cyclops can be dangerous. When killed, it falls away from the attacker that delivered the killing blow. Any creature under it when it falls must make a successful Speed defense roll or be pinned under its corpse and take 7 points of damage. Escaping from under a dead cyclops requires a successful Might roll. 

Interaction: Cyclopes know the language of the lands they inhabit, but they are notoriously dim and easily fooled. A cyclops thinks about its belly first and foremost and doesn’t pay much attention to what it stuffs in its mouth. 

Use: A cyclops has been rampaging across the countryside, and warriors sent to deal with it have been vanquished. PCs who investigate learn that the cyclops has been robbed and is trying to find the stolen item. 

Loot: Most cyclopes carry sacks filled with things they find interesting or plan to eat. Aside from the rubbish, a typical sack contains 1d100 coins of the realm and a couple of cyphers.

Demon Lord

9 (27)

Motive: Power, conquest, souls 

Environment: Any hell dimension, sometimes called by mortal magic 

Health: 100

Damage Inflicted: 12 points 

Armor: 5 

Movement: Short; long when flying 

Modifications: History and magical knowledge as level 10

Combat: A demon lord attacks with a bolt of evil energy or fire up to a long distance away, inflicting 12 points of damage on one target or 9 points of damage on all targets within short range of the primary target. Targets caught in the area attack who succeed on a Speed defense roll still suffer 5 points of damage. A demon lord can make melee attacks on all targets within immediate range as an action. 

They can also call on a variety of other magical abilities that mimic the effect of any cypher of level 5 or lower—usually destructive, painful, and transformative effects.

 A demon lord automatically regains 3 points of health per round. They typically have the following abilities: 

• Change Shape: The demon lord can take the form of a human or similar humanoid as its action, or return to its regular shape. When so changed, its disguise is nearly impenetrable without special knowledge. As a human, the demon lord is a level 7 creature. 

• Possession: The demon lord can possess a creature and still use its own abilities. 

• Summon Demon: Summon a demon or devil to serve it for one day. 

• Wish: The demon lord can grant a mortal a wish (up to level 9) in exchange for an appropriate payment or service, but the wish is often twisted or has hidden consequences. 

Interaction: Demon lords are willing to bargain with mortals if it leads to the mortal’s corruption or advances the demon’s agenda in some way. They sometimes respond to flattery or bribes of powerful souls or magic items. 

Use: A mad cult wants to summon a demon lord in order to end the world. A mysterious stranger offers aid in exchange for a favor to be named later. 

Loot: A demon lord often has an artifact relating to some aspect of its nature or interests, such as a weapon, ring, or armor, as well as 1d6 cyphers.

Elemental, Air

4 (12)

Motive: Mischief and destruction 

Environment: Anywhere the wind blows 

Health: 24 

Damage Inflicted: 4 points 

Movement: Long when flying 

Modifications: Stealth as level 6
Combat: Air elementals slice foes up to a short distance away with blades of fierce wind, or use blasts of air to throw small objects. Once every other round, an air elemental can turn into a tornado-like vortex that inflicts 4 points of damage to all creatures within immediate range. In this form, the elemental gains +1 to Armor and an additional +2 to Armor against physical projectile weapons such as arrows and javelins. The elemental reverts to its normal form at the start of its next turn. 

An air elemental can disperse itself over a short area as an action. In this form it is invisible, unable to attack, and can’t be attacked except with area attacks. The elemental can remain in this form indefinitely, but must use an action to return to its normal form. 

Air elementals are elusive opponents and hard to destroy. If an air elemental is reduced to 0 health, there is a 50 percent chance that it rejuvenates a few rounds later with 6 health. The elemental then continues to fight or flees to cause trouble elsewhere. 

Interaction: Air elementals see and hear many things, but they are flighty and what they remember usually isn’t important or relevant. They can be summoned with magic but don’t like being controlled, and there is a 10 percent chance that they free themselves and strike out on their own. 

Use: A safe mountain trail has become hazardous due to unseasonal winds that threaten to push travelers off a cliff. An old tree is surrounded by whispers of conversations that took place recently and has started hurling sticks and fruit at anyone who comes too close.

Elemental, Thorn

6 (18)

Motive: Defense of forests 

Environment: Anywhere trees grow 

Health: 36 

Damage Inflicted: 6 points 

Armor: 2 

Movement: Immediate 

Combat: Thorn elementals batter foes with thorny, vine-wrapped fists. Targets who suffer damage must make a successful Might defense roll or take 2 points of Speed damage from a paralytic poison transmitted by a thorn’s prick. Worse, the poison continues to inflict 2 points of Speed damage each round until the victim succeeds at a Might defense roll. 

As its action, a thorn elemental can disentangle its form and reassemble a new body anywhere within long range where trees and plants grow. A thorn elemental regains 2 points of health each time it travels in this fashion. 

Interaction: Thorn elementals communicate through speech, though they generally disdain talking to creatures of the animal kingdom. Thorn elementals exist within a hierarchy; those that have a greater capacity for communication are also usually more powerful. Summoned thorn elementals have about a 5 percent chance of breaking the geas and turning on their summoner. 

Use: Adventuring characters journey through a forest that is under threat of destruction by an encroachment of other humanoids. Thinking the PCs are part of the encroachers, a thorn elemental attacks them. If communication is opened, it might break off hostilities and instead ask the characters to help. 

Loot: The bodies of those previously defeated by thorn elementals dangle from the forest or jungle canopy with all their former possessions. One or two might have a cypher and other tools and treasure.

Elemental, Water

4 (12)

Motive: Flood, drown, and wash away 

Environment: Anywhere there is flowing water 

Health: 24 

Damage Inflicted: 4 points 

Movement: Short; long if swimming 

Modifications: Swimming and aquatic maneuvers as level 6; stealth as level 6 when in water 

Combat: Water elementals bash opponents with heavy limbs of water or spray jets of water out to short range. 

Instead of a bashing attack, a water elemental can use its action to attempt to envelop, smother, and crush one opponent, who can resist with a Might defense roll. If the opponent fails, it takes 4 points of damage immediately and every round on the elemental’s turn. Each following turn, the enveloped character must attempt a new Might defense roll every round or move one step down the damage track from drowning as the elemental forces itself into the creature’s lungs. The creature can free itself with a Might defense roll. An elemental with an enveloped opponent can move up to a short distance as its action; a common tactic is to dive deep, release their opponent to drown normally, then return to its previous position to fight other opponents. 

Any attack that inflicts 6 or more points of cold damage hinders a water elemental’s actions on its next turn.

Interaction: Water elementals are somewhat intelligent but think very differently from humans, so they often seem distracted and dull. They are generally compliant when summoned with magic, but there is about a 5 percent chance that they break free of the spell and lash out against their summoner. 

Use: Offerings left at a sacred pond have gone missing, and the water itself seems threatening. Garbage or dead bodies have polluted a water source, spawning an angry elemental that attacks everyone until the mess is cleaned up.

Evil Priest

7 (21)

Motive: Domination of others, divine rule 

Environment: Almost anywhere that people live 

Health: 28 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Deception, persuasion, and religious lore as level 8 

Combat: Evil priests make one or two short-range magical attacks as an action, which are thematically appropriate to the god or entity they serve, such as blasts of hellfire, grasping shadowy tentacles, or disruptive necromantic energy. They often rely on zealous minions to protect them from melee opponents. 

Priests usually know several spells, such as how to banish or control creatures from other dimensions, create an area of darkness, see and hear remote locations, speak with the dead, mesmerize or paralyze a person, cause blindness, or create a ward against energy damage. They also have the following magical abilities: 

• Curse: The priest curses a foe within short range, hindering all of the foe’s actions by two steps. 

• Heal: The priest heals a touched creature for 10 health or removes an affliction such as a disease or curse. 

• Necromancy: The priest uses a ten-minute ritual to animate up to four human-sized corpses as skeletons or zombies under their control. The undead revert to corpses after a day. 

• Sacrifice: The priest uses a ten-minute ritual to kill a helpless, restrained, or unconscious creature of level 4 or higher, using its soul to grant one ally an asset on all actions and defenses for one day. 

• Summon: Once per hour the priest can summon a demon or one level 3 or 4 creature (such as a giant snake, giant spider, or swarm of bugs). The summoned creature serves the priest for an hour before vanishing. 

• An evil priest usually has one or two combat-useful manifest cyphers and often has an artifact appropriate to their religion. Most also wear armor or have an ongoing defensive spell that grants them Armor. 

Interaction: Evil priests tend to be knowledgeable, arrogant, and condescending toward heroes and members of rival faiths. They might strike a bargain to save their lives or the life of a valuable minion, or to gain an advantage later on. 

Use: An evil priest is converting frightened peasants into followers, and turning those who refuse into zombie slaves. A new religious figure in the city is acting suspiciously, and members of rival faiths have been disappearing or turning up dead. 

Loot: Evil priests usually have mundane treasures equivalent to three or four expensive items, a few useful manifest cyphers, and an artifact.

Faerie

3 (9)

Motive: Unpredictable 

Environment: Alone or in a flutter of three to twelve 

Health: 12 

Damage Inflicted: 4 points 

Movement: Immediate; long when flying 

Modifications: Tasks related to performance and deception as level 5; Speed defense as level 5 due to size and quickness 

Combat: A faerie can hurl damaging magic dust at any target within short range, but sometimes it wields tiny weapons such as bows, spears, or swords. 

If a faerie is touched or struck by a melee weapon, more magic dust puffs away from the faerie and clouds the attacker, who must make a Speed defense roll or take the same amount of damage they just dealt to the faerie. 

A faerie can see in the dark, but it can also emit bright light and appear as a glowing humanoid or an illuminated sphere. 

Faeries regenerate 1 point of health per round while their health is above 0. 

Some faeries can attempt to use a song or light display to charm others within short range. The target must succeed on an Intellect defense roll or fall into a suggestible state for one hour. During this period, the target can be led by the faerie at their regular movement rate. The target can be brought out of the spell early if they take damage or are heartily slapped and shaken for a round or two, causing the glamour to fade. A faerie can use this power once per minute. 

Interaction: Faeries are mercurial creatures, but except for the malicious ones, they can be negotiated with, especially if offered sweets, wine, or other gifts. However, faerie attention spans are limited, so even one that means well could end up leaving the PCs in the lurch at just the wrong moment. 

Use: The dancing light in the distance, leading curious PCs deeper and deeper into the dark woods, is a faerie. And the destination could be a wicked witch or other unpleasant location.

Loot: The tiny pouches that faeries carry are stuffed with forest bric-a-brac, but some of those pouches are ten times larger on the inside and might hold a handful of shiny coins or a cypher.

Gorgon

5 (15)

Motive: Isolation, defense 

Environment: Alone, sequestered in the isolated ruins of old cities and castles 

Health: 12 

Damage Inflicted: 5 points 

Movement: Short 

Combat: A gorgon has a long-range bow attack. Since creatures that see the gorgon often turn to stone, it must take down its prey at long range so it can get fresh meat. In close combat, a gorgon lashes out with a long dagger or, rarely, a sword. As part of the action the gorgon uses to attack, the serpents on its head can also attack one target within immediate distance. A target that fails its Speed defense roll takes 2 points of damage from the bite and must immediately make a Might defense roll to resist the poison (which deals 4 additional points of Speed damage that ignores Armor). 

Anyone within short range of a gorgon who meets its gaze and fails a Might defense roll turns to stone. In combat, when a character within short distance attacks the gorgon, they must avert their gaze (which hinders the attack by two steps) or make a Might defense roll. On a failure, they take 5 points of ambient damage as their flesh partly mineralizes. If the character is killed by this damage, they are turned to stone.

 Some gorgons carry a couple of cyphers and perhaps an artifact that they can use in combat. 

Interaction: Bitterness consumes gorgons. They lead lonely lives, cut off from everyone they have loved. Negotiating with one would be something of a feat. 

Use: A gorgon’s head retains its power to petrify for several days after being cut from the creature. The PCs might brave the gorgon so they can use its head to defeat an even more powerful foe. 

Loot: A gorgon typically has a few cyphers and may have an artifact as well.

Hag

6 (18)

Motive: Power, treachery 

Environment: Forests, swamps, mountains, and unpleasant natural locations 

Health: 25 

Damage Inflicted: 6 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Lying, haggling, magical lore, mimicking voices, and Intellect defense as level 7 

Combat: Hags can attack with their iron-hard claws and teeth, but often rely on their magic abilities in combat. Hags can breathe water, and usually have three or more of the following abilities: 

• Arcane blast: Use magical energy to blast one foe within short range and inflict 6 points of damage, or divide this energy (and damage) among several foes as the hag sees fit (each foe makes their own Speed defense roll against this attack). 

• Change shape: Transform into a humanoid or common animal, or return to their own form. 

• Curse: Curse a creature within long range, hindering all physical actions by two steps. 

• Fear: Terrify all creatures within short range who look upon them, causing the creatures to flee for one minute if they fail an Intellect defense roll. 

• Illusion: Create an illusion affecting a small area that includes light, sound, and smell. They can use this to disguise themselves as any humanoid creature (such as a human, dwarf, or elf). Changing or maintaining the illusion is not an action. 

