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Warped Outcomes – Basic Warnings
0 – Fresh Start, no benefits or penalty. Boy are you naïve.
1 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy (not spelled wrong in Polynesian).
2 or 3 – Suffer a temporary loss of all magical swaggering. The character may not even gain new magical techniques. Condition lasts for the remainder of this adventure. His techniques will be usable again next adventure.
4 or 5 – Confused by touching the supernatural, the character is knocked unconscious. Usually in combat, his companions must win the battle without him.
6 or 7 – Character feels pain by walking on the ground. He can no longer stand near fire. His lungs ache from moisture in the air, and his throat burns when drinking pure water. He may not use his magical abilities, while swimming or touching wet sand. He hides his discomfort enough to be able to perform on the wooden deck of his longboat or when traveling cross country. This condition lasts until the end of the adventure. If this result happened in the underworlds, the result is permanent. If the character has, or obtains this quest, the wizardry technique Geomancy (C) that swaggering becomes locked as Glorious.
8 or 9 – Attempt causes a massive burst of supernatural energy. Everyone (friend or foe) in the area loses magical ability for the remainder of this combat. This includes all Wizardry techniques but does not affect Mount and Blade. If this result happened in the underworld, generate yet another event on this table by rolling a full D8. The enemy should also now be Enraged.
10 or 11 – Character develops a very distinctive cosmetic affectation, which pretty much identifies him as a user of magic. The symbol may be something that can be hidden or disguised, but usually isn’t. Add a brand of a triangle or pentagram on chest or palm, a shorn scalp, belly button long beard, stark white hair, bluish skin tone…player decides. Assume he does this because he feels he must show solidarity to other practitioners. Later on, he will have physical changes not of his choosing and more difficult to explain and conceal.
12 or 13 – Character’s clothes and possessions rebel and attack, causing the character to be rendered ineffective in the continuing engagement; he recovers after the battle or situation. Skip all his turns as he is effectively knocked out of battle in an embarrassing frenzy of twisting and scratching (like swatting an unseen swam of bees). If this result happened in the underworld, the injury is instead vicious. Many a magical companion might look on the man as “I’ve been there.”
14 or 15 – Result has weakened the character’s resolve in dealing with the supernatural. Whenever he uses Recitation he must roll twice and take the worst of the two results. If above level five and rolling multiple attempts, each roll should be diced twice; take worse to determine its outcome. This lasts until the conclusion of the adventure.
16 – The character is stunned by his own uncontrollable fury, and a foreign spirit takes control, while he's dazed. Until the referee decides (usually up to the start of the next battle), random abilities are displayed by the character from his own repertoire or wholly new ones from an obscure source. The result will tend toward benevolence as something (in the cosmos) is trying to understand the character. In the present battle, all his tactics will tend to only make the enemy surrender or flee. He will never dispatch, even with melee. He will frighten ordinary peasant folks on the journey, ask very strange questions; only the shock of violence (a wound to him or by him) gets the angel out of his system. Yet as stated, the event will only last until the start of the next battle. The player character returns to normal at the very start of the next clash. Perhaps pick a fight needlessly – that often is a bad idea and has much later consequences.
17 – The character is exhausted of magical energy. He may not use any magical ability for the rest of the adventure. Just being around him causes a magical null, which causes other players a Shaken (penalty) to their Recitation. The referee may decide other specifics to other Task Resolution rolls between combat. These pariahs tend to switch off briefly magical fountains, lucky stones and other folktale related charms, making village religious patriarchs unhappy. After the adventure concludes, all abilities return back to baseline (normal).
18 and beyond – The character attracts a tutor. The person may be entirely real, terrestrial, but talks in a vision from an unknown location and time. The player character does not need a teacher; this person is a coach. Notice that the range of Outcome tally suggests everyone has this coach. They do, but not the same one. Or do they? Name your man or monster. The rest is imprinting; you will know nothing about him. Only the Warped Outcomes will bring him more actively into the game. This is not a Spirit Guide (R); this is a person who is more ethereal and only enters play on Warped Outcomes. You may think he’s only a figment in your head; he might be. You may discover he is not as wise or sympathetic as you find he is here. The powerful Zaires, twenty beings more powerful than many gods, who guard the world from unchecked magic, often contact young adepts and give counsel. For now, consider this just that – a video call from a sponsor. Stay off drugs, refrain from magic except in dire situations. Just be cool, kid. Again, he will not take part in any action in an adventure; no begging for money or dice help or extra wounds. Fast Zeddy don’t play this game. Neither does Gadot. Set your tally to True Twenty-five.
True Twenty-Five – Stop here; generate further Warped Outcome via snake eyes mishap and as prompted in the Q&D by progressing from a tally of twenty-five.
Warped Outcomes – Boons to Skills
26 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy.
27 or 28 – One character at random in the area has become additionally empowered. This will not be the player suffering the warped outcome. The victim suddenly gains an aptitude in half a D8 new skills. The second time this occurs for a different player, the victim might receive a Trait he lacks. After two occurrences (in any campaign), the Ref gives one new skill to each player of the group, except the dope that suffered magical mishap. Kindred spirits have probably joined the souls of the players, each feels new warmth for an ancestor. This result is permanent, and seldom should prove a detriment.
29 or 30 – A benign spirit attaches itself to the character, adding an extra half D8 skills, one Trait (his choice) or Glorious Spirit Guide (R). Future role-play actions should develop this spirit, and have it grant additional benefits over time. The danger is if the result happens twice or thrice. The character will be pulled by opposing muses and will suffer accordingly. All through role-play, no effect to mechanics (yet).
31 or 32 – The character is excitedly touched by supernatural forces and feels invigorated with health and stamina. He restores any wounds or gains the Trait Rugged if he is presently unwounded. If already both, he gains Wizardry Demigod (A). Should he be that as well, he becomes Glorious in that swaggering. Anything more and the player will be foisted away to join his brethren among the stars as a true immortal; that ends play. You may want to walk around with a self-inflicted wound, until you cross past this stage of Warped Outcome. Optional, player may set his tally to thirty-two, without taking that consequence.
33 or 34 – Consider the last magical action, which was attempted, either success or failure. If you cannot clearly recall, roll randomly among the twenty Wizardry swaggering. When performing that style of magic again, for the remainder of the character’s life, his task resolution rolls are made at Fury Pip to the dice. This benefit does not affect combat Difficulties or other Ref created Q&Ds. But chin high, you got some innate talent, son.
35 or 36 – The character discovers he has become additionally empowered. He suddenly gains a Wizardry swaggering of his choice. He may instead select this bonus as Mount or Blade, but not personal swaggering. Only new techniques may be acquired, not Glorious.
37 and beyond – A godling or ginn will follow and aid the character. This might be Zeddy, your coach (no say). For the remainder of the adventure, the degree of all the character’s Task Resolutions is dropped by one toward Routine (auto success). The supernatural being will not aid in combat or specialized Q&Ds. If this event happens a second time for the same character (very rare), a different jealous demigod intervenes, but the player character will sense it is not always kind to others. His casual trysts will find themselves horribly disfigured.
GENERATE PERSPECTIVE
True Fifty – Stop here; generate further Warped Outcome via snake eyes mishap and as prompted in the Q&D by progressing from a tally of fifty.
Warped Outcomes – Knowledge
51 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy.
52 – The character becomes additionally empowered. He may pick an additional skill or swaggering of his choice. He may also decide to make a swaggering technique he has become locked as Glorious.
53 – The character now believes that before he can attempt magic, he must draw blood. The referee may set a condition under which the character loses this belief, but otherwise he must sacrifice to use his powers. The player should dictate how he enacts this condition: small slice to himself, pinprick to a friend, a collection of small critters held in his pocket…how about not using magic until the first enemy is dispatched or player vicious occurs?
54 – One character at random in the area has become additionally empowered. He suddenly gains an aptitude in a full D8 totally new skills or techniques. Choose wisely. This result is permanent, but none of the swaggering may be Glorious.
55 – Character suffers fits of delusions, thinking he has found the divine answer. Your coach, Zeddy, may have been consulted. Never is this solution to life’s experience pure love. Some of the character’s magic perspective should come in to the design. The power mad will want obedience; the caregiver will bless and empower the meek. - Character becomes a Nabi, Rasul or Prophet. He should formulate his dogma and religiously follow his own tenets. Do this slowly inside of play; often the religious truths reflect the Growth Ignobles that have been or will be checked. Unless he abandons magic and keeps his use to a minimum, this humble beginning of his faith will turn into a world wide jihad (holy war). But, that is for a much later time. You’ll probably be dead long before that, right?
Two players in the same group should not start separate religions; the first here will be the founder, and anyone to follow will be an interpreting disciple. The practices of the disciple need not be as dogmatic.- Often the second follower, if not his agnostic companions, will push the original founder off a cliff; the religion may still thrive outside the group or worse among the servitor crew of the party longboat. This event tends to be used by the Ref for mischief more than the player finds any benefit in acting as the cult leader. Blasphemer!
Warped Outcomes – Indifferent Results
56 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy.
57 – The character loses faith in his abilities. He may not attempt another magical action, until a specific event or omen occurs. The referee decides with input from the player; a good default is until he’s successful, but unable to collect, a half D8 new techniques of type Wizardry or Mount. He then regains his discounted abilities. One’s Blade is not affected, as it usually has a destiny of its own.