• Invisibility: Turn invisible for ten minutes. When invisible, they are specialized in stealth and Speed defense tasks. 

• Murderous glare: Glare at one opponent, causing bloody wounds that inflict 6 points of damage if the creature is within short range (3 points if within long range). 

• Question: Get an answer to a very simple, general question about a creature or place within 1 mile (1.5 km). 

• Scrying eye: View any familiar location within 1 mile as if they were observing it directly. 

• Sleep: Make a creature fall asleep for one minute. Damage or loud noises will wake the creature. 

Three or more allied hags form a coven, which allows them to use each other’s magical abilities, and usually grants the coven (when working together) one or two additional abilities. 

Interaction: Hags are evil, greedy, hateful, and cruel. They rarely do things for others unless they benefit in some way, and they like to trick fools into dangerous tasks that end up profiting the hag instead of anyone else. If shown proper respect and bribed or paid, a hag can be a valuable source of lore. 

Use: The smell of cakes lures children to a mysterious woodland shack. The hag of the swamp is said to kill anyone who enters their territory without carrying a specific gift. 

Loot: In addition to coins and jewels, a hag usually has several scrolls or potions and may have an artifact.

Harpy

3 (9)

Motive: Hungers for flesh, causing anguish 

Environment: Coastline, forest, and mountains 

Health: 9 

Damage Inflicted: 4 points 

Movement: Short; long when flying 

Modifications: Perception and Speed defense as level 4 

Combat: Harpies are fast and strong, capable of carrying off a light adult human. They attack with their long talons. 

Anything a harpy touches becomes fouled with their smelly fluids, and one harpy energetically flapping their wings is enough to contaminate an immediate area. Their fluids are repulsive but not directly harmful, and the smell persists even after a casual washing. Any food touched by harpy filth is inedible to anyone but a harpy. Creatures with a sensitive sense of smell (such as dogs and wolves) are hindered when within a short distance of a harpy. It is common for a group of harpies to attack a campsite or festival, spread their stink over everything, and fly away with whatever food they can carry.

A harpy can sing a weird, entrancing song that hypnotizes whoever hears it. Anyone within long range who hears the song must make an Intellect defense roll or stop whatever they are doing and attempt to approach the harpy. If the creature comes within an immediate distance of a singing harpy, they stand there dumbly even as the harpy attacks them. The creature can make another attempt to break free each round on its turn, and taking damage from anything other than a singing harpy allows them another attempt to break free. Five or more harpies can work together on the same song (treat as a level 5 effect). Harpies are cruel and have been known to lead an entranced creature into a pit, off a cliff, or over the railing of a ship. 

Interaction: Other than their singing, harpies do not usually speak with other creatures. They are more likely to jeer and screech at people like an angry bird than try to communicate. 

Use: A flock of harpies torments a village during its harvest festival, ruining the celebration and some of the food set aside for the winter. Sailors speak of a lonely island where an old, blind king starves because harpies steal or foul any food set out for him. 

Loot: A harpy nest may have one or two cyphers or other valuables, but the items will smell disgusting unless carefully washed.

Hollow Knight

4 (12)

Motive: Obedience to its master 

Environment: Anywhere 

Health: 12 

Damage Inflicted: 5 points 

Armor: 3 

Movement: Short; long while mounted on a skeletal steed 

Modifications: Resists fear and intimidation as level 10 

Combat: A hollow knight usually fights with a sword or mace. 

When mounted on a steed, a hollow knight charges its enemies whenever possible. As an action, its steed moves a short distance, and the hollow knight can make a single attack at any point during this movement. When attacking in this way, the knight inflicts 7 points of damage. 

A hollow knight is fearless and fights until destroyed or ordered to pull back. The magic animating its armor is slow to fade, so armor components may continue to twitch and jerk even after the knight has fallen. Usually, when defeated, the suit of armor falls apart, and wisps of grey smoke curl up from the remains. 

Interaction: Hollow knights cannot speak. They obey any orders given to them by their creators. 

Use: The necromancer or other magician that binds the spirit to the armor also imbues the armor with specific commands—tasks the knight must carry out until destroyed. Some knights may stand guard at citadels or mansions, keeping a vigil until their armor finally falls apart. Others are more active and may function as the core of a dark wizard’s army.

Hydra

7 (21)

Motive: Hungers for flesh, defend a location 

Environment: Swamps, coasts, and forests 

Health: 24 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short when walking or swimming 

Modifications: Perception as level 8 due to its many heads; Speed defense as level 5 due to size 

Combat: Even approaching a hydra is dangerous; the air around it is poisoned by its venomous breath. Each round a creature is within immediate range of a hydra, they must succeed on a Might defense task or take 1 point of Speed damage (ignores Armor). 

All five of a hydra’s heads can simultaneously bite foes in immediate range. If three or more heads coordinate their attack, the heads make one attack as a single level 9 creature dealing 9 points of damage. A target bitten by the venomous hydra must also succeed on a Might defense task or take an additional 2 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor). 

Whenever the hydra takes 4 or more points of damage from a single attack, a healing pulse surges through the creature a round later. The pulse returns the health just subtracted due to the attack and triggers the immediate growth of two additional heads that sprout from the creature. (The same thing happens if one of the creature’s snakelike heads is decapitated.) The new heads are just as effective as the original ones in a fight. Fire, electrical, and other extreme energy attacks do not trigger the healing pulse and head genesis. 

Interaction: A hydra is a cunning predator, but not intelligent. It can’t bargain or negotiate. 

Use: The PCs investigate an ancient ruin hoping to find artifacts of the gods. A hydra saw them enter and trails them through the crumbling structure at a considerable distance, waiting for them to take a rest or become otherwise distracted before attacking.

 Loot: Hydras sometimes collect cyphers and artifacts in their lair, or failing that, they guard something of value.

JOTUNN (NORSE GIANT)

Jotunns are a type of giant—large, somewhat intelligent, bad-tempered, and cultured in their own way, but generally hostile to humans and other “little folk.” Jotunns range from 9 to 20 feet (3 to 6 m) tall, are strong, have long hair, and wear armor and use weapons like humans do. Some are hideous, some are attractive by human standards, and some have multiple heads. They live in caves, lodges, or large castles. There are two main types of jotunns: fire and frost.

Jotunn, Fire

6 (18)

Motive: Destruction, hungers for flesh, honor 

Environment: Hot mountains, volcanic areas, supernatural fires 

Health: 30 

Damage Inflicted: 6 points plus 3 points from fire 

Armor: 3 (immune to fire) 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Speed defense as level 5 due to size; breaks and throws objects as level 8 

Combat: A fire jotunn uses weapons appropriate to its size (which would be two-handed for a human but can be wielded one-handed by the giant), inflicting 6 points of damage plus another 3 points of ambient fire damage conducted from the jotunn’s body. Jotunns throw boulders up to very long range, inflicting 6 points of damage plus 3 points of fire damage. 

A jotunn can inflict 1 point of fire damage with a touch, and anyone touching it without protection against fire takes damage as if the jotunn had touched them. A slain fire jotunn and its equipment are too hot to safely touch for several minutes. 

Fire jotunns are immune to fire damage, but take additional damage from cold (equal to the attack’s normal damage, up to a maximum of 5 additional points of cold damage). 

Fire jotunn leaders sometimes have magical powers, usually related to earth and fire. 

Interaction: Fire jotunns tend to be hostile, but they may agree to a nonlethal challenge to allow visitors to pass through their land or join them for a feast. 

Use: A fire jotunn decides to cause trouble for intruders in its territory. A clan of jotunns wages war against a fortified village or town, hurling boulders, starting fires, and stealing livestock. 

Loot: Jotunns like fine things, and their homes usually have utensils, plates, weapons, and trophies made of precious metals and decorated with gems. They may have cyphers, and a leader may carry an artifact.

Jotunn, Frost

6 (18)

Motive: Destruction, hungers for flesh, honor 

Environment: Cold mountains and plains 

Health: 30 

Damage Inflicted: 6 points plus 3 points from cold 

Armor: 2 (immune to cold) 

Movement: Short; long when skiing 

Modifications: Speed defense as level 5 due to size; breaks and throws objects as level 8 

Combat: A frost jotunn uses weapons appropriate to its size (which would be two-handed for a human but can be wielded one-handed by the giant), inflicting 6 points of damage plus another 3 points of ambient cold damage conducted from the jotunn’s body. Jotunns throw boulders or chunks of ice up to very long range, inflicting 6 points of damage plus 3 points of cold damage. 

A jotunn can inflict 1 point of cold damage with a touch, and anyone touching it without protection against cold takes damage as if the jotunn had touched them. A slain frost jotunn and its equipment are too cold to safely touch for several minutes. 

Frost jotunns are immune to cold damage, but take additional damage from fire (equal to the attack’s normal damage, up to a maximum of 5 additional points of fire damage). 

Frost jotunn leaders sometimes have magical powers, usually related to illusions and weather. 

Interaction: Frost jotunns tend to be hostile, but if in a generous mood, they may allow visitors to dine with them or rest in their halls. Once they grant someone hospitality, they are loath to break it unless they are attacked, robbed, or tricked. 

Use: A frost jotunn throws a boulder just to be threatening. A clever jotunn offers to share a story in exchange for food and conversation. A clan of jotunns uses the cover of a storm to raid a village. 

Loot: Jotunns like fine things, and their homes usually have utensils, plates, weapons, and trophies made of precious materials and decorated with gems. They may have cyphers, and a leader may carry an artifact.

Lich

8 (24)

Motive: Magic, immortality, power 

Environment: Wherever they can remain hidden and work undisturbed 

Health: 45 

Damage Inflicted: 8 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Intellect defense and magical lore as level 10 

Combat: A lich can shoot blasts of necromantic energy that inflict 8 points of damage on a target and 4 points on any creature within immediate range of the target. A lich knows many spells, such as the following:

 • Animate guards: Animate ten corpses as skeletons or zombies, which obey the lich for one hour before turning back into corpses.

 • Armor: Gain +5 Armor for one hour. 

• Death: Inflict 8 points of damage on a creature within short range; if the creature fails a Might defense roll, it also moves two steps down the damage track. 

• Fly: For one hour, move through the air as effortlessly as walking. 

• Paralyze: One target within short range is held motionless for two rounds, unable to take any physical actions. 

• Polymorph: Transform a creature within short range into a harmless creature like a fish or frog for one minute. 

• Scrying eye: View any familiar location within 1 mile (1.5 km) as if the lich was observing it directly. 

• Teleport: Move instantly up to 1 mile. A lich also likely carries several cyphers useful in combat. Liches are undead, and therefore immune to anything that affects only living creatures, such as disease and poison. Unless its well-hidden phylactery is destroyed, a lich that is killed reforms a new body near its phylactery over the next week or so, returning at full health and with all of its abilities and memories. 

Interaction: Liches hate being interrupted and have more important things to do than answer questions from mortal weaklings. A lich may be convinced to teach a character a spell, especially if given a spell, cypher, or artifact in trade. 

Use: A lich is planning a ritual to raise an army of skeletons or zombies to attack the kingdom. A lich has made a pact with a demon to unleash a plague in exchange for obscure magical knowledge. 

Loot: A lich has 1d6 cyphers and usually an artifact.

Manticore

6 (18)

Motive: Hungers for flesh (especially human flesh) 

Environment: Mountains and plains 

Health: 22 

Damage Inflicted: 8 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Long 

Modifications: Ranged attacks as level 5 

Combat: Manticores attack with their powerful bite, seeking to incapacitate or kill one opponent quickly so they can eat. Some are content to attack and consume a single target, but a large, hungry manticore prefers to wait until two or three creatures are nearby before attacking. A manticore has powerful legs and can leap up to a short distance in any direction, and often surprises its prey by leaping from concealment. 

Instead of biting, a manticore can use its poisonous scorpion-like tail to strike one creature in melee with a cluster of barbs, inflicting 4 points of damage (plus 4 additional points of Speed damage if the target fails a Might defense roll). With a flick of its tail, it can hurl up to four barbs up to a short distance away, striking one or more creatures in an immediate area. Each barb inflicts 1 point of damage, and the target must succeed on a Might defense roll or take 1 additional point of Speed damage. 

Interaction: Manticores can make trumpet-like noises that resemble speech, but this seems to be a trick to lure prey. Most of them are not intelligent enough to know how to speak human languages. 

Use: Weird musical noises resembling speech are heard from the nearby hills. People have been disappearing in fields and on the road, with only bloodstains on the ground suggesting that they were harmed. 

Loot: A manticore’s stomach might contain a piece of treasure or a cypher from a recent meal, and its lair may have one or two small objects it was unable to digest.

Merfolk

3 (9)

Merfolk skin ranges from all human colors to green, blue, and grey. Some have small fins on their heads and elbows or webs between their fingers. They dress for comfort and wear jewelry made of shells, coral, pearls, polished gemstones, and metals they can salvage or trade for. Most of them are content to be hunters or cultivators of kelp and other aquatic plants, but some are curious about land-walkers (and their sunken ships) or fiercely territorial about protecting their waters against outsiders. 

Motive: Defense, entertainment 

Environment: Oceans, seas, and coasts

Health: 9 

Damage Inflicted: 4 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Immediate; short when swimming 

Modifications: Perception as level 4 while in water 

Combat: Merfolk use spears, tridents, daggers, and other stabbing weapons that are effective underwater. They may create traps using nets to confine or direct foes into an ambush. A few lucky or clever ones have acquired or adapted light crossbows designed to fire underwater up to a short distance away. 

About once every ten minutes, a merperson can swim a short distance as their action and still make a melee attack, or swim up to a long distance as their action. 

About one in ten merfolk have the magical ability to harden water until it is as strong and durable as wood, taking about an hour to make a spear or similar tool that lasts for several days. Some noble merfolk can create short-range bolts of electricity as an action and make limited alterations to the weather (stilling, increasing, or dispersing wind and clouds in a very long area) by concentrating for several minutes. 

Interaction: Merfolk react according to their role in merfolk society—farmer, rancher, guard, explorer, noble, and so on. Some merfolk are more aggressive or hostile and dislike the presence of land-walkers in their territory. Most merfolk are amiable to conversation and trade with people who treat them with fairness and respect. 

Use: Merfolk are often seen sunning themselves on a small island off the coast. Merfolk warriors accompanied by trained large fish have been harassing boats and ships that stray too far from the shallows and shores. 

Loot: In addition to several small pieces of jewelry, a group of merfolk might have a manifest cypher. A noble or royal merperson usually has a cypher and might have an artifact.

Minotaur

4 (12)

Motive: Hungers for flesh 

Environment: Caves, plains, and labyrinths 

Health: 19 

Damage Inflicted: 6 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Hunting and tracking as level 5 

Combat: Minotaurs attack with their horns or use large weapons. A minotaur can charge up to a short distance and then make an attack, which inflicts an additional 3 points of damage. 

Minotaurs are interested in mazes and mazelike spaces and like to wander within them, memorizing the paths and finding good places to stage ambushes. They leave out piles of equipment and useless treasures from previous victims to lure people into the maze and give the minotaur time to corner their prey. S

ometimes one minotaur in a tribe develops simple magic powers and is able to create illusions of smoke or mist in an area a short distance across, turn invisible for a few moments, or enchant weapons to inflict bleeding wounds. 

Interaction: Minotaurs can speak, usually in their own language or another crude humanoid language. However, they typically choose not to speak to weaker creatures (such as humans). 

Use: A wandering gang of minotaurs has been stealing livestock from a local village and is ready to start hunting humans. A minotaur gladiator escaped from a secret underground arena and is stalking prey in the city. Something lurks in a corn maze, leaving nothing but bones and bloodstains. 

Loot: Minotaurs don’t have much use for coins but keep a few small trophies, such as ivory dice, gems, or simple jewelry. The most powerful minotaur in the tribe may have a cypher or even a mastercraft weapon.

Morlock

2 (6)

Motive: Hungers for flesh, defense 

Environment: Caves, forests, hills, and underground 

Health: 6 

Damage Inflicted: 2 points 

Movement: Short; short when climbing 

Modifications: Stealth and tracking as level 4 

Combat: Morlocks fight with their nails and teeth, but sometimes they use simple weapons like clubs, stone knives, spears, and javelins if they have observed other humanoids doing so. Some tribes dig simple pit traps and chase prey into them. 

Morlocks dislike strong light but are not harmed by it. Their hearing and sense of smell is strong enough that they can “see” in dim or very dim light as if it were normal light. They can track scents as well as a trained dog. 

Interaction: Morlocks have a simple language of hoots, howls, and growls that communicate basic concepts like food, fire, danger, and cold. If enslaved by a more powerful creature, some of them can manage to learn a few words in that creature’s language. 

Use: Town elders warn that the drums and near-human howls on dark nights are signs of morlocks who’ll steal away foolish children. Stacked piles of stones are found in the forest, each surrounded by bare humanoid footprints. 

Loot: Morlocks don’t value what they can’t eat, but their lair may have a cypher or two from a recent victim.

Necromancer

5 (15)

Motive: Magical power, mastery over death 

Environment: In places where dead are interred, usually with some number of undead servitors 

Health: 15 

Damage Inflicted: 5 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Speed defense as level 6 due to shroud of undead protective spirits 

Combat: Necromancers can blast a foe within long range with the cold of the grave or flesh-decaying magic. 

A necromancer can cast a death spell on a foe within short range once every minute; the victim must succeed on a Might defense roll or move down one step on the damage track. This ability could be an innate power or come from an artifact. 

A necromancer who isn’t already accompanied by undead spirits or shambling, spirit-inhabited corpses under their command can call up a spirit as an action. A necromancer can command up to five spirits (or newly allied undead, as described below) at a time. 

A necromancer can attempt to take command of a spirit or undead creature within short range. They automatically succeed against an unaligned undead target of level 4 or less. If a targeted spirit is already allied with or in service to a PC, the PC must succeed on an Intellect defense roll or lose control of the spirit to the necromancer’s will for one minute. 

Interaction: Necromancers are feared for their nonchalant attitudes toward life, especially the life of normal people (such as peasants and city folk). They will negotiate but usually don’t have the capacity to care about another person’s well-being; they’re sociopathic. 

Use: A character has died, and their allies must find a necromancer to help retrieve their spirit. Of course, the necromancer wants something in return for this aid—perhaps an artifact pilfered from whatever underworld or hell the dead character is imprisoned within. 

Loot: Necromancers have one or two expensive items, a cypher, and possibly an artifact.

Noble Knight

7 (21)

Motive: Accomplish noble (or ignoble) deeds 

Environment: Almost anywhere, often alone, sometimes with followers 

Health: 50 

Damage Inflicted: 10 points 

Armor: 3 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: All tasks related to heraldic lore and chivalry as level 8; Speed defense as level 8 while holding shield 

Combat: Noble knights are armed with massive weapons they can wield in one hand, which means they can also hold a shield. They are skilled with melee weapons (such as a battleaxe, broadsword, or mace) and inflict lethal damage on a hit. 

Noble knights can also rely on a magic artifact or two to aid them, and possibly a noble steed. The artifact might be the very weapon a knight wields in combat and could grant them one or more of the following additional abilities: 

Legendary Strength. The noble knight can call upon the artifact to grant them great strength or fortitude to accomplish a particular physical task (such as breaking down a door, lifting a boulder, or knocking down pillars holding up a structure), which they attempt as if they were level 10. 

Regeneration. The noble knight regenerates 2 points of health per round while the weapon is drawn. 

Resistance. The noble knight is immune to effects that would influence their mind, charm them, or put them to sleep. 

Interaction: Flowery language and impeccable manners show a knight’s noble background. Those who negotiate with one in good faith are likely to come away with something of value. However, sometimes a noble knight is corrupt and betrays trusts. 

Use: A noble knight has decided that they must guard a bridge against any who would cross it. 

Loot: Noble knights carry weapons, heavy armor, and perhaps a cypher or even an artifact.

Sapient Tree

3 (9)

Motive: Defense 

Environment: Found in groves or copses of five to twenty 

Health: 16 

Damage Inflicted: 4 points 

Armor: 3 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Initiative as level 4; Speed defense as level 2 due to size 

Combat: When a sapient tree attacks, it often does so with surprise because it looks like a normal tree at first. If a character about to be attacked fails an Intellect defense roll, they do not perceive the attack in time, and the tree’s attack is eased. 

If a tree strikes in combat with one of its branch-arms, it can choose to grab the foe (rather than inflict damage) and toss them an immediate distance away, inflicting 2 points of ambient damage if they hit the ground or another solid object. If they are tossed at another creature, that second creature must make a successful Speed defense roll or also take this damage. 

Sometimes, a sapient tree that bears fruit will hurl its fruit up to short range, inflicting 4 points of damage. 

Interaction: Sapient trees are generally unfriendly and indignant toward animal life. They are fearful and assume that any creature not native to their forest is a threat. They are likely to attack first rather than speak, although they can speak eloquently, if sometimes slowly. 

Use: These trees populate magic forests. They can be used to surprise characters with an attack from an unexpected direction.

Satyr

5 (15)

Motive: Play tricks, gather treasure, fulfill desires 

Environment: Woodlands, hills, and plains 

Damage Inflicted: 6 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short Modifications: Tasks related to persuasion and deception as level 7; resists mental attacks as level 7 

Combat: Satyrs usually carry spears that they can use in melee and against foes within short range. They can also create magical effects by playing their pipes as an action, which can either bolster allies or harm enemies: 

Dance of the Leaping Stag: Foes within short range who fail an Intellect defense task lose their next turn to dancing and leaping. Attacks made against affected targets are eased. 

Feral Overture: An ally within short range is infused with magic, and one attack it makes on its next turn is eased; if it hits, it inflicts +3 damage.
Tune of the Clouded Mind: A foe within short range who fails an Intellect defense task spends its next turn attacking one of its allies. 

Interaction: Satyrs are inveterate mercenaries. They gladly work for strong drink and other treasures, and they ally with almost any creature capable of meeting their price. A satyr is always willing to start negotiations, but is prone to lying and exaggeration. Offering excessive libation, food, and other rewards is the only way to ensure that a satyr remains honest, and then for only a short period. 

Use: Strange piping music in the forest lures away young people from a nearby community. Community elders say a charismatic cult leader has set up in the woods and clouds the minds of all who come near. 

Loot: A satyr is likely to carry one or two cyphers.

Shadow

1 (3)

Motive: Hunger for life energy 

Environment: Anywhere that shadows can occur 

Health: 3 

Damage Inflicted: 2 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short 

Modifications: Stealth as level 3 

Combat: Shadows attack with their claws, which feel like a cold breeze and drain 2 points of Might from their target with each hit. They can barely interact with physical objects, and even something as simple as moving a pebble an immediate distance or knocking over a candle takes intense concentration. 

A group of five shadows can act as a swarm, focusing on one target to make one attack as a single level 3 creature, inflicting 4 points of damage. In an area of complete darkness with no illumination at all, shadows are effectively powerless—they cannot attack and all their actions are hindered. If suddenly deprived of light, they slink about menacingly for a few minutes but lose interest if it seems like their prey won’t be bringing back the light. 

Shadows are flat rather than insubstantial, but attacks that harm phased, ghostly, or similar creatures are fully effective against them. They can easily pass through narrow spaces such as the gap under a door or between the bars of a cell, but cannot move through solid objects. 

Interaction: Shadows never speak, but they can make rustling noises like a gently moving curtain. If controlled or prevented from attacking, they can communicate with simple pantomimes and seem to understand some pieces of language. 

Use: The flickering shadows from a campfire bend strangely and begin to creep toward a nearby character. A person appears to have two shadows just before they feel icy coldness slide along their flesh.

Soul Eater

5 (15)

Motive: Hungers for souls 

Environment: Usually at the center of tombs 

Health: 15 

Damage Inflicted: 5 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Long when flying 

Modifications: Resists mental attacks and deception as level 7; Speed defense as level 7 due to size and quickness; knowledge of arcane methodologies and rituals as level 8 

Combat: A soul eater has a library of magic abilities it can draw upon, including long-range attacks of fire or cold against all targets within immediate range of each other, the ability to read the mind of a victim within short range on a failed Intellect defense roll, and the ability to cloak itself in the illusion of a normal human for up to an hour at a time. 

In addition, a dread skull can draw out a victim’s consciousness and absorb it in a blaze of supernatural fire. To do so, the creature must bite a target, which inflicts 5 points of damage; the target must then succeed on an Intellect defense roll or take an additional 5 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor). 

If a dread skull drains a character’s Intellect Pool to 0 through repeated bites, the character’s soul is sucked into the skull, and the body falls limp. Once absorbed into the skull, a victim’s essence is trapped and slowly consumed over the next twenty-four hours. During this period, the skull regenerates 1 point of health per round. 

If a dread skull isn’t destroyed within twenty-four hours of eating a soul, the victim’s essence is fully consumed. If the soul eater is defeated and its skull is shattered before then, all unconsumed souls are returned to their bodies. 

Interaction: Dread skulls are slightly insane but hellishly smart, which means that sometimes they will negotiate to get what they want. 

Use: Soul eaters remember a little bit of the knowledge of every creature’s essence they consume. The PCs need to learn the command word of an artifact they’ve found, but the only one who knew it was consumed by a dread skull. 

Loot: Sometimes dread skulls keep treasures as trophies of past victories, consisting of 1d6 cyphers and maybe an artifact.

Sphinx

7 (21)

Motive: Defense, riddles 

Environment: Deserts, plains, and mountains 

Health: 25 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points 

Armor: 2 

Movement: Short; long when flying 

Modifications: Intellect defense and magical lore as level 8 

Combat: A sphinx attacks with its lion claws, making two swipes as its action. A sphinx also has the following magical abilities: 

• Curse: Curse a creature within long range, hindering all their physical actions by two steps until some other magic lifts the curse. 

• Heal: Restore 10 health to an NPC, or allow a PC to use their next action to make a recovery roll that does not count toward their normal allotment. Can be used three times per day. 

• Riddle: A creature within long range must make an Intellect defense roll to answer a difficult riddle; failure means the creature stands confused for one minute even if they are attacked. 