58 or 59 – Character develops a distinctive wardrobe, aversion to armor or shoes, affinity for symbols on scarves or capes, near nakedness (even on the tundra), or adorns himself or carries a special item, which is not usually rare, but more disturbing. e.g. Teeth of sharks’ necklace. The garments or jewelry become well known – respected over time or infamous, depending upon the player character’s actions, and the followers he entices. Anyone else want a scepter bear claw? Add numbers, symbols, plumage, bones, full skulls helms, greaves of turtle shell, perfumes, special brews or censers—all producing distinct odors from the new prescribed diet or poor taxidermy…player decides. Assume the character wears these items, because he feels he cannot conduct magic without the fetishes. If ever stripped of his totems, he may refuse to attempt Magical or Recitation Methods; even though none of this stuff, basically crap, is itself charmed or have magical properties. If the character adopts the items on recommendation of another cultist or his coach, Zeddy, then the group may have a bigger problem with divided loyalty. Ref and encounters may prompt that twist.
60 – Everything inanimate made of non-organic material in the area is drawn into another dimension. (They might not lose their clothes, but they may lose some buttons.) Any sword with even a single Blade Virtue Swaggering is immune. But losing your grip on normal weapons may leave some players on Irregular for Method as they rearm ad hoc in the situation.
61 – Character meets himself and begins to quarrel. During combat, the player character is out of the action, seemingly wrestling with a copy of himself. Fight a swaggering duel, against a fiend of the same techniques. Mount and Blade actions may not be used, as well as no Longboat. Keep track of the losses to both. When one of the two is vanquished, the player continues the game playing the victor, minus some culled techniques. Was it truly he who survived? Anyone really know the difference between the decapitated guy and the person who stays with the group? Sure, we all like the guy with a head. Players may take Minor Antagonist actions to speed up the fate and limit the carnage to techniques. Also for expedience, the Ref may roll fifty-fifty (if that matters) and the character ends up losing half his techniques or a full D8 (whichever is less). Then back to play with a Taleworthy experience for all (at least the first time this occurs).
62 – The character loses one of his abilities at random. Select from a list of Traits, skills and techniques. This lost ability may be obtained again in the character's life by advancement in level or through the actions of play. Recall, Glorious techniques should not be ones ever lost.
63 – Confused by touching the supernatural, the character stands stunned. He must be guarded in combat or is taken prisoner. Either one other player by choice is rolling Shaken (penalty) to dice or all players take a Quest Pip major hit as they constantly fret and protect their buddy. You can always smack him down with a vicious wound, blame the bad guys, to avoid any penalties.
64 – The character is exhausted magically, but another character becomes endowed. The character rolling the Warped Outcome may not use any magical ability for the rest of the adventure. However, a random other character gains those abilities. If the receiving character already has certain techniques, the combination brings no benefit. The referee may decide other specifics. After the adventure concludes, both abilities return back to normal but both characters continue at the higher of the two’s tally for Warped Outcome. If a low level apprentice caster is traveling with a fully fugged sage, this jump to senior living is a damn shame.
65 – Puzzled and suffer a temporary loss of magical abilities. Condition lasts for the remainder of this adventure. Gain no new techniques of Wizardry or Mount, nor apply any of those for combat or Task Resolution.
66 or 67 – Character develops a very distinctive scar, bone protrusion, timorous growth, twitch or scary scowl, which easily identifies him as a user of magic. The change is on his face or hands or both, becoming something that can’t be hidden or disguised. Add horns, fangs, beak, fused fingers, extra teeth, third nostril, oversized eyes, stark red color, tiger stripes, feathers, reptile skin, weird speech defects…player decides. Assume the character wears his changes proudly. He also delights on the ease at which he scares stray dogs and children.
68 – The character is stunned by his own uncontrollable fury, and a foreign spirit takes control while he’s dazed. Until the referee decides (usually by the conclusion of this and the next battle), random abilities are displayed by the character from his own repertoire. He might also use wholly new ones from the obscure source. Perhaps take a moment and gen up a few additional Wizardry powers of the ghost present. The result will tend toward benevolence as something (in the cosmos) is trying to aid the character. The control may be complete; the player will sit-out, as his character’s actions are controlled by the Referee for a spell (two sets of Q&D or combat).
Warped Outcomes – Aid on the Adventure
69 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy.
70 to 71 – For the remainder of the adventure, the degree of all the character's Task Resolutions is decreased by one. e.g. Tasking becomes Difficult. That makes Ordinary actions an automatic success without the need to roll. This benefit only applies outside of combat and Q&D. If the player tells an interesting story of why this event is happening, something more than I drank a luck potion, reward an Ignoble.
72 or 73 – Same as event seventy, but the result only changes Difficult and Tasking attempts to Ordinary. No free success and no help at the extremes of resolution.
74 or 75 – One character at random in the area has become more valuable and worthy. The degree of all that character's Task Resolutions is decreased by one. e.g. Tasking becomes Difficult. That makes Ordinary actions an automatic success without the need to roll. This benefit only applies outside of combat and Q&D. If the player tells an interesting story of why this event is happening, something more than I’m just heroic, reward an Ignoble, perhaps to both him and the person with the warped result.
76 or 77 – Same as event seventy-four, but the result only changes Difficult and Tasking attempts to Ordinary. No free success, and no help at the extremes of resolution.
Warped Outcomes – Rebirth
78 – Set the character's Warped Outcome accumulated tally back to True Twenty-Five. He will even develop a different magical perspective. Consider this a unique chance at redemption. A Zaire has aided you and warned you not to abuse the gifts you were given. If the player ever arrives here again with this character, Doomkill! Imprisoned in Azkaban, Arkham Asylum, Web of Dreams, any place of no return. (Various trademarks apply.) Fast Zeddy don’t play this game.
Warped Outcomes – Accidents
79 or 80 – Character is enveloped and suffocated by the four cardinal elements. He falls into a coma. This mishap character will not awake, until sometime after this adventure. Dump his body on the longboat. Each other player looks on and must decide for his own character how this event effects his own views of magic. Is it the price of being an adventurer, is the fallen just a dime a dozen mystic, is this loss a warning, portent, brings fear, brings opportunity to tattoo the fool’s face…again each must decide knowing that bias should appear in future play.
81 or 82 – Confused by touching the supernatural, the character thinks he is immortal. He even slices himself to prove his point. He treats vicious wound as knocked out. The magic to sustain these tests is considerable. For the rest of the adventure, he does seem immune to punishment. Yet, any Warped Outcome will both double the resulting increase in tally and automatically raise the other players’ tallies by one. Those extra penalties do not generate events; they only cause greater severity to future mishaps of that player. Note, if the character is knocked out in a fight with Enraged creatures, ones that normally double tap and try to slay, the player’s immunity ends upon the first attempt at his death. Behold the god who bleeds.
83 or 84 – Character is lifted and battered about the area. It appears that something evil is having a very good time smashing him into objects. Suffer a vicious injury. If this result was generated on a character sensitive to magic, the character is slain. Does the Ref allow the Death of Character Digression or Obliteration? Assuming he survives, the character’s magic Perspective should also shift to something else, but his tally of Warped Outcome does not reduce.
85 and beyond – Attempt causes a massive burst of supernatural energy. Everyone (friend or foe) in the area is stunned. For the rest of battle or this situation, no character has any Traits or skills to apply as Advantages or use to suggest Task Resolution. Only swaggering seems unaffected.
Detour Warning: Stop here. This activates special conditions, when the Warped Outcome progresses beyond the last event from eight-five and up. If you arrived back here from the Subset results—the Ordinary roll—wait for your next Warped Outcome to generate further mystery and mayhem. When ready, you will roll a separate D20. Yes, not the typical D8. If anyone is offended, pick from twenty numbered chits. There are twenty wizardry swaggering, so we need a perfect twenty generator. Lo, gods of game design, forgive thy authors for polyhedral heresy.
Subset #1 – For the moment, no one recognizes who or what you’ve become. You rampage. Each player characters must roll Difficult or suffer a vicious injury. If event occurs in combat, the enemy often runs away. If a single Large+ enemy remains, it’s unfazed for play. Ref decides. Continue normally if desired without further benefit or penalties. In all the savagery, the character learns Demigod (A). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #2 – You feel unique; you are prime, entitled. All players, except the one generating this result, become your learning toy. Each loses one Trait, skill or technique of his choice. The prime one gains these lost abilities. Assume this also happened to any enemy in combat, but their loss is never truly known and merely duplicated the prime character’s own abilities. The Ref decides otherwise. Character learns Psionics (B). Apologize all you desire, truly, you don’t care you treated friend like foe (momentarily). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #3 – Everyone is encased in stone. All the characters and opponents in the area suffer vicious injury, before things turn back to normal. Player characters may roll Tasking to survive blemished, but unbowed (no damage by this event). If combat continues, numbers on both sides should be adjusted. If facing a single profound enemy, this mishap may prove fortunate or just make the monster Enraged. Ref decides. Don’t abandon a perfectly good Q&D. Should the battle continue, the next wound for some could be fatal. Additionally, character learns Geomancy (C); but your comrades may not be in the mood to here of your newfound talent. Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #4 – The net effect is a cyclone, but not of natural origin. Everything is thrown miles away from here. Each player should describe in simple terms (based on a swaggering, a skill or a Trait) how he survived. All should have a different tale—wholly his own from a different ability—to tell of survival. (Only one person will get a free pass, claiming he escapes all on his Winged Mount.) Then make a roll set by the Ref. Failure at the task usually causes either an outright vicious wound or a lingering ailment that is represented by a Quest Pip penalty for the remainder of this adventure. Ref may assess even greater hardship with losses to Mount and Blade techniques. If the result occurs aboard the player’s longboat, assess half a D8 losses to techniques there, starting with crossing off Undamaged (now damaged in need of repairs). Ref decides other consequences. In any battle which this may have happened, start again when everyone gets situated. Again, the Ref must decide to skip it, reset all die modifiers, or pick up where things horribly went wrong. Character learns Telekinesis (D). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #5 – The situation dissolves, even combat ends. If the battle was integral to the adventure and storyline, the Ref will return to the action soon enough. For now, the player character wakes from a dream. Any wounds or penalties are cancelled. Even wounds from long ago vanish in the party. The fabled kingdom of Pyzeum, south of Sebastea and Tmutarakan, is the last image the player sees. Much of what has occurred (to this player) he thinks was just a portent. Good for everyone, a fresh start. Ref decides other specifics or gets right back to that battle he left off of with a stutter. Character learns Precognition (E). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #6 – Demons enter through a diseased portal and attack all in the area. Each person (fiend or foe) receives harm, before the horde disappears. The Ref should diminish the enemy, some or all; the players collect themselves but also have a half D8 dice penalty in the continuing situation. Roll separately for each player. If this result occurs outside of combat, start a fresh battle to drive off the Nasty transgressor (conditions set by the Ref). Regardless, character learns Demonic (F), something you desire to keep secret. You may not use the abilities more than once in any combat. Even then you will deny you took any action. Tally changes to seventy; resolve the True Hundred warped Outcome.