• Spellbreaker: End an ongoing magical effect within short range, such as a curse or protective spell. If there are multiple effects, the sphinx chooses which one to end. It can target an immediate area instead of a specific effect (such as an area where it suspects an invisible enemy is hiding). 

• Teleport: Instantaneously move a very long distance. Can be used once per day. 

Interaction: Sphinxes are very intelligent and speak several languages (including at least one ancient or obscure language). If their demands are met (such as by answering a riddle or performing a service), they can be quite talkative, if arrogant. 

Use: A sphinx guards the main road into the city, killing anyone who fails to answer its riddle. A sphinx approaches, offering secret lore if the characters can direct it to a suitable mate or an abandoned temple it can restore and guard. 

Loot: A sphinx usually has one or two cyphers and perhaps a small artifact it can wear and use.

Troll

6 (18)

Motive: Hungers for flesh 

Environment: Nearly anywhere, hunting alone or in pairs 

Health: 30 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Long 

Modifications: Speed defense as level 5 due to size; Might defense as level 7; sees through deception as level 4 

Combat: The troll attacks with its claws. If it hits, it grabs a foe tightly, then squeezes and bites until the victim is dead or it releases that victim to attack another creature. Each round that a held creature does not escape, they take 10 points of damage. 

Trolls regain 3 points of health per round. If a troll suffers a particularly egregious wound (10 or more points of damage in one round), rather than regain health in that round (and instead of taking any other action), the troll divides into two level 4 trolls that are 3 feet (1 m) tall. Spawned trolls that survive the battle and have access to food grow into full-power trolls within a few weeks. 

Interaction: Trolls speak their own simple language, but a few know a little bit of a local human language. Most prefer to attack and eat other creatures, but might be bargained with after a successful show of force. 

Use: Trolls may be chance encounters in the wilderness for unlucky travelers. Sometimes captured trolls are used by slavers, armies, and powerful wizards as guards and warriors.

Worm That Walks

7 (21)

Motive: Domination of other creatures, hunger 

Environment: Almost anywhere 

Health: 30 

Damage Inflicted: 7 points

Armor: 1 

Movement: Immediate; short when flying 

Modifications: Perception as level 8; Speed defense as level 5 due to slow nature 

Combat: A worm that walks can strike a single target in immediate range with a leather-wrapped “fist” as its action. When it hits and deals damage, several grubs spill out and attach to the victim (getting under most armor unless it’s hermetically sealed or behind a force field), who must make a Might defense roll to shake them loose. On a failure, the grubs begin to feed, and the target takes 5 points of damage (ignores Armor).

If a victim is killed while in immediate range of a worm that walks, the worms automatically engulf the body through a wide opening in their wrappings. The grubs go into a feeding frenzy, reducing the remains to nothing within minutes. During the frenzy, the worm that walks regenerates 2 points of health per round. A victim’s equipment is retained for later study. 

A worm that walks can also emit a psychic burst that can target up to three creatures in short range as its action. On a failed Intellect defense roll, a victim suffers 4 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor) and is unable to take actions on their subsequent turn. If the victim is attacked while so stunned, their defenses are hindered by two steps. 

Interaction: A worm that walks can communicate telepathically with characters within short range. It negotiates only with those strong enough to harm it; otherwise, it tries to eat whoever it runs across. Even if the worm that walks makes a deal, it eventually reneges if it senses any advantage for doing so. 

Use: A worm that walks has been active in a small rural community for weeks, apparently in preparation for something it calls “the Great Hatching.” If that refers to the hatching of more psychic grubs, it could spell trouble for a much larger region. 

Loot: A worm that walks might have one or two cyphers, though during combat it will use any devices that could help it in the fight.

Wraith

2 (6)

Motive: Destruction 

Environment: Almost anywhere, singly or in groups of six to ten 

Health: 6 

Damage Inflicted: 3 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short while flying 

Modifications: Stealth as level 5 

Combat: A wraith attacks with its touch, which rots flesh and drains life. 

A wraith can become fully insubstantial. After it does so, the creature can’t change state again until its next turn. While insubstantial, it can’t affect or be affected by anything (except for weapons and attacks that specifically affect undead or phased creatures), and it can pass through solid matter without hindrance, but even simple magical wards can keep it at bay. While partly insubstantial (its normal state), a wraith can affect and be affected by others normally. 

A group of five wraiths can act as a swarm, focusing on one target to make one attack roll as a single level 4 creature dealing 5 points of damage. 

Interaction: Most wraiths moan and scream in rage. The rare few that retain reason can speak in a sepulchral voice, and they may even negotiate. Any alliance with a wraith is usually short-lived, since the creature eventually forgets itself and descends fully into rage and the desire to spread destruction. 

Use: The PCs are attacked while attending a burial, or they happen to pass close to or camp near a graveyard. Another swarm of wraiths appears in a location where an earlier group was destroyed (indicating a necromancer is summoning them).

Wyvern

6 (18)

Motive: Hungers for flesh 

Environment: Mountains, hills, and plains where large prey is plentiful 

Health: 35 

Damage Inflicted: 5 points 

Armor: 1 

Movement: Short; long when flying 

Modifications: Perception as level 7; Speed defense as level 5 due to size 

Combat: Wyverns prefer to attack from the air, moving up to a short distance and making three attacks (bite, venomous stinger, claws) as their action. If a wyvern has to fight on the ground, it can attack only with its bite and stinger on its turn. 

The stinger injects poison, dealing an additional 5 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) if the opponent fails a Might defense roll. Because the wyvern hunts primarily out of hunger, it usually focuses its attacks on one creature, weakening the prey so the wyvern can carry it away and eat in peace. 

Interaction: Wyverns lack the intelligence of true dragons. They are relatively smart animals (on par with large reptiles such as crocodiles) but can be distracted by easy prey. Allowing one to catch a pig, pony, or riding horse can give characters enough time to get safely away. 

Use: Hungry wyverns are known to swoop in and carry off livestock and travelers near a particular road or field. A gang of crafty bandits has managed to train a couple of wyverns as mounts and use them as flying cavalry for their troops on the ground.

 Loot: Wyverns do not collect treasure, but their nest might have a few cyphers from previous victims. If carefully extracted, an intact venom gland from a dead wyvern can be used to poison one weapon (if sold, it is the equivalent of an expensive item).

Fantasy Cyphers #

Magic items are a staple of fantasy stories and games. In the Cypher System, these magic items are, of course, cyphers. The Cypher System assumes that subtle cyphers are the default, but in a fantasy game the assumption is usually the opposite—cyphers are physical objects (manifest cyphers) with magical powers, which the heroes find as treasure, gifts, or rewards for their adventures and exploits. 

MIXING SUBTLE AND MANIFEST CYPHERS
There’s no reason why a fantasy campaign can’t use manifest cyphers and subtle cyphers. In this setup, manifest cyphers are the tangible objects found in treasure hoards, and subtle cyphers represent good fortune, the blessings of the gods, and other coincidences that benefit the characters. 

CYPHER FORMS

What form a manifest cypher takes— such as a potion or scroll—doesn’t affect its abilities at all. A potion that eases the user’s next task by three steps is functionally identical to a magical scroll that does the same thing.

To randomly determine a manifest cypher’s form, roll on the following table.

EXAMPLE FANTASY CYPHERS

All of the cyphers in this chapter are manifest and fantastic cyphers.

FANTASY CYPHERS TABLE

ACID RESISTANCE

Level: 1d6 + 3 

Effect: The user gains Armor against acid damage equal to the cypher’s level for one hour. 

ANIMAL CONTROL 

Level: 1d6 + 2 

Effect: To activate the cypher, the user must succeed on an Intellect attack against a beast whose level does not exceed the cypher’s level. If successful, the beast immediately becomes calm. The beast awaits the user’s commands and carries out all orders to the best of its ability. The target remains so enslaved for a number of hours equal to the cypher’s level minus the target’s level. (If the result is 0, the target is enslaved for only one minute.) The beast could attack or defend, a dog could follow a scent or retrieve an object, a badger could dig a hole, and so on. 

The cypher doesn’t give the user any special ability to understand the target or perceive through its senses. For example, the user can command an eagle to fly above a group of enemies, but the eagle can’t describe what it sees and the user can’t look through its eyes. 

“Beast” in this sense refers to creatures of animal-level intelligence and may include unintelligent magical creatures like basilisks, pegasi, and so on.

BEAST SHAPE 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: The user transforms into a specific kind of animal, such as a bear, hawk, horse, or wolf (the kind of animal is determined by the cypher’s creator). The user gains the animal’s type of movement (swimming for a fish, flying for a bird, and so on) and two assets on tasks to pretend to be that animal. The user also gains an asset on one skill appropriate to their animal form (or two skills for cypher level 5 and higher). See the Animal Form Minor Abilities table. 

The magic shrinks or enlarges the user to a size more suitable for their animal form, but generally can’t make them more than about 50 percent smaller or larger, so the user might become an unusually large bird or a small bear. This doesn’t affect the animal’s abilities. The user can still use all of their abilities that don’t rely specifically on their normal form. For example, an Adept in wolf form can’t wield a dagger because wolves don’t have hands, but could still use a healing power or mind blast ability. 

After about an hour, the user returns to their normal form.

Depending on the cypher, the user might still be able to speak in a humanoid language, talk in a “language” of animal noises that other transformed people can understand perfectly, speak with animals of the same kind, or none of the above.

COLD RESISTANCE 

Level: 1d6 + 3 

Effect: The user gains Armor against cold damage equal to the cypher’s level for one hour. 

DEMON WARD 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: For one hour, the user gains Armor equal to the cypher’s level against damage from demons, devils, and similar malevolent creatures.

DRAGON WARD 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: For one hour, the user gains Armor equal to the cypher’s level against damage from dragons, wyverns, and similar magical reptilian creatures.

In a typical fantasy campaign, a demon is a supernatural being from another dimension or plane of existence.

ELECTRICITY RESISTANCE 

Level: 1d6 + 3 

Effect: The user gains Armor against electricity damage equal to the cypher’s level for one hour. 

ELEMENTAL CONJURATION 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: Summons an elemental creature (air, earth, fire, or water) that can understand the verbal commands of the user. Once the elemental is summoned, commanding it is not an action. It can make attacks or perform actions as ordered to the best of its abilities, but it cannot speak. The elemental never goes farther than long range away from the user. 

The elemental is not particularly intelligent or capable of initiating action. It responds if attacked, but otherwise does only as commanded. 

The elemental remains for one hour per cypher level or until its physical form is destroyed, after which it vanishes back to its native realm. 

FIRE RESISTANCE 

Level: 1d6 + 3 

Effect: The user gains Armor against fire damage equal to the cypher’s level for one hour.

GIANT SIZE 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: The user grows to about one and a half times their normal size. While at this larger size, they add 4 points to their Might Pool and +2 to their Might Edge, but their Speed defense rolls are hindered. 

They return to their normal size after a minute. When the effect ends, their Might Edge returns to normal, they lose the penalty to Speed defense, and they subtract 4 points from their Might Pool (if this brings the Pool to 0, they subtract the overflow first from their Speed Pool and then, if necessary, from their Intellect Pool). 

If the user is an NPC, the cypher increases their health by 4, eases their Might-based tasks, and hinders their Speed defense. When the effect ends, they lose 4 health and all of the other advantages and penalties from the cypher. 

INSTANT BOAT 

Level: 1d6 + 2 

Effect: Creates or transforms into a small sailboat that can carry up to eight people. The user or other characters must row, steer, and sail the boat as normal. At cypher level 5 and higher, the boat grants an asset on all tasks relating to its movement, and at cypher level 7 and higher, the boat can move a short distance each round under its own power. The boat lasts for a day, after which it vanishes.

INSTANT TOWER 

Level: 1d6 + 3 

Effect: Creates a simple, squat stone tower with a door, three arrow slits, and a ceiling hatch leading to the roof. The tower is 10 feet (3 m) square and 12 feet (4 m) tall. If the cypher level is 7 or higher, the tower also has a second story (with four arrow slits), increasing its total height to 20 feet (6 m). If there isn’t sufficient room for the tower to reach its full size, it fills the available space, but its appearance and growth does not apply any force or pressure against the confining surfaces. 

The tower is permanent and immobile once created. 

LYCANTHROPE WARD 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: For one hour, the user gains Armor equal to the cypher’s level against damage from werewolves and other lycanthropes. 

Lycanthrope: Formally, a human who can transform into a wolf. Informally, a human who can transform into an animal, such as a bear, rat, tiger, or wolf

PENULTIMATE KEY 

Level: 1d6 + 2 

Effect: Locks or unlocks any one door, portal, chest, or other lockable item of the cypher’s level or lower. The targeted item must have a keyhole for the cypher to work. 

Legends speak of the Ultimate Key, which can open any lock, even those sealed by a god.

POISON RESISTANCE

Level: 1d6 + 3 

Effect: The user gains Armor against poison damage equal to the cypher’s level for one hour.

RESTORATIVE AURA 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: Creates an immediate area filled with aromatic smoke, reassuring sounds, gentle light, or other pleasing sensations that last for one hour. Creatures who rest within the area gain +2 on their recovery rolls (or +4 for cypher level 5 and higher). NPCs instead recover 2 health if they spend at least ten minutes within the area (or 4 health for cypher level 5 and higher). For a creature to gain this benefit, its entire rest must occur while the cypher is active. 

THOUGHT LISTENING 

Level: 1d6 + 1 

Effect: The user can read the surface thoughts of a creature within short range that they can see, even if the target doesn’t want them to. Once the user has established contact, they can read the target’s thoughts for up to one minute per cypher level.

TINY SIZE 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: The user shrinks to about one-tenth their normal size. While at this smaller size, they add 4 points to their Speed Pool and +2 to their Speed Edge, but all of their Might actions are hindered by two steps. They return to their normal size after a minute. When the effect ends, their Speed Edge returns to normal, they lose the penalty to Might actions, and they subtract 4 points from their Speed Pool (if this brings the Pool to 0, they subtract the overflow first from their Intellect Pool and then, if necessary, from their Might Pool). 

If the user is an NPC, the cypher eases their Speed-based tasks and hinders their Might-based tasks. When the effect ends, they lose all of the advantages and penalties from the cypher. 

UNDEAD WARD 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: For one hour, the user gains Armor equal to the cypher’s level against damage from skeletons, zombies, ghosts, vampires, and other undead creatures. 

WALKING CORPSE 

Level: 1d6 

Effect: Animates a corpse as a level 1 (or level 2 for cypher level 5 and higher) undead skeleton or zombie, depending on the condition of the body. The corpse can be no larger than a typical human. The animated corpse has none of the intelligence, memories, or special abilities that it had in life. The creature follows the user’s verbal commands for one hour, after which it becomes an inert corpse. Unless the creature is killed by damage, the user can reanimate it again when its time expires, but any damage it had when it became inert applies to its newly reanimated state.

HORROR CYPHERS

Many horror genres feature physical objects that the protagonists can use—alien devices, magical talismans, or mysterious objects with an unknown origin. This chapter describes examples of these objects as cyphers, which can be awarded like other manifest cyphers or in place of subtle cyphers. Unlike those in the Cypher System Rulebook, the manifest cyphers listed here include suggestions for what form the cypher takes (although in a game with magic, any of these cyphers might exist as a potion or spell on a scroll in addition to or instead of the forms listed here).

Most of these are marked as fantastic cyphers, although depending on the genre and circumstances of the game, they might be completely normal.

For your convenience, the cyphers have been organized into lists by horror genre or theme so you can randomly roll for something appropriate to your game without getting one that doesn’t apply (such as a cypher against vampires in an alien invasion horror game). If you’re running a game that mixes several genres, switch between lists each time you need to award a new manifest cypher.

ALIEN CYPHERS

BODY HORROR CYPHERS

CLASSIC MONSTER CYPHERS

DARK MAGIC AND OCCULT CYPHERS

DEMON CYPHERS 

GHOST CYPHERS 

LOVECRAFTIAN CYPHERS 

MUMMY CYPHERS 

SCIENCE GONE WRONG CYPHERS 

UNDEAD CYPHERS 

VAMPIRE CYPHERS 

WEREWOLF CYPHERS

ZOMBIE CYPHERS

A SELECTION OF HORROR CYPHERS
ANATHEMA SIREN

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Amulet or device

Effect: Creates a strange and annoying noise about the volume of a human shouting. The noise is especially aggravating toward one type of creature; creatures of this type have all their actions hindered by two steps (hindered by three steps if the cypher level is 7 or higher) while within short range of the cypher. The user must use their action each round to manipulate the cypher for the noise and its effects to persist, or it goes silent and loses all power. The siren can be used for up to one minute per cypher level. Roll a d100 to determine what sort of creature is affected:

ASCENDANT BRAIN VIVISECTOR

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Device, injection, or pill 

Effect: If used on a beast whose level is less than the cypher level, this enhances connections in the beast’s brain so it attains near-human intelligence and sapience, and gains a basic understanding of one specific language keyed to the cypher. The beast remembers its prior, simpler existence and understands that it has been made smarter. This transformation lasts for one day per cypher level, and then the beast reverts to its normal self slowly over the same number of days, often with violent and erratic outbreaks. For example, if the beast becomes smarter for five days, it loses intelligence gradually over days 6 through 9 and is back to normal on day 10. Additional uses of the cypher tend to have diminishing returns.

When used with an ascendant flesh vivisector, the resulting creature looks, thinks, and acts like a human.

Using this cypher on a beast whose level is too high might end up elevating its intelligence somewhat but also instigating aggressive behavior.

ASCENDANT FLESH VIVISECTOR

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Device, injection, or pill 

Effect: If used on a beast of no larger than human size whose level is less than the cypher level, this radically alters the beast’s shape so it resembles a human being. The beast-human still thinks and acts like a beast, but it looks like a human and can perform actions using its human dexterity (such as turning a doorknob or walking upright). This transformation lasts for one day

per cypher level, but after an equal amount of time the beast reverts to its normal shape (in the manner described for the ascendant brain vivisector cypher). Additional uses of the cypher tend to have diminishing returns.

Using this cypher on a beast whose level is too high might end up temporarily transforming it into a human with bestial features.

ORRUPTED CANOPIC JAR

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Jar made of clay or carved stone 

Effect: Breaking open the jar (which destroys the preserved organs inside) permanently grants the user an asset (two assets if the cypher level is 6 or higher) on all attacks and defenses against mummies within short range.

ECAPITATIVE LONGEVITY

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Injection or potion

Effect: Brings a dead creature’s head (but not the body) back to life for a limited time as an undead creature. The cypher can be used up to an hour before or after death (in anticipation of dying or in response to someone’s death) and requires up to ten minutes to take effect, at which time the creature recovers 1d6 + 6 points to their Pools. Because they are only a head, a PC reanimated this way has a maximum Might and Speed Pool of 3 each. The head has all the mental abilities they had when they were alive (including psychic or telepathic abilities) and can speak, but all their actions are hindered. They have the same appearance as before, except the wounds that killed them are still visible, and in general they have an unnatural look. They do not need to eat, drink, or sleep, but they can still rest if they want to (such as to make a recovery roll). The head remains in this active state for one day per cypher level, after which time it dies again and cannot be reanimated with this cypher.

When using a decapitative longevity cypher to bring a head back to life, it can be left attached to the inert body, or someone can carefully sever the head from the body, which doesn’t harm the head.

GHOST DETECTOR

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Amulet, crystal, or device 

Effect: Automatically indicates if a ghost, spirit, or similar entity is within a short distance (a long distance if the cypher is level 6 or higher). If the user takes an action to study or focus their attention on the cypher, they can narrow down what quarter-arc of a circle the ghost is

in. If the ghost is normally invisible, it becomes somewhat visible (hindering its stealth attempts by one step). The cypher remains active for ten minutes per cypher level.

GHOST TRAP

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Crystal or device

Effect: Can be thrown up to a short distance, where it releases a burst of transdimensional energy in an immediate area that absorbs ghosts (including spirits, phased beings, and similar creatures) but does not affect corporeal entities. PCs who meet these criteria must use an Intellect-based action (difficulty equal to the cypher level) to avoid being trapped. NPC ghosts are not affected if their level is higher than the cypher level. The trap holds the ghosts for up to one hour per cypher level, after which they automatically break free (and are probably very angry).

Ghosts in a trap can be permanently stored in a ghost vault. 

HOMUNCULUS FLASK

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Ornate, opaque alchemical bottle filled with strange fluid

Effect: To activate this cypher, you must open the bottle, add a few fresh drops of your blood (inflicting 1 point of Might damage to you), stopper it again, and leave it alone for one day. When the bottle is next unstoppered, a hand-sized creature called a homunculus crawls out; it vaguely resembles you and serves you for one day per cypher level before dissolving into useless goo. Each time you give it an order, you must make an Intellect defense roll against it; if you fail, it becomes free to ignore your commands (but might pretend to be obedient so it can plot against you).

Homunculus: level 2; alchemy, all defenses, and stealth as level 3

HORRIFIC ARM

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Injection or pill

Effect: The user’s body rapidly grows a monstrous arm that is approximately the same size as one of their existing limbs. The arm is ugly and malformed, but fully functional.

The user can use this arm as if it were one of their own. The new arm does not grant the user additional actions or attacks in a round, but it can be useful for carrying things. Damage to the arm does not affect the user (the arm can take 6 points of damage directed at it before it becomes nonfunctional). The arm lasts for one day per cypher level.

HORRIFIC EYE

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Injection or spell

Effect: The user’s body rapidly grows a monstrous eye (including a retractable eyestalk if the cypher level is 6 or higher) at the spot where the cypher is applied to their body. The user can see out of this eye as if it were one of their own (including any extraordinary vision-based senses the user normally has). The eye gives the user an asset on vision-based perception rolls, and depending on where it is located, it may allow the user to look around corners surreptitiously. Damage to the eye does not affect the user (the eye can take 1 point of damage directed at it before it becomes nonfunctional). The eye lasts for one day per cypher level.

HORRIFIC FACE

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Injection or pill

Effect: The user rapidly grows a monstrous face (or an entire head if the cypher level is 6 or higher) somewhere on their body. The user can use the senses of this face and talk, breathe, and eat with it (for example, if their normal face is underwater or wrapped in plastic). The face gives the user an asset on perception rolls when its senses can be used—for example, it could hear someone sneaking up on the user, but it couldn’t see them if its eyes were covered, and it can’t help with identifying tastes unless its mouth is also used. Damage to the face does not affect the user (the face can take 3 points of damage directed at it before it becomes nonfunctional). Most people react with disgust to a creature with a visible extra face, hindering all interaction tasks. The face lasts for one day per cypher level (two days if the cypher is level 6 or higher).

HORRIFIC INTEGRATED WEAPON

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Weapon you can hold in one hand 

Effect: The weapon extends tendrils, skin, wires, nerves, or other material into and through the user’s hand, physically connecting itself to the user for one hour per cypher level. While connected, the user gains an asset on attacks with the weapon and cannot be disarmed, but cannot use that hand for anything except wielding the weapon. The user can detach or reattach the weapon by spending a full minute concentrating on its physical connection to their body. When the duration ends, the weapon detaches and becomes a normal weapon of its type. Roll a d20 to determine the kind of weapon:

HORRIFIC ORIFICE

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Device, injection, or pill  

Effect: The user’s body rapidly grows a strange orifice in their torso, large enough to fit a human fist but flexible enough to hold a compact disc or videocassette tape. One cypher held within the orifice doesn’t count toward the user’s cypher limit. As an action, the user can cause the orifice to appear or disappear (when the orifice isn’t present, anything contained within it is inaccessible except through surgery). The orifice remains for one hour per cypher level, after which it expels its contents and disappears.

Someone who fully understands how a horrific orifice cypher works might be able to program the user with new memories or control their mind by inserting data devices into the orifice.

HUMANITY TESTER

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Device, injection, or pill 

Effect: Reveals whether a targeted creature is human or some sort of inhuman impostor (such as an alien, demon, doppelganger, simulacrum, or vampire) if the cypher’s level is greater than the creature’s disguise level. If the cypher’s level exceeds the impostor’s level by 4 or more,

it also marks the impostor for the next several hours so people can recognize it by this mark.

The specific nature of a humanity tester depends on the setting and what sort of creatures are common. In a world with multiple kinds of creatures that pretend to be human, the tester might recognize all fakes or detect only one specific kind of fake

INSANITY SUPPRESSOR

Level: 1d6

Form: Device, injection, or pill

Effect: Temporarily negates insanity or a mental disorder in a creature (two such effects if the cypher level is 6 or higher). Example disorders include delusions, manias, compulsions, phobias, psychopathy, and schizophrenia. The creature loses all negative symptoms of their insanity or mental disorder for one day. Each day after that, the creature must make a level 1 Intellect defense roll to prolong the effect; failure means relapse. The roll is hindered by one step for each day that has passed since the cypher was used.

INVISIBILITY REVEALER

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Device containing a liquid or silvery powder

Effect: Sprays its contents up to a long distance, revealing all invisible creatures within short range of the targeted point for one round per cypher level. Affected invisible creatures remain visible if they move outside the area, and those outside the area become visible if they enter the area.

INVISIBILITY SERUM

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Device, flask, or injection 

Effect: The user’s body becomes as transparent as air, making them effectively invisible for one minute per cypher level. However, their clothes and equipment are not affected, so the user must go naked if they want to be unseen. While invisible, the user is specialized in stealth and Speed defense tasks. They remain invisible even if they do something to reveal their presence or position (attacking, using an ability, moving a large object, and so on), but anyone trying to attack or physically interact with them on that turn gains an asset to do so.

Because the user is as transparent as air, when they are in water, mist, smoke, or anything other than reasonably clean air, they look like a person-shaped hole in whatever material they’re in.

The serum has detrimental effects on the mind. Each minute it is in effect, the user takes 2 points of Intellect damage. Many users have become “stuck” in the invisible state and eventually go mad as a result.