Subset #7 – Everyone friend or foe freezes; the player can walk among all unhindered. He probably does some unspeakable things, indulging impulses, desires kept secret. The net result is no effect to anyone else. Eventually the player tires of messing up the world, living in Groundhog Day abandon, and returns to the exact moment he left. Ref decides otherwise, but this stroll only makes the character lascivious for freedoms he should not have. Character learns Celestial (G), a base form of those usually angelic talents. Tally changes to one-hundred; resolve the True Hundred warped Outcome.
Subset #8 – The fallen rise, yet not as minions of the character. He may think the enemy, or some outside force, has summoned these zombies. Add extra opponents. Isn’t it always the case that any new danger effects the players more than the enemy. An incidental battle is replaced by one with the undead. A significant foe, perhaps the adventure rival was being battled, has control of the corpses. Ref decides situation and starting penalties. Character learns Necromancy (H), but only once this is all over. Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #9 – A horde appears and attacks all. Everyone is fighting for survival. Each person seems to see a different enemy—Huns, Saurians, Goblins, Cultists, something humanoid but barbarous—Ref adds specifics for the continuing action. As enemy fall, the mobs are revealed as fleshless phantasms. Their wounds are still real. If there was a greater purpose to the combat prior to the mishap, the Ref might dovetail this action right into the one he suspended. Character learns Illusions (I) and has the luxury of ignoring all vicious wound he might receive in this engagement. He should be doubly ashamed by being knocked out though. Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #10 – Character is now lycanthrope. Whole tables of rules have been written on that aspect, stories for the ages. Can he control this transformation is unknown here? Make a note, perhaps give the character a bit of bonus to rolls for this starting battle with the known enemy or the townspeople he’s aroused in terror. Character learns Shape Shifting (J). Ref needs to decide much; he may even be inclined to take the character as an NPC. Don’t quibble if that happens. Tally changes to one hundred; resolve the True Hundred warped Outcome.
Subset #11 – Skip what went wrong and go to the aftermath. Local fire brigades, praetors in the campaign locals, must have a heck of a time. Of course, maybe they use magic or summon sea ginns to drop water from above. There’s always the Zaires to mitigate magic. Enough filler background, so what happened? Flame happened. Ref decides any ramification to combat or the situation being tested. Err on the side of skip forward and continue. Yet what is more important is the character’s craving for fire. He will seek out chances to produce infernos. He should only use Recitation once each combat with another wizardry method. All other times he will go right to burning things. Even when things are critical, he might try using fire to heal or predict the future or some other such extreme, rather than just attempting his other talents. Character learns Pyrotechnics (K). Tally changes to one hundred; resolve the True Hundred warped Outcome.
Subset #12 – A zoo of strange creatures stampedes across the region. Yes, region may be exaggeration, but it’s a lot of scary things. Ref decides if its buffalo, mammoth or dinosaurs. On the water, a variety of whales will upset things. In the underworld, the many and twisted forms of the goblin seem to mancala from chamber to chamber. Everyone will know these creatures are conjured; they may even know the character responsible. Avoid vicious injury on Nearly Impossible roll. Ref decides other consequences. Inflict the random damage and return to play. On the upside, beef (fell flesh) may be on table for supper. Character learns Conjuration (L). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #13 – For the rest of this adventure, each player character, including the generator of this mishap, is disfigured in appearance. Two noses, down to one eye, no lips, elephant ears, forked tongue…each player names his defect. All will be cosmetic, but the group might need to fashion some masks later to deal with superstitious crew and witch hunting serfs. If the adventure involves negotiation or soliciting the aid of nobles, this event will seriously hamper success. Some of the group might even try to magically correct the damage done, but they’d have better success with a sharp knife. Magic will fail, but each player may decide to take vicious injury, rather than continue in freakish form. There is a slim chance, based on events, that one character’s new feature will be permanent. Ref should look at encounters as they happen with an eye to how this change effects the morale, reaction and permanence of things. Character learns Hexes (M). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #14 – Not the world’s biggest Tesla Coil, but close. Masts explode, tools superheat, nails bend in planks, lots of bad things occur to the player’s longboat, even if it is far away. The ship if present is beyond repair. The adventure should change to a subplot of gathering workers, materials and supplies to get going again. Ref decides what follows, but perhaps just freeze the present quest and start a new set of Phases, A, B and C to return to some semblance of longboat baseline. If there is combat taking place, there often is, finish that. If this calamity is during a battle out at sea, well then, that would be bad: dish out some wounds, make a few rolls to swim ashore, add a penalty to what follows. You may wish to leave the current rival as a future enemy and call the job prior to Sparky’s mishap a fail. Character learns Voltaic (N) and should be given a nickname (he hates). For Growth Ignoble? Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #15 – Scary toys and furniture and bar mugs, whatever is around, turns into a Disney musical and starts to entertain. Peewee’s funhouse comes to chilling life. When the cast of objects fails to receive applause for an encore, it turns Foul. Fight the outcome. Ref decides how to fit this with any other ongoing battle. As is usually the case, a major enemy adds the inhuman company to his side. Character learns Animate Objects (O). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #16 – The character puts himself into a recursive loop by attempting to controls his own thoughts or blank a bad memory. He cocks his head, a broken robot, foaming at the mouth. Weak (insignificant to the plot) opponents flee. Shake your friend back to reality; he takes a free vicious. If this happens in the climax, at a really bad time, the Ref should continue battle without the player. Heinous+ have seen this before and strike to vorpal. Either the person of mishap dies, or everyone else takes a vicious protecting him; yes, vicious. They may opt each to fall from that wound then must see what happens to the group without taking part; the brave make their own fate. Choose to remain engaged, though wounded, but know that the next failed roll may be the character’s last. Surrender is always an option; let Digressions inflict the punishment to one or all. Mishap character learns Thought Control (P) if he survives. Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #17 – The gurgling sound starts faint, but grows as everyone in the area is choking on saliva and unable to respire. Large+ monsters are not affected, so the sound they make is licking chops looking forward to a feast. The state is released just in time (for most). Any enemy present is Enraged. The character responsible giggles, a child holding a lens over ants. Ref decides anything else, but usually that’s it (for now). Character learns Paralysis (Q) and Skill Tormentor. Tally changes to one hundred; resolve the True Hundred warped Outcome.
Subset #18 – Character appears distracted, involved in a debate over etiquette, Roberts Rules of Order, filibuster rules. All his rolls for this combat or situation are Shaken (penalty). He may wish to just sit down and not risk injuring himself. To do so, means everyone else continues with a Quest Pip loss to rolls (protecting him). What’s happening is the character’s mishap has created a counsel of quarreling advisors, a schizophrenic set of guardian angels. The Ref decides other baneful results as the campaign progresses. Character learns Spirit Guide (R). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
Subset #19 – A Zaire appears. Pretty much everyone goes prostrate (or shows guarded humility). The Wizard Prince (perhaps think Lich-King) offers the player a choice. He may return to zero Warped Outcome, a new beginning; however, he must promise never to exploit such dangerous flaws in the fabric of the universe, ever again. A vague request, me thinks? Fingers crossed, agree? Is this just Power Words or all witchcraft? This is not a negotiation. Accept your return to innocence! The alternative is to be crippled magically. Ref decides that bugaboo with a minimum that the player gains no further wizardry. Character learns Power Words (S), regardless of choice. So, take a reset, nice, but be watched by a supreme guardian of magic (regularly returning to scold or punish). Else, just accept the major slap now – do so with a middle finger or bowman’s grip held high. After this commercial break, return to the regularly scheduled program of battle and heroic task resolution. If you accept punishment, challenge the arbiter, ask him less than politely to spin…your ability to gain further Wizardry swaggering ends for the character; your tally is one hundred, so resolve the True Hundred Warped Outcome.
Subset #20 – Unearthly life-forms are attracted to all the noise. What noise you might ask? A spacecraft arrives and disgorges amorphous shapes. They seem to want to watch the celebration; current battle? Maybe they probe the mishap generator as everyone watches and sniggers. Ref decides other bad stuff, before the aliens depart. Whatever happened just prior will resume (or not). Any nifty ray gun forgotten, left behind or pickpocketed will be enshrined in a temple. It’s inert to the players. The Battle Born have another game to play. Character learns Cosmic (T). Finally, roll Ordinary successfully to return to the last Detour Warning. Upon failure move to your next event at True Hundred. Player may opt instead to go to True Hundred, before this resolution roll.