MIND SWAPPER

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Amulet or device

Effect: The user attempts to swap minds with a creature within short range that is no larger than a human. The target can make an Intellect defense roll to resist. If the swap is successful, the user gains control of the creature’s body (and vice versa). Physical abilities remain with the body, but mental abilities go with the mind; for example, an Adept with Onslaught (a mental ability) could take over the body of a Warrior with Swipe (a physical ability), and could use either of these while controlling the Warrior’s body. All actions of both creatures are hindered while the swap is in effect, although long-term practice in a mind-swapped body eventually overcomes this penalty. The swap lasts for one hour per cypher level, after which the two minds return to their previous bodies.

Clever users of a mind swapper have an ally restrain or sedate them before swapping minds so their target doesn’t cause trouble in the user’s body.

PRIMITIVE DOPPELGANGER

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Device, injection, or pill

Effect: The user’s body begins growing a physical duplicate of the user, which harmlessly tears free after a few rounds and exists as an independent level 1 creature that looks exactly

like the user. The doppelganger can communicate in a language known to the user and obeys the user’s simple instructions, but otherwise appears to know very little of the world. After one hour per cypher level, the duplicate dies, melts, burns out, falls apart, or otherwise becomes nonfunctional.

Depending on the game setting, the doppelganger might be a robot, a clone, a temporal duplicate, or something else entirely. It may or may not have scars, tattoos, or other non-genetic features of the original.

REANIMATOR

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Amulet or injection

Effect: When used on a corpse of a creature no larger than a human, it reanimates as a violent zombie that is not under the user’s control. This reanimation process takes a few minutes (a few rounds if the cypher is level 4 or higher, or one round if level 6 or higher).

REVENANT SERUM

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Injection or potion

Effect: Brings a dead person back to life for a limited time as an obsessed creature called a revenant. The cypher can be used up to an hour before or after death (in anticipation of dying or in response to someone’s death) and requires up to an hour to take effect, at which time the creature recovers 1d6 + 6 points to its Pools. The new revenant is usually obsessed with revenge on its killer or accomplishing one last task before truly dying again.

A revenant has all the abilities it had when it was alive, but all its actions are hindered. It has the same appearance as before, except the wounds that killed it are still visible, and in general it has an unnatural look. It does not need to eat, drink, or sleep, but it can still rest if it wants to (such as to make a recovery roll). The revenant remains in this active state for one hour per cypher level, after which it dies again and cannot be reanimated with this cypher.

SILGARHO INFUSION

Level: 1d6

Form: Flask or injection

Effect: Suffuses the user’s body with a mixture of colloidal silver (sil), concentrated garlic (gar), and holy water (ho), making the user repellent to most vampires, which usually have an aversion to one or more of these materials. Vampire attacks with melee weapons against the user are hindered. Any PC vampire who attempts to feed on the user gains no sustenance and must make a Might defense roll or feel nauseous and have all their actions hindered for one minute. Any NPC vampire who attempts to feed on the user gains no sustenance and all their actions are hindered for one minute. The cypher’s effect persists in the user’s body for one day (two days if the cypher is level 4 or higher).

If used directly against a vampire instead of being applied to a living creature, it affects the vampire as silver, garlic, and holy water normally would.

Because a human body can’t dispose of colloidal silver, excessive intake of it causes a condition called argyria that turns skin purple or purple-grey

UNPHANTOMED LIMB 

​​Level: 1d6

Form: Device, injection, or pill 

Effect: Gives a user who is missing a

limb the ability to create a psychic construct in the form of a limb (two limbs if the cypher level is 5 or higher) that takes the place of and functions like their missing limb (or limbs). The unphantomed limb looks and acts like a typical healthy specimen of its kind, including having fingerprints. However, its motion is controlled by the user’s will rather than by muscles and nerves, so any physical action the limb takes is an Intellect task instead of a Might or Speed task; for example, a melee attack with the unphantomed limb is an Intellect task, and to apply Effort, the user must spend points from their Intellect Pool. Damage to the limb affects the user as if the attack were on the user’s body. The limb lasts for one day per cypher level.

VISAGE SCRUTINIZER

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Device, crystal, injection, or pill 

Effect: Grants the user a heightened

ability to see disguised people and creatures for what they really are. Tasks to see through conventional disguises (makeup, prosthetics, wigs, and so on) are eased by three steps. If the disguise is instead a comprehensive change like a full-body illusion, mental projection, or hologram, the user automatically sees through it if the disguise’s level is lower than the cypher’s level. The cypher lasts for one hour.

WOLFSBANE POTION

Level: 1d6

Form: Flask or injection

Effect: Suffuses the user’s body with a mixture of colloidal silver and wolfsbane, making the user repellent to werewolves (and similar werecreatures). Wolfsbane is poisonous, and using this cypher inflicts Speed damage and Intellect damage equal to the cypher’s level. Werewolf attacks with melee weapons against the user are hindered. Any werewolf who attempts to feed on the user feels nauseous and all its actions are hindered for ten minutes. The cypher’s effect persists in the user’s body for one day (two days if the cypher is level 4 or higher). If used directly against a werewolf instead of being applied to a living creature, it hinders all the werewolf’s actions and stops it from regenerating for several minutes.

FAIRYTALE CYPHERS

Because magic—and thus magic items— are so prevalent in most fairy tales, cyphers in particular should be easy for characters to replenish. If you’re using subtle cyphers, you can choose how they arrive—on magic storms, perhaps, or in pockets of magic that exist throughout the world. Or maybe the magic is such that it just works, ensuring that cyphers show up whenever the characters need them.

Manifest cyphers should be readily available too—likely they can be found for cheap at a local market, stashed in hollow tree trunks or bird nests, or scattered about the forest floor. Manifest cyphers may also be integrated into people’s clothing or furnishings as unique adornments.

Artifacts are typically more valuable and less common. Therefore, player characters are less likely to encounter them at random and more likely to find them in the hands of NPCs, locked or hidden in chests, or for sale by high-end and specialized vendors. Acquiring an artifact should almost always require a sacrifice, trial, or difficult task.

CYPHER LIMITS 

All characters have a maximum number of cyphers they can have at any one time, determined by their type. If a character ever attempts to carry more cyphers than their limit, the magic within the cyphers quickly begins to attract fey beings. Fey beings may react by stealing one or more cyphers, cursing the character, or even stealing the character away to a fey realm.

Obviously, having a fey being steal a character away to their realm

is a story-changer. If you’re using this as an option, figure out ahead of time what type of

fey is attracted, what their realm is like, and how to play out the character’s disappearance and possible retrieval.

Fey Being Table 

Fey Cypher Attraction

CYPHERS
Cyphers are one-use abilities that characters gain over the course of play. They have powers that can heal, do damage, ease or hinder tasks, or produce interesting and unusual effects. In a fairy tale setting, they often appear as a simple object, such as a poisoned apple or a matchbook. They can also be something intangible, such as three wishes or a magic word. The shifting state of magic in fairy tales makes it easy to use both manifest and subtle cyphers in the same setting and campaign if you desire.

In settings full of magic, cyphers should be both readily available and regularly used. If the PCs are hoarding or saving their cyphers, feel free to give them a reason to use them. And have a list of replacement cyphers ready so the players never have to go without.

Typically, something like a handful of magic beans or apple seeds

is considered a single cypher even though there are multiple items.

Cypher Forms

While characters can find or purchase many of these items in the world, only magic versions of the items are cyphers. Characters should easily be able to tell when an item is magic (and thus a cypher) and when it’s an ordinary item.

Fairy Tale Cypher Table 

A SELECTION OF FAIRY TALE CYPHERS

Adderstone

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Stone with a hole in the middle

Effect: For the next day, provides the character with one of the following benefits. Roll a d20 or choose from the table.

Adderstones are sometimes also called hagstones, seer stones, and holey stones.

Beware false adderstones, which are made by enterprising swindlers who drill or carve a hole out of a regular stone and attempt to pass it off as something more.

If a character has no hair in which to tie an adderstone, perhaps they can “borrow” some from a friend, a domesticated animal, or a foe.

Agate Eye

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Striped stone that looks like a dragon’s eye

Effect: When ground up and added to food or drink, or applied to the skin, renders the user immune to poisons of the cypher level or lower for one hour per cypher level (and ends any such ongoing effects, if any, already in the user’s system).

Animated Wood

Level: 1d6

Form: Chunk of pine, alder, or other wood

imbued with magical properties Effect: Writing a word, such as “child,” “horse,” or “sword,” on the wood causes it to become a living version of that word. The living version is no bigger than 10 feet by 10 feet by 20 feet (3 m by 3 m by 6 m) and its level is equal to the cypher level. It can make attacks or perform actions as commanded to the best of its abilities and lasts for one hour per cypher level. Commanding it is not an action.

Once activated, animated wood is not an unthinking, docile being. It may, in fact, resist the user’s commands and attempt to take its own actions. Any actions it takes cannot be harmful to the user or the user’s allies. The user may attempt to stop an unwanted action via persuasion, intimidation, and so on (any such tasks against the animated wood are eased by two steps).

Anywhere Door

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Chalk, pen, pencil, lipstick, or marker 

Effect: Creates a door to anywhere. The door remains for one day, and then disappears. While the door exists, anyone or anything that can discern the door can use it. Erasing the drawn line erases the door.

Apple of Discord

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Beautiful golden apple that catches the eye of all who see it

Effect: When tossed up to a long distance away, it affects all foes in short range of the apple, causing them to attempt to take it for themselves. Foes spend their next two actions doing nothing but fighting among themselves for possession of the apple.

Azure Dust

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Handful of dust from the Fairy with the Turquoise Hair

Effect: Sprinkling the dust on someone’s hair, skin, outfit, or other object permanently dyes it bright blue.

Baba Yaga’s Spiced Cookie

Level: 1d6

Form: Rye cookie flavored with spices and honey

Effect: Eating the cookie increases the user’s Intellect Edge by 1 for one hour.

Bellman’s Map of the Ocean

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Blank sheet of paper rolled and tied with a hair tie

Effect: When unrolled, convinces everyone

within short range that the character holding the map knows far more than they do. For the next ten minutes, affected beings look upon the map- holder as their leader or guide, will not attack them, and generally will do as they ask (all social interactions with those affected are eased by two steps).

Beloved’s Kiss

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Ruby red ring

Effect: When pressed to the lips of a character, beloved’s kiss prevents the occurrence of one specific condition of the cypher level or lower. Additionally, it ends any such ongoing effect, if

any, in the user’s system. Roll a d6 to determine the result.

Bird’s Nest Coronet

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Beautifully woven bird’s nest 

Effect: When worn like a crown, the bird’s nest creates an illusion over the wearer, making them appear like royalty. Others are more likely to follow their suggestions, defer to their wishes, and treat them well. All social interactions are eased by two steps for one day. Seeing through the disguise is an Intellect task equal to the cypher’s level.

Blackbird Pie

Level: 1d6

Form: Four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie

Effect: When the pie is cut open, the blackbirds begin to sing a haunting dirge of pain and sorrow. All foes within long range who hear the song are hindered on all tasks for ten minutes.

Blood Pearl Blossom

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Rare blood-red flower with a beautiful pearl in its center

Effect: When ingested, removes one curse (of the cypher level or lower) from the user. The curse-removal process can take from one round to one day, depending on the level, severity, and type of curse.

Bone Key

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Human finger bone carved into a skeleton key

Effect: Unlocks one lock of the cypher level or lower, or provides an asset to open a lock of higher level.

Bones of the Beloved

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Handful of ground bones 

Effect: When eaten, the bones begin a process of lowering the eater’s apparent age. Over the next three days, the user begins to look younger and younger, until they reach the appearance of someone no younger than their mid-twenties. Their hair shines, their teeth glow, their wrinkles disappear, their back unstoops. The effect lasts for three days (five days if the cypher is level 6 or higher). This does not change the actual health or age of the character.

Bowl of Porridge

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Just-right bowl of porridge

Effect: Restores a number of points equal to the cypher level to the user’s Might Pool. Also protects the user from the effects of cold for ten minutes.

Cat Sidhe Medallion

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Medallion in the shape of the white symbol on a cat sidhe’s chest 

Effect: When activated, the medallion protects the wearer from the next curse (of the cypher level or lower) that is cast upon them. The curse goes into the medallion, which shatters into thousands of tiny pieces.

Cheshire Smile

Level: 1d6

Form: Mischievous grin

Effect: When hung in the air, the grin slowly transforms into a grey Cheshire Cat that seems to be made mostly of smoke and shadow. It has huge blue eyes and an enormous grin. The cat acts as a creature (level equal to the cypher’s level) with a mind of its own, although it likely helps the person who activated the cypher. It sticks around for ten minutes, and then fades away slowly, until even the original smile has disappeared.

Coalheart’s Beard Balm

Level: 1d6

Form: Jar of balm

Effect: When rubbed on the face, the balm grows into a long, golden beard in about ten minutes. When the user tugs on their beard, it points them in the direction of valuable treasure, the location of which was previously unknown to the user. If someone else cuts the beard before the treasure is found, it loses its power. After the treasure is found, the beard remains. But once it is shaved or cut, it does not grow back.

Many dwarfs have beards with magical powers. It’s possible to find other beard balm cyphers out in the world.

Croc’s Clock

Level: 1d6

Form: Tiny ticking clock, no bigger than a thumbnail

Effect: When attached to (or swallowed by) a living creature or an object, the clock ticks loudly, alerting everyone within long range to its presence for one day.