True 100 – The character is at a point of no return; his obsessions for magic are no longer controlled. He’s basically an addict for mana and the fantasy experience. Yet he’s degenerate. None of his Wizardry will ever again achieve Glorious status. What he has locked remains of course. The referee may decide other specifics.
After a few less than successful Method Recitation, the player may have no powers left. But, he’s not crippled magically. There’s always Method Magical to gain or regain lost secrets of Wizardry.
Yet this a good point to have the player assess his ultimate goals. Does he care that he is strange, wrecking as much as helping, becoming himself a monster? Allow him to change Perspective without going back in his tally count. Role-play the rest of his transformation and the effect on his companions and the campaign. Think of it like this: he’s an arsonist, but he’s our arsonist (just one pyrotechnic example).
Warped Outcomes – Side Effects
101 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy.
102 – Suffer a loss of speech or loss of speech control. The character is now mute or a mumbler. The character may find some means of communicating—a chalk slate, perhaps—by the start of the next adventure. His fellow characters will still understand his idles and emotions, regardless; they may just be the only ones who will ever hear his unvoiced poetry or appreciate his chaos songs. All adopt a rudimentary sign language of kill him, crush that, help me, fug off. The character’s skills, especially Minstrel, may be affected on a case by case and situation based judgment of the Referee. However, every skill may still be used to gain Advantage actions on the table (where it counts). The player may just be limited in what he does between battles. The locals understand the man as magically cursed; they will be fearful of contagion.
103 or 104 – Suffer great pain in the joints to the point that normal movement might cause serious injury. For the rest of this adventure, the character may not take action in combat, unless he risks Recitation. There any result forcing Escape or Irregular delivers a vicious wound. Best to leave him on the boat, out for the remainder of this adventure. If this result happens to a character with magic sensitivity, the result is permanent. He may be restricted to just a few actions each adventure. Alt-play from a stable of characters is a hallmark of Cutlass style mechanics. Bring the codger out when needed for say a Mariner roll, then put him back in his bunk.
105 or 106 – Suffer a hormonal release, leading to rapid hair growth, with nail growth, with skin tone changes, swelling of the feet, hands and eyes, basically he looks a mess, etc. Character’s appearance has changed, drastically. He could be mistaken for an enemy if battle is happening right now. The result will be permanent and often repeats under stress or at random points in his life. Player must describe what his avatar, toon, proxy looks like now? Wife, I swear, it’s me.
107 or 108 – Suffer a loss of eyesight. Actual organs are functioning normally, but the character's brain can no longer comprehend the images. In combat, the character Shaken (penalty), when attempting Brash and Calculated Methods. This result lasts until the conclusion of this adventure. If this result happened after the character develops a sensitivity to magic, the result is permanent.
109 to 110 – Suffer from total exhaustion, though always too wired to sleep. Character feels drained and often lays down. For the rest of the adventure, his dice rolls are made Shaken (penalty) if failure may result in vicious wound. If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the result is permanent.
111 or 112 – Suffer loss of balance and depth perception. Character can not stand for long periods of time. He must be carried or crawl in between fights. The main penalty is that the character may not utilize his Mount techniques. This result lasts until the conclusion of this adventure. If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the result is permanent.
113 or 114 – Suffer a loss of grip. Character can not hold a weapon. He may not fight as Brash or Calculated. If forced to, he takes Irregular or Escape actions instead. The main penalty of course is that the character may not utilize his Blade techniques. This result lasts until the conclusion of this adventure. If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the result is permanent.
115 to 116 – Suffer occasional loss of consciousness. Player must roll Ordinary at the start of every major situation to see if he’s awake. If not, well take the KO and the others continue without his rolls. This result lasts until the conclusion of this adventure. If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the result is permanent.
117 to 118 – Character can no longer receive nourishment from normal foods. He must have virgin blood or exotic animal parts to sustain his life. His hunger is evil. The nobility will not want the character in their fiefdoms and city-states. The hunger is also not easily hidden. Every hour without this diet causes fatigue and the Shaken (penalty). If he ever goes a full week without his cuisine of choice, he perishes. Fortunately, the player usually has a variety of magical choices to obtain his sustenance, like conjuration or cosmic (portals), to name just two. Another player character may have to aid or feed him, if he grows too weak. The result only lasts (for now) this adventure. If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the result is permanent. Funeral now or when he truly goes animalistic?
Warped Outcomes – Temporary Incapacitation
119 – Character impulsively fuses one of his hands with his Blade. The object must be removed by surgery, yet until this happens there is no injury. The metal wielder may suffer penalty to his other skills; he may also frighten the innocent. Ref decides problems at each Task Resolution. Character may not be as capable a husband or father – no hugs. But he’s bad ass. The character may even keep the object as it is as part of his persona or as a continued novelty. Once he removes the object he permanently losses all swaggering from his Blade. That object becomes inert. Start fresh building the next Blade of Virtue. Or best to live with things as they are? If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, any vicious he suffers in combat kills. The wear and tear on his arm as he swings the weapon is agony. After some time, he will long for death rather than lose his close friend (his scimitar). Magical narcotics sooth him for now.
120 or 121 – Character’s magic fails for the remainder of the adventure. Consider him stricken and usually out of the quest. Going forward, his mystic actions become intermittent. He is minus one permanently for Magical Method or Recitation. If he ever suffers a snake eyes mishap using Wizardry, his magic is crippled. A crippled wizard will not gain any new Wizardry or Mount swaggering. For now, his Blade is unaffected.
122 – Suffer loss of balance and depth perception. Character can not stand for long periods of time. He must be carried or crawl in between fights. The main penalty is that the character may not utilize his Mount techniques. The result is permanent.
123 – The character is stunned by his own uncontrollable fury, and a foreign spirit takes control, while he's dazed. Until the referee decides (usually up to the start of the next battle), random abilities are displayed by the character from his own repertoire or wholly new ones from an obscure source. The result will tend toward minor nuisance as something (in the cosmos) is mocking the character. In the present battle, all his tactics will make enemies run away and other players to suffer Shaken (penalty). Alternate Recitation on the enemy and a random player smite producing an automatic Shaken (penalty). The character will commit crimes in some situations, bully officials and molest the innocent. Yet as stated, the event will only last here and to the start of the next battle. The player character returns to suffer the wrath engendered by whatever happened in between. If he doesn’t pay fines or bribe for forgiveness, he may end up on wanted posters in the region. Secretly, the character may have enjoyed the freedom exhibited by the prankster which controlled him.
124 – The character is exhausted of magical energy. He may not use any magical ability for the rest of the adventure. Just being around him causes a magical null, which causes other players a Shaken (penalty) to their Recitation. The referee may decide other specifics to other Task Resolution rolls between combat. These pariahs tend to switch off briefly magical fountains, lucky stones and other folktale related charms, making village religious patriarchs unhappy. After the adventure concludes, all abilities return back to baseline (normal). If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, attempt an Ordinary roll. Fail and your character is still magically exhausted for yet another adventure. Keep repeating that final determination, until he recovers.
Warped Outcomes – Revelations
125 – You have a sensitivity to magic and sometimes suffer more severe Warped Outcomes. Make a note of your mana allergy. If this is the second time this has occurred, your magic is crippled; you may not learn any new Wizardry or Mount swaggering. Your techniques in those areas will not lock anymore than they already are.
126 – The character’s adventure has changed. He is tasked with taking a message from a supernatural creature or simply a dead soul to someone living on earth. The character may be rewarded for complying. The referee must set new conditions and obstacles. This adventure begins now (or after what’s left of a battle). Stop the current adventure and come back to it after the diverting adventure is completed. If this result happened to someone who is magically sensitive, the task is not a message. Rather the character must carry a relic to someone. A demon or ginn gives the character the forbidden object, knowing he cannot use the talisman. Keep the other players from stealing by pretending the task is something else. Role-play later how everyone feels about being lied to? The talisman’s powers need not ever come into play, nor really should they.
127 – Meet a long dead relative. He wants to take your place in the real world for a period of time. Your ancestor should be about half a D8 levels lower than the player character, so not as skilled or formidable. If the player agrees, he and the referee should generate a new character of suitable abilities and knowledge. By the end of this adventure, the two will swap back. If the player refuses, his magic is crippled: no new Wizardry or Mount swaggering is gained; nor will present abilities become locked as Glorious. Why would he refuse? At the end of each adventure as the weaker relative, roll Ordinary to see if you regain your former self. Else start the next quest again as the ancestor.
128 – Character wanders in other dimensions and doesn't seem too concerned about returning. His body will lay in coma, until he returns. While away the character usually grows in power; the character is purposely staying away to gain more abilities and bonus. Play your alt-character. At the end of the adventure gain half a D8 skills or swaggering; also roll Tasking to stay in the mystic land (no make-rolls in Epilog). As a reward for a second time dream walking through the next adventure, you gain a full D8 skills or swaggering of your choice. Continue this for as long as the player stays asleep, rolling for benefits at the adventure’s end. Limit maybe to three, but the Ref may end this at anytime; keep a very lucky player from overpowering the campaign and his companions.
129 – Character suffers the worst beating of his life. He relives his worst memories of a past combat he survived. He suffers the same damage as he did at that time. His friends witness this televised main fight. Start with a fresh vicious. It ends there for now. Yet going forward, he will flinch whenever anyone mentions the fight. This is now a vulnerability. If an enemy ever discovers this weakness, the player has a mystic glass jaw. If the event is described, the player suffers yet another vicious. He will be subject to nausea and blackmail by unscrupulous tormentors. Secrets are sort of safe. There is no Mind Reading ability among the magical. But, in moments of weakness, confessions are implied; evil has a way of learning even the most guarded of confidences. Just saying, let events in the campaign and encounters cause more harm to follow. Bottom line, this event was seen by other characters; they tell tavern tales. Plus, was there enemy who escape this first encounter? The player character has his own kryptonite to deal with – this accursed tale.
Warped Outcomes – Baneful Recycle
130 – Reduce the character’s accumulated Warped Outcome tally back to the last Detour Warning. The character not only resets his total, he generates an event. After that, his tally is usually True Hundred.
Warped Outcomes – Enchanted Offerings
131 or 132 – A demonic entity proposes an offer. It will follow the character and be always there to aid him, so long as the character aligns himself with chaos. In game terms, the character may call on his helper for aid. The demon will act like an extra set of six Traits. Each may be employed once per the adventure, like Rugged to ignore a wound or Energetic to gain that dice bonus. Going forward, each adventure the Eschaton again offers his five traits. Wait, five? Yes, each adventure, drop one at random. The demon will serve for at most six adventures. Then he offers nothing; each adventure he offers less. After six, the character turns malevolent and is handed over to the referee. So why do this? The player lives with the hope he can break the demonic compact. He may just be able too. The Ref may add clues and craft an out in one of the intervening adventures. Before number six finishes, offer a chance for redemption. Else, the demon’s offer may be refused here and now. Generate a new Warped Outcome by rolling Six D8 upon saying “no.” Care to rethink your refusal to play ball with the Beelzebub?
133 or 134 – A demon or ginn gives the character a magical relic. You have no choice. The referee must decide what kind of magical item is received and what powers it contains. Mix properties both powerful and baneful to the holder. Else, save the trouble of creating something that might not fit the campaign. The relic is fused with the player character’s swaggering Blade. Add two D8 techniques, with some of the number being used to lock virtues as Glorious. The downside is the legendary item will cause greed and envy, be sought by questing knights, cause serfs to plead for deliverance, be a royal pain to own. The player may always toss the item into the sea and start with a fresh virgin sword on which to build swaggering. Well, he might unless he fused his sword to his hand previously? With great power comes…yada, yada, yada, let’s have some fun before we bury the thing.
Warped Outcomes – Boon to Traits
135 – Character's body swells and changes shape. He becomes trait Bold. If he is already such, Go to the Death Choice.
136 – Character's body swells and changes shape. He becomes trait Clever. If he is already such, Go to the Death Choice.
137 – Character's body swells and changes shape. He becomes trait Energetic. If he is already such, Go to the Death Choice.
138 – Character's body swells and changes shape. He becomes trait Gifted. If he is already such, Go to the Death Choice.
139 – Character's body swells and changes shape. He becomes trait Methodical. If he is already such, Go to the Death Choice.
140 and beyond – Character's body swells and changes shape. He becomes trait Rugged. If he is already such, Go to the Death Choice.
Death Choice: This event only occurs if the player character died in events above. The character double Traits and explodes, Monty Python one thin mint. Did he die? An angel, Zeddy sometimes, and a strange ginn appear. Isn’t fantasy grand? The angel has pity and will restore the lost soul to life. The ginn takes pity, but he wishes to comfort the survivors.
Before the characters vote—life or death—the ginn will tell them what they could win. All bereaved living characters gain a wish from the ginn. Each may gain wealth, a new trait, three new skills, a D8 swaggering on the longboat, lock a technique as Glorious, lower a Warped Outcome tally to nearly zero, obtain clues to the present adventure (boring), learn information about his destiny (another game), learn how to get out of a demon compact, etc. The wish must be used now, and the Ref should set limitations.
- So, what shall it be? Let the players secretly vote. If a majority says let him die, those who voted that way get the reward they asked for. Anyone who voted live would receive nothing for being in the minority.
- If the vote in the first round settles at no wishes granted, to restore him, …, not so fast. The ginn will promise more, but only to the players who voted resurrection. The cunning (who read the entire set of rules) may know this, so use discretion. Allow one last chance to change your votes to death.
- All in favor (who voted live the round before) get a small amount of extra incentive, an extra skill or swaggering, some nice tea to sell, a pinwheel, a small benefit plus the wish. The people who voted death before will also gain, just not with extra incentive. Convince your buddies to let the mishap mage die naturally, as much as it was magically natural. There may be enough corpse to bury. If not, less work. Death, death, death chants the crowd.
- So, did he die, or did he live? If the player character ever selflessly says, “I’ll die; I’m messed up by magic anyway; I’ll just play an alt; the stuff you’re getting is really okay…basically doesn’t fight to survive – kill him and give no one anything. This is a moral test, not an exercise in wargaming the odds.
- So, did he live, or did he die? Or was it all a nightmare? Nightmare of course if it ever happens again, or too soon after this first time the event appears in play. Enchanted creatures enjoy toying with mere mortals. That and they whimsically grant wishes!
True 150: Stop here again, but only for admin purposes. We need some gaps, so the Ref can add stuff related to his campaign as Warped Outcomes. Now leaving Boon to Traits, 140 and beyond, by setting tally at 150 and going forward at the next mishap snake eyes or Q&D generated warped outcome, usually half D8.
Warped Outcomes – Good & Bad
151 or 152 – Character’s appearance and persona will change, perhaps drastically. Character loses one Trait but gains another (becoming a different sort of character). He must change all his skills, starting with his initial selection for background, then going forward level by level. Only skills, not techniques are affected. A player who gained extra skills by play, should retain some or all of these. If undoing a complicated character is nearly impossible, kill him instead. Oh, now your memory is a bit better. Get to remaking yourself, now!
153 or 154 – The character and one other random character exchange bodies. Energetic and Ruggedness are traits associated with the body. The characters keep their own Bold, Clever, Gifted and Methodical Traits, but they exchange those two other physical ones. The characters swap Mounts and Blades. Wizardry and personal swaggering, like the training to Hilt Punch, are retained. The referee may need to decide other specifics on land and wealth. To exchange back will require special magic, probably found only outside the campaign. Most Warped Outcomes do not reverse. That would be too easy. Just accept that you lost something or gained something, or the net effect was a wash. Regardless, in any current combat, both are stunned unconscious as they adapt to their new forms. Neither of the heroes’ Moms will ever recognize the true son again, just think about that for the moment. Okay, back to killing. Wait, back up. He owns better lands than I do and has a better looking wife? This may be awkward for some time. The Outland campaign courts do handle magical tort, but let’s get back to killin’.
155 or 156 – For the remainder of the adventure, the character may attempt actions in both Calculated and Recitation during combat. However, all his other Methods of a more catch as catch can basis have Difficulty raised by three. Here’s hoping you don’t have a forced Escape or Irregular.
157 or 158 – A supernatural guardian of war protects the character. For the remainder of the adventure, he causes double casualties, double the number of dispatches, forces double the enemy to flee or surrender. But outside of combat, the Task Resolutions become one degree of Difficulty harder. e.g. Difficult becomes Tasking and treat Nearly Impossible changes to dice don't roll that high. If this result happens to a character that is magically sensitive, reverse the outcome. His entity of peace reduces his ability to inflict harm but offers him better chance to roll against skills in the more casual and cunning elements of play. Regardless, he finds his purse of coins filled. Filled with what? Coins?
159 – Character wanders in other dimensions and doesn't seem too concerned about returning. His body will lay in coma, until he returns. While away the character usually grows in power; the character is purposely staying away to gain more abilities and bonus. Play your alt-character. At the end of the adventure gain a full D8 skills or swaggering; also roll Tasking to stay in the mystic land (no make-rolls in Epilog). As a reward for dream walking through another adventure, you gain a half D8 skills or swaggering of your choice. Continue this for as long as the player stays asleep, rolling for benefits at the adventure’s end. Limit maybe to three, but the Ref may end this at anytime; keep a very lucky player from overpowering the campaign and his companions.
Warped Outcomes – Doomed Forecast
160 or 161 – A demon or ginn has opened a gate and allowed something to enter. Why did Zeddy, your coach, test you? Or did he? The evil may not be immediately apparent, but the character becomes aware something vile has been summoned. The character must find and defeat this new horror that he helped release into the world. Suspend the adventure at hand and begin the hunt for this unholy terror. The enemy will be Enchanted+, but the Ref must decide on the rest.
162 or 163 – All in the party are drawn back to their youth. Some memorable event is occurring, yet it is not occurring as they remember. Each character will lose a D8 Traits, skills or swaggering. If time and inclination allow, each character might regenerate his character starting from a different background. That’s lots of work I know. Perhaps this once accept the loss of skills and say done. Up to the Ref.
164 or 165 – Discover that an unearthly being has absorbed your powers. You are magically crippled, until this new foe is defeated and banished from the world. The referee must add the exact details. The monster or warlock may not yet be known, so pepper the rest of this adventure with clues. Save resolution for the next personal quest. Crippled means the player may not gain any new Wizardry or Mount swaggering. He may not lock any of those two sets of abilities as Glorious.
Warped Outcomes – Maliciousness
166 – The magical ginns and demons conspire to kill the character and his friends. Your coach may be a double agent? Pick someone else if you have powerful enemies in the campaign. Seldom will this grudge be random. Begin here by adding something Horrible to the combat or situation at hand. These attacks will not stop and will be an unexpected enemy in every adventure to follow. When will this end? It won’t. Maybe if the player character does die, the vendetta will end. Otherwise so long as he lives, the ginns and demons will conspire to kill him. Check an Ignoble? Play your alt from here on out?