Crown Jewel

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Shining jewel from a royal crown 

Effect: When attached to an item such as a weapon, shield, armor, cypher, or artifact, creates an exact duplicate of the item. The duplicate works just like the original and lasts for ten minutes or until it naturally depletes (whichever comes first).

Dame Trot’s Cat

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Statue of a cat

Effect: When activated by feeding it a bit of milk or fish, the statue protects the user, yowling and hissing the next time it senses danger. The cat’s level is equal to the cypher level.

Darning Needle

Level: 1d6

Form: Needle with a large eye

Effect: When activated, grows into a larger version of itself that acts as a medium weapon. It inflicts 4 points of damage and causes anything it successfully hits to shrink to half its size. The needle lasts for a number of hours equal to the cypher’s level.

Dead Water

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Vial, pot, or jar of black liquid 

Effect: Brings a character back to life. However, they come back with a permanent 3-point reduction in their maximum Might Pool.

Deathless

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Needle inside an egg

Effect: When a character places their soul inside the needle and places the needle inside the egg, they are protected from their next death. When the character dies, they return to life on the next round, with all of their Pools full.

Using the deathless does not protect the character from taking damage or moving down the damage track. Placing the soul and returning to life are actions. Once the cypher holds the user’s soul, it no longer counts against their cypher limit.

If someone gets a hold of another person’s soul, they have a great deal of power over that person (such as easing all actions against them by three steps). Those who use a deathless should ensure that it’s well hidden and well protected.

Death’s Candle

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Small, half-burnt black candle 

Effect: Once the candle is lit, it burns for a number of rounds equal to the cypher’s level. During that time, the user who lit it is protected from death or being moved down the damage track. While the candle burns, if the character would normally die, they do not and instead reject all damage. For example, if a character has 5 points left in their last Pool, and a foe inflicts 5 points

of damage on them, putting all their Pools at 0, the user takes no damage. However, if a foe inflicts 4 points of damage, which is not enough to kill the user, the user takes the 4 points of damage.

Death’s Messengers

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Bottle, vial, or box filled with three wisps of dark smoke

Effect: The three smoke wisps wrap around a creature within close range, causing them to feel dizzy, experience ringing in their ears, and have blurred vision. For the next three rounds, the cypher inflicts damage equal to the cypher’s level (each round).

Diadem of Death

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Crown made of feathers, bits of bone, burnt hair, and old teeth

Effect: When worn on someone’s head, looped over a limb, or otherwise placed upon their person, the crown inflicts damage equal to its level.

Dragon’s Blood

Level: 1d6

Form: Powdered dragon’s blood

Effect: When mixed with liquid and painted on a living being, grants one of the following effects for a day.

Dragon’s Teeth

Level: 1d6

Form: Handful of dragon’s teeth

Effect: When planted, the dragon’s teeth grow into three fully armed warriors. The warriors can understand the verbal commands of the person who planted them. Once they are grown, commanding them is not an action. They can make attacks and perform actions to the best of their abilities. The warriors can never go farther than long range from the character who planted them

Planting the teeth is an action. It takes two rounds for the teeth to grow into warriors. The warriors last for one hour per cypher level.

Warriors: level 3; Armor 1; swords inflict 3 points of damage

Dressmaking Nut

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Walnut or other shelled nut, with hinges and a clasp

Effect: The nut opens to reveal a stunning and spectacular ballgown, evening dress, or tuxedo. The outfit is the perfect size, shape, style, and color for the person who wishes to wear it. While worn, the outfit eases all tasks involving charm, persuasion, and etiquette for one hour. After 

that, the outfit may still be worn, but no longer offers any benefits.

Beings of all genders can wear any form of outfit from the dressmaking nut and receive the benefits.

Drink Me

Level: 1d6

Form: Liquid inside a glass bottle with a paper label that says “DRINK ME” 

Effect: Causes the imbiber to shrink down to half their size. The effect lasts for one hour or until the user can find another way to change their size (such as with an eat me).

Dust of the Dreamer

Level: 1d6

Form: Pouch of very fine, rainbow-hued dust 

Effect: When sprinkled in the eyes, grants the recipient all the benefits of a ten-hour recovery roll as a single action. This does not use up any of their recovery rolls.

Eat Me

Level: 1d6

Form: Very small cake with the words “EAT ME” written on it in currants

Effect: Causes the eater to grow to twice their size. The effect lasts for one hour or until the user can find another way to change their size (such as with a drink me).

Emperor’s New Clothes

Level: 1d6

Form: Magical thread sewn onto armor 

Effect: For the next day, the armor the thread is attached to is invisible, making the wearer appear to be unarmored.

Fairy Cup

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Decorated vessel made of precious materials

Effect: When the cup is buried in the ground, it grants the person who buried it protection. They gain +2 Armor against all physical and mental attacks for one day.

It’s believed that burying a fairy cup returns it to its rightful owners below ground, and it is they who offer protection by way of thanks.

False Grandmother

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Pair of wire-rimmed glasses

Effect: While wearing the glasses, the user designates one living creature that

they can see. For the next ten minutes per cypher level, the user is disguised as someone the designated creature knows well. The user has no say in who that person is, but while the disguise is active, all interactions with the designated creature are eased by two steps. The user can remove the glasses to look like themselves again before the end of the duration.

Father’s Betrayal

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Small stone shaped like a heart 

ffect: For the next ten minutes, a creature that the user can see is banished from an area 30 feet by 30 feet (9 m by 9 m) around the user. If the creature is within that area when the cypher is activated, they are knocked outside the area and are dazed for one round, hindering their next action.

Flaming Arrow

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Arrow with a silver-white shaft, golden head, and fletching of peacock feathers 

Effect: The arrow explodes into flame when it strikes something, inflicting its level in damage to all within immediate range.

Flowers for Grandmother

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Fresh-picked bouquet of flowers tied with a red ribbon

Effect: Giving the flowers to someone else provides both the recipient and the giver an asset in defense against damage of a specified kind for one hour. Roll a d6 to determine the effect.

Forget-Me-Knot

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Length of magical rope

Effect: Knotting the rope together to form a loop allows the user to capture a memory from their past. They don’t lose the memory when capturing it with the forget-me-knot. When the user unties the loop, everyone in close range spends one round doing nothing but experiencing the memory as if it were their own. If the memory is particularly sad, loving, scary, and so on, all affected beings likely spend an additional round dealing with the emotional impacts of that memory. Capturing the memory is an action, as is untying the loop.

Genie’s Handkerchief

Level: 1d6

Form: Extremely large handkerchief with one corner coated in mercury

Effect: Rubbing the cloth over a wound heals the wound (restores all points to the character’s Pools), but also uses up one recovery roll for the day.

Genie’s handkerchiefs come in many colors and materials. Some people find that after

their magic is used up, they make fine blankets, curtains, or cloaks. Of course, extended exposure to mercury has its drawbacks.

Gilded Shell

Level: 1d6

Form: Golden snail shell

Effect: When blown into softly, the shell expands into a simple structure with a front door and walls that let in a soft light. From inside the structure, it’s about 10 feet by 10 feet by 20 feet (3

m by 3 m by 6 m). From the outside, the shell continues to look exactly the way it did before, in both size and shape, making it difficult for others to notice. Once expanded, the structure is permanent and immobile.

Gingerbread Man

Level: 1d6

Form: Gingerbread cookie in the shape of a human, lavishly decorated

Effect: After eating the cookie, the user has training in Speed defense for the next day.

Godfather’s Picture Book

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Large book full of tales

Effect: When someone flips through the pages quickly, time is altered. If the user flips through the book forward, time jumps forward. Flip backward and time jumps backward. Moving time forward gives the user an additional action on their turn. Moving it backward allows them to retry their previous action. After the book is used this way once, it becomes a regular book and does not count against the character’s cypher limit.

Golden Beetle

Level: 1d6

Form: Golden scarab beetle

Effect: When dropped into liquid and cooked, it creates enough food to fill the stomachs of all friends and allies within long range.

Golden Vanity

Level: 1d6

Form: Golden vanity set in a small, sturdy box that includes a brush, comb, and mirror

Effect: Each item may be used once and has a different effect:

Golden brush: Creates bristly terrain in an immediate area, which counts as difficult terrain.

Golden comb: Creates jagged, toothy rocks in an immediate area, making it extremely painful to cross. Characters within the area take 1 point of damage each round from the rocks.

Golden mirror: Turns into a tall glass mountain 30 feet tall by 300 feet wide (9 m by 90 m). All climbing tasks are hindered, and a fall from any height does 3 points of ambient damage (ignores Armor).

The landscape effects are permanent. The golden vanity counts as a single cypher against the character’s cypher limit. When all three items have been used, it remains a functional vanity set but no longer holds any magic.

Green Spectacles

Level: 1d6

Form: Pair of glasses with bright green lenses

Effect: Once activated, protects the wearer from being blinded or having their vision affected in other ways for one day. The wearer can see through illusions of the cypher level or lower and can see in the dark as if it were daylight.

Hart’s Heart

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Still-beating heart from a forest stag, kept in an ornate lined box

Effect: When the user offers the heart to another living being, all attempts by the user to bribe, deceive, coerce, or convince the recipient are eased by two steps.

Heart of a Star

Level: 1d6

Form: Still-warm piece of a fallen star 

Effect: For the next ten minutes, when the user helps another character while holding the star, that character’s task is eased by an additional step. (If the user has an inability in the relevant skill, the other character’s task is still eased.)

Heart’s Tart

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Red tart in the shape of a heart 

Effect: When eaten, eases all tasks involving stealing, picking pockets, sneaking, running, surprise, and initiative for ten minutes.

Hot Cross Buns

Level: 1d6

Form: Small spiced cake

Effect: When eaten, restores a number of points equal to the cypher’s level to the user’s Might Pool.

Iron Bands of Three

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Three flexible iron bands

Effect: Wrapping the iron bands around the user’s heart keeps it from breaking with trouble and anxiety. While wearing the bands, the user automatically succeeds on their next three Intellect defense rolls against anything that would make them feel sad, fearful, intimidated, and so on. Each time the cypher activates to protect the user, one of the bands breaks. When all three bands are broken, the cypher is used up.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Level: 1d6

Form: Tiny spider inside a jar, box, or thimble

Effect: When released, the spider sets up a web in a nearby corner. For the next ten minutes, the web catches thoughts, secrets, and information about the general area (up to about a square mile), including any creatures, people, weather, or goings on. At the end of that time, the user can read the web, gaining answers to a number of questions equal to the cypher’s level. The questions must pertain to the area and must be simple enough that the spider can answer them in three words or less.

Jack’s Candlestick

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Burning candlestick

Effect: Jumping over the candlestick restores a number of points equal to the cypher’s level to the user’s Speed Pool.

Jiminy Cricket

Level: 1d6

Form: Small wooden or metal cricket 

Effect: Allows the user to retry a task that they failed within the past minute, using the same difficulty and modifiers.

The Key of Knowing

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Golden key that is permanently stained with blood

Effect: When used to open a lock (of the cypher level or lower), grants the user the opportunity to ask three yes-or-no questions about a person, place, or thing. The key answers to the best of its ability and knowledge, and it does not attempt to lie or trick the user with its answer.

After the key is used in this way, the blood disappears from its surface and the key refuses to open anything (or speak) ever again.

Knave of Hearts

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Playing card depicting an elegant knight

Effect: Turns the user into the knight depicted on the card. They take on the appearance, voice, and mannerisms of the knight. They also gain +1 Armor, +1 damage, and an asset in sneaking, hiding, and stealth. The effect lasts for ten minutes per cypher level.

Lion’s Courage

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Small medallion with the word “COURAGE” inscribed upon it. 

Effect: When activated, grants the user additional courage in the face of fear. For ten minutes per cypher level, any time the user is attacked and they attempt to make an attack on their next action, that attack is eased and they inflict +1 point of damage.

Living Water

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Vial, pot, or jar of liquid

Effect: Removes any ongoing damage, lasting damage, or permanent damage the character has. However, the character has a permanent 3-point reduction in their maximum Might Pool.

When dead water and living water cyphers are used together, a dead character can be brought back to life without any permanent reductions of their Might Pool.

Magic Beans

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Handful of magic beans

Effect: When planted and watered, the beans grow into a giant beanstalk. It’s almost impossible to know where the beanstalk leads until you climb it. Climbing the beanstalk is a level 5 task.

Memory’s Match

Level: 1d6

Form: Matchbox with one match inside 

Effect: Lighting the match causes everyone nearby to see a vision that comforts them. Those who watch the vision in the flame for one round feel rejuvenated and comforted. Anyone who makes a recovery roll in the next ten minutes gains +3 to the roll. After that, anyone who watched the vision but didn’t make a recovery roll takes 3 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor).

Mermaid Tear

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Tear-shaped drop of sea glass

Effect: When swallowed, fills the user with an overwhelming sense of sadness. The user takes 1 point of Intellect damage, but gains an asset on any tasks involving water for the next ten minutes. The task must involve water in a significant way (for example, swinging a sword while it’s raining likely doesn’t count, but crying as part of an attempt to persuade someone, casting a magic spell involving water, or using a pool to scry would all be appropriate).