167 or 168 – A ginn or demon follows the character causing trouble. The character may think this is all practice sent by his coach, Zeddy. Or once he did. He more likely has forgotten his coach, left him behind as a child does an invisible friend. For the remainder of the adventure, the character’s attacks do less damage; his rolls are Shaken (penalty). If this result happens with a character that is magically sensitive, the malevolence will not ever stop. Less damage by him and Shaken (penalty) are now the status quo, but only for the sensitive. If this event happens in the underworld, the whole party becomes magically sensitive.
169 or 170 – A demon or ginn strips the character of a Wizardry swaggering he finds offensive. Ginns are related to elements. A character would lose Geomancy (for Sands), Voltaic (for Seas), Celestial (for Winds), Pyrotechnics (for Flame) or Animate Objects (for Metal). Pick one from those available, and this event ends. If the character doesn’t have any of those five, he’s upset a demon. That’s worse. Take one random Wizardry swaggering now. Continue to take one random Wizardry swaggering at the start of each adventure. Of course, the Glorious are locked. When does the demon stop? That’s up to the Ref. The demon will want something, loyalty or a quest for him. See event 131; it’s bad. Often the player character must accept his loss and soldier on. The Warped Outcomes are only getting worse.
171 – A major demon has opened a magical gate and allows a lesser minion to enter and prove itself. This monster catalyzes the characters and their current opponents together, as both try to dispel this new terror. The monster is indestructible (for the moment), and all characters must flee via Escape. The referee must decide other specifics as needed. The demon and his minion will be satisfied by everyone’s terror. As for the adventure and any climax this disrupts? Well, take a week off and get back to it. Or, consider the whole affair failed. The patron will not be pleased he’s hired a klutz (the guy who had the mishap).
172 – A ginn causes a permanent rift in the natural laws of the area. Ballistics will not shoot straight as predicted. Fires burn cold. Things shatter for no reason. The effect may reach out irregular distances but is usually limited to the immediate area. The ginn will stay in the area for a thousand and one years, before he abandons his anger. The characters must quickly depart. As they do so, the referee should assess some form of injury befitting the type of ginn involved. See event 169 for possible Wizardry stripped away, or just ding each with a vicious injury. Only a metal gin will take swaggering from a Blade. None of the ginns have any power to remove swaggering from a Mount. So, what’s it to be guys? Lose a technique or take a vicious?
173 or 174 – A demon or ginn reveals a weakness to your opponents. For the rest of this adventure, all enemies are Enraged. The referee may decide to impose other disadvantages. If the adventure was supposed to remain secret, it isn’t.
175 – The character is exhausted of magical energy. He may not use any magical ability for the rest of the adventure. Just being around him causes a magical null, which causes other players Shaken (penalty) to their Recitation. The referee may decide other specifics to other Task Resolution rolls between combat. After the adventure concludes, attempt an Ordinary roll to return back to baseline (normal). If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the attempt is made at Difficult. Fail and your character is still magically exhausted for yet another adventure. Keep repeating that final determination, until he recovers.
176 and beyond – The character is stunned by his own uncontrollable fury, and a foreign spirit takes control, while he's dazed. Until the referee decides (usually up to the start of the next battle), random abilities are displayed by the character from his own repertoire or wholly new ones from an obscure source. The result will tend toward extreme malevolence; the entity hates all life. In the present battle, all his tactics will dispatch friend and foe. Alternate Recitation on the enemy and a random player crucified with a vicious wound. The character will murder, pillage and rape, until the start of the next battle. Make that happen quick. The player character returns to find his face on wanted posters in the region. Secretly, the character only pretended to be controlled by a demon. The other player characters may suspect that truth. So, what now? Skip ahead to True 200 as your tally.
True 200 – Player has reached another milestone. Well done. A reward? No, we’re past birthdays and holidays. Your reward is the knowledge that few practitioners last this long. Magical mishap may not take each life, but the weakened state, at the worst of times, has slain a good share of aspirants. No shame to retire. From here on out, take note, the Warped Outcome rolls double; you no longer receive a single half D8, but a full D8 whenever you mishap snake eyes or generate the fluke Warped Outcome result in Q&D. Find a nice tavern to run, a city-state to lord over, a part of the underworld to fill with your accumulated treasures. Only the daring would adventure further and let his tally be 200 plus his next mishap result. Unconvinced, play on?
Warped Outcomes – Teleportation
201 – Character blinks out of phase and returns to reality in a place that passes one part of his body through a solid object as he materializes. It is very painful and causes vicious injury.
202 – The character is seduced by a goddess and disappears for a period of time set by the referee (usually until the end of the next battle). If this result was generated following a snake eyes mishap, the character also becomes magically sensitive. Should he be already such and such, he does not escape the goddess so easily and will need to be rescued. But how? Ref should tailor an adventure to that end sometime to follow. In some cases, the player character will not want (ever) to be rescued. Then what?
203 or 204 – Character disappears. Whether he ever reappears from his travels to another dimension is left to the referee to decide. If he does return, his abilities will be greatly weakened. Start from scratch with all Wizardry and Mount swaggering gone save for the locked and Glorious.
Warped Outcomes – Secondary Results
205 or 206 – Everything in the immediate area of the character is suddenly weightless. This lasts until the action at hand is concluded. Everyone is floating, in danger of drifting on the breeze. Combat in this area is nearly impossible. Continue actions with Method Escape. Referee may assess Shaken (penalty). If this has happened outside of combat, consider yourself lucky. But, the owner of the place is not amused.
207 – The character is exhausted of magical energy. He may not use any magical ability for the rest of the adventure. Just being around him causes a magical null, which causes other players Shaken (penalty) to their Recitation. The referee may decide other specifics to other Task Resolution rolls between combat. After the adventure concludes, attempt a Difficult roll to return back to baseline (normal). If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the attempt is made at Tasking. Fail and your character is still magically exhausted for yet another adventure. Keep repeating that final determination, each adventure, until recovery.
208 or 209 – Something totally whacky happens. The referee must decide the details, but reality or memory may be altered. Give your character a new name, a new adventure goal, a new Perspective. Things may be very confused, and the result must be interpreted by the Ref. If nothing comes immediately to mind, roll 3D8 and advance that far in tally. Something less confusing will follow and perhaps explain the rift in time.
210 or 211 – A demon or ginn has opened a gate and allowed something to enter. The evil may not be immediately apparent, but the character becomes aware that something vile has been summoned. The character's goal is now changed. He must find and defeat this new horror he helped release into the world. The adversary is Great.
212 – Confused by touching the supernatural, the character stands in awe of his powers. He must be guarded in combat or is taken prisoner. The enemy now thinks the character has significant value as a hostage. He probably doesn’t, so once that is discovered the enemy will execute him. For now, the enemy is Enraged to get him. The other players shall not let their fellow party member stand there and preen. Every other player is Shaken (penalty) as they protect their buddy. Or take one round of unadjusted Banes as you smack down the deceiver (player character with mishap) with a vicious wound. The character thinks he’s indomitable, prove him wrong. Saving him while Shaken (penalty) may only perpetuate his delusions of grandeur. I suppose option three is to let him get killed; no, it wouldn’t stop there. Every attack the enemy might make could kill someone. Either protect him or wound him. Outland choices tend to be damned from two sides.
213 – The character is stunned by his own uncontrollable fury, and a foreign spirit takes control, while he's dazed. Until the referee decides (usually up to the start of the next adventure), random abilities are displayed by the character from his own repertoire or wholly new ones from an obscure source. The result will tend toward extreme malevolence; the entity hates all life. In the present battle, all his tactics will dispatch friend and foe. Alternate Recitation on the enemy and a random player blindsided with a vicious wound. The character will murder, pillage and rape, until the start of the next adventure. Maybe that happens quick; tell your patron you’ve failed him. The character with this mishap sees nothing wrong with his actions and may from time to time repeat his punishment of his friends, when it pleases. That may be it for him; who would let him stay with group?
214 – All of reality changes and alters. All in the area are sucked into a void. Opposing men and creatures are instantly destroyed. If at sea, the longboat loses all techniques. All characters suffer a vicious and lose a Trait. Correcting much of the world, requires intervention by a Zaire; more than one magical fireman may be needed to put things back right. If the character has had warnings, of course he has, a powerful wizard becomes a sworn enemy in the campaign going forward. This is not a Zaire, but a servant of one of the greater twenty protectors.
215– This area becomes intensely magical. Matter in this area transforms on a random basis. All things are affected, men and beasts included. It is not a good place to linger. An evil being will no doubt find this place and eventually make it his bastion. Move along with some haste. If the character has had warnings not to abuse magic, of course he has, a powerful wizard becomes a sworn enemy in the campaign going forward. This is not a Zaire, but a servant of one of the greater twenty protectors.
216 or 217– A switch was activated, metaphorically but also literally. The referee must decide the details, but reality or memory may be altered. Give every character a new name. The adventure is reversed; the players are hired by the rival to stop the patron. Things may be very confused, and the result must be interpreted by the Ref. If this change seems too damaging to the campaign, roll 5D8 and advance the character’s tally that far. Something less confusing will follow, perhaps a simple ending to this madman’s mindless and chaotic actions.
Warped Outcomes – Unearthly Creatures
218 or 219 – Whole group is pulled into a void to fight a battle with a monstrous foe. This duel is not optional. The referee must set the opponent, usually a single Invincible foe or a D8 Foul ones. But this is not supposed to kill the entire party, yet.
220 or 221 – Demons enter the world and attack all in the area. Each player character receives possible damage from a Q&D Bane Horrible attack, before the horde disappears. The characters then return back to the combat they left or a situation to resolve.
222 or 223 – Arouse the unspeakable; a nameless terror reaches into the world with its barbed and ichor-dripping tentacles of immense power, trying to draw everything in the area into its great maw. Each player character receives possible damage from a Q&D Bane Enchanted attack, before escaping. They then return back to the combat they left or a situation to resolve.