Neverlost

Level: 1d6

Form: Bag of bread crumbs, pebbles, or candy

Effect: When dropped along a path or trail,

the items become invisible to everyone except the user and any allies the user designates. The items last for one day per cypher level and can be seen by the user and their allies, even in complete darkness.

Nonsensical Poem

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Nonsense poem written in mirror writing

Effect: Reading the poem aloud lets the user reverse one thing about their present situation for up to ten minutes. Up becomes down. Gravity works the other way. A river flows backward. The sun shines at night. (The player should work with the GM to come up with an appropriate and acceptable change.)

Omniscient Bean

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Magical bean made into a cake 

Effect: When eaten, the bean allows the

user to tap into magic. They can ask the GM one question related to their current task, location, or action and get a general answer. The GM assigns a level to the question, so the more obscure the answer, the more difficult the task. Generally, knowledge that a PC could find by looking somewhere other than their current location is level 1, and obscure knowledge of the past is level 7. The cypher cannot provide an answer to a question above its level (which means it can’t provide knowledge about the future, since that is level 10).

Pictureless Book

Level: 1d6

Form: Book without pictures

Effect: Reading the book aloud for one round causes all who hear it within short range (except the user) to fall into a deep sleep for one round. While they sleep, they have intense dreams and cannot take any other actions. The dreams affect them in one of the following ways.

Pictureless book affects NPCs’ health instead of their Pools, either restoring them to full health or doing 5 points of damage.

Poison for Your Daughter 

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Clear liquid that can be spread on any object, such as an apple, hair comb, or weapon

Effect: The poison creates a specific reaction for one hour in a creature who uses the object. Roll d100 to determine the reaction.

Poisoned Apple

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Apple that is half white and half red 

Effect: Eating from the white half heals the user, restoring a number of points equal to the cypher’s level to their Might Pool. Eating from the red half poisons the user, inflicting damage equal to the cypher’s level. Each half of the apple has the power to affect only one creature.

Both halves of the apple can be used by the same or different people as long as it’s done within a few rounds of each other. However, in order for the cypher to take effect, the user must willingly take a bite. It’s impossible, for instance, to force-feed someone part of the apple and have the cypher activate.

Poppet (Damage)

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Small figure made of cloth, stuffed with hair and bone

Effect: Writing the name of an object or living being on the figure connects the figure with that object or being. Destroying the poppet inflicts damage on the connected object or being equal to the cypher’s level, no matter how far away it is. Writing the name and destroying the poppet are separate actions.

Poppet (Love)

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Small figure made of wax, adorned with flowers and herbs

Effect: Giving the poppet to another living being in a short ceremony (usually simply saying the being’s name and making an offer of deep positive emotion) protects them from all harmful effects the next time they are attacked. If the positive emotion is returned (such as between friends or lovers), the giver is also protected. For example, the next time someone swings a sword, speaks a curse, or tries to poison the creature, the attempt automatically fails, and if the creature were to slip near a deep pit, they would not fall into it. Giving the poppet to another is an action.

Poppet (Prosperity)

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Small figure made of cloth, stuffed with herbs and bits of wood

Effect: Writing the name of an object or living being on the figure connects the figure with that object or being. Dirtying, tearing, and damaging the poppet causes the connected being or object to appear destitute and poor to all who see them. This effect lasts for a day. Writing the name and damaging the poppet are separate actions.

Poppet (Silence)

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Small figure carved from wood or stone, with an open mouth 

Effect: Stuffing the open mouth with something that belongs to a living being (such as hair, teeth, or fabric) connects the figure to that being. For the following day, the being is unable to talk about, point to, see, or otherwise engage with the person who activated the poppet.

Powder of Life

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Bit of powder carried in a pepper box 

Effect: When sprinkled on an inanimate

object, the powder brings it to life. The object doesn’t change in any way—a small cat made of glass remains a small cat made of glass—except that now it is alive. The living object acts as a level 2 creature with a mind of its own. While it has an affinity or obligation for the one who brought it to life, it doesn’t obey commands.

Objects animated by the powder of life should have stats that represent

their form and nature. For example, a tin soldier brought to life likely has 1 Armor and perhaps a light weapon, while a stuffed rabbit might be level 3 for the purpose of Speed defense, hiding, and sneaking.

Princess’s Pea

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Dried pea that was previously slept on 

Effect: For one hour per cypher level, allows the user to recognize disguises, optical illusions, sound mimicry, false claims, and other such tricks (for all senses) for what they are.

Rabbit Hole

Level: 1d6

Form: Pocket watch with an empty face 

Effect: Laying the pocket watch facedown on the ground creates a rabbit hole that goes directly to a place that the user states. The user must have previously been to the stated place, and must enter the rabbit hole before anyone else, ideally by jumping in feet first. The hole grows to the appropriate size to accommodate the user and anyone traveling with them. Travel inside the hole is not instantaneous, but it is very fast, taking no more than a minute and feeling very much like riding a long, winding slide. 

The hole stays open for ten minutes, and it is possible to travel back to the starting place (but nowhere else) by again jumping in feet-first.

Rapunzel Leaf

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Small green leaf from a rapunzel plant

Effect: After being buried beneath a rock, the rapunzel leaf begins to grow into a stone tower that stands 100 feet (30 m) tall. The tower, which takes ten minutes to fully form, has a large number of windows but only one exterior door, which can be unlocked only by the user.

The tower’s level is equal to the cypher level, and the structure is permanent and immobile.

Rose of Red

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Big, beautiful crimson rose in full bloom

Effect: Pricking a finger on the rose’s thorns causes the user to bleed a single drop of blood. When flung into the air, the blood becomes a large red bird that flies toward a chosen target up to a long distance away. When it arrives, it bursts in an immediate radius, inflicting Intellect damage equal to the cypher level. The burst spawns 1d6 additional birds; in the next round, each one flies to a random spot within short range and explodes in an immediate radius, inflicting damage equal to the cypher level.

Shadow Soap

Level: 4

Form: Small piece of soap

Effect: When rubbed on your visible shadow, causes it to separate from yourself.

The shadow acts as a level 4 creature under the user’s control for one hour (or until there is no light). The shadow is two-dimensional and insubstantial, and when sneaking, hiding, and avoiding detection, it acts as a level 7 creature. When the effect ends, the shadow (usually) returns to the user.

Shadows are known to develop a mind of their own. Sometimes after tasting a bit of freedom, they refuse to return.

Shard of the Moon

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Tiny sliver of the moon

Effect: Glows softly for ten minutes, drawing all moon-loving creatures (such as moths, moon hares, and werewolves) within long range. For as long as the effect lasts, any attracted creatures will not attack the user or their allies. The user can converse with the creatures and ask them questions, which the creatures will answer to the best of their ability, but always within their nature (so a trickster will still answer as a trickster would, for example).

Shining Knife

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Shining knife

Effect: When stuck into an object, such as a tree or the side of a house, the knife connects the wielder and someone they choose. If one of them wants to know how the other is faring, all they have to do is return to the spot where the knife is stuck. If both are faring well, the knife shines bright gold. If harm has come to one, the knife is dull and rusted.

Silver Slippers

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Silver shoes, ruby slippers, or red boots

Effect: When the wearer speaks aloud the name of the place they wish to go,

the silver slippers take them there in three steps. Note that in most cases the slippers only transport the wearer (although companion animals and the like may sometimes travel with them).

Once the silver slippers are used to transport their wearer, they disappear. However,

it is rumored that they magically return to the world in some form for someone else who needs them.

Singing Bone

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Human bone carved into the mouthpiece for a musical instrument Effect: When blown into, the bone sings a

song that details the weaknesses and faults of one target (up to the level of the cypher) that the user chooses. For ten minutes, all tasks involving the target are eased for everyone in long range who heard the bone’s song.

For most magical objects involving sound, it’s not necessary to physically hear the item in order to gain the benefits. “Hearing” may involve sensing vibrations, magical mental telepathy, a sign language interpreter, and so on.

Snake Leaves

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Three green leaves

Effect: When placed upon a person, the leaves restore all Pools to full, move

a character one step up the damage track, or bring a dead character back to life. However, the character also gains a permanent 3-point reduction in their maximum Intellect Pool.

Snickersnee

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Small jewel, talisman, or bead 

Effect: When attached to a weapon, causes it to grow two to five times its normal size. The weapon inflicts an additional +2 points of damage, but otherwise can be used as if it were a weapon of its original size.

Song of the Dead

Level: 1d6

Form: Small stuffed bird with yellow and blue plumage

Effect: When the user spends ten minutes breathing into the mouth of the bird, it comes to life. It flies off, but now carries a piece of the user’s life inside it. When the user dies, the bird flies back to their body and is able to communicate to those around it, but only for one day. After that, the bird returns to its lifeless form.

Sorcerer’s Skeleton Key

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Wooden stick, iron wand, or piece of straw

Effect: When tapped three times against any locked door or other object (of the cypher level or lower), the key automatically unlocks it.

Spirit Ring

Level: 1d6

Form: Ring, necklace, hairpin, or bracelet 

Effect: Summons a group of helpful fey who provide assistance for ten minutes. During this time, they do as the wearer commands as long as they’re within long range. They can hinder any or all opponents’ tasks, provide information, assist in small tasks, and so on. The fey will not do anything that goes against their basic nature and safety (such as self-harm, attacking their friends, or obvious suicide missions).

Fey are fickle beings. While spirit rings and the like allow someone to hold power over them, it’s very much dependent on the fey’s blessing. Angering the fey may cause them to leave at any moment (even in the middle of something important), and they may take the time to curse or prank the characters before they disappear.

Teleport Hat

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Silly hat that is always too large on the wearer no matter what size their head is

Effect: Allows the wearer to wish for a creature that they know to appear at their side. The creature must agree to be teleported (or convinced via some type of interaction, such as persuasion or intimidation). The teleported creature stays for as long as both parties agree, but not more than a day. At that time, the creature is returned to their place of origination.

Three Needles

Level: 1d6

Form: Three enchanted needles

Effect: For the next ten minutes per cypher level, the user can climb any solid surfaces (even vertical ones) as if doing so was a routine task.

Tin Man’s Tears

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Tiny vial filled with tears

Effect: When poured out, spreads out to cover an area about 2 feet by 2 feet (60 cm square), transforming any metal it touches into brittle rust, down to a depth of about 6 inches (15 cm). When used on a metal creature (such as a tin soldier), the rust inflicts damage equal to the cypher’s level and hinders all movement actions for ten minutes.

To Peter With Love

Level: 1d6 + 3

Form: Wrapped box with a bomb inside and a gift tag on the outside

Effect: Write a person’s name on the tag, and the box will deliver itself to that person at a time and place you specify. When opened, the box does damage to the recipient equal to the cypher level. Traveling to the recipient takes at least a round and sometimes longer, depending on the distance and difficulty.

Valorous Whetstone

Level: 1d6

Form: Sharpening stone

Effect: After sharpening at least one of their weapons with the whetstone, the user instantly feels more brave. For the next ten minutes, all of their intimidation actions are eased, and their sharpened weapon inflicts +2 points of damage.

Vase of Tears

Level: 1d6

Form: Vase, vial, or jar filled with tears 

Effect: Breaking the vase creates a protective spell around the character, preventing them from taking any Might damage the next time they are physically attacked.

White Snake

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Piece of a magical snake

Effect: Upon swallowing the piece of the snake, the user gains the ability to understand and speak with all living things for ten minutes.

Wish-Granting Pearl

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Flaming pearl

Effect: The user can make a single wish and have all or part of it come true. The GM assigns a level to the wish, so the larger and more difficult the wish, the more difficult it is to have the wish granted. Generally, a wish such as gaining an asset or inexpensive item is level 1, and a wish for an expensive item or for a foe to vanish is level 7. The cypher cannot grant a wish above its level.

Witch Bottle

Level: 1d6 + 1

Form: Ornate stoppered bottle filled with wine, seawater, or pins and needles 

Effect: Captures a witch (of a level up to the cypher’s level). Upon entering the bottle, the witch takes damage equal to the cypher’s level and is trapped until someone whispers their name into the bottle’s mouth and releases them.

Witch’s Ladder

Level: 1d6 + 2

Form: Garland of knotted string, feathers, teeth, and bells

Effect: Safely stores one curse for use at a later time. The stored curse may be released and cast only by the person who stored it, or by someone who has received their permission to do so.

Wooden Spoon

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Plain wooden spoon

Effect: When stirred through the air, restores the user’s energy and vitality. The user gains two additional actions on their next turn. For example, they can move a long distance, use a one-action recovery roll, and activate a cypher as their turn, or attack a foe three times.

Yonder Yarn

Level: 1d6 + 4

Form: Skein or spool of yarn

Effect: Unravels to lead the user to their desired destination. The yarn unspools at the speed that the user would normally walk or ride. The yonder yarn will not enter territory it deems too dangerous, and it cannot go through solid obstacles. If the yarn is cut, it no longer works.

It is difficult, but not impossible, to protect oneself from being found by yonder yarn. Witches, in particular, know ways to hide themselves (and others) from the yarn’s power.