224 or 225 – A monster bewitches the concentration of everyone in the area, except the mishap player. Until the conclusion of the adventure, the mishap player must tell everyone what to do. Penalize the character by having him be unable to look at the other players’ character sheets. He must remember their abilities from memory of what they typically do in play. If he tells them to do something they can not…well, Irregular is the default result for combat. The character may actually like this arrangement and resist giving up his puppet power over his minions. Now can we use the Uncontested Dagger Thrust (S)?
226 – Many mystic paths and extra-dimensional gates are knotted in this place. It becomes unfit for human life. Long exposure is lethal. The characters should quickly depart, before minions of the greater evil arrive. Each player character receives possible damage from a Q&D Bane Nasty attack, before escaping to continue the adventure.
227 or 228 – A ginn has opened a magical gate and allows a demonic force to assail through; luckily it doesn’t fully fit and the nexus is shrinking. Just enough time for each player character to receive possible damage from a Q&D Bane Foul attack. They then return back to the combat they left or a situation to resolve.
229 to 231 – The character is noticed and misunderstood by supernatural forces aligned with death. Each player character receives possible damage from a Q&D Bane Great attack. Then return back to the combat they left or a situation to resolve.
232 to 234 – The character is stunned by his own uncontrollable fury, and a foreign spirit tries to save him. But the result manifests as the opposite. Each player character receives possible damage from a Q&D Bane Invincible attack. Then return back to the combat they left or a situation to resolve.
235 to 240 – The character is noticed and misunderstood by supernatural forces aligned with chaos. Each player character receives possible punishment via a Q&D Bane Heinous attack. Then return back to the combat they left or a situation to resolve.
Warped Outcomes – Spirit Traumatized
241 or 242 – Character becomes the victim of constant attacks from the spirit world. He starts every combat with a Q&D Bane Monster. The ferocity of that creature varies. Ref decides. Only a single attack is made, then continue as you would, assuming you survive. This result is permanent.
243 – The character is exhausted of magical energy. He may not use any magical ability for the rest of the adventure. Just being around him causes a magical null, which causes other players Shaken (penalty) to all combat Methods. The referee may decide other specifics to other Task Resolution rolls between combat. After the adventure concludes, attempt a Tasking roll to return back to baseline (normal). Fail and your character is still magically exhausted for yet another adventure. Keep repeating that final determination, until he recovers. If this result happens to a character that is magic sensitive, the result is permanent.
244 or 245 – Suffer a reoccurring slap to memory. Character will forget all the specific details of his life and his immediate motivation for joining the other adventurers. At the conclusion of each adventure — win, lose or draw—the player must delete one Trait, skill or swaggering. Maybe he can gain new swaggering as fast as he loses? Maybe he’s slowly melting away.
246 – Suffer extreme fits of paranoia followed by megalomania. Character will attempt to destroy his fellow characters. He becomes uncontrollable and evil with a motive of creating mayhem. Enough is enough. The Ref takes the character as an NPC, an enemy of all the other players and even the enemy of the alt characters of the mishap player himself. Give the fiend a new terrifying name, like Bane Lord, the Gnasher of Bones.
247 – Result has weakened the character's resolve in dealing with the supernatural. Whenever anyone uses Recitation he’s knocked out. If he uses it himself, he suffers vicious. Or if he is sensitive to magic, he dies where magic is used. Find this guy an asylum, after the battle at hand, which has high probability of causing his death. Maybe just dig him a grave – Geomancy (C), anyone? No but I can blast one open with Telekinesis (D). I have an idea, Celestial (G), a launch into space. Necromancy (H), he can dig his own tomb. Cosmic (T) in with the demons always trying to get him; serves him right. And the eulogy goes on and on.
248 to 251 – Confused by touching the supernatural, the character opts to retire. This will be his last adventure. A small chance he might be talked out of it within the encounters to follow. But the other players may be secretly or openly hoping he leaves the campaign as soon as he finds a town.
252 – Suffer feelings of inferiority. Character will constantly question his actions and need others to coax and praise him into performing the simplest of deeds. This result is both permanent and annoying, but otherwise has no penalty.
253 or 254 – Character looks into the void. He suffers paranoia and fear from what he sees. In combat, the character must always flee. He should drop out of the adventure, since he will not recover without rest. But he’s too afraid to go alone. One or more other player characters must switch to alts, presumably their main guys are taking their buddy on a farewell tour, back to the retirement home. But in fact, the mishap character never leaves the party. He has duped his friends to go, while he stays to feel superior over the typically lower level player character alternatives. His ruse is only discovered after the adventure ends in success or failure.
255 or 256 – Suffer feelings of guilt for killing anything. Character will constantly question his actions. In combat, the character is a pacifist, worse he doesn’t just run. The character will stay taking Irregular actions. If he ever sees someone going for dispatch, he will counter that result. Once again, the player character is proving to be a dangerous liability as he indulges his vanity and defies his age and infirmary. Just a reminder, swaggering versus swaggering can be used to fight pvp.
Warped Outcomes – Isle of Enlightenment
257 to 260 – Character sees all as it is and knows everything. He ascends away from the earth with a promise to return. The player's character is gone. (Yeah, its about the same as being dead for play.)
Warped Outcomes – Permanent Malady
261 to 264 – The bones in the character’s hands and feet are shattered. He must refrain from all actions, until his limbs are restored by magical relic. That requires a dangerous pilgrimage—a fresh adventure into the underworlds— the kind of place no one has ever returned from. Maybe it’s paradise, and no one wants to? Find some delvers and get started. Let’s not and say we did?
265 to 267 – Suffer a loss of eyesight. Not just vision, but his eye sockets are gone. In combat, the character has Shaken (penalty) in all Methods. This result is permanent.
268 to 270 – Character is paralyzed. He never helps in combat. At the start of any battle, he either takes a vicious wound or all players are Shaken (penalty) defending him. Why is he here? Only thing that comes to mind is he wants more mishaps and Warped Outcomes. How about this then. Optionally, the player may choose to suffer snake eyes mishap, whenever he is threatened. That should give him a chance to experience even greater mishaps.
271 to 273 – Character causes his fellow player characters pain, physical and mental, just to look at him or be near him. He is a gorgon of sorts, a punisher bless-cursed by the gods. This permanent result makes all his companions roll Ordinary at the beginning of any stressful activity, especially battle. Fail and start the combat with a vicious. Can he just stay in the boat? Maybe, but the boat is under threat as well? Plus, the mariners and rowers wonder why they need so much balm to make it through their work day. If they discover it’s the demon-spawn in his bunk, over the side he goes.
274 – Suffer loss of balance and depth perception. Character expects to be carried, treated as royalty. Everyone loses their Mount techniques should they comply. Indulge his whims? He must leave the campaign if his palanquin touches the ground. Oops.
Warped Outcomes – Master of Ginns
275 to 278 – Character is grabbed into another dimension as a pet or zoo creature or something equally unspeakable. Little hope he will return, but the Referee may have more sinister ideas.
279 or 280 – A mystic door connecting the character’s location to a horrific lair is forced open and torn from its hinges. A vile, huge and rot sweating beast moves through the portal without resistance. The creature’s oozing, puss-coated exoskeleton injures anyone that touches. The beast must be forced back through the portal by delivering at least a D8 dispatch injuries. Ref may make this even harder by saying those D8 wounds must happen in a single strike or in a single round, else it regenerates. The gate then must be sealed by either someone making a Nearly Impossible roll or someone else sacrificing his own life to close the portal from the other side. Guess who that will be, Captain Mishap? Best to try to kill the thing with Recitation only. Remember, the ooze is not a trifle.
281 or 282 – Challenged by some form of supernatural creature or the offspring of a false god. Option to fight a duel or submit to his demands. The referee must determine the specifics, but the demon-thing usually wants access to the character’s world and will instruct the mishap wizard in a task to open a portal. Though this may not be desired, the character may be magically bonded to comply. Else, he will be promised rebirth (a tally of zero), if he serves the unspeakable one. Play this as a subplot of a D8 adventures to follow. My guess is that the player character, mishap man, will be dead long before the opening of the event horizon. Zeddy, it’s coach Zeddy?
283 – Mishap situation is halted by some supreme godling or Zaire. Continue play as if the attempt was never made; however, the obscene mishap character will have vanished. Hand him over to the referee for a thousand and one years of torture, before death.
284 – The character disappears. He has become a ginn. The referee may decide that in future adventures, he may aid his former companions. However, his logic is now that of a ginn, and it is best to let him do as any ginn would. He may also be a demon, lying through his teeth, seeking freedom in a suffering world.
Warped Outcomes – Restoration of Humanity
285 – Set the character's accumulated Warped Outcome tally back to zero. I thought I’d never see this day. His changed form and any penalties will remain.
Warped Outcomes – Drained of Power
286 – Character dies should he drink anything containing alcohol. For the love of Pete, isn’t that incentive enough to roll a new guy?
287 – A ginn or demon strips the character of all his Traits, skills and swaggering. He sets his character level back to zero. He doesn’t give the player a chance to roll a new background. He’s starting from scratch with nothing. The mob takes his shoes and hat with a laugh. Yet there’s hope. His Warped Outcome tally is zero; he’s not wounded or has any lingering malady. He seems like a young man again. But to the other players he also seems like someone who could with two dice rolls gain some advantages and pull more weight. The highest level character may just chain the man to an oar on the longboat and keep him there as a reminder of ambition and excess. But that’s no fun; he’ll constantly whine and escape. He is a player character with shared memory and tales, just not a very good character anymore. Imagine someone at your game table playing a D&D® guy who rolled six ~ threes. I mean is there any limit; are you this stubborn? I give up. I just give up.
288 – The character is exhausted of magical energy. He may not use any magical ability ever again. Just being around him causes a magical null, which causes other players to lose their actions at Recitation. The referee may decide other specifics to other Task Resolution rolls between combat. The victim may be sought by high nobles, asked to retire to luxury, simply to be part of an entourage to protect the mighty. This is probably the end of his tales. But, pull the character out when the situation seems right.
289 – Reality has come to an end. The campaign and all the characters are no more. Well, let’s just say that the whole group dies – we wouldn't want to punish the referee for a mishap character, one who went one step too far in his reliance upon magic.
Warped Outcomes – Infinity
290 and beyond – Magical energy is now rejected by the character’s natural body. He should refrain from using further powers. He should refrain from any Task Resolution. He may only watch as Q&Ds are played. He’s just a watcher. Wait, no, I should have said a different name. Now a pain in the drawers player will seek to get here and be the watcher. So, let’s make it weight-watcher. That’s mean; that’s not funny. You lost a sale. Your games should be burned. You don’t deserve anything.
Peace – start over.
No one is ever going to get here.
Never say never.
Warped Outcome Endnote
Ref, add your own sick and twisted events into this table. As the players see the events, especially the lower numbered ones, mix things up and change the results. You’re a Ref, you have it in you. Free-style this puppy. Can you tell I came of age in the seventies?
Generate Perspective: Stop here at your next Warped Outcome. This activates special conditions. When ready, you will roll 2D8 and consult the temperaments below. Zeddy, your coach, is with you the whole time. He’ll say there is no good nor bad roll. In fact, the player may struggle with his philosophy, wanting to stay true to his intents and purposes, but he’s a junkie for power.
Not now, but when the player gets some time, have him read all the Perspectives and choose one he more desires. He still is stuck with the one he rolls but tease him about what he might have been. It’s all bad in the end. Yes, it’s all bad. Zeddy knows that; he don’t play this game. Regardless, this has no effect on what’s done in combat or specialized Q&Ds. This perspective is for helping decide whether the player helps a serf fix his wagon by two-hand lifting or summoning the baying hounds of hell!
After you look in the crystal ball to see your character’s Perspective, continue tally at True Fifty.
Perspective (2D8)
Perspective #4 or below – Carte Blanche, the Ref and player may have ideas on how to see magic in the character’s life and greater campaign. If nothing comes immediately to mind, treat as Perspective Six; it’s a fan favorite.
Perspective #5 – Alters in appearance, major and minor, to that of an animal when he casts spells. Desires the powers and aspects of wild beasts, control over the same. The swaggering aspects of his Mount are very special to him. He will invest the oddball free improvement mostly there. He believes magic is used to create aspects of animals in himself, the strength of lions, stealth of boa, sting of bee, etc. Magic that changes matter or changes physical laws is not this character. Regardless, his magic use should be very restrained, except in combat and Q&D where anything is possible and might even temper his reluctance to alter reality. Monsters do, and he is fascinated by those cuddly critters. Might like to have one as a pet. Of all the perspectives, this one is most likely to also have a familiar (marking him as a witch).
Perspective #6 – Magic is raw power, a force that allows the domination of all. He creates warps in gravity and corrupts the fabric of elements to create all manner of magical event. He states there are no natural laws; nature is ever changing and an illusion. He has grown accustomed to magical side effects, mishaps and maladies. A cost of doing business in the pursuit of the most deadly incantation and most powerful alterations one can summon. Fear me mere mortals! But, he’s not bitter. He knows what lurks in strange domains, off world and out of phase. Those he truly fears, for now.
Perspective #7 – Magic shall be used to protect the common good of the party, enhance the options of travel and avoid the hindrance of obstacles. But he would rather have others use their magic, before he volunteers his. He’s a pretty generic sociopath, when it comes to magic and its destructive potential. Lack of empathy is not the same as desiring demon sacrifices, of course. He may be an accidental wizard. What he has seen inwardly frightens him, and he dislikes the side effects that change his boyish good looks. He abhors magical mishap, when things go out of control. He knows that’s dangerous. He also knows what everyone who uses magic is going to become – vile. He’d like to keep his own sanity, as well as his friends. Though he uses that term friend as just a label; he has no true friends. Magic is mercenary. If you’re going to wreck yourself and your community, better get something in return. He will shun one-way magic portals, but anything else, even treasure hunting in the underworlds, who knows what might tempt?
Perspective #8 – Magical ability is only for dangerous events, especially combat. He will be fond of collecting trophies in his travels. Some of these will have or will slowly change with magical properties. For instance, an archer might grab an enemy arrow and later discover it is special. How is up to the player and Ref. (No littering the game with plus one winkees.) He only thinks his quarrels are magical, when in reality he imparts in them magical property by his belief. That’s just an example, your results may vary. Magic only influences attack options, or perhaps giving him recon information before a fight. He will invest mostly in swaggering that builds his Blade Virtues.
Perspective #9 – Despite his magic abilities, he does not believe in magic. Even his coach, he calls a flea in his ear. He denies any magic occurs or states with certainty that someone else should have credit. He thinks he is immune to most danger of magic, because he always abstains. He’s self deluded, or joking sarcastically, or refuses with comedy to embrace where his life is heading. Power corrupts. The referee and the player must temper any magical actions with abjuration. I swear it wasn’t me (that farted fairy dust). He will often tell someone else how to do something, then do the incantation, then congratulate the other person on his good job. He is actually very nice and fun to be around. One exception would be magic used for healing. He will be very fond of Geomancy (C) and restoration actions. He carries potions and powders with strange effects. Neither are in and by themselves magical; he imbues them with his acts. He might implore a deity, which he summons (in his belief) to do his magical deeds. When the situation becomes dire, he’ll put nonsense aside and summon his full powers. Later he will say the people, for instance he cured, were only faking to get out of work. The ones he pulverized were unlucky to be under those rocks or were dead already. Back to that river in Egypt (denial).
Perspective #10 – Magic may supplement his abilities; he likes to noodle and figure out how things are made or become better. He accepts nothing as finite and works to change reality to his benefit, and of course the little people. He changes his own fortunes quite often. He is very materialistic; property ownership is fluid. He makes doors unlock even if he has no intension to enter. He hates an unwelcoming, barred window. Every wall needs a ladder; guards should always be resting. No trap should ever work; a kid might get injured. He explains all his mischief as creating a better place, where everyone is happy; no moats and monsters exist. Unless, he needs one to storm a castle. If he has points to spend on swaggering of his choice, he will favor the raw variety, personal swaggering. There’s nothing better than Glorious Speed & Guile. (Is he correct in terms of game mechanics?)
Perspective #11 – Magic is an extension of knowledge, the lost arts of immortals and beings that created everything. Something happened and now the secrets are buried, obscured. He seeks to learn. He fiddles with his circumstances, with the universe, but often is just reaching out to other strange and unworldly forces for aid. He routinely talks to beings in other dimensions or babbles to himself. He doesn’t see demon or evil; he sees the learned and the ignorant. That doesn’t mean he is opposed to killing things that try to kill him, or someday might want to kill him. He’ll kills things; he’s no hippy. He loves clairvoyance, spying on simple folk and the nobility. He’s a voyeur, thinking even ordinary souls could unlock dark secrets. He enjoys making predictions, even when sometimes cryptic responses occur. He’d rather lie, then tell someone the truth, that he just doesn’t know. When the party is truly threatened, he can offer great aid. In less stressful times, he amuses himself with mathematical puzzles. He tends to frustrate other magicians, because he’s a learner not a teacher. He may just think everyone else is too stupid to do what he does.
Perspective #12 – Suspicious of other magicians. Uses magic to enhance stealth and the potency of poisons, lethality of silent attack. Magic relates to motion and combat actions but may be used to avoid combat. An assassin is a better servant than a guard. He is fond of minor curses and charms; magic which takes a vengeful time to punish. He carries a small token as a reminder of something evil in his own past. He doesn’t like owing favors or having anyone he might care about deeply. This is a solo journey into darkness. Yet he disdains the poultice, rituals and long winded rites; he’d rather have hunches, luck, but also enjoys the aspects of Spirit Protector (R). Someone who has no vested interest, ulterior motive or desire to kill him for his shoes. He will avoid investing much in his Blade or Mount, for he sees these as objects someone else might steal (even though the magical properties only work with the original user).
Perspective #13 – He’s not sure what to make of magic. Really, it’s a waste to philosophize. Do what you need to do; try not to muck things up. Magic is truly important as a way of manipulating emotions. People love me! He’ll really crave Thought Control (P). Otherwise, magic shall be used to protect the common good of the party, protect his own life and property. Stay out of his occult practices, and he’ll leave you alone to explore the arcane arts. A good team player in battle, but he’s not looking to join any clubs or secret fraternities.
Perspective #14 or better – Magic is an ineffective tool; one wastes his life in its pursuit. There are times suited to magic use, but he prefers the clean way in battle. If he was purely a warrior, he’d never have this high a Warped Outcome, agreed? Trickery is for flabby fools. He will invest much of his magical windfall in swaggering for his longboat, even knowing it is ephemeral. When he agrees that magic is the only way, he will insist on all the pomp and circumstances. The rite must be letter perfect and all must have an exact role. Anything short of that, especially combat, was stressful accident. He could have used his weapon, but the enemy committed backfire suicide, before he crossed the floor. He’ll know he takes shortcuts and cheats and is ashamed. He’ll be dangerous to confront with his hypocrisy. Other people should live up to his values (so doesn’t have to).
